14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has talked a bit about the upcoming PlayStation Vita handheld console and how it couldn't have an autostereoscopic 3D screen, like the Nintendo 3DS, because Sony made motion controls such a core part of the device.
Sony is working hard on its PlayStation Vita, getting it ready for release later this year in Japan and in early 2012 for Europe or North America.
Now, SCEE Senior Group Studio Director Mick Hocking has talked with Gamespot about the device and how, because of its reliance on Sixaxis motion controls, it couldn't get a 3DS-like screen that would allow for a glasses-free 3D effect, as players wouldn't be able to keep the device steady when using it.
"At the time we were looking at Vita, there were several issues. One was the quality of the glasses-free 3D screens," Hocking said. "It can work very well on small screens, but to get the best effect, you need to keep your head very, very still. Now with a handheld gaming device and Vita having Sixaxis motion control in it, there may be gameplay where you're moving the Vita around. And if you're doing that and having glasses-free 3D, the two things don't sit very well together," he went on to elaborate.
The Nintendo 3DS also has motion controls, in the form of gyroscopes inside the device, and, when they're used in titles like Face Raiders or Augmented Reality, it's extremely hard to keep experiencing the 3D effect because you're moving the console around. As such, Sony made a pretty good call with the Vita.
Still, Hocking doesn't rule out the possibility of seeing a 3D-enabled PlayStation Vita in the future, but, as of yet, the model will only sport a 5-inch OLED touchscreen.
"We wanted to offer a really, really high-resolution OLED screen, and the best way to do that was in 2D," he said, adding, "...at least for the first one."
Sony's worldwide studios boss Shuhei Yoshida also hinted that a 3D Vita might appear in the future, but also praised the current screen of the device for its great features.