MIPS TECHNOLOGIES INC
424B1, 1998-07-01
ELECTRONIC COMPUTERS
Previous: GOLDEN STATE VINTNERS INC, S-1/A, 1998-07-01
Next: REPUBLIC SERVICES INC, 424B1, 1998-07-01



<PAGE>

                                                Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1)
                                                Registration No. 333-50643 
 
[MIPS TECHNOLOGIES INC. LOGO]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
5,500,000 SHARES
 
COMMON STOCK
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
 
 
Of the 5,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
"Common Stock"), of MIPS Technologies, Inc. (the "Company") offered hereby (the
"Offering"), 1,250,000 are being offered by the Company and 4,250,000 are being
offered by Silicon Graphics, Inc. ("Silicon Graphics"). The Company will not
receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares by Silicon Graphics. Silicon
Graphics currently owns all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
Following the Offering, Silicon Graphics will own 85.2% of the Common Stock
(83.0% if the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full).
 
Prior to the Offering, there has been no public market for the Common Stock.
See "Underwriting" for a description of the factors considered in determining
the initial public offering price. Shares of Common Stock are being reserved
for directors and certain employees and semiconductor manufacturing partners
of the Company and certain other persons at the initial public offering price.
Such directors, employees, manufacturing partners and other persons are
expected to purchase, in the aggregate, up to approximately 10% of the Common
Stock offered in the Offering.
 
The Common Stock has been approved for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market
under the symbol "MIPS".
 
FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING CERTAIN RISK FACTORS WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY
PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS, SEE "RISK FACTORS" COMMENCING ON PAGE 7.
 
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        PROCEEDS TO
           PRICE TO       UNDERWRITING   PROCEEDS TO    SILICON
           PUBLIC         DISCOUNT(1)    COMPANY(2)     GRAPHICS
<S>        <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
Per Share  $14.00         $0.98          $13.02         $13.02
Total(3)   $77,000,000    $5,390,000     $16,275,000    $55,335,000
</TABLE>
(1) The Company and Silicon Graphics have agreed to indemnify the Underwriters
    against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities
    Act of 1933. See "Underwriting."
(2) Before deducting expenses of this Offering of approximately $240,000
    payable by the Company and $810,000 payable by Silicon Graphics. See
    "Arrangements Between the Company and Silicon Graphics."
(3) Silicon Graphics has granted the Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase
    up to 825,000 additional shares of Common Stock solely to cover over-
    allotments, if any. If such option is exercised in full, the total Price
    to Public, Underwriting Discount, Proceeds to Company and Proceeds to
    Silicon Graphics will be $88,550,000, $6,198,500 $16,035,000 and
    $65,266,500, respectively. See "Underwriting."
 
The shares of Common Stock are offered by the Underwriters, subject to prior
sale, when, as and if delivered to and accepted by them, and subject to
approval of certain legal matters by counsel and certain other conditions. The
Underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify such offer and to
reject orders in whole or in part. Delivery of the shares of Common Stock
offered hereby to the Underwriters is expected to be made in New York, New
York on or about July 6, 1998.
 
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES
 
                            BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
 
                                                               HAMBRECHT & QUIST
 
The date of this Prospectus is June 29, 1998.
<PAGE>
 
[Inside Front Cover]
MIPS Intellectual Property is here . . . [Graphic: picture of Nintendo 64
videogame] Nintendo(R)64 and here [Graphic: picture of television with WebTV
Internet appliance} WebTV(TM) and here [Graphic: picture of Sharp Mobilon]
Mobilon(TM) and here [Graphic: picture of Echostar DISH Network] Echostar DISH
Network(TM) and here [Graphic: picture of Cassiopeia E-10] Cassiopeia(TM) E-10
 . . . and that's just the beginning.
[MIPS brandmark]                                                    [MIPS Logo]
 
 
 
  CERTAIN PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THIS OFFERING MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS
THAT STABILIZE, MAINTAIN OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK,
INCLUDING BY ENTERING STABILIZING BIDS, EFFECTING SYNDICATE COVERING
TRANSACTIONS OR IMPOSING PENALTY BIDS. FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THESE ACTIVITIES,
SEE "UNDERWRITING."
 
Unless otherwise noted, (i) references to the "Company" include the historical
operating results and activities of, and assets and liabilities assigned to,
the businesses and operations which comprise the Company as of the date
hereof, (ii) "Silicon Graphics" means Silicon Graphics, Inc. and its
consolidated subsidiaries (other than the Company), and (iii) numbers and
percentages of shares outstanding assume that the Underwriters' over-allotment
option is not exercised and have been adjusted to reflect a 360,000-for-one
split of the Common Stock effective June 5, 1998.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
 
[Gatefold]

    [Five products incorporating the Company's intellectual property are 
stacked along the left side of the page and six products incorporating the 
Company's intellectual property are stacked along the right side of the page. 
The products are, and the text accompanying the pictures are as follows. Left 
side of page:]

    Nintendo 64 Powered by the NEC(R) MIPS(R) RISC VR4300(TM) and MIPS Reality
Co-Processor 

Hewlett-Packard(R) LaserJet(TM) 4000 Powered by the NEC MIPS RISC
VR4300

Sony(R) PlayStation(R) Game Console Powered by the LSI Logic(R)
MIPS RISC MiniRISC(R) Processor

WebTV(R) Powered by the Integrated Device Technology(R) (IDT)
MIPS RISC RV4640

Tektronix(R) NC200 Series Business Network Computers Powered by the NEC MIPS 
RISC VR4300 Processor

[Right side of page:]

Velo(TM) 500 Powered by the Philips(R) MIPS RISC PR31700
TwoChipHCG

Nino(TM) 300 Powered by the Philips MIPS RISC PR31700
TwoChipHCG

Network Computer Devices, Inc.(R) ThinSTAR(TM) 200 Powered by the 
NEC MIPS RISC VR4310(TM)

Everex(R) Freestyle(R) Powered by the NEC MIPS RISC VR4102(TM)

DISH Network Powered by the IDT MIPS RISC R3041

Cisco(R) 7500 Series(TM) Powered by the IDT and NEC MIPS RISC Processors

[Additional Text] Partnering with Power and Innovation

Mips Technologies Inc. develops and licenses advanced reduced instruction set
computing (RISC) processors and related technologies for the high-performance
digital consumer and embedded markets. MIPS partners shipped 48 million 
processors in 1997 including products in the following market segments:

<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 

<S>                              <C>                             <C> 
       * Base Stations               * Network Computers            * Storage               
       * Game Consoles               * Office Automation              RAID SYSTEMS          
       * Digital Cameras               Laser Printers                 Hard Disk Drive       
       * Set-Top Boxes                 Scanners                     * Internetworking       
            Analog                   * Communications                 Routers               
            Digital                    Cellular Phones                Switches              
       * H/PCs and Palm PCs            Screen Phones                  Hubs                  
       * Industrial Control            Cable Modems                 * Car Navigation Systems

</TABLE> 
 
[MIPS Logo]                                                     [MIPS Brandmark]


<PAGE>
 
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
  THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND
NOTES THERETO APPEARING ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
  MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading designer and developer of RISC-based
high-performance 32- and 64-bit microprocessor intellectual property for
embedded systems applications. The Company licenses its technology to its seven
semiconductor partners: NEC Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, LSI Logic
Corporation, Philips Electronics N.V., Integrated Device Technology, NKK
Corporation and Quantum Effect Design, Inc. These partners in turn design,
market and sell MIPS-based microprocessors to system OEMs. To date, the MIPS
RISC architecture has been used to create over 60 separate microprocessor
products which have a cumulative installed base of over 70 million units.
According to INSIDE THE NEW COMPUTER INDUSTRY, an industry trade publication,
the market for RISC-based microprocessors totaled 98 million units in calendar
year 1997. The Company's semiconductor partners reported that 48 million units
based on the MIPS RISC architecture were shipped in calendar year 1997.
 
  The Company is specifically targeting the emerging market for digital
consumer products. The Company believes that its 32- and 64-bit microprocessor
designs are well suited for this market due to the scalability and performance
of the MIPS RISC architecture and the cost and time-to-market advantages
provided by the Company's intellectual property. The Company has achieved
several significant design wins in this market, including video game systems
such as the Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation, handheld personal computers such
as the Phillips Velo and the NEC MobilePro, digital set-top boxes such as
Echostar DBS Corporation's Dish Network and Internet appliances from WebTV
Networks, Inc.
 
  The Company is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics. Prior
to the Separation, the Company's business was conducted by Silicon Graphics
primarily through its MIPS Group, a division of Silicon Graphics. The Company's
predecessor, MIPS Computer Systems, Inc., was founded in 1984 and was engaged
in the design and development of RISC microprocessors for the computer systems
and embedded markets.
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
<TABLE>
<S>                             <C>
Common Stock Offered........... 5,500,000 shares (including 1,250,000 shares by
                                the Company and 4,250,000 shares by Silicon
                                Graphics)
Common Stock to be outstanding
 after the Offering(1)......... 37,250,000 shares
Nasdaq National Market Symbol.. MIPS
</TABLE>
- -------
(1) Excludes 7,200,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance pursuant to
    employee benefit and stock purchase plans. See "Management."
 
                             SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA
                     (In thousands, except per share data)
 
  The following historical financial information may not be indicative of the
Company's future performance and does not necessarily reflect what the
financial position and results of operations of the Company would have been had
the Company operated as a separate, stand-alone entity during the periods
covered. The historical financial information does not reflect many significant
changes that will occur in the funding and operations of the Company and the
future sources and costs of the Company's revenue as a result of both the
Separation and the Company's recent shift in strategic direction. However, the
Company's results of operations for the quarter ended March 31, 1998 reflect
certain of these changes and were favorably impacted by seasonal fluctuations
in revenue. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations--Quarterly Results of Operations."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            NINE       THREE
                                                                           MONTHS     MONTHS
                                     YEARS ENDED JUNE 30,                   ENDED      ENDED
                          ----------------------------------------------  MARCH 31,  MARCH 31,
                           1993     1994      1995      1996      1997      1998       1998
                          -------  -------  --------  --------  --------  ---------  ---------
<S>                       <C>      <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 DATA:
Royalties...............  $ 3,643  $ 8,402  $ 13,576  $ 19,716  $ 37,192  $ 44,990   $ 18,231
Contract revenue........   14,834    8,962    13,903    17,327     3,115       827         --
                          -------  -------  --------  --------  --------  --------   --------
Total revenue...........   18,477   17,364    27,479    37,043    40,307    45,817     18,231
Total costs and
 expenses...............   21,920   36,524    57,430    64,609    81,092    50,027      6,706
Net income (loss).......   (3,450) (19,230)  (30,020)  (27,665)  (40,835)   (4,223)    11,523
Net income (loss) per
 basic and diluted
 share..................    (0.10)   (0.53)    (0.83)    (0.77)    (1.13)    (0.12)      0.32
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             MARCH 31, 1998
                                                          ----------------------
                                                          ACTUAL  AS ADJUSTED(1)
                                                          ------  --------------
<S>                                                       <C>     <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash and cash equivalents................................ $   --     $16,035
Working capital (deficiency)............................. (3,045)     12,990
Total assets.............................................  4,316      20,351
Total stockholders' equity (deficit).....................   (667)     15,368
</TABLE>
- -------
(1) Adjusted to give effect to the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered
    by the Company and the application of the net proceeds therefrom.
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
 
                       RELATIONSHIP WITH SILICON GRAPHICS
 
  The Company is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics. Upon
completion of the Offering, Silicon Graphics will beneficially own 85.2% of the
outstanding Common Stock (83.0% if the Underwriters' over-allotment option is
exercised in full). Accordingly, Silicon Graphics will continue to have the
ability to direct the election of members of the board of directors of the
Company and exercise a controlling influence over the business and affairs of
the Company. In addition, so long as Silicon Graphics' ownership interest in
the Company exceeds 50%, Silicon Graphics will have the ability to remove
directors with or without cause, call special meetings of stockholders and
effect stockholder action by written consent in lieu of a meeting of
stockholders. These rights will not be available to the Company's other
stockholders, including after Silicon Graphics ceases to own in excess of 50%
of the Company's outstanding Common Stock. See "Description of Capital Stock--
Certificate of Incorporation and By-law Provisions That May Have an Anti-
Takeover Effect."
 
  Silicon Graphics has advised the Company that it currently intends to hold
all of the Common Stock beneficially owned by it following the Offering.
However, Silicon Graphics is not subject to any contractual obligation to
retain its controlling interest, except that Silicon Graphics has agreed not to
sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock of the Company for a
period of 365 days after the date of this Prospectus without the prior written
consent of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. See "Underwriting." As a result, there
can be no assurance concerning the period of time during which Silicon Graphics
will maintain its beneficial ownership of Common Stock following the Offering.
Any disposition by Silicon Graphics of any of the shares of Common Stock it
owns following the Offering may be effected in one or more transactions,
including a public offering, a distribution by Silicon Graphics of such Common
Stock to its stockholders, an offer by Silicon Graphics to exchange such Common
Stock for outstanding Silicon Graphics common stock, or other transactions.
Silicon Graphics will have registration rights with respect to the shares of
Common Stock owned by it following the Offering which would facilitate any
future disposition.
 
  The Company and Silicon Graphics have entered into or will, prior to the
consummation of the Offering, enter into certain agreements governing various
interim and ongoing relationships between them. Among these agreements is a
Corporate Agreement, which will include, among other things, provisions
granting to Silicon Graphics the right to purchase additional shares of capital
stock of the Company under certain circumstances. See "Arrangements Between the
Company and Silicon Graphics." In addition, the Company's Restated Certificate
of Incorporation includes certain provisions regarding the allocation of
business opportunities that may be suitable for both the Company and Silicon
Graphics. See "Description of Capital Stock--Corporate Opportunities."
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
  MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading designer and developer of RISC-based
high-performance 32- and 64-bit microprocessor intellectual property for
embedded systems applications. The Company licenses its technology to its
seven semiconductor partners: NEC Corporation ("NEC"), Toshiba Corporation
("Toshiba"), LSI Logic Corporation ("LSI Logic"), Philips Electronics N.V.
("Philips"), Integrated Device Technology ("IDT"), NKK Corporation ("NKK") and
Quantum Effect Design, Inc. ("QED"). These partners in turn design, market and
sell MIPS-based microprocessors to system OEMs primarily for embedded
applications. To date, the MIPS RISC architecture has been used to create over
60 separate microprocessor products which have a cumulative installed base of
over 70 million units. According to INSIDE THE NEW COMPUTER INDUSTRY, the
market for RISC-based microprocessors totaled 98 million units in calendar
year 1997. The Company's semiconductor partners reported that 48 million units
based on the MIPS RISC architecture were shipped in calendar year 1997.
 
  Embedded systems are broadly defined as microcontrollers and microprocessors
plus related software incorporated into devices other than personal computers,
workstations, servers, mainframes and minicomputers. Until recently, this
market was dominated by low-cost 4-, 8-, and 16-bit microcontrollers embedded
into low-cost, high-volume consumer products such as home appliances,
facsimile machines, printers, telephone answering machines and various
automobile systems. The use of higher performance 32- and 64-bit
microprocessors was common in higher cost but lower volume applications such
as telecommunications switching equipment and data networking routers.
Although microcontrollers are adequate for basic system control, they lack the
perfomance and bandwidth capabilities to implement today's advanced functions,
including powerful user interfaces such as 3-D graphics. Recently, however,
the price of 32- and 64-bit microprocessors has reached the point where it is
now cost effective to embed these solutions into low-cost, high-volume digital
consumer products.
 
  At the same time, improvements in semiconductor manufacturing processes have
enabled the integration of entire systems onto a single integrated circuit to
create complex system-on-a-chip solutions. However, design tool capabilities
and the internal design resources of semiconductor manufacturers and system
OEMs have not kept pace with the increase in the number of transistors that
can be placed on a single chip. Consequently a significant and growing "design
gap" has developed for semiconductor designers and manufacturers between what
can be manufactured and what can reasonably be designed by a single company.
To address this "design gap," semiconductor designers and manufacturers are
increasingly licensing proven and reusable intellectual property components,
such as microprocessor cores, memories and logic blocks from third-party
suppliers to create differentiated products and reduce development costs and
time-to-market.
 
  The Company seeks to be the world's leading provider of microprocessor
intellectual property for the embedded market. To establish MIPS RISC-based
microprocessors as the industry standard and to proliferate its microprocessor
technology into multiple markets and applications, the Company has implemented
a business model based on the non-exclusive licensing of its intellectual
property. The Company is specifically targeting the emerging market for
digital consumer products. The Company believes that its 32- and 64-bit
microprocessor designs are well suited for this market due to the scalability
and performance of the MIPS RISC architecture and the cost and time-to-market
advantages provided by the Company's intellectual property. The Company has
achieved several significant design wins in this market, including video game
systems such as the Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation, handheld personal
computers such as the Philips Velo and the NEC MobilePro, digital set-top
boxes such as Echostar DBS Corporation's ("Echostar") Dish Network and
Internet appliances from WebTV Networks, Inc. ("WebTV").
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
 
  The Company is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics.
Prior to the Separation, the Company's business was conducted by Silicon
Graphics primarily through its MIPS Group, a division of Silicon Graphics. The
Company's predecessor, MIPS Computer Systems, Inc., was founded in 1984 and
was engaged in the design and development of RISC microprocessors for the
computer systems and embedded markets. Silicon Graphics adopted the MIPS
architecture for its computer systems in 1988 and acquired MIPS Computer
Systems, Inc. in 1992. Following the acquisition, Silicon Graphics continued
the MIPS microprocessor business through its MIPS Group, which focused
primarily on the development of high-performance microprocessors for Silicon
Graphics' workstations and servers. Until the last few years, cost
considerations limited the broader use of these microprocessors. However, as
the cost to design and manufacture microprocessors based on the MIPS
technology decreased, the MIPS Group sought to penetrate the consumer market,
both through supporting and coordinating the efforts of the MIPS semiconductor
partners and by partnering with Nintendo Co., Ltd. ("Nintendo") in its design
of the Nintendo 64 video game player and related cartridges.
 
  The Company was incorporated in Delaware in June 1992. The Company has its
principal executive offices at 2011 North Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View,
California 94043, and its telephone number at that address is (650) 960-1980.
 
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING
 
  In order to increase the focus of the MIPS Group on the design and
development of microprocessor intellectual property for the embedded market,
Silicon Graphics has initiated a plan to separate the business of the MIPS
Group from its other operations (the "Separation"). To this end, Silicon
Graphics intends to transfer to the Company the assets, liabilities and
intellectual property related to this business. These assets and liabilities
include substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Silicon Graphics'
MIPS Group other than those related to the development of microprocessors for
the next generation of Silicon Graphics' product line. The Separation will
establish the Company as a stand-alone entity with objectives separate from
those of Silicon Graphics. The Company believes that the Separation will be
substantially completed, including the transfer of substantially all of such
assets, liabilities and intellectual property, by the closing date of the
Offering (the "Closing Date"). The Separation, and the transactions being
undertaken in connection therewith, including the Offering, are being effected
pursuant to a Separation Agreement dated as of June 1, 1998 between the
Company and Silicon Graphics (the "Separation Agreement").
 
  The Company has had no direct third-party indebtedness other than
obligations under capital leases, and historically has relied on internally
generated funds and funds provided by Silicon Graphics to finance its
operations. However, following the Offering, Silicon Graphics will no longer
be obligated, and does not intend, to provide additional funds to the Company
to finance its operations. In addition to the net proceeds from the sale of
the Common Stock by the Company in the Offering, the Company intends to enter
into a revolving credit facility (the "Credit Facility") with a bank or other
financial institution to provide for certain of its working capital needs.
 
  As contemplated by the Separation Agreement, the Company and Silicon
Graphics have also entered into, or will enter into, certain ancillary
agreements which govern various interim and ongoing relationships between the
two companies. These ancillary agreements include agreements with respect to
intellectual property arrangements, the provision of transitional services and
tax sharing. See "Arrangements Between the Company and Silicon Graphics."
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
 
                                 RISK FACTORS
 
  AN INVESTMENT IN THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVES A HIGH
DEGREE OF RISK. IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS, THE
FOLLOWING RISK FACTORS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY IN EVALUATING AN
INVESTMENT IN THE COMMON STOCK OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS. CERTAIN STATEMENTS
IN THIS PROSPECTUS ARE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. THE FORWARD LOOKING
STATEMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN ARE BASED ON CURRENT EXPECTATIONS AND ENTAIL
VARIOUS RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER
MATERIALLY FROM THOSE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED IN SUCH FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS.
FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE SUCH DIFFERENCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO,
THOSE DISCUSSED BELOW.
 
  RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH RECENT SHIFT IN STRATEGIC DIRECTION. The Company's
research and development efforts have historically focused primarily on the
development of high-performance microprocessor and related designs for Silicon
Graphics' workstations and servers. However, as the cost to design and
manufacture microprocessors based on the Company's technology decreased, the
Company has sought to penetrate the market for high-volume, high-performance
embedded applications by supporting and coordinating the efforts of its
semiconductor partners in that area. In addition, from fiscal 1994 through
fiscal 1996, the Company, together with Silicon Graphics, was engaged in the
design and development of the microprocessor and related graphics chip for the
Nintendo 64 video game system. Upon the commercial introduction of the
Nintendo 64 video game system by Nintendo in the fourth quarter of fiscal
1996, the Company's and Silicon Graphics' design and development obligations
were substantially completed, and the Company began receiving royalties from
Nintendo on sales of Nintendo 64 video game products. Such royalties presently
represent the substantial majority of the Company's total revenue. In
connection with the Separation and the Offering, the Company has formulated a
new strategic direction in which its primary focus will be the development of
microprocessors and related designs for applications in the embedded market,
including digital consumer products such as video game products, handheld
personal computers and digital set-top boxes. The design and development of
high-performance microprocessors for the next generation Silicon Graphics'
product line will be carried out by persons who have been transferred to
Silicon Graphics in connection with the Separation. The Company's shift in
strategic direction involves several risks, including (i) increased reliance
on the evolving and highly competitive digital consumer products industry;
(ii) the need for the Company to refocus its research and development efforts
from microprocessors primarily for high-performance computer systems to
microprocessors and related designs for use in a wide range of digital
consumer products; and (iii) increased importance of the Company's sales and
marketing activities and its limited experience in this area. Any failure by
the Company to adequately address any of these risks could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations and financial
condition.
 
  LIMITED RELEVANCE OF HISTORICAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION. The historical
financial information included herein, particularly for periods prior to the
third quarter of fiscal 1998, does not reflect the many significant changes in
the Company's cost structure that will occur as a result of the Separation and
the Company's recent shift in strategic direction nor the changes that will
occur in the funding and operations of the Company due to its status as a
separate, stand-alone entity. For example, in anticipation of the Separation
and the more limited focus of its ongoing research and development activities,
the Company reduced its research and development staff from 221 persons at
December 31, 1997 to 36 persons at March 31, 1998. This reduction primarily
reflects the transfer to Silicon Graphics of employees engaged in the
development of next generation microprocessors for Silicon Graphics' systems.
Because the employees transferred to Silicon Graphics were primarily engaged
in research and development activities that did not generate any material
revenue for the Company, however, the reduction in the
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
 
Company's research and development staff resulting from the Separation and the
shift in strategic direction is not expected to have a material effect on the
Company's revenue in future periods. In addition, sales and marketing
activities are expected to increase as the Company shifts its focus from the
design of microprocessors addressing the needs of Silicon Graphics to the
development, marketing and licensing of microprocessor and related designs for
a wide variety of applications in the digital consumer products industry. See
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations."
 
  CONTROL BY AND RELATIONSHIP WITH SILICON GRAPHICS. The Company is currently
a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics. Upon completion of the
Offering, Silicon Graphics will own approximately 85.2% of the outstanding
Common Stock of the Company (83.0% if the Underwriters' over-allotment option
is exercised in full). For so long as Silicon Graphics continues to
beneficially own in excess of 50% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding,
Silicon Graphics will be able to direct the election of all directors of the
Company and exercise a controlling influence over the business and affairs of
the Company, including any determinations with respect to mergers or other
business combinations involving the Company, the acquisition or disposition of
assets by the Company, future issuances of Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company, the incurrence of indebtedness by the Company and
the payment of dividends with respect to the Common Stock. Similarly, Silicon
Graphics will have the power to determine matters submitted to a vote of the
Company's stockholders without the consent of the Company's other
stockholders, will have the power to prevent or cause a change in control of
the Company and could take other actions that might be favorable to Silicon
Graphics.
 
  In connection with the Separation and the Offering, the Company and Silicon
Graphics will enter into various agreements intended to define the
relationship between them following the Offering. See "Arrangements Between
the Company and Silicon Graphics." Because these agreements will be entered
into at a time when the Company is still a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon
Graphics, they are not the result of arm's-length negotiations between the
parties. Among these agreements is a Management Services Agreement, under
which Silicon Graphics will provide various, primarily administrative,
services to the Company, including accounting, treasury, tax, facilities and
information services. The Management Services Agreement will have a three-year
term and will be subject to automatic termination at such time as Silicon
Graphics ceases to own more than 50% of the outstanding Common Stock. In
addition, either Silicon Graphics or the Company may terminate the Management
Services Agreement with respect to one or more of the services provided
thereunder upon giving at least 30 days prior written notice to the other
party. Consequently, there can be no assurance concerning the period of time
during which Silicon Graphics will continue to provide services to the Company
under the agreement and, if such services are not provided by Silicon
Graphics, whether, or on what terms, such services could be obtained by the
Company. If the Company is unable to perform such services or obtain them on
acceptable terms, the Company's results of operations and financial condition
could be adversely affected.
 
  By virtue of its beneficial ownership of over 80% of the total voting power
and value of the outstanding Common Stock, Silicon Graphics will include the
Company in its consolidated group for federal income tax purposes. The Company
and Silicon Graphics intend to enter into a Tax Sharing Agreement pursuant to
which the Company and Silicon Graphics will make payments between them such
that, with respect to any period, the amount of taxes to be paid or received
by the Company, subject to certain adjustments, will be determined as though
the Company were to file separate federal, state and local income tax returns.
However, each member of a consolidated group for federal income tax purposes
is jointly and severally liable for the federal income tax liability of each
other member of the consolidated group. Each member of the Silicon Graphics
controlled group, which includes Silicon Graphics, the Company and Silicon
Graphics' other subsidiaries, is also jointly and severally liable for pension
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
 
and benefit funding and termination liabilities of other group members, as
well as certain benefit plan taxes. Accordingly, the Company could be liable
under such provisions if any such liability is incurred, and not discharged,
by any other member of the Silicon Graphics consolidated or controlled group.
 
  In addition, by virtue of its beneficial ownership of over 80% of the total
voting power and value of the outstanding Common Stock and the terms of the
Tax Sharing Agreement to be entered into between the Company and Silicon
Graphics, Silicon Graphics will effectively control all of the Company's tax
decisions. Under the Tax Sharing Agreement, Silicon Graphics will have the
sole authority to respond to and conduct all tax proceedings (including tax
audits) relating to the Company, to file all returns on behalf of the Company
and to determine the amount of the Company's liability to (or entitlement to
payment from) Silicon Graphics under the Tax Sharing Agreement.
 
  POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. Conflicts of interest may arise between the
Company and Silicon Graphics in a number of areas relating to their past and
ongoing relationships, including potential competitive business activities,
indemnity arrangements, tax and intellectual property matters, registration
rights, potential acquisitions or financing transactions, sales or other
dispositions by Silicon Graphics of shares of Common Stock held by it
following the Offering and the exercise by Silicon Graphics of its ability to
control the management and affairs of the Company. Although Silicon Graphics
does not currently intend to engage in the design and development of
microprocessor intellectual property for embedded systems applications, the
Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation will provide that Silicon
Graphics shall have no duty to refrain from engaging in the same or similar
activities or lines of business as the Company. See "Description of Capital
Stock--Corporate Opportunities." There can be no assurance that any conflicts
that may arise between the Company and Silicon Graphics will be resolved in a
manner that does not have a material adverse effect on the Company, even if
such result is not intended by Silicon Graphics. In addition, certain of the
agreements that the Company and Silicon Graphics have or will enter into in
connection with the Separation and the Offering, including the Separation
Agreement, contain specific procedures for resolving disputes between the two
companies with respect to the subject matter of those agreements. There can be
no assurance that more favorable results to the Company would not be obtained
under different procedures.
 
  Ownership interests of directors or officers of the Company in the common
stock of Silicon Graphics or service as both a director of the Company and an
officer or employee of Silicon Graphics could create or appear to create
potential conflicts of interest when directors and officers are faced with
decisions that could have different implications for the Company and Silicon
Graphics. Four of the Company's five current directors are officers or
employees of Silicon Graphics. The Company anticipates that two additional
directors who are not associated with the Company or Silicon Graphics will be
appointed to the Board of Directors following the Offering. The Restated
Certificate of Incorporation will include certain provisions relating to the
allocation of business opportunities that may be suitable for both the Company
and Silicon Graphics based on the relationship to the Company and Silicon
Graphics of the individual to whom the opportunity is presented and the method
by which its was presented. See "Description of Capital Stock--Corporate
Opportunities."
 
  UNPREDICTABLE AND FLUCTUATING OPERATING RESULTS. The Company expects to
experience significant fluctuations in its quarterly operating results due to
a variety of factors, many of which are outside of its control. Moreover,
because many of the Company's revenue components fluctuate and are difficult
to predict and the Company's expenses are largely independent of its revenue
in any particular period, it is difficult for the Company to accurately
forecast operating results. The Company's revenue in any particular quarter is
dependent on a
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
 
number of factors, including the demand for and average selling prices of
semiconductor products that incorporate the Company's technology, the
financial terms of the Company's contractual arrangements with its
semiconductor partners (which may require significant up-front payments or
payments based on the achievement of certain milestones), the relative mix of
contract revenue and royalties, and competitive pressures resulting in lower
contract revenue or royalty rates. In addition, contract revenue may fluctuate
significantly from period to period and any increase or decrease in such
revenue will not be indicative of future period-to-period increases or
decreases. Because the Company's expense levels are based, in part, on
management's expectations regarding future revenue, if revenue is below
expectations in any quarter, the adverse effect may be magnified by the
Company's inability to adjust spending in a timely manner to compensate for
any such revenue shortfall.
 
  Factors that may adversely affect the Company's quarterly operating results
include the Company's ability to develop, introduce and market new
microprocessor intellectual property, the demand for and average selling
prices of semiconductor products that incorporate the Company's technology,
the establishment or loss of strategic relationships with semiconductor
manufacturing partners or manufacturers of digital consumer products, the
timing of new products and product enhancements by the Company and its
competitors, changes in the Company's and digital consumer product
manufacturers' development schedules and levels of expenditures on research
and development and product support and general economic conditions. As a
result, the Company's total revenue and operating results in any future period
cannot be predicted with certainty, and its operating results in any quarter
may not be indicative of its future performance. Moreover, the Company expects
to experience seasonal fluctuations in its revenue and operating results.
 
  In light of the foregoing, the Company's future reported or anticipated
operating results in a given quarter may fail to meet or exceed the
expectations of securities analysts or investors. In such event, the price of
the Common Stock would likely be materially and adversely affected.
 
  REVENUE CONCENTRATION. The Company is subject to revenue concentration risks
at both the product and semiconductor manufacturing partner levels. To date, a
substantial portion of the Company's total revenue has been derived from
contract revenue and royalties earned on sales of video game products that use
the Company's RISC-based microprocessor technology. In particular, royalties
and contract revenue from Nintendo and NEC relating to sales of Nintendo 64
video game players and related cartridges accounted for 41%, 23%, 69% and 80%
of the Company's total revenue for the fiscal years ended June 30, 1995, 1996
and 1997 and the nine months ended March 31, 1998, respectively.
 
  In connection with the Separation of the Company's business from Silicon
Graphics' other operations, the Company will receive all of the royalties
payable by Nintendo under its contract with the Company and Silicon Graphics
with respect to sales of Nintendo 64 video game products. The Company
anticipates that royalties related to sales of Nintendo 64 video game
cartridges will represent a substantial portion of its total revenue for the
next several years. However, competition in the market for home entertainment
products is intense and the introduction of new products or technologies, as
well as shifting consumer preferences, could negatively impact Nintendo 64
video game cartridge sales. There can be no assurance as to the amount and
timing of sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges and,
consequently, there can be no assurance as to the royalty stream to the
Company from such sales. In particular, the eventual introduction of the next
generation Nintendo video game system is expected to result in declining sales
of Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges, although sales of
video game cartridges would be likely to continue for some time. In the near
term, factors negatively affecting sales of Nintendo 64 video game cartridges
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations
and financial condition.
 
                                      10
<PAGE>
 
  Nintendo is developing a successor product to the Nintendo 64 video game
system. The graphics processor for this product is being designed by Nintendo
in conjunction with a third party, ArtX, Inc., unlike the Nintendo 64 video
game system, to which the Company and Silicon Graphics contributed
microprocessor, system level design and graphics technology. Nintendo has not
selected a microprocessor for its successor to the Nintendo 64 video game
system. The Company and one of its semiconductor partners are discussing with
Nintendo the potential inclusion of a MIPS-based microprocessor in the
successor product, although there can be no assurance that a MIPS-based
microprocessor will be selected or that the design decision will be made by
Nintendo in the near future. The Company and Silicon Graphics have, in light
of these discussions, dismissed without prejudice a lawsuit filed in April
1998 against ArtX, Inc. and certain of its employees in connection with the
defendants' actions in developing graphics technology for Nintendo's next
generation video game system. See "Business--Litigation." Even if a MIPS-based
microprocessor is selected for design into the successor Nintendo video game
product, the royalties received by the Company with respect to that product
will be significantly lower than those received with respect to the Nintendo
64 video game system.
 
  Although the Company expects that an increasingly significant portion of its
future revenue will be related to sales of digital consumer products such as
handheld personal computers and set-top boxes as well as other video game
products, there can be no assurance that the Company's technology will be
selected for design into any such products. Accordingly, the Company may
remain significantly dependent on revenue related to sales of video game
products. The identity of significant products may vary from period to period
depending on the addition of new contracts and the number of designs using the
Company's technology.
 
