Nvidia's GeForce Now to Shut Down in Russia
The cloud-based game streaming service from Nvidia, GeForce Now, will be shutting down in Russia on Oct. 1, 2023. The decision comes after the company decided it would no longer be possible to meet quality standards in the region. The move will affect gamers in Russia who have come to rely on GeForce Now for access to a wide range of games.
Over on the GeForce Now blog, the company explains that as of Sept. 1, 2023, the cloud service will stop accepting new registrations. Existing users will be able to continue using the service until Oct. 1, 2023, after which GeForce Now will be completely unavailable in Russia.
“We are sad to announce that GeForce Now will be shutting down in Russia on October 1, 2023,” the post reads. “Thank you to our Russian subscribers for your support. We appreciate your participation in our beta program and hope you have enjoyed the wide range of games we have offered.”
GeForce Now allows you to play games in what’s essentially a cloud-based environment. Rather than purchasing a costly rig to house your games and run them, you can pay for a subscription to access the service’s library. It’s similar to the likes of LiquidSky, but comes with the benefit of linking existing libraries from platforms like Steam and Epic Games.
GFN.ru, the partner company operating GeForce Now in Russia, made its debut in the market back in October of last year. While it’s unclear as to why it’s decided to pull the plug just two years later, speculation suggests that political sanctions negatively impact its ability to do business in Russia.
Nvidia itself has already withdrawn from the country, after being hit with sanctions back in March 2022. The company closed its Russian offices in October of the following year, with reports suggesting it was due to a lack of government contracts.
The official blog post doesn’t really provide a clear reason for the shutdown, stating only that “we are committed to maintaining high-quality standards and will be focusing our efforts on other regions where we can offer this experience.” Overclockers.ru, however, suggests that the political climate and sanctions are likely to be behind the closure.
Whatever the case, it’s certainly another blow for gamers in Russia. Not only will it mean having to rely on other means to play your games, but it also reflects the challenges faced by cloud gaming services in the region.
After all, it wasn’t all that long ago that Nvidia itself was operating in Russia, only for it to withdraw entirely in 2022. The company has been instrumental in pushing the cloud gaming industry forward, yet the closure of GeForce Now in Russia and its withdrawal from the country highlight the complexities of operating in a changing political landscape.
Still, even though it might not be available in Russia any longer, Nvidia continues to innovate and provide cutting-edge solutions in the gaming industry.
