Cloud gaming service GeForce Now has become an appealing option for players who want access to high-performance PC gaming without investing in expensive hardware. NVIDIA‘s service allows users to stream games from powerful cloud-based rigs to nearly any device with a screen. While pricing tiers offering RTX-level performance and priority access come with a monthly fee, NVIDIA has also offered a completely free version of GeForce Now. However, starting March 5th, even patient-free members will have to sit through advertisements as they wait in queue for their play sessions.

According to NVIDIA spokesperson Stephenie Ngo, free members of the GeForce Now service will soon start seeing “up to two minutes of ads while waiting in queue to start a gaming session.” For a cloud gaming service where sessions are limited to one-hour increments, two minutes of ad viewing essentially translates to over 3% of the total playtime. Still, NVIDIA claims that the change “will reduce average wait times for free users over time” as the ads generate revenue to support the costly server infrastructure required to provide GeForce Now for free.

Since its launch, the free tier of GeForce Now has always involved queues and wait times due to overwhelming demand. But for many cash-strapped gamers, the ability to access AAA titles without purchasing powerful gaming rigs has been worth the hurdle of waiting in line for sometimes up to 30 minutes between play sessions. The addition of mandatory ad viewing has sparked concerns that NVIDIA’s once consumer-friendly offering is headed toward a future filled with freemium frustration tactics.

Still, for a cloud gaming space where Google recently shut down its own free service called Stadia, NVIDIA adding ads raises questions about the viability of free cloud gaming access. While affordable paid tiers of GeForce Now will continue providing premium access, cost-conscious gamers relying solely on free memberships may soon find their patience tried in new ways – forced to watch ads while waiting for their turn to play.