Google Stadia arrives on mobile Safari with beta web app

Stadia launches today as a web app for mobile Safari

Starting on Wednesday, "Cyberpunk 2077," "Destiny 2," and many other Stadia games are playable on the iPhone or iPad, as Google is launching an iOS-friendly version of its game-streaming service.

Google announced last month that mobile Safari support was coming soon to Stadia. To play Stadia on an iPhone or iPad, iOS users will merely need to navigate to the Stadia website in mobile Safari, though the company advises installing it as a progressive web app by tapping Share > Add to Home Screen. At the time of publication, the beta isn't yet available, but The Verge reports it will be arriving on Wednesday.

Apple does not allow game-streaming services to release apps on the App Store that can directly launch games, without an associated App Store entry. Rather than go that route, Google has opted to use Safari to get Stadia onto iPhones and iPads. When launching the progressive web app after installing on the Home Screen, it will open a dedicated Safari browser with Stadia running inside it.

Developers have launched third-party browser apps in the App Store that run Stadia, including the Stadium app. It returned to the App Store last month after updating the application to regain Apple's approval.

Stadia launched in late 2019, initially only for Chromecast, PCs with Chrome, and select Android devices. While the service has been slow to take off, it offers several popular games, including "Assassin's Creed: Odyssey," "Jedi: Fallen Order," and "Destiny 2."