GeForce Now - is it secure to log in to Steam there?

[WowIsDead64]

I personally like idea of cloud gaming. It would be just perfect, if it would have Linux support, as we would no longer need Windows as primary gaming platform in this case. I would want to give it a try, because my computer starts to be a little bit old for gaming. It's also great idea to be able to play the same game on laptop or from work without need to install gigabytes of data. But I have a question. It's just thin client, right? As I understand, in order to play my Steam games, I need to install Steam client to my virtual GeForce Now computer and log in to it. But how secure it is? Yeah, I have Steam Guard, but they'll know my login, password anyway and have access to my account, while I'm logged in. Same for Blizzard account for example (Does Blizzard allow cloud gaming in their TOS?). I just don't like it. Wouldn't it be better to just import my games and saves to GFN via some sort of secure Steam web service or something like that? Something like PayPal payment, i.e. GFN site would redirect me to Steam site, where I would log in and allow GFN to export my games and saves.

[Vorkreist]

Yes its safe. You don't need to install steam. You just link your steam in gfn and launch the game and it may ask you again to log in once it launches steam.
I played Blizzard games as well on gfn and never had any problem regarding TOS. Its just annoying to log in bnet through gfn.

[Unlimited Power]

I've used the beta for roughly half a year now, primarily to play WoW while on my work laptop during downtime periods. You need to log into battle.net every time you launch a Blizzard title in Geforce Now, but I've had no issues with losing access to my account. It may help that I have both text message and phone app authentication enabled on my account though.

I don't think I've even attempted to log in to steam on Geforce Now, so I won't comment on that.

[WowIsDead64]

Yes its safe. You don't need to install steam. You just link your steam in gfn and launch the game and it may ask you again to log in once it launches steam.
I played Blizzard games as well on gfn and never had any problem regarding TOS. Its just annoying to log in bnet through gfn.

I still don't understand. My question is plain and simple. Do I need to "give" (i.e. type it in their application) my Steam/Battle.net login, password and authentication code to GFN, i.e. actually 3rd party in relation with Steam/Battle.net or there is more secure way to link them to GFN account? As I understand, I need to buy games first. Of course I can't play them for free. But if I've already bought them on some other platform, like Steam, I will be able to add them to my GFN library somehow or log in to Steam and play them from there. And I just don't have any details about this process. I just assume, that I need to log in to Steam/Battle.net on my virtual GFN computer and that means giving all my auth data to 3rd party, that isn't secure.

[bloodwulf]

I still don't understand. My question is plain and simple. Do I need to "give" (i.e. type it in their application) my Steam/Battle.net login, password and authentication code to GFN, i.e. actually 3rd party in relation with Steam/Battle.net or there is more secure way to link them to GFN account? As I understand, I need to buy games first. Of course I can't play them for free. But if I've already bought them on some other platform, like Steam, I will be able to add them to my GFN library somehow or log in to Steam and play them from there. And I just don't have any details about this process. I just assume, that I need to log in to Steam/Battle.net on my virtual GFN computer and that means giving all my auth data to 3rd party, that isn't secure.

GFN essentially is a portal to a virtual pc. You connect to the PC that has the game you want to play installed. You log in through that games launcher. So you play wow (i wouldn't because there are reports of bans), you connect to GFN then launch battle.net and sign in, it will show all the licenses you have through Battle.net. You want steam, you log into steam once inside GFN.

[Vorkreist]

Yes you do have to "give" your steam credentials to Gfn.
You can play the supported games (the ones you can find using the search on gfn) only and you have to own them on some of those platforms (steam/bnet/uplay. etc).
Gfn is as safe as any. You are talking about an Nvidia platform built for steam interaction like its "third party scam site with keyloggers attached".

[WowIsDead64]

GFN essentially is a portal to a virtual pc. You connect to the PC that has the game you want to play installed. You log in through that games launcher. So you play wow (i wouldn't because there are reports of bans), you connect to GFN then launch battle.net and sign in, it will show all the licenses you have through Battle.net. You want steam, you log into steam once inside GFN.

Yeah, it's easy approach. And of course it's much better, than buying all my games again. But I don't like it from security point of view. I wanted to try it, but, I guess, I will wait for some better approach, such as described by me. I hope NVidia will sign some agreements with gaming platforms and they'll provide some secure cloud gaming APIs then.

Yes you do have to "give" your steam credentials to Gfn.
You can play the supported games (the ones you can find using the search on gfn) only and you have to own them on some of those platforms (steam/bnet/uplay. etc).
Gfn is as safe as any. You are talking about an Nvidia platform built for steam interaction like its "third party scam site with keyloggers attached".

