One of the oldest players in the graphics board industry, Hercules Computer Technology Inc, could be about to file for bankruptcy, according to rumors circulating on the web. Reports suggest that the Fremont, California-based firm has stopped shipping products and that the majority of its staff has resigned, including all the senior management.
Hercules has had a rocky ride in the 17 years that it has been involved in the high-pressure graphics industry. The company claimed to have developed the world’s first graphics card in 1982 – the Hercules Monochrome Graphics Adapter – and it pioneered high-end PC graphics hardware in the late eighties and early nineties. However, although the company’s products have always been well regarded, the firm’s fortunes ebbed as Windows 95-based PCs took hold in the market. Last year Elsa AG of Aachen, Germany announced its intention to buy Hercules for $8.5m in cash. However, the deal fell through in November because neither firm could agree terms.
Now, postings on game web sites and user groups suggest that shipments of Hercules’ latest Nvidia Riva TNT2 graphics board have been delayed, and complain of a lack of customer support. We repeatedly tried to contact Hercules but were met only with a recorded message – adding credence to the suggestions of a mass walk-out.
