Why I’m Not Concerned About Nvidia Putting Game Ready Drivers Behind An Email Registration Wall

A beta is rolling out for the new update coming to GeForce Experience today, bringing with it a host of new features benefiting the avid gamer. Users can now broadcast their games to Twitch and YouTube in 60 fps and 1080p, and stream games from their PC to an Nvidia Shield device at 60 fps and 4K resolution with 5.1 channel surround sound. These new features join an update from last month allowing local co-op with friends over Internet connection, even if the second player does not have a gaming machine.

Some folks are also upset with another change rolling out in December, describing it as an "icky" "overreach". Soon, Nvidia's Game Ready service, which provides game optimization drivers for your PC, will be behind an email registration wall through GeForce Experience. The move comes as part of their greater plan to make GeForce Experience something of a PC gamer hub, where users can also find news and participate in giveaways. Nvidia cites optimizing the experience for casual and hardcore players as a motivation for the change, as well as their goal to make GE a "single source destination" for dedicated PC gamers.

Personally, I'm not concerned. These days you can't even get a sample of Downy fabric softener or log-in to a Gilmore Girls forum without giving up an email address. That's why most people have "burner" accounts that aren't connected to any sensitive information. And while it's possible that Nvidia wants to sell the email addresses to marketers, that ship has already sailed. Anyone with an active online life is already screwed. Facebook has made a fortune off of selling users' information, and their shadow profiles (which collect data on its users, including information offered by outside sources and not authorized by the user themselves) target even those without an account. The NSA and Google also come to mind.

Email addresses are appealing precisely because you do not have to give up more personal details like your address or telephone number. Giving out your email address also seems like a small price to pay in exchange for access to a valuable service that is otherwise free. Is that how entitled we've become as Internet denizens, that even an email address is too much to ask for a free product? Or am I not cautious enough in the digital era's free for all on private information? Let us know in the comments.