GeForce Now (also called GeForce NOW) is the name Nvidia uses for its cloud gaming service. Nvidia Grid, Nvidia's cloud gaming service for Nvidia Shield devices, started in 2013. On September 30, 2015, Nvidia changed the name of the service to GeForce Now and added a $7.99/month subscription plan. The subscription gave users unlimited access to a collection of games stored on Nvidia servers for the length of their subscription, with games delivered through streaming video. Some games were also available through a "Buy & Play" option. This version ended in 2019, and the service was updated to allow Shield users to play their own games.

In January 2017, Nvidia introduced GeForce Now clients for Windows and Mac computers as a free beta in North America and Europe. GeForce NOW allows users to access a virtual computer where they can install their existing games from digital platforms and play them remotely. Like the original Shield version, the virtual desktop is streamed from Nvidia servers.

The service left Beta and became available to the public on February 4, 2020. It is now available on Windows, macOS, Linux (beta), Android, iOS/iPadOS, ChromeOS, Shield TV, Tizen, WebOS, the Steam Deck, and VR/MR headsets such as Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest. The technology behind GeForce NOW was created by Franck Diard and Xun Wang. Nvidia owns the patent for this technology.

Features

GeForce Now uses servers located in data centers across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. These servers provide access to the GeForce Now game library for members in more than 100 countries.

The service uses AV1 encoding on newer servers, which reduces the amount of data needed by about 40% compared to H.264 while keeping similar quality. For devices that cannot use AV1, HEVC and H.264 are still available. The service adjusts video quality based on internet speed. Cinematic Quality Streaming (CQS) includes YUV 4:4:4 chroma sampling, support for 10-bit HDR, AI tools to improve screen clarity, and maximum data transfer speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s. DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Generation can create up to three extra frames for each original frame in supported games.

Subscription tiers

GeForce Now offers three main subscription levels, along with older plans.

The Free tier allows 1-hour gaming sessions. Waiting times include ads, and queue times are the longest. Streaming is limited to 1080p/60fps on servers with 4 vCPU cores, 14GB RAM, and GeForce RTX 3050-class hardware (6GB VRAM). Only Ready-to-Play games (over 2,000 titles) are available. Install-to-Play is not supported.

The Performance tier (changed from "Priority" in November 2024) costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year. It provides 6-hour gaming sessions with no ads and priority queue access. Streaming supports up to 1440p/60fps on servers with 8 vCPU cores, 28GB RAM, and GeForce RTX 3060-class hardware (12GB VRAM). Features include ray tracing, HDR, and 5.1 surround audio. Both Ready-to-Play and Install-to-Play games (over 4,000 titles) are available.

The Ultimate tier costs $19.99/month or $199.99/year. It provides 8-hour gaming sessions with no ads and priority queue access. Members use RTX 4080-class servers (16 vCPU cores, 56GB RAM, 24GB VRAM) by default. For select optimized games, RTX 5080-class servers (56GB RAM, 48GB VRAM) are automatically assigned. RTX 4080 servers support up to 4K resolution or 240fps. RTX 5080 servers support up to 5K resolution at 120fps or 360fps at 1080p with sub-30 millisecond click-to-pixel latency. Features include ray tracing, HDR, 7.1 surround audio, DLSS 3 Frame Generation, NVIDIA Reflex, and Cloud G-Sync. Both Ready-to-Play and Install-to-Play games (over 4,000 titles) are available.

Day passes provide 24-hour access to upgraded tiers for $3.99 (Performance) and $7.99 (Ultimate).

As of January 1, 2026, non-Founders who pay for the service have a 100-hour monthly playtime limit, affecting about 6% of users. Extra 15-hour blocks can be bought for $2.99 (Performance) or $5.99 (Ultimate). Up to 15 unused hours can roll over monthly. Legacy Founders who subscribed before March 17, 2021, keep their introductory $4.99/month rate and are not subject to monthly playtime limits.

Library

As of late 2025, GeForce NOW supports more than 4,500 games through two ways to access them. "Ready-to-Play" games are titles that NVIDIA has tested and adjusted for streaming, and these are available to all users, including those with free accounts. "Install-to-Play" games are additional Steam titles that users can choose to install from their own game libraries, but these are only available to users with Performance or Ultimate subscriptions.

GeForce Now uses a "bring your own games" system, where users log into their existing digital game accounts (such as Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, EA app, GOG.com, Battle.net, and Xbox PC Game Pass) to play games they already own. For example, if a user wants to play Fortnite on a device, it would be free because the game itself is free to play. However, to play Cyberpunk 2077, the user would need to log into a Steam or Epic Games Store account that owns that game.

At Gamescom 2025, the Install-to-Play feature was introduced, giving Performance and Ultimate members 100GB of temporary storage to install Steam games from publishers that have chosen to include their titles in Steam Cloud Play. This storage is cleared after each session, meaning games must be reinstalled for each new session (though installation is usually quick due to fast servers). This change doubled the number of available games from about 2,300 pre-tested titles to over 4,500. Additional storage that lasts between sessions is available through subscription add-ons (200GB for $2.99, 500GB for $4.99, and 1TB for $7.99 monthly).

