NVIDIA GeForce NOW adds RTX 5080 power, expands game library
What's the story
NVIDIA has announced a major upgrade for its GeForce NOW cloud gaming service. Starting September, the platform will be powered by the new Blackwell GPUs, effectively giving users access to an RTX 5080 in the cloud. The upgrade comes with a massive memory of 48GB and DLSS 4 support. For $20/month, you can stream your favorite PC games on multiple devices like phones, Macs, PCs, TVs, and Chromebooks.
New feature
'Install-to-Play' feature will double the game library instantly
Along with the GPU upgrade, NVIDIA is also introducing a new feature called "Install-to-Play." This will let users install games without waiting for NVIDIA's formal curation. The company claims this will double the GeForce NOW library instantly. However, not every PC game can be installed using this method. Only those titles that have opted into Valve's Steam Cloud Play will be available.
Game expansion
Install-to-Play will add games on release dates too
Andrew Fear, NVIDIA's product marketing director, told The Verge that the moment Install-to-Play is added, 2,352 games will show up. This feature will also allow NVIDIA to add more games and demos to GeForce NOW on their release dates. However, users should note that Install-to-Play games won't launch instantly like curated titles. They'll have to download and install them each time unless they pay extra for persistent storage starting at $3 for $200GB.
Streaming upgrades
Streaming capabilities are also getting an upgrade
NVIDIA is also improving the streaming capabilities of GeForce NOW. If you have enough bandwidth, the service will now allow 5K resolution streaming at 120fps or up to 360fps at 1080p. There's also a new optional Cinematic Quality Streaming mode that can reduce color bleed and restore detail to dark/blurred areas as it's streamed over the internet. The maximum streaming speed has also been increased from 75Mbps to 100Mbps for better quality maintenance.
Discord integration
GeForce NOW is coming to Discord
NVIDIA is also integrating GeForce NOW into Discord, allowing gamers to try new games for free directly from a Discord server. Epic Games and Discord are the first partners to demonstrate this technology at Gamescom this week. Fear said, "You can simply click a button that says 'try a game' and then connect your Epic Games account and immediately jump in and join the action, and you'll be playing Fortnite in seconds without any downloads or installs."