Convert Google Stadia handset into a Bluetooth controller
The demise of Stadia left many wondering what they were going to do with their handset, which I always thought was a nice little device in terms of touch, feel and usability. I chucked mine in a drawer and had to explain to my daughter that the end of the Paw Patrol game wasn’t my fault.
She didn’t believe me, and still doesn’t.
Google however did make some provision for reusing the handset as a Bluetooth device, which prevents the units ending up in landfill, for now at least.
It’s a simple process, you’re going to need a device with Google Chrome, a USB Data cable and the controller will need to be charged.
There are loads of resources online, however I just plugged the controller into my PC, visited https://stadia.google.com/controller and followed the instructions.
I use mine to control the Firestick on my TV, which works well once the Firestick has been started, however at this point there doesn’t seem to be a way to turn it on or off. This is a real shame as the Stadia controller, in my opinion, is a much nicer experience than the little thing that ships with the Firestick.