NVIDIA Shield & GRID Summary Thread

This thread is here to summarize NVIDIA's GDC announcement of Shield (micro-console) and GRID (streaming service).

Shield console details:

• NVIDIA Tegra X1
• 3 GB RAM
• Android TV with 4K @60Hz media playback
• $199 price (controller included)
• May release
• 50+ launch titles for Android (100+ by year end)
• Ability to stream games from YOUR PC or NVIDIA's GRID network

GRID service details:

• Cloud computing service (said to be "the Netflix of gaming")
• Subscription fee (cost unknown)
• GTX 980 servers
• up to 1080p @60 fps
• Popular PC titles (50+ at launch)
• May release

Starting in May, the GRID game-streaming service will come in two flavors. With GRID you can stream games at a 720p definition at 30 frames per second. And GRID Plus offers games at up to 1080p and 60 frames per second.

The GRID game-streaming service includes 50 popular PC games, with more added each week. Or you can buy the freshest AAA games from the GRID store and stream them instantly. GRID store purchases also come with a digital download key to download the game to a PC later.

Credit NVIDIA Blog

More details to come!

Thanks!

How does this stack up to the shield tablet though? Also how is the upgrade in of the specs (if any) of the shield console really going to improve performance of the games Nivida streams to the console with grid?

Meh. No deal NVIDIA. I'd rather just get your GPU's hehe :P

Not really seeing the point of this yet. I'm happy with my PC + Steam, which can already connect to my TV.

the console still has the same flaw: it relies on android games. no android game is going to make good use of that hardware for a long long time...and those games are built for touch screens. do nvidia have plans to make games (or get developers to makes games) specifically for it?

as a device to stream games from the grid its also complete overkill.

grid is also cloud gaming...blech.

so i have no interest in it anyway. pointless.

on a side note though....specs wise is that the wiiu beaten?

**** this shit. Whre's my unified vram?

A console with no dedicated support.

Thanks to Sony:

I don't know why Nvidia is trying so hard to kill console gaming..... What has console gaming ever done to them?

There is support. It is subscription based. From my understanding you still have to pay full price to play the big AAA games on the servers. This is bad news for everyone.

they're sitting ducks. They deserve it, but cloud actually works?

Yeah, something I am not interested in. Input lag all over the place. I'll stick with my PC.

I remember hearing Nvidia wanting to be in consoles but neither Sony or Microsoft liked their offer because of the price. Maybe this is pay back?

@Gaming-Planet: Which is stupid because NVIDIA's profits have been rising due to gpu sales, while AMD, the console supplier, is being left behind. And that's card wise.

CPU wise, Intel already bitch slapped them into the next decade.

Nvidia is wasting it's time with these half assed prodicts because................reason.

The most unbelievable thing about this is that GRID isn' available on PC. You have to buy a SHIELD tablet/console/portable to access it for now.

I don't even

Oh I agree, which is why its bad news for everyone.

@deadline-zero0:

It looks as though Nvidia is attempting to enter the console 'type' market in a more obscure way, all while trying to please these big 3rd party publishers.

Yup

@Gaming-Planet: If my memory is correct, I know that they were close to a deal with Nintendo to include their first generation Tegra chips into the 3DS. Somehow along the way, Nintendo went to another vendor instead, and went with something that is more affordable over the Tegra.

NVidia's issue with console companies, is always a price issue. MS lost a lot of money with the original Xbox because they had to pay huge fees for Nvidia for using their GPU. Same with Sony last Gen, PS3's price at launch was more than just including blu-ray, Sony still had to pay NVIDIA for them as well. That explains why both MS and Sony went with AMD both CPU and gpu because they were affordable and to help keep the cost of the Xbox One and PS4 low.

Edit: Found the link http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/10/13/nvidia-tegra-wins-contract-for-next-gen-nintendo-ds.aspx

The big issue with these android type boxes are that they work in the same arena as the phone arena--the mobile tech improves so fast and people are willing to upgrade more frequently. Phones have become a fashion statement, sadly. What this does to the sister android console is it dates the software extremely quick. What these developers/publishers fail to realize is that one major factor in buying a game console is a set it and forget it type of purchase. People specifically buy them so they don't have to think about anything else other than it will work for around 5 years.

