Today is 3D graphics pioneer 3dfx’s 24th death anniversary – platform still inspires gamers, enthusiasts, and makers long after Nvidia acquired the assets
Seminal 3D graphics accelerator company 3dfx went under on this day, 24 years ago. Notice of the end came by way of a final 3dfx press release, apologizing to customers and fans for the drastic action it had been forced to take. Facing bankruptcy near the end of the year 2000, 3dfx’s shareholders agreed to sell off its brands and assets to nVidia to get “the best possible result” for creditors, investors, and employees. Though the company is now long gone, many a seasoned PC tech aficionado still carries a torch for the company that was, and we still see enthusiasm for retro 3dfx hardware and projects.
The trio of 3dfx founders would surely never have expected their company’s fortunes to shine so brightly, yet so short. 3dfx’s maiden product, the Voodoo Graphics 3D chip reached manufacturing in November 1995 but didn’t get introduced to consumers on a PCI add-in-card until after COMDEX in October of the following year.
