NVIDIA will enforce a 100-Hour GeForce Now limit in 2026 — while building a PC gets more expensive by the month

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NVIDIA originally announced a limit of 100 hours of monthly playtime for its GeForce Now service in late 2024. While there was some initial criticism, it quickly faded because the restriction only applied to new subscribers.

Existing subscribers were exempt for a year, and that year ends on January 1, 2026. With that date approaching and NVIDIA confirming the cap will soon apply to almost all users, it’s important to revisit this news. This isn’t because NVIDIA has changed its plans, but because the cost of PC games has significantly increased in 2025, making the reduction in streaming hours feel more impactful.

Users are now expressing their concerns more strongly as gaming increasingly relies on streaming services.

Quick reminder of what’s actually changing with NVIDIA Geforce Now in January 2026

Beginning January 1, 2026, GeForce Now will limit most paid members to 100 hours of gaming per month. Current subscription prices are as follows:

  • Performance tier (formerly Priority): $9.99/month
  • Ultimate tier: $19.99/month

Extra time outside of the 100 hours will be charged accordingly:

  • Performance tier: $2.99 for 15 hours
  • Ultimate tier: $5.99 for 15 hours

If you don’t use all of your allotted 100 hours in a month, you can save up to 15 unused hours and add them to your next month’s total. Keep in mind that the free plan still limits sessions to one hour each.

There’s one important exception: original Founder Members who signed up before March 17, 2021, won’t be affected by the limit as long as they keep their membership active.

For all other users, a time limit is now in effect. NVIDIA states this restriction is in place to help keep prices stable for the near future.

This does land a little worse now than it did in 2024

Nvidia GeForce Now’s Time Limit Will Stop Gamers After 100 Hours Each Month from r/Games

When NVIDIA launched its service in 2024, cloud gaming was mostly considered a way to *add* to our existing gaming setups. For me, I mainly use GeForce Now on my Steam Deck for games that are too demanding for the device or won’t run on it at all. GeForce Now is incredibly convenient for playing games now and then, and most players likely won’t even reach the monthly play time limit.

Things have changed recently. More people are turning to game streaming services not because they prefer them, but because upgrading their gaming PCs is becoming incredibly expensive. While the recent discussion about usage limits on Reddit wasn’t surprising, the strong negative reactions are understandable, especially considering how much the price of RAM has increased. People aren’t necessarily upset with GeForce Now itself, but with the financial reasons driving them to use it.

The rising cost of upgrading gaming PCs is largely due to the increasing demand for AI technology, which is competing for the same components, especially memory. While graphics cards remain pricey, even moderately powerful computers are becoming harder to afford.

Cloud gaming is becoming essential for many players, especially those who can’t afford to constantly upgrade their hardware. As a result, even small price increases or restrictive policies feel much more significant now than they seemed a couple of years ago.

“What am I paying for exactly?”

Even people who don’t plan on using the service extensively are upset about having their access limited. NVIDIA claims only a small percentage of users (around 6

Many are worried that if one major company successfully introduces paid access with time limits and small additional charges, others will copy the model. This isn’t about users wanting it, but about them accepting it. Could Xbox Cloud Gaming follow suit? With their recent expansion of cloud gaming to lower subscription tiers (requiring more expensive Game Pass Ultimate plans), it’s possible this change could benefit NVIDIA by setting a precedent.

With the rising cost of PC parts, are you considering switching to cloud gaming, consoles, or simply keeping your current setup?

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2025-12-26 17:41