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NVIDIA GeForce NOW on Linux can run without user agent spoofing in a browser

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Looks like NVIDIA might be ready for the next push in cloud gaming with their GeForce NOW service, as it's even easier to run it on Linux. What is it? GeForce NOW allows you to play games you already digitally own on other platforms, on whatever device you have available. It hooks in with Steam, EA / Origin, Epic Games and more. 

Back in August, NVIDIA officially opened it up to Chromebooks by letting people playing with it in the browser. For everyone else, it needed you to spoof your user agent string to act like it was a Chromebook. It was a small thing but still a minor nuisance. That now, appears to no longer be needed.

With nothing more than Chromium installed on Linux (plain Chrome works too, other browsers vary), GeForce NOW appears to just work. Here's a video to show just how easy it now is:

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It makes sense they would roll this out to more people, as it does then make it more of a proper competitor to Stadia too. It reduces a barrier for their service, since pretty much everyone will have a web browser and not everyone wants to download yet another app for launching games. Having it in the browser really does open it up to more people and more platforms (like Linux!). Just keep in mind this might not be intentional from NVIDIA, however going back to using the user agent spoofing will get you going again if they move to lock it down once again.

Head over to play.geforcenow.com if you wish to try it.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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18 comments
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herbert Sep 16, 2020
Hi Liam, how is the input lag?
Liam Dawe Sep 16, 2020
Quoting: herbertHi Liam, how is the input lag?
Well, it's there but like I find with Stadia it's very minimal and enjoyable. However, local play is still better of course.
kokoko3k Sep 16, 2020
Never tried that, now i did and to my surprise, it seems that since you start a game from geforce now, you can actually use your local steam itself (instead of the browser) to stream the game.
Actually you will have double audio, i just mute chromium.
Why? Because that way you can use a controller, works well and rumble works as well.

Unfortunately, out of my 450+ steam games, only 43 are available.
OnikenX Sep 16, 2020
Quoting: kokoko3kNever tried that, now i did and to my surprise, it seems that since you start a game from geforce now, you can actually use your local steam itself (instead of the browser) to stream the game.
Actually you will have double audio, i just mute chromium.
Why? Because that way you can use a controller, works well and rumble works as well.

Unfortunately, out of my 450+ steam games, only 43 are available.

That's weird, for me and my PlayStation 3 controller it works in ungoogled-chromium and lutris web version.
ShinyaOsen Sep 16, 2020
Brave didnt work for me so i just use chromium and most game that are available for me work on linux already or im not interested in playing right now wish phantasy star online 2 was available so wouldnt have to go in to windows to play with my friends
kokoko3k Sep 16, 2020
Quoting: OnikenX
Quoting: kokoko3kNever tried that, now i did and to my surprise, it seems that since you start a game from geforce now, you can actually use your local steam itself (instead of the browser) to stream the game.
Actually you will have double audio, i just mute chromium.
Why? Because that way you can use a controller, works well and rumble works as well.

Unfortunately, out of my 450+ steam games, only 43 are available.

That's weird, for me and my PlayStation 3 controller it works in ungoogled-chromium and lutris web version.

Mmh, i'll have to try without steam running, thanks.
abuasabu Sep 16, 2020
I confirm that it is working from Vivaldi browser as well without any magic. Surprisingly it is available in my country (Hungary) but lagging as hell... (Tried Fortnite only.)
OnikenX Sep 16, 2020
Quoting: abuasabuI confirm that it is working from Vivaldi browser as well without any magic. Surprisingly it is available in my country (Hungary) but lagging as hell... (Tried Fortnite only.)

Try it at night, like 5 in the morning or something close, is the best way to test as there is less people online.
WildCoder Sep 16, 2020
please, wake me up when it works in Firefox.
elmapul Sep 16, 2020
too little too late for us.
sure, we can play another subset of windows games, but that isnt enough reason for people to migrate to linux...

and now that ms turned linux into an middleware with WSL, making softwares exclusively for linux wont help either.

now i'm happy that i will be able to play my games on, shit, the niche stuff that i want to play wont work >.>
and GFN isnt avaliable on my country...
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