Kinda Funny Gamescast Bonus: Everything Announced w/ NVIDIA GeForce On at Gamescom (#sponsored)

Date: August 19, 2025
Host(s): Tim Gettys, Roger Piccorni, Andy Cortez

Episode Overview

This bonus episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast dives deep into NVIDIA’s “GeForce On” Gamescom Community Showcase. The crew—Tim Gettys, Roger Piccorni, and Andy Cortez—break down all the major software and tech announcements, focusing on NVIDIA’s GeForce Now platform, RTX Remix, DLSS4, and new integrations with upcoming and classic games. The team provides personal reflections on NVIDIA’s evolving ecosystem, the future of cloud gaming, and how these innovations change the way gamers can experience new and old titles.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

General Impressions and Format

• The showcase was software-focused with no major hardware reveals, emphasizing game developer partnerships, GeForce Now improvements, RTX Remix modding, and software updates.
• Andy describes the format as “a condensed little package that I can watch and view,” appreciating how manageable it makes tracking NVIDIA’s ecosystem advances (05:33).

GeForce Now: Evolving Cloud Gaming

• All hosts express newfound enthusiasm for GeForce Now:
  • Andy, historically skeptical, now finds it transformative:

    “I cannot underrate how good that product is. … GeForce Now is the one that absolutely makes me a believer.” (06:13)

  • Both Roger and Tim are impressed with its ease of use and performance on devices like the Steam Deck and LG TVs, highlighting features like 4K120 on TVs and 90Hz on Steam Deck OLED.
• Blackwell Architecture is announced for GeForce Now, bringing 5080-class GPUs, DLSS4, multi-frame generation, up to 5K120 streaming, and AI-driven graphical improvements (25:33).

Notable Feature: "Install to Play"

• The new “Install to Play” feature will double the GeForce Now library (to 4,500 titles) by letting users access more of their owned PC games, regardless of their official GeForce Now library status (24:31).
  • Andy explains his experience using it with Final Fantasy XVI:

    “It wasn’t installing on my Steam Deck. It was installing on whatever, you know, sort of remote machine I was booting into. … I was like, whoa, this is crazy.” (23:18)

Tech Improvements and Practical Benefits

• Performance, Battery, and Heat:
  • Andy highlights increased battery life and lower heat on portable devices due to streaming, not local processing (28:22).

    “You’re essentially just streaming something … and your screen is on, but the internals aren’t doing a whole lot.”

• Device Support:
  • Support expands to peripherals (racing wheels), higher frame rates on Steam Deck, and seamless operation across PC, TV, and portable devices.

DLSS4 and Ray Tracing: Game Integrations

Major Upcoming/Supported Titles

• Path tracing and DLSS4 are coming to:
  • Resident Evil Requiem
  • Directive 8020
  • Black State, Cinder City, Kronos the New Dawn, Dying Light the Beast, Honeycomb the World Beyond, Lost Soul Aside, The Outer Worlds 2, Phantom Blade 0, Pragmata, Borderlands 4, Fate Trigger, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (for RTX hair)
• Horror games, especially Resident Evil, benefit:

  “Horror games I think benefit so much from any sort of ray tracing ... all the ways that lighting can really set the mood …” – Andy Cortez (15:14)

• Indies and AA Studios, e.g. Phantom Blade Zero:

  “I love when NVIDIA can say, hey, let us help out with that.” – Andy Cortez (15:52)

RTX Remix and Modding: Reviving Classics

• RTX Remix supports modders remastering classics:
  • Example: Painkiller mod upgraded across 30 levels, winning “Most Complete RTX Mod”.
  • Notable runner up: “I-Ninja Remixed” by GI George333, with 2000+ new textures and PBR lighting.

    “That’s the stuff I’m more interested in when it comes to RTX—taking stylized worlds and translating them to a modern setting.” – Roger (37:51)

  • Other mods: Call of Duty 2 (with scanned WWII props), Need for Speed Underground 2, BioShock (work-in-progress).

Platform Integration & Accessibility

• Device/application integration:
  • New app updates, quality-of-life improvements (e.g., global graphics settings override).
  • GeForce Now supports linking with Steam, Ubisoft Plus, Xbox Game Pass, Epic Games Launcher, and Battle.net for owned games library (33:46).

