For its first 30 years, Nvidia wasn't a household name unless you were a gamer. Now, some of its original fan base feel left behind now that AI has made the chipmaker into the world's most valuable company. Nvidia popularized the graphics processing units, or GPUs, that make the best video game play possible and gamers saved Nvidia from near bankruptcy when it bought the company’s first GPU in 1999. Twenty seven years later, 2026 may be the first year Nvidia doesn’t release a new GeForce gaming GPU - and a new AI-powered rendering software called DLS55 caused a major backlash among gamers when CEO Jensen Huang unveiled it at GTC in March. With more than 91% of revenue coming from data center chips, and a global memory shortage, it’s no surprise that Nvidia has prioritized the highly profitable Blackwell and Rubin GPUs over its GeForce RTX line - although Nvidia tells CNBC that gamers remain "hugely important.”
Produced by: Katie Tarasov
Edited by: Darren Geeter
Senior Director of Video: Jeniece Pettitt
Animation: Jason Reginato, Emily Park
Additional Footage: Getty Images, Nvidia, AMD
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