  A significant portion of the Company's total revenue has been and is
expected to continue to be derived from a limited number of semiconductor
manufacturers. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and for
the nine months ended March 31, 1998, NEC accounted for approximately 35%,
31%, 23% and 14%, respectively, of the Company's total revenue. The Company
believes that NEC will continue to represent in excess of 10% of its total
revenue for at least the next several years, although NEC is not obligated to
continue using the Company's technology in its current or future products.
Because there is a relatively limited number of semiconductor manufacturers to
which the Company could license its technology on a basis consistent with its
business model, it is likely that the Company's revenue will continue to be
concentrated at the semiconductor manufacturing partner level. This revenue
concentration for any given period will vary depending on the addition or
expiration of contracts, the nature and timing of payments due under such
contracts and the volumes and prices at which the Company's partners sell
products incorporating its technology. Accordingly, the identity of particular
manufacturing partners that will account for any such revenue concentration
will vary from period to period and may be difficult to predict.
 
  Under the terms of the Company's contracts with three of its semiconductor
partners, such partners pay royalties to the Company on sales to Silicon
Graphics of certain products incorporating the Company's technology. The
Company estimates that approximately 20% of its total revenue was related to
such sales in each of fiscal 1995 and fiscal 1996 and that less than 5% of its
total revenue was related to such sales in fiscal 1997 and in the nine months
ended March 31, 1998. As the Company expands its research and development
efforts with respect to embedded market applications following the Separation
and shift in strategic direction, the Company expects that revenue related to
such sales will continue to decrease in the future, both in absolute dollars
and as a percentage of its total revenue.
 
  SEASONALITY. Because revenue related to sales of Nintendo 64 video game
cartridges is expected to represent a substantial portion of the Company's
total revenue over the next several years, the Company expects to experience
seasonal fluctuations in its revenue and operating results. The Company
records royalty revenue from Nintendo in the quarter following the sale of the
related Nintendo 64 video game cartridge. Because a disproportionate amount of
 
                                      11
<PAGE>
 
Nintendo 64 video game cartridges are typically sold in the Company's second
fiscal quarter (which includes the holiday selling season), a disproportionate
amount of the Company's revenue and operating income is expected to be
realized in its third fiscal quarter. In addition, as the Company increases
its focus on microprocessor intellectual property for high-volume digital
consumer products, the Company can be expected to continue to experience
similar seasonal fluctuations in its revenue and operating results.
 
  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MATTERS. The Company regards its patents, copyrights,
mask work rights, trademarks, trade secrets and similar intellectual property
as critical to its success, and relies on a combination of patent, trademark,
copyright, mask work and trade secret laws to protect its proprietary rights.
Any failure of the Company to obtain or maintain adequate protection of its
intellectual property rights for any reason could have a material adverse
effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition. In
connection with the Offering and the Separation, and subject to the grant of a
license to Silicon Graphics, the Company will own approximately 47 U.S.
patents on various aspects of its technology, with expiration dates ranging
from 2006 to 2015, approximately 24 pending U.S. patent applications as well
as all foreign counterparts relating thereto. There can be no assurance that
patents will issue from any patent applications submitted by the Company, that
any patents held by the Company will not be challenged, invalidated or
circumvented or that any claims allowed from its patents will be of sufficient
scope or strength to provide meaningful protection or any commercial advantage
to the Company. In addition, there can be no assurance that third parties will
not assert claims of infringement against the Company or against the Company's
semiconductor manufacturing partners in connection with their use of the
Company's technology. Such claims, even those without merit, could be time
consuming, result in costly litigation and/or require the Company to enter
into royalty or licensing agreements. Such royalty or licensing agreements, if
required, may not be available on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all.
Moreover, the laws of certain foreign countries may not protect the Company's
intellectual property to the same extent as do the laws of the United States
and, because of the importance of the Company's intellectual property rights
to its business, this could have a material adverse effect on its business,
results of operations and financial condition.
 
  The Company also uses licensing agreements and employee and third party
nondisclosure and assignment agreements to limit access to and distribution of
its proprietary information and to obtain ownership of technology prepared on
a work-for-hire basis. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by the
Company to protect its intellectual property rights will be adequate to deter
misappropriation of such rights or that the Company will be able to detect
unauthorized uses and take immediate or effective steps to enforce its rights.
There can also be no assurance that the steps taken by the Company to obtain
ownership of contributed intellectual property will be sufficient to assure
its ownership of all proprietary rights. The Company also relies on unpatented
trade secrets to protect its proprietary technology. No assurance can be given
that others will not independently develop or otherwise acquire the same or
substantially equivalent technologies or otherwise gain access to the
Company's proprietary technology or disclose such technology or that the
Company can ultimately protect its rights to such unpatented proprietary
technology. In addition, no assurance can be given that third parties will not
obtain patent rights to such unpatented trade secrets, which patent rights
could be used to assert infringement claims against the Company. From time to
time the Company has entered, and in the future may enter, into cross
licensing arrangements with others, including the Technology Agreement with
Silicon Graphics, pursuant to which the Company licenses certain of its
patents in exchange for patent licenses from such licensees. Although these
types of cross licensing arrangements are common in the semiconductor and
microprocessor industries, and do not generally provide for transfers of know-
how or other proprietary information, such arrangements may facilitate the
ability of such licensees, either alone or in conjunction with others, to
develop competitive products and designs.
 
                                      12
<PAGE>
 
The Company has recently commenced a lawsuit regarding the possible
misappropriation of its trademarks and intellectual property. See "Business--
Litigation."
 
  As a result of the Separation and the Offering, the Company will not have
full access to Silicon Graphics' portfolio of intellectual property. Prior to
the Offering, the MIPS Group had access to Silicon Graphics' patents and other
intellectual property for use in its business. Such use by the MIPS Group was
not documented by a written license agreement. In connection with the Offering
and the Separation, the Company and Silicon Graphics will enter into
arrangements pursuant to which certain intellectual property will be assigned
to the Company, subject to the grant of a license to Silicon Graphics; certain
intellectual property will be retained by Silicon Graphics, subject to the
grant of a license to the Company; and certain intellectual property will be
retained by Silicon Graphics without any ongoing interest to the Company. The
Company's inability to use Silicon Graphics' intellectual property in the
future could have a material adverse affect on its business and results of
operations. In the past, the MIPS Group has benefited from its status as a
division of Silicon Graphics in its access to the intellectual property of
third parties through licensing arrangements or otherwise, and in the
negotiation of the financial and other terms of any such arrangements. As a
result of the Separation, there can be no assurance that the Company will be
able to negotiate commercially attractive intellectual property licensing
arrangements with third parties in the future, particularly if the Company
ceases to be a majority-owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics. In addition, in
connection with any future intellectual property infringement claims, the
Company will not have the benefit of asserting counterclaims based on Silicon
Graphics' intellectual property portfolio, nor will the Company be able to
provide licenses to Silicon Graphics' intellectual property in order to
resolve such claims.
 
  LACK OF INDEPENDENT OPERATING HISTORY. The Company has never operated as a
stand-alone company. Upon completion of the Offering, the Company will
continue to be a majority owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics, although
Silicon Graphics will have no obligation to provide assistance to the Company
except as described in "Arrangements Between the Company and Silicon
Graphics." See "--Control By and Relationship with Silicon Graphics." The
Company will operate as a stand-alone entity following the Offering and,
accordingly, will be required to develop and implement the operational,
administrative and other systems and infrastructure necessary to support its
current and future business. See "--Management of Growth." There can be no
assurance that the Company will be able to develop the necessary systems and
infrastructure and any failure to do so could have an adverse effect on the
Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.
 
  NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE. The Company's success is
highly dependent on its ability to develop enhancements and new generations of
its microprocessor intellectual property, introduce them to the marketplace in
a timely manner, and have them incorporated into semiconductor products that
are ultimately selected for design into the products of leading digital
consumer product manufacturers. There can be no assurance that the Company's
development efforts will be successful or that the characteristics of its
microprocessor intellectual property will satisfy those that may be critical
to specific applications in the embedded market. To the extent that the
Company's development efforts are unsuccessful or the characteristics of its
microprocessor intellectual property are not compatible with the requirements
of specific digital consumer product applications, its ability to achieve
design wins may be limited. Failure to achieve a sufficient number of design
wins could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results
of operations and financial condition.
 
  Technical innovations of the type critical to the Company's success are
inherently complex. Any failure by the Company to anticipate or respond
adequately to changes in the requirements of digital consumer product
manufacturers or in the semiconductor manufacturing process, or any
significant delays in the development or introduction of new microprocessor
intellectual
 
                                      13
<PAGE>
 
property, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, significant technical
innovations generally require a substantial investment before their commercial
viability is determined. There can be no assurance that the Company will have
the financial resources necessary to fund the future development of
microprocessor and related designs. In addition, there can be no assurance
that any enhancements or new generations of the Company's technology, even if
successfully developed, will generate revenue in excess of the costs of
development or not be quickly rendered obsolete by changing consumer
preferences, the introduction of products embodying new technologies or
features or other technological developments in the semiconductor and digital
consumer products industries.
 
  DEPENDENCE ON DIGITAL CONSUMER PRODUCTS INDUSTRY. The digital consumer
products industry will be the primary market for the Company's microprocessor
and related designs. The Company's success will be dependent upon the level of
consumer acceptance of the products that incorporate its technology, which may
be affected by changing consumer preferences and the introduction of products
embodying new technologies or features. In addition, certain digital consumer
products such as video game products may present limited opportunities for
design wins due to a limited number of product manufacturers and the length of
product life cycles. Many applications in the digital consumer products
industry, such as handheld personal computers and set-top boxes, have only
recently been introduced to the market and the level of consumer interest and
acceptance is difficult to predict. Factors negatively affecting the digital
consumer products industry and the demand for digital consumer products, such
as the failure to develop industry standards for hardware and software or to
achieve adequate product cost reductions, could have a material adverse effect
on the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.
Moreover, to the extent that the performance, functionality, price and power
characteristics of the Company's microprocessor designs do not satisfy those
that may be critical to specific digital consumer product applications, the
Company's dependence on the digital consumer products industry may be further
confined to a limited segment of that industry.
 
  RELIANCE ON MANUFACTURING PARTNERS. The Company does not manufacture or sell
microprocessors containing its technology. Rather, the Company licenses its
technology to semiconductor manufacturers that incorporate the Company's
technology into the products they sell. In some cases, these manufacturing
partners also add custom integration services and derivative design
technologies to the Company's microprocessor designs. Accordingly, the
Company's success is substantially dependent on the adoption and continued use
of its technology by semiconductor manufacturers. The Company faces numerous
risks in obtaining agreements with semiconductor manufacturers on terms
consistent with its business model, including, among others, the lengthy and
expensive process of building a relationship with a potential partner before
there is any assurance of an agreement; persuading large semiconductor
companies to work with, to rely for critical technology on, and to disclose
proprietary manufacturing technology to, the Company; and persuading potential
partners to bear certain development costs associated with the Company's
technology and to make the necessary investment to successfully produce
embedded microprocessors using the Company's technology. Moreover, none of the
Company's manufacturing partners is obligated to license new or future
generations of the Company's microprocessor designs.
 
  The Company is also subject to many risks beyond its control that influence
the success of its semiconductor manufacturing partners, including, among
others, the highly competitive environment in which its current and any future
partners operate, the market for their products and the engineering
capabilities and financial and other resources of its partners. The Company
also believes that its principal competition may come from semiconductor
manufacturers, including its current manufacturing partners, that internally
develop products using similar or
 
                                      14
<PAGE>
 
alternative technologies. Any such competition may adversely affect the
Company's existing relationships and its ability to establish new
relationships. Moreover, the Company's relationships with certain of its
existing partners may be negatively affected by its separation from Silicon
Graphics, insofar as Silicon Graphics' status as a customer of such partners
has been a factor in establishing and maintaining such relationships or in
negotiating the financial and other terms of the contractual arrangements with
such partners.
 
  The Company currently has seven semiconductor manufacturing partners. There
can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in maintaining
relationships with its current manufacturing partners or in entering into new
relationships with additional partners. Any failure by the Company to
establish or maintain such relationships could have a material adverse effect
on the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.
 
  DEPENDENCE ON DIGITAL CONSUMER PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS. The timing and amount
of royalties received by the Company is directly affected by sales of consumer
products incorporating the Company's technology. Accordingly, the Company's
success is substantially dependent upon the adoption of its technology by
digital consumer product manufacturers. The Company is subject to many risks
beyond its control that influence the success or failure of a particular
digital consumer product manufacturer, including, among others, competition
faced by the manufacturer in its particular industry; market acceptance of the
manufacturer's products; the engineering, marketing and management
capabilities of the manufacturer; technical challenges unrelated to the
Company's technology faced by the manufacturer in developing its products; and
the financial and other resources of the manufacturer. The process of
persuading digital consumer product manufacturers to adopt the Company's
technology can be lengthy and, even if adopted, there can be no assurance that
the Company's technology will be used in a product that is ultimately brought
to market, achieves commercial acceptance or results in meaningful royalties
to the Company. The failure of manufacturers in the digital consumer products
industry to adopt the Company's technology for incorporation into their
products could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, because the
Company does not control the business practices of its licensees, it has no
ability to establish the prices at which the products incorporating its
technology are made available to digital consumer product manufacturers or the
degree to which its licensees promote the Company's technology to such
manufacturers.
 
  COMPETITION. Competition in the market for embedded microprocessors is
intense. The Company believes that the principal competitive factors in the
industry are performance, functionality, price, customizability and power
consumption. The Company competes primarily against Hitachi Semiconductor
(America) Inc. and ARM Holdings plc. The Company also competes against certain
semiconductor manufacturers whose product lines include microprocessors for
embedded and non-embedded applications, including Intel Corporation, National
Semiconductor Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and Motorola, Inc. In
addition, the Company must continue to differentiate its microprocessor and
related designs from those available or under development by the internal
design groups of semiconductor manufacturers, including its current and
prospective manufacturing partners. Many of these internal design groups have
substantial programming and design resources and are part of larger
organizations which have substantial financial and marketing resources. There
can be no assurance that internal design groups will not develop products that
compete directly with those of the Company or will not actively seek to
license their own technology to third-party semiconductor manufacturers.
Certain of the Company's competitors have greater name recognition and
customer bases as well as greater financial and marketing resources than the
Company, and such competition could adversely affect the Company's business,
results of operations and financial condition.
 
  FUTURE CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS; ABSENCE OF SILICON GRAPHICS FUNDING. The
Company's future liquidity and capital requirements are expected to vary
greatly from quarter to quarter, depending
 
                                      15
<PAGE>
 
on numerous factors, including, among others, the cost, timing and success of
product development efforts, the cost and timing of sales and marketing
activities, the extent to which the Company's existing and new technologies
gain market acceptance, the level and timing of royalty revenue, competing
technological and market developments and the costs of maintaining and
enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights. In the past,
the Company's capital requirements have been satisfied by Silicon Graphics;
however, following the Offering, Silicon Graphics will have no obligation to
provide assistance to the Company except as described in "Arrangements Between
the Company and Silicon Graphics."
 
  The Company believes that cash generated by its operations, together with
the net proceeds to the Company from the Offering, will be sufficient to meet
its operating and capital requirements for at least the next twelve months.
However, it is possible that the Company will require additional financing
within this time frame, and there can be no assurance that any such financing,
if needed, will be available on terms attractive to the Company, or at all.
The Company may be required to raise additional funds through public or
private financing, strategic relationships or other arrangements. Additional
equity financing may be dilutive to holders of the Common Stock, and debt
financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants. Moreover,
strategic relationships, if necessary to raise additional funds, may require
that the Company relinquish its rights to certain of its technologies. Any
failure of the Company to raise capital when needed could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial
condition. Finally, as long as Silicon Graphics desires to maintain its
percentage ownership interest in the Company, the Company may be constrained
in its ability to issue Common Stock in connection with acquisitions or to
raise equity capital. See "Arrangements Between the Company and Silicon
Graphics--Corporate Agreement."
 
  DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL. The Company's success depends in part on the
continued contributions of its key management, technical, sales and marketing
personnel, many of whom are highly skilled and difficult to replace. In
addition, the Company's business plan requires, and its future operating
results depend in significant part upon, the identification and hiring of
additional highly skilled personnel, particularly technical personnel for its
anticipated research and development activities. Competition for qualified
personnel, particularly those with significant experience in the semiconductor
and microprocessor design industries, is intense. The loss of the services of
any of the key personnel, the inability to attract and retain qualified
personnel in the future or delays in hiring personnel, particularly technical
personnel, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
operating results and financial condition.
 
  RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS. A substantial portion of the
Company's revenue is derived from outside the United States. For the fiscal
years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and for the nine months ended March
31, 1998, revenue from customers outside the United States, primarily in
Japan, represented approximately 89%, 83%, 87% and 91%, respectively, of the
Company's total revenue. The Company anticipates that revenue from
international customers will continue to represent a substantial portion of
its total revenue. To date, substantially all of the Company's revenue from
international customers has been denominated in U.S. dollars. However, to the
extent that sales to digital consumer product manufacturers by the Company's
manufacturing partners are denominated in foreign currencies, royalties
received by the Company on such sales could be subject to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates. In addition, if the effective price of the technology
sold by the Company to its partners were to increase as a result of
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, demand for the Company's
technology could fall which would, in turn, reduce the Company's royalties.
The Company is unable to predict the amount of non-U.S. dollar denominated
revenue earned by its licensees. Therefore, the Company has not historically
attempted to mitigate the effect that currency fluctuations may have on its
revenue, and does
 
                                      16
<PAGE>
 
not presently intend to do so in the future. The relative significance of the
Company's international operations exposes it to a number of additional risks
including political and economic instability, longer accounts receivable
collection periods and greater difficulty in collection of accounts
receivable, reduced or limited protection for intellectual property, export
license requirements, tariffs and other trade barriers and potentially adverse
tax consequences. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to
sustain revenue derived from international customers or that the foregoing
factors will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
operating results and financial condition.
 
  MANAGEMENT OF GROWTH. The Company has limited managerial, financial,
engineering and other resources and may not be equipped to manage successfully
any future periods of rapid growth or expansion. In addition, the Company's
business plan requires that it identify and hire additional highly skilled
technical personnel during fiscal 1999 to staff its anticipated research and
development activities. Recruitment and integration of these additional
employees, as well as any future periods of rapid growth or expansion, can be
expected to place significant strains on the Company's resources, which may be
exacerbated by the Company's recent shift in strategic direction. Digital
consumer product manufacturers as well as the Company's semiconductor
manufacturing partners typically require significant engineering support in
the design, testing and manufacture of products incorporating the Company's
technology. As a result, any increase in the adoption of the Company's
technology will increase the strain on the Company's personnel, particularly
its engineers. The Company's future growth will also depend on its ability to
implement operational, financial and management information and control
systems and procedures necessary to operate as a stand-alone company and
without the financial, operational, managerial and administrative support
previously provided by Silicon Graphics.
 
  BENEFITS OF THE OFFERING TO THE CURRENT STOCKHOLDER. Silicon Graphics, as
the Company's sole stockholder prior to the Offering, will derive certain
benefits as a result of the Offering, including the creation of a public
market for the Common Stock and the receipt of net proceeds from the Offering
of $54.5 million, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and
expenses of the Offering payable by Silicon Graphics ($65.3 million if the
Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full). Silicon Graphics'
unrealized gain with respect to the shares of Common Stock held by it
subsequent to the Offering is expected to approximate $440 million ($430
million if the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full).
 
  POSSIBLE FUTURE SALES OF COMMON STOCK BY SILICON GRAPHICS. Subject to
applicable federal securities laws and the restrictions set forth below, after
completion of the Offering, Silicon Graphics may sell any and all of the
shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by it or distribute any or all of
such shares of Common Stock to its stockholders. Sales or distribution by
Silicon Graphics of substantial amounts of Common Stock in the public market
or to its stockholders, or the perception that such sales or distribution
could occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market prices for the
Common Stock. Silicon Graphics has advised the Company that its current intent
is to continue to hold all of the Common Stock beneficially owned by it
following the Offering. However, Silicon Graphics is not subject to any
obligation to retain its controlling interest in the Company, except that
Silicon Graphics has agreed not to sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of
Common Stock for a period of 365 days after the date of this Prospectus
without the prior written consent of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. See
"Underwriting." As a result, there can be no assurance concerning the period
of time during which Silicon Graphics will maintain its beneficial ownership
of Common Stock owned by it following the Offering. Moreover, there can be no
assurance that, in any transfer by Silicon Graphics of a controlling interest
in the Company, any holders of Common Stock will be able to
 
                                      17
<PAGE>
 
participate in such transaction or will realize any premium with respect to
their shares of Common Stock. Silicon Graphics will have registration rights
with respect to the shares of the Common Stock owned by it following the
Offering which would facilitate any future disposition.
 
  NO PRIOR PUBLIC MARKET; VOLATILITY OF STOCK PRICE. Prior to this Offering,
there has been no public market for the Common Stock, and there can be no
assurance that an active public market for the Common Stock will develop or be
sustained after the Offering. The initial public offering price will be
determined through negotiations among the Company, Silicon Graphics (as
selling stockholder) and the Underwriters and may not be indicative of the
market price of the Common Stock after the Offering. The trading price of the
Common Stock could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to quarterly
variations in operating results, announcements of technological innovations or
new products by the Company, its semiconductor manufacturing partners, digital
consumer product manufacturers or its competitors, developments with respect
to patents or proprietary rights, changes in financial estimates by securities
analysts and other events or factors. In addition, the equity markets have
experienced volatility that has particularly affected the market prices of
equity securities of many high technology companies and that often has been
unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of such companies.
These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of the
Common Stock.
 
  ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS. Certain provisions of the Company's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws may render more difficult or have the
effect of discouraging a tender offer or takeover attempt, including attempts
that might result in a premium being paid over the market price for the shares
of Common Stock. Such provisions may also render more difficult or delay the
removal of incumbent management of the Company. See "Description of Capital
Stock--Certificate of Incorporation and By-law Provisions That May Have an
Anti-takeover Effect." In addition, shares of the Company's preferred stock
may be issued in the future without further stockholder approval and upon such
terms and conditions, and having such rights, privileges and preferences, that
the Company's Board of Directors may determine. The rights of holders of
Common Stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights
of any holders of preferred stock that may be issued in the future, including
preferential rights with respect to voting, payments of dividends or
distributions upon liquidation. The Company has no present plans to issue any
shares of preferred stock.
 
  The foregoing provisions could make it more difficult for a third party to
acquire, or could discourage a third party from attempting to acquire, control
of the Company, even if stockholders of the Company consider such change in
control to be in their best interests. However, until such time as Silicon
Graphics ceases to control the Company, such provisions do not have a
substantial practical significance to investors.
 
  DILUTION. Investors participating in the Offering will incur immediate and
substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of their shares of Common
Stock. See "Dilution."
 
               SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
  Certain statements contained herein under "Prospectus Summary," "The
Company," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business" including, without
limitation, those concerning (i) the Company's strategy, including its recent
shift in strategic direction, (ii) the future sources and costs of the
Company's revenue and (iii) the Company's product development and sales and
marketing efforts, contain certain forward looking statements concerning the
Company's operations, economic performance and financial condition. The
forward looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations
and entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward looking
statements. Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not
limited to, those discussed under "Risk Factors."
 
                                      18
<PAGE>
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
  The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the shares of Common Stock
offered by the Company hereby are estimated to be $16.0 million after
deducting estimated underwriting discounts and expenses of the Offering
payable by the Company. The Company expects that the net proceeds of the
Offering will be added to working capital and used for general corporate
purposes. The Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the
shares of Common Stock by Silicon Graphics.
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
  The Company has not paid any dividends since its incorporation and currently
intends to retain any earnings to fund the development and growth of its
business, and therefore does not currently anticipate paying cash or stock
dividends on the Common Stock in the foreseeable future. The Company's future
dividend policy will be determined by its board of directors on the basis of
various factors, including the Company's results of operations and financial
condition and any legal and contractual restrictions. The Company is presently
negotiating the terms of a revolving credit facility with a financial
institution to provide for certain of its working capital needs. The final
terms of this or any other credit facility entered into by the Company are
expected to include limitations and/or restrictions on its ability to pay
dividends to its stockholders.
 
                                      19
<PAGE>
 
                                CAPITALIZATION
 
  The following table sets forth (i) the capitalization of the Company
reflecting the actual capitalization of the Company at March 31, 1998, giving
effect to the 360,000-for-one split of the Company's Common Stock effective
June 5, 1998 and (ii) such capitalization on an as adjusted basis, giving
effect to the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered by the Company hereby
at an initial public offering price of $14.00 per share and after deducting
estimated underwriting discounts and offering expenses payable by the Company.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         AS OF MARCH 31, 1998
                                                         ----------------------
                                                          ACTUAL    AS ADJUSTED
                                                         ---------  -----------
                                                            (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                      <C>        <C>
Long-term obligations, net of current maturities........ $     --    $     --
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
  Preferred Stock, par value $0.001: 50,000,000 shares
   authorized; no shares issued and outstanding ........       --          --
  Common Stock, par value $0.001: 150,000,000 shares
   authorized; 36,000,000 shares issued and outstanding
   actual and 37,250,000 shares issued and outstanding
   as adjusted..........................................        36          37
  Additional paid-in capital............................   124,720     140,754
  Accumulated deficit...................................  (125,423)   (125,423)
                                                         ---------   ---------
    Total stockholders' equity (deficit)................      (667)     15,368
                                                         ---------   ---------
Total capitalization.................................... $    (667)  $  15,368
                                                         =========   =========
</TABLE>
 
                                      20
<PAGE>
 
                                   DILUTION
 
  The net tangible book value of the Common Stock at March 31, 1998 was a
deficit of $667,000, or $0.02 per share. Net tangible book value per share
represents the amount of the Company's stockholders' deficit, divided by
36,000,000 shares of Common Stock outstanding at March 31, 1998 (after giving
effect to the 360,000-for-one split of the Common Stock). Without taking into
account any changes in such net tangible book value subsequent to March 31,
1998, other than to give effect to the issuance and sale of the
1,250,000 shares of Common Stock offered by the Company in the Offering and
after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated expenses of the
Offering, the pro forma net tangible book value of the Company at March 31,
1998 would have been $15,368,000, or $0.41 per share. This represents an
immediate increase in the net tangible book value of $0.43 per share to
existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $13.59 per share to new
investors. Dilution is determined by subtracting adjusted net tangible book
value per share after the Offering from the amount of cash paid by a new
investor for one share of Common Stock. The following table illustrates the
per share dilution:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                             <C>      <C>
  Assumed initial public offering price per share..............          $14.00
    Net tangible book value per share at March 31, 1998........ $ (0.02)
    Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable
     to new investors..........................................    0.43
  Adjusted pro forma net tangible book value per share after
   this Offering...............................................            0.41
                                                                         ------
  Dilution per share to new investors..........................          $13.59
                                                                         ======
</TABLE>
 
  In connection with the Offering, the Company has made initial grants of
stock options to the executive officers and certain other employees and
consultants of the Company under the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan. See
"Management--Grants Under the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan." An aggregate of
2,996,900 shares of Common Stock are issuable upon the exercise of these
options at an exercise price of $12.00 per share. The exercise of these or
other stock options granted under the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan in the
future could result in dilution to the Company's stockholders. The above table
assumes no exercise of any such options.
 
                                      21
<PAGE>
 
                            SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
 
  The following table presents selected financial data of the Company. The
information below should be read in conjunction with "Management's Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the
historical financial statements and related notes thereto included in this
Prospectus. The following selected financial data at June 30, 1996 and 1997
and March 31, 1998, and for each of the three years in the period ended June
30, 1997 and for the nine months ended March 31, 1998, are derived from
financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, and
included elsewhere herein. The following selected financial data at June 30,
1993, 1994 and 1995, and for each of the two years in the period ended
June 30, 1994 and for the nine months ended March 31, 1997, are unaudited but
include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) that
the Company considers necessary for a fair presentation of its financial
position and results of operations for these periods. The interim period
results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.
 
  The historical financial information may not be indicative of the Company's
future performance and does not necessarily reflect what the financial
position and results of operations of the Company would have been had the
Company operated as a separate, stand-alone entity during the periods covered.
The historical financial information, particularly for periods prior to the
third quarter of fiscal 1998, does not reflect many significant changes that
will occur in the funding and operations of the Company and the future sources
and costs of the Company's revenue as a result of both the Separation and the
Company's recent shift in strategic direction.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             NINE MONTHS
                                     YEARS ENDED JUNE 30,                  ENDED MARCH 31,
                          -----------------------------------------------  -----------------
                           1993      1994      1995      1996      1997      1997     1998
                          -------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------
                                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                       <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 DATA:
Revenue:
  Royalties.............  $ 3,643  $  8,402  $ 13,576  $ 19,716  $ 37,192  $ 24,069  $44,990
  Contract revenue......   14,834     8,962    13,903    17,327     3,115     2,734      827
                          -------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------
    Total revenue.......   18,477    17,364    27,479    37,043    40,307    26,803   45,817
Costs and expenses:
  Cost of contract
   revenue..............    2,212     2,768     7,364     5,580     1,345     1,345      375
  Research and
   development..........    9,715    24,396    39,033    48,402    68,827    48,476   39,573
  Sales and marketing...    5,351     5,668     6,761     6,026     6,170     4,767    4,184
  General and
   administrative.......    4,642     3,692     4,272     4,601     4,750     3,538    3,281
  Restructuring charge..      --        --        --        --        --        --     2,614
                          -------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------
    Total costs and
     expenses...........   21,920    36,524    57,430    64,609    81,092    58,126   50,027
                          -------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------
Operating loss..........   (3,443)  (19,160)  (29,951)  (27,566)  (40,785)  (31,323)  (4,210)
Interest expense........       (7)      (70)      (69)      (99)      (50)      (41)     (13)
                          -------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------
Net loss................  $(3,450) $(19,230) $(30,020) $(27,665) $(40,835) $(31,364) $(4,223)
                          =======  ========  ========  ========  ========  ========  =======
Net loss per basic and
 diluted share..........  $ (0.10) $  (0.53) $  (0.83) $  (0.77) $  (1.13) $  (0.87) $ (0.12)
                          =======  ========  ========  ========  ========  ========  =======
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         JUNE 30,
                         ---------------------------------------------  MARCH 31,
                          1993      1994      1995     1996     1997      1998
                         -------  --------  --------  -------  -------  ---------
                                           (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                      <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>      <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Working capital
 deficiency............. $(1,130) $(11,230) $(16,683) $(8,531) $(8,446)  $(3,045)
Total assets............  16,768    12,338    15,744   15,289   19,674     4,316
Long-term obligations,
 net of current
 maturities(1)..........   3,565       457       739      331      --        --
Total stockholders'
 equity (deficit).......   4,161     (755)    (3,736)   3,853    8,072      (667)
</TABLE>
- -------
(1) Long-term obligations consist of deferred revenue (June 30, 1993 only) and
    capital lease obligations. See Note 9 of Notes to Financial Statements.
 
                                      22
<PAGE>
 
                    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
                 FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
  The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Prospectus. The
Company's recent shift in strategic direction and its lack of operating
history as a stand-alone entity make it difficult for the Company to
accurately predict its future revenue and costs. Certain statements in this
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" are forward looking statements. The forward looking statements
contained herein are based on current expectations and entail various risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those expressed or implied in such forward looking statements. Factors that
could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed
under "Risk Factors."
 
OVERVIEW
 
  The Company's predecessor, MIPS Computer Systems, Inc., was founded in 1984
and was engaged in the design and development of RISC microprocessors for the
computer systems and embedded markets. Silicon Graphics adopted the MIPS
architecture for its computer systems in 1988 and acquired MIPS Computer
Systems, Inc. in 1992. Following the acquisition, Silicon Graphics continued
the MIPS microprocessor business through its MIPS Group (a division of Silicon
Graphics), which focused primarily on the development of high-performance
microprocessors for Silicon Graphics' workstations and servers. Until the last
few years, cost considerations limited the broader use of these
microprocessors. However, as the cost to design and manufacture
microprocessors based on the MIPS technology decreased, the MIPS Group sought
to penetrate the consumer market, both through supporting and coordinating the
efforts of the MIPS semiconductor partners and, most notably, by partnering
with Nintendo in its design of the Nintendo 64 video game player and related
cartridges. Revenue related to sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and
related cartridges currently accounts for the substantial majority of the
Company's revenue. The combination of these efforts has led to significant
growth in MIPS-based devices. Based on reports provided by the Company's
semiconductor partners, sales of MIPS-based devices have grown from 320,000
units in calendar year 1992 to over 48 million units in calendar year 1997.
 
  In order to increase the focus of the MIPS Group on the design and
development of microprocessor intellectual property for the embedded market,
Silicon Graphics has initiated a plan to separate the business of the MIPS
Group from its other operations. To this end, Silicon Graphics intends to
transfer to the Company the assets, liabilities and intellectual property
related to this business. The design and development of high-performance
microprocessors for the next generation of Silicon Graphics' product line will
not be conducted by the Company and instead will be carried out by MIPS Group
employees who have been transferred to Silicon Graphics in connection with the
Separation. In the short term, the Company intends to use its operating cash
flow, including royalties it receives with respect to sales of Nintendo 64
video game players and related cartridges, to fund microprocessor and related
design efforts aimed at the digital consumer products market and to establish
and strengthen relationships with semiconductor and digital consumer product
manufacturers. As part of these efforts, the Company intends to develop
microprocessors with increased flexibility and modularity that will allow its
semiconductor partners to provide high-performance, customized products more
quickly.
 