    “Owning the games can also mean you link … to your Steam account … Ubisoft Play … Xbox Game Pass … Epic.” – Tim Gettys (34:04)

• Discord x Fortnite Integration:
  • Now, you can join a friend’s active Fortnite session on Discord and instantly play via GeForce Now—removing download/install barriers.

    “Now you have to drop with me, Kevin … You have no excuse!” – Roger (30:33~)

AI and ACE (AI Character Engine)

• Demonstration of NVIDIA ACE tech enabling in-game digital characters to converse and manage user notes (41:07). Hosts were not particularly impressed with this (41:13), but agree note-taking and management could be handy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “GeForce Now is the one that absolutely makes me a believer … this is so impressive.” — Andy Cortez (06:13)
• “I think GeForce Now is kind of the way that I want to be playing games … that's going to be the way forward for me.” — Roger Piccorni (07:12)
• On Resident Evil ray tracing:

  “I don't want to be a negative Nancy and call them like half-assed ray tracing sort of implementations, but … like, it just didn't look great … So I'm excited to see they're closely partnering to make this the best version possible.” — Andy Cortez (08:16)

• “This is a great thing to just give it a shot. If you have been a doubter before, try it yourself … I’ll be saying that on non-sponsored streams too.” — Andy Cortez (26:33)
• “Talking about the GeForce Now stuff, yeah, the Fortnite stuff with Discord, that shit blew my mind … the future is now, kind of.” — Tim Gettys (29:29)
• “I want to be in the living room … I think GeForce Now would be the perfect place. On my TV, on my LG TV with … 4K 120, that's fire.” — Roger Piccorni (41:53)
• RTX Remix:

  “I love seeing the brick texture get up-res’d, I love seeing that metal have extra sheen this time. So what the communities have been doing … what if we put RTX spin on it … it looks phenomenal.” — Andy Cortez (13:14)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Introduction, NVIDIA sponsorship context: 00:39 – 04:00
• Initial impressions and impact of GeForce Now: 05:33 – 08:16
• Technical deep-dives: performance, battery, and device support: 09:05 – 13:14, 28:22 – 29:25
• Game integrations for DLSS4, RTX, and showcase of new titles: 15:14 – 17:51
• Phantom Blade 0, Black State, Cinder City discussions: 15:52 – 20:00
• Borderlands 4 and imminent NVIDIA tech in AAA/AA games: 20:20 – 21:28
• Install to Play & library expansion: 23:13 – 24:31
• Discord x Fortnite/GeForce Now Integration: 29:29 – 30:50
• RTX Remix competition, mod showcase: 36:01 – 39:13
• AI enhancements, ACE demo talks: 40:37 – 41:13
• Hosts’ closing thoughts—enthusiasm for GeForce Now’s future: 41:49 – 43:51

Final Thoughts

• All hosts are genuinely enthusiastic about how far NVIDIA’s tech—especially GeForce Now—has come, emphasizing its impact on accessibility, device flexibility, and even portable hardware like Steam Deck.
• There’s a sense that “we’re reaching the era” where cloud gaming isn’t a compromise, but a legitimate first-choice platform, especially with the Blackwell 5080-class update and “Install to Play.”
• RTX Remix and open modding unlock creative, community-driven remasters of classic titles, bringing new life to games and genres.
• Seamless multiplayer/social integration (via Discord, etc.) and better device support lowers the barrier to “just play” with friends anytime, anywhere.

“Sponsored—but Real” Disclaimer

While the episode is #sponsored by NVIDIA, the hosts repeatedly state their positive opinions pre-date this specific deal, and they’d give the same advice on non-sponsored content:

“Take everything we’re saying with a grain of salt … but, legitimately, Andy and I have been freaking out about GeForce Now for a long time now.” — Tim Gettys (22:33)

For anyone who missed the show, this episode offers a lively yet practical summary of NVIDIA’s big Gamescom 2025 moves, with personal anecdotes and expert-level insights into how the company is changing cloud gaming and game remastering for everyone—from AAA shooters to cult platformers and beyond.