Right now, Sony seems to be just about the only company really pushing 3D very hard. After all, not only do they want us to play games in 3D on the PS3, but their electronics division wants us to purchase 3D televisions and 3D-enabled Blu-ray players.
While the upfront cost of a TV and shutter glasses is more than most consumers can handle, and the 3D effect isn't always perfect, Ubisoft is another game company that's a big believe in the technology. In fact, Ubisoft U.K. marketing boss Murray Pannel thinks we'll all be watching and playing in 3D in just three years.
"The truth is I think it is a technology that's coming," said Pannel to Eurogamer. "We can't ignore it. It'll start slowly this year. But like HDTV I wouldn't rule out the fact that this will be installed in everyone's living room in three year's time, and for us to be in a position to have content that could really look absolutely amazing in 3D."
Pannel continued, "Just watch this space, because when you have global corporations like Sony pushing 3D as hard as they possibly can, Sky, equally, showcasing 3D content on TV, I believe it will become a much more important part of consumer electronics than a lot of people believe."
Ubisoft thinks around half of all games will be played in 3D by 2012. Japanese consumers so far seem uninterested, however.
6 Comments
July 9, 2010
I think he's overstating it, but correct fundamentally.
To be more accurate, I would say that practically all new TVs sold in three years will be 3D-capable TVs. That doesn't mean those people will pay for even one set of 3D glasses if they're not included, or that they'll connect any source component capable of driving the TV in 3D mode.
But the add-on cost for putting that feature on the TV is so low, and the potential for added sales so great just because its another tick-box on the spec sheet, pretty much guarantees that the arms-race of consumer electronics will drive this into the basic specification for every LCD or Plasma TV sold in 2013.
TV makers are desperate for any new feature to get people to upgrade their existing sets (1080p, 120Hz, 240Hz, LED-backlighting). It doesn't always matter if the consumer actually USES the feature, if it moves a few more units in Best Buy because the logo is on there, its going in the box.
Right now its Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, and LG, but within months it will be Vizio and all the interchangeable Costco chinese brands.
The big question is still whether consumers will like the feature enough once its in in their living room to buy content for it.
July 9, 2010
Your prediction will be true on just about every TV 40" and up in the US by the end of the this year (all 3D capable) and next year it will be down to the smallest HD sets manufacturers make.
Original HD sets were so much more expensive then their Analog counterparts that it drastically slowed adoption. These are no more expensive (I recently bought a Samsung Plasma for the same price as the previous model was going for at the end of last year and the new model I bought supports 3D).
http://sportsvideo.org/main/blog/2010/01/20/sportstechla-3d-adoption-curve-likely-to-outpace-hd/
July 9, 2010
I still need to be shown why 3D display makes game play better for enough people, enough of the time, to drive sales of units. Right now it still seems like 3D in the movies; sounds great, but mostly it's just a way to try and tack on an extra profit margin, and the audiences are getting wise to it. I understand why hardware manufacturers hope 3D display is The Next Big Thing, and pubolishers too; but hoping doesn't make it so. The cost issue has to be overcome, and the annoyance of glasses, headaches and motion sickness must be outweighed by the benefits. I think this has yet to become a must-have for gamers... I think they're interested, but until the costs come down and some good games come out (or even one; the market needs an Avatar), it's still a pipe dream.
July 9, 2010
I saw Killzone 3 and Motorstorm Apocalypse in 3D at Sony's Booth during E3. Both were very early but quite impressive. I have already watched a number of World Cup games on ESPN 3D and even more Sports in 3D will be on ESPN3D by the end of the year (They claim to have at least 85 events this year). Hands down everyone who I have invited to come over and view the games prefers the 3D to the HD version. (Granted that is only my family and friends but they a very diverse cross section).
The content is coming much faster than HD content did in the early years of Home displays.
And to truly be fair stereoscopic 3D isn't new as it has been growing in popularity for more than 60 years. It has been a huge mainstay of attractions in amusement parks for years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-D_film
Hold on to your glasses as with the 3 way content push of games, movies and live sports, 3D in the home will be adopted so fast that it will dwarf the HD adoption rate
July 9, 2010
Well it won't be in my home, unless it's part of the next hdtv I buy. He might have been alluding to that, but even if I buy an hdtv that is 3D capable theres no way I'll be springing for glasses, even if they only cost $20 each. I already wear glasses to game(and watch movies in the theater) and I'm not interested in wearing two pairs of glasses to enjoy my entertainment.
July 13, 2010
HDTV's did NOT have a fast adoption rate. The fist commercial HDTV was released in 1998 and only this year (12 years later) has it finally crossed the 50% mark (about 60% of homes have one). Considering that most people only started buying HDTV's in the last few years, they are not gonna go out and buy a new TV anytime soon. If anything, 3D TV's will have a slower adoption rate. They also have to deal with the issue of every TV manufacturer having their own 3D glasses and they only work with their TVs.