  The financial statements discussed below reflect the historical results of
operations, financial position and cash flows of the MIPS Group, certain
portions of which are being transferred to the Company by Silicon Graphics in
the Separation. The financial statements contained herein and discussed below
have been carved out from the financial statements of Silicon Graphics using
the historical results of operations and historical basis of the assets and
 
                                      23
<PAGE>
 
liabilities of such business, as adjusted to reflect allocations of certain
corporate charges that management believes are reasonable. However, the
financial information included herein may not necessarily reflect the results
of operations, financial position and cash flows of the Company in the future
or what the results of operations, financial position and cash flows would
have been had the MIPS Group been a separate, stand-alone entity during the
periods presented. This is due to the historical operation of the MIPS Group
as a part of the larger Silicon Graphics enterprise. The financial information
included herein, particularly for periods prior to the third quarter of fiscal
1998, does not reflect the many significant changes that will occur in the
funding and operations of the Company and the future sources and costs of the
Company's revenue as a result of both the Separation and the Company's recent
shift in strategic direction.
 
REVENUE
 
  The Company's revenue consists of royalties and contract revenue earned
under contracts with its semiconductor partners and under its agreement with
Nintendo. The Company's contracts with its semiconductor partners are
typically subject to periodic renewal or extension and expire at various dates
from June 1999 through September 2005. The Company generates royalties from
the sale by semiconductor manufacturers of products incorporating the
Company's technology. The Company also receives royalties from Nintendo
relating to sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges.
Royalties may be calculated as a percentage of the revenue received by the
seller on sales of such products or on a per unit basis. Contract revenue
includes technology license fees and engineering service fees earned primarily
under contracts with Nintendo and the Company's semiconductor manufacturing
partners. Technology license fees range from several hundred thousand dollars
for a single-use license to millions of dollars for an unlimited license to
use the Company's technology. Part of these fees may be payable up-front and
part may be due upon the achievement of certain milestones such as provision
of deliverables by the Company or production of semiconductor chips by the
licensee. In fiscal 1995 and fiscal 1996, the Company's total revenue was
split relatively equally between royalties and contract revenue. Royalties in
fiscal 1995 and fiscal 1996 were earned primarily from NEC, while contract
revenue for those periods primarily reflected engineering service fees from
Nintendo related to the Nintendo 64 video game system prior to its commercial
introduction. In fiscal 1997 and the first nine months of fiscal 1998, the
Company's revenue mix changed significantly, with royalties representing over
90% of the Company's total revenue during those periods, due primarily to
royalties earned from Nintendo, and to a lesser extent NEC, on sales of
Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges.
 
  In the near term, the Company's revenue will consist primarily of royalties
received from Nintendo and NEC on sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and
related cartridges. For the nine months ended March 31, 1998, such royalties
accounted for approximately 80% of the Company's total revenue. The Company
receives royalties from NEC based on a percentage of the revenue derived by
NEC from sales of the microprocessor included in the Nintendo 64 video game
player. The Company's agreement with Nintendo provides for the payment of
royalties based on unit sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and unit sales
of related video game cartridges. Total royalties from Nintendo with respect
to sales of Nintendo 64 video game players had a cap based on unit sales that
was reached in the second quarter of fiscal 1998. There is no cap on royalties
from NEC with respect to its sale of microprocessors to Nintendo for Nintendo
64 video game players or on royalties from Nintendo with respect to sales of
Nintendo 64 video game cartridges. The Company anticipates that revenue
related to sales of Nintendo 64 video game cartridges will represent a
substantial portion of its total revenue for
 
                                      24
<PAGE>
 
the next several years. However, competition in the market for home
entertainment products is intense and the introduction of new products or
technologies as well as shifting consumer preferences could negatively impact
video game cartridge sales. There can be no assurance as to the amount and
timing of sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges and,
consequently, there can be no assurance as to the royalty stream to the
Company from such sales. In particular, the eventual introduction of the next
generation Nintendo video game system is expected to result in declining sales
of Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges, although sales of
video game cartridges would be likely to continue for some time. In the near
term, factors negatively affecting sales of Nintendo 64 video game cartridges
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations
and financial condition.
 
  Nintendo is developing a successor product to the Nintendo 64 video game
system. The graphics processor for this product is being designed by Nintendo
in conjunction with a third party, ArtX, Inc., unlike the Nintendo 64 video
game system, to which the Company and Silicon Graphics contributed
microprocessor, system level design and graphics technology. Nintendo has not
selected a microprocessor for its successor to the Nintendo 64 video game
system. The Company and one of its semiconductor partners are discussing with
Nintendo the potential inclusion of a MIPS-based microprocessor in the
successor product, although there can be no assurance that a MIPS-based
microprocessor will be selected or that the design decision will be made by
Nintendo in the near future. The Company and Silicon Graphics have, in light
of these discussions, dismissed without prejudice a lawsuit filed in April
1998 against ArtX, Inc. and certain of its employees in connection with the
defendants' actions in developing graphics technology for Nintendo's next
generation video game system. See "Business--Litigation." Even if a MIPS-based
microprocessor is selected for design into the successor Nintendo video game
product, the royalties received by the Company with respect to that product
will be significantly lower than those received with respect to the Nintendo
64 video game system.
 
  The Company expects that royalties will continue to represent a significant
percentage of its total revenue over the next several years due to its
relationship with Nintendo. The Company intends to focus an increasing
percentage of its research and development efforts on the development of new
microprocessor intellectual property for licensing to semiconductor
manufacturers. To the extent the Company is successful in these efforts,
contract revenue will account for an increasingly significant portion of its
total revenue. The amount, timing and relative mix of royalties and contract
revenue is difficult for the Company to predict. The amount and timing of
future royalties will depend on the adoption of the Company's technology by
digital consumer product manufacturers, consumer acceptance of products
incorporating the Company's technology, changes in the average selling prices
of semiconductor and digital consumer products and fluctuations in currency
exchange rates. Moreover, the Company's royalty arrangements will vary from
licensee to licensee depending on a number of factors, including the amount of
any license fee paid and the marketing and engineering support required by the
licensee. The amount and timing of future contract revenue will depend upon
the financial terms of the Company's contractual arrangements with its
semiconductor partners (which may require significant up-front payments or
payments based on the achievement of certain milestones) and the adoption of
the Company's technology by semiconductor manufacturers, which is influenced
by a number of factors including competitive conditions in the market for
microprocessor intellectual property. In addition, contract revenue may
fluctuate significantly from period to period and any increase or decrease in
such revenue will not be indicative of future period-to-period increases or
decreases.
 
  Although a substantial portion of its total revenue to date has been derived
from royalties and contract revenue relating to sales of Nintendo 64 video
game players and related cartridges, the Company expects that royalties and
contract revenue related to sales of other digital consumer
 
                                      25
<PAGE>
 
products, such as handheld personal computers and set-top boxes as well as
other video game products, will constitute an increasingly significant portion
of its total revenue. The Company's ability to diversify its revenue base will
depend primarily on the adoption by digital consumer product manufacturers of
semiconductor products incorporating the Company's technology as well as
consumer acceptance of products incorporating the Company's technology. The
Company generally does not have a direct contractual relationship with digital
consumer product manufacturers, and the royalty reports submitted by its
semiconductor partners generally do not disclose the consumer products that
have incorporated the Company's technology. As a result, it is difficult for
the Company to identify or predict the extent to which its future revenue will
be dependent upon a particular digital consumer product or product
manufacturer.
 
  Because revenue related to sales of Nintendo 64 video game cartridges is
expected to represent a substantial portion of the Company's total revenue
over the next several years, the Company expects to experience seasonal
fluctuations in its revenue and operating results. The Company records royalty
revenue from Nintendo in the quarter following the sale of the related
Nintendo 64 video game cartridge. Because a disproportionate amount of
Nintendo 64 video game cartridges are typically sold in the Company's second
fiscal quarter (which includes the holiday selling season), a disproportionate
amount of the Company's revenue and operating income is expected to be
realized in its third fiscal quarter. In addition, as the Company increases
its focus on microprocessor and related designs for high-volume digital
consumer products, the Company can be expected to continue to experience
similar seasonal fluctuations in its revenue and operating results.
 
  A significant portion of the Company's total revenue has been and is
expected to continue to be derived from a limited number of semiconductor
manufacturers. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and for
the nine months ended March 31, 1998, revenue from the Company's top two
semiconductor manufacturing partners represented an aggregate of 42%, 48%, 29%
and 19% of the Company's total revenue, respectively. Because there is a
relatively limited number of semiconductor manufacturers to which the Company
could license its technology on a basis consistent with its business model, it
is likely that the Company's revenue will continue to be concentrated at the
semiconductor manufacturing partner level. This revenue concentration for any
given period will vary depending on the addition or expiration of contracts,
the nature and timing of payments due under such contracts and the volumes and
prices at which the Company's partners sell products incorporating its
technology. Accordingly, the identity of particular manufacturing partners
that will account for any such revenue concentration will vary from period to
period and may be difficult to predict. The non-renewal of contracts by the
Company's semiconductor manufacturing partners could adversely affect its
future operating results.
 
  To date, companies based in Japan have accounted for the substantial
majority of the Company's total revenue, and nearly all of its international
revenue. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and for the
nine months ended March 31, 1998, international revenue accounted for
approximately 89%, 83%, 87% and 91%, respectively, of the Company's total
revenue. The Company expects that revenue derived from international
licensees, primarily in Asia, will continue to represent a significant portion
of its total revenue. Several countries in Asia are experiencing a severe
economic crisis, characterized by reduced economic activity, lack of
liquidity, highly volatile foreign currency exchange and interest rates and
unstable stock markets. Several of the Company's semiconductor partners sell
products into Asia that incorporate the Company's microprocessor and related
designs. Any negative impact of the circumstances in Asia on its sales of such
products by the Company's semiconductor partners could have a negative impact
on its royalty revenue.
 
                                      26
<PAGE>
 
COSTS AND EXPENSES
 
  COST OF CONTRACT REVENUE. Cost of contract revenue primarily consists of
costs associated with non-recurring engineering fees and sublicense fees. To
date, the majority of the cost of contract revenue has related to the funded
development of microprocessor and related designs for Nintendo 64 video game
products. Such development efforts began in the first fiscal quarter of 1994
and were completed in the second fiscal quarter of 1997. The Company expects
that future cost of contract revenue will be minimal.
 
  RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. Over the last few years, the Company's research
and development efforts have focused primarily on high-performance
microprocessor designs intended principally to serve the needs of Silicon
Graphics and, to a lesser extent, on microprocessor and related designs for
the embedded market (with the exception of the Nintendo 64 designs, the costs
of which are included in cost of contract revenue). See "-- Overview." More
recently, the Company has focused its research and development efforts on
microprocessor designs dedicated to the embedded market. The Separation will
have a significant impact on the Company's research and development cost
structure. Silicon Graphics' design efforts have required a significant
staffing level because its complex microprocessor requirements have demanded
large design teams and generally the development and maintenance of
proprietary design tools. By contrast, the Company expects to use smaller
design teams and to rely largely on industry standard third-party design
tools, which is expected to significantly reduce staffing requirements and
costs. The Company reduced its research and development staff from 221 persons
at December 31, 1997 to 36 persons at March 31, 1998, principally due to the
transfer to Silicon Graphics of employees engaged in the development of next
generation microprocessors for Silicon Graphics' systems as well as other
staff reductions associated with the Company's change in strategic direction.
The Company's research and development expenses for the three months ended
March 31, 1998 were $4.4 million. The Company is planning to significantly
increase research and development spending during fiscal 1999 relative to the
third quarter of fiscal 1998, as it seeks to develop new designs for the
digital consumer products market.
 
  SALES AND MARKETING. Sales and marketing expenses include salaries, travel
expenses and costs associated with trade shows, advertising and other
marketing efforts. Costs of technical support are also included in sales and
marketing expenses. The Company's sales and marketing efforts are principally
directed at establishing and supporting strategic relationships with
semiconductor manufacturers. At December 31, 1997, the Company's sales and
marketing staff totaled 16 persons. Following the Separation, the Company's
initial sales and marketing staff is expected to total 20 persons. The
Company's sales and marketing staff and related expenses are expected to
increase as the Company seeks to diversify its revenue base.
 
  GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE. Historically, a significant portion of the
Company's general and administrative expenses have reflected an allocation of
corporate overhead by Silicon Graphics based on headcount and a percentage
allocation based on certain factors including net sales, headcount and
relative expenditure levels. While the historical allocation of corporate
overhead was based on the more complex infrastructure that exists at Silicon
Graphics, the Company expects that its general and administrative expenses
will increase due, in part, to costs not previously incurred and related to
its status as a stand-alone entity such as increased patent related costs and
expenses related to compliance with the reporting and other requirements of a
publicly-traded company. The Company and Silicon Graphics intend to enter into
the Management Services Agreement pursuant to which Silicon Graphics will
provide certain administrative support on a transitional basis.
 
                                      27
<PAGE>
 
  TAXES. Subsequent to the Separation and the Offering, the Company, while
still a part of Silicon Graphics' consolidated group for federal income tax
purposes, will become responsible for its income taxes through the Tax Sharing
Agreement with Silicon Graphics. Therefore, to the extent the Company produces
taxable income, loss or credits, it will make or receive payments as though it
filed separate federal, state and local income tax returns. Pursuant to the
Tax Sharing Agreement, the rights and obligations of the Company and Silicon
Graphics with respect to taxes will terminate at such time as Silicon Graphics
ceases to own at least 80% of the outstanding Common Stock.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS -- NINE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1997 AND 1998
 
  Revenue increased $19.0 million, or 71%, from $26.8 million for the nine
months ended March 31, 1997 to $45.8 million for the nine months ended March
31, 1998. The increase was primarily attributable to a significant increase in
royalties received from Nintendo and NEC related to sales of Nintendo 64 video
game players and related cartridges. The Company earned its first significant
royalties from Nintendo 64 video game system sales in the third quarter of
fiscal 1997, following the commercial introduction of that system. In the
second quarter of fiscal 1998, royalties from the graphics chip included in
the Nintendo game player reached its cap. The Company anticipates that its
ability to generate royalties for the remainder of fiscal 1998 is largely
dependent on video game cartridge sales by Nintendo and, to a lesser extent,
on system sales by customers of NEC, LSI Logic and IDT. Contract revenue for
the nine months ended March 31, 1998 consisted principally of license fees
related to code compression technology, and for the nine months ended March
31, 1997 consisted principally of engineering service fees from Nintendo
related to development efforts for Nintendo 64 video game products. Under the
terms of the Company's contracts with three of its semiconductor partners,
such partners pay royalties to the Company on sales to Silicon Graphics of
certain products incorporating the Company's technology. For the nine months
ended March 31, 1998, the Company estimates that less than 5% of its total
revenue was related to such sales. The Company expects that revenue related to
such sales will decrease in the future.
 
  Cost of contract revenue decreased $970,000, or 72%, from $1.3 million for
the nine months ended March 31, 1997 to $375,000 for the nine months ended
March 31, 1998. This decrease was due primarily to completion of development
efforts for the Nintendo 64 video game system in the fiscal 1997 period. The
Company believes that future cost of contract revenue will be minimal.
 
  Research and development expenses decreased $8.9 million, or 18%, from $48.5
million for the nine months ended March 31, 1997 to $39.6 million for the nine
months ended March 31, 1998. The decrease in research and development expenses
was primarily due to the reduction in the Company's research and development
staff from 221 persons at December 31, 1997 to 36 persons at March 31, 1998.
This reduction reflects the transfer to Silicon Graphics of employees engaged
in the development of next generation microprocessors for Silicon Graphics'
systems as well as other staff reductions associated with the Company's change
in strategic direction.
 
  Sales and marketing expenses decreased $583,000, or 12%, from $4.8 million
for the nine months ended March 31, 1997 to $4.2 million for the nine months
ended March 31, 1998. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in
advertising and promotional spending. General and administrative expenses
decreased $257,000, or 7%, from $3.5 million for the nine months ended
March 31, 1997 to $3.3 million for the nine months ended March 31, 1998. The
decrease in general and administrative expenses was due to lower headcount as
well as a reduction in the Company's use of outside consulting services.
 
  The restructuring charge taken in the second quarter of fiscal 1998 included
$500,000 in severance related costs and $2.1 million in asset write-downs
related to the Company's shift in strategic direction.
 
                                      28
<PAGE>
 
  Prior to the Separation, the Company did not have a tax sharing agreement in
place but, rather, was included in the income tax returns filed by Silicon
Graphics and its subsidiaries in various domestic and foreign jurisdictions.
Therefore, no provision for income taxes has been recorded for the nine-month
periods ended March 31, 1997 and 1998.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS -- YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1995, 1996 AND 1997
 
  Revenue increased 35% in fiscal 1996, from $27.5 million in fiscal 1995 to
$37.0 million in fiscal 1996, and increased 9% to $40.3 million in fiscal
1997. Fiscal 1995 contract revenue consisted principally of engineering
service fees related to development for the Nintendo 64 video game system.
Fiscal 1996 contract revenue included engineering service fees related to
development efforts for the Nintendo 64 video game system as well as
approximately $10.0 million in license fees from three licensees. The decrease
in contract revenue in fiscal 1997 reflected substantial completion in fiscal
1996 of the Nintendo 64 video game system development prior to its commercial
introduction by Nintendo. The significant increase in fiscal 1997 royalties
reflects royalties related to sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and
related cartridges. The Company estimates that approximately 20% of its total
revenue in each of fiscal 1995 and 1996 was related to sales to Silicon
Graphics by the Company's semiconductor partners of certain products
incorporating the Company's technology. The Company estimates that revenue
related to such sales was less than 5% in fiscal 1997.
 
  Cost of contract revenue decreased 24% from $7.4 million in fiscal 1995 to
$5.6 million in fiscal 1996 and decreased 76% to $1.3 million in fiscal 1997.
Cost of contract revenue in each of the periods was principally attributable
to non-recurring engineering fees related to Nintendo 64 video game system
development. In fiscal 1995, development efforts related to the Nintendo 64
video game system were increased to meet certain milestones and, as these
milestones were achieved in fiscal 1996 and 1997, expenses for consultants
decreased and a reduction in headcount occurred.
 
  Research and development expenses increased 24% from $39.0 million in fiscal
1995 to $48.4 million in 1996 and increased an additional 42% to $68.8 million
in fiscal 1997. The increase in research and development expenses in each of
the periods was attributable to additional personnel, including consultants,
working on next generation microprocessor development projects in each fiscal
year.
 
  Sales and marketing expenses decreased 11% from $6.8 million in fiscal 1995
to $6.0 million in fiscal 1996, and increased slightly to $6.2 million in
fiscal 1997. The decrease in sales and marketing expenses in fiscal 1996
resulted from reduced headcount in the product and technical marketing group.
General and administrative expenses increased 8% from $4.3 million in fiscal
1995 to $4.6 million in fiscal 1996, and increased an additional 3% to $4.8
million in fiscal 1997. The increase in general and administrative expenses in
each of the periods was primarily due to increased spending in recruiting
costs due to growth in the Company's business.
 
  The financial statements of the Company reflect its operations as a division
of Silicon Graphics and, accordingly, its historical losses were included in
the income tax returns filed by Silicon Graphics. Therefore, no provision or
benefit for income taxes has been recorded for the periods presented in the
accompanying financial statements.
 
IMPACT OF CURRENCY
 
  Certain of the Company's international licensees pay royalties based on
revenues that are reported in a local currency (currently yen) and translated
into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect when such revenues are
reported by the licensee. To date, substantially all of the
 
                                      29
<PAGE>
 
Company's revenue from international customers has been denominated in U.S.
dollars. However, to the extent that sales to digital consumer product
manufacturers by the Company's manufacturing partners are denominated in
foreign currencies, royalties received by the Company on such sales could be
subject to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. In addition, if the
effective price of the technology sold by the Company to its partners were to
increase as a result of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates,
demand for the Company's technology could fall which would, in turn, reduce
the Company's royalties. The Company is unable to predict the amount of non-
U.S. dollar denominated revenue earned by its licensees and, therefore, has
not attempted to mitigate the effect that currency fluctuations may have on
its royalty revenue.
 
QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
  The following tables set forth the Company's statement of operations data
for each of the seven quarters in the period ended March 31, 1998. This
unaudited quarterly information has been prepared on the same basis as the
annual audited financial statements and, in the opinion of the Company's
management, includes all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring
accruals, necessary to present fairly the information set forth therein. The
operating results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of results
for any future period.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    QUARTER ENDED
                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SEPT. 30, DEC. 31,  MARCH 31, JUNE 30,  SEPT. 30, DEC. 31,  MARCH 31,
                            1996      1996      1997      1997      1997      1997      1998
                          --------- --------  --------- --------  --------- --------  ---------
                                                    (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 DATA:
Revenue:
 Royalties..............   $ 6,808  $  3,785   $13,476  $13,123    $14,287  $ 12,472   $18,231
 Contract revenue.......     1,800       181       753      381        750        77       --
                           -------  --------   -------  -------    -------  --------   -------
  Total revenue.........     8,608     3,966    14,229   13,504     15,037    12,549    18,231
Costs and expenses:
 Cost of contract
  revenue...............       595       500       250      --         375       --        --
 Research and
  development...........    14,651    16,380    17,445   20,351     17,338    17,789     4,446
 Sales and marketing....     1,438     1,599     1,730    1,403      1,448     1,462     1,274
 General and
  administrative........       982     1,258     1,298    1,212      1,257     1,038       986
 Restructuring charge...       --        --        --       --         --      2,614       --
                           -------  --------   -------  -------    -------  --------   -------
  Total costs and
   expenses.............    17,666    19,737    20,723   22,966     20,418    22,903     6,706
                           -------  --------   -------  -------    -------  --------   -------
Operating income (loss).    (9,058)  (15,771)   (6,494)  (9,462)    (5,381)  (10,354)   11,525
Interest expense........       (16)      (14)      (11)      (9)        (7)       (4)       (2)
                           -------  --------   -------  -------    -------  --------   -------
Net income (loss).......   $(9,074) $(15,785)  $(6,505) $(9,471)   $(5,388) $(10,358)  $11,523
                           =======  ========   =======  =======    =======  ========   =======
</TABLE>
 
  QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 1998. The Company's results of operations for the
quarter ended March 31, 1998 reflected seasonal fluctuations in its revenue as
well as certain changes in the Company's cost structure resulting from its
shift in strategic direction. Royalty revenue for the third quarter of fiscal
1998 increased $5.8 million, or 46%, compared to the prior quarter. This
increase primarily reflects an increase in royalties from Nintendo relating to
sales of Nintendo 64 video game products during the 1997 holiday selling
season, and was achieved despite reaching in the prior quarter the cap on
royalties from the graphics chip included in Nintendo 64 video game players.
The Company records royalty revenue from Nintendo in the quarter following the
sale of the related Nintendo 64 video game product. See "Risk Factors--
Seasonality." The Company's results of operations for the quarter ended March
31, 1998 also reflected a decrease in research and development expenses from
$17.8 million to $4.4 million due primarily to the transfer to Silicon
Graphics of employees engaged in the development of next generation
microprocessors for Silicon Graphics' systems as well as other staff
reductions associated with the Company's change in strategic direction. The
increase in royalty revenue for the quarter, coupled with the concurrent
 
                                      30
<PAGE>
 
decrease in research and development expenses and the absence of restructuring
charges, resulted in net income of $11.5 million for the quarter ended March
31, 1998 compared to a net loss of $10.4 million for the prior quarter. The
Company's revenue and results of operations for the quarter ended March 31,
1998 are not necessarily indicative of its revenue or results of operations
for any future period.
 
  PERIODS PRIOR TO QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 1998. The significant increase in
royalties commencing in the quarter ended March 31, 1997 reflected royalties
received from Nintendo following the commercial introduction of the Nintendo
64 video game system. The decrease in royalties in the quarter ended December
31, 1997 was due principally to the Company's reaching the cap on royalties
from the graphics chip included in Nintendo 64 video game players. The
increase in research and development expenses in the quarter ended June 30,
1997 was due to project completion bonuses, increased headcount and higher
corporate facilities allocation expenses. The decrease in research and
development expenses in the quarter ended September 30, 1997 was due to
redefining two projects resulting in lower recruiting spending and reduced
headcount.
 
  The Company expects to experience significant fluctuations in its quarterly
operating results due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of
its control. Factors that may adversely affect the Company's quarterly
operating results include the Company's ability to develop, introduce and
market new microprocessor designs and design enhancements, the demand for and
average selling prices of semiconductor products that incorporate the
Company's technology, the establishment or loss of strategic relationships
with semiconductor manufacturing partners or manufacturers of digital consumer
products, the timing of new products and product enhancements by the Company
and its competitors, changes in the Company's and digital consumer product
manufacturers' development schedules and levels of expenditures on research
and development and general economic conditions. As a result, the Company's
total revenue and operating results in any future period cannot be predicted
with certainty, and its operating results in any quarter may not be indicative
of its future performance. In addition, the Company expects to experience
seasonal fluctuations in its revenue and operating results. See "--Revenue."
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
  The Company's principal capital requirements are to fund working capital
needs and capital expenditures in order to support the Company's revenue
growth. During the periods presented, these capital requirements have been
satisfied by funds provided by Silicon Graphics. Silicon Graphics historically
has performed cash management services for the Company, whereby the Company's
cash flow was directed to Silicon Graphics and Silicon Graphics provided cash
to the Company to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditures.
Following the Separation, the Company will no longer participate in Silicon
Graphics' cash management system and Silicon Graphics will no longer be
obligated, and does not intend, to provide additional funds to the Company to
finance its operations.
 
  The Company's future liquidity and capital requirements are expected to vary
greatly from quarter to quarter, depending on numerous factors, including,
among others, the cost, timing and success of product development efforts, the
cost and timing of sales and marketing activities, the extent to which the
Company's existing and new technologies gain market acceptance, the level and
timing of contract revenues and royalties, competing technological and market
developments and the costs of maintaining and enforcing patent claims and
other intellectual property rights. The Company believes that cash generated
by its operations, together with the net proceeds to the Company from the
Offering, will be sufficient to meet its operating and capital requirements
for at least the next twelve months. However, it is possible
 
                                      31
<PAGE>
 
that the Company will require additional financing within this time frame, and
there can be no assurance that any such financing, if needed, will be
available on terms attractive to the Company, or at all. The Company may be
required to raise additional funds through public or private financing,
strategic relationships or other arrangements. Additional equity financing may
be dilutive to holders of the Common Stock, and debt financing, if available,
may involve restrictive covenants. Moreover, strategic relationships, if
necessary to raise additional funds, may require that the Company relinquish
its rights to certain of its technologies. The Company's ability to raise
additional equity capital may be limited by its relationship with Silicon
Graphics. See "Risk Factors--Future Capital Requirements; Absence of Silicon
Graphics Funding." Any failure of the Company to raise capital when needed
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of
operations and financial condition.
 
  The Company has had no direct third-party indebtedness other than
obligations under capital leases. In addition to the net proceeds from the
sale of the Common Stock by the Company in the Offering, the Company intends
to enter into a revolving credit facility with a bank or other financial
institution to provide for certain of its working capital needs.
 
YEAR 2000
 
  The Company is currently examining the Year 2000 issue. The Company believes
its products are Year 2000 compliant; however, the Company is currently
undertaking a review of its internal systems and, based on preliminary
estimates, the costs of any necessary action are not expected to be material
to the Company's results of operations or financial condition. The Company
intends to cooperate with its manufacturing partners and others with which it
does business to coordinate Year 2000 compliance, although the Company is
unable to evaluate the Year 2000 compliance of products and technology
developed by third parties that incorporate the Company's technology. To the
extent that any such third-party product or technology fails to be Year 2000
compliant, the Company may be adversely affected due to its association with
such product or technology.
 
                                      32
<PAGE>
 
                                   BUSINESS
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
  Rapid advances in semiconductor technology have enabled the development of
higher performance microprocessors at lower cost. As a result, it is now cost-
effective for system OEMs to embed these microprocessors into a wider range of
electronic products and systems, including a new generation of digital
consumer products. At the same time, improvements in semiconductor
manufacturing processes have enabled the integration of entire systems onto a
single integrated circuit to create complex system-on-a-chip solutions.
However, design tool capabilities and the internal design resources of
semiconductor manufacturers and system OEMs have not kept pace with the
increase in the number of transistors that can be placed on a single chip.
Consequently, a significant and growing "design gap" for semiconductor
designers and manufacturers has developed. To address this "design gap,"
semiconductor designers and manufacturers are increasingly licensing proven
and reusable intellectual property components such as microprocessor cores,
memories and logic blocks from third-party suppliers to create differentiated
products and reduce development costs and time-to-market. The availability of
low-cost, high-performance microprocessors and the development of system-on-a-
chip technology have contributed to the emergence and rapid growth of the
market for embedded systems, particularly advanced digital consumer products.
 
  Embedded systems are broadly defined as microcontrollers and microprocessors
plus related software incorporated into devices other than personal computers,
workstations, servers, mainframes and minicomputers. Until recently, this
market was dominated by low-cost 4-, 8- and 16-bit microcontrollers embedded
primarily into low-cost, high-volume consumer products such as home
appliances, facsimile machines, printers, telephone answering machines and
various automobile systems. The use of higher performance 32- and 64-bit
microprocessors was common in higher cost but lower volume applications such
as telecommunications switching equipment and data networking routers.
Although microcontrollers are adequate for basic system control functions,
they lack the performance and bandwidth capabilities to implement today's
advanced functions, including powerful user interfaces such as 3-D graphics.
Recently, however, the price of 32- and 64-bit microprocessors has reached the
point where it is now cost-effective to embed these solutions into low-cost,
high-volume digital consumer products. According to INSIDE THE NEW COMPUTER
INDUSTRY, the market for RISC microprocessors increased from approximately 55
million units in calendar year 1996 to 98 million units in calendar year 1997.
This increase was due in large part to growth in the market for digital
consumer products, including video games with 3-D interactive capabilities.
 
  Digital consumer products that incorporate high-performance microprocessors
and software can offer advanced functionality such as realistic 3-D graphics
rendering, digital audio and video, and communications and high-speed signal
processing. A prominent example is the home video game console, in which the
use of 32- and 64-bit embedded microprocessors enables the processing of
realistic graphic images in products that retail for less than $200. Other
examples of digital consumer products that incorporate high-performance
microprocessors include digital cable set-top boxes, Internet appliances from
WebTV and the emerging market for handheld personal computers. These battery-
powered devices, such as the Philips Velo and the NEC MobilePro, are targeted
at retail price points ranging from $449 to $899 and are designed to allow
consumers to access electronic mail, connect to the Internet and run software
applications such as word processors and spreadsheets.
 
  As the lower cost of processing power has enabled higher functioning
microprocessors for these digital consumer products, multiple software
operating systems have been developed to establish the user interface and
control for these products. Many companies, including Microsoft
 
                                      33
<PAGE>
 
Corporation ("Microsoft"), Wind River Systems, Inc. and Integrated Systems
Inc., currently provide operating systems software that support embedded
systems applications. Microsoft created the WindowsCE operating system
specifically for new generation digital consumer products as well as the
mobile computing and Windows-based terminals markets. The widespread adoption
of the WindowsCE operating system could accelerate the growth of the digital
consumer products market and hence the demand for embedded microprocessors.
 
  To meet the demands of the digital consumer products market, system OEMs
rely on semiconductor manufacturers to design and deliver critical components
within rigorous price and performance parameters. To ensure availability in
these high-volume markets, these OEMs prefer multiple sources of supply. In
order to supply products for these markets, semiconductor suppliers are
increasingly combining their own intellectual property with that of third-
party suppliers in the form of microprocessor cores and other functional
blocks. This intellectual property must be customizable to allow the
semiconductor manufacturer to adapt it for specific applications and to meet
stringent time-to-market requirements. It must also be scalable to enable the
manufacturer to design a wide breadth of products. Finally, as the
requirements to implement advanced functionality such as 3-D graphics
escalate, this intellectual property must meet more demanding performance
standards.
 
THE MIPS SOLUTION
 
  The Company is a leading designer and developer of RISC-based high-
performance microprocessor intellectual property for embedded systems
applications. The Company has established a distribution channel for its
intellectual property by licensing its technology to key semiconductor
partners. Each of these partners possesses leading design and/or process
technology and can leverage a strong market position in strategic embedded
markets. To date, the MIPS RISC architecture has been used to create over 60
separate microprocessor products. These microprocessor products have a
cumulative installed base of over 70 million units and have been embedded into
a variety of products such as video games, color printers and handheld
personal computers. According to INSIDE THE NEW COMPUTER INDUSTRY, the market
for RISC-based microprocessors totaled 98 million units in calendar year 1997.
The Company's semiconductor partners reported that approximately 48 million
units based on the Company's RISC architecture were shipped in calendar year
1997.
 
  The Company's technology focuses on providing cost-effective and high-
performance microprocessor and related designs for high-volume embedded
applications. The MIPS RISC architecture is flexible and allows semiconductor
manufacturers to integrate their intellectual property with the Company's
microprocessor and related designs to develop differentiated and innovative
products for a variety of embedded applications within demanding time-to-
market requirements. The advantages of the MIPS architecture relate primarily
to scalability of die size and performance. Products incorporating the MIPS
architecture range from disk drives using microprocessor cores with a die size
of less than two square millimeters to high-performance workstations using
microprocessors with a die size of 300 square millimeters. In addition, while
designed for high performance, the Company's RISC-based architectures have
been incorporated in low-power applications such as the Philips Velo and the
NEC MobilePro handheld personal computers. The MIPS architecture is designed
around upward compatible instruction sets that enable manufacturers developing
products across a broad range of price/performance points to use common
support tools and software.
 
  Through its network of semiconductor partners, independent software vendors
and system OEMs, the Company has developed the infrastructure necessary to
support its architecture as a standard platform for the embedded market.
 