Dunno. It's my opinion. There are things, nobody should know, except me, no matter, if they guarantee, that they won't give them away, or not. Passwords exist for reason. That's why I usually don't trust to cloud services.

[bloodwulf]

Yeah, it's easy approach. And of course it's much better, than buying all my games again. But I don't like it from security point of view. I wanted to try it, but, I guess, I will wait for some better approach, such as described by me. I hope NVidia will sign some agreements with gaming platforms and they'll provide some secure cloud gaming APIs then.

Problem is, most companies are so far off from caring about cloud gaming or considering it relevant it will be years til we see something. Hell a large number have game streaming explicitly listed in their TOS. WOW for instance added cloud game streaming explicitly in Jun '18. So for now most companies are at best ignorant of the concept, or outright hostile towards it.

License Limitations. Blizzard may suspend or revoke your license to use the Platform, or parts, components and/or single features thereof, if you violate, or assist others in violating, the license limitations set forth below. You agree that you will not, in whole or in part or under any circumstances, do the following:
…

V. Cloud Computing: Use the Platform, including a Game, in connection with any unauthorized third-party “cloud computing” services, “cloud gaming” services, or any software or service designed to enable the unauthorized streaming or transmission of Game content from a third-party server to any device.

[Unholyground]

I have been using it for like 5 years (it has been available for free to shield device owners for select games) and it has only gotten better since I got my K1 Tablet.

[Albert1]

Yes its safe. You don't need to install steam

[Squeekyflaps]

I would be quite concerned if it wasn't safe with it being a proper NVIDIA product.

I have never used it personally but I would say yes.

[the boar]

Dunno. It's my opinion. There are things, nobody should know, except me, no matter, if they guarantee, that they won't give them away, or not. Passwords exist for reason. That's why I usually don't trust to cloud services.

tin foil hats aside.. it is as safe as its going to get. encryption can always be broken eventually. i don't know how nvidia is handling data entered, i'm no security expert. i doubt they are going to be selling your passwords, but they'll definitely be analysing your usage in every measurable way possible and using that for their own interests and likely selling it on to the other analytics places that buy that shit to craft their weird facebook adverts and what not.

put simply, its probably as safe as anything else. if you really don't trust it.. don't put your passwords in. your call

[chazus]

Just FYI - Blizzard has officially pulled support for GFN. Their licensing fell through or something. It was tentatively allowed before, but isn't now.

[lloose]

You should be using 2fa with it anyways. I could post my account name and password here and still feel somewhat safe since you'd still not be able to log in without my authenticator.

- - - Updated - - -

Just FYI - Blizzard has officially pulled support for GFN. Their licensing fell through or something. It was tentatively allowed before, but isn't now.

This pretty much killed Geforce now for me. The latency was too much for me on faster paced games. It was perfect for Wow though and allowed me to casually fire it up on a tablet or my macbook pro.

[Lucetia]

As I understand, in order to play my Steam games, I need to install Steam client to my virtual GeForce Now computer and log in to it. But how secure it is? Yeah, I have Steam Guard, but they'll know my login, password anyway and have access to my account, while I'm logged in.

I haven't really looked at it, but honestly if you are afraid of that what you could do is make a dummy account and do a Family Share with said dummy account. That way you could log in on the virtual machine with the dummy account, but it has access to all your steam games because you shared. There are some restrictions on some games I believe, but its minor. That's if you needed to do it as you said.

Same for Blizzard account for example (Does Blizzard allow cloud gaming in their TOS?).

Their TOS says no.

[WowIsDead64]

I haven't really looked at it, but honestly if you are afraid of that what you could do is make a dummy account and do a Family Share with said dummy account. That way you could log in on the virtual machine with the dummy account, but it has access to all your steam games because you shared. There are some restrictions on some games I believe, but its minor. That's if you needed to do it as you said.

Great idea, but I already see one of the problems - problem with save syncing.

[Lucetia]

Great idea, but I already see one of the problems - problem with save syncing.

Majority of the games save the game locally so you should be able to login to the dummy locally and try syncing up the save there. It would just take some work here and there to get it going fully. Doing a quick search shows that it looks like if you login to two different accounts on the same pc it causes them to sync each other (side effect), so that could be used to your advantage.

[VictoriaHenderson]

With Steam Guard, you can further secure your Steam account. When Steam Guard is enabled on your account, any attempt to log into it from an unknown computer is accompanied by additional authorization. A special access code will be sent to your contact email address, and this code must be entered into Steam before login is complete. Steam Guard is also available on the Steam mobile apps as a Steam Mobile Authenticator.

Infracted