Latest Nvidia drivers to be locked behind GeForce Experience app

In addition to this, the latest update also adds the ability to broadcast on YouTube Live’s new gaming channel at up to 1080p/60fps, the ability to broadcast to Twitch at 1080p/60fps instead of 720p/60fps.

While it is possible to configure games manually as well, the main appeal of GeForce Experience was that it did that automatically for you which was especially useful to gamers who did not want to be bothered going through the configuration manually or had troubles understanding the different customization options that many PC games ship with. This new update is the ideal example of how NVIDIA stands out from the competition and end users benefit from “all NVIDIA” entertainment setup.

First, the updates. Starting immediately, Nvidia’s GameStream technology will allow users to stream titles in 4K at 60 FPS, with support for 5.1 audio, if your hardware can handle that output level in the first place. It is yet to see what NVIDIA has hidden under its sleeves.

Those who don’t want to register with and install Nvidia’s software will be restricted to quarterly driver updates – which is far from ideal, considering that almost every major game launch is accompanied by a new dedicated driver. Of course, you’ll need a fairly powerful PC and a television that supports 4K resolutions, but if you have those two, chances are you’ll be going after the GeForce Experience immediately after reading this. “They don’t want to be inundated with these [Game Ready] drivers”, Pelletier is quoted as saying.

Finally, in their last announcement for the day, NVIDIA is sharing a bit of information on their plans for GeForce experience for the rest of the year, and this is a big one.

Nvidia’s own figures show that 90 per cent of all driver updates are now channelled through its GeForce Experience software. Up until now, those game-ready drivers have been available to anyone with a GeForce card. From then on GeForce Experience “will be the preferred “first access” distribution mechanism for NVIDIA’s frequent driver updates,” reports AnandTech.

Surely the choice to lock “fast ring” drivers behind a registration wall will piss off a vocal minority, as fundamental changes often do. From December, you’ll have to verify your email address with Nvidia before being able to download game ready drivers.

But what’s coming today isn’t the real news, even if it’s welcome news. NVIDIA has already been toying with this concept this year by using GeForce Experience to distribute game codes, so while it’s not fully clear what NVIDIA intends to do with a registered user base this is clearly the latest step as part of building their ecosystem. Previously, you could only stream to Twitch at 720p but from now on, you will be able to bump that up to 1080p at 60 frames per second.

KitGuru Says: Nvidia is making quite a few significant updates here.