Latest Nvidia drivers to be locked behind GeForce Experience app

Discussions and tips on NVidia, ATI, etc. and Video Editing Forum
Post Reply
User avatar
Err
Life Member
Posts: 5842
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:54 am

Latest Nvidia drivers to be locked behind GeForce Experience app

Post by Err »

I don't understand why NVidia is thinking this is a good idea. I don't update my drivers with every release anymore but it's stupid to have to login to get any driver. This is going to make rolling back a driver a hassle.
The decades-old process of searching out graphics drivers on the web will be somewhat limited for Nvidia cards come December. That's when the company will begin pushing out its regular "Game Ready Driver" updates exclusively through the existing GeForce Experience (GFE) app, and will begin requiring users to register an account to get them.

Nvidia will still release quarterly driver updates via its website and through the OS-level Windows Update feature. But the Game Ready Drivers, which have included optimizations for every big-name game release in the past few years, will soon only be available to people who have signed up for GFE with an account tied to their e-mail address. The GFE app currently has no such login requirements.

Nvidia says that a "mid-to-high 90 percent" of its users already use GeForce experience to download drivers at a single click. Still, the new login requirements are likely to be seen as an unnecessary burden to many users, especially those concerned about their privacy and handing out their personal information.

“We kind of have two camps in terms of gamers,” Nvidia’s Sean Pelletier told journalists recently (as reported by PCWorld). “On one hand you have the gamer that’s just casually playing things here and there, using their system for daily use and gaming on the side. They don’t want to be inundated with these [Game Ready] drivers."

“On the other side of the equation you have enthusiast gamers, who get excited about preloading a game, who want to play a game the day it comes out with all the bells and whistles,” he continued. “That’s obviously the demographic we’re looking at for Game Ready drivers. We’re targeting GFE as a single-source destination for those gamers.”

The move is part of an overhaul for GFE that just reached beta, adding new features like 1080p, 60fps Twitch/Youtube streaming, and in-home streaming to an Nvidia Shield at 4K resolution with 5.1 surround sound.
User avatar
FlyingPenguin
Flightless Bird
Posts: 32773
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2000 11:13 am
Location: Central Florida
Contact:

Post by FlyingPenguin »

You'll still be able to download the quarterly drivers from their website. This only applies to "Game Ready" drivers - versions specifically tweaked for a new game release.
The drivers you can grab on GeForce.com or via Windows Update will be limited to quarterly releases for bug fixes, new features, security updates and so on.
I only install the driver and PhysX. I never install the Geforce Experience, or 3D Vision crap. If that means I don't get the latest game ready driver, then so be it. I don't upgrade my drivers unless I have to anyway.
"Turns out I’m 'woke.' All along, I thought I was just compassionate, kind, and good at history. "

Image
User avatar
Losbot
Almighty Member
Posts: 4991
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2014 8:59 am
Location: South Florida

Post by Losbot »

Same here. I install the driver and PhysX. Oh well. I guess I won't be on the bleeding edge.

I feel like they'll get some backlash over that but whatever. I don't get why companies make dumb moves like that sometimes.
------------------------------------------

Image
Post Reply