Look at how unhinged GPU box art was in the 2000s (2024)

Nostalgia for “Unhinged” Box Art & Lost Whimsy

• Many miss the era when GPUs were marketed with over-the-top fantasy/sci‑fi art, x‑shaped boxes, and absurd mascots; this was seen as “soulful,” creative, and fun rather than “unhinged.”
• The change is blamed on gaming becoming mainstream, corporate risk aversion, and “MBA” optimization driving toward bland, minimalist branding.
• Some argue it was just a design fad that naturally ran its course, not a deliberate “fun-killing” conspiracy.

Why Box Art Used to Matter More

• In the 90s–2000s, GPUs were often bought in physical stores (Fry’s, CompUSA, Microcenter), so eye‑catching boxes competed on shelves.
• Box art exaggerated what the hardware could do, echoing 8‑bit game covers that promised visuals far beyond the actual output.
• Today’s best scenes require full art teams and months of work, making that kind of bespoke box art economically pointless.

Weird Design Isn’t Entirely Gone

• Niche markets (especially in China and Japan) still feature unusual designs: cat‑themed coolers, anime backplates, character-branded cases, and flamboyant color schemes.
• Some note this is different from the old era: previously, only the box was wild; now the product itself is themed.

Hardware Longevity, Platforms, and Prices

• Multiple commenters note that PCs and GPUs from 2017–2020 still handle modern games well, a big contrast to the rapid obsolescence of earlier eras.
• This slower pace is seen as both good (hardware lasts) and bad (fewer mind‑blowing generational leaps).
• Modern GPUs are vastly more complex and powerful, which some use to justify today’s prices; others lament when the GPU costs more than the rest of the system and needs exotic power connectors.
• Complaints about platform design (e.g., AM5 PCIe lane limitations, USB4/Thunderbolt) are countered with arguments about market segmentation toward high‑end platforms like Threadripper.

Linux, Freedom, and GPU Vendors

• AMD is praised for “good enough” Linux support and no required user‑space spyware, seen as more respectful than alternatives.
• Others point out that modern AMD still relies on proprietary firmware blobs; fully “blob‑free” setups (e.g., linux‑libre) are effectively incompatible with current GPUs and even CPU microcode updates.

Games Then vs Now

• Some feel games (especially AAA) have become derivative, monetized, and technically stagnant, with yearly sequels indistinguishable in look and feel.
• Others counter that modern hardware largely removed technical constraints, allowing innovation in storytelling and experiences instead.
• There’s disagreement on when AAA quality declined, with references to titles from the 7th console generation and to ongoing lore depth in modern games.

Demos, Side Products, and Broader Aesthetic

• Old GPU generations shipped with interactive tech demos and named characters; many of these have since been removed from official sites.
• Similar “crazy box” aesthetics existed for sound cards and other components, plus catalogues (e.g., Maplin) and software (Borland, Delphi) that treated packaging and installer art as creative canvases.
• The overall tone of the thread is bittersweet nostalgia: fond memories of discovering hardware through this wild marketing, alongside recognition that the market and technology have simply moved on.