GeForce Now

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GeForce Now
Basic data

developer NVIDIA
Publishing year - 2015 for Nvidia Shield

- 2020 for Microsoft Windows , Mac OS and Android

operating system Nvidia Shield , Nvidia Shield Tablet , Nvidia Shield TV , Microsoft Windows , Mac OS and Android
category Cloud gaming
German speaking Yes
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/products/geforce-now/

GeForce Now is the brand that hardware manufacturer Nvidia uses for its cloud gaming service. The Nvidia Shield version of GeForce Now, formerly known as NVIDIA GRID , was released in 2013 in beta. The new name was officially announced on September 30, 2015. The game subscription that was initially included was removed with the release of the service in February 2020 for Microsoft Windows , Mac OS , Android and iOS and games must have previously been purchased on distribution platforms such as Steam , Uplay or the Epic Games Store in order to be recognized by the service to become.

Features and hosting

GeForce Now consists of a network of servers in 9 data centers in North America and 6 in Europe that host the GeForce Now game library for members in these regions as a remote desktop using cloud computing and broadcast it to the desired device via live streaming and the control signal of the input device. In Germany, the data center is in Frankfurt am Main . The servers use Nvidia graphics cards and can stream games with a resolution of up to Full HD and 60 frames per second (sometimes even 120 frames). Higher frame rates and 4K resolution should follow in the course of 2020. The choice of the built-in components of the server adapts to the player and settings.

The servers' hardware is updated over time to improve the quality of the streams. The service can be used free of charge with a time limit of one hour per game session and a queue for free servers or with a monthly subscription of € 5.49 without restrictions and with ray tracing support from Nvidia RTX .

requirements

Nvidia recommends a 50 Mbit / s internet connection for full HD resolution with 60 frames per second. However, the service can also be used with a 10 Mbit / s line with restrictions in resolution and frame rate. A 5 GHz W-LAN connection or a connection via LAN is also recommended, as otherwise artifacts can occur. The system requirements for the software are low, as the game is only transmitted and not charged on your own device.

Library

The original GeForce Now library on the Nvidia Shield contained over 80 games as of March 2016. At the Game Developers Conference 2016, Nvidia announced new license agreements with Sega and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment . Much of the service's library was available for streaming with a game subscription. However, some games were only playable after a purchase. The game subscription was removed with the release for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android and the games must have been previously purchased on another platform. A separate download of the game on your own device is not required. On February 12, 2020, publisher Activision Blizzard withdrew its games from the offer without a public justification. On February 22, 2020, Bethesda Softworks also took all games from the library with the exception of Wolfenstein: Youngblood . Electronic Arts and Rockstar Games do not yet cooperate with the service. On March 8, 2020, the publisher 2K Games also discontinued the cooperation, whereupon the publisher's games were removed from the library. On April 21, 2020, Xbox Game Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment also withdrew their games from their offerings. Since May 28, publishers have to allow their games for GeForce Now ( opt-in ). One day later, the computer game distribution platform Steam launched the cloud service Steam Cloud Play , which works together with GeForce Now, in beta.

Development history

The Nvidia Shield version of GeForce Now was released under the name NVIDIA GRID 2013 with a game subscription in the beta version. On September 30, 2015, the name was officially renamed GeForce Now . On October 1, sales of the Nvidia Shield TV started with the service in Europe.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2017, Nvidia announced a version of GeForce Now for Windows and Mac OS. In contrast to the version for Nvidia Shield, this is a separate offer where users can rent access to a remote desktop with access to their purchased games. Initially, the model should be limited to individual GTX graphics cards and a price calculation per minute. However, this model was discarded and replaced by a monthly subscription and a free version with restrictions.

Nvidia announced a planned beta version of the service in March 2017, but it was tacitly discontinued. In a May 2017 earnings report , Jen-Hsun Huang , CEO of Nvidia, announced that a beta version would take place, but the company was years away from finding the right balance between cost and quality of service for the spread of virtualization in gaming -PCs. At the end of October 2017, Nvidia launched a free and open beta for English-speaking Mac OS users in North America and Europe . In January 2018, Nvidia expanded the Nvidia GeForce Now service to include Windows devices. Due to the popularity and the limited number of 300,000 users for beta testers, the queue for additional testers in March 2019 was over a million registrations.

On February 4, 2020, the service was officially released for Windows, Mac OS and Android.

