Here’s why we don’t see more PC and console games ported to Shield TV
TL; DR
- Nvidia has revealed why we’re no longer seeing PC or console titles ported to Shield devices.
- The graphics company says it is currently focused on streaming games over native ports.
- Not a surprise, but it still confirms why we didn’t see any new ports.
One of the most notable features of the Nvidia Shield TV box is the ability to play a wide variety of exclusive games ported from a PC or console. Those titles include Resident Evil 5, Metal Gear Solid 2 HD, Tomb Raider, and Half Life 2. Unfortunately, it’s been a long time since we last saw new ports for Nvidia’s line of Android TVs.
Now Nvidia has revealed why this is the case Android authority that “streaming, where we can make fully functional, high-definition PC games available to Shield users, takes precedence over porting”.
In fact, the graphics giant is offering its Geforce Now service, which allows users to stream 1,000+ PC games from the cloud to their Shield devices (and other platforms). Still, Nvidia says it won’t be giving up any previously released ports anytime soon.
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“Shield continues to support games launched on the Google Play Store for additional game options,” noted Nvidia in an email response. “And Shield TV Pro supports Nvidia Share functions that enable gamers to stream their gameplay directly on twitch.tv.”
This reason isn’t really surprising as native ports for Android-based Shield devices generally require more time, resources, and effort than simply adding the same game to Geforce Now. In addition, this downturn in ports coincided with the surge in its streaming efforts. The downside to this approach, however, is that Shield TV users who live in an area with poor internet connectivity or no Geforce Now presence cannot simply switch to Nvidia’s game streaming option.
Do you prefer Geforce Now or more native ports for PC or console games over Shield devices? Let us know via the poll below.
