I got a chance to see some 3D games in action -- 3D gaming isn't at all like what we think about when the topic of 3D film comes up. None of the games I played threw gimmicky 3D images off the screen. Instead, the 3D effect merely added a layer of depth perception, which for shooters and racers looks really cool. I didn't play for hours, but I liked what I saw.

And I did see Metro 2033 demoed on a 3D TV that didn't need glasses. Granted, the image wasn't perfectly clear (the THQ guy told me that the software is still being refined), but it's promising to see glasses-less 3D TVs.

Ah, thanks Rob. You did in two paragraphs what Sony failed to do in their entire keynote for us not at E3. It's still a hard sell just on budget alone and I wonder what happens when not all developers are as responsible for the visuals.



If they go glasses-less, I'll be more receptive.

It'll be a few years yet until your living room TV can display 3D images sans glasses. In the meantime, we'll have the 3DS. I was blown away by my time with it at E3 -- and my eyes didn't hurt at all afterward, like they do with 3D movies.

I don't understand what all these freaking whiners are complaining about. If you like 3D movies or gaming, and you can afford a new 3D-compatible TV (which really isn't that expensive; they're about the same price or slightly more than regular TVs), then the extensive lineup of 3D PS3 games is there for you. If you DON'T have a 3D TV or don't WANT to experience games or movies in 3D, then DON'T FREAKING TURN ON THE 3D OPTION. Can this be any more simple for you? The keyword there was OPTION... as in OPTIONAL. Yes, shocking newsflash for you guys: You can actually CHOOSE to play PS3 games in 3D or 2D. WOW!

It's like you're all trying really, really hard to find something to complain or get pissed off about. What's the matter, sad about all the abuse Kinect has taken by gamers and want to overcompensate by nitpicking about something related to Sony?

3D isn't a fad; it's here to stay, if the stunning success of movies like Avatar are anything to go by. As time passes, 3D TVs will only continue to drop in price and thus become more affordable/mainstream, and even when more glasses-less 3D TVs come out, then 3D movies and games will only become more and more common, adopted, and accepted. Face the truth, despite whatever jealous fanboyism you might or might not harbor.

@Tony: My response to that would be that funding and manpower is limited, and this artificial pitch on 3-D is going to hoard both from non-3-D projects, I had the same problem with the Halo franchise, I totally loved the first game and the very dynamic narrative it brought, but the multiplayer was hugely popular, so the next Halo games become a multiplayer first, campaign if we got some time affair. Look no further than Killzone 3, the time and manpower to make it 3-D will be taken from other aspects of development, how about the next game of your favorite franchise being half size to make it 3-D ready? how about the very Playstation 3 having to process 2 screen outputs and duplicating its load thus reducing the animation to 30fps?

Finally someone is saying something negative about this whole 3D push by Sony!  I thought I was the only one that thought this was not a good idea.

Personally, I see this as a very self-serving move on Sony's part... they have a WHOLE lot of 3D capable TV's they are trying to sell.  Cross-product push, anyone?

3d and kinect? can someone say holodeck? I can

Here's the thing with 3D gaming. For the last 10 years the only improvements we've seen in video games technology is graphics. Graphics, graphics, graphics.  Rather than improve artificial intelligence or really reach out and do something innovative, developers are getting lazy, and making 3D the next graphical push is the next easy way out.  

So for next gen, look forward to better graphics, in 3D, but with the same dumb AI we've been playing with for the last 15 years. (aka in a shooter you stealthily shoot somebody in the head with a silenced weapon and he falls to the ground dead, but his buddy 10 feet away is none the wiser to the situation.)

DUMB. 

Highly intelligent, reactive, proactive and cognisant (NOT SCRIPTED) artificial intelligence is the only thing that's going to change the way video games are played and experienced.. Until then, we're just playing the same old bullshit but with prettier graphics. 

You might be right with the head hurting, eye fatigue, etc., but I'm still very much looking forward to 3D gaming. :)  I was blown away by the PS3 stuff at E3.

Amen.

Actually, that deserves a bit more explanation. As long as 3D doesn't detract from the essence of a game, I have no problem with it. But from what I've seen so far, that's exactly what it's doing. And that is frustrating me to no end.