Epic CEO Tim Sweeney: we will 'wholeheartedly' support GeForce Now

[Polycount]

In context: For better or worse, game streaming is looking like the next frontier for the video game industry. While some streaming platforms, like Stadia, haven't seen much success, others, such as Nvidia's GeForce Now, seems to be performing better. Unfortunately for Nvidia, several companies have blocked the hardware maker from offering their games on GeForce Now, which has weakened the platform's appeal.

On the bright side, Nvidia has at least one strong ally on its side. In a tweet published on Friday, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney pledged his company's "wholehearted" support for GeForce Now, noting that it's the most developer and publisher-friendly platform out of all currently-competing streaming services.

According to Sweeney, GeForce Now does not place a tax on game revenue, and instead seems to earn its money primarily through subscription fees. However, to entice customers to sign up, it relies on widespread support from game publishers and developers.

Epic is wholeheartedly supporting NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW service with Fortnite and with Epic Games Store titles that choose to participate (including exclusives), and we’ll be improving the integration over time.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) March 7, 2020

In Epic's case, Fortnite will remain available through GeForce Now, and any Epic Games Store titles that "choose to participate" will follow suit. Sweeney says Epic hopes to "[improve] the integration" over time," but we are unsure what that might mean.

"Game companies who want to move the game industry towards a healthier state for everyone should be supporting this kind of service," Sweeney said in closing. While we're certain that some (perhaps many) of our readers would disagree that game streaming services are "healthier" for the industry, GeForce Now is indeed one of the more consumer-friendly incarnations of this technology.

Unlike Stadia, GeForce Now does not require you to re-purchase games you already own. Instead, you use your existing digital game library, and Nvidia hosts it for you.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/84323-epic-ceo-tim-sweeney-wholeheartedly-support-geforce-now.html

 

[Evernessince]

Just more proof that sweeny is using the "dev friendly" stance to reach his own ends. Nvidia is loosing devs like flies because it didn't even bother to contact these companies ahead of time and ask for permission or pen out a contract. If any other smaller company or person had streamed a fraction of the titles Nvidia did without asking for permission first, they would have been sued out of existence.

EPIC and Nvidia are two peas in a pod. Both claim to be helping their target market while doing something completely else behind their backs.

 

[m4a4]

Well, he finally said some stuff I agree with.
GeForce Now is a better streaming services than some of the others coming out (because they don't BS you with a paywall to games you already have in your PC library). I just wish they didn't need to get permission to host a game that the player already owns*.

*Which these days is more like a limited license.

 

[ShagnWagn]

Isn't the whole storm cloud gaming just yet another platform the devs need to program for? I thought they were trying to get away from so many platforms?

 

[krizby]

Just more proof that sweeny is using the "dev friendly" stance to reach his own ends. Nvidia is loosing devs like flies because it didn't even bother to contact these companies ahead of time and ask for permission or pen out a contract. If any other smaller company or person had streamed a fraction of the titles Nvidia did without asking for permission first, they would have been sued out of existence.

EPIC and Nvidia are two peas in a pod. Both claim to be helping their target market while doing something completely else behind their backs.

wow...I'm just amazed at the anti Nvidia attitude here. Is Geforce Now any different to using steam account on different computer ? can multiple people use the same account at the same time ? are people streaming pirated game on GFN ? the answers are No. All those greedy publishers are just dumb. And if Nvidia were doing something illegal they would have been sued already.

 

[Lew Zealand]

Isn't the whole storm cloud gaming just yet another platform the devs need to program for? I thought they were trying to get away from so many platforms?

It's just a Windows 10 virtual machine, so anything that works in Windows 10 works in GeForce Now. It's not a new platform, just a new location.

 

[Evernessince]

wow...I'm just amazed at the anti Nvidia attitude here. Is Geforce Now any different to using steam account on different computer ? can multiple people use the same account at the same time ? are people streaming pirated game on GFN ? the answers are No. All those greedy publishers are just dumb. And if Nvidia were doing something illegal they would have been sued already.

I'd agree. The publishers are greedy and the laws on the books are pretty dumb. That said, the law is the law.

"And if Nvidia were doing something illegal they would have been sued already."

Wrong. That entirely depends on the company who's IP is infringed. Most will politely ask to stop first, then send a C&D letter, then sue. This isn't a criminal situation, this is civil. Nvidia was asked to take them down and they did. The mere fact that they removed the games from the service shows in fact that Nvidia was undoubtedly infringing on their IP.

