3dfx Interactive was a company headquartered in San Jose, California, founded in 1994, that specialized in the manufacturing of 3D graphics processing units and, later, graphics cards. It was a pioneer in the field from the late 1990s until 2000.
3dfx made the first video cards designed specifically for 3D gaming emerged in the 90s, marking a shift from 2D graphics accelerators to dedicated 3D hardware.
1. 3dfx Voodoo (1996)
- One of the first dedicated 3D graphics accelerators.
- Required a separate 2D card; connected via a passthrough cable.
- Used Glide API, offering superior graphics in early 3D titles like Quake and Tomb Raider.