Think they'll break 100k in sales?

I don't want any of that. Gross.

This console should also see a performance increase with the release of Vulkan (OpenGL Next Gen), which is a low level API.

Tegra X1 offers around 2x the performance of the Tegra K1 in the Shield tablet, but this will likely be higher due to the TDP and cooling in the console form factor.

From my understanding, the Tegra X1 will help reduce the latency of GRID games.

As far as I know, there are no exclusive Android games planned, but NVIDIA has developers porting PC/Console games to Android. Some of the launch titles include Crysis 3, Resident Evil 5, Borderlands: Pre-sequel, Metal Gear Solid: Revengence and more. This is in addition to current games on Tegra K1 such as Half Life 2, Half Life 2: Episode 1, Portal, The Talos Principle, War Thunder, etc.

Epic Games has also just added desktop quality rendering to Unreal Engine 4.7 for Android via Android Extension Pack, so that should help bring ports and/or new titles to the console.

If I'm not mistaken, the Wii U is still more powerful.

I recall reading that the subscription fee will be competitive with Xbox Live or PlayStation Plus, and that it will give you access to a reasonable number of games. You can also buy games and stream them -OR- download them on your PC (NVIDIA provides you with a digital download key).

As a media device, I could see it sell over that amount. Of course that entirely depends on their distribution. Originally in Canada, Shield devices needed to be purchased online and only a very limited number of computer specific stores would sell them in-store. When the Shield tablet was released, NVIDIA started to sell them at stores like Best Buy, but online only. There is also no marketing to make consumers aware of the product's existence. So if NVIDIA can fix those problems, their Shield devices might finally start to sell in larger quantities.

@NVIDIATI:

It isn't the price point or initial value that I bring into question. It is more the principle of consumer wavering any form of control they have. Setting a price point is only for starters. That price point can raise at any given time if popularity persists.

You state that you can download games as well, but this is for smaller android titles. The big push here is for streaming big budget titles at quality that supposedly will be better than that of the two consoles on the market. No way is that little box going to offer the option to download tons of titles at 30gigs plus. If that were to come into question in a FAQ or from the media, Nvidia would simply spin it in the form of a positive around the streaming tech, "this is why we have developed X technology." Truth is X technology is being used to please 3rd parties and Nvidia--it will be cheaper for them and offer greater control over consumer.

This is why I have been so pro Nintendo these days. They offer a product and it is what it is. There is next to no bs around it. I would include Steam into this picture but I still don't side with the wishy washy legal issues around digital content--there seems to be no set-in-stone law around this stuff, which is just odd considering how popular it is.

I might be interested in this. This device gets one thing the other consoles don't. If you can't afford to put decent hardware in for the budget, don't, use streaming.

The download for a GRID game, that you purchase, is for your PC (you will receive a Steam code at the time of purchase), not for the Shield. Only the Android ports (Crysis 3, Resident Evil 5, etc.) will be stored and run on the Shield hardware.

@NVIDIATI: Is GRID even coming to pc, or will it remain exclusive to nvidia devices has it is now?

I see Ultra Street Fighter IV is a launch title....wonder how that will work with the input lag and etc.? This isnt a bad idea if they can reduce latency and include Steam, otherwise idc.

Right now GRID is only accessible to owners of a Shield device. If I'm not mistaken, when GRID was originally proposed, the concept was 'any device gaming', so I would imagine it will become available on other devices (however, there might be specific hardware requirements). It will only have its official release later this year, so we'll have to wait and see.

@NVIDIATI: I imagine it willl only work if an nvidia card is set up (no problem for me), but i do hope it comes to pc, just in case. Would be strange if it didn't imo.

$200 for a streaming pile of shit. XD

Some official images of the console, WiFi controller and Bluetooth voice controller:

Hey guys are handheld failed miserably so we are going to spend more money on an android console that isn't even mobile, that streams. But get this? Only $200.

intel they start porting more droid games from the pc it will b a waste. you can already get way cheaper android systems that can play games. cell phones will hold it back and it will get no support.

i like the idea of streaming games and i even used onlive. But if it does not get supported with the latests games and lags no one will want it.