Intel today put out an invite on Twitter for anyone and everyone to "join the Odyssey" and help the company navigate discrete GPU waters. In doing so, I wonder if Intel just revealed the codename for its upcoming GPU and/or its first modern consumer graphics card.
Odyssey as a GPU product name isn't half bad. For now, though, it's just the name of Intel's latest marketing effort to drum up excitement about Intel's discrete graphics play, and to engage the community. Intel has said all along that it wants input on what it's doing and what direction it should go.
"The Odyssey is built around a passionate community, focused on improving graphics and visual computing for everyone, from gamers to content creators. And we want voices like yours to help guide us," Intel says.
"We’re committed to listening to the community, and in return you will get closer to the inner workings of visual technology development than ever before," Intel continues.
This is more than a journey. It is an Odyssey to improve visual computing experiences. But we can’t do it alone. We invite our community to join us. https://t.co/aj1vaq79vr #JoinTheOdyssey pic.twitter.com/s0uQcChWJ6February 20, 2019
It's sort of a utopian pitch, this idea that a company like Intel is scribbling down notes from random online commenters and passing them along to the graphics team. But I don't think it's strictly marketing, either. Gamers are a demanding bunch, and it seems pretty clear that Intel is serious about competing in that area—Intel now releases timely graphics driver updates, for example, and recently debuted a brand new control panel for its integrated graphics.
I'm also curious just how much of the curtain Intel will be willing to lift ahead of its planned 2020 launch. So far, fine grain details have been kept under lock and key. However, this new Odyssey thing comes with the promise of closer access, plus some perks.
"You’ll hear the latest reports first and you’ll have access to some amazing offers and exclusive giveaways. The Odyssey is about how we’ll work together to build the visual computing solutions you really want," Intel says.
If you're interested in joining the Odyssey, follow this link and give your name and email to Intel.
