Google Stadia's game-changing State Share arrives on Hitman 3 — What is it?

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(Image credit: Google)

Hitman 3 has seen some impressive reviews since its launch, and now it's available for Google Stadia. This isn't just your standard launch though, as the release also comes with Google Stadia's State Share feature, and it's looking to be quite the game-changer.

The Stadia-exclusive feature has now seen its first real release with Hitman 3, after nearly two years since it was first shown-off. Stadia players got a sneak peek of it with the exclusive (but not entirely known) Crayta, but the feature was still in its beta stages at that point.

Now, we're getting the full release...sort of. 

Google Stadia State Share: What is it?

State Share allows players to create game state data and share their point in the game with other users. It's not just a simple screenshot or stream, rather, other players will be able to play a user's game state — meaning they'll play the same weapon loadouts, unique situations, or just hilarious moments.

Simply by pressing Stadia's screenshot button, it will record these states along with any media, such as a video, screenshot, or live streams created through the platform.

This is a major game-changer not just for Stadia, but for next-gen gaming. Whether it be streamers setting up challenges for others, skipping entire sections of a game, creating easier checkpoints for speedrunners to trial, or even quickly getting achievements, Stadia has created something special.

These perks work perfectly with a game like Hitman 3, but State Share is not quite fully-realized yet. As reported by 9to5Google, Hitman 3 on Google Stadia lets players share a starting point in one of its levels, but not any progression in the level.

Hitman 3 also landed on Nintendo Switch using its cloud streaming service, but with State Share, Stadia has that slight advantage over the Switch (although, that's hardly the Switch's selling point).

If more games on Google Stadia start featuring the full potential of State Share, we may see more streamers flock to the platform. In the meantime, check out our thoughts on Hitman 3 on PC

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.