Google's Stadia cloud gaming service (opens in new tab) will officially shut down tomorrow, January 18, but those with Stadia controllers will be able to continue using them in the future thanks to a final firmware update that converts it to a standard Bluetooth device ( (opens in new tab) that will (hopefully) allow them to continue using it in the future.

No matter how you look at it, this process (described on this Stadia support page (opens in a new tab)) is a simple one: press and hold the Stadia button on the controller until the status light comes on, connect the controller to your PC with a standard USB cable, then go to stadia Go to .google.com/controller (opens in a new tab) (you will need to use Google's Chrome browser, which is available at Google.com/controller). Once that is done, you will have a snazzy new Bluetooth controller that you can use with your Bluetooth-enabled device.

After conversion, you can pair the controller with a compatible device by pressing and holding the Stadia button until it turns off and then pressing it again until the status light turns orange. This will put it into pairing mode. Once you access the device you wish to connect to, you should see "Stadia" in the list of available devices. If you cannot connect, you may need to authorize the Stadia controller in the device's Bluetooth menu.

A few things to note: enabling Bluetooth mode on the controller will permanently and irreversibly disable Wi-Fi functionality. Once the update is applied, headphones connected to the controller will no longer function, as will the Assistant and Capture buttons, not because of Bluetooth conversion, but simply because the stadium will no longer exist.

And for some reason, the deadline to complete the update is December 31, 2023.