A mysterious GitHub user who goes by the name of Zortos has been developing a custom GeForce Now client, named OpenNOW, that looks to be the go-to option if you’re looking for a community-made version of the popular cloud game streaming service. As an unofficial client, built from the ground up, it offers new features and fewer restrictions.

The latest version of OpenNOW (v0.3.2) was released on April 7, and it has been getting much more attention as a result of its ongoing development en route to a v1 release. We’d say that one of the biggest advantages of the software is its lack of AFK limitations; OpenNOW allows its users to remove the eight-minute inactivity timer present on the official GeForce Now client.

OpenNOW is open source and free to download right now

Along with Windows and macOS, OpenNOW also runs on Linux devices, as Nvidia brought support to Linux desktops at the end of January this year. You may also remember that Nvidia has deployed native app support for devices such as the Steam Deck – we had the chance to test it ahead of release last year, and it works wonderfully. The Steam Deck isn’t specifically mentioned on OpenNOW’s GitHub page, though its Linux-based operating system (SteamOS) may prove to work nonetheless.

As we said before, players can freely remove the AFK limitation present on normal GeForce Now. This notably kicks players from the streaming service once eight minutes of inactivity are detected in an effort to preserve bandwidth and playtime. However, it may be a burden if you only plan to be away for a short period of time and just want to keep your game paused instead.

A question mark hangs over whether Nvidia will remain friendly to such a project – Zortos specifically mentions that OpenNOW is not affiliated, endorsed, or sponsored by Nvidia in any capacity. You still need to log in with your own GeForce Now account as usual. But for now, OpenNOW delivers a few other features and design choices not found in the official client.

For example, OpenNOW will not gather zero telemetry data, making it ideal for the more privacy-conscious gamers out there. Settings and media are saved on your local machine rather than on an Nvidia server, though authentication is still performed against Nvidia services. Other exclusive features include built-in mouse sensitivity settings and clipboard paste functionality. It also offers up to 5K at 240 FPS if your connection can support it; Nvidia limits 5K streaming to 120 FPS on GeForce Ultimate.

Highlights

• Open-source desktop client for Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Catalog and public game browsing with search and library-aware session handling
• Stream controls for codec, resolution, FPS, aspect ratio, region, and quality preferences
• In-stream diagnostics overlay with latency, packet loss, decode, and render stats
• Built-in screenshots, recording, microphone controls, and controller-friendly navigation
• Local settings storage and zero-telemetry project direction

Source: GitHub

OpenNOW does have its limitations, though. Unlike Nvidia’s client, the open-source alternative is not compatible with Android, iOS, or smart TVs. Nvidia has been pushing its integration for TVs lately, supporting 4K 120 FPS game streaming on LG TVs natively, as well as a GFN app for Amazon Fire TV sticks.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.