Nvidia Unveils Digital Human & Avatar Tech Advances at Gamescom 2024

On the eve of Gamescom 2024 in Cologne, Germany, Nvidia unveiled several groundbreaking advancements in gaming technology that are sure to captivate gamers worldwide. Key among these are improvements in digital humans and avatar character technology, branded as Nvidia ACE. One of the most notable announcements is the introduction of the company’s first small language model for game characters, the Nvidia Nemotron-4 4B NIM.

Introducing the Nvidia Nemotron-4 4B NIM

The Nemotron-4 4B NIM is a small language model designed to power game characters with more efficient and quicker AI responses, even when running on device. Unlike traditional large language models that require extensive computing power, this smaller model is optimized for on-device performance, bringing AI-driven character interactions to a new level. Nvidia debuted this technology in its first game, Mecha Break by Amazing Seasun Games, offering a glimpse into the future of gaming AI.

Enhancements to AI-Powered Games and Technologies

Nvidia also highlighted updates to Perfect World Games’ Legends demo, incorporating new AI-powered vision capabilities. Additionally, Nvidia celebrated reaching a significant milestone, with over 600 RTX games and applications now available. RTX technology continues to expand, with over 20 new games announced to include cutting-edge features like DLSS 3.5, Reflex, and Full Ray Tracing. Some of the highly anticipated titles include Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, Dragon Age: The Vielguard, Dune: Awakening, Black Myth: Wukong, Star Wars Outlaws, and more.

Half-Life 2 RTX Demo and G-Sync Advancements

One of the highlights at Gamescom is the hands-on experience with Half-Life 2 RTX: An RTX Remix Project. The demo showcases the iconic Nova Prospekt level, now enhanced with full ray tracing, DLSS 3.5, and vastly improved textures and models. This represents a significant leap in visual fidelity, with an 800% increase in 4K textures and 25 times the geometric detail from the original game.

Nvidia also announced a partnership with MediaTek to integrate G-Sync technology directly into MediaTek’s market-leading monitor scalers. This integration will make G-Sync technology more accessible to a broader range of gamers by eliminating the need for a separate module, bringing advanced features like G-Sync Pulsar to more monitors at various price points. Nvidia revealed the first monitors resulting from this collaboration, featuring G-Sync Pulsar technology at 360Hz, 1440P resolution, and HDR color.

GeForce Now and Xbox Integration

Nvidia continues to enhance its GeForce Now cloud gaming service, announcing that upcoming titles like Black Myth: Wukong, Star Wars Outlaws, and Final Fantasy XVI will be available to play on launch day. Ultimate members will benefit from Nvidia’s top-tier graphics technology and streaming features unique to GeForce Now.

In another exciting development, Nvidia is introducing Xbox Automatic Sign-On via account linking for Xbox users. This feature simplifies the process of linking Nvidia and Xbox accounts in the GFN app, allowing quick access to the entire Xbox games library. Players will also be able to sync accounts to see which Xbox games are supported on GeForce Now, streamlining the gaming experience across platforms.

Expansion of GeForce Now Library and WoW AddOns

Nvidia celebrated the release of its 2,000th game on GeForce Now, with the library continuing to grow, offering some of the best PC games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, Once Human, and more. The company is also making it easier for Premium GFN members to access and customize over 25 top WoW AddOns without needing to log into a CurseForge account. This collaboration with CurseForge simplifies the process, allowing users to enable AddOns directly from the game’s menu.

New Data Center in Poland

To further enhance the GeForce Now experience, Nvidia announced the opening of a new data center in Poland. This facility will bring GeForce Now Ultimate to more European customers, offering lower latency and higher quality streaming for users in the region.

Gamescom 2024 Demonstrations

Attendees at Gamescom 2024 can experience Nvidia’s latest technologies firsthand at their B2B booth (Hall 2.1 Booth A010), where demonstrations of RTX Games, ACE Technology, G-Sync Pulsar, Half-Life 2 RTX, and GeForce Now will be on display.