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Nvidia is bringing its GeForce Now cloud gaming service to cars

Nvidia is bringing its GeForce Now cloud gaming service to cars

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Nvidia says it’s working with automakers Hyundai, Polestar, and BYD to allow streaming of AAA titles in vehicles, but there are no details on when exactly the service will launch.

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An image showing two displays mounted to the rear of a pair of car seats. Each display is playing a different video game.
Nvidia is bringing its GeForce Now cloud gaming service to cars.
Image: Nvidia

Nvidia is working with automakers to make its cloud gaming service GeForce Now available in cars. Although there are no details on when the service will be available and in which vehicles, Nvidia announced at CES that it’s partnering with South Korean giant Hyundai, Swedish-Chinese premium EV maker Polestar, and Chinese EV maker BYD.

In a press release, Nvidia said GeForce Now will be able to “stream a real-time, full PC-gaming experience ... to software-defined cars.” The company said the gaming service can “enhance time spent charging or riding in vehicles, as it enables front-seat occupants to stream games while parked, and passengers to game in the back seat if screens are available.”

A promo video from Nvidia shows passengers and (parked) drivers plugging in game controllers to their in-car entertainment systems and choosing titles from GeForce Now’s library of more than 1,000 controller-enabled games. These include AAA titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077 as well as free-to-play games like Fortnite. (A full list of GeForce Now titles can be found here.) Nvidia says the GeForce Now client will run in cars either via Android-based infotainment systems or built-in web browsers but offered no further details on what technical specs might be required for access.

Although playing video games in cars used to mean whipping out a Game Boy in the back seat, the increasing power of in-car infotainment systems and the prevalence of ever-larger displays has widened the availability of more advanced titles. Although some automakers have delivered only half-hearted gaming efforts (like BMW’s AirConsole partnership, which offers access to a limited library of third-rate multiplayer titles), others, like Tesla, have taken the prospect more seriously. The American EV maker has made games available in its cars since the launch of Tesla Arcade in 2019 and even recently added access to the massive Steam platform (though the service is only available in its most recent vehicles).

With the announcement of Nvidia’s GeForce Now partnership, though, AAA gaming in cars should become an even more common sight in the near future. And Nvidia itself continues to improve the service — adding support for 1440p resolution at 120fps in Chrome and Edge browsers last August, for example.