Reviews

The service received generally positive reviews from users compared to competing cloud gaming service Google Stadia . The advantages mentioned include the fact that there is already a free version, the comparatively lower price, that the games do not have to be purchased again exclusively for the service, the existing ray tracing support, better and more stable graphics results and the adaptive graphics settings. However, is criticized, among others, the lack of games subscription, an often required manual server change for better graphics results, dropped frames and artifacts at a Wi-Fi connection, short delays in e-sports can be critical and even small games offer.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ "GeForce Now" starts: You need to know that about the cloud service. February 5, 2020, accessed February 13, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Nvidia GeForce Now aims to be the 'Netflix of games' for just 8 bucks a month. September 30, 2015, accessed February 13, 2020 .
  3. ↑ a b c Nvidia relies on game streaming with GeForce Now. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  4. ↑ a b heise online: Nvidia's Cloud Gaming GeForce Now in the test: Server hopping at its best. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  5. ↑ Marshall Honorof: GeForce Now Review: Game Streaming Done (Mostly) Right. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  6. ↑ Nvidia game streaming: Geforce Now costs 5.49 euros per month - Golem.de. Retrieved on February 13, 2020 (German).
  7. ↑ Samit Sarkar: GeForce Now, Nvidia's 'Netflix for games,' expands with Sega and Warner Bros. March 15, 2016, accessed on February 13, 2020 (English).
  8. ↑ Hands-On With NVIDIA GeForce Now: Is The World Finally Ready For A Game Streaming Service? In: Android Police. October 1, 2015, accessed February 13, 2020 (American English).
  9. ↑ a b DER SPIEGEL: Geforce Now: This is Nvidia's new game streaming service - DER SPIEGEL - Netzwelt. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  10. ↑ Nvidia brings the latest games even to lame PCs. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  11. ↑ Samit Sarkar: GeForce Now, Nvidia's 'Netflix for games,' expands with Sega and Warner Bros. March 15, 2016, accessed on February 13, 2020 (English).
  12. ↑ a b Jan-Frederik Timm: Game streaming: Nvidia GeForce Now without games from Activision Blizzard. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  13. ↑ Geforce Now: Nvidia loses content from Activision-Blizzard. February 12, 2020, accessed February 13, 2020 .
  14. ↑ heise online: GeForce Now: Nvidia loses Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
  15. ↑ Geforce Now in crisis? Now 2K also jumps off. March 8, 2020, accessed March 8, 2020 .
  16. ↑ heise online: Cloud Gaming: Geforce Now loses games from Xbox Game Studios and Warner Bros. Retrieved on April 22, 2020 .
  17. ↑ heise online: Nvidia GeForce Now: Studios must now explicitly allow cloud gaming. Retrieved May 30, 2020 .
  18. ↑ Play without installation: Steam Cloud Play started with GeForce Now. May 29, 2020, accessed May 30, 2020 .
  19. ↑ Eike Kühl: Cloud Gaming: Games from the Cloud . In: The time . November 19, 2014, ISSN  0044-2070 ( zeit.de [accessed February 13, 2020]).
  20. ↑ NVIDIA announces GeForce NOW - game streaming for just $ 7.99 per month. September 30, 2015, accessed February 13, 2020 (American English).
  21. ↑ Geforce Now: Nvidia's "Netflix for Games" starts in Austria - derStandard.at. Retrieved February 13, 2020 (Austrian German).
  22. ↑ Nvidia announces GeForce Now streaming service for PCs with pay-per-minute gaming - ExtremeTech. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  23. ↑ GeForce Now, only later: Nvidia game streaming will need 'several years' to scale. May 10, 2017, accessed February 13, 2020 .
  24. ↑ Nvidia launches GeForce Now macOS beta | bit-tech.net. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  25. ↑ NVIDIA GeForce NOW FAQS. Retrieved February 13, 2020 (American English).
  26. ↑ Tom Warren: This app can transform your cheap laptop into a gaming PC. January 8, 2018, accessed February 13, 2020 .
  27. ↑ Nicolas La Rocco: Cloud Gaming: One million players are waiting for Nvidia GeForce Now. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  28. ↑ Has Nvidia Geforce Now outperformed Stadia? February 6, 2020, accessed February 13, 2020 .
  29. ↑ a b Geforce Now. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
  30. ↑ a b heise online: Optimizations and server changes. Retrieved February 13, 2020 .