Just compiled/installed the November 10 git version of 5.16-pre, and the latest NVIDIA driver 495.44 compiles/loads OK.

There is already a pre-release patchset for Kernel 5.16 and VMware 16.2.1, at https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/tree/tmp/workstation-16.2.1-k5.16

With these, preliminary tests with NVIDIA and VMware have been successful..

]# uname -a
Linux rg400g4 5.16.0-rc0 #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Nov 10 16:53:28 PST 2021 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Of course, there are more changes to come before -rc1 is released next Sunday, so breakage may occur..

Robert Gadsdon.   November 10th 2021.