 
                                      34
<PAGE>
 
  SEMICONDUCTOR PARTNERS. The Company currently has seven semiconductor
partners that develop, market and sell silicon solutions based on the MIPS
RISC microprocessor architecture. Because products incorporating the Company's
intellectual property are sold to system OEMs by its semiconductor partners
(and not directly by the Company), these partners operate as a value-added
distribution channel. Several of the Company's partners have had contracts
with the Company and its predecessors since prior to Silicon Graphics'
acquisition of MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. in 1992. The Company's current
semiconductor partners are NEC, Toshiba, LSI Logic, Philips, IDT, NKK and QED.
NEC, Toshiba and Philips, which have been licensees of the Company since 1989,
1989 and 1995, respectively, are among the world's largest semiconductor
suppliers to the consumer electronics market and are investing significant
resources to address the emerging digital consumer products market. LSI Logic,
a licensee of the Company since 1987, is a leading supplier of custom system-
on-a-chip solutions for consumer devices, such as the Sony PlayStation, and
the communications equipment market. IDT, a licensee of the Company since
1988, is a supplier of MIPS-based microprocessors for the set-top box used in
WebTV's Internet appliance and for communications equipment such as routers
from Cisco Systems, Inc. ("Cisco"). Several of the Company's manufacturing
partners have made significant investments in MIPS technology and market
development which has resulted in multiple design teams around the world
engaged in the development of MIPS-based microprocessors and related designs.
 
  Using the Company's flexible microprocessor intellectual property, these
partners, and the multiple design teams within these companies, are able to
design optimized semiconductor products for multiple segments of the embedded
market. The Company's partners and their associated design teams have
developed a broad portfolio of microprocessors and standard products based on
the MIPS RISC architecture as well as application specific extensions which
can be licensed back to the Company and offered to its other partners. For
example, MIPS16, an extension to the instruction set architecture that reduces
memory requirements and costs by allowing instructions to be expressed with 16
rather than 32 bits, was developed jointly by the Company and LSI Logic and is
presently licensed by the Company to several of its semiconductor partners.
 
  INDEPENDENT SOFTWARE VENDORS. The Company's RISC architecture is further
enabled by a variety of third-party independent software vendors that provide
operating systems and engineering development tools such as compilers,
debuggers and in-circuit emulation testers. Currently, these companies provide
over 150 products in support of the Company's RISC architecture. This
substantial software support gives system OEMs the confidence to design the
MIPS microprocessor technology into their products. In particular, software
operating systems developed by Microsoft, Wind River Systems, Inc. and
Integrated Systems Inc. are compatible with the Company's RISC architecture.
The Company intends to work with Microsoft to optimize its microprocessor
designs for products running on the WindowsCE operating system.
 
  SYSTEM OEMS. Microprocessor products based on the Company's RISC
architecture have become the preferred design for certain system OEMs in the
embedded market. A number of high-profile digital consumer products
incorporate the Company's RISC-based microprocessor intellectual property,
including the Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation video game systems, the Philips
Velo and NEC MobilePro handheld personal computers and the digital set-top
boxes from Echostar and WebTV. The Company participates in various sales and
technical efforts directed to system OEMs and has launched a promotional
campaign aimed at increasing brand awareness of the MIPS RISC architecture
among system OEMs and software vendors.
 
 
                                      35
<PAGE>
 
STRATEGY
 
  The Company seeks to be the world's leading provider of microprocessor
intellectual property for the embedded market. To establish MIPS RISC-based
microprocessors as the industry standard and to proliferate its microprocessor
technology into multiple markets and applications, the Company has implemented
a business model based on the non-exclusive licensing of its intellectual
property. Key elements of the Company's strategy include:
 
  TARGET EMERGING MARKET FOR DIGITAL CONSUMER PRODUCTS. As the price of high-
performance 32- and 64-bit microprocessors has declined, system OEMs have
embedded these microprocessors into next generation digital consumer products.
The Company believes that its 32- and 64-bit microprocessor designs are well
suited for this market due to the scalability and performance of the MIPS RISC
architecture and the cost and time-to-market advantages provided by the
Company's intellectual property. The Company has achieved several significant
design wins in this market, including video game systems such as Nintendo 64
and Sony PlayStation, handheld personal computers such as the Philips Velo and
NEC MobilePro and digital set-top boxes from Echostar (Dish Network) and
WebTV.
 
  INCREASE VALUE THROUGH ADVANCED MODULAR DESIGNS. The Company will focus its
research and development efforts on enhancing its existing technology to
create microprocessor cores and related designs that are optimized for
specific embedded applications. The Company's strategy is to use a modular
approach that emphasizes reusable and licensable microprocessor and software
technologies. The Company believes that this increased flexibility and
modularity will allow its semiconductor partners to provide high-performance,
customized products more quickly to their customers. In addition to advancing
its microprocessor technology, the Company also intends to leverage its
expertise in high-performance/high bandwidth computer systems architecture and
3-D graphics to develop intellectual property aimed at improving the
performance and cost-effectiveness of next generation digital consumer
products.
 
  LEVERAGE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS. The Company's strategy has
been to license the MIPS architecture to a relatively limited set of world-
class semiconductor manufacturing and design companies. The Company believes
that these long-term relationships have been fundamental to the proliferation
of MIPS-based products. The Company presently licenses its technology to seven
key semiconductor partners, each of which possesses leading design and/or
process technology and can leverage a strong market position in a variety of
embedded market applications. This strategy also seeks to ensure that there
are multiple sources of supply for MIPS-based microprocessors. The Company may
establish licenses with additional partners that it believes can offer value-
added design capabilities in the Company's existing target markets as well as
expand the market for the Company's microprocessor and related designs.
 
  STRENGTHEN MIPS' POSITION AS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD. According to INSIDE THE
NEW COMPUTER INDUSTRY, the market for RISC-based microprocessors totaled 98
million units in calendar year 1997. The Company's semiconductor partners
reported that approximately 48 million units based on the Company's RISC
architecture were shipped in calendar year 1997. The Company's products have a
cumulative installed base of over 70 million units. As an early entrant in the
intellectual property market, the Company has established a strong brand
awareness and a network of semiconductor partners, independent software
vendors and system OEMs to support its microprocessor and related design
efforts. The Company's flexible architecture has enabled the development of
over 60 MIPS-based products from standard microprocessors to highly
customized, application specific components. The Company seeks to expand the
industry's support of the MIPS architecture by continuing to focus on its
relationships with semiconductor manufacturers, software vendors and system
OEMs. The
 
                                      36
<PAGE>
 
Company also intends to further enhance the MIPS brand and create market
"pull" through targeted advertising and co-marketing with its partners and
participation in standards setting for the microprocessor industry.
 
MARKETS AND APPLICATIONS
 
  DIGITAL CONSUMER PRODUCTS. Together with its existing semiconductor
manufacturing partners and their associated design teams, the Company seeks to
leverage the MIPS RISC architecture into solutions for a wide variety of
sophisticated, high-volume digital consumer products such as video game
products, handheld personal computers and set-top boxes. To date, the
Company's RISC-based microprocessors have been designed into numerous digital
consumer products, of which the principal applications have been the Nintendo
64 and Sony PlayStation video game systems. Revenue related to the video game
market presently accounts for a substantial majority of the Company's total
revenue, and such revenue is expected to continue to account for a significant
portion of the Company's total revenue for at least the next several years.
See "Risk Factors--Revenue Concentration" and "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
 
    VIDEO GAMES. The market for video games, which represented the first
  high-volume consumer application for 32- and 64-bit microprocessors,
  accounted for approximately 30 million units in 1997, of which an estimated
  90% used the Company's technology. This market is expected to continue to
  grow as more sophisticated video games are introduced. The Company's key
  design wins in this market include the Nintendo 64 video game system, which
  was introduced in 1996 and uses a MIPS R4300i microprocessor manufactured
  by NEC, and the Sony PlayStation, which was introduced in 1994 and uses a
  MIPS R3000 class embedded microprocessor developed by LSI Logic.
 
    SET-TOP BOXES. As digital transmission of video signals becomes more
  widely utilized, the Company believes that the market for compatible set-
  top boxes could represent an area of significant growth in the use of 32-
  and 64-bit microprocessors and related designs. The Company has achieved
  key design wins in this market. The set-top box used in WebTV's Internet
  appliance, introduced in 1996, uses a MIPS R4000 class microprocessor
  manufactured by IDT. Echostar's Dish Network set-top box, introduced in
  1996, uses a MIPS R3000 class microprocessor that is also manufactured by
  IDT. In addition, one of the Company's partners, QED, has announced its
  intention to develop a MIPS-based product for General Instrument
  Corporation's DCT-5000+ advanced interactive digital set-top terminal.
 
    HANDHELD PERSONAL COMPUTERS. While the market for handheld personal
  computers has only recently begun to develop, several products in this
  market have shown a potential for growth, and the Company expects that this
  market will continue to grow as these devices become more interactive with
  desktop PCs. The Company's RISC-based microprocessor designs have been well
  received in this market and, to date, have been incorporated into products
  such as the Philips Velo and Sharp's Mobilon, both of which use a MIPS
  R3000 class microprocessor developed by Philips. In addition, NEC has
  incorporated a MIPS R4000 class microprocessor design into its MobilePro
  handheld personal computer.
 
    OTHER DIGITAL CONSUMER PRODUCTS. Other potential digital consumer product
  applications for the Company's 32- and 64-bit microprocessors include
  Windows-based terminals, Digital Versatile Disk players (DVD), digital
  televisions and the Auto PC, a product that provides drivers with a variety
  of services, including directions, using voice recognition and voice
  synthesis.
 
  OTHER EMBEDDED APPLICATIONS. The Company also expects that its future
microprocessor and related designs will continue to be effective for use in
more traditional embedded market
 
                                      37
<PAGE>
 
applications such as telecommunication switching equipment and data networking
routers. These markets have historically been an area of strength for the
Company. Significant design wins in these markets include networking
communications equipment from Cisco as well as laser printers from Hewlett-
Packard Company, Electronics for Imaging Inc. and Brother Industries, Ltd.
 
PRODUCTS
 
  The Company designs, develops and licenses intellectual property for high-
performance microprocessors. The Company's intellectual property is used in
the design of microprocessor cores, instruction set architectures ("ISAs") and
application specific extensions ("ASEs") that enable its semiconductor
partners to manufacture flexible, high-performance microprocessors for
embedded systems at competitive prices within demanding time-to-market
requirements. Through licensing and royalty-based arrangements with its
semiconductor partners, the Company seeks to strengthen the position of the
MIPS architecture in the microprocessor industry and proliferate its designs
in embedded systems applications. The Company has not historically and does
not intend to manufacture microprocessors and related devices.
 
  BASIC CORES. The Company currently provides flexible, modular microprocessor
cores covering a range of performance/price points to enable its manufacturing
partners to provide customized semiconductor products more quickly to system
OEMs.
 
    R3000. The R3000 is a 32-bit microprocessor introduced in 1988 that has
  served as the basis for many derivatives by the Company's semiconductor
  partners and is available from the Company in core form. The small die size
  (less than two square millimeters in one implementation) and performance
  characteristics of the R3000 make it well-suited for applications such as
  video game consoles, including the Sony PlayStation, and handheld personal
  computers, copiers, networking equipment and laser printers.
 
    R4000. The R4000 is a 64-bit microprocessor introduced in 1992 that has
  served as the basis for a variety of derivatives, including the R4300i
  which, together with Silicon Graphics' REALITY Co-Processor (RCP), is used
  in Nintendo 64 video game players. The R4000 was designed for applications
  in which high performance is the principle objective, such as video games,
  computer systems, network servers and interactive consumer applications
  such as set-top boxes.
 
    R5000. The R5000 is a 64-bit microprocessor developed by QED in January
  1996 that is presently licensed to the Company. The R5000, which can be
  sublicensed by the Company to its other semiconductor partners, is a dual
  instruction issue processor that has served as the microprocessor in
  several of Silicon Graphics' workstations. Its performance characteristics
  make it an attractive microprocessor for more powerful and sophisticated
  embedded applications.
 
  INSTRUCTION SET ARCHITECTURES. Instruction set architectures are
combinations of binary instructions and the hardware to execute them which
together determine the native capability of a microprocessor. ISA standards
are important because, among other things, they become the common points
around which tools are built, software libraries and compilers are written and
software operating systems are developed. Elements of an ISA may be
copyrighted or patented thus preventing unrestricted use without a license.
The Company licenses its ISAs to promote the development and marketing of MIPS
compatible parts by its semiconductor manufacturing partners.
 
    MIPS I/II. The MIPS I/II instruction set architecture is the basic series
  of instructions for 32-bit operations. This instruction set, which is
  presently used in a wide range of
 
                                      38
<PAGE>
 
  applications, allows the performance of integer and floating point
  computation, logical operations, data movement and a variety of other
  functions. The MIPS II ISA is implemented in the R3000 series of products.
  Full MIPS I/II compatibility is protected by patents, copyrights and
  trademarks owned by the Company.
 
    MIPS III. In addition to providing full support for the MIPS II ISA, the
  MIPS III instruction set architecture extends the MIPS II ISA to 64-bit
  operations, increases the number of floating point registers and adds
  certain other functions. The MIPS III ISA is implemented in the R4000
  series of products. MIPS III is a patented instruction set that is
  necessary to operate 64-bit MIPS microprocessors in 64-bit mode.
 
    MIPS IV. MIPS IV enhances floating point operations and adds additional
  instructions that improve performance in a number of engineering and
  scientific applications. The R5000, R8000 and R10000 MIPS microprocessors
  implement the MIPS IV ISA.
 
    MIPS V. MIPS V provides instructions that enhance performance in 3-D
  graphics applications. The hardware for the MIPS V ISA has not been
  implemented.
 
  APPLICATION SPECIFIC EXTENSIONS. Application specific extensions are
intended to provide design flexibility for application-specific MIPS products
and are offered to the Company's semiconductor manufacturing partners as
optional, additional features to its microprocessor cores.
 
    MIPS16. MIPS16 is an ASE to the Company's RISC architecture introduced in
  October 1996 that permits substantially reduced systems costs by reducing
  memory requirements through the use of 16-bit instruction representation.
 
    MIPS DIGITAL MEDIA EXTENSIONS (MDMX). MDMX is an ASE designed to provide
  enhanced digital media processing including video compression and
  decompression and audio and signal processing.
 
  The Company's current microprocessor cores and other products incorporate
the technologies and intellectual property used by the MIPS Group in designing
microprocessors for Silicon Graphics' high-performance computer systems,
servers and workstations. These high-end microprocessor designs include the
Company's R8000 and R10000 microprocessors. The R8000 microprocessor,
introduced in 1994, has floating-point and computational capabilities that are
valuable in engineering and scientific markets. The R10000 microprocessor,
introduced in 1995, is a sophisticated 64-bit microprocessor capable of using
dynamic instruction scheduling (out-of-order execution) and speculative
branches. Applications using the highly scalable R10000 microprocessor include
supercomputers and high-performance servers for commercial applications,
including database management and transaction processing. R10000
microprocessors are used in many of the products presently sold by Silicon
Graphics. Although the R8000 and R10000 were not specifically designed for
embedded market applications, they contain sophisticated and valuable
technology and intellectual property that has been, and will continue to be,
available to the Company for incorporation into microprocessor and related
designs for the embedded market.
 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
  The Company believes that its future competitive position will depend in
large part on its ability to develop new and enhanced microprocessor cores and
related designs in a timely and cost-effective manner. The Company believes
that these capabilities are necessary to meet the evolving and rapidly
changing needs of semiconductor manufacturers and system OEMs in the digital
consumer products industry. To this end, the Company has assembled a team of
highly skilled engineers that possess significant experience in the design and
development of complex microprocessors. The Company intends to build on this
base of experience and the technologies
 
                                      39
<PAGE>
 
that it has developed in creating sophisticated microprocessor designs for
high-performance computer systems, servers and workstations to enhance the
MIPS RISC architecture and develop a broader line of microprocessor cores that
are optimized for applications in the digital consumer products industry. The
Company's strategy is to use a modular approach that emphasizes re-usable,
licensable microprocessors, cores and software technology. The Company
believes that this increased flexibility and modularity will allow its
semiconductor partners to provide high-performance, customized products more
quickly to their customers. In addition, the Company intends to continue to
develop and license standardized ISAs and ASEs to work within and around its
RISC architecture to enhance and tailor the capabilities of its microprocessor
designs for specific applications. Historically, the Company has collaborated
with its semiconductor manufacturing partners to develop these specific
product applications and ASEs from its core microprocessor designs.
 
  The Company expects to develop and license its microprocessor designs in two
forms. Initial or "process targeted designs" are designs intended to address
the specific silicon manufacturing process technology of the semiconductor
manufacturer to which it is licensed. For example, details such as transistor
and interconnect dimensions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and affect
performance. The Company believes that its ability to adjust its
microprocessor designs to work at optimum performance levels for targeted
silicon process technologies is a significant competitive advantage. Because
they are designed with the manufacturing partner's specific silicon process
technology in mind, it is expected that these initial microprocessor cores
will have superior performance levels and high value for the target partner.
The Company also expects to generate both high-level description language
representations of these designs called "soft" cores and intermediate
representations with some process targeting called "firm" cores. Key internal
circuits of "firm" cores can be enhanced to maintain substantially the level
of performance of the "process targeted designs" on which they are based.
"Soft" cores and "firm" cores are flexible and can be licensed to multiple
customers and used in multiple applications, and the Company expects that
revenue from such cores will represent an increasingly significant portion of
its total revenue.
 
  The Company is working with Microsoft to optimize the Company's RISC-based
microprocessor designs for products running on the WindowsCE operating system.
The WindowsCE operating system, which was developed using the MIPS RISC
architecture, targets the general embedded and digital consumer products
markets as well as the mobile computing and Windows-based terminals markets.
The WindowsCE operating system has the advantage of a flexible and modular
system and a large installed base of developers who are experienced with
Windows API development tools. This could provide system OEMs with a familiar
software platform and could accelerate the growth of the digital consumer
products market.
 
  In anticipation of the Separation and the more limited focus of its research
and development efforts, the Company has significantly reduced its research
and development staff, from 221 persons at December 31, 1997 to 36 persons at
March 31, 1998. This decrease principally reflects the transfer to Silicon
Graphics of employees engaged in the development of next generation
microprocessors for Silicon Graphics' systems as well as other staff
reductions associated with the Company's shift in strategic direction. Because
the Company expects to use industry-standard third-party design tools, it will
not be required to develop and maintain the proprietary design tools that were
necessary in connection with the design of high-performance microprocessors
for Silicon Graphics. As a result, the Company expects that its staffing
requirements will be significantly lower than those required prior to the
Separation. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and for
the nine months ended March 31, 1998, the Company's research and development
costs were $39.0 million, $48.4 million, $68.8 million and $39.6 million,
respectively. Reflecting the reduction in the Company's research and
development staff in anticipation of the Separation and its change in
strategic direction, the
 
                                      40
<PAGE>
 
Company's research and development expenses for the three months ended March
31, 1998 were $4.4 million. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations." Despite this reduction in the
Company's initial research and development staffing requirements and
expenditures, the Company's business plan requires that it identify and hire
additional highly skilled technical personnel in fiscal 1999 to staff its
anticipated research and development activities. See "Risk Factors--Management
of Growth."
 
SALES AND MARKETING
 
  The Company's sales and marketing activities are focused principally on
establishing and maintaining licensing arrangements with semiconductor
manufacturers and participating in marketing, sales and technical efforts
directed to system OEMs. The Company licenses its RISC-based microprocessor
and related design technology on a non-exclusive and worldwide basis to
semiconductor manufacturers who, in turn, sell products incorporating these
technologies to system OEMs. The partnerships established by the Company form
a distribution channel and are an important element of its strategy to
proliferate the MIPS RISC architecture as the standard in the embedded
microprocessor industry. In establishing these partnerships, the Company seeks
to license its technology to those companies it believes can offer value-added
design capabilities in the Company's existing target markets as well as expand
the market for the Company's microprocessor and related designs. By licensing
its technology to multiple semiconductor manufacturers, the Company seeks to
ensure that system access to multiple sources of its RISC-based
microprocessors and related designs. The Company presently has two customers
that individually account for more than 10% of its total revenue: Nintendo and
NEC. Substantially all of the revenue derived from these two customers
reflects contract revenue and royalties related to development and sales of
Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges. Revenue related to
sales of Nintendo 64 video game cartridges is expected to continue to account
for a significant portion of the Company's total revenue for at least the next
several years and, therefore, the Company expects that a significant portion
of its total revenue will continue to be derived from Nintendo and, to a
lesser extent, NEC. See "Risk Factors--Revenue Concentration" and
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations--Revenue." For financial information regarding revenue derived from
the Company's international licensees, see Note 14 of Notes to Financial
Statements.
 
  Although the precise terms of the Company's contracts vary from licensee to
licensee, they typically provide for technology license and engineering
service fees which may be payable up-front and/or upon the achievement of
certain milestones such as provision of deliverables by the Company or
production of semiconductor products by the licensee. The Company's contracts
also provide for the payment of royalties to the Company based on a percentage
of the net revenue earned by the licensee from the sale of products
incorporating the Company's technology and, in some cases, based on unit sales
of such products. The Company's contracts with its semiconductors partners are
typically subject to periodic renewal or extension. The Company also offers
licensees the option to license its technology on a single-use or unlimited-
use basis, and may provide licensees with various technical support, training
and consulting services and sales and marketing support.
 
  Certain of the Company's marketing activities are also aimed at system
OEMs. Through targeted advertising and co-marketing programs with its
partners, the Company seeks to increase awareness of the MIPS RISC
architecture in popular digital consumer products. The Company believes that
these efforts will provide product differentiation that will generate demand
for its technology from digital consumer product manufacturers, thereby
increasing demand from semiconductor manufacturers for the Company's designs
in their products.
 
 
                                      41
<PAGE>
 
  Because the Company's past microprocessor design efforts have primarily
focused on serving the needs of Silicon Graphics, and although the Company has
always maintained a sales and marketing staff to support its strategic
relationships, its sales and marketing activities have not historically been
central to its operations. Following the Separation, however, the Company's
sales and marketing efforts will become significantly more critical to the
Company's future operating success. See "Risk Factors--Risks Associated with
Recent Shift in Strategic Direction." At December 31, 1997, the Company's
sales and marketing staff totaled 16 persons. The Company expects to increase
its sales and marketing staff following the Separation, although such staff is
not expected to initially exceed 20 persons. See "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
 
  The Company regards its patents, copyrights, mask work rights, trademarks,
trade secrets and similar intellectual property as critical to its success,
and relies on a combination of patent, trademark, copyright, mask work and
trade secret laws to protect its proprietary rights. Any failure of the
Company to obtain or maintain adequate protection of its intellectual property
rights for any reason could have a material adverse effect on its business,
results of operations and financial condition. In connection with the Offering
and the Separation, and subject to the grant of a license to Silicon Graphics,
the Company will own approximately 47 U.S. patents on various aspects of its
technology, with expiration dates ranging from 2006 to 2015, approximately 24
pending U.S. patent applications as well as all foreign counterparts relating
thereto. There can be no assurance that patents will issue from any patent
applications submitted by the Company, that any patents held by the Company
will not be challenged, invalidated or circumvented or that any claims allowed
from its patents will be of sufficient scope or strength to provide meaningful
protection or any commercial advantage to the Company. In addition, there can
be no assurance that third parties will not assert claims of infringement
against the Company or against the Company's semiconductor manufacturing
partners in connection with their use of the Company's technology. Such
claims, even those without merit, could be time consuming, result in costly
litigation and/or require the Company to enter into royalty or licensing
agreements. Such royalty or licensing agreements, if required, may not be
available on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all. Moreover, the laws of
certain foreign countries may not protect the Company's intellectual property
to the same extent as do the laws of the United States and, because of the
importance of the Company's intellectual property rights to its business, this
could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations
and financial condition.
 
  The Company also uses licensing agreements and employee and third party
nondisclosure and assignment agreements to limit access to and distribution of
its proprietary information and to obtain ownership of technology prepared on
a work-for-hire basis. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by the
Company to protect its intellectual property rights will be adequate to deter
misappropriation of such rights or that the Company will be able to detect
unauthorized uses and take immediate or effective steps to enforce its rights.
There can also be no assurance that the steps taken by the Company to obtain
ownership of contributed intellectual property will be sufficient to assure
its ownership of all proprietary rights. The Company also relies on unpatented
trade secrets to protect its proprietary technology. No assurance can be given
that others will not independently develop or otherwise acquire the same or
substantially equivalent technologies or otherwise gain access to the
Company's proprietary technology or disclose such technology or that the
Company can ultimately protect its rights to such unpatented proprietary
technology. In addition, no assurance can be given that third parties will not
obtain patent rights to such unpatented trade secrets, which patent rights
could be used to assert infringement claims against the Company. From time to
time the Company has entered, and in the future may enter, into cross
licensing arrangements with others, including the Technology
 
                                      42
<PAGE>
 
Agreement with Silicon Graphics, pursuant to which the Company licenses
certain of its patents in exchange for patent licenses from such licensees.
Although these types of cross licensing arrangements are common in the
semiconductor and microprocessor industries, and do not generally provide for
transfers of know-how or other proprietary information, such arrangements may
facilitate the ability of such licensees, either alone or in conjunction with
others, to develop competitive products and designs.
 
  As a result of the Separation and the Offering, the Company will not have
full access to Silicon Graphics' portfolio of intellectual property. Prior to
the Offering, the MIPS Group had access to Silicon Graphics' patents and other
intellectual property for use in its business. Such use by the MIPS Group has
not been documented by a written license agreement. In connection with the
Offering and the Separation, the Company and Silicon Graphics will enter into
arrangements pursuant to which certain intellectual property will be assigned
to the Company, subject to the grant of a license to Silicon Graphics; certain
intellectual property will be retained by Silicon Graphics, subject to the
grant of a license to the Company; and certain intellectual property will be
retained by Silicon Graphics without any ongoing interest to the Company. The
Company's inability to use Silicon Graphics' intellectual property in the
future could have a material adverse affect on its business and results of
operations. In the past, the MIPS Group has benefitted from its status as a
division of Silicon Graphics in its access to the intellectual property of
third parties through licensing arrangements or otherwise, and in the
negotiation of the financial and other terms of any such arrangements. As a
result of the Separation, there can be no assurance that the Company will be
able to negotiate commercially attractive intellectual property licensing
arrangements with third parties in the future, particularly if the Company
ceases to be a majority-owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics. In addition, in
connection with any future intellectual property infringement claims, the
Company will not have the benefit of asserting counterclaims based on Silicon
Graphics' intellectual property portfolio, nor will the Company be able to
provide licenses to Silicon Graphics' intellectual property in order to
resolve such claims.
 
COMPETITION
 
  The market for embedded microprocessors is highly competitive and
characterized by rapidly changing technological needs and capabilities. The
Company believes that the principal competitive factors in the embedded
microprocessor market are performance, functionality, price, customizability
and power consumption. The Company competes primarily against Hitachi
Semiconductor (America) Inc. and ARM Holdings plc. The Company also competes
against certain semiconductor manufacturers whose product lines include
microprocessors for embedded and non-embedded applications, including Intel
Corporation, National Semiconductor Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
and Motorola, Inc. In addition, the Company must continue to differentiate its
microprocessor and related designs from those available or under development
by the internal design groups of semiconductor manufacturers, including its
current and prospective manufacturing partners. Many of these internal design
groups have substantial programming and design resources and are part of
larger organizations which have substantial financial and marketing resources.
There can be no assurance that internal design groups will not develop
products that compete directly with the Company's microprocessor and related
designs or will not actively seek to participate as merchant vendors in the
intellectual property component market by selling to third-party semiconductor
manufacturers or, if they do, that the Company will be able to compete with
them successfully. To the extent that these alternative technologies provide
comparable performance at a lower or similar cost than the Company's
technology, semiconductor manufacturers may adopt and promote these
alternative technologies. Certain of the Company's competitors have greater
name recognition and customer bases as well as greater financial and marketing
resources than the Company, and such competition could adversely affect the
Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.
 
                                      43
<PAGE>
 
EMPLOYEES
 
  As of March 31, 1998, the Company had 52 full time employees. Of this total,
36 were in research and development, 13 were in sales and marketing and 3 were
in administration. Overall, approximately 73% of the Company's employees have
technical degrees and more than 37% have advanced technical degrees. The
Company's future success will depend in part on its ability to attract, retain
and motivate highly qualified technical and management personnel who are in
great demand in the semiconductor industry. The Company's business plan
requires that it identify and hire additional highly skilled technical
personal during fiscal 1999 to staff its anticipated research and development
activities. See "--Research and Development" and "Risk Factors--Management of
Growth." None of the Company's employees is represented by a labor union or
subject to a collective bargaining agreement. The Company believes that its
relations with its employee are good.
 
LITIGATION
 
  On April 6, 1998, Silicon Graphics and the Company filed an action against
ArtX, Inc. and certain employees of ArtX, Inc. in the Superior Court of the
State of California alleging, among other things, misappropriation of trade
secrets and breach of contractual and fiduciary duties in connection with the
defendants' actions in developing graphics technology for Nintendo's next
generation video game system. On April 23, 1998, Nintendo notified Silicon
Graphics and the Company of its belief that the disclosure in the Company's
registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
April 21, 1998 of certain information regarding the contract for the
development of the Nintendo 64 video game system constituted a breach of that
contract. Silicon Graphics and the Company strongly disagree that any such
breach has occurred. On May 27, 1998, Silicon Graphics, the Company, Nintendo
and ArtX, Inc. entered into a memorandum of understanding pursuant to which
the companies are engaged in further discussions relating to a possible
mutually beneficial business relationship, including the possible selection of
a MIPS-based microprocessor for the next generation Nintendo video game
system. On the basis of this understanding, Silicon Graphics and the Company
have dismissed without prejudice the pending lawsuit against ArtX, Inc., and
Nintendo has agreed that, in the absence of a lawsuit against Nintendo or
ArtX, Inc., it will not assert any claim that the Nintendo 64 contract has
been breached in connection with the filing of the Company's registration
statement.
 
  On April 10, 1998, the Company filed an action against Lexra, Inc., a
Massachusetts company ("Lexra"), in the United States District Court for the
Northern District of California, asserting claims for false advertisement,
trademark infringement, trademark dilution and unfair competition. This
lawsuit arises out of Lexra's claim that its newly introduced product offering
is "MIPS compatible." Lexra does not have a license from the Company to use
its intellectual property in connection with any Lexra products. The Company
intends to seek access to Lexra's products to evaluate possible patent
infringement claims and will expand the lawsuit if appropriate. The Company is
seeking injunctive relief as well as monetary damages. In May 1998, Lexra
filed an answer and counterclaim seeking to cancel certain of the Company's
trademarks.
 
  In February 1998, the Company received a notice asserting that the R10000
and potentially other microprocessors designed by the Company allegedly
infringe a patent currently held by Ceridian Corporation. The Company is
evaluating these claims.
 
  The Company believes that the foregoing proceedings are not likely to have a
material adverse effect on its business, results of operations or financial
condition.
 
  From time to time, the Company receives communications from third parties
asserting patent or other rights covering the Company's products and
technologies. Based upon the Company's
 
                                      44
<PAGE>
 
evaluation, it may take no action or it may seek to obtain a license. There
can be no assurance in any given case that a license will be available on
terms the Company considers reasonable, or that litigation will not ensue.
 
FACILITIES
 
  The Company's executive, administrative and technical offices currently
occupy approximately 20,000 square feet in a building leased by Silicon
Graphics in Mountain View, California. Following the Separation, the Company
intends to sublease from Silicon Graphics approximately 27,500 square feet
(with an option to increase to 55,000 square feet) in one building in Mountain
View, California. Payments by the Company to Silicon Graphics under this
sublease are expected to be equal to amounts payable by Silicon Graphics under
its sublease for the property with a third party. This sublease will expire on
May 31, 2002, subject to earlier termination in certain circumstances. The
Company believes that these facilities are adequate to meets its current needs
but that it may need to seek additional space in the future.
 
                                      45
<PAGE>
 
                                  MANAGEMENT
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
  The current executive officers and directors of the Company, and their ages
as of March 31, 1998, are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             NAME           AGE                        POSITION
             ----           ---                        --------
   <S>                      <C> <C>
   John E. Bourgoin........  52 Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
   Lavi Lev................  41 Senior Vice President--Engineering
   Kevin C. Eichler........  37 Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
   Derek Meyer.............  38 Vice President--Sales and Marketing
   Sandy Creighton.........  44 Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
   Dr. Forest Baskett......  54 Director
   Kenneth L. Coleman......  55 Director
   William M. Kelly........  44 Director
   Teruyasu Sekimoto.......  58 Director
</TABLE>
 
  JOHN E. BOURGOIN has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company since
February 1998 and President of the Company since September 1996, and has been
a director of the Company since May 1997. Mr. Bourgoin has also served as a
Senior Vice President of Silicon Graphics since September 1996, a position
from which he will resign prior to the closing of the Offering. Prior to
joining Silicon Graphics, Mr. Bourgoin was Vice President, Computation
Products Group at Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Mr. Bourgoin received his B.S.
in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois and his M.B.A from
Arizona State University.
 
  LAVI LEV has served as Senior Vice President--Engineering of the Company
since March 1998, and was Vice President--Engineering of Silicon Graphics from
1996 to March 1998. From 1995 to 1996, he served as Vice President,
Engineering at MicroUnity Systems Engineering and between 1992 and 1995 he was
a manager at Sun Microsystems, Inc. Prior to joining Sun Microsystems, Inc.,
Mr. Lev was employed by Intel Corporation and was involved in the development
of the Pentium microprocessor. Mr. Lev received his B.S. in Electrical
Engineering from Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.
 
  KEVIN C. EICHLER has served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
the Company since May 1998. Prior to joining the Company and since 1996, Mr.
Eichler served as Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer
and Secretary of Visigenic Software Inc., an independent provider of software
tools for distributed object technologies for the Internet, Intranet and
enterprise computing environments. From 1995 to 1996, he served as Executive
Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of National Insurance
Group, a provider of technology solutions for financial services and related
companies. From 1991 to 1995, Mr. Eichler served as Executive Vice President,
Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Mortgage Quality Management, Inc., a
national provider of quality control services and technologies to residential
mortgage lenders. Prior to 1991, Mr. Eichler held management positions with
NeXT Software and Microsoft. Mr. Eichler received his B.S. in Accounting from
St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
 
  DEREK MEYER joined the Company in May 1996 as Director of Worldwide
Marketing and Sales and became Vice President--Sales and Marketing in March
1998. Prior to joining the Company and since 1994, Mr. Meyer served as
marketing director for the TriMedia division of
 
                                      46
<PAGE>
 
Philips Semiconductors and prior to that time he was director of SPARC
marketing for Sun Microsystems, Inc. Mr. Meyer received his B.S. in Physics
from Florida Atlantic University.
 
