ReactOS now supports 3dfx's Voodoo5 GPUs — open-source Windows alternative offers near-native performance for retro gamers

ReactOS, the free open-source operating system that aims to achieve binary compatibility with Windows NT, now has a working video driver for 3dfx's iconic Voodoo5 GPUs, via Phoronix. The developers are reporting near-native performance in OpenGL applications using MesaFX and WickedGL ICDs (Installable Client Drivers), with a few caveats.

Back in the late 90s, 3dfx Interactive was a major force in the GPU market, reknowned for its Voodoo lineup of graphics accelerators that ended with the Voodoo5. Now only a source for nostalgia, the Voodoo5 GPUs are a prized item among retro gamers and collectors, largely due to their iconic status and compatibility with games made using the Glide API. The Voodoo5 family was the fastest and last lineup of GPUs by 3dfx, with five variants envisioned, yet only the Voodoo5 5500 AGP and PCI variants made it to consumers.

Through experimental patches, a contributor project has gotten Voodoo5 drivers up and running on ReactOS. In theory, this compatibility should extend to the Voodoo4 family as well, which utilizes the same VSA-100 GPU core. Testing indicates that Epic Games’ Unreal (1998) launches and runs smoothly in full-screen modes with the new driver.

Update: simonelombardo reports you can reach full speed in OpenGL when you install MesaFX/WickedGL, if you use Voodoo 4/5 drivers with #ReactOS.These ICDs do not support windowed mode, though. https://t.co/5Klvz07V9k pic.twitter.com/opAktL3zA9April 19, 2025

The developers followed up by reporting ‘full speed’ OpenGL performance with MesaFX and WickedGL, both of which are third-party ICDs tailored for 3dfx hardware. ICDs translate OpenGL API calls directly into instructions the old 3dfx GPUs can understand. Full-speed in this context likely refers to performance comparable to the original Windows environment with the same card and ICDs. The caveat is that windowed mode is not supported, but that quirk should be ironed out with a few patches.

ReactOS is not production-ready, as it's still in its Alpha stage and has been under development since 1996. The latest numbered release, version 0.4.15, came out last month and brings plug-and-play support, better memory management, more audio formats, and several bundled accessories, just to name a few. As it stands, ReactOS serves primarily for testing and validation. However, with increased compatibility, it could offer a more secure environment for legacy hardware and retro gamers compared to outdated Windows NT releases.

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Hassam Nasir is a die-hard hardware enthusiast with years of experience as a tech editor and writer, focusing on detailed CPU comparisons and general hardware news. When he’s not working, you’ll find him bending tubes for his ever-evolving custom water-loop gaming rig or benchmarking the latest CPUs and GPUs just for fun.