Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Nvidia’s Shield Android TV updates with 6.0 Marshmallow, Vulkan support

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

Hardware manufacturer Nvidia has updated its Shield Android TV system software, putting the platform one step ahead of competing microconsoles with support for Android 6.0 Marshmallow, among other significant features and additions.

Notably, the Shield Android TV is now the first Android-powered microconsole to support the Vulkan graphics API, an open-standard framework that promises “highly efficient, low-level access to modern graphics hardware.”

Recommended Videos

“Today, Nvidia is equipping Android developers with fully conformant Vulkan drivers just one week after the specifications launched,” the manufacturer announced. “In addition, Google has announced that Vulkan will be a core platform API in a future version of Android to drive new classes of interactive user experiences.”

The platform’s update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow enables support for a number of recently released mobile apps and games, including Real Racing 3, Oddworld Munch’s Oddysee, Minecraft Story Mode, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Shield Android TV owners can also tap into a library of console-quality games via the GeForce NOW streaming service. Subscribers currently have access to a Shield-compatible version of 2013’s Tomb Raider, and publisher Square Enix plans to support the platform with upcoming releases like Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light, Murdered: Soul Suspect, Sleeping Dogs and Quantum Conundrum.

This week’s Shield Android TV update enables new features like dashboard customization, upgradable storage, wireless support for controllers while charging via USB, and quick power menu access via the home screen.

Other improvements include an option for 1080p/60Hz resolution for Ultra HD TVs, fixed audio for the Android Netflix app, support for RGB Full Range, improved color options, and volume control support for third-party audio receivers.

The upgrade is available as a free download, and Shield Android TV owners will be prompted to update the next time they power on their systems.

Danny Cowan
Danny Cowan
Former Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
Topics
GTA 6 is apparently going all-in on blood, drugs and mayhem
An accidentally published PEGI rating gives us a surprisingly detailed look at Rockstar’s most adult GTA yet.
Grand Theft Auto GTA VI 6 gameplay screenshot drinks Cal Hampton

Grand Theft Auto 6 was never exactly going to be mistaken for a children's game, but a briefly published PEGI rating has apparently revealed just how far Rockstar is pushing the adult content this time around. The PEGI 18 rating appeared on the European ratings board's website before being removed, but not before its unusually detailed description was captured and reported by multiple outlets.

Apparently, GTA 6 has no plans to behave itself

Read more
These 5 Amazon gaming deals put the upgrade money into the controls
A $30 wireless mouse, a compact optical keyboard, and a customizable controller lead the picks ahead of October Prime Day.
Electronics, Joystick

A cramped keyboard-and-mouse arrangement or a controller short on buttons can be reason enough to change a setup. These five Amazon discounts cover those everyday upgrades, starting with a $30 wireless mouse. For streamers with more controls to juggle, there’s a discounted Stream Deck XL, too.

Logitech G305 Lightspeed - $29.99 (40% off)

Read more
Control Resonant Review: It trusts you, challenges you, and rarely wastes your time
Remedy takes Control into the open world without losing its identity.
Control Resonant Manhattan streets

Remedy Entertainment’s announcement of a sequel to its critically acclaimed 2019 hit Control was not a big surprise. The first game, which was initially dismissed by many, including me, as a showcase for Nvidia’s ray tracing tech, turned out to be a wonderful and complex mess that attracted a niche but dedicated audience. However, the gameplay reveal of their new title felt like a risky pivot away from what garnered its fandom.

I was not about to make the same mistake twice. I kept my presumed notions about modern open-world games being grindy task simulators aside and gave it a fair shot. After finishing the story and unlocking every achievement, I can say Control Resonant is the most complete game Remedy has made. It knows exactly what it wants to be, skips the filler, and lets the player figure things out on their own. It is not flawless, but whether you are a longtime fan or new to the Federal Bureau of Control, there is plenty here for you.

Read more