GeForce NOW gets Blackwell GPUs, install to play games, a Steam Deck upgrade and Discord integration

NVIDIA GeForce NOW is set for some huge upgrades with GeForce RTX 5080-powered servers, a new way to play games and the Steam Deck gets a boost too.

This will add in DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Generation, which they said will allow up to 5K streaming at 120FPS. Plus support for up to 360FPS at 1080p with NVIDIA Reflex. There's also a new "Cinematic-Quality Streaming (CQS) mode" that uses a "host of technological advancements to significantly improve image quality".

More about the CQS mode:

Cinematic-Quality Streaming
Members will experience a noticeable leap in graphics fidelity with CQS for the highest-quality visual experiences in the cloud. CQS features a suite of technologies powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture, delivering:

• Stunning Color Accuracy: Support for the YUV color model with 4:4:4 chroma sampling and 10-bit high dynamic range enables true-to-life visuals with richer colors, sharper edges and deeper contrast — ideal for games with detailed text and intricate backgrounds, such as with lush foliage and rich greenery.
• Supersmooth Streaming: Advanced AV1 encoders offer seamless adaptation to changing network speeds, ensuring uninterrupted play.
• Crystal-Clear Graphics: New heads-up display sharpness and AI-powered video filters, available on select games, keep on-screen text crisp and action scenes free from blur or noise, even during fast-paced games.
• Optimized for Every Screen: New automatic detection of a laptop’s display resolution delivers the highest possible streaming quality — especially on laptops with high dots per inch, or DPI.
• Blazing-Fast Bitrates: With up to 100 Mbps streaming, every detail stays sharp, so gamers can tap into today’s fastest home internet connections.

For the Steam Deck, NVIDIA said they're going to be bumped up the FPS from 60 to 90 with the release of the Blackwell servers when using the official Steam Deck app.

They also announced Install-to-Play games, which allows you to install games that have opted into supporting NVIDIA GeForce NOW but don't yet have a dedicated slot for them like other games, which will give you around double the games you can use with GeForce NOW. Ultimate and Performance members get 100GB of "single-session cloud storage" for this (which is wiped when you leave) but there's also an option for persistent storage of "200GB for $2.99 per month, 500GB for $4.99 per month and 1TB for $7.99 per month".

NVIDIA are also teaming up with Discord and Epic Games, to instantly load up games on Discord with nothing extra needed powered by GeForce NOW. Fortnite being the first game that will be added in this limited-time trial that will be shown behind closed doors at Gamescom. Discord had their own announcement on this too.

Source: NVIDIA