  SANDY CREIGHTON joined the Company in June 1998 as Vice President, General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Prior to joining the Company and since 1991,
Ms. Creighton was Deputy General Counsel at Sun Microsystems, Inc. Ms.
Creighton received her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law.
 
  Dr. Forest Baskett has served as a director of the Company since January
1998. Since 1990, Dr. Baskett has served as Senior Vice President, Research
and Development of Silicon Graphics, and since 1994, has also served as its
Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Baskett received his B.A. in Mathematics from
Rice University and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of
Texas.
 
  KENNETH L. COLEMAN has served as a director of the Company since January
1998. Since April 1997, Mr. Coleman has been Senior Vice President, Customer
and Professional Services of Silicon Graphics. Prior to that time, he was
Senior Vice President, Administration of Silicon Graphics.
 
  WILLIAM M. KELLY has served as a director of the Company since January 1998.
He joined Silicon Graphics in 1994 as Vice President, Business Development,
General Counsel and Secretary and, since 1997, has been Senior Vice President,
Corporate Operations of Silicon Graphics. During 1996, Mr. Kelly also served
as Senior Vice President, Silicon Interactive Group of Silicon Graphics and he
served as acting Chief Financial Officer of Silicon Graphics from May 1997 to
February 1998. Prior to joining Silicon Graphics, Mr. Kelly was an attorney in
private practice.
 
  TERUYASU SEKIMOTO has served as a director of the Company since January
1998. Mr. Sekimoto joined Silicon Graphics in 1987 as representative director
of Silicon Graphics Japan. In 1991, he became Vice President, North Pacific
Area and since 1995 has served as Senior Vice President, East Asia.
 
  Ownership interests of directors or officers of the Company in the common
stock of Silicon Graphics or service as both a director of the Company and an
officer or employee of Silicon Graphics could create or appear to create
potential conflicts of interest when directors and officers are faced with
decisions that could have different implications for the Company and Silicon
Graphics, such as potential acquisitions or financing transactions as well as
other corporate opportunities that may be suitable for both the Company and
Silicon Graphics. See "Risk Factors--Potential Conflicts of Interest." The
Restated Certificate of Incorporation will include certain provisions relating
to the allocation of business opportunities that may be suitable for both the
Company and Silicon Graphics based on the relationship to the Company and
Silicon Graphics of the individual to whom the opportunity is presented and
the method by which is presented. See "Description of Capital Stock--Corporate
Opportunities." In addition, under Delaware law, officers and directors of the
Company have fiduciary duties to the Company's stockholders.
 
BOARD COMPOSITION
 
   Four of the Company's five current directors are officers or employees of
Silicon Graphics. Prior to completion of the Offering, the size of the Board
of Directors will be increased by two, and the Company's stockholder is
expected to elect the following two additional directors who are not
associated with the Company or Silicon Graphics:
 
  ANTHONY B. HOLBROOK, age 58. Mr. Holbrook retired as Chief Technical Officer
of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. in August 1994. Mr. Holbrook joined Advanced
Micro Devices, Inc. in 1973 and served in a number of executive capacities. He
was elected a corporate officer in 1978 and in 1982 was named Executive Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer. In 1986, Mr. Holbrook
 
                                      47
<PAGE>
 
was named President of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and was elected to the
board of directors. In 1989, he moved from Chief Operating Officer to Chief
Technical Officer and in 1990 from President to Vice Chairman, a position he
held until April 1996. Prior to joining Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Mr.
Holbrook held engineering management positions with Fairchild Semiconductor
and Computer Micro Technology Corporation. Mr. Holbrook is also a director of
SDL, Inc., a solid state laser manufacturer. Mr. Holbrook received his B.S. in
Engineering from UCLA and his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford
University.
 
  FRED M. GIBBONS, age 48. Mr. Gibbons has been a partner with Concept Stage
Venture Management, an investment firm based in California, since 1994. From
1995 through 1998, Mr. Gibbons was also a lecturer at the Stanford University
Graduate School of Engineering. In 1981, Mr. Gibbons founded Software
Publishing Corporation based in San Jose, California, a company engaged in the
development of software systems for personal computer applications, and was
its Chief Executive Officer through 1994. Prior to 1981, Mr. Gibbons was
employed as a product and marketing manager for Hewlett-Packard Company. Mr.
Gibbons received his B.S. in Science Engineering and his M.S. in Computer
Science from University of Michigan and his M.B.A. from Harvard University.
 
  Following the Offering, the Company's Board of Directors will be divided
into three classes of directors serving staggered three-year terms. The terms
of office of the directors will expire as follows (assuming the election of
Messrs. Holbrook and Gibbons): Messrs. Bourgoin and Coleman at the annual
meeting of stockholders in 1999, Messrs. Sekimoto and Gibbons at the annual
meeting of stockholders in 2000 and Dr. Baskett and Messrs. Kelly and Holbrook
at the annual meeting of stockholders in 2001. Silicon Graphics will have the
ability to change the size and composition of the Company's Board of Directors
and committees of the Board of Directors. See "Arrangements Between the
Company and Silicon Graphics--Relationship with Silicon Graphics."
 
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
  The Company's Board of Directors will have two committees: an Audit
Committee and a Compensation Committee. The responsibilities of the Audit
Committee include recommending to the Board of Directors the independent
public accountants to be selected to conduct the annual audit of the accounts
of the Company; reviewing the proposed scope of such audit and approving the
audit fees to be paid; and reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the
internal auditing, accounting and financial controls of the Company with the
independent public accountants and the Company's financial and accounting
staff. The Audit Committee will be comprised solely of independent directors.
The responsibilities of the Compensation Committee include administering the
1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan and selecting the officers and key employees to
whom Awards will be granted. The Compensation Committee will be comprised of
non-management directors.
 
  The Board of Directors may, from time to time, establish certain other
committees to facilitate the management of the Company.
 
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
 
  It is anticipated that directors who do not receive compensation as officers
or employees of the Company or any of its affiliates will be paid an annual
board membership fee. Directors are reimbursed for reasonable expenses
incurred in attending Board or committee meetings.
 
 
                                      48
<PAGE>
 
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
 
  In fiscal 1997, the Company did not have a Compensation Committee or any
other committee serving a similar function. Decisions as to the compensation
of executive officers were made by Silicon Graphics.
 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
  Following the Separation, the executive officers and all other employees of
the Company will be compensated solely by the Company and will no longer
participate in any of Silicon Graphics' compensation or benefit plans. In
connection with their acceptance of employment with the Company, executive
officers and employees of the Company previously employed by Silicon Graphics
have mutually agreed with Silicon Graphics that all unvested options to
purchase Silicon Graphics common stock and all unvested restricted shares of
Silicon Graphics common stock will be forfeited. In addition, such individuals
will have 30 or 90 days (depending on the terms of the option grant) to
exercise any vested options to purchase Silicon Graphics common stock, and any
vested options that are not exercised will be forfeited.
 
1998 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
 
  In connection with the Offering, the Company has adopted the 1998 Long-Term
Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The purposes of the Plan are to attract, retain
and motivate officers and other key employees and consultants of the Company,
to compensate them for their contributions to the growth and profits of the
Company and to encourage ownership by them of Common Stock. The Plan
authorizes the issuance of various forms of stock-based awards (the "Awards")
to such individuals.
 
  ADMINISTRATION. The Plan will be administered by the Compensation Committee
of the Company's Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee will have full
authority to: administer the Plan, select participants from among eligible
individuals, make factual interpretations in connection with the
administration or interpretation of the Plan, determine the type of Award and
the number of shares pursuant to each Award, and set forth the terms and
conditions of Awards, including those related to vesting, forfeiture, payment
and exercisability. Subject to certain limitations, the Compensation Committee
may from time to time delegate some or all of its authority to one or more
officers of the Company. The Compensation Committee may also determine the
effect, if any, that a participant's termination of employment will have on
the vesting, exercisability, payment or lapse of restrictions applicable to an
Award.
 
  NUMBER OF SHARES. An aggregate of 6,600,000 shares of Common Stock will be
authorized for issuance under the Plan. The number of shares available for
issuance under the Plan will be proportionately adjusted in the event of
certain changes in the Company's capitalization or a similar transaction.
Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares,
treasury shares or any combination thereof. In addition to the overall share
limit, some special limits apply. In accordance with the requirements under
the regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
(the "Code"), no eligible individual may receive stock options or stock
appreciation rights with respect to an aggregate of more than 198,000 shares
of Common Stock in any one-year period or stock awards subject to performance
requirements and performance shares with respect to more than 198,000 shares
of Common Stock per performance period. Aggregate stock Awards made under the
Plan that are not subject to performance goals may not exceed 6,000,000
shares. In accordance with the requirements under Section 422 of the Code
pertaining to incentive stock options, the fair market value of the number of
shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to
 
                                      49
<PAGE>
 
incentive stock options which are exercisable for the first time by a
participant under any Company plan may not exceed, in the aggregate, $100,000
during any calendar year.
 
  ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. The Compensation Committee intends to grant Awards
under the Plan to employees and consultants of the Company (or a subsidiary)
with the potential to contribute to the future success of the Company or its
subsidiaries. Members of the Compensation Committee are not eligible to
receive Awards under the Plan.
 
  AWARD AGREEMENT. Each Award granted pursuant to the Plan will be evidenced
by an Award agreement between the Company and the participant. In addition to
certain of the terms herein set forth, such agreements may contain such other
terms as the Compensation Committee shall prescribe. Such additional terms may
vary among Award agreements.
 
  AWARDS GENERALLY. The Compensation Committee may authorize the following
Awards based upon the Common Stock: (i) stock options, (ii) stock appreciation
rights, which may be granted in tandem with or independently of stock options,
(iii) stock awards, (iv) performance unit awards and (v) other forms of awards
which the Compensation Committee determines to be consistent with the purposes
of the Plan and the interests of the Company.
 
  STOCK OPTIONS. In connection with the Offering, the Company has granted
stock options under the Plan. The Company intends to award both nonqualified
stock options ("NSOs") and incentive stock options ("ISOs") within the meaning
of Section 422 of the Code in connection with the Offering. Under the terms of
the Plan, the per share exercise price of such stock options shall be no less
than 100% of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that ISOs granted to a participant who owns more than ten
percent of the voting power of the Company's stock will be priced at 110% of
fair market value on the date of grant. The term of a stock option will be
fixed by the Compensation Committee upon grant, and the term of an ISO may not
exceed ten years. The vesting schedules of the stock options will be
determined by the Compensation Committee and will be governed by the
individual stock option agreements; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no stock option
may vest prior to 10 months from the date of grant, except if the vesting of
the stock option is accelerated in accordance with an event described in an
applicable Award agreement. At the discretion of the Compensation Committee,
the exercise price of a stock option may be paid in cash, by withholding
shares of Common Stock from the exercise, or in previously owned stock or a
combination thereof.
 
  STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. Stock appreciation rights entitle a participant
to receive upon exercise an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair
market value on the date of exercise of the number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the stock appreciation right over the applicable exercise price.
The exercise price will be determined by the Award agreement but in no case
may be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying Common Stock
at the date of grant. The term of the stock appreciation right will be
governed by the Award agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no stock appreciation
right may vest prior to 10 months from the date of grant, except if the
vesting of the stock appreciation rights is accelerated in accordance with an
event described in an applicable Award agreement. At the discretion of the
Compensation Committee, payments to a participant upon exercise of a stock
appreciation right may be made in cash, shares of Common Stock or a
combination thereof. Stock appreciation rights may be granted alone or in
tandem with other Awards. The Compensation Committee does not intend to grant
any stock appreciation rights in connection with the Offering.
 
  STOCK AWARDS. Stock Awards may consist of one or more shares of Common Stock
granted or offered for sale to a participant subject to terms and conditions,
including vesting requirements or restrictions on transferability, as
determined by the Compensation Committee
 
                                      50
<PAGE>
 
and specified in the Award agreement. The Compensation Committee has granted
stock Awards totalling 15,000 shares of Common Stock in connection with the
Offering.
 
  PERFORMANCE UNIT AWARDS. Performance unit Awards entitle a participant to
receive fixed or variable share or dollar-denominated units of Common Stock
upon satisfaction of certain specified performance criteria and subject to
such other terms and conditions as the Compensation Committee deems
appropriate. Payment in settlement of a performance unit Award will be made as
soon as practicable following the conclusion of the applicable performance
period in shares of Common Stock, in an equivalent amount of cash or in a
combination of Common Stock and cash, as the Compensation Committee
determines. The Compensation Committee does not intend to grant any
performance unit Awards in connection with the Offering.
 
  OTHER AWARDS. The Compensation Committee may specify the terms and
provisions of other forms of equity based or equity-related Awards not
described above which the Compensation Committee determines to be consistent
with the purpose of the Plan and the interests of the Company, which Awards
may provide for deferral of compensation through equity based units, for cash
payments based in whole or in part on the value or future value of Common
Stock, for the acquisition or future acquisition of Common Stock, or any
combination thereof. Other Awards may also include cash payments based on one
or more criteria determined by the Committee which are unrelated to the value
of Common Stock. Other than stock options and stock Awards, the Compensation
Committee does not intend to grant any other equity based awards in connection
with the Offering.
 
  AMENDMENT. The Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee may amend or
terminate the Plan at any time, except that stockholder approval is required
to increase the maximum number of shares issuable under the plan or to reduce
the exercise price of any outstanding stock option or stock appreciation
right. No amendment or termination may adversely affect a participant's rights
with respect to previously granted Awards without his or her consent.
 
  EFFECT OF REORGANIZATION. In the event of termination of a participant's
employment by the Company without Cause or, in certain cases, by a participant
for Good Reason following a Change in Control (as such terms may be defined in
the applicable Award agreements), the Compensation Committee may allow for the
following: (i) all such participant's outstanding stock options and stock
appreciation rights may become fully vested and exercisable, (ii) all
restrictions and conditions of all stock Awards then held by such participant
may lapse, and (iii) all performance share Awards held by such participant may
be deemed to have been fully earned.
 
  ADJUSTMENTS. In the event of any change in the outstanding Common Stock by
reason of a stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger,
consolidation, stock split, combination or exchange of shares or any other
significant corporate event affecting the Common Stock, the Compensation
Committee, in its discretion, may make (i) such proportionate adjustments as
it considers appropriate (in the form determined by the Compensation Committee
in its sole discretion) to prevent diminution or enlargement of the rights of
Participants under the Plan with respect to the aggregate number of shares of
Common Stock for which Awards in respect thereof may be granted under the
Plan, the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each outstanding Award,
and the exercise or Award prices in respect thereof and/or (ii) such other
adjustments as it deems appropriate.
 
  TERMINATION OF THE PLAN. By its terms, the Plan will remain in effect until
terminated by the Board. No awards may be granted under the Plan after the
tenth anniversary of its effective date.
 
 
                                      51
<PAGE>
 
  U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX EFFECTS. Certain of the federal income tax
consequences to participants and the Company of Awards granted under the Plan
should generally be as set forth in the following summary.
 
  An employee to whom an ISO which qualifies under Section 422 of the Code is
granted will not recognize income at the time of grant or exercise of such
option. No federal income tax deduction will be allowable to the employee's
employer upon the grant or exercise of such ISO. However, upon the exercise of
an ISO, any excess in the fair market price of the Common Stock over the
option price constitutes a tax preference item which may have alternative
minimum tax consequences for the employee. When the employee sells such shares
more than one year after the date of transfer of such shares and more than two
years after the date of grant of such ISO, the employee will normally
recognize a long-term capital gain or loss equal to the difference, if any,
between the sale prices of such shares and the option price. If the employee
does not hold such shares for the required period, when the employee sells
such shares, the employee will recognize ordinary compensation income and
possibly capital gain or loss in such amounts as are prescribed by the Code
and the regulations thereunder and the Company will generally be entitled to a
federal income tax deduction in the amount of such ordinary compensation
income.
 
  A participant to whom a NSO is granted will not recognize income at the time
of grant of such option. When such participant exercises such NSO, the
participant will recognize ordinary compensation income equal to the
difference, if any, between the option price paid and the fair market value,
as of the date of option exercise, of the shares the participant receives. The
tax basis of such shares to such participant will be equal to the option price
paid plus the amount includible in the participant's gross income, and the
participant's holding period for such shares will commence on the date on
which the participant recognized taxable income in respect of such shares.
Subject to the applicable provisions of the Code and regulations thereunder,
the Company will generally be entitled to a federal income tax deduction in
respect of a NSO in an amount equal to the ordinary compensation income
recognized by the participant.
 
  A participant who receives a grant of stock appreciation rights or
performance unit Awards will recognize ordinary compensation income at the
time such Award is settled in cash or stock in an amount equal to the cash or
the fair market value of the stock received. Subject to the applicable
provisions of the Code and regulations thereunder, the Company will generally
be entitled to a federal income tax deduction in respect of a grant of stock
appreciation rights and performance unit Awards in an amount equal to the
ordinary compensation income recognized by the participant.
 
  No income will be recognized by a participant who is granted a stock Award
if the Award is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture or restrictions on
transferability, unless the participant makes a special election with the
Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed at
the time of grant. Upon lapse of the risk of forfeiture or restrictions on
transferability, the participant will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates on
the then fair market value of the Common Stock and a corresponding deduction
will be allowable. The participant's basis in the Common Stock will be equal
to the ordinary income so recognized. Upon subsequent disposition of such
Common Stock, the participant will realize capital gain or loss (long-term,
mid-term or short-term, depending upon the holding period of the stock sold).
 
  Pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code, a participant may elect within 30
days of receipt of the stock Award to be taxed at ordinary income tax rates on
the fair market value of the Common Stock comprising the stock Award at the
time of award. If the election is made, the Company will be entitled to a
corresponding deduction. No income will be recognized, and no deduction will
be allowed the Company, upon lapse of the risk of forfeiture or restrictions
on transferability.
 
                                      52
<PAGE>
 
GRANTS UNDER THE 1998 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
 
  In connection with the Offering, the Company has made initial grants of
stock options and stock Awards to the executive officers and certain other
employees and consultants of the Company under the 1998 Long-Term Incentive
Plan. An aggregate of 2,996,900 shares of Common Stock are issuable upon the
exercise of the options granted at an exercise price of $12.00 per share. In
addition, the Company granted stock Awards totalling 15,000 shares of Common
Stock. The following table sets forth the number of shares of Common Stock
underlying options and the number of shares subject to stock Awards that were
granted under the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan to (i) each of the executive
officers of the Company, (ii) the executive officers of the Company as a group
and (iii) all employees and consultants of the Company as a group other than
the executive officers of the Company.
 
                  GRANTS UNDER 1998 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      NUMBER OF SHARES  STOCK
NAME AND POSITION                                    UNDERLYING OPTIONS AWARDS
- -----------------                                    ------------------ ------
<S>                                                  <C>                <C>
John E. Bourgoin....................................       559,500      15,000
 Chief Executive Officer and President
Lavi Lev............................................       298,400         --
 Senior Vice President--Engineering
Kevin C. Eichler....................................       223,800         --
 Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Derek Meyer.........................................       205,200         --
 Vice President--Sales and Marketing
Sandy Creighton.....................................       223,800         --
 Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate
  Secretary
Executive Officers as a Group.......................     1,510,700      15,000
Non-Executive Officer Employee and Consultants
 Group..............................................     1,486,200         --
</TABLE>
 
EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
 
  General. The Company has adopted the MIPS Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (the "Purchase Plan"). The purpose of the Purchase Plan is to
provide employees of the Company who participate in the Purchase Plan with an
opportunity to purchase Common Stock of the Company through payroll
deductions. The Board believes that the equity incentive opportunity
represented by the Purchase Plan is an important factor in attracting,
retaining and motivating the best available talent. Accordingly, to provide
for the future issuance of shares under the Purchase Plan, the Board has
reserved 600,000 shares of Common Stock for issuance under the Purchase Plan.
 
  Administration. The Purchase Plan, and the rights of the participants to
make purchases thereunder, are intended to qualify under the provisions of
Sections 421 and 423 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Purchase Plan may be
administered by the Board or by a committee of the Board. All questions of
interpretation of the Purchase Plan are determined by the Board or the
committee designated by the Board and shall be binding on all participants in
the Purchase Plan. No charges for administrative or other costs may be made
against the payroll deductions of a participant in the Purchase Plan.
 
  Members of the Board who are eligible employees are permitted to participate
in the Purchase Plan. Members of the Board who are eligible to participate in
the Purchase Plan may not vote on any matters affecting the Purchase Plan. No
member of the Board who is eligible to participate in the Purchase Plan may be
a member of a committee established to administer the Purchase Plan.
 
                                      53
<PAGE>
 
  Eligibility. Any individual who is customarily employed by the Company (or
any of its majority-owned subsidiaries) for at least 20 hours per week and
more than five months in a calendar year is eligible to participate in the
Purchase Plan, provided that the individual is employed on the first day of an
offering period and subject to certain limitations imposed by Section 423(b)
of the Code.
 
  Offering Periods. The Purchase Plan is implemented by overlapping 24-month
offering periods ("Offering Periods"), each divided into four six-month
exercise periods. Shares are issued on the last day of each six-month exercise
period (the "Exercise Date"). A new Offering Period commences every six
months, generally at May 1 and November 1 of each year, provided that the
initial Offering Period shall commence on June 10, 1998. Employees may
commence their participation in the Purchase Plan only at the beginning of an
Offering Period and may participate in only one Offering Period at one time.
The Purchase Plan provides that the Board or the Compensation Committee may
set the duration of the Offering Periods at any period of time in its
discretion, without stockholder approval.
 
  Participation in the Plan. Eligible employees become participants in the
Purchase Plan by delivering to the Company a subscription agreement
authorizing payroll deductions for the purchase of shares under the Plan not
less than 15 days prior to the beginning of an Offering Period, unless a later
time for filing the subscription agreement has been set by the Board for all
eligible employees with respect to a given Offering Period. A person who
becomes employed after the commencement of an Offering Period may not
participate in the Plan until the commencement of the next Offering Period.
Unless the participant's participation is discontinued, the purchase of shares
occurs automatically on the next Exercise Date in the Offering Period.
 
  Purchase Price. The purchase price per share at which shares are sold under
the Purchase Plan is 85% of the lower of the fair market value of the Common
Stock (a) on the date of commencement of the Offering Period or (b) on the
applicable Exercise Date within such Offering Period. The applicable "Exercise
Date" is the last day of the particular six-month exercise period within the
Offering Period. The fair market value of the Common Stock on a given date is
the closing sales price on the Nasdaq National Market as of such date.
 
  Payment of Purchase Price; Payroll Deductions. The purchase price of the
shares is accumulated by payroll deductions during the Offering Period. The
deductions may not exceed 10% of a participant's eligible compensation. The
Board currently has defined eligible compensation to mean base pay, plus all
other amounts attributable to overtime, shift premium, incentive compensation,
regular bonuses and commissions, exclusive of "spot bonuses" and any other
such similar items. A participant may discontinue his or her participation in
the Purchase Plan or may increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions
at any time during the Offering Period. Payroll deductions generally commence
on the first payday following the commencement of the Offering Period, and
continue at the same rate until the end of the Offering Period unless sooner
terminated as provided in the Purchase Plan; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that for the
initial Offering Period commencing on June 10, 1998, payroll deductions will
not commence until the first payday following the date that the registration
statement of which this Prospectus forms a part becomes effective or is
declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933. Initial payroll deductions in the period from June 10,
1998 to the effective date of the registration statement will, upon
authorization by the participant, be contributed in two substantially equal
payments during the first two payroll periods immediately following the
effective date of the registration statement, and, thereafter, payroll
deduction will be made at the rate authorized by the participant in his or her
subscription agreement. All payroll deductions are credited to the
participant's account under the Purchase Plan and are deposited with the
general funds of the Company. All payroll deductions received or held by the
Company may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose.
 
                                      54
<PAGE>
 
  The maximum number of shares issuable to a participant in an Offering Period
is the lesser of (i) the number of shares purchasable by dividing $50,000 by
the fair market value of the Company's Common Stock on the first day of the
Offering Period, or (ii) to the extent such limit is imposed by law, the
number of shares purchasable without allowing a participant to accrue the
right to purchase shares under the Purchase Plan at a rate exceeding $25,000
of fair market value of such shares (determined at the first day of the
Offering Period) for each calendar year in which the option is outstanding at
any time. See discussion below under "Withdrawal."
 
  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no participant will be permitted to subscribe
for shares under the Purchase Plan if, immediately after the grant of the
option, the participant would own 5% or more of the combined voting power or
value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries
(including stock which may be purchased under the Purchase Plan or pursuant to
any other options). Furthermore, if the total number of shares issuable on an
Exercise Date exceeds the number of shares then available under the Purchase
Plan, a pro rata allocation of the available shares will be made in as uniform
a manner as is practicable.
 
  Withdrawal. A participant's interest in a given offering may be terminated
in whole, but not in part, at any time during an Offering Period by signing
and delivering to the Company a notice of withdrawal from the Purchase Plan.
Any withdrawal by the participant of accumulated payroll deductions for a
given Offering Period automatically terminates the participant's participation
in that Offering Period. The failure to remain in the continuous employ of the
Company for at least 20 hours per week during an Offering Period will be
deemed to be a withdrawal from that Offering Period. A participant's
withdrawal from an Offering Period does not have any effect upon such
participant's eligibility to participate in subsequent Offering Periods under
the Purchase Plan.
 
  Automatic Transfer to Lower Price Offering Period. If the fair market value
of the Company's Common Stock on the first day of any exercise period is less
than on the first day of that Offering Period, all employees participating in
the Purchase Plan on the first day of such exercise period will be deemed to
have withdrawn from the Offering Period on the first day of such exercise
period and to have enrolled in the new Offering Period commencing on that
date. A participant may elect to remain in the previous Offering Period by
delivery of a written notice to the Company declaring such election prior to
the time of the automatic change to the new Offering Period.
 
  Adjustment on Changes in Capitalization. In the event any change is made in
the Company's capitalization, such as a stock split or stock dividend, which
results in an increase or decrease in the number of outstanding shares of
Common Stock without receipt of consideration by the Company, appropriate
adjustments will be made by the Board in the shares subject to purchase under
the Purchase Plan and in the purchase price per share. In the event of the
proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the offering periods will
terminate immediately prior to such dissolution or liquidation, unless the
Board provides otherwise. The Board may also, in the exercise of its sole
discretion, adjust the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance
under the Purchase Plan as well as the purchase price per share for
outstanding options in the event the Company effects a reorganization,
recapitalization, rights offering or other increase or reduction of shares of
outstanding Common Stock, and in the event of the Company being consolidated
with or merged into any other corporation.
 
  Acceleration of Options. In the event of a proposed sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company or the merger of the Company
with or into another corporation, each option under the Purchase Plan will be
assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a
parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation unless the Board
determines, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in lieu of such
assumption or substitution,
 
                                      55
<PAGE>
 
that the participant will have the right to exercise the option as to all of
the optioned stock, including shares as to which the option would not
otherwise be exercisable.
 
  Non-assignability. No rights or accumulated payroll deductions of a
participant under the Purchase Plan may be pledged, assigned or transferred
for any reason, and any such attempt may be treated by the Company as an
election to withdraw from the Purchase Plan.
 
  Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Purchase Plan may be amended by
the Board of Directors without prior approval of the stockholders of the
Company unless such approval is required by applicable law or regulation,
including the rules of the Nasdaq National Market (such as an amendment that
would increase the number of shares reserved under the Purchase Plan).
 
  Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations. The Purchase Plan, and the right
of participants to make purchases thereunder, is intended to qualify under the
provisions of Section 421 and 423 of the Code. Under these provisions, no
income will be taxable to a participant at the time of purchase of shares.
Upon disposition of the shares, the participant will be subject to tax and the
amount of the tax will depend on the holding period. If the shares are
disposed of by the participant at least two years after the beginning of the
Offering Period and at least one year from the date the shares are purchased,
the lesser of (a) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the
time of such disposition over the purchase price, or (b) 15% of the fair
market value of the shares on the first day of the Offering Period will be
treated as ordinary income and any further gain will be taxed at long-term
capital gain rates. If the shares are sold after such time and the sales price
is less than the purchase price, the participant recognizes no ordinary income
but instead a capital loss.
 
  If the shares are sold or otherwise disposed of before the expiration of
such two-year and one-year periods, the excess of the fair market value of the
shares on the exercise date over the purchase price will be treated as
ordinary income. Any additional gain or loss on such sale or disposition shall
be long-term, mid-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on the
holding period. The Company is not entitled to a deduction for amounts taxed
as ordinary income or capital gain to a participant except to the extent of
ordinary income recognized by participants upon disposition of shares within
two years from the date of grant or within one year of the date of purchase.
 
  The foregoing is only a summary of the effect of federal income taxation
upon the participant and the Company with respect to the shares purchased
under the Purchase Plan. Reference should be made to the applicable provisions
of the Code. In addition, the summary does not discuss the tax consequences of
a participant's death or the income tax laws of any state or foreign country
in which the participant may reside.
 
  New Plan Benefits. It is not presently possible to determine the benefits or
amounts that will be received under the Purchase Plan by any particular
employees or groups in the future.
 
                                      56
<PAGE>
 
COMPENSATION OF THE NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS IN FISCAL 1997
 
  The following table sets forth certain compensation information for the
Chief Executive Officer and the other executive officers of the Company who,
based on employment with Silicon Graphics, were the most highly compensated
for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997 (collectively, the "Named Executive
Officers"). All of the information set forth in this table reflects
compensation earned by such individuals for services rendered to Silicon
Graphics and its subsidiaries.
 
                          SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    LONG-TERM COMPENSATION
                           ANNUAL COMPENSATION(1)           AWARDS
                          ------------------------- -----------------------
                                                                 SECURITIES
                                                     RESTRICTED  UNDERLYING    ALL OTHER
   NAME AND POSITION       SALARY   BONUS  OTHER(2) STOCK AWARDS OPTIONS(3) COMPENSATION(4)
   -----------------      -------- ------- -------- ------------ ---------- ---------------
<S>                       <C>      <C>     <C>      <C>          <C>        <C>
John E. Bourgoin........  $280,000 $89,086  $9,382       --       125,000       $1,200
 Chief Executive Officer
 and President
Lavi Lev................   215,192 106,550  83,024       --        64,000        2,400
 Senior Vice President--
 Engineering
Derek Meyer.............   182,215   2,250     296       --        12,000        1,772
 Vice President--Sales
 and Marketing
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) Silicon Graphics has no pension, retirement, annuity or similar benefit
    plan.
(2) Other annual compensation for Mr. Bourgoin and Mr. Meyer includes various
    executive perquisites none of which exceed 25% of the amount reported as
    other annual compensation. Other annual compensation for Mr. Lev includes
    (i) $42,000 of income reflecting monthly amortization of a forgivable loan
    from Silicon Graphics, (ii) $34,320 in relocation expenses and housing
    allowances and (iii) various executive perquisites none of which exceed
    25% of the amount reported as other annual compensation.
(3) In fiscal 1997, Silicon Graphics effected an option exchange program to
    allow employees to exchange their out-of-the-money stock options for a
    smaller number of new options at a more favorable exercise price. The
    numbers in this column include 44,000 options issued to Mr. Lev in the
    exchange program for 55,000 options that were granted in fiscal 1997 and
    12,000 options issued to Mr. Meyer in the exchange program for 15,000
    options that were granted prior to fiscal 1997.
(4) All other compensation includes Silicon Graphics' contribution to savings
    plans.
 
                                      57
<PAGE>
 
  The following table sets forth information regarding stock options granted
to the Named Executive Officers in respect of shares of Silicon Graphics
common stock under Silicon Graphics' stock plans.
 
                         OPTION GRANTS IN FISCAL 1997
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       INDIVIDUAL GRANTS(1)
                         -------------------------------------------------
                                                                           POTENTIAL REALIZABLE
                                                                             VALUE AT ASSUMED
                         NUMBER OF    % OF TOTAL                           ANNUAL RATES OF STOCK
                         SECURITIES    OPTIONS                              PRICE APPRECIATION
                         UNDERLYING   GRANTED TO     EXERCISE               FOR OPTION TERM(2)
                          OPTIONS     EMPLOYEES       PRICE     EXPIRATION ---------------------
          NAME            GRANTED   IN FISCAL YEAR PER SHARE(3)    DATE        5%        10%
          ----           ---------- -------------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ----------
<S>                      <C>        <C>            <C>          <C>        <C>        <C>
John E. Bourgoin........  125,000          *         $21.875     09/16/06  $1,719,634 $4,357,890
Lavi Lev................   20,000          *          11.690     07/31/06     527,708    978,775
                           32,000          *          18.875     07/31/06     341,685    846,094
                           12,000          *          18.875     01/28/07     136,817    343,603
Derek Meyer.............   12,000          *          18.875     05/03/06     123,938    304,793
</TABLE>
- --------
 * Less than 1%.
(1) The options in this table, other than 20,000 shares granted to Mr. Lev in
    July 1996, were granted under Silicon Graphics' 1993 Long-Term Incentive
    Stock Plan and have exercise prices equal to the fair market value on the
    date of grant. The option to purchase 20,000 shares at an exercise price
    of $11.69 per share granted to Mr. Lev in July 1996 was granted under
    Silicon Graphics 1985 Stock Incentive Program and has an exercise price of
    50% of the fair market value on the date of grant. The options become
    exercisable at a rate of 2% per month over a period of fifty months and
    expire ten years from the date of grant.
(2) Potential realizable value assumes that the price of Silicon Graphics'
    common stock increases from the date of grant until the end of the option
    term (10 years) at the annual rate specified (5% and 10%). The 5% and 10%
    assumed annual rates of appreciation are mandated by rules of the
    Securities and Exchange Commission and do not represent an estimate or
    projection of the future price of Silicon Graphics' common stock. The
    Company does not believe that this method accurately illustrates the
    potential value of a stock option.
(3) In fiscal 1997, Silicon Graphics effected an option exchange program to
    allow employees to exchange their out-of-the-money stock options for a
    smaller number of new options at a more favorable exercise price. Option
    grants to Messrs. Lev and Meyer that are priced at $18.875 per share are
    new options that were issued in the exchange program for options
    previously granted which totaled (i) 55,000 options for Mr. Lev with an
    exercise price of between $23.375 and $27.375 per share and (ii) 15,000
    options for Mr. Meyer with an exercise price of $28.375.
 
