The Netflix for Games: NVIDIA Shield Android TV coming in May for $199

NVIDIA has just taken the wraps off an exciting product that hopes to transform the  NVIDIA Shield from a mobile gaming device into the centerpiece of your living room entertainment with the NVIDIA Shield Android TV. It’s the world’s first Android TV console and it joins the Shield Portable and Shield Tablet as “the central member of the SHIELD family of devices” … I guess it completes the triforce.

Combined with “Grid” – what NVIDIA says is thousands of gaming super computers in the cloud, built to stream you the planet’s most elite games- NVIDIA themselves claim their product is the “Netflix for gaming”. If they can achieve that status, the NVIDIA Shield will be nothing short of a blockbuster success, but they’ve got a few small hurdles on the way… including Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

It’s an ambitious goal, but I think there are two important things to remember here:

1. If this is the direction gaming is headed, NVIDIA is way ahead of the curve


2. NVIDIA knows gaming like the back of their controller

The new NVIDIA Shield Android TV console will go on sale in May for 9. You’ll get the console, one controller, and access to all of your Google Play Store content with optional accessories for purchase including gaming controllers, remote control for the TV, and a stand to make the NVIDIA Shield stand vertically.

Although not many households have them yet it’s important to note that the NVIDIA Shield Android TV is able to play 4K TV content. That’s pretty impressive for a little 9 box. And all those console quality games available via The Grid? Shield can stream them at 1080p and 60fps frames a second. It’ll be interesting to see how this balance between the Grid and games found on the Google Play Store is struck.

NVIDIA Shield Specs:

• NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor


• 256-core Maxwell GPU


• 3GB RAM


• 4K Ultra-HD Ready with 4K playback and capture up to 60 fps


• 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound pass through over HDMI


• 16GB Storage


• 1 Gigabit Ethernet


• 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi


• Bluetooth 4.1/BLE


• HDMI 2.0


• Two USB 3.0 ports


• Micro-USB 2.0


• MicroSD slot


• IR Receiver


• Weight – 23oz / 654g


• Height: 5.1in / 130mm


• Width: 8.3in / 210mm


• Depth: 1.0in / 25mm

One of the most exciting features I see above doesn’t relate to gaming at all… it’s finally an Android TV that has an ethernet port! Yay!

 

Press Release

NVIDIA Launches Its First Living-Room Entertainment Device

New SHIELD Android TV Console Brings 4K Entertainment to Every Home –
Harnessing Tegra X1, Android TV OS and GRID Game-Streaming Service

SAN FRANCISCO—Game Developers Conference—March 3, 2015—NVIDIA today introduced NVIDIA® SHIELD™, the world’s first Android™ TV console, which delivers video, music, apps and amazing games to the home.

Built on Android TV, SHIELD can play top-quality 4K video content, includes one-click access to Google Voice Search and provides the richness of Android’s app ecosystem.

SHIELD is a sleek device that comes loaded with cutting-edge NVIDIA technologies, including the recently launched NVIDIA® Tegra® X1 processor.

SHIELD is also the gateway to the NVIDIA GRID™ game-streaming service. Powered by GeForce® GTX™ supercomputers in the cloud, GRID delivers an on-demand “Netflix for games” experience at up to 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second.

“SHIELD will change the way we enjoy digital entertainment at home,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of NVIDIA. “It’s an incredibly powerful, efficient and advanced living room entertainment device. It’s the best Android TV experience. And it can transform into a serious gaming machine. It’s made to game.”

Made to Game
SHIELD – sold with the SHIELD controller made for serious gaming – is a single platform with access to a wealth of great games.

First, 50+ Android titles optimized for SHIELD will be available for download, including AAA titles like Crysis 3, Doom 3®: BFG Edition™ and Borderlands: TPS. These can be played at blistering speed, thanks to SHIELD’s Tegra X1 processor, with its 256-core Maxwell™ architecture GPU and 64-bit CPU.

Second, favorite AAA titles, including console games, can be streamed using the GRID on-demand game-streaming service. GRID will include with its subscription price access to 50 titles, such as Batman: Arkham Origins, GRID 2 and Metro: Last Light Redux, with additional titles added each week.

Third, the GRID service can be used to purchase and stream new release AAA titles – including Batman: Arkham Knight and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt coming later this year.

Broad Developer Support
Some of the world’s leading game developers and publishers have embraced SHIELD and the GRID service.

“The incredible processing power of Tegra X1 enables us to bring Doom 3: BFG to Android and we’re excited by the possibilities that GRID is bringing to gaming.”
– Tim Willits, studio director, id Software

“Tegra X1’s enormous processing capabilities running on Android TV gives us access to a much broader audience, and we’re delighted to partner with NVIDIA to explore a variety of exciting possibilities for SHIELD, including the remastering of the survival horror classic, Resident Evil 5.”
– Jun Takeuchi, managing corporate officer, CAPCOM

“SHIELD is definitely made to game and thanks to Tegra X1 we have The Witcher: Battle Arena playing natively on SHIELD. With GRID, we’ll be able to bring new hit games to fans immediately.”
– Benjamin Lee, The Witcher: Battle Arena lead producer, CDPROJEKT

Pricing and Availability
SHIELD will be available in May, starting at 9 with a controller. Optional accessories include additional controllers, a remote control and a stand enabling the device to stand vertically.

SHIELD is the central member of the SHIELD family of devices, complementing the SHIELD tablet, the ultimate tablet for gamers; and the SHIELD portable, the ultimate portable gaming device. More information is available at http://shield.nvidia.com.