Nvidia Shield Software Update 1.2: Games, Apps, and Basic Features Updated

News
By Michael Justin Allen Sexton
published

Now that the Nvidia Shield Android TV has been released, Nvidia is doing what any good game console maker would do and is working to improve the software side of the game system. The updates released today focus on a few games, a handful of apps and some general system updates.

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The focus of these updates is the Nvidia Shield Android TV, which has only been out for a short time now. Most of the updates to the console in Software Upgrade 1.2 are small tweaks that users may or may not notice, but the update also improves the Nvidia GameStream service and the responsiveness of the Shield Remote. These updates will likely be more pronounced and provide a smoother experience for users.

In addition to the system updates, Nvidia announced that four apps for streaming sports (Fox Sports GO, EPIX, CBS News, CBS Sports) have now been made available for the Shield in Google Play. Nvidia said these apps are available now to complement the Android TV service, which will soon be ported to Shield, and there is a larger pool of popular media that users can stream.

Finally, the Shield received four game updates in Upgrade 1.2. Machinarium is a new title Nvidia is testing for the Shield that can be accessed through the testing page. In addition to the new game, Game of Thrones HD has been updated to 1080p resolutions, Doom 3: BFG is now available in the Play Store, and Trine 2 currently is running a special on the game for $4.95.

These updates aren't major, but providing regular software updates to devices is an essential service that all game console makers need to do. Though game consoles work from day one, it is this meticulous fine tuning that keep game consoles in use for years to come.

The updates add features, smooth the interface, and provide essential changes to make playing the latest games possible, and without them a console will ultimately lose traction with users. This update shows that Nvidia will follow other game console makers and work to keep the Shield running smoothly, at least for the time being.

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Michael Justin Allen Sexton
Michael Justin Allen Sexton is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He covers hardware component news, specializing in CPUs and motherboards.
8 Comments Comment from the forums
  • jaber2
    I would like to see actual numbers on this thing, besides a few enthusiast that are tech savvy I don't see the average Joe is buying this, maybe I am wrong, how many units have to sell in US for this to have V. 2? 100K units, 200K? I know when Sony makes a game it has to sell 400K to start to make a profit.
    Reply
  • Emanuel Elmo
    I would like to see actual numbers on this thing, besides a few enthusiast that are tech savvy I don't see the average Joe is buying this, maybe I am wrong, how many units have to sell in US for this to have V. 2? 100K units, 200K? I know when Sony makes a game it has to sell 400K to start to make a profit.

    considering my 500GB model is on back order for at least 2 weeks. I guess that plenty of people are buying them in like warm bread.
    Reply
  • icemunk
    I would like to see actual numbers on this thing, besides a few enthusiast that are tech savvy I don't see the average Joe is buying this, maybe I am wrong, how many units have to sell in US for this to have V. 2? 100K units, 200K? I know when Sony makes a game it has to sell 400K to start to make a profit.

    considering my 500GB model is on back order for at least 2 weeks. I guess that plenty of people are buying them in like warm bread.

    I would like to see actual numbers on this thing, besides a few enthusiast that are tech savvy I don't see the average Joe is buying this, maybe I am wrong, how many units have to sell in US for this to have V. 2? 100K units, 200K? I know when Sony makes a game it has to sell 400K to start to make a profit.

    considering my 500GB model is on back order for at least 2 weeks. I guess that plenty of people are buying them in like warm bread.

    Big manufacturers that Nvidia use to produce their Shield, etc tend to prefer large orders, not a trickle; in this case Nvidia is likely holding orders back in order to send in a big Purchase Order; it saves them money, and it creates an illusion of high demand.
    Reply
  • Hashbrowns
    I've been thinking of getting one of these, seems legit :)
    Reply
  • Emanuel Elmo
    I would like to see actual numbers on this thing, besides a few enthusiast that are tech savvy I don't see the average Joe is buying this, maybe I am wrong, how many units have to sell in US for this to have V. 2? 100K units, 200K? I know when Sony makes a game it has to sell 400K to start to make a profit.

    considering my 500GB model is on back order for at least 2 weeks. I guess that plenty of people are buying them in like warm bread.

    I would like to see actual numbers on this thing, besides a few enthusiast that are tech savvy I don't see the average Joe is buying this, maybe I am wrong, how many units have to sell in US for this to have V. 2? 100K units, 200K? I know when Sony makes a game it has to sell 400K to start to make a profit.

    considering my 500GB model is on back order for at least 2 weeks. I guess that plenty of people are buying them in like warm bread.

    Big manufacturers that Nvidia use to produce their Shield, etc tend to prefer large orders, not a trickle; in this case Nvidia is likely holding orders back in order to send in a big Purchase Order; it saves them money, and it creates an illusion of high demand.

    that may be true but the 500GB model was delayed by 2 weeks before release. So you can not say that they are just waiting in for orders.

