Look at those crisp graphics! 3D IS the new HD!
Every game company, movie studio and electronic manufacturer is touting 3D as if it’s the second coming. Oddly enough it kind of IS the second coming, of 3D anyway. The first time they tried this it didn’t work because the technology just wasn’t up to snuff. The 3D was expensive as hell and it didn’t look all that impressive.
Now days the 3D, while still expensive, looks great when done right. The problem is that it is not, and never will be, the new standard. You may be asking why I think I know this and the answer is simple. When we all upgraded from standard def to HD, every movie that came out was put out in HD. Every game was put out in HD. Eventually almost all consoles, TV’s, monitors etc could handle HD and so everyone already had an HD capable device, so they just bought HD movies/games. Heck, even most older movies were re-released in HD.
The problem with 3D is that very few games and movies will support it. Sure every console/TV/whatever may support 3D in the future, but there still won’t be many movies in 3D, and the number of games in 3D isn’t going to increase for a while, though that might take off as a niche like dual monitor gaming or multi-boxing is now.
Can you see a “Sex in the City” movie in 3D (not that you would want to) What would be the point? Rare movies like Avatar would be big draws in 3D just as they are now, but what about your random Romantic Comedies or dialog heavy movies? How about a television show in 3D? They aren’t going to spend the money for that. Especially on a NEW series, and if costs go up that much, what are they gonna do with struggling shows?
Gaming might have a niche for 3D though. The 3DS already has a leg up in that it requires no glasses, and you can set the depth of the 3D effect, even turning it off it you don’t like it or are playing a game that doesn’t support it. Now if I have a 3DS and a game comes out in 3D, of course I’ll play it in 3D. Will I go grab a 3D TV for several thousand dollars so I can play one or maybe four or five games in 3D on the PS3? Not a chance in hell. If EVERY game that came out had a 3D option, and it was well done 3D, then yes I could see spending the money on it, but just like the Move and Kinect, I’m not going to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on a peripheral that will see use in four games, one of which might not suck.
Manifest Pixel 