NVIDIA just made a big splash at CES 2026 with some exciting news for cloud gaming fans. GeForce NOW, the company’s popular game streaming service, is expanding to new platforms and adding features that gamers have been requesting for years. If you’ve been waiting to play high-end PC games on your Linux machine or want to turn your Fire TV stick into a gaming device, NVIDIA has you covered.
Let’s break down everything announced and what it means for different types of gamers.
GeForce NOW Finally Comes to Linux
One of the most requested features from the PC gaming community is finally happening: GeForce NOW is getting a native Linux app. This is huge news for the Linux gaming community, which has long felt like an afterthought in the gaming world.
The new app will support Ubuntu 24.04 and later distributions, bringing the full GeForce NOW experience to Linux users. What makes this particularly exciting is that Linux users will get access to the same RTX 5080-class performance that powers the service elsewhere. That means streaming games at up to 5K resolution at 120 frames per second, or 1080p at a blazing 360 fps for competitive gaming.
Here’s why this matters: many Linux users have perfectly capable computers that just couldn’t run demanding games natively due to limited Linux game support. With GeForce NOW handling all the heavy lifting in the cloud, that older Linux desktop or laptop suddenly becomes a capable gaming machine. You get ray tracing, DLSS 4, and all the other RTX technologies without needing a high-end GPU installed locally.
The Linux app is expected to enter beta early this year, so Linux users won’t have to wait too long to try it out.
Amazon Fire TV Gets Cloud Gaming Powers
The second major platform expansion brings GeForce NOW to Amazon Fire TV sticks. Starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen), users can transform these affordable streaming devices into cloud gaming machines.
This is a practical solution for people who want PC gaming in their living room without the expense or hassle of connecting a gaming PC or console to their TV. Just plug in a compatible gamepad, launch the GeForce NOW app, and start playing from your existing game library.
The Fire TV app will be available in countries where both compatible Fire TV sticks and GeForce NOW are offered. Like the Linux app, it’s expected to launch early in 2026.
For context, GeForce NOW already supports a wide range of devices including Windows PCs, macOS, Chromebooks, mobile devices, smart TVs, VR headsets, and gaming handhelds. Adding Linux and Fire TV to this list makes the service even more accessible.
Flight Simulator Fans Get Proper Controller Support
Here’s something that will make simulation enthusiasts very happy: GeForce NOW is adding support for flight controls. Popular flight sticks and throttle systems from brands like Thrustmaster and Logitech will now work with the streaming service.
This opens up a whole new category of gaming on GeForce NOW. Titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Elite Dangerous, and War Thunder can now be played with proper HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) setups. You can use a simple desktop unit or go all out with a custom cockpit setup with separately mounted controls.
Combined with the RTX 5080 performance and NVIDIA Reflex for low latency, flight sim fans can build detailed simulation setups at home while letting NVIDIA’s cloud servers handle the demanding graphics processing. This feature is also expected to launch early this year.
Major AAA Games Joining the Service
GeForce NOW’s game library continues to grow with several notable titles confirmed for the service. When these games launch on PC, they’ll be available to stream through GeForce NOW:
007 First Light from IO Interactive drops players into a modern James Bond origin story. Expect stealth gameplay, espionage mechanics, and the cinematic action the Bond franchise is known for.
Resident Evil Requiem continues Capcom’s legendary survival horror series. The game introduces a new protagonist facing terrifying threats in an entirely new setting, promising fresh scares for horror fans.
Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss combines open-world exploration with cinematic storytelling and intense combat. Set in a richly detailed fantasy world, it’s been one of the most anticipated games since its initial reveal.
Active Matter from Gaijin Entertainment is a realistic military shooter featuring dangerous raids and intense player versus player battles. The game is set in a fractured multiverse setting that promises unique gameplay scenarios.
These join an existing catalog of thousands of games from Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, and other PC game stores. GeForce NOW regularly adds new titles, with updates shared on their weekly GFN Thursdays announcements.
Faster Sign-In With New Integrations
NVIDIA is also streamlining the sign-in process with expanded single sign-on support. The service recently added Battle.net automatic sign-in, letting members connect their accounts and jump into supported games more quickly.
This convenience is expanding to Gaijin.net early this year. Once connected, members can authenticate once and get into games like War Thunder without repeated login steps. It’s a small quality-of-life improvement, but these conveniences add up when you’re eager to start gaming.
RTX 5080 Servers Now Live Globally
All of these new features are powered by GeForce NOW’s recently upgraded infrastructure. RTX 5080-powered servers are now live globally for Ultimate tier members, bringing substantial performance improvements to the service.
The technical specs are impressive: up to 5K resolution at 120 fps for the best visual quality, or up to 360 fps at 1080p with NVIDIA Reflex support for competitive gaming where every millisecond matters. There’s also a new Cinematic-Quality Streaming mode that enhances image clarity and text sharpness, which is particularly useful for story-driven single-player games where you want to appreciate every visual detail.
What This Means for Cloud Gaming
NVIDIA’s CES 2026 announcements reflect a clear strategy: make GeForce NOW available on as many devices as possible while continuously improving the experience. The addition of Linux support addresses a dedicated community that has been underserved by traditional gaming, while Fire TV integration makes cloud gaming more accessible for casual users who just want to play on their TV.
The flight controller support shows that NVIDIA is thinking beyond basic gaming use cases. Simulation games have always demanded specialized hardware, and enabling that hardware to work with cloud gaming opens up possibilities that weren’t practical before.
For existing GeForce NOW subscribers, these updates mean more flexibility in how and where they play. For potential new users, the expanding device support lowers the barrier to entry. You might already own a device that can now access RTX-powered gaming without any additional hardware purchases.
GeForce NOW continues to compete in a cloud gaming market that includes services from Microsoft, Sony, and Amazon. What sets NVIDIA’s offering apart is its focus on PC gaming specifically, working with games you already own from various storefronts rather than requiring a separate subscription game library.
Availability and Pricing
The new Linux and Amazon Fire TV apps are expected to launch in early 2026, along with flight controller support. Specific dates haven’t been announced yet, but given the CES timing, these features should arrive within the next few months.
GeForce NOW offers multiple membership tiers. The free tier provides basic access with session limits, while paid tiers unlock features like longer sessions, RTX graphics, and the new 5K streaming capabilities. The Ultimate tier provides access to all the premium features including the RTX 5080-class server performance.
For those interested in trying the service, it’s worth checking the GeForce NOW website for the latest pricing and availability in your region.