NVIDIA has faced several licensing disputes related to games on its service, especially in February and March 2020, when the service moved from beta to general release. Activision Blizzard removed all their games in February 2020, stating there was a "misunderstanding" about the terms. Bethesda later removed most of its games. Developers of The Long Dark reported their game was added without a licensing agreement, and NVIDIA agreed to remove it. In early March 2020, 2K Games also removed their games from the service.

In May 2020, NVIDIA announced it would change its approach, requiring developers and publishers to choose to include their games on GeForce Now, starting in June 2020. This would be a free service for these companies. Soon after, Valve launched a beta version of its Steam Cloud Play service, which would work with other cloud gaming services, including GeForce Now.

On September 30, 2021, GeForce Now announced that Electronic Arts games, including Battlefield, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, Unravel, and Dragon Age titles, could be played in the cloud.

In February 2023, Microsoft (which runs Xbox Cloud Gaming) announced a 10-year agreement to bring its Xbox PC games to NVIDIA's GeForce Now service. After Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, games from that company, such as Call of Duty, Diablo, and Overwatch, were added to NVIDIA's service.

Ubisoft remains a major partner, with full integration of its Ubisoft+ Premium service. Rockstar Games removed its titles from the service in early 2020 and has not returned.

Reception

GeForce Now has received mostly positive feedback, especially after improvements to its server systems. When it launched in February 2020, reviewers compared it favorably to Google Stadia, with Ars Technica describing it as "a stunner" and questioning if Stadia would be replaced.

After the September 2025 launch of Blackwell RTX 5080 servers, PC Gamer reported that games played under ideal conditions felt similar to playing on a local computer. However, streaming games in 4K with frame generation enabled sometimes caused delays.

The service has also faced criticism. In January 2026, a rule limiting non-Founders members to 100 hours of monthly playtime caused dissatisfaction among users, especially those who play MMORPGs or other games requiring long play sessions. Some reviewers described the Free tier as "nearly unusable" due to long wait times and frequent advertisements.

The game library is not complete because publishers must agree to include their games. Notable titles missing include Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2, as well as Elden Ring from FromSoftware. First-person shooters and other games sensitive to delays may still feel slower than local play for users with poor internet connections.

Supported platforms

GeForce Now works on Windows 10 and newer (64-bit), macOS 10.15 and newer, and ChromeOS. A Linux version for Ubuntu 24.04 and newer started testing in January 2026. Using Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Opera GX in a web browser, users can stream up to 1440p/120fps at play.geforcenow.com.

The Android app allows streaming up to 1600p/120fps on the Ultimate tier, but it does not support HDR. iOS and iPadOS don't have an official app because of Apple's rules. Instead, users can access it through Safari PWA, but only up to 1080p/60fps with a gamepad. Apps like CloudGear on iOS can bypass Safari's limits, allowing 5K resolution, 120fps, HDR, mouse control, and controller vibrations, making the iOS experience similar to desktops.

GeForce Now works on Samsung TVs (2020–2025 models using Samsung Gaming Hub), LG TVs (2020–2025 webOS models, with 4K/120fps on 2022+ OLED models), Android TV, Sony TVs, and Nvidia Shield TV. Support for Amazon Fire TV (Fire TV Stick 4K Plus/Max 2nd Gen) was announced at CES 2026 and will be available in early 2026.

Steam Deck got a native app in 2025, allowing up to 90fps in handheld mode or 4K/60fps when connected to a display. Other supported handhelds are Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, Razer Edge, and Logitech G Cloud.

VR/MR headset support started at CES 2025, allowing 2D cinema streaming at 4K/60fps on Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 2/Pro/3/3S, and Pico 4/4 Ultra through a web browser.

Racing wheels like Logitech G29/G920/G923/G PRO Racing Wheel work on Windows and macOS. HOTAS flight controls from Thrustmaster, Turtle Beach, Hori, and Logitech were announced at CES 2026. Other supported controllers include Google's Stadia Controller, after conversion to Bluetooth mode, Valve's Steam Controller, Amazon's Luna Controller, Hori's HORIPAD Turbo SL/Fighting Stick α (Alpha)/Fighting Stick Mini/Wireless HORIPAD/Fighting Commander OCTA, Turtle Beach's Atom Controller/PDP REPLAY Wireless Controller/Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded Wireless Modular Controller, Thrust

Global distribution and alliance partners

Nvidia's GeForce Now game streaming service uses a network of partner companies to grow its availability and provide cloud gaming to users worldwide. These partners manage the service in their regions and adjust offerings to fit local needs. The service is available in more than 100 countries through direct operations and partnerships with other companies.

Nvidia directly operates data centers in North America (United States, Canada, Mexico), Western and Northern Europe (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries), Eastern Europe (Poland, Balkans, Baltics), Japan, and India.

As of January 2026, the following partner companies operate GeForce Now in their regions. These partners set their own prices and subscription plans, which may differ from those offered by Nvidia's main service.

• GFN.CO.KR: South Korea
• Taiwan Mobile: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines
• StarHub: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia (Formerly), Philippines, Thailand (Formerly), Vietnam
• Yes: Malaysia
• Cloud.GG: Australia, New Zealand
• Brothers Pictures: Thailand

• GFN.AM: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
• GAME+: Turkey, Cyprus

• Zain: Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia
• Rain: South Africa

• ABYA: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay
• Digevo: Chile, Colombia, Peru