Marketing 101: Companies hand out free trials all the time. Whether it's a product or a subscription, they know that if they give enough away, some percentage will continue using it. This is especially true with subscriptions since some people will continue paying despite not using the service much.

As developers continue to pull out of Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud-gaming service, Google moves to expand its Stadia player base even more. The search giant has been emailing three-month trial codes to Chromecast Ultra users willing to sign up to receive email promotions.

To be clear, the offer is not just for new purchasers. It is open to current Chromecast Ultra owners as well. Google is sending the email invites out to known Ultra users, so no action needs to be taken to receive the promotion.

Stadia soft released last November with only its Pro tier. Early adopters who bought the Founder's Edition and those who have received a "Buddy Pass" from a subscriber have access. Barring those two methods of entry, you have to buy the $130 Stadia Premiere Edition, which includes three months of Stadia Pro, the Stadia controller, and a Chromecast Ultra.

Since it has not launched its free tier yet, once the three-month trial is up, users will have to pay $10 per month to continue using the service. As free trials go, Google can expect to convert a percentage of triers into buyers, which should boost Stadia's numbers before it launches the Standard free tier later this year.

Masthead credit: Daniel Constante via Shutterstock