Given Nvidia's size, they certainly knew beforehand they were infringing on other's IP. There is no excuse for Nvidia in this regard. I say this as a person who was part of a small company with less than 10 people that actually put in the effort to contact our future software partners and hammer out contracts.

I'm all for improving digital rights and IP laws as honestly IP rights are ridiculously restrictive on both consumers and businesses and it hurts innovation.

 

[redhat]

wow...I'm just amazed at the anti Nvidia attitude here. Is Geforce Now any different to using steam account on different computer ? can multiple people use the same account at the same time ? are people streaming pirated game on GFN ? the answers are No. All those greedy publishers are just dumb. And if Nvidia were doing something illegal they would have been sued already.

Me thinks the problem is that Nvidia make business/profit using other people/companies work and thats not like normal virtual PC or YouTube game streaming.

 

[krizby]

Me thinks the problem is that Nvidia make business/profit using other people/companies work and thats not like normal virtual PC or YouTube game streaming.

Okay that is like saying TV makers are benefiting from content makers. How is renting a PC to play game any different ? all the games are yours no ? do game developer lose any sale because you can rent a PC for cheap and play more of their games ?

 

[redhat]

No it is not renting, actually GN has games already installed on their servers that's mean you play their copy not yours. In my opinion as long as Nvidia makes money using developers games that means they should give some profit too.

 

[krizby]

No it is not renting, actually GN has games already installed on their servers that's mean you play their copy not yours. In my opinion as long as Nvidia makes money using developers games that means they should give some profit too.

Nope, all their copies are basically yours, you don't get to play any game that are not in your Steam or Epic library, even all your save files are save on the cloud. Saying Nvidia has to pay game developers is like saying TV/ smartphones/ tablets makers have to pay Youtube/Hulu/Netflix/Disney+/Amazon Prime to have their app on the devices, it should have been the other way around. These greedy developers just want some quick cash since GFN doesn't require gamers to buy another copy of the game like Stadia do. Oh well once these greedy publishers find out the harsh truth that their own game streaming service will be circling the drain they will jump onboard GFN soon enough.
There is no hiding that Activion/Blizzards, Bethesda, 2K are greedy AF. Now I feel bad for buying RDR 2 just to support the PC gaming industry (got no time to actually playing it).

 

[Porkous]

Actually the HW manufacturers should be concerned about GFN. I really don't understand how Nvidia is doing business with GFN... What incentive you have anymore to buy an expensive Video Card just to play few games, when GFN is better deal? Is beyond me this deal, especially with the cyber punk and its RT support on the platform.

Imo blizzard does not support some of its games on the GFN because on GFN, you cannot access the store AFAIK, you can only launch a game from it, skipping through, for example, blizzard's client... While navigating a usual library, the client is throwing you some offers, and is creating a pattern in you that the platform actually exists. The catalog is from GFN library interface.

 

[kira setsu]

I don't get all the drama,

streaming has been gamings buzzword for the longest time and then when someone brings a viable form of it they all run off? you buy the game, its yours, its paid for, so whats the big deal?

this is exactly why piracy exists, whenever an easy way to do something comes along they crush it then whine about why they cant sell games when their studio gets shut down.

 

[Evernessince]

No it is not renting, actually GN has games already installed on their servers that's mean you play their copy not yours. In my opinion as long as Nvidia makes money using developers games that means they should give some profit too.

If the customers own the game, why are the devs entitled to a share of Nvidia's profits for streaming games customers paid for?

While yes, under current laws devs can force Nvidia to give them a share, that's only because our IP laws are dumb AF.

Imagine if you had to pay a special licensing fee to use your furniture at parties.

 

[Evernessince]

I don't get all the drama,

streaming has been gamings buzzword for the longest time and then when someone brings a viable form of it they all run off? you buy the game, its yours, its paid for, so whats the big deal?

this is exactly why piracy exists, whenever an easy way to do something comes along they crush it then whine about why they cant sell games when their studio gets shut down.

I also see piracy as useful for archival means. No one is going to suddenly revoke your pirated copy and no online service BS is suddenly going to prevent you from playing. IMO modern pirated games are doing what devs should be legally mandated to do, let people play the games they paid for.

 

[kira setsu]

I also see piracy as useful for archival means. No one is going to suddenly revoke your pirated copy and no online service BS is suddenly going to prevent you from playing. IMO modern pirated games are doing what devs should be legally mandated to do, let people play the games they paid for.

it's sad how true this is, with remasters taking the place of original releases and being either broken, different or locked to a service, then piracy may be the only way to acquire the original version of some games.