    They may be waiting now which means that before release they already have a high demand for the 500GB units that plenty of people did a pre-order. Which doesn't necessarily mean there is an illusion of high demand. It just mean that they did not anticipate such a high order volume.
    Reply
  • captaincharisma
    i still don't see why people would buy this. all it has is android games and some TV services. this is turning into nothing but an ouya with a 500GB hard drive
    Reply
  • somebodyspecial
    16065964 said:
    i still don't see why people would buy this. all it has is android games and some TV services. this is turning into nothing but an ouya with a 500GB hard drive

    Right, Ouya has 4K, Tegra X1 (2x xbox360/ps3 power), runs unreal4 etc...C'mon, you can't be serious, that junker runs a Tegra3...LOL. We're talking 4 revs later in chip tech. You won't be running any of the games made for T4 on up on a ouya. You'll never do 4K, etc. Full OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan etc on this. Do you really not understand the graphical differences here? Available bandwidth in each?

    So in your mind, ah well, 980ti is just a 3dfx card from a decade ago...LOL.

    https://www.ouya.tv/games/
    Look at the types of games/graphics they have on ouya, then come back and say that junk again. Most of ouya's games look like something from pre-c64 days. Maybe some fun for super poor people, but Android TV finally has the power of a regular console with lots of bonus features. Crysis 3, Borderlands Prequel, Doom3BFG etc..You're not going to ever run this stuff on ouya, nor the tons of games that will follow that use X1's power.

    Xbox1 is just another Xbox upgrade too...So what, if you want better looking games it's a heck of an upgrade from the first xbox right (not 360)? We are talking an HUGE jump from ouya to X1 in shieldTV, and not just power but ability to play games with far more realism (effects) that Tegra3 just can't do. Ouya should have been made with T4. They said they'd rev yearly, but I guess that idea died.

    For a price of $200 here you get access to GRID too, which can be an endless source of top games without needing PC hardware to stream from either. As long as GRID service isn't more than $15 or so (1080, maybe <$10 for 720p streaming), it is great for poor people that can't afford 1. a $350-400 console, and 2. $60 games a whack. You could only buy 3 xbox1/ps4 games for $180 each year, but think of all the gaming you can get on GRID (50 games+ now?, supposedly 100 buy xmas). This will grow and grown and can constantly be upgraded by NV as needed to keep up with the latest games. Nothing has to be done to your box at home, NV just upgrades servers as needed. You get a LOT more here for the extra hundred (thought I'd buy the 500GB model myself, but I'm not dead broke).

    You're NV hate is showing ;) I could go on but you should get the point. I don't want to keep playing PS2/xbox level games for life (less?). I'd like to run 4K without buying another bluray etc, etc... ;)
    Reply
  • captaincharisma
    16074012 said:
    16065964 said:
    i still don't see why people would buy this. all it has is android games and some TV services. this is turning into nothing but an ouya with a 500GB hard drive

    Right, Ouya has 4K, Tegra X1 (2x xbox360/ps3 power), runs unreal4 etc...C'mon, you can't be serious, that junker runs a Tegra3...LOL. We're talking 4 revs later in chip tech. You won't be running any of the games made for T4 on up on a ouya. You'll never do 4K, etc. Full OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan etc on this. Do you really not understand the graphical differences here? Available bandwidth in each?

    So in your mind, ah well, 980ti is just a 3dfx card from a decade ago...LOL.


    LMAO ok so you get

    https://www.ouya.tv/games/
    Look at the types of games/graphics they have on ouya, then come back and say that junk again. Most of ouya's games look like something from pre-c64 days. Maybe some fun for super poor people, but Android TV finally has the power of a regular console with lots of bonus features. Crysis 3, Borderlands Prequel, Doom3BFG etc..You're not going to ever run this stuff on ouya, nor the tons of games that will follow that use X1's power.

    Xbox1 is just another Xbox upgrade too...So what, if you want better looking games it's a heck of an upgrade from the first xbox right (not 360)? We are talking an HUGE jump from ouya to X1 in shieldTV, and not just power but ability to play games with far more realism (effects) that Tegra3 just can't do. Ouya should have been made with T4. They said they'd rev yearly, but I guess that idea died.

    For a price of $200 here you get access to GRID too, which can be an endless source of top games without needing PC hardware to stream from either. As long as GRID service isn't more than $15 or so (1080, maybe <$10 for 720p streaming), it is great for poor people that can't afford 1. a $350-400 console, and 2. $60 games a whack. You could only buy 3 xbox1/ps4 games for $180 each year, but think of all the gaming you can get on GRID (50 games+ now?, supposedly 100 buy xmas). This will grow and grown and can constantly be upgraded by NV as needed to keep up with the latest games. Nothing has to be done to your box at home, NV just upgrades servers as needed. You get a LOT more here for the extra hundred (thought I'd buy the 500GB model myself, but I'm not dead broke).

    You're NV hate is showing ;) I could go on but you should get the point. I don't want to keep playing PS2/xbox level games for life (less?). I'd like to run 4K without buying another bluray etc, etc... ;)


    apparently you didn't get the point of my comment dude. the way the shield is right now is that it only plays android games and so yes it has hardware light years beyond the ouya but still its nothing but another android box and its only benefit is that it will allow you to play boom beach and candy crush in 4K and the handful of 4K movies and TV shows

    so tell me? why is the shield worth the extra cost when i can go get an ouya or any other android box for hundreds of bucks less?
    Reply