I see your point, maybe this exceptional move should not be called "step-up" as it can be mistaken with the official one.
as a GTX 970 FTW owner I'm also curious about the new FTW+.
we'll see where this is going to end. 

So it looks like the new SSC and the FTW+ go from 4+2 phase power design, to a 6+2 phase power design. Additionally, they both now use use an upgraded heatsink that seems to be based off of the previous FTW model's heatsink, except this new one has 3 larger (copper) heatpipes as opposed to 4 slightly smaller ones. Looking like the cards are identical now except for the clockspeeds, and the fact that the FTW+ now comes with a backplate included.
 
Can't wait till we get more information, especially on the FTW+ model :)

I would be very disappointed if there is no step-up for 970FTW owners.

seahawkgfx
I would be very disappointed if there is no step-up for 970FTW owners.

It is Christmas day. Probably not too many people working that are willing to update the site. Hopefully they allow the step up :-)

ManBearPig
(what the FTW SHOULD have been to begin with)

Absolutely agree... just received my FTW step-up from an ACX 1.0 SC and now read this, ugh.  Very happy with the upgrade, but that grass is always greener.

i wanna step up my 970 sc 2 the 970 ftw+ like in feb

EVGA is upgrading this GTX 970's cooling by using a full-coverage memory and MOSFET cooling plate (MMCP) rather than the partial plate found on the last-generation For The Win (FTW) card. Such a move is claimed to reduce memory temperature by 14 per cent and, probably more relevant to the overclocker, keep the hot-running VRM MOSFETs 48 per cent cooler than on the same card bereft of MMCP technology. The present Superclocked ACX 2.0 card, 04G-P4-2974-KR, also has no such MMCP plate, mind.
Further, EVGA says it is now using a trio of 8mm heatpipes that run horizontally across the heatsink instead of the usual U-shaped arrangement found on other models, including the original Superclocked. EVGA believes the straight-across-the-block design offers six per cent better heat dispersal and lower thermal resistance.
Harnessing this extra performance potential, the GTX 970 SSC upgrades the circuitry to six power phases while adding 6+8-pin power connectors in concert with an overclocking-friendly Power Target figure higher than on the majority of the competition. This appears to be a card begging to be overclocked to GeForce GTX 980 levels, then.
 
i was hoping these improvements would be made.  I am lucky enough to have started a step up program to this card.  I just have to pay for shipping and I will trade my sc for the ssc.
 
I cannot find anything that says the new ftw+ is any different than the new ssc other than another 25MHz on the core and a back-plate.

Where are you guys seeing the FTW+ model? I only see the SSC... Also, do you guys think this type of card would be ok for an HTPC? Or would a blower-style be better? I just want to make sure the hot air moves the way I need it too.

If they are focusing more extention to the necessary and minute details of the 970's, that must prove that there will be no big reveal of cards that are going to be sold out for months on end, like a 980ti that was rumored for so long. I know they said the manufacturing process experienced delays, but this is a good thing that EVGA is investing the time to better the items that they have available during the delay.

I'm curious where did they found out about the FTW+ doing 25MHz more