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Analyst Likes Google After More Details From Stadia

Bank of America remained bullish on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) following the release of more details on Google’s new Stadia game streaming service, including prices and a November launch date. The more detailed information about Stadia shows it initially will function more like an online game store than a game rental or streaming service, said Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst Justin Post, and will have lots of competition soon, but is an ambitious platform. Post reiterated a Buy position on Alphabet stock with a target price of $1,350. What Is Stadia? Read More...

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Bank of America remained bullish on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) following the release of more details on Google’s new Stadia game streaming service, including prices and a November launch date.” data-reactid=”18″>Bank of America remained bullish on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) following the release of more details on Google’s new Stadia game streaming service, including prices and a November launch date.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="The more detailed information about Stadia shows it initially will function more like an online game store than a game rental or streaming service, said Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst Justin Post, and will have lots of competition soon, but is an ambitious platform.” data-reactid=”19″>The more detailed information about Stadia shows it initially will function more like an online game store than a game rental or streaming service, said Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst Justin Post, and will have lots of competition soon, but is an ambitious platform.

Post reiterated a Buy position on Alphabet stock with a target price of $1,350.

What Is Stadia?

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="When Google announced Stadia in March, it promised a cloud game streaming platform that will allow users to play console or PC games by streaming them directly to any device with a Chrome browser, removing the need to buy an expensive PC or console.” data-reactid=”22″>When Google announced Stadia in March, it promised a cloud game streaming platform that will allow users to play console or PC games by streaming them directly to any device with a Chrome browser, removing the need to buy an expensive PC or console.

What’s New?

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Google this week revealed more details on how it will work, what it will cost, what players will be able to play and when it will be available. Google said Stadia will launch in November in 14 countries and will include at least 31 different games from 21 publishers. Among the games are “Ghost Recon Breakout,” “The Division 2” and they teased&nbsp;“Baldur’s Gate 3” is being worked on for the platform.” data-reactid=”24″>Google this week revealed more details on how it will work, what it will cost, what players will be able to play and when it will be available. Google said Stadia will launch in November in 14 countries and will include at least 31 different games from 21 publishers. Among the games are “Ghost Recon Breakout,” “The Division 2” and they teased “Baldur’s Gate 3” is being worked on for the platform.

Stadia Pro will start at $10 a month, which allows access to the platform and a few free games.

But Google also said that users will still have to buy most titles, most at similar retail prices to what they’d cost on PlayStation, Xbox or other platforms.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="“We will sell these games like any other digital storefront,” Google’s director of games Jack Buser said in a report in The Verge.” data-reactid=”27″>“We will sell these games like any other digital storefront,” Google’s director of games Jack Buser said in a report in The Verge.

“We think the potential to buy games at full price on the Stadia storefront, and play them to the Stadia platform is an interesting twist (no console cost), but may be difficult to get core gamers to transition off of Sony and Microsoft platforms which have their content libraries,” BOA’s Post cautioned in a Friday note to investors.

Competition Coming

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Post also expects Google to soon have “robust competition” in the cloud gaming space and mentioned Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) as likely to soon have their own services.” data-reactid=”30″>Post also expects Google to soon have “robust competition” in the cloud gaming space and mentioned Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) as likely to soon have their own services.

Tailwind For Publishers

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Post also said the new type of gaming platform should be a tailwind for game publishers of games, including Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).” data-reactid=”32″>Post also said the new type of gaming platform should be a tailwind for game publishers of games, including Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Price Action

GOOGL traded up 1.9 percent Friday to close at $1,068.37.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Related Links” data-reactid=”35″>Related Links

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Google’s Stadia Video Game Platform Announces Pricing, Games Structure” data-reactid=”36″>Google’s Stadia Video Game Platform Announces Pricing, Games Structure

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="How Google’s Stadia Video Game Streamer Will Be ‘Highly Disruptive’” data-reactid=”37″>How Google’s Stadia Video Game Streamer Will Be ‘Highly Disruptive’

Latest Ratings for GOOG

Date Firm Action From To
May 2019 Maintains Buy
Feb 2019 Maintains Overweight Overweight
Feb 2019 Maintains Buy Buy

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<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="© 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.” data-reactid=”47″>© 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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