Nvidia delays GeForce Now India launch; here’s why

Nvidia's GeForce Now

Nvidia has officially delayed the launch of its GeForce Now cloud gaming service in India, moving it from the previously expected November 2025 window to the first quarter of 2026. The company confirmed that the service is still in active development and attributed the delay to the ongoing construction of dedicated servers in India, which it says are essential for delivering the intended performance levels.

In an emailed statement, Nvidia said servers are currently being built locally and added, “We now anticipate the service will go live during the first quarter of 2026.” The company also thanked users for their patience and mentioned that registration for launch updates is now open through the GeForce Now India page.

The focus on local infrastructure explains the extended timeline. Cloud gaming performance relies heavily on minimising latency, and routing traffic through international data centres can introduce lag during fast-paced gameplay. By establishing servers within India, Nvidia aims to reduce this latency significantly, enabling smoother, more responsive streaming for graphically intensive games. This infrastructure-first approach suggests Nvidia wants to ensure consistent quality rather than launching prematurely with subpar performance.

The delay, however, continues a string of shifting timelines. Nvidia teased the service’s India return at CES 2025 with a first-half launch promise, later revised to “later this year,” then November 2025, and now early 2026. Despite this, the momentum appears stronger this time due to the physical buildout underway.

The competitive landscape in India has also evolved. Microsoft recently launched Xbox Cloud Gaming in the country, though its Rs 1,639 monthly Game Pass Ultimate subscription has faced pricing criticism. Nvidia, meanwhile, offers a different model: GeForce Now lets users stream games they already own from platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store, where India’s regional pricing is more accessible.

At launch, GeForce Now is expected to feature RTX 5080-based hardware and three tiers: a free ad-supported tier, a Performance tier offering 1440p at 60 FPS, and an Ultimate tier supporting 4K at up to 240 FPS. Global prices are $9 and $19 per month for the paid plans, though Indian pricing is yet to be announced.

Nvidia’s careful language around its new timeline indicates the possibility of further shifts, but the ongoing infrastructure work signals concrete progress toward finally bringing GeForce Now to Indian gamers.