NVIDIA has launched a native Linux beta for GeForce NOW, distributed as a Flatpak and officially targeting Ubuntu 24.04, expanding the cloud gaming service beyond the Steam Deck-only app it shipped in May 2025, as reported by GamingOnLinux.
Because the app is packaged as a Flatpak, it should run on most x86-64 distributions with Flatpak support, though Ubuntu users need to set it up manually since it isn’t installed by default. NVIDIA recommends driver version 580.126.09 or newer for its own GPUs, and Mesa 24.2.8 for Intel or AMD hardware, according to the official NVIDIA announcement.
GamingOnLinux writer Liam Squires-Hand tested the beta on Fedora KDE 43 over Ethernet, running ARC Raiders, Call of Duty Warzone and Rainbow Six Siege X. Input latency reportedly felt close to local play, which matters given that Warzone and Siege X aren’t playable natively on Linux at all – a gap that echoes the broader anti-cheat compatibility issues covered in our look at DRM and Linux compatibility. The one real friction point noted was Alt+Tab behavior locking input to the app until the overlay is summoned with Ctrl+G.
Wi-Fi testing on an older laptop running Pop!_OS produced stuttering and packet loss, while switching to a wired Ethernet connection resolved it completely – a reminder that cloud streaming lives or dies on connection quality, a point worth keeping in mind alongside our coverage of input latency and performance fixes on Steam.
Pricing remains unchanged from the existing service tiers:
- Free – ad-supported, 1-hour sessions, 1080p max, smaller game selection
- Performance (£9.99/month) – 6-hour sessions, 1440p max, up to 60fps
- Ultimate (£19.99/month) – 8-hour sessions, up to 4K, up to 240fps, RTX 5080-class performance on select titles
Paid tiers cap out at 100 hours monthly before requiring extra 15-hour blocks at £5.99 (Ultimate) or £2.99 (Performance), though unused hours roll over up to 15 hours per month.
The app isn’t on Flathub and NVIDIA has confirmed no plans to change that, so it remains a direct download only. For anyone weighing whether to spend on new hardware versus a subscription, it’s worth checking our breakdown of current GPU trends – NVIDIA itself notes two years of Ultimate roughly matches the cost of a Radeon RX 9060 XT.
Will the lack of a Flathub listing slow adoption among Linux users who prefer sandboxed app stores? And does native desktop support finally make GeForce NOW a serious option for Linux gamers chasing anti-cheat-locked titles, rather than just a Steam Deck perk?
