
<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

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NUMBER                                                                    SHARES
FX
                             3DFX INTERACTIVE, INC.
             INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE                    SEE REVERSE FOR STATEMENTS
IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, MA. OR THE             RELATING TO RIGHTS, PREFERENCES,
CITY OF NEW YORK, N.Y.                     PRIVILEGES AND RESTRICTIONS, IF ANY


                                                            CUSIP  88553X  10  3

THIS CERTIFIES THAT


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is the record holder of

FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE, OF
                             3Dfx Interactive, Inc.

transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or
by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly
endorsed. This Certificate is not valid until countersigned by the Transfer
Agent and Registrar.

WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile signatures of
its duly authorized officers.

Dated:

__________________                    [SEAL] ____________________
Gary P. Martin                               L. Gregory Ballard
Secretary                                    President & Chief Executive Officer

COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR,
BY _____________________
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE



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BACK TEXT:

                             3DFX INTERACTIVE, INC.

         A statement of the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions
granted to or imposed upon the respective classes or series of shares and upon
the holders thereof as established, from time to time, by the Articles of
Incorporation of the Corporation and by any certificate of determination, and
the number of shares constituting each class and series and the designations
thereof, may be obtained by the holder hereof upon written request and without
charge from the Secretary of the Corporation at its corporate headquarters.

         The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

  TEN COM -as tenants in common      UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-________Custodian _______
  TEN ENT -as tenants by the                           (Cust)            (Minor)
           entireties                           under Uniform Gifts to Minors 
  JT TEN  -as joint tenants with                Act ___________________ (State)
           the right of                                
           survivorship and not as 
           tenants                             
           in common

     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

For Value Received, _____________ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE


________________________________________________________________________________
 PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE(S)

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________



of the Shares of capital stock represented by the within Certificate and do(es)
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________________ Attorney to
transfer the said Stock on the books of the within named Corporation with full
power substitution in the premises.

Dated ____________                 ____________________________________________

                                   ____________________________________________
                                   NOTE: The signature to this assignment must
                                   correspond with the name as written upon the
                                   face of the certificate in every particular,
                                   without alteration or enlargement or any
                                   change whatever. Signature must be
                                   guaranteed.


Signature(s) Guaranteed


By ________________________________________________________________________
THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION
(BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH
MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT 
TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad.15.


