It’s hard to find much 3D programming on television beyond ESPN 3D and the new 3net venture from Sony, Discovery and Imax. But a flood of soon-to-be-released 3D video games could boost adoption of pricey, high-tech 3D television sets.
Video games serve as perfect 3D bait because gamers are not only early technology adopters but also are constantly searching for new ways to dive deeper into rich game environments.
Sony, for one, has a vested interest in seeing 3D television succeed. The electronics maker sells 3D Bravia LCD TVs, as well as PlayStation 3 video game systems.
Its game studios also have several 3D-compatible video games in the works.
The latest, Killzone 3 in 3D, comes out [Wednesday] on PS3 for $60. This space combat game pits the player as part of a squad of humans combating an alien force called the Helghast.
Killzone 3 in 3D “gives you the illusion that you are literally there, on the front line and in the middle of the fight,” says Hermen Hulst, co-founder of the game’s development studio, Guerrilla Games, based in Amsterdam.
“For a developer like us that is always trying to make experiences as immersive as possible, it’s very much a natural extension,” he says.
Will It Work?
But can the proliferation of 3D games really spur 3D TV sales? There are encouraging signs. Nearly a quarter of consumers surveyed last year by Magid Advisors said they were considering buying a 3D TV in the next 12 months. Young men ages 12 to 34 wanted a 3D TV the most.
“Many of the people most wanting 3D TVs are core console gamers,” says Mike Vorhaus, president of Magid Advisors.
In the second year of 3D TV availability, fewer than 6 percent of all TVs headed to stores this year will be 3D sets, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. However,…