As widely speculated after the STB deal, 3Dfx announced that ONLY 3Dfx branded boards will be available (both for retail and in system OEMs) in the US, though one or two OEM partners will likely be chosen for Europe as 3Dfx does not yet have the necessary capacity there. The next big news, according to 3Dfx, revolves around their retail plans for Voodoo3. In addition, 3Dfx is partnering up with the retail chains to present a spanking new corporate image complete with dramatically different packaging and in-store displays focused on bringing acceleration to the masses (and incidentally, making it easier for the rest of us to locate the 3Dfx isle). By providing instructional materials and assistance to retail sales personnel, 3Dfx hopes to have end-user's questions about acceleration technology and games answered at the point of purchase. And finally, there are the television ads.

This will all coincide with the first 3Dfx product launch incorporating the board manufacturing and distribution muscle of newly acquired STB (which they can't say much about because of the SEC lid on gossip until the 3Dfx/STB merger is fully approved). Hard core gamers fear not- this is just 3Dfx waking up and smelling the roses (the nice green ones with the fetching dead president motif).