GeForce NOW is the cloud-based gaming service from Nvidia that allows Android, Nvidia Shield TV, macOS, and Windows gamers to play popular video games at 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second. It does so by using the horsepower of Nvidia’s servers, which are equipped with high-performance processors and video cards.
I can tell you from personal experience that the service works quite well.
However, the service is available only in certain regions of the world. Plus, due to licensing restrictions, not all games are available in all areas. Also, if you’re attempting to play your favorite games on networks operated by your employer, an educational institution, or a public WiFi hotspot, you may find that the service is blocked.
Luckily, there is a tool available that can ensure that you have access to the GeForce NOW service, no matter where you get the urge to play.
A Virtual Private Network has the ability to make it appear as if you are located in another region of the world. If you opt to make it appear as if you’re located in North America or Europe, you’ll gain access to GeForce NOW and its game library, even if you’re located in another part of the globe.
However, not every VPN provider can offer reliable access to GeForce NOW, so it’s important to select a VPN that has a track record of providing reliable access to the gaming service.
The Best Way to Access GeForce NOW From Abroad
GeForce NOW is geographically restricted to gamers located in 70 countries around the globe.
While this would normally be a problem for gamers in other regions of the world, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) powers through the gaming service’s virtual roadblocks.
NordVPN offers the most reliable way to unblock GeForce NOW gaming content from nearly anywhere around the globe.
The provider offers an extensive global server network, fast and gaming-ready connections that are well protected from prying eyes, and it supports all GeForce NOW-compatible device platforms.
NordVPN offers a risk-free, 30-day money-back guarantee.
About GeForce NOW
GeForce NOW allows Mac, Windows, Nvidia Shield TV, and Android users to play fast-moving, high-definition video games at a higher resolution and faster frame rate than might normally be possible due to the limitations of their personal system.
The service does this by using cloud servers equipped with top-of-the-line processors and video cards, which run the games using those resources, then streaming the gaming action to players over the internet.
As with nearly any game streaming service, GeForce NOW limits its content availability to specific countries in the world.
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Why Does GeForce NOW Ban Players From Certain Regions?
While you may be more than willing to pay the monthly subscription fee that the GeForce NOW gaming service asks for in order to access your favorite games, if you’re located outside of certain countries, they will turn you away at their virtual door.
It’s not due to any ill will on their part, they are simply required to do so by the myriad contracts and agreements that are made among game producers and distributors. Those contracts limit the areas where Nvidia can make its cloud gaming service available.
How Do Content Geo-Blockades Work?
When a computer, mobile device, or other internet-capable device connects to the internet, it is assigned an IP address. That address provides a way to uniquely identify the device when it requests, sends, or receives information (much like a postal address identifies your home in the real world).
Since specific IP address ranges are assigned to each country around the globe, an IP address can be used to determine a device’s geographic position.
That means if Nvidia sees that your device’s IP address isn’t one of the millions upon millions assigned for use in North America or Europe, it rejects your device’s attempt to connect to their servers.
How Can I Play Games Using GeForce NOW If I’m Blocked?
If you’re looking to play your favorite games via the GeForce NOW cloud gaming service, then you’ll need to reside in North America or Europe. Or, you need to at least appear to be residing in one of those two supported regions.
That’s where a quality VPN comes in handy. A VPN can temporarily assign your device a new IP address, making it appear to the rest of the internet that you are somewhere other than your actual physical location.
A quality VPN provider will have numerous farms of servers located around the globe. A gamer can use the provider’s app to connect to one of those servers, making it appear as if he or she is located in the country they connected to.
This means that while you may be visiting Japan, you can appear to be located in Dallas, Texas, which is near one of Nvidia’s GeForce NOW server farms.
Those GeForce NOW servers will detect your IP address as being one assigned to the Dallas area, and will gladly provide access to their gaming library.
Which VPN Should I Use to Unblock GeForce NOW?
If you’re an online gamer, you’re likely to know that to enjoy a satisfactory gaming experience you need to have a fast, low-latency internet connection. This allows your device and the gaming server to communicate efficiently, keeping you competitively in the game.
This means you’ll want to find a provider that has a comprehensive global server network that delivers fast, low-latency connections, with servers located in the same areas as many of GeForce NOW’s servers.
Plus, GeForce NOW, like most other online services, will block access to their servers if they discover you are using a VPN to access their games from outside of the service’s designated regions.
When this happens, your VPN provider should be ready, willing, and able to immediately set up new VPN servers that sport new, unblocked IP addresses. This restores access to GeForce NOW, or at least until the service notices those VPN IPs, blocks them, and the game of virtual whack-a-mole begins anew.
Happily for gamers, there is one provider that stands above the rest, providing fast, reliable access to GeForce NOW servers from nearly anywhere in the world.
