14 DAY TRIAL // Two very different ways of introducing three dimensions to the world of gaming have emerged in the wake of the E3 trade show. Nintendo is pushing its 3DS handheld, which relies on cleverly designed screens to deliver the extra dimension without the use of glasses.
Meanwhile, Sony is pushing hard its combo of PlayStation 3 home console and Bravia line of television sets, which will require the use of specialized glasses to experience the three dimensions. And the hardware maker is a bit upset about the way Nintendo has been attacking the solution, which uses glasses in terms of aesthetics, costs and quality of the developed experience.
Talking to IGN as part of an interview, Shuhei Yoshida, who is the president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, defended the company's approach, saying “I have hope that they have a broader perspective with 3D. When you listen to what they are saying about the effect of 3D perspective to the games, they are saying the same message we are, but they don't have to bash some small part of what the other company is doing.”
Yoshida is keen on pointing out that Sony is not the only company using a solution that requires glasses, with all the three dimensional movie theaters also requiring them. The Sony executive is also stating that the latest technology will make the glasses lighter and easier to use, “you kind of forget you're wearing them after a while.”
Sony is hoping that three-dimensional gaming, coupled with the launch of the PlayStation Move motion tracking system, will help the PS3 overtake the Xbox 360 in terms of sales and even threaten the Nintendo made Wii. There are rumors suggesting that an HD version of the Nintendo home console might be in the works, with the same 3D technology used on the 3DS included.