Using a Stadia Controller after Stadia

Google shut Stadia down in January 2023, but the controller still works. Over a USB-C cable it's an ordinary wired controller. Google also released an update that switches it to Bluetooth mode, after which it pairs with a computer like any other Bluetooth controller.

Tool description

This tester shows what your Stadia Controller sends to the browser. Connect it and press any button, since browsers only show a controller once one of its buttons is pressed.

The gamepad picture lights up A, B, X, Y, L1, R1, Options, Menu and the Stadia button as you press them, fills L2 and R2 as far as you pull them and moves the sticks. L3 and R3 are the stick presses. Under the picture, each button has a tile with how far it's pressed, and both sticks show their exact X and Y position from -1 to 1. If your browser can make the controller vibrate, Test vibration rumbles it for one second.

Browsers don't read the Assistant and Capture buttons, so pressing them shows nothing.

Checking the sticks

Let go of both sticks. A healthy stick rests close to zero, like 0.0039. A value that stays around 0.1 or more, or changes on its own, means the stick drifts. Pushed all the way, each stick should get close to -1 or 1 in every direction.

Features

  • A controller picture with the buttons named as on the Stadia Controller
  • How far each button and trigger is pressed, and each stick's exact position
  • A one second vibration test