从叱咤风云到没落！艾尔莎品牌沉浮记

    在2000年以后，显卡行业的整个格局发生了巨大的转变，伟大的3Dfx在这个时候正是由于决策失误，导致市场占有率一路下滑，最后被NVIDIA收购。而ATI也在这个时候向NVIDIA发起挑战，各大显卡厂商纷纷找到自己的归属，NVIDIA的AIC阵营与ATI的AIB阵营划分了界限。

    同时，显卡市场的竞争也开始加剧，华硕、丽台推出的产品不管是从做工还是价格方面都不逊色与艾尔莎的产品，艾尔莎的危机一步一步的逼近。不过相对可喜的是，艾尔莎的产品终于在美国市场上占有自己的一席之地。

    在这个时候，一些通路商与代工厂已经崭露头角，加入了激烈的市场竞争中。正是由于通路商与代工厂的加入，导致显卡市场竞争更加激烈，产品的利润不断下滑，艾尔莎在民用级市场的份额一路下滑。911恐怖袭击事件以后，全球经济受到了大面积影响，不管是在通信领域还是在显卡领域，艾尔莎都受到了重创，并且退出了美国市场。

    终于，在2002年2月8日，艾尔莎官方网站上放出了这样的通告：

The credit facility provided to ELSA AG by seven members of an eight bank banking pool have been terminated for February 15, 2002. The credit volume terminated amounts to approximately 28 Million Euro.

One bank and pool member additionally notified the company that the credit facility of 10 Million Euro, provided until March 30, 2002, will not be extended. In case of a repayment of the companies other credits to the pool the bank also expects a loan repayment by February 15, 2002.

Negotiations with the banks about a credit buyout through a third party investor have failed, despite intensive arbitration attempts also of the banking pool leader. Funds for a return of the outstanding credits are presently unavailable. Going concern of the company is therefore unsecured. The management board is evaluating its obligation to initiate insolvency proceedings.

    新闻稿的大意就是说艾尔莎由于2800万欧元的信用贷款被拒绝，同时银行也拒绝了3月30日到期的1000万欧元的贷款延长申请，艾尔莎显卡的原代工厂技嘉也在法庭上发难，已经开始准备破产程序。终于在几个星期之后，艾尔莎德国总部正式宣布破产，老艾尔莎的辉煌也从此结束。在宣布破产的当天，各大IT媒体都以“艾尔莎破产 NVIDIA失去大量欧洲市场”为标题发布新闻，艾尔莎当时在欧洲市场的影响力可见一斑。