After watching the above commercial for Sony’s new 3D TV, it’s interesting to see that they are making such a strong push for 3D to go mainstream, yet it’s hard for me to believe that the three dimensional content trend is going to take off very quickly. Especially, when you consider the fact that 3D’s biggest deterrent is still the fact that you can only view 3D content while wearing those silly looking glasses.
While, perhaps, sometime in the future, you’ll be able to purchase those glasses at any corner store, I had a hard time locating a pair to watch Sony’s 3D commercial, and became even more frustrated trying to share the video with those in the office. With only one set of 3D glasses, there was a lot of sharing going on, and while the commercial looks great with the glasses on, the ten times I ended up watching it without them started to give me a bit of a headache.
So, is 3D really the next big thing in gaming? Nintendo and Sony seem to think so, with the Nintendo 3DS being slated for sometime around October and Sony’s 3D upgrade for the PlayStation 3 is due on June 10th in Japan. But, are we really going to start meeting up at friends’ houses, all touting our red and blue goggles, to watch the big game, awards show, or first person shooter? It seems unlikely that this trend will truly catch-on until the 3D technology is available for viewing without having to wear special glasses, but according to Kotaku, Nintendo’s official release states that the Nintendo 3DS can be “enjoyed with 3D effects without the need for any special glasses.”
It will be interesting to see how Nintendo produces its 3D effects minus the unsightly eye wear, but, according to sources at Computer World, Glasses-free 3D LCD TVs are likely to be available by 2015. Which poses the question, “Is it worth it to spend the money on the current 3D technology, or should we all just wait a few years?” Will Nintendo’s 3DS really be the first portable console to offer glasses-free 3D technology?
After experiencing the current offering of 3D TVs, first hand, at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, I must say that it was very cool watching the three dimensional content that was available. But, how much content is really out there? Is it worth $6,000 to just be able to watch Avatar over and over, again?
Whether or not 3D takes off in the gaming world is really dependent on how well 3DTVs sell. Right now, I’m not sure enough units are being sold to warrant game developers to make the leap to full three dimensional graphics. But, the trend has to start somewhere and Nintendo has a track record of breaking new boundaries. “The pressure will be on Nintendo at E3 this month to match the surprises and success they achieved with the Wii and DS when they broke from industry trends before,” says Brian Warmouth of MTV Multiplayer. “If they really do have near-HD-quality graphics to put on display, this device will turn some heads.”
CM4 will be out at E3 this year and we will be very interested to see what Nintendo announces and experience 3D gaming for ourselves. What do you think? Is 3D the future of gaming? How do you think 3D gaming is going to be received at E3? Will you own a pair of designer 3D glasses? Find us on Facebook or Twitter and let us know what you think.