  The following table sets forth information regarding options to purchase
Silicon Graphics common stock that were exercised by the Named Executive
Officers during fiscal 1997, and the number and value of unexercised, in-the-
money options at June 30, 1997.
 
                          STOCK OPTION EXERCISES AND
                     JUNE 30, 1997 FISCAL YEAR-END VALUES
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                          SHARES             NUMBER OF UNEXERCISED    IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS AT
                         ACQUIRED          OPTIONS AT JUNE 30, 1997      JUNE 30, 1997 (1)
                            ON     VALUE   ------------------------- -------------------------
          NAME           EXERCISE REALIZED EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE
          ----           -------- -------- ----------- ------------- ----------- -------------
<S>                      <C>      <C>      <C>         <C>           <C>         <C>
John E. Bourgoin........   --       --          --        125,000          --           --
Lavi Lev................   --       --        4,400        59,600      $14,564      $51,636
Derek Meyer.............   --       --          --         12,000          --           --
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) The amounts in this column reflect the difference between the closing
    market price of Silicon Graphics' common stock on June 30, 1997, which was
    $15.00, and the option exercise price. The actual value of unexercised
    options fluctuates with the market price of Silicon Graphics' common
    stock.
 
STOCK OWNERSHIP OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
  No present or future officer or director currently owns any shares of Common
Stock, all of which are currently owned by Silicon Graphics. The following
table sets forth the number of shares of Silicon Graphics common stock
beneficially owned on March 31, 1998 by each of the
 
                                      58
<PAGE>
 
Company's directors, the Named Executive Officers and all directors and
executive officers of the Company as a group.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     NUMBER OF
                                                                       SHARES
                                                                    BENEFICIALLY
   NAME                                                                OWNED
   ----                                                             ------------
   <S>                                                              <C>
   John E. Bourgoin................................................     54,563
   Lavi Lev........................................................     25,365
   Derek Meyer.....................................................      9,617
   Dr. Forest Baskett..............................................    548,182
   Kenneth L. Coleman..............................................    384,650
   William M. Kelly................................................    169,419
   Teruyasu Sekimoto...............................................    227,085
   Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (9 persons).........  1,418,881
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) No individual Named Executive Officer or director beneficially owns 1% or
    more of Silicon Graphics' common stock, nor do the Named Executive
    Officers and directors as a group.
(2) The persons named have sole voting and investment power over the shares
    shown as being beneficially owned by them, subject to community property
    laws, where applicable. The table includes the following shares issuable
    upon the exercise of options or other convertible securities that were
    exercisable on March 31, 1998 or within 60 days thereafter; Mr. Bourgoin,
    50,000 shares; Mr. Lev, 21,734 shares; Mr. Meyer, 4,548 shares; Dr.
    Baskett, 502,274 shares; Mr. Coleman, 360,090 shares; Mr. Kelly, 159,390
    shares; and Mr. Sekimoto, 222,290 shares.
 
RELATED TRANSACTIONS
 
  Silicon Graphics has outstanding three loans to Mr. Lev. The first loan is a
forgivable, non-interest bearing note with a principal amount outstanding at
March 31, 1998 of approximately $282,000. The principal of this loan is
forgiven (reduced) ratably on a periodic basis through December 2000, subject
to Mr. Lev's continued employment. The second loan is a forgivable, non-
interest bearing (except in certain limited circumstances) note with a
principal amount outstanding at March 31, 1998 of $250,000. The principal of
this loan is forgivable on March 1, 2002, subject to Mr. Lev's continued
employment at all times prior to such date. The third loan bears interest at
an annual rate of 7.19% and had a principal amount outstanding at March 31,
1998 of $250,000. The largest aggregate amount of these loans outstanding
during the period since July 1, 1996 was approximately $900,000. In connection
with the Separation and the Offering, it is anticipated that these loans will
be assigned to the Company by Silicon Graphics.
 
                                      59
<PAGE>
 
             ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND SILICON GRAPHICS
 
RELATIONSHIP WITH SILICON GRAPHICS
 
  Immediately prior to the Offering, Silicon Graphics will be the sole
stockholder of the Company. Upon completion of the Offering, Silicon Graphics
will beneficially own 85.2% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (83.0%
if the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full). For as long
as Silicon Graphics continues to beneficially own more than 50% of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, Silicon Graphics will be able to direct
the election of all of the members of the Company's Board of Directors and
exercise a controlling influence over the business and affairs of the Company,
including any determinations with respect to mergers or other business
combinations involving the Company, the acquisition or disposition of assets
by the Company, the incurrence of indebtedness by the Company, the issuance of
any additional Common Stock or other equity securities, and the payment of
dividends with respect to the Common Stock. Similarly, Silicon Graphics will
have the power to determine matters submitted to a vote of the Company's
stockholder's without the consent of the Company's other stockholders, will
have the power to prevent a change in control of the Company and could take
other actions that might be favorable to Silicon Graphics.
 
  Silicon Graphics has advised the Company that its current intent is to
continue to hold all of the Common Stock beneficially owned by it following
the Offering. However, Silicon Graphics is not subject to any contractual
obligation to retain its controlling interest, except that Silicon Graphics
has agreed not to sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock of
the Company for a period of 365 days after the date of this Prospectus without
the prior written consent of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. See "Underwriting."
As a result, there can be no assurance concerning the period of time during
which Silicon Graphics will maintain its beneficial ownership of Common Stock
owned by it following the Offering. Any disposition by Silicon Graphics of any
of the shares of Common Stock it owns following the Offering may be effected
in one or more transactions, including a public offering, a distribution by
Silicon Graphics of such Common Stock to its stockholders, an offer by Silicon
Graphics to exchange such Common Stock for outstanding Silicon Graphics common
stock, or other transaction. Beneficial ownership of at least 80% of the total
voting power of the Company and 80% of each class of nonvoting capital stock
of the Company is required in order for Silicon Graphics to be able to effect
a tax free spin off of the shares of Common Stock or certain other tax free
transactions.
 
  For a description of certain provisions of the Company's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation concerning the allocation of business
opportunities that may be suitable for both the Company and Silicon Graphics,
see "Description of Capital Stock--Corporate Opportunities."
 
  For the purposes of governing certain of the relationships between the
Company and Silicon Graphics following the Separation and the Offering, the
Company and Silicon Graphics have entered into, or will enter into, the
Separation Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements. The Ancillary Agreements
include the Corporate Agreement, the Technology Agreement, the Trademark
Agreement, the Tax Sharing Agreement and the Management Services Agreement.
Because these agreements will be entered into at a time when the Company is
still a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Graphics, they are not the result
of arm's-length negotiations between the parties. Certain of the Ancillary
Agreements summarized below have been filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part and the summaries of such
agreements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of
such agreements. See "Additional Information."
 
 
                                      60
<PAGE>
 
SEPARATION AGREEMENT
 
  To effect the Separation, Silicon Graphics has transferred or agreed to
transfer, or to cause its subsidiaries to transfer, the Company Assets to the
Company. The Company has assumed or agreed to assume and has agreed to
faithfully perform and fulfill all the Company Liabilities in accordance with
their respective terms. Except as expressly set forth in the Separation
Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, neither Silicon Graphics nor the
Company is making any representation or warranty as to the business, assets or
liabilities transferred or assumed as part of the Separation, as to any
consents or approvals required in connection therewith, as to the value or
freedom from any security interests of any of the assets transferred or as to
the absence of any defenses or freedom from counterclaim with respect to any
claim of any party, or as to the legal sufficiency of any assignment, document
or instrument delivered to convey title to any asset transferred. Except as
otherwise expressly set forth in the Separation Agreement or in an Ancillary
Agreement, all assets are being transferred on an "as is," "where is" basis,
and the Company has agreed to bear the economic and legal risks that the
conveyance is insufficient to vest in the transferee good and marketable
title, free and clear of any security interest.
 
  RELEASES AND INDEMNIFICATION. The Separation Agreement provides for a full
and complete release and discharge as of the Closing Date of all Liabilities
existing or arising from all acts or events occurring or failing to occur or
alleged to have occurred or to have failed to occur and all conditions
existing or alleged to have existed on or prior to the Closing Date, between
the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the one hand and Silicon Graphics or
any member of the Silicon Graphics Group on the other hand (including any
contractual arrangements or arrangements existing or alleged to exist between
the Company and Silicon Graphics on or before the Closing Date), except as
expressly set forth in the Separation Agreement.
 
  Except as provided in the Separation Agreement, the Company has agreed to
indemnify, defend and hold harmless Silicon Graphics, each member of the
Silicon Graphics Group, and each of their directors, officers and employees,
from and against any and all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or
resulting from (i) the failure of the Company or any other person to pay,
perform or otherwise promptly discharge any Company Liabilities or any Company
Contract in accordance with its terms; (ii) the Company Business, any Company
Liability or any Company Contract; (iii) any breach by the Company of the
Separation Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements; and (iv) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, with respect to all
information contained in this Prospectus or the Registration Statement of
which it forms a part.
 
  Silicon Graphics has agreed to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the
Company, each of its subsidiaries, and each of their directors, officers and
employees, from and against any and all Liabilities relating to, arising out
of or resulting from (i) the failure of Silicon Graphics or any other person
to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any liabilities of Silicon
Graphics other than the Company Liabilities; (ii) any Liability other than the
Company Liabilities; and (iii) any breach by Silicon Graphics of the
Separation Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements.
 
  DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The Separation Agreement contains provisions that
govern, except as otherwise provided in the Ancillary Agreements, the
resolution of disputes, controversies or claims that may arise between them.
These provisions contemplate that efforts will be made to resolve disputes,
controversies and claims by escalation of the matter to senior management (or
other mutually agreed) representatives of the parties. If the matter is not
resolved within a period of 90 days, then upon written notice by either party
to the other, any unresolved matter shall be submitted to mediation conducted
by a mediator mutually acceptable to the parties.
 
                                      61
<PAGE>
 
Either party may apply to any court having jurisdiction and seek injunctive
relief so as to maintain the status quo until such time as the mediation is
concluded or the controversy is otherwise resolved. In the event that any
dispute, controversy or claim is, or is reasonably likely to be, in excess of
$30 million, subject to certain conditions, any party may submit such dispute,
controversy or claim to a court of competent jurisdiction and the mediation
provisions contained in the Separation Agreement will not apply.
 
  PROCEEDS; EXPENSES OF THE OFFERING. The Separation Agreement provides that
the Offering will include a primary offering of Common Stock by the Company
and a secondary offering of Common Stock by Silicon Graphics and that each of
the Company and Silicon Graphics will retain the net proceeds from the sale of
the Common Stock offered by it in the Offering. Underwriting discounts and
commissions attributable to the shares of Common Stock sold by Silicon
Graphics and the Company in the Offering will be paid by Silicon Graphics and
the Company, respectively. In addition, the Company and Silicon Graphics have
agreed to pay third-party costs, fees and expenses relating to the Offering,
including all of the costs of producing, printing and distributing this
Prospectus, and all of the reimbursable expenses of the Underwriters pursuant
to the Underwriting Agreement, in the same proportion that the number of
shares offered by each bears to the total number of shares offered in the
Offering (in each case excluding the over-allotment option).
 
  TERMINATION; FURTHER ASSURANCES. The Separation Agreement may be terminated
at any time prior to the Closing Date by Silicon Graphics and, if so
terminated, neither the Company nor Silicon Graphics (or any of their
respective directors or officers) will have any liability or further
obligation to any party. In addition to the actions specifically provided
elsewhere in the Separation Agreement, each of the Company and Silicon
Graphics has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts, prior to, on and after
the Closing Date, to take all actions, and to do all things, reasonably
necessary, proper or advisable under applicable laws, regulations and
agreements, to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by
the Separation Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.
 
  Set forth below are certain defined terms contained in the Separation
Agreement.
 
  COMPANY ASSETS means (i) all personal property, inventory, receivables,
general financial and administrative books, records and documents, the
goodwill of Silicon Graphics, all sales material, and all governmental permits
and licenses, in each case to the extent such assets relate to the Company
Business, (ii) intellectual property transferred or licensed pursuant to the
Technology Agreement and the Trademark Agreement, (iii) all Company Contracts
(as defined in the Separation Agreement), (iv) any assets reflected in the
Company Balance Sheet as "Assets" of the Company, subject to any dispositions
of such assets subsequent to the date of the Company Balance Sheet, and (v)
any and all assets, rights and claims of any kind and nature held immediately
prior to the Closing Date by Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries (including
the Company) and used primarily in the Company Business.
 
  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company Assets shall not in any event
include any and all assets that are expressly contemplated by the Separation
Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement as Assets to be retained by Silicon
Graphics or any member of the Silicon Graphics Group.
 
 COMPANY LIABILITIES means:
 
    (i) any and all Liabilities that are expressly contemplated by the
  Separation Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement as Liabilities to be
  assumed by the Company, and all agreements, obligations and Liabilities of
  the Company under the Separation Agreement or any of the Ancillary
  Agreements;
 
    (ii) all Liabilities (other than Taxes based on, or measured by reference
  to, net income), including any employee-related Liabilities, primarily
  relating to, arising out of or resulting from:
 
                                      62
<PAGE>
 
      (A) the operation of the Company Business, as conducted at any time
    prior to, on or after the Closing Date (including any Liability
    relating to, arising out of or resulting from any act or failure to act
    by any director, officer, employee, agent or representative (whether or
    not such act or failure to act is or was within such Person's
    authority));
 
      (B) the operation of any business conducted by the Company or any of
    its subsidiaries at any time after the Closing Date (including any
    Liability relating to, arising out of or resulting from any act or
    failure to act by any director, officer, employee, agent or
    representative (whether or not such act or failure to act is or was
    within such Person's authority)); and
 
      (C) any Company Assets; and
 
    (iii) all Liabilities reflected as "Liabilities" or obligations of the
  Company in the Company Balance Sheet, subject to any discharge of such
  Liabilities subsequent to the date of the Company Balance Sheet.
 
  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company Liabilities shall not in any
event include any and all Liabilities that are expressly contemplated by the
Separation Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement as Liabilities to be retained
or assumed by Silicon Graphics or any member of the Silicon Graphics Group,
and all agreements and obligations of any member of the Silicon Graphics Group
under the Separation Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements.
 
  COMPANY BUSINESS means the business and operations of the various divisions
and subsidiaries of Silicon Graphics engaged in the development and licensing
of microprocessor and related designs for the embedded market based on RISC
architecture, consisting principally of Silicon Graphics' MIPS Group.
 
  SILICON GRAPHICS GROUP means Silicon Graphics and each Person (other than
the Company and its subsidiaries) that is an Affiliate of Silicon Graphics
immediately after the Closing Date.
 
CORPORATE AGREEMENT
 
  PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF SILICON GRAPHICS TO PURCHASE SHARES OF CAPITAL
STOCK. Pursuant to the Corporate Agreement, the Company will grant to Silicon
Graphics a continuing option, assignable to any of its subsidiaries, to
purchase, under certain circumstances, additional shares of Common Stock or
shares of non-voting capital stock of the Company (the "Stock Option"). The
Stock Option may be exercised by Silicon Graphics simultaneously with the
issuance of any equity security of the Company (other than in the Offering or
upon the exercise of the Underwriters' over-allotment option), with respect to
the Common Stock, only to the extent necessary for Silicon Graphics to
maintain (a) control of the Company (within the meaning of Section
368(a)(2)(H) and (c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code")), provided such control has theretofore been maintained; (b) the
status of the Company as a member of the affiliated group of corporations
(within the meaning of Section 1504 of the Code) of which Silicon Graphics is
the common parent, provided such status has theretofore been maintained or (c)
its then-existing percentage of the total voting power and value of the
Company, whichever percentage is highest, and, with respect to shares of non-
voting capital stock, to the extent necessary to own 80% of each outstanding
class of such stock. The purchase price of the shares of Common Stock
purchased upon any exercise of the Stock Option will be based on the market
price of the Common Stock at the time of such exercise, and the purchase price
of non-voting capital stock will be the price at which such stock may be
purchased by third parties. The Stock Option expires in the event that Silicon
Graphics reduces its beneficial ownership of Common Stock to less than 50% of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
 
 
                                      63
<PAGE>
 
  REGISTRATION RIGHTS. The Corporate Agreement will further provide that, upon
request of Silicon Graphics, the Company will use its best efforts to effect
the registration under the applicable federal and state securities laws of any
of the shares of Common Stock and non-voting capital stock (and any other
securities issued in respect of or in exchange for either of such securities)
beneficially owned by Silicon Graphics for sale in accordance with Silicon
Graphics' intended method of disposition thereof, and will take such other
actions as may be necessary to permit the sale thereof in other jurisdictions,
subject to certain specified limitations. Silicon Graphics will also have the
right which, subject to certain limitations, it may exercise at any time and
from time to time, to include the shares of Common Stock and non-voting
capital stock (and any other securities issued in respect of or in exchange
for either of such securities) beneficially owned by it in certain other
registrations of common equity securities of the Company initiated by the
Company on its own behalf or on behalf of its other stockholders. The Company
will agree to pay all out-of-pocket costs and expenses in connection with each
such registration that Silicon Graphics requests or in which Silicon Graphics
participates, except for underwriting discounts and commissions attributable
to the shares of Common Stock sold by Silicon Graphics.
 
  Until such time as Silicon Graphics ceases to beneficially own in excess of
50% of the outstanding Common Stock, Silicon Graphics may request or
participate in an unlimited number of such registrations. After such time,
Silicon Graphics will be limited to a total of four demand and an unlimited
number of "piggyback" registrations. Subject to certain limitations specified
in the Corporate Agreement, such registration rights will be assignable by
Silicon Graphics and its assigns. The Corporate Agreement will contain
indemnification and contribution provisions by the Company for the benefit of
Silicon Graphics in connection with such registrations.
 
  COVENANT AGAINST CERTAIN ACTIONS. The Corporate Agreement will also provide
that for so long as Silicon Graphics maintains beneficial ownership of a
majority of the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Company may
not take any action or enter into any commitment or agreement which may
reasonably be anticipated to result, with or without notice and with or
without lapse of time, or otherwise, in a contravention (or an event of
default) by Silicon Graphics of: (i) any provision of applicable law or
regulation, including but not limited to provisions pertaining to the Internal
Revenue Code or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended; (ii) any provision of Silicon Graphics' certificate of incorporation
or by-laws; (iii) any credit agreement or other material instrument binding
upon Silicon Graphics or any of its assets or (iv) any judgment, order or
decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over
Silicon Graphics or any of its assets.
 
TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
 
  The Company and Silicon Graphics intend to enter into a Technology
Agreement, effective as of the Closing Date, pursuant to which Silicon
Graphics will assign and license certain intellectual property rights to the
Company, and the Company will license back certain rights to Silicon Graphics.
Under the Technology Agreement, Silicon Graphics expects to assign to the
Company all right, title and interest in and to approximately 47 United States
patents with expiration dates ranging from 2006 through 2015, approximately 24
pending United States patent applications, and all foreign counterpart rights
to the foregoing. In addition to these patent rights, Silicon Graphics will
assign to the Company related intellectual property rights, including certain
copyrights, certain mask work rights, and certain trade secrets. The
assignment will provide the Company with Silicon Graphics' intellectual
property related to the MIPS RISC microprocessor architecture for use in
embedded applications. As part of the Technology Agreement, Silicon Graphics
will also license other intellectual property rights to
 
                                      64
<PAGE>
 
the Company for use in its business. Certain of these rights will be licensed
on a worldwide, royalty-free and exclusive basis solely for the Company's use
in the development and licensing of microprocessor and related designs for
embedded applications. From time to time, the Company and Silicon Graphics may
also enter into additional royalty-bearing licenses with respect to other
Silicon Graphics intellectual property. The license back to Silicon Graphics
will concern only the intellectual property assigned by Silicon Graphics to
the Company, for which the Company will grant to Silicon Graphics a worldwide,
royalty-free, non-exclusive license. This license back to Silicon Graphics
will be for Silicon Graphics' use in connection with the design and sale of
Silicon Graphics systems and products. Under the Separation Agreement, the
Company generally will indemnify Silicon Graphics for third-party claims
relating to the Company's intellectual property. The Technology Agreement will
specifically exclude trademarks and trademark-related intellectual property,
which will be covered by the Trademark Agreement.
 
TRADEMARK AGREEMENT
 
  The Company and Silicon Graphics intend to enter into a Trademark Agreement,
effective as of the Closing Date, pursuant to which Silicon Graphics will
assign certain trademark and trademark-related rights to the Company, and the
Company will license back certain rights to Silicon Graphics. Silicon Graphics
will assign to the Company all trademarks, service marks, trade dress, logos
and related goodwill concerning the MIPS marks for processors and other
semiconductor devices. This assignment will include all domestic and foreign
registrations as well as common law rights throughout the world. The Company
will grant back to Silicon Graphics a worldwide, royalty-free, and non-
exclusive license to use the MIPS marks in connection with Silicon Graphics'
products that use processors embodying the MIPS architecture. The Trademark
Agreement will require Silicon Graphics' compliance with reasonable quality
standards. Neither Silicon Graphics nor the Company will undertake any
indemnification obligations or warranties as to the trademarks and trademark-
related rights as part of the Trademark Agreement.
 
TAX SHARING AGREEMENT
 
  The Company is, and after the Offering will continue to be, included in
Silicon Graphics' consolidated federal income tax group, and the Company's
federal income tax liability will be included in the consolidated federal
income tax liability of Silicon Graphics. The Company and Silicon Graphics
intend to enter into a Tax Sharing Agreement pursuant to which the Company and
Silicon Graphics will make payments between them such that, with respect to
any period, the amount of taxes to be paid or received by the Company, subject
to certain adjustments, will be determined as though the Company were to file
separate federal, state and local income tax returns (including, except as
provided below, any amounts determined to be due as a result of a
redetermination of the tax liability of Silicon Graphics arising from an audit
or otherwise) as the common parent of an affiliate group of corporations
filing combined, consolidated or unitary (as applicable) federal, state and
local returns rather than a consolidated subsidiary of Silicon Graphics with
respect to federal, state and local income taxes. Under the terms of the Tax
Sharing Agreement, the Company, in computing its stand alone tax liability or
tax refund, will not be able to utilize certain tax items, such as net
operating losses, foreign tax credits and other tax credits (collectively,
"Tax Attributes"), that were in existence prior to the Closing Date. In
addition, with respect to Tax Attributes of the Company that come into
existence after the Closing Date, under the terms of the Tax Sharing
Agreement, Silicon Graphics will not be required to make any payment to the
Company (even if such Tax Attributes of the Company are utilized by the
Silicon Graphics consolidated federal income tax group), unless the Company
would be entitled to a tax refund on a stand alone basis (based on the
assumption that it was a
 
                                      65
<PAGE>
 
new corporation as of the Closing Date) for any taxable period that ends (i)
after the Closing Date and (ii) before the Company leaves the Silicon Graphics
consolidated federal income tax group. Furthermore, the Company will be
required to compensate Silicon Graphics to the extent that the Company
receives any benefit from the use of pre-Offering Tax Attributes after the
Company is no longer a part of the Silicon Graphics consolidated federal
income tax group. Pursuant to the Tax Sharing Agreement, Silicon Graphics'
obligation to make any payment to the Company relating to the Company's Tax
Attributes will terminate at such time as the Company ceases to be a member of
Silicon Graphics consolidated federal income tax group. The amount of the
Company's Tax Attributes utilized by the Silicon Graphics consolidated federal
income tax group for which the Company does not receive any payment from
Silicon Graphics could be substantial.
 
  Silicon Graphics will continue to have all the rights of a parent of a
consolidated group (and similar rights provided for by applicable state and
local law with respect to a parent of a combined, consolidated or unitary
group), will be the sole and exclusive agent for the Company in any and all
matters relating to the income, franchise and similar liabilities of the
Company, will have sole and exclusive responsibility for the preparation and
filing of consolidated federal and consolidated or combined state and local
income tax returns (or amended returns), and will have the power, in its sole
discretion, to contest or compromise any asserted tax adjustment or deficiency
and to file, litigate or compromise any claim for refund on behalf of the
Company. In addition, Silicon Graphics has agreed to undertake to provide the
aforementioned services with respect to the Company's separate state and local
returns and the Company's foreign returns.
 
  In general, the Company will be included in Silicon Graphics' consolidated
group for federal income tax purposes for so long as Silicon Graphics
beneficially owns at least 80% of the total voting power and value of the
outstanding Common Stock. Each member of a consolidated group is jointly and
severally liable for the federal income tax liability of each other member of
the consolidated group. Accordingly, although the Tax Sharing Agreement
allocates tax liabilities between the Company and Silicon Graphics, during the
period in which the Company is included in Silicon Graphics' consolidated
group, the Company could be liable in the event that any federal tax liability
is incurred, but not discharged, by any other member of Silicon Graphics'
consolidated group. See "Risk Factors--Control by and Relationship with
Silicon Graphics."
 
MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT
 
  The Company and Silicon Graphics will enter into the Management Services
Agreement, effective as of the Closing Date, pursuant to which Silicon
Graphics will provide certain administrative and corporate support services to
the Company on an interim or transitional basis, including accounting,
treasury, tax, facilities and information services. Specified charges for such
services are generally intended to allow Silicon Graphics to recover the fully
allocated direct costs of providing the services, plus all out-of-pocket costs
and expenses, but without any profit. The Management Services Agreement
provides that Silicon Graphics will provide the services thereunder to the
Company through the same or similarly qualified personnel and the same or
similar facilities as it has in the past, but the selection of personnel to
perform the various services shall be within the sole control of Silicon
Graphics. In addition, Silicon Graphics is not required to increase the volume
or quality of the services provided beyond the level at which they were
performed for the Company in the past. The Management Services Agreement will
have a three-year term and will be subject to automatic termination at such
time as Silicon Graphics' beneficial ownership interest in the outstanding
Common Stock ceases to exceed 50%. In addition, either Silicon Graphics or the
Company may terminate the Management Services Agreement with respect to one or
more of the services provided thereunder upon giving at least 30 days prior
written notice to the other party.
 
                                      66
<PAGE>
 
FACILITIES LEASE ARRANGEMENTS
 
  Following the Separation, the Company intends to sublease from Silicon
Graphics approximately 27,500 square feet (with an option to increase to
55,000 square feet) in one building in Mountain View, California. Payments by
the Company to Silicon Graphics under this sublease are initially expected to
be approximately $51,000 per month, increasing to approximately $67,000 per
month by August 2001. The amounts payable by the Company under this sublease
will be equal to the amounts payable by Silicon Graphics under its sublease
for the property with a third party. This sublease will expire on May 31,
2002, subject to earlier termination in certain circumstances.
 
                                      67
<PAGE>
 
                       PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDER
 
  Prior to the Offering, all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock will be
owned by Silicon Graphics. Upon completion of the Offering, Silicon Graphics
will own approximately 85.2% of the Common Stock then outstanding (83.0% if
the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full). Prior to the
Separation, Silicon Graphics conducted the Company's business through its MIPS
Group (a division of Silicon Graphics), and the Company's research and
development efforts focused primarily on high-performance microprocessors and
related designs intended to serve the needs of Silicon Graphics. During that
time, a portion of the Company's revenue was related to sales to Silicon
Graphics by the Company's semiconductor partners of products incorporating the
Company's technology. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations." In addition, as a division of Silicon
Graphics, the Company has historically utilized Silicon Graphics' cash
management and certain other services. See Note 12 of Notes to Financial
Statements. For a description of certain agreements that will be entered into
between the Company and Silicon Graphics in connection with the Separation and
the Offering, see "Arrangements Between the Company and Silicon Graphics."
 
  Silicon Graphics is a leader in high-performance computing, providing a
broad range of workstations and graphics servers that deliver advanced 3-D
graphics and computing capabilities for engineering and creative
professionals. Silicon Graphics and Cray Research-branded servers are the
market leaders in technical computing applications, and its highly scalable
servers have a growing presence in the enterprise market, with a particular
emphasis on Internet, large corporate data and telecommunications
applications. Silicon Graphics also markets applications software targeted at
engineering and creative professionals in the digital content creation and
manufacturing sectors. Through the Company, Silicon Graphics designs and
develops RISC-based high performance 32- and 64-bit microprocessor
intellectual property for embedded systems applications. The principal
executive offices of Silicon Graphics are located at 2011 North Shoreline
Blvd., Mountain View, California 94043.
 
  Other than as described above, the Company is not aware of any person or
group that will beneficially own more than 5% of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock following the Offering.
 
                                      68
<PAGE>
 
                         DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
  The authorized capital stock of the Company will consist of 150,000,000
shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 50,000,000 shares of
Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, issuable in series. After giving
effect to the sale of Common Stock in the Offering, there will be 37,250,000
shares of Common Stock outstanding. All of the shares of Common Stock that
will be outstanding immediately following the Offering, including the Common
Stock sold in the Offering, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
  The holders of shares of Common Stock will be entitled to one vote for each
share on all matters voted on by stockholders, including elections of
directors and, except as otherwise required by law or provided in any
resolution adopted by the Company's Board of Directors with respect to any
series of Preferred Stock, the holders of such shares will possess all voting
power. The Certificate of Incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting
in the election of directors. Subject to any preferential rights of any
outstanding series of Preferred Stock created by the Company's Board of
Directors from time to time, the holders of shares of Common Stock will be
entitled to such dividends as may be declared from time to time by the Board
of Directors from funds legally available therefor; and upon liquidation will
be entitled to receive pro rata all assets of the Company available for
distribution to such holders. Holders of shares of Common Stock will have no
liability to further calls or to assessment by the Company, and have no
conversion, redemption or preemptive rights to purchase additional shares of
any class of shares of the Company, except that Silicon Graphics will have
certain rights to purchase additional shares of Common Stock as described
under "Arrangements Between the Company and Silicon Graphics--Corporate
Agreement."
 
PREFERRED STOCK
 
  The Preferred Stock is issuable from time to time in one or more series and
with such designation, rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions for
each series as shall be stated in the resolutions providing for designation
and issue of each such series adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Company. The Board of Directors of the Company is authorized by the
Certificate of Incorporation to determine, among other things, the voting,
dividend, redemption, conversion and liquidation powers, rights and
preferences and the limitations thereon of such series. The Company believes
that the ability of the Board of Directors of the Company to issue one or more
series of Preferred Stock will provide the Company with flexibility in
structuring possible future financings and acquisitions, and in meeting other
corporate needs that may arise. The authorized shares of Preferred Stock, as
well as shares of Common Stock, will be available for issuance without further
action by the Company's stockholders, unless such action is required by
applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation
system on which the Company's securities may be listed or traded.
 
  Although the Board of Directors of the Company has no present plans to issue
any Preferred Stock, it could issue a series of Preferred Stock that could,
depending on the terms of such series, impede the completion of a merger,
tender offer or other takeover attempt. The Board of Directors of the Company
will make any determination to issue such shares based on its judgment as to
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The Board of Directors
could issue Preferred Stock with voting and other rights that could adversely
effect the voting power of the holders of the Common Stock and that could
discourage an acquisition attempt through which an acquiror may be able to
change the composition of the Company's Board of Directors, including a tender
offer or other transaction that some, or a majority, of the
 
                                      69
<PAGE>
 
Company's stockholders might believe to be in their best interests or in which
stockholders might receive a premium for their stock over the then current
market price of such stock.
 
CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES
 
  The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation will provide that
Silicon Graphics shall have no duty to refrain from engaging in the same or
similar activities or lines of business as the Company, and neither Silicon
Graphics nor any officer or director thereof (except as provided below) shall
be liable to the Company or its stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty
by reason of any such activities of Silicon Graphics. In the event that
Silicon Graphics acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter which
may be a corporate opportunity for both Silicon Graphics and the Company,
Silicon Graphics shall have no duty to communicate or offer such corporate
opportunity to the Company and shall not be liable to the Company or its
stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty as a stockholder of the Company
by reason of the fact that Silicon Graphics pursues or acquires such corporate
opportunity for itself, directs such corporate opportunity to another person,
or does not communicate information regarding such corporate opportunity to
the Company.
 
  In the event that a director or officer of the Company who is also a
director or officer of Silicon Graphics acquires knowledge of a potential
transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for both the
Company and Silicon Graphics, such director or officer of the Company shall
have fully satisfied and fulfilled the fiduciary duty of such director or
officer to the Company and its stockholders with respect to such corporate
opportunity if such director or officer acts in a manner consistent with the
following policy:
 
    (i) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is an officer of
  the Company, and who is also a director but not an officer of Silicon
  Graphics, shall belong to the Company;
 
    (ii) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is a director but
  not an officer of the Company, and who is also a director or officer of
  Silicon Graphics, shall belong to the Company if such opportunity is
  expressly offered to such person in writing solely in his or her capacity
  as a director of the Company, and otherwise shall belong to Silicon
  Graphics; and
 
    (iii) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is an officer of
  both the Company and Silicon Graphics shall belong to the Company if such
  opportunity is expressly offered to such person in writing solely in his or
  her capacity as an officer of the Company, and otherwise shall belong to
  Silicon Graphics.
 
