Nvidia's GeForce Now just got a native Linux app in beta, and it's a solid step for non-Windows gaming. Right now, it's officially for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and later, though Flatpak means it might run on other distros like Bazzite if they support it. You need a GPU that handles Vulkan H.264 or HEVC decoding, Nvidia driver 580.126.09 or newer (newer ones like 590 can glitch out), or Mesa 24.2+ for AMD/Intel. Install via Flatpak from Nvidia's site after updating drivers.
In tests, it streams smoothly up to 5K at 120fps or 1080p at 360fps, with ray tracing, DLSS, Reflex, and L4S low-latency tech working fine, much like on Windows. Games like Doom Eternal or Apex Legends (which skips Linux natively due to anti-cheat) play great over a decent connection, say 500Mbps wired, though there's a touch of input lag compared to local play.
The app itself feels a bit less snappy on Linux when browsing libraries, not as fluid as Windows. Key missing bits: no AV1, HDR, Cloud G-Sync, racing wheels, flight sticks, or video recording yet. Kernel-level anti-cheat games like Valorant stay off-limits. Nvidia plans broader distro support soon. Overall, it's impressive for beta, opening cloud RTX power to Linux desktops and laptops, but stick to recommended setup for best results. Great for low-spec rigs, adds options against Windows dominance.
