NEC and 3Dfx have always been competitors. NEC may be the bigger of the two, but 3Dfx emerged early as the consumers' choice against the lackluster PowerVR chip. But NEC struck a swift uppercut when 3Dfx was dumped by Sega when it came time to make the final decision to choose the second-generation PowerVR chip - the Series 2 - for Sega's new Dreamcast console and its new arcade unit Naomi.

　　Since that time, NEC has remained almost completely silent about plans for Series 2's comeback on the PC. Behind the scenes, NEC has been evangelizing its latest PowerVR chips to console and arcade developers. And it's just about ready to break its silence.

　　GameSpot News caught up with NEC's product marketing manager for PowerVR, Charles Bellfield, to see how the NEC camp reacted to the news that 3Dfx bought STB. Just how much of a threat is 3Dfx now that it has virtually taken itself out of the independent 3D-acceleration chip business?

　　Bellfield began our conversation on a note of confidence - if not defiance. "Thank you 3Dfx for getting out of the industry and leaving an open playing field," he told us. Now that 3Dfx has left the chip-developer industry, companies like Bellfield's could gain greater influence. "It also takes Diamond's and Creative's marketing forces from promoting 3Dfx products."

　　Bellfield believes 3Dfx is moving into unstable and uncertain territory. "3Dfx products have sold well on the retail level, but I think that they're shooting themselves in the foot by turning their backs on their retail customers." And with no experience in the OEM realm, Bellfield says, 3Dfx is the new kid on the block.

　　So how does NEC feel about its past legal disputes with 3Dfx over the Sega contract? "We think that the Dreamcast wouldn't be as good a product if used," Bellfield says with complete confidence. "In the end, NEC gave Sega a high-performance chip at the price it wanted - something 3Dfx couldn't do." But PowerVR has never been considered a top contender for taking the wind from 3Dfx's sails. Its last product has spotty support on the PC, and very few manufacturers marketed PowerVR-based cards. Sure, there are gamers who vehemently support the chip, but as names go, 3Dfx is still the choice of most gamers.

　　Bellfield and company are hoping to change gamers' perception of the PowerVR Series 2 with strong cross-platform incentives that offer console and arcade developers a channel to inexpensively develop high-quality titles for PCs. This means that PC gamers could get arcade titles more quickly than is currently the norm. NEC has already convinced Sega to support the processor, and with such a major player behind them, the company attracted the arcade division affections of both Sega and Namco.

　　3Dfx has already tried this with 3Dfx chips powering arcade titles like San Francisco Rush, Mace, Blitz, and Gauntlet Legends. To date, only Blitz has made a successful leap to the PC. NEC's plan could be just as risky as 3Dfx's.

　　Now that 3Dfx is out of the rat race in the independent chip wars, we wondered if NEC had been approached by manufacturers who are now more willing to support PowerVR Series 2. Bellfield hesitated. Like the consummate businessman he is, Bellfield says that there have been ongoing conversations with bigger manufacturers. NEC isn't ready to show its cards yet, but we have a feeling it might be holding something big. Gamers, place your bets now.