NordVPN
NordVPN provides reliable access to GeForce NOW servers from nearly anywhere around the globe.
The provider has servers located across the globe, many of which are geographically close to GeForce NOW server farms. Those servers supply speedy, well-protected connections for most popular device streaming platforms, including all Geforce NOW-compatible devices.
Read the full NordVPN review here.
1. Connection Speed
When you’re researching which VPN service is best for any type of gaming, connection speed is one of the most important factors to consider. It’s especially important when you’re going to use it with a cloud-based gaming service like GeForce NOW.
GeForce NOW requires a fast connection to perform properly, requiring download speeds of at least 15Mbps for 720p at 60fps and 25 Mbps for 1080p at 60fps. Luckily, depending on the download speeds of your normal internet connection, speeds like this are easily provided by NordVPN. (FYI, you’ll want to use a direct Ethernet connection or a 5GHz wireless router.)
NordVPN provides some of the fastest connections of any provider I’ve tested. The provider’s connection speeds are easily up to handling 1080 gaming streams at 60fps.
The provider has no daily or monthly data caps, so you’ll never get cut off in mid-game. (That’s assuming your Internet Service Provider doesn’t have any data cap restrictions.) Fast speeds and no data caps will also come in handy for other online activities, like streaming video and downloading and sharing large files.
2. Multi-Platform Support
GeForce NOW is available on the Windows, macOS, Android, and Nvidia Shield TV device platforms. NordVPN offers apps for all of those devices. (Nvidia Shield TV runs on the Android TV platform.)
In addition to the above device platforms, NordVPN also has you covered on the iOS, Amazon Fire, and Linux platforms. The service also offers Chrome and Firefox browser extensions and provides compatibility with numerous routers.
Up to 6 devices can simultaneously connect using a single set of login credentials.
3. Customer Support
Although NordVPN has been my VPN of choice for a while now, I have seldom run into any issues with the service. However, it is nice to know that customer support is always available to aid me if and when I need it.
NordVPN customer support is available around the clock, with 24/7 live support chat, a trouble ticket tracking system, email support, and an easy-to-search support library.
4. Global Server Coverage
While the focus of this article is using a VPN to access the GeForce NOW cloud gaming service, comprehensive global server coverage is an important consideration for any online activity. A wide-ranging global server network opens access to any type of online content from around the globe.
NordVPN has things covered (literally) in this department, thanks to its over 5,400 servers, which are located in more than 60 countries around the world.
5. Pricing
NordVPN is priced reasonably, making the return on investment excellent when you consider the high level of service that you receive for your subscription payment.
NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there is no risk involved in giving the service a try.
Visit the NordVPN website.
GeForce NOW Gaming with a VPN FAQ
Does NordVPN Use Strong Encryption?
NordVPN makes use of military-grade encryption to keep your connection and data safe. AES-256 bit encryption using the OpenVPN protocol is the default protection for your online privacy.
Does GeForce NOW Lag?
The lag that cloud gaming services like GeForce NOW show is minimal at best, but mostly depends on your internet connection and how it is routed.
Testing by PCGamer showed that GeForce NOW offered lower input latency than Google’s Stadia gaming service. (Input latency is the time between when you click your mouse or press a key and see the resulting move in the game.)
If you’re using a VPN to connect to a cloud gaming service, it can add to the lag. That’s why it is important to select a server that is located as close to the GeForce NOW servers as possible.
Can I Use a Free VPN With GeForce NOW?
You can use a free VPN with GeForce NOW only if you’re a fan of data caps, slow connections and a lack of privacy.
Many free VPNs impose daily or monthly data caps on their customers’ usage. Any kind of streaming, be it video or gaming, uses plenty of data. This means your game might be interrupted in mid-shot, resulting in a sure loss going on your record.
Free VPNs also have been known to throttle their users’ connections to save their bandwidth for paying customers. Slow connection speeds equal a bad game stream and a lousy gaming experience.
Last but certainly not least, free VPNs will often pay the bills by tracking their users’ online activities, then selling that information to advertisers and other third parties. They have also been caught inserting tracking cookies and ads into their users’ browsing sessions.
Contents [hide]
- The Best Way to Access GeForce NOW From Abroad
- About GeForce NOW
- Why Does GeForce NOW Ban Players From Certain Regions?
- How Do Content Geo-Blockades Work?
- How Can I Play Games Using GeForce NOW If I’m Blocked?
- Which VPN Should I Use to Unblock GeForce NOW?
- NordVPN
- GeForce NOW Gaming with a VPN FAQ
- Does NordVPN Use Strong Encryption?
- Does GeForce NOW Lag?
- Can I Use a Free VPN With GeForce NOW?
