GeForce NOW Levels Up Cloud Gaming in 2026
NVIDIA is kicking off 2026 with a strong focus on cloud gaming and quality of life upgrades for PC and couch gamers alike. At CES, GeForce NOW took center stage with new platform support, fresh games and some cool extras for fans of flight sims and Devolver Digital’s unique catalog.
If you are into PC gaming, cloud gaming or simply want high end performance without constantly upgrading your hardware, this week’s GeForce NOW updates are worth a closer look.
Native Apps, Linux Support and Flight Sim Perks
One of the biggest announcements is the upcoming native GeForce NOW app for Linux and Amazon Fire TV sticks. Until now, Linux users often had to rely on browser workarounds or less polished experiences. A native client means:
- Better stability and performance compared to browser streaming
- Cleaner integration with the desktop environment
- Lower latency and more responsive gameplay on capable hardware
This is a big win for Linux gamers who want to tap into powerful cloud GPUs without dual booting or running Windows in a separate partition. It also makes low cost setups like small form factor PCs and older machines much more viable. With a good internet connection, you can stream modern games at high settings, regardless of your local CPU and GPU.
The app is also coming to Amazon Fire TV sticks which turns a simple streaming stick into a surprisingly capable gaming device. Pair it with a decent controller and you can stream PC quality games straight to a living room TV without buying a dedicated console or gaming rig.
NVIDIA is also answering a long time community request with improved flight control support. This is especially important for fans of flight simulators and realistic cockpit experiences. With better support for devices like HOTAS setups and flight sticks, cloud gaming becomes a more serious option for sim fans who do not want to invest in top tier local hardware.
To celebrate, NVIDIA and Thrustmaster are running a giveaway featuring the T.Flight Hotas One MSFS Edition along with a month of GeForce NOW Ultimate membership. That combo is basically a starter kit for high quality flight sim gaming through the cloud, as long as your connection is up to the task.
Quarantine Zone and Devolver Digital Games in the Cloud
This week’s headliner is Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, a tense, atmospheric game that drops you into a zombie outbreak checkpoint. Your job is to screen survivors, manage limited resources and prevent the infection from spreading. Every choice matters and one mistake can doom the entire camp.
On GeForce NOW, Quarantine Zone streams with full GeForce RTX 5080 power for Ultimate members. That means:
- Razor sharp image quality at high resolutions
- Maxed out visual settings without tweaking for performance
- Very smooth frame rates even during heavy action
If you are used to dialing back graphic options to keep your frame rate playable on older hardware, this is a big change. Cloud GPUs handle the heavy lifting while your local device just decodes the video stream.
Devolver Digital fans also get more reasons to log in. Several of the publisher’s stand out titles are already streaming on GeForce NOW, including:
- Cult of the Lamb
- Ball x Pit
- Hotline Miami
- Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
- Inscryption
- Enter the Gungeon
These games are known for bold designs, memorable aesthetics and challenging gameplay. Having them available on the cloud means you can jump in from almost any device: low power laptops, older desktops or even lightweight streaming hardware, without worrying about driver conflicts or GPU compatibility.
New Games and Why Cloud Matters for PC Gamers
Beyond Quarantine Zone and Devolver hits, more games are landing on GeForce NOW this week, covering everything from stealth to open world and simulation:
- Quarantine Zone: The Last Check as a new Steam release, RTX 5080 ready
- Star Wars Outlaws via Ubisoft Connect and now on Xbox Game Pass
- The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon as a new Steam release
- Styx: Shards of Darkness on Epic Games Store, free for a limited time
- Styx: Master of Shadows on Epic Games Store, also free
- Guild Wars: Reforged on Steam
- Mon Bazou on Steam
- Tavern Keeper on Steam
- Waterpark Simulator on Steam
Styx: Shards of Darkness in particular is a highlight for stealth fans. You play as Styx, a sarcastic goblin thief who specializes in sneaking through large vertical environments. You will use invisibility tricks, traps and even clones to infiltrate heavily guarded areas. It is the kind of game where good performance and responsive controls really pay off, especially when a stealth run suddenly turns into chaos.
So why should PC and cloud gamers care about these updates? They show that cloud gaming is increasingly a real alternative to constant hardware upgrades. With GeForce NOW Ultimate and similar tiers, you are effectively renting access to top end GPUs like the RTX 5080 for a fraction of what a full system would cost. Combined with native apps on Linux and devices like Fire TV sticks, the barriers to high quality gaming are getting lower every year.
If you have a solid internet connection and are tired of chasing GPU stock, dealing with rising component prices or troubleshooting driver issues, cloud gaming lets you focus more on the games themselves. And with a steady flow of new titles plus support for popular platforms and Game Pass integrations, your existing library becomes that much easier to access from anywhere.
Whether you are planning to test your nerves in Quarantine Zone, return to the chaos of Hotline Miami or sneak through the shadows in Styx, this week’s GeForce NOW additions give you plenty of options to explore without touching your PC case.
Original article and image: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-quarantine-zone/