  For purposes of the foregoing:
 
    (i) A director of the Company who is chairman of the board of directors
  of the Company or of a committee thereof shall not be deemed to be an
  officer of the Company by reason of holding such position (without regard
  to whether such position is deemed an office of the Company under the By-
  laws of the Company), unless such person is a full-time employee of the
  Company; and
 
    (ii) (a) the term "Company" shall mean the Company and all corporations,
  partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which the
  Company beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of
  the outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interest or similar
  voting interests, and (b) the term "Silicon Graphics" shall mean Silicon
  Graphics, Inc. and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures,
  associations and other entities (other than the Company, defined in
  accordance with clause (a) of this section (ii)) in which Silicon Graphics
  beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of the
  outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar
  voting interests.
 
                                      70
<PAGE>
 
  The foregoing provisions of the Company's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation shall expire on the date that Silicon Graphics ceases to own
beneficially Common Stock representing at least 20% of the total voting power
of all classes of outstanding Common Stock and no person who is a director or
officer of the Company is also a director or officer of Silicon Graphics or
any of its subsidiaries (other than the Company).
 
  In addition to any vote of the stockholders required by the Company's
Restated Certificate of Incorporation, until the time that Silicon Graphics
ceases to own beneficially Common Stock representing at least 20% of the total
voting power of all classes of outstanding Common Stock, the affirmative vote
of the holders of more than 80% of the total voting power of all classes of
outstanding Common Stock shall be required to alter, amend or repeal in a
manner adverse to the interests of Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries
(other than the Company), or adopt any provision adverse to the interests of
Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries (other than the Company), or
inconsistent with, the corporate opportunity provisions described above.
Accordingly, so long as Silicon Graphics beneficially owns Common Stock
representing at least 20% of the total voting power of all classes of
outstanding Common Stock, it can prevent any such alteration, amendment,
repeal or adoption.
 
  Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring Common Stock will be deemed to
have notice of, and to have consented to, the foregoing provisions of the
Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
 
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BY-LAW PROVISIONS THAT MAY HAVE AN ANTI-
TAKEOVER EFFECT
 
  Certain provisions of the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
and By-laws summarized below may be deemed to have an anti-takeover effect and
may delay, discourage or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a
stockholder might consider to be in its best interest, including attempts that
might result in a premium being paid over the market price of the Common
Stock.
 
  BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The Company's Certificate of Incorporation will provide
that, subject to any rights of holders of Preferred Stock to elect additional
directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors of the
Company will be not more than 10 and not less than three, with the exact
number to be fixed from time to time as provided in the By-laws. The By-laws
will provide that, subject to any rights of holders of Preferred Stock to
elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of
directors will be fixed from time to time exclusively by resolution of the
Company's Board of Directors adopted by the affirmative vote of directors
constituting not less than a majority of the total number of directors that
the Company would have if there were no vacancies on the Board of Directors,
but shall consist of not more than 10 nor less than three directors. The
directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of Preferred
Stock, will be classified, with respect to the time for which they severally
hold office, into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible. Each
director will hold office until such person's successor is duly elected and
qualified. In addition, the Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws will
provide that, subject to any rights of holders of Preferred Stock, and unless
the Company's Board of Directors otherwise determines, newly created
directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors and any
vacancies on the Company's Board of Directors resulting from death,
resignation, disqualification, removal or other cause will be filled by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even
though less than a quorum, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected
in accordance with the preceding sentence will hold office for the remainder
of the full term of the class of directors in which the new directorship was
created or the vacancy occurred and until such director's successor shall have
been duly elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of directors
constituting the Company's Board of Directors will shorten the term of any
 
                                      71
<PAGE>
 
incumbent director. Subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, any
director may be removed from office only for cause by the affirmative vote of
the holders of at least a majority of the Common Stock; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that prior to the Trigger Date (as defined below), any director may be removed
from office, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of
at least a majority of the Common Stock.
 
  These provisions would preclude a third-party from removing incumbent
directors and simultaneously gaining control of the Company's Board of
Directors by filling the vacancies created by removal with its own nominees.
Under the classified board provision described above, it would take at least
two elections of directors for any individual or group to gain control of the
Company's Board of Directors. Accordingly, these provisions could discourage a
third party from initiating a proxy contest, making a tender offer or
otherwise attempting to gain control of the Company.
 
  NO STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT; SPECIAL MEETINGS. The Certificate
of Incorporation will provide that as of the time at which Silicon Graphics
and its affiliates cease to beneficially own an aggregate of at least a
majority of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Trigger Date"),
any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders may be
effected only at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and
may not be effected by a written consent in lieu of such a meeting. Effective
as of the Trigger Date, except as otherwise required by law and subject to the
rights of the holders of any Preferred Stock, special meetings of stockholders
of the Company for any purpose may be called only by certain specified
officers of the Company or by any officer at the request in writing of a
majority of the Board of Directors and, effective as of the Trigger Date, the
power of stockholders to call a special meeting is specifically denied. In
addition, prior to the Trigger Date, the Company will call a special meeting
of stockholders promptly upon the request of Silicon Graphics. These
provisions may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder
proposal until the next annual meeting unless a special meeting is called by
the Board of Directors or certain specified officers.
 
  ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES. The By-laws will provide for an advance notice
procedure for the nomination, other than by or at the direction of the
Company's Board of Directors, of candidates for election as directors as well
as for other stockholder proposals to be considered at annual meetings of
stockholders. In general, notice of intent to nominate a director or raise
matters at such meetings will have to be received in writing by the Company
not less than 60 nor more than 90 days prior to the anniversary of the
previous year's annual meeting of stockholders, and must contain certain
information concerning the person to be nominated or the matters to be brought
before the meeting and concerning the stockholder submitting the proposal. If
the chairman of a meeting determines that an individual was not nominated, or
other business was not brought before the meeting, in accordance with the
advance notice procedures, such individual will not be eligible for election
as a director, or such business will not be conducted at such meeting, as the
case may be.
 
  The advance notice procedures do not apply to Silicon Graphics and its
affiliates prior to the time at which Silicon Graphics and its affiliates
cease to be the beneficial owner of an aggregate of at least a majority of the
then outstanding shares of Common Stock.
 
  CHARTER AMENDMENTS. The Certificate of Incorporation will provide that the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the outstanding Common
Stock is required to amend, repeal or adopt any provision inconsistent with
the foregoing provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation. The Certificate
of Incorporation will further provide that the By-laws may be altered, amended
or repealed by the affirmative vote of directors constituting not less than a
majority of the entire Board of Directors (if effected by action of the Board
of Directors) or by
 
                                      72
<PAGE>
 
the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of all
classes of outstanding capital stock, voting together as a single class
(if effected by action of the stockholders).
 
SECTION 203 OF DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW
 
  Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that, subject
to certain exceptions specified therein, an "interested stockholder" of a
Delaware corporation shall not engage in any business combination, including
mergers or consolidations or acquisitions of additional shares of the
corporation, with the corporation for a three-year period following the date
that such stockholder becomes an interested stockholder unless (i) prior to
such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the
business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder
becoming an interest stockholder, (ii) upon consummation of the transaction
which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the
interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the
corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced (excluding
certain shares), or (iii) on or subsequent to such date, the business
combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and
authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by the affirmative
vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation
which is not owned by the interested stockholder. Except as otherwise
specified in Section 203, an interested stockholder is defined to include (x)
any person that is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting
securities of the corporation, or is an affiliate or associate of the
corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock
of the corporation at any time within three years immediately prior to the
date of determination and (y) the affiliates and associates of any such
person.
 
  Under certain circumstances, Section 203 makes it more difficult for a
person who would be an interested stockholder to effect various business
combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. The Company has not
elected to be exempt from the restrictions imposed under Section 203. However,
Silicon Graphics and its affiliates are excluded from the definition of
"interested stockholder" pursuant to the terms of Section 203. The provisions
of Section 203 may encourage persons interested in acquiring the Company to
negotiate in advance with the Company's Board of Directors, since the
stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if a majority of the
directors then in office approves either the business combination or the
transaction which results in any such person becoming an interested
stockholder. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in
the management of the Company. It is possible that such provisions could make
it more difficult to accomplish transactions which the Company's stockholders
may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
 
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
 
  The Certificate of Incorporation provides that a director of the Company
will not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary
damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except, if required by the
Delaware General Corporation Law as amended from time to time, for liability
(i) for breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Company or its
stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174
of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which concerns unlawful payments of
dividends, stock purchases or redemptions, of (iv) for any transaction from
which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Neither the amendment
or repeal of such provision will eliminate or reduce the effect of such
provision in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or
claim that, but for such provision, would accrue or arise prior to such
amendment or repeal. While the
 
                                      73
<PAGE>
 
Certificate of Incorporation provides directors with protection from monetary
damages for breaches from their duty of care, it does not eliminate such duty.
Accordingly, the Certificate of Incorporation will have no effect on the
availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission based
on a director's breach of his or her duty of care.
 
LISTING
 
  The Common Stock has been approved for quotation on the Nasdaq National
Market under the symbol "MIPS".
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
  The Transfer Agent and Registrar for the Common Stock is Boston EquiServe
Limited Partnership located at 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts. Its
phone number is (781) 575-2000.
 
                                      74
<PAGE>
 
                        SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
  Upon completion of the Offering, the Company will have 37,250,000 shares of
Common Stock issued and outstanding. All of the shares of Common Stock to be
sold in the Offering will be freely tradeable without restriction or further
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act"), unless purchased by an "affiliate" of the Company (as that term is
defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act ("Rule 144")), in which case such
shares will be subject to the resale limitations of Rule 144. All of the
shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by Silicon Graphics following the
Offering will not have been registered under the Securities Act and may not be
sold in the absence of an effective registration statement under the
Securities Act other than in accordance with Rule 144 or another exemption
from registration. Silicon Graphics has certain rights to require the Company
to effect registration of the shares of Common Stock owned by Silicon
Graphics, which rights may be assigned. See "Arrangements Between the Company
and Silicon Graphics."
 
  In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, a person (or persons
whose shares are required to be aggregated) who has beneficially owned shares
of Common Stock for at least one year, including a person who may be deemed an
"affiliate", is entitled to sell in any three-month period, a number of shares
that does not exceed the greater of 1% of the class of stock being sold or the
average weekly trading volume of the class of stock being sold during the four
calendar weeks immediately preceding such sale. A person who is not deemed an
"affiliate" of the Company at any time during the three months preceding a
sale and who has beneficially owned shares for at least two years is entitled
to sell such shares under Rule 144 without regard to the volume limitations
described above. As defined in Rule 144, an "affiliate" of an issuer is a
person that directly or indirectly through the use of one or more
intermediaries controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with,
such issuer. Rule 144A under the Securities Act ("Rule 144A") provides a non-
exclusive safe harbor exemption from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act for specified resales of restricted securities to certain
institutional investors. In general, Rule 144A allows unregistered resales of
restricted securities to a "qualified institutional buyer", which generally
includes an entity, acting for its own account or for the account of other
qualified institutional buyers, that in the aggregate owns or invests at least
$100 million in securities of unaffiliated issuers. Rule 144A does not extend
an exemption to the offer or sale of securities that, when issued, were of the
same class as securities listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on
an automated quotation system. The shares of Common Stock outstanding as of
the date of this Prospectus would be eligible for resale under Rule 144A
because such shares, when issued, were not of the same class as any listed or
quoted securities. The foregoing summary of Rule 144 and Rule 144A is not
intended to be a complete description thereof.
 
  Prior to the Offering, there has been no public market for the Common Stock,
and no prediction can be made as to the effect, if any, that market sales of
outstanding shares of Common Stock owned by Silicon Graphics, or the
availability of such shares for sale, will have on the market price of the
Common Stock prevailing from time to time. Nevertheless, sales of substantial
amounts of Common Stock beneficially owned by Silicon Graphics in the public
market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect
the prevailing market price of the Common Stock offered in the Offering.
Although Silicon Graphics may in the future effect or direct sales or other
dispositions of Common Stock that would reduce its beneficial ownership
interest in the Company, Silicon Graphics has advised the Company that its
current intent is to continue to hold all of the Common Stock beneficially
owned by it following the Offering. However, Silicon Graphics is not subject
to any contractual obligation to retain its controlling interest, except that
Silicon Graphics has agreed not to sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of
Common Stock for a period of 365 days after the date of this Prospectus
without the prior written consent of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. As a
result, there can be no assurance concerning the period of time during which
Silicon Graphics will maintain its beneficial ownership of Common Stock owned
by it following the Offering.
 
                                      75
<PAGE>
 
                       CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX
                 CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-UNITED STATES HOLDERS
 
  The following is a general discussion of certain United States federal
income and estate tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of Common
Stock applicable to Non-U.S. Holders. In general, a "Non-U.S. Holder" is any
holder of Common Stock other than (i) a citizen or resident of the United
States, (ii) a corporation or partnership created or organized in the United
States or under the laws of the United States or of any state (other than any
partnership treated as foreign under U.S. Treasury regulations), (iii) an
estate, the income of which is includable in gross income for United States
federal income tax purposes regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a
court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over
the administration of the trust and (b) one or more United States persons have
the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust. This
discussion is based on current law and is for general information only. This
discussion does not address aspects of United States federal taxation other
than income and estate taxation and does not address all aspects of income and
estate taxation, nor does it consider any specific facts or circumstances that
may apply to a particular Non-U.S. Holder (including certain U.S.
expatriates). ACCORDINGLY, OFFEREES OF COMMON STOCK ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR
TAX ADVISERS REGARDING THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-
UNITED STATES INCOME AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF
SHARES OF COMMON STOCK.
 
  An individual may, subject to certain exceptions, be deemed to be a resident
alien (as opposed to a non-resident alien) by virtue of being present in the
United States for at least 31 days in the calendar year and for an aggregate
of at least 183 days during a three-year period ending in the current calendar
year (counting for such purposes all of the days present in the current year,
one-third of the days present in the immediately preceding year, and one-sixth
of the days present in the second preceding year). In addition to the
"substantial presence test" described in the immediately preceding sentence,
an alien may be treated as a resident alien if he or she (i) meets a lawful
permanent residence test (a so-called "green card" test) or (ii) elects to be
treated as a U.S. resident and meets the "substantial presence test" in the
immediately following year. Resident aliens are subject to U.S. federal tax as
if they were U.S. citizens.
 
DIVIDENDS
 
  In general, dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder will be subject to United
States withholding tax at a 30% rate (or a lower rate prescribed by an
applicable tax treaty) unless the dividends are either (i) effectively
connected with a trade or business carried on by the Non-U.S. Holder within
the United States, or (ii) attributable to a permanent establishment in the
United States maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder if certain income tax treaties
apply. Dividends effectively connected with such a United States trade or
business or attributable to such a United States permanent establishment
generally will not be subject to United States withholding tax if the Non-U.S.
Holder files the appropriate U.S. Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") form with
the payor of the dividend (which form, under U.S. Treasury regulations
generally effective for payments made after December 31, 1998 ("Final
Regulations"), will require such Non-U.S. Holder to provide a U.S. taxpayer
identification number) and generally will be subject to United States federal
income tax on a net income basis, in the same manner as if the Non-U.S. Holder
were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation
may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such
lower rate as may be specified by an applicable treaty) on the deemed or
actual repatriation from the United States of its "effectively connected
earnings and profits" subject to certain adjustments. Under currently
effective United States Treasury regulations (the "Current Regulations"), if
the Company has no definitive knowledge regarding the tax status of a
stockholder, the Company must withhold tax at the rate of 30% on all dividend
payments if such
 
                                      76
<PAGE>
 
stockholder's address is outside the United States. To determine the
applicability of a tax treaty providing for a lower rate of withholding,
dividends paid to an address in a foreign country generally are presumed,
under current Internal Revenue Service guidelines, to be paid to a resident of
that country absent knowledge to the contrary. Under the Final Regulations,
however, a Non-U.S. Holder of Common Stock who wishes to claim the benefit of
an applicable treaty rate generally will be required to satisfy applicable
certification and other requirements. In addition, under the Final
Regulations, in the case of Common Stock held by a foreign partnership, (x)
the certification requirement will generally be applied to the partners of the
partnership and (y) the partnership will be required to provide certain
information, including a United States taxpayer Identification number. The
Final Regulations also provide look-through rules for tiered partnerships. A
Non-U.S. Holder that is eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax
pursuant to a tax treaty may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by
filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.
 
SALE OF COMMON STOCK
 
  In general, a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to United States federal
income tax on any gain realized upon the disposition of such holder's shares
of Common Stock unless: (i) the gain is effectively connected with a trade or
business carried on by the Non-U.S. Holder within the United States, or
alternatively, if certain tax treaties apply, is attributable to a permanent
establishment in the United States maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder (and in
either case, the branch profits tax discussed above may also apply if the Non-
U.S. Holder is a corporation); (ii) the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who
holds shares of Common Stock as a capital asset and is present in the United
States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition, and either (a)
such individual has "tax home" (as defined for United States federal income
tax purposes) in the United States (unless the gain from the disposition is
attributable to an office or other fixed place of business maintained by such
Non-U.S. Holder in a foreign country and such gain has been subject to a
foreign income tax equal to at least 10% of the gain derived from such
disposition), or (b) the gain is attributable to an office or other fixed
place of business maintained by such individual in the United States; or (iii)
the Company is or has been a United States real property holding corporation
(a "USRPHC") for United States federal income tax purposes (which the Company
does not believe that it is or is likely to become) at any time within the
shorter of the five-year period preceding such disposition or such Non-U.S.
Holder's holding period. If the Company were or were to become a USRPHC at any
time during this period, gains realized upon a disposition of Common Stock by
a Non-U.S. Holder which did not directly or indirectly own more than 5% of the
Common Stock during this period generally would not be subject to United
States federal income tax, provided that the Common Stock had been regularly
traded on an established securities market.
 
ESTATE TAX
 
  Common Stock owned or treated as owned by an individual who is not a citizen
or resident (as defined for United States federal estate tax purposes) of the
United States at the time of death will be includable in the individual's
gross estate for United States federal estate tax purposes (unless an
applicable estate tax treaty provides otherwise), and therefore may be subject
to United States federal estate tax.
 
BACKUP WITHHOLDING, INFORMATION REPORTING AND OTHER REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
 
  The Company must report annually to the IRS and to each Non-U.S. Holder the
amount of dividends paid to, and the tax withheld with respect to, each Non-
U.S. Holder. These reporting requirements apply regardless of whether
withholding was reduced or eliminated by an
 
                                      77
<PAGE>
 
applicable tax treaty. Copies of this information also may be made available
under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement with the tax
authorities in the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides or is
established.
 
  Under the Current Regulations, United States backup withholding tax (which
generally is imposed at the rate of 31% on certain payments to persons that
fail to furnish the information required under the United States information
reporting requirements) and information reporting requirements (other than
those discussed above) generally will not apply to dividends paid on Common
Stock to a Non-U.S. Holder at an address outside the United States. Backup
withholding and information reporting generally will apply to dividends paid
on shares of Common Stock to a Non-U.S. Holder at an address in the United
States, if such holder fails to establish an exemption or to provide certain
other information to the payor. Under the Final Regulations, however, a Non-
U.S. Holder of Common Stock that fails to certify its Non-U.S. Holder status
in accordance with the requirements of the Final Regulations may be subject to
United States backup withholding on payments of dividends.
 
  The payment of proceeds from the disposition of Common Stock to or through a
United States office of a broker will be subject to information reporting and
backup withholding unless the owner, under penalties of perjury, certifies,
among other things, such owner's status as a Non-U.S. Holder or otherwise
establishes an exemption. The payment of proceeds from the disposition of
Common Stock to or through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally
will not be subject to backup withholding and information reporting, except as
noted below. In the case of proceeds from a disposition of Common Stock paid
to or through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is (i) a United States
person, (ii) a "controlled foreign corporation" for United States federal
income tax purposes or (iii) a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross
income from certain periods is effectively connect with a United States trade
or business, information reporting (but not backup withholding) will apply
unless the broker has documentary evidence in its files that the owner is a
Non-U.S. Holder (and the broker has no actual knowledge of the country).
 
  Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the
backup withholding rules from a payment to a Non-U.S. Holder will be refunded
or credited against the Non-U.S. United States federal income tax liability,
if any, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS.
 
                                      78
<PAGE>
 
                                 UNDERWRITING
 
  The Underwriters named below, for whom Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.,
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens and Hambrecht & Quist LLC are acting as
representatives (the "Representatives") have severally agreed, subject to the
terms and conditions contained in the Underwriting Agreement (the form of
which will be filed as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement, of
which this Prospectus is a part), to purchase from the Company and Silicon
Graphics the respective number of shares of Common Stock indicated below
opposite their respective names. The Underwriters are committed to purchase
all of the shares, if they purchase any.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       NUMBER OF
   UNDERWRITER                                                          SHARES
   -----------                                                         ---------
   <S>                                                                 <C>
   Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. ..................................... 2,475,000
   BancAmerica Robertson Stephens..................................... 1,512,500
   Hambrecht & Quist LLC.............................................. 1,512,500
                                                                       ---------
     Total............................................................ 5,500,000
                                                                       =========
</TABLE>
 
  The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the several
Underwriters thereunder are subject to approval of certain legal matters by
counsel and to various other conditions.
 
  The Representatives have advised the Company and Silicon Graphics that the
Underwriters propose initially to offer the Common Stock to the public at the
initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus.
The Underwriters may allow selected dealers (who may include the Underwriters)
a concession of not more than $.58 per share. The selected dealers may reallow
a concession of not more than $.10 per share to certain other dealers. After
the initial public offering, the price and concessions and reallowances to
dealers and other selling terms may be changed by the Representatives. The
Common Stock is offered subject to receipt and acceptance by the Underwriters,
and to certain other conditions, including the right to reject orders in whole
or in part. The Underwriters have informed the Company that they do not intend
to sell any of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby to accounts over
which they exercise discretionary authority.
 
  Silicon Graphics has granted an option to the Underwriters to purchase up to
a maximum of 825,000 additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-
allotments, if any, at the initial public offering price, less the
underwriting discount set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus. Such
option may be exercised at any time until 30 days after the date of this
Prospectus. To the extent the Underwriters exercise this option, each of the
Underwriters will have a firm commitment, subject to certain conditions, to
purchase such additional shares in approximately the same proportion as set
forth in the above table, and Silicon Graphics will be obligated to sell such
shares to the Underwriters.
 
  In connection with this Offering, the Company, Silicon Graphics and the
executive officers and directors of the Company have agreed, subject to
certain exceptions, not to offer or sell or otherwise transfer any Common
Stock until the expiration of 365 days following the closing of this Offering
without the prior written consent of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
 
  The Underwriting Agreement will provide that the Company and Silicon
Graphics will indemnify the several Underwriters and their controlling persons
against certain liabilities,
 
                                      79
<PAGE>
 
including civil liabilities under the Securities Act, or will contribute to
payments the Underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
 
  Prior to this Offering, there has been no public market for the Common
Stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations
among the Company, Silicon Graphics (as selling stockholder) and the
Representatives. The principal factors to be considered in determining the
public offering price of the Common Stock will include the information set
forth in this Prospectus and otherwise available to the Representatives; the
history and the prospects for the industry in which the Company will compete;
the ability of the Company's management; the prospects for future earnings of
the Company; the present state of the Company's development and its current
financial condition; the general condition of the securities markets at the
time of the Offering; and the recent market prices of, and the demand for,
publicly traded common stock of generally comparable companies. Each of the
Representatives has informed the Company that it currently intends to make a
market in the Common Stock subsequent to the effectiveness of the Offering,
but there can be no assurance that the Representatives will take any action to
make a market in any securities of the Company.
 
  Certain persons participating in this offering may over-allot or effect
transactions which stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of
the Common Stock at levels above those which might otherwise prevail in the
open market, including by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate
covering transactions or imposing penalty bids. A stabilizing bid means the
placing of any bid or effecting of any purchase for the purpose of pegging,
fixing or maintaining the price of the Common Stock. A syndicate covering
transaction means the placing of any bid on behalf of the underwriting
syndicate or the effecting of any purchase to reduce a short position created
in connection with this Offering. A penalty bid means an arrangement that
permits the Underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate
member in connection with this offering when shares of Common Stock sold by
the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering transactions Such
transactions may be effected on the Nasdaq Stock Market, in the over-the-
counter market, or otherwise. Such stabilizing, if commenced, may be
discontinued at any time.
 
  The Underwriters have reserved for sale, at the initial public offering
price, shares of Common Stock for directors and certain employees and
semiconductor manufacturing partners of the Company and certain other persons
in the United States and, subject to local laws, internationally, who have
expressed an interest in purchasing such shares in the Offering. Such
directors, employees, manufacturing partners and other persons are expected to
purchase, in the aggregate, up to approximately 10% of the Common Stock
offered in the Offering. The number of shares available for sale to the
general public in the Offering will be reduced to the extent such persons
purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares not so purchased will be
offered to the public on the same basis as the other shares offered hereby.
 
                                      80
<PAGE>
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
  The validity of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by Shearman & Sterling, San Francisco, California, and for the
Underwriters by Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation, Menlo Park,
California.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
  The financial statements of the Company at June 30, 1996 and 1997 and March
31, 1998 and for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 1997 and
for the nine months ended March  31, 1998, appearing in this Prospectus and in
the Registration Statement, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP,
independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere
herein and in the Registration Statement, and are included in reliance upon
such report given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and
auditing.
 
                            ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
  The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, a Registration Statement (together with
all amendments and exhibits, the "Registration Statement") on Form S-1 under
the Securities Act with respect to the Common Stock offered in the Offering.
This Prospectus, filed as part of that Registration Statement, does not
contain all the information set forth in the Registration Statement and the
exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the
Company and the Common Stock, reference is made to the Registration Statement
and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part thereof. Statements contained
in this Prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other
document are not necessarily complete and, in each instance, reference is
hereby made to the copy of such contract or document filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement, including exhibits and
schedules thereto, may be inspected at the public reference facilities
maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549; 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511; and
7 World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such
material may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission
located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 at prescribed rates.
The Registration Statement is also publicly available through the Commission's
web site at http://www.sec.gov.
 
  The Company is not currently subject to the informational requirements of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). As a result of the
Offering, the Company will become subject to the informational requirements of
the Exchange Act. The Company will fulfill its obligations with respect to
such requirements by filing periodic reports and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the Company intends to
furnish to its stockholders annual reports containing consolidated financial
statements audited by an independent public accounting firm and quarterly
reports for the first three quarters of each fiscal year containing unaudited
consolidated financial information.
 
                               ----------------
 
  MIPS, R3000, R4000, R5000, R8000 and R10000 are registered trademarks, and
MIPS16, R4300i and the MIPS logo are trademarks, of the Company. Silicon
Graphics and Cray are registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc. and Cray
Research, Inc., respectively. Sony is used with permission from Sony Computer
Entertainment America. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered
trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. WebTV and the WebTV logo are
trademarks of WebTV Networks, Inc. Certain images on page 2 are courtesy of
Nintendo of America Inc. (C)1998 Nintendo. This Prospectus contains other
trademarks and registered trademarks of the Company and other companies.
 
                                      81
<PAGE>
 
                           GLOSSARY OF CERTAIN TERMS
 
<TABLE>
 <C>                                  <S>
 application specific extension...... integrated circuit designed to perform a
                                      particular function by defining the
                                      interconnection of a set of basic circuit
                                      building blocks drawn from a library
                                      provided by the circuit manufacturer
 central processing unit............. part of a computer that includes the
                                      circuits that control the interpretation
                                      and execution of instructions
 circuit............................. one or more conductors through which an
                                      electric current can flow
 core................................ integrated circuit design which includes
                                      only the central processing unit and
                                      which is intended to form a part of a
                                      complete circuit design which
                                      incorporates other circuits on the same
                                      chip
 die size............................ size of unpackaged integrated circuits
 embedded system..................... system that is a part of a larger system
                                      whose primary purpose is not
                                      computational (e.g., microprocessors plus
                                      related software incorporated into
                                      devices other than personal computers,
                                      workstations, servers, mainframes and
                                      minicomputers)
 instruction set architecture........ combinations of binary instructions and
                                      the hardware to execute them which
                                      together determine the native capability
                                      of a microprocessor
 integrated circuit.................. microelectric semiconductor device
                                      consisting of many interconnected
                                      transistors and other components
 logic block......................... unit of data set that is transferred
                                      between main storage and auxiliary
                                      storage when an input or output operation
                                      occurs
 microprocessor...................... processor whose elements have been
                                      miniaturized into one or a few integrated
                                      circuits
 modular............................. extent to which system consists of
                                      program units which are discrete and
                                      identifiable with respect to compiling,
                                      combining with other units, and loading
 OEM/system OEM...................... original equipment manufacturer which
                                      manufactures products for end users
 operations systems software......... software that controls the execution of
                                      programs and that may provide services
                                      such as resource allocation, scheduling,
                                      input/output control and data management
 process targeted designs............ designs intended to address the specific
                                      silicon manufacturing process technology
                                      of the semiconductor manufacturer to
                                      which it is licensed
</TABLE>
 
                                       82
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
 <C>                                  <S>
 RISC................................ reduced instruction-set computing
 semiconductor....................... solid material, such as silicon or
                                      germanium, whose electrical conductivity
                                      is between that of a conductor and that
                                      of an insulator
 transistor.......................... small solid-state semiconducting device
                                      that can perform nearly all the functions
                                      of an electronic tube
</TABLE>
 
 
                                       83
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
                              FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
                       INDEX TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----
<S>                                                                         <C>
Report of Independent Auditors............................................. F-2
Balance Sheets ............................................................ F-3
Statements of Operations .................................................. F-4
Statement of Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)................................ F-5
Statements of Cash Flows................................................... F-6
Notes to Financial Statements.............................................. F-7
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
 
               REPORT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
Board of Directors
MIPS Technologies, Inc.
 
  We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of MIPS Technologies, Inc.
(the "Company") as of June 30, 1996 and 1997 and March 31, 1998, and the
related statements of operations, stockholders' equity (deficit) and cash
flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 1997 and for
the nine months ended March 31, 1998. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express
an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
 
  We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of
material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit
also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial
statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis
for our opinion.
 
  In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly,
in all material respects, the financial position of MIPS Technologies, Inc. at
June 30, 1996 and 1997 and March 31, 1998, and the results of its operations
and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30,
1997 and for the nine months ended March 31, 1998 in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles.
 
