Nvidia Removing GameStream Support From Shield Devices

Nvidia Shield device owners have enjoyed the platform's PC streaming capabilities for years now, but that's set to change. The GameStream feature--which allows users to stream PC games on Shield TVs and tablets in 4K--will be removed from Shield devices in mid-February.

According to a post from Nvidia, users who don't install the update will not have access to many Shield features, including the GeForce Now cloud gaming service. Nvidia also says that GameStream will stop working at some point in the future even for those die-hards.

The company recommends that consumers use Steam Link instead, which requires users to download an app. Nvidia also recommends GeForce Now as a possible option, though it requires a monthly fee for 4K streaming. It's not clear why Nvidia has decided to end support for this service, but the fact that they're explicitly pushing users towards a pay subscription model as an alternative arguably speaks for itself.

As noted by The Verge, there are also open-source options, including Moonlight, which is an implementation of Nvidia's own GameStream protocol. However, it does require some setup, so it's best to do some research on this point. Also, if you have an older or non-Nvidia GPU, you will probably need to look into Sunshine as well.