                                                          /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
San Jose, California
April 24, 1998,
except for Note 15, as to which the date is
June 5, 1998
 
 
                                      F-2
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                                 BALANCE SHEETS
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      JUNE 30,
                                                  -----------------  MARCH 31,
                                                   1996      1997      1998
                                                  -------  --------  ---------
<S>                                               <C>      <C>       <C>
                     ASSETS
Current assets:
  Cash..........................................  $   --   $    --   $    --
  Accounts receivable...........................      527       381       323
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets.....    2,047     2,775     1,615
                                                  -------  --------  --------
    Total current assets........................    2,574     3,156     1,938
Equipment and furniture, net....................   12,620    15,190     1,291
Employee notes receivable.......................       95     1,328     1,087
                                                  -------  --------  --------
                                                  $15,289  $ 19,674  $  4,316
                                                  =======  ========  ========
     LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable..............................  $ 3,935  $  5,834  $  2,170
  Accrued liabilities...........................    6,762     5,437     2,813
  Current portion of capital lease obligations..      408       331       --
                                                  -------  --------  --------
    Total current liabilities...................   11,105    11,602     4,983
Capital lease obligations, less current portion.      331       --        --
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
  Common stock, $0.001 par value: 150,000,000
   shares authorized; 36,000,000 shares issued
   and outstanding..............................       36        36        36
  Additional paid-in capital....................   84,182   129,236   124,720
  Accumulated deficit...........................  (80,365) (121,200) (125,423)
                                                  -------  --------  --------
    Total stockholders' equity (deficit)........    3,853     8,072      (667)
                                                  -------  --------  --------
                                                  $15,289  $ 19,674  $  4,316
                                                  =======  ========  ========
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-3
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                YEARS ENDED JUNE 30,            MARCH 31,
                             ----------------------------  -------------------
                               1995      1996      1997       1997      1998
                             --------  --------  --------  ----------- -------
                                                           (UNAUDITED)
<S>                          <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>         <C>
Revenue:
  Royalties................  $ 13,576  $ 19,716  $ 37,192   $ 24,069   $44,990
  Contract revenue.........    13,903    17,327     3,115      2,734       827
                             --------  --------  --------   --------   -------
    Total revenue..........    27,479    37,043    40,307     26,803    45,817
Costs and expenses (see
 Note 12 regarding related
 party transactions with
 Silicon Graphics):
  Cost of contract
   revenue.................     7,364     5,580     1,345      1,345       375
  Research and
   development.............    39,033    48,402    68,827     48,476    39,573
  Sales and marketing......     6,761     6,026     6,170      4,767     4,184
  General and
   administrative..........     4,272     4,601     4,750      3,538     3,281
  Restructuring charge.....       --        --        --         --      2,614
                             --------  --------  --------   --------   -------
    Total costs and
     expenses..............    57,430    64,609    81,092     58,126    50,027
                             --------  --------  --------   --------   -------
Operating loss.............   (29,951)  (27,566)  (40,785)   (31,323)   (4,210)
Interest expense...........       (69)      (99)      (50)       (41)      (13)
                             --------  --------  --------   --------   -------
Net loss...................  $(30,020) $(27,665) $(40,835)  $(31,364)  $(4,223)
                             ========  ========  ========   ========   =======
Net loss per basic and
 diluted share.............  $  (0.83) $  (0.77) $  (1.13)  $  (0.87)  $ (0.12)
                             ========  ========  ========   ========   =======
Common shares outstanding--
 basic and diluted.........    36,000    36,000    36,000     36,000    36,000
                             ========  ========  ========   ========   =======
</TABLE>
 
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-4
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      TOTAL
                                           ADDITIONAL             STOCKHOLDERS'
                                    COMMON  PAID-IN-  ACCUMULATED     EQUITY
                                    STOCK   CAPITAL     DEFICIT     (DEFICIT)
                                    ------ ---------- ----------- -------------
<S>                                 <C>    <C>        <C>         <C>
Balances July 1, 1994..............  $ 36   $ 21,889   $ (22,680)   $   (755)
  Net loss.........................   --         --      (30,020)    (30,020)
  Net financing provided from
   Silicon Graphics................   --      27,039         --       27,039
                                     ----   --------   ---------    --------
Balances June 30, 1995.............    36     48,928     (52,700)     (3,736)
  Net loss.........................   --         --      (27,665)    (27,665)
  Net financing provided from
   Silicon Graphics................   --      35,254         --       35,254
                                     ----   --------   ---------    --------
Balances June 30, 1996.............    36     84,182     (80,365)      3,853
  Net loss.........................   --         --      (40,835)    (40,835)
  Net financing provided from
   Silicon Graphics................   --      45,054         --       45,054
                                     ----   --------   ---------    --------
Balances June 30, 1997.............    36    129,236    (121,200)      8,072
  Net loss.........................   --         --       (4,223)     (4,223)
  Net financing provided from
   Silicon Graphics................   --       3,198         --        3,198
  Equipment transferred to Silicon
   Graphics........................   --      (7,714)        --       (7,714)
                                     ----   --------   ---------    --------
Balances March 31, 1998............  $ 36   $124,720   $(125,423)   $   (667)
                                     ====   ========   =========    ========
</TABLE>
 
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                 YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,             MARCH 31,
                              ----------------------------  -------------------
                                1995      1996      1997       1997      1998
                              --------  --------  --------  ----------- -------
                                                            (UNAUDITED)
<S>                           <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>         <C>
Operating activities:
  Net loss..................  $(30,020) $(27,665) $(40,835)  $(31,364)  $(4,223)
  Depreciation..............     6,092     8,201     7,343      5,508     4,594
  Restructuring charge......       --        --        --         --      2,614
  Other non-cash charges....         2        28        99         69       315
  Changes in operating
   assets and liabilities:
    Accounts receivable.....      (309)     (218)      146       (723)       58
    Prepaid expenses and
     other current assets...      (343)     (300)     (728)       396     1,160
    Employee notes
     receivable.............      (125)      --     (1,332)    (1,350)       48
    Accounts payable and
     accrued liabilities....     5,748    (7,214)      574      1,036    (6,788)
                              --------  --------  --------   --------   -------
      Cash flows used in
       operating activities,
       excluding Silicon
       Graphics financing...   (18,955)  (27,168)  (34,733)   (26,428)   (2,222)
Investing activities-capital
 expenditures...............    (8,084)   (7,257)   (9,913)    (6,286)     (645)
Financing activities--
 payments on capital lease
 obligations................       --       (829)     (408)      (303)     (331)
                              --------  --------  --------   --------   -------
Net financing provided from
 Silicon Graphics...........  $(27,039) $(35,254) $(45,054)  $(33,017)  $(3,198)
                              ========  ========  ========   ========   =======
Supplemental disclosures of
 cash flow information:
  Equipment transferred to
   Silicon Graphics.........  $     --  $     --  $     --   $     --   $ 7,714
                              ========  ========  ========   ========   =======
  Interest paid.............  $     69  $     99  $     50   $     41   $    13
                              ========  ========  ========   ========   =======
</TABLE>
 
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
NOTE 1. FORMATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
 
  FORMATION OF MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (THE "COMPANY"). In June 1992, Silicon
Graphics formed the Company following the merger of MIPS Computer Systems,
Inc. into Silicon Graphics which was accounted for as pooling of interests.
MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. was founded in 1984 and was engaged in the design
and development of RISC microprocessors for the computer systems and embedded
markets. Silicon Graphics adopted the MIPS architecture for its computer
systems in 1988 and acquired MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. in 1992. Following
the acquisition, Silicon Graphics continued the MIPS microprocessor business
through its MIPS Group (a division of Silicon Graphics), which focused
primarily on the development of high-performance microprocessors for Silicon
Graphics' workstations and servers. Until the last few years, cost
considerations limited the broader use of these microprocessors. However, as
the cost to design and manufacture microprocessors based on the MIPS
technology decreased, the MIPS Group sought to penetrate the consumer market,
both through supporting and coordinating the efforts of the MIPS semiconductor
partners and, most notably, by partnering with Nintendo in its design of the
Nintendo 64 video game player and related cartridges. Revenues related to
sales of Nintendo 64 video game players and related cartridges currently
account for the substantial majority of the Company's revenue. In order to
increase the focus of the MIPS Group on the design and development of
microprocessor applications dedicated to the embedded market, in December
1997, Silicon Graphics initiated a plan to separate the business of the MIPS
Group from its other operations.
 
  BASIS OF PRESENTATION. The accompanying financial statements reflect the
operations of the Company's predecessor, the MIPS Group, through March 31,
1998. The accompanying balance sheets have been prepared using the historical
basis of accounting and include all of the assets and liabilities specifically
identifiable to the Company and, for certain liabilities that are not
specifically identifiable, estimates have been used to allocate a portion of
Silicon Graphics' liabilities to the Company. Cash management for the Company
is done by Silicon Graphics on a centralized basis and all cash provided by
Silicon Graphics has been recorded as interest-free financing from Silicon
Graphics in these financial statements. Accordingly, the balance sheets and
the statements of cash flows do not reflect any cash or cash equivalents
balances or changes in balances.
 
  The statements of operations include all revenue and costs attributable to
the Company, including a corporate allocation of the costs of facilities and
employee benefits. Additionally, incremental corporate administration, finance
and management costs are allocated to the Company based on certain
methodologies that management believes are reasonable under the circumstances
(see Note 12).
 
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
  INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. In the opinion of management, the unaudited
financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal,
recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly the Company's results of
operations for the nine months ended March 31, 1997. The results of operations
for the nine months ended March 31, 1998 are not necessarily indicative of the
results to be expected for the entire fiscal year.
 
  USE OF ESTIMATES. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and
disclosure of contingent assets and
 
                                      F-7
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts
of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results inevitably
will differ from those estimates, and such differences may be material to the
financial statements.
 
  REVENUE RECOGNITION. The Company derives revenue from fees for the transfer
of proven and reusable intellectual property components or the performance of
engineering services to customer specifications. The Company enters into
licensing agreements that provide licensees the right to incorporate the
Company's intellectual property components in their products with terms and
conditions that have historically varied by licensee. Generally these
agreements include one or more of the following elements: (i) royalty
payments, which are payable upon the sale of a licensee's products, (ii)
nonrefundable technology license fees, which are payable upon the transfer of
intellectual property and which do not involve additional royalties to be paid
upon the future sale of a licensee's products and (iii) engineering service
fees, which generally are payable upon the Company's achievement of defined
milestones. No upgrades or modifications to a licensed product are provided.
 
  The Company classifies all revenue that involves the future sale of a
licensee's products as royalty revenue. Royalty revenue generally is
recognized in the quarter in which a report is received from a licensee
detailing the shipments of products incorporating the Company's intellectual
property components (i.e., in the quarter following the sale of licensed
product by the licensee). The Company classifies all revenue that does not
involve the future sale of a licensee's products, primarily license fees and
engineering service fees, as contract revenue. License fees are recognized
upon the execution of the license agreement and transfer of intellectual
property, provided no further significant performance obligations exist.
Engineering services, which are performed on a best efforts basis, are
recognized as revenue when the defined milestones are completed and the
milestone payment is probable of collection. Milestones have historically been
formulated to correlate with the estimated level of effort and related costs
have been expensed as incurred.
 
  Certain license agreements provide for limited product support that consists
of an identified customer contact at the Company and telephonic or e-mail
product support. Such support arrangements have been insignificant to date.
 
  EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE. Equipment and furniture is stated at cost and
depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. Useful lives of three
to seven years are used for equipment and furniture and fixtures.
 
  STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION. While employees of Silicon Graphics, certain
employees of the Company were granted options to purchase Silicon Graphics
common stock and were awarded restricted shares of Silicon Graphics common
stock. In addition, certain employees of the Company purchased Silicon
Graphics common stock through the Silicon Graphics stock purchase plan. In
connection with their acceptance of employment with the Company, employees of
the Company previously employed by Silicon Graphics have mutually agreed with
Silicon Graphics that all unvested options to purchase Silicon Graphics common
stock and unvested restricted shares of Silicon Graphics common stock will be
forfeited. In addition, such individuals will have 30 or 90 days (depending on
the terms of the option grant) to exercise any vested options to purchase
Silicon Graphics common stock, and any vested options that are not exercised
will be forfeited (see Note 15). Through March 31, 1998, there have been no
Company stock-based awards granted.
 
                                      F-8
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
 
  The Company has adopted the disclosure requirements of Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, Accounting for Stock-based
Compensation ("SFAS 123"). As allowed by SFAS 123, the Company accounts for
stock-based employee compensation arrangements under the intrinsic value
method prescribed by Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, Accounting
for Stock Issued to Employees. As a result, no expense had been recognized for
options to purchase Silicon Graphics common stock granted with an exercise
price equal to fair market value at the date of grant or in connection with
the Silicon Graphics stock purchase plan. For Silicon Graphics stock options
that have been granted at discounted prices and for restricted Silicon
Graphics common stock awarded, the Company accrues compensation expense over
the vesting period for the difference between the exercise or purchase price
and the fair market value on the measurement date.
 
  EARNINGS PER SHARE. The Company follows the provisions of Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 128, Earnings per Share ("SFAS 128"). SFAS
128 requires the presentation of basic and fully diluted earnings per share.
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common
stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares that were
outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed giving
effect to all dilutive potential common shares that were outstanding for any
periods presented in these financial statements. Because there were no stock
options or other potentially dilutive securities outstanding for any periods
presented, both basic and diluted net loss per share are computed based on the
weighted average number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding during
the periods. The Company effected a 360,000-for-one split of its Common Stock
on June 5, 1998 (see Note 15), and accordingly, the Company has presented
share and earnings per share data in the financial statements giving effect to
that split.
 
  RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS. In June 1997, the Financial Accounting
Standards Board issued Statement No. 130, Reporting Comprehensive Income
("SFAS 130"), and Statement No. 131, Disclosures about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related Information ("SFAS 131"). The Company is required to
adopt these Statements in fiscal 1999. SFAS 130 establishes new standards for
reporting and displaying comprehensive income and its components. SFAS 131
requires disclosure of certain information regarding operating segments,
products and services, geographic areas of operation and major customers.
Adoption of these Statements is expected to have no impact on the Company's
financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
 
NOTE 3. BUSINESS RISK AND CUSTOMER CONCENTRATION
 
  The Company operates in the intensely competitive semiconductor industry
which has been characterized by price erosion, rapid technological change,
short product life cycles, cyclical market patterns and heightened foreign and
domestic competition. Significant technological changes in the industry could
affect operating results adversely. Due to the Company's focus on
microprocessor designs dedicated to the embedded market, including digital
consumer products, the Company can be expected to experience seasonal
fluctuations in its revenue and operating results.
 
  The Company markets and licenses its technology to a limited number of
customers and generally does not require collateral. At June 30, 1996 and
1997, one customer accounted for 100% of accounts receivable and at March 31,
1998, two customers accounted for 100% of accounts receivable. During the year
ended June 30, 1995, revenue from two customers
 
                                      F-9
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
represented an aggregate of 75% of total revenue; during the year ended June
30, 1996, revenue from three customers represented an aggregate of 72% of
total revenue and during the year ended June 30, 1997 and the nine-month
period ended March 31, 1998, revenue from two customers represented an
aggregate of 85% and 88% of total revenue, respectively. The Company expects
that a significant portion of its future revenue will continue to be generated
by a limited number of customers. The nonrenewal or expiration of contracts
between the Company and its current customers could adversely affect near-term
future operating results.
 
  A substantial portion of the Company's revenue is derived from outside the
United States (see Note 14). The Company anticipates that revenue from
international customers will continue to represent a substantial portion of
its total revenue. To date, substantially all of the revenue from
international customers has been denominated in U.S dollars. However, to the
extent that sales to digital consumer product manufacturers by the Company's
manufacturing partners are denominated in foreign currencies, royalties
received by the Company on such sales could be subject to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates. In addition, if the effective price of the technology
sold by the Company to its partners were to increase as a result of
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, demand for the Company's
technology could fall which would, in turn, reduce the Company's royalties.
The relative significance of the Company's international operations exposes it
to a number of additional risks including political and economic instability,
longer accounts receivable collection periods and greater difficulty in
collection of accounts receivable, reduced or limited protection for
intellectual property, export license requirements, tariffs and other trade
barriers and potentially adverse tax consequences. There can be no assurance
that the Company will be able to sustain revenue derived from international
customers or that the foregoing factors will not have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition.
 
NOTE 4. RESTRUCTURING CHARGE
 
  The restructuring charge recorded in the nine months ended March 31, 1998
includes $500,000 in severance and related costs (16 employees, a majority of
which supported research and development activities) and $2.1 million in fixed
asset write-downs related to the Company's shift in strategic direction.
Approximately $90,000 of the severance and related costs were paid as of March
31, 1998 and the balance is expected to be paid by June 30, 1998.
 
NOTE 5. PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS
 
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets for all periods presented consists
principally of amounts paid by the Company in advance for maintenance
contracts on its computer-aided design tools. These contracts typically cover
a one-year period, over which time the cost is amortized.
 
NOTE 6. EMPLOYEE NOTES RECEIVABLE
 
  The Company has loans outstanding to employees and an officer. Such loans
are payable upon maturity, which ranges from three to five years from
issuance. Approximately $95,000, $777,000 and $776,000 of these loans at June
30, 1996 and 1997 and March 31, 1998, respectively, relate to loans which are
forgiven by the Company on a periodic basis as the employee or officer remains
employed by the Company. Loan forgiveness charged to expense was $2,000,
$28,000, $99,000, $69,000 and $193,000 in fiscal 1995, 1996 and 1997 and for
the nine months ended March 31, 1997 and 1998, respectively. Upon termination
of employment,
 
                                     F-10
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
the unamortized balance of the loan becomes due. Such forgivable loans bear no
interest. The balance of the loans bear interest at rates ranging from 7.19%
to 7.25%.
 
NOTE 7. EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE
 
  The components of equipment and furniture are as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      JUNE 30,
                                                  ------------------  MARCH 31,
                                                    1996      1997      1998
                                                  --------  --------  ---------
   <S>                                            <C>       <C>       <C>
   Equipment..................................... $ 34,700  $ 45,918  $ 16,096
   Equipment under capital lease.................    2,560     1,198       --
   Furniture and fixtures........................      458       516       366
                                                  --------  --------  --------
                                                    37,718    47,632    16,462
   Accumulated depreciation......................  (25,098)  (32,442)  (15,171)
                                                  --------  --------  --------
   Net equipment and furniture................... $ 12,620  $ 15,190  $  1,291
                                                  ========  ========  ========
 
NOTE 8. ACCRUED LIABILITIES
 
  The components of accrued liabilities are as follows (in thousands):
 
<CAPTION>
                                                      JUNE 30,
                                                  ------------------  MARCH 31,
                                                    1996      1997      1998
                                                  --------  --------  ---------
   <S>                                            <C>       <C>       <C>
   Accrued compensation and employee related
    expenses..................................... $  3,318  $  4,163  $  1,410
   Development and marketing funds...............      159     1,053     1,188
   Other accrued liabilities.....................    3,285       221       215
                                                  --------  --------  --------
                                                    $6,762  $  5,437  $  2,813
                                                  ========  ========  ========
</TABLE>
 
  Accrued compensation and employee related expenses at March 31, 1998 include
approximately $410,000 in accrued severance. The development and marketing
funds represent amounts received from certain of the Company's licensees to be
used in joint development and marketing programs. Other accrued liabilities at
June 30, 1996 includes $3.2 million in deferred revenue.
 
NOTE 9. CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS
 
  The Company leased equipment under capital lease obligations that matured in
fiscal 1998.
 
NOTE 10. INCOME TAXES
 
  The net losses incurred for the fiscal years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and
1997, as well as for the nine-month periods ended March 31, 1997 and 1998, are
attributable to the operations of the Company as a division of Silicon
Graphics and were included in the income tax returns filed by Silicon
Graphics. In light of both historical losses incurred, as well as the fact
that the Company will not receive any benefit for losses incurred up to the
Closing Date, no income tax benefit has been reflected for the periods
presented.
 
  Subsequent to the Separation and the Offering, the Company, while still a
part of Silicon Graphics' consolidated group for federal income tax purposes,
will become responsible for its income taxes through a tax sharing agreement
with Silicon Graphics. Therefore, to the extent
 
                                     F-11
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
the Company produces taxable income, loss or credits, it will make or receive
payments as though it filed separate federal, state and local income tax
returns.
 
  The Company and Silicon Graphics intend to enter into a tax sharing
agreement pursuant to which they will make payments between them such that,
with respect to any period, the amount of taxes to be paid by the Company,
subject to certain adjustments, will be determined as though the Company were
to file separate federal, state and local income tax returns.
 
  In general, the Company will be included in Silicon Graphics' consolidated
group for federal income tax purposes for so long as Silicon Graphics
beneficially owns at least 80% of the total voting power and value of the
outstanding Common Stock.
 
  At June 30, 1996 and 1997, the Company's deferred tax assets and the related
valuation allowance were immaterial.
 
NOTE 11. SILICON GRAPHICS STOCK AWARD PLANS
 
  STOCK AWARD PLANS. Silicon Graphics has various stock award plans which
provide for the grant of incentive and nonstatutory stock options and the
issuance of restricted stock to employees. Incentive stock options are granted
at not less than the fair market value on the date of grant; the prices of
nonstatutory stock option grants and restricted stock are determined by the
board of directors. Under the plans, options and restricted stock generally
vest over a fifty-month period from the date of grant.
 
  Silicon Graphics stock option activity related to employees of the Company
is summarized as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        OUTSTANDING OPTIONS
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    NUMBER OF   WEIGHTED AVERAGE
                                                      SHARES     EXERCISE PRICE
                                                    ----------  ----------------
<S>                                                 <C>         <C>
Balance at July 1, 1994............................  1,718,417      $ 12.04
  Options granted..................................    698,498      $ 26.23
  Options exercised................................   (348,056)     $  9.16
  Options canceled.................................   (351,139)     $ 14.25
                                                    ----------
Balance at June 30, 1995...........................  1,717,720      $ 17.94
  Options granted..................................    772,440      $ 26.98
  Options exercised................................    (52,039)     $  9.97
  Options canceled.................................   (649,967)     $ 17.40
                                                    ----------
Balance at June 30, 1996...........................  1,788,154      $ 22.26
  Options granted..................................  1,641,064      $ 21.00
  Options exercised................................   (148,748)     $ 10.56
  Options canceled................................. (1,705,085)     $ 23.90
                                                    ----------
Balance at June 30, 1997...........................  1,575,385      $ 18.17
  Options granted..................................    161,861      $ 12.85
  Options exercised................................   (113,427)     $ 10.77
  Options canceled................................. (1,247,057)     $ 17.84
                                                    ----------
Balance at March 31, 1998..........................    376,762      $ 19.19
                                                    ==========
</TABLE>
 
                                     F-12
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
  Additional information about outstanding options to purchase Silicon
Graphics common Stock held by employees of the Company at March 31, 1998 is as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                      OPTIONS OUTSTANDING               OPTIONS EXERCISABLE
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------
RANGE OF            WEIGHTED-AVERAGE                              WEIGHTED-
EXERCISE  NUMBER OF CONTRACTUAL LIFE WEIGHTED-AVERAGE NUMBER OF    AVERAGED
 PRICES    SHARES      (IN YEARS)     EXERCISE PRICE   SHARES   EXERCISE PRICE
- --------  --------- ---------------- ---------------- --------- --------------
<S>       <C>       <C>              <C>              <C>       <C>
$5.25--
 $11.69     27,177        6.91            $10.35       15,177        $9.29
$12.63--
 $18.88    189,325        8.16            $17.81       16,741       $15.11
$20.00--
 $30.13    160,260        8.38            $22.32       59,890       $22.36
           -------                                     ------
$5.25--
 $30.13    376,762        8.16            $19.19       91,808       $18.88
           =======                                     ======
</TABLE>
 
  Shares of restricted Silicon Graphics common stock awarded to employees of
the Company in fiscal 1995, 1996, 1997 and the nine-month period ended March
31, 1998 were none, 40,000 shares, 83,500 shares and 27,000 shares,
respectively.
 
  At June 30, 1996, June 30, 1997 and March 31, 1998 there were exercisable
856,711, 480,629 and 91,808 options to purchase Silicon Graphics common stock
held by MIPS employees, respectively. At June 30, 1996, June 30, 1997 and
March 31, 1998, 35,000, 50,125 and 30,000 shares of restricted Silicon
Graphics stock held by employees of the Company were subject to repurchase,
respectively.
 
  STOCK PURCHASE PLAN. Silicon Graphics has an employee stock purchase plan
under which eligible employees may purchase stock at 85% of the lower of the
closing prices for the stock at the beginning of a twenty four-month offering
period or the end of each six-month purchase period. The Purchase periods
generally begin in May and November. Purchases are limited to 10% of each
employee's compensation. Shares issued to employees of the Company under this
plan in fiscal 1995, 1996, 1997 and the nine-month period ended March 31, 1998
were 78,442 shares, 76,084 shares, 135,808 shares and 82,332 shares,
respectively.
 
  GRANT DATE FAIR VALUES. The weighted average estimated fair value of
employee stock options granted at grant date market prices during fiscal 1996,
1997 and the nine-month period ended March 31, 1998 was $11.32, $8.08 and
$6.02 per share, respectively. The weighted average exercise price of employee
stock options granted at grant date market prices during fiscal 1996, 1997 and
the nine-month period ended March 31, 1998 was $29.66, $20.70 and $14.89 per
share, respectively. The weighted average estimated fair value of employee
stock options granted at below grant date market prices during fiscal 1996 and
1997 was $17.07 and $13.09 per share, respectively. The weighted average
exercise price of employee stock options granted at below grant date market
prices during 1996 and 1997 was $21.35 and $15.65 per
 
                                     F-13
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
share, respectively. There were no options granted at below grant date market
price during the nine-month period ended March 31, 1998. The weighted average
estimated fair value of restricted stock granted during fiscal 1996, 1997 and
the nine-month period ended March 31, 1998 was $27.30, $23.37 and $24.37 per
share, respectively. The weighted average estimated fair value of shares
granted under the Silicon Graphics stock purchase plan during fiscal 1996,
1997 and the nine-month period ended March 31, 1998 was $15.09, $7.85 and
$6.88 per share, respectively.
 
  The weighted average fair value of options granted has been estimated at the
date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following
weighted average assumptions:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS        STOCK PURCHASE  PLAN SHARES
                          ------------------------------- -------------------------------
                          YEARS ENDED                     YEARS ENDED
                           JUNE 30,                        JUNE 30,
                          ------------                    ------------
                                        NINE MONTHS ENDED               NINE MONTHS ENDED
                          1996   1997    MARCH 31, 1998   1996   1997    MARCH 31, 1998
                          -----  -----  ----------------- -----  -----  -----------------
<S>                       <C>    <C>    <C>               <C>    <C>    <C>
Expected life (in
 years).................    3.8    2.7         2.7          0.5    0.5         0.5
Risk-free interest rate.   5.18%  6.38%       5.74%        5.49%  5.45%       5.72%
Volatility..............   0.45   0.50        0.62         0.45   0.57        0.79
Dividend yield..........      0%     0%          0%           0%     0%          0%
</TABLE>
 
  PRO FORMA INFORMATION. The Company has elected to follow APB 25 in
accounting for its employee stock options because the alternative fair value
accounting provided for under SFAS 123 requires the use of option valuation
models that were not developed for use in valuing employee stock options.
Under APB 25, no compensation expense is recognized in the Company's financial
statements except in connection with the granting of restricted shares or
unless the exercise price of the Company's employee stock options is less than
the market price of the underlying stock on the date of grant. Total
compensation expense recognized in the Company's financial statements for
stock-based awards under APB 25 for fiscal 1996, 1997, and the nine-month
period ended March 31, 1998 was $0.5 million, $1.7 million and $1.1 million,
respectively.
 
 
                                     F-14
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
  Pro forma information regarding net income and earnings per share has been
determined as if the Company had accounted for its employee stock options and
employee stock purchase plan under the fair value method prescribed by SFAS
123. For purposes of pro forma disclosures, the estimated fair value of the
stock awards is amortized to expense over the vesting periods. The Company's
pro forma information is as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      YEARS ENDED JUNE 30,
                                      ----------------------
                                                              NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                         1996        1997      MARCH 31, 1998
                                      ----------  ----------  -----------------
   <S>                                <C>         <C>         <C>
   Pro forma net loss................ $  (30,041) $  (46,228)      $(5,306)
   Pro forma basic and diluted net
    loss per share................... $    (0.83) $    (1.28)      $ (0.15)
</TABLE>
 
  In connection with their acceptance of employment with the Company,
employees have agreed that all unvested options to purchase Silicon Graphics
common stock and all unvested restricted shares of Silicon Graphics common
stock held by such employees will be forfeited. The Company will grant options
to purchase the Common Stock of the Company and other stock-based awards in
the fourth quarter of fiscal 1998 and in the future. Accordingly, the
historical pro forma impact of applying the fair value method prescribed by
SFAS 123 is not representative of the impact that may be expected in the
future.
 
NOTE 12. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
  FUNDING. The Company has utilized Silicon Graphics' centralized cash
management services and processes related to receivables, payables, payroll
and other activities. The Company's net cash requirements have been funded by
Silicon Graphics. Net financing provided to the Company by Silicon Graphics in
fiscal 1995, 1996 and 1997 was approximately, $27 million, $35 million and $45
million, respectively. There was a net return of capital to Silicon Graphics
by the Company of approximately $5 million in the nine-month period ended
March 31, 1998. The average balance due Silicon Graphics during fiscal 1995,
1996, 1997 and the nine months ended March 31, 1998 was approximately, $35
million, $67 million, $107 million and $127 million, respectively.
 
  CORPORATE SERVICES. Silicon Graphics allocates a portion of its domestic
corporate expenses to its divisions, including the Company. In addition, in
accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 55, certain additional
allocations have been reflected in these financial statements. These expenses
have included corporate communications, management, compensation and benefits
administration, payroll, accounts payable, income tax compliance, treasury and
other administration and finance overhead. Allocations and charges were based
on either a direct cost pass-through or a percentage allocation for such
services provided based on factors such as net sales, headcount and relative
expenditure levels. Such allocations and corporate charges totaled $7.8
million, $9.0 million, $11.0 million, $7.6 million and $7.3 million for the
years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997, and for the nine-month periods ended
March 31, 1997 and March 31, 1998, respectively.
 
  Management believes that the basis used for allocating corporate services is
reasonable. While the terms of these transactions may differ from those that
would result from transactions among unrelated parties, management does not
believe such differences would be material.
 
  FACILITIES. The Company's executive, administrative and technical offices
currently occupy space in a building leased by Silicon Graphics in Mountain
View, California. Following the
 
                                     F-15
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONTINUED)
 
Separation (Note 15), the Company intends to sublease from Silicon Graphics
office space in one building. Payments by the Company to Silicon Graphics
under this sublease are expected to be $611,000, $743,000, $776,000 and
$741,000 in fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, respectively. The sublease
will terminate on May 31, 2002, subject to earlier termination in certain
circumstances.
 
NOTE 13. CONTINGENCIES
 
  In February 1998, the Company received a notice asserting that the R10000
and potentially other microprocessors designed by the Company allegedly
infringe a patent currently held by Ceridian Corporation. The Company is
evaluating these claims.
 
  From time to time, the Company receives communications from third parties
asserting patent or other rights covering the Company's products and
technologies. Based upon the Company's evaluation, it may take no action or it
may seek to obtain a license. There can be no assurance in any given case that
a license will be available on terms the Company considers reasonable, or that
litigation will not ensue.
 
  Management is not aware of any pending disputes that would be likely to have
a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations or
financial condition.
 
NOTE 14. INDUSTRY AND GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENT INFORMATION
 
  The Company operates in one industry segment. The Company's revenue by
geographic area is as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                      YEARS ENDED JUNE 30,       MARCH 31,
                                     ----------------------- -------------------
                                      1995    1996    1997      1997      1998
                                     ------- ------- ------- ----------  -------
                                                             (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                  <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>         <C>
United States....................... $ 3,140 $ 6,123 $ 5,066  $ 3,428    $ 4,345
Export:
  Japan.............................  24,339  22,620  35,241   23,375     41,222
  Europe............................     --    6,300     --       --         250
  Rest of World.....................     --    2,000     --       --         --
                                     ------- ------- -------  -------    -------
    Total revenue................... $27,479 $37,043 $40,307  $26,803    $45,817
                                     ======= ======= =======  =======    =======
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 15. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
 
  In April 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company approved the filing of
a registration statement by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, relating to an initial public offering of the Company's Common Stock.
 
  In April 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a transaction
whereby Silicon Graphics will transfer to the Company the assets and
liabilities related to the design and development of microprocessor
intellectual property for embedded market applications (the "Separation"). In
connection with the Separation, the Company and Silicon Graphics will enter
into a Corporate Agreement that provides for certain pre-emptive rights of
Silicon Graphics to purchase shares of the Company's capital stock,
registration rights related to shares of the
 
                                     F-16
<PAGE>
 
                            MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(CONCLUDED)
 
Company's capital stock owned by Silicon Graphics and covenants against
certain actions by the Company for so long as Silicon Graphics owns a majority
of the Company's outstanding Common Stock. Furthermore, the Company and
Silicon Graphics will enter into a Management Services Agreement pursuant to
which Silicon Graphics will provide certain services to the Company following
the Separation on an interim or transitional basis.
 
  In May 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and the
Company's stockholder (where appropriate) approved (i) a 360,000-for-one split
of the Common Stock (effected June 5, 1998), (ii) an amendment to the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation providing for an increase in the number
of authorized shares of Common Stock to 150,000,000 shares, and (iii) the
adoption of the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan
authorizes the issuance of various forms of stock-based awards including
incentive and non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock
awards and performance unit awards to officers and other key employees and
consultants. Stock options are granted at not less than the fair value on the
date of grant; the prices of other stock awards will be determined by the
Board of Directors. Stock options generally vest over a fifty-month period
from the date of grant. An aggregate of 6,600,000 shares of Common Stock may
be issued under the Plan. From May 22, 1998 through June 4, 1998, the Company
granted options to purchase up to 2,996,900 shares of Common Stock at an
exercise price of $12.00 per share, the then estimated fair value of the
Common Stock, and granted stock awards totalling 15,000 shares of Common
Stock.
 
                                     F-17
<PAGE>
 
[Inside Back Cover]



MIPS RISC Technology
Semiconductor partners

 

[Integrated Device Technology,             MIPS processors are
Inc. LOGO]                                 manufactured and sold                
                                           by world-class semiconductor         
                                           partners including: Integrated       
[LSI LOGIC LOGO]                           Devices Technology, Inc.;          
                                           LSI Logic Corporation; NEC           
                                           Corporation; NKK COrporation;        
[NEC LOGO]                                 Philips Semiconductors;              
                                           Quantum Effect Design, Inc.          
                                           (QED) and Toshiba Corporation.       
[NKK LOGO]                                 The MIPS RISC architecture           
                                           is flexible and allows our           
[PHILIPS LOGO]                             semiconductor partners to            
                                           integrate their intellectual         
[QUANTUM EFFECT DESIGN,                    property with the Company's
INC. LOGO]                                 processor and related designs      
                                           to develop differentiated            
                                           and innovative products              
                                           for a variety of embedded            
[TOSHIBA LOGO]                             applications.   
                                      
                                        
                                           MIPS                  
                                           TECHNOLOGIES INC          
                                                   Providing Choice   
                                                              [MIPS] 



<PAGE>
 
 NO DEALER, SALESPERSON OR OTHER INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
 INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IN
 CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS. IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH
 INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN 
 AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR THE UNDERWRITERS. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT
 CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, THE COMMON
 STOCK IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE, OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM, IT IS UNLAWFUL TO
 MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR
 ANY SALE MADE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION
 THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THIS PROSPECTUS
 OR IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE AS OF WHICH SUCH INFORMATION
 IS GIVEN.
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           PAGE
                                                                           ----
  <S>                                                                      <C>
  Prospectus Summary......................................................   3
  The Company.............................................................   5
  Risk Factors............................................................   7
  Special Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements.......................  18
  Use of Proceeds.........................................................  19
  Dividend Policy.........................................................  19
  Capitalization..........................................................  20
  Dilution................................................................  21
  Selected Financial Data.................................................  22
  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
   of Operations..........................................................  23
  Business................................................................  33
  Management..............................................................  46
  Arrangements Between the Company and Silicon Graphics...................  60
  Principal and Selling Stockholder.......................................  68
  Description of Capital Stock............................................  69
  Shares Eligible for Future Sale.........................................  75
  Certain United States Federal Tax Considerations for Non-United States
   Holders................................................................  76
  Underwriting............................................................  79
  Legal Matters...........................................................  81
  Experts.................................................................  81
  Additional Information..................................................  81
  Glossary of Certain Terms...............................................  82
  Index to Financial Statements........................................... F-1
</TABLE>
 
 UNTIL JULY 24, 1998 (25 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS), ALL DEALERS
 EFFECTING TRANSACTIONS IN THE COMMON STOCK, WHETHER OR NOT PARTICIPATING IN
 THIS DISTRIBUTION, MAY BE REQUIRED TO DELIVER A PROSPECTUS. THIS IS IN
 ADDITION TO THE OBLIGATION OF DEALERS TO DELIVER A PROSPECTUS WHEN ACTING AS
 UNDERWRITERS AND WITH RESPECT TO THEIR UNSOLD ALLOTMENTS OR SUBSCRIPTIONS.
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
[MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. LOGO]
 
 5,500,000 SHARES
 
 
 COMMON STOCK
 
 DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES
 
 BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
 
 HAMBRECHT & QUIST
 
 PROSPECTUS
 
 JUNE 29, 1998
 


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission