3D Gaming: Does The PS3 Have The Edge?

The advent of 3D films hitting the big screen has sparked a fire under the games industry and, as developers and publishers rush to make their mark, it seems 3D is the one area Sony could actually trump Microsoft.

Rumours flying around the web over the last few days have brought to light the potential 3D has for the entertainment industry. Not only games, but films are all making the leap to 3D. James Cameron’s Avatar is a perfect case in point as it is not only using stereoscopic 3D footage, but also a similar effect for the videogame tie-in. While Microsoft and Sony have yet to announce officially what their plans are for 3D, it has been heavily hinted that Sony will start pumping the PS3 with updates over the next few years to enable it to handle the processing difficulties of displaying a game at the appropriate resolution and in 3D.

If 3D is to be as big as the industry is predicting, for both movies and games, then making sure the 360 and the PS3 are compatible must be a big deal for Microsoft and Sony. With the advent of motion control and 3D we’re heading into a weird future gaming scenario where virtual reality will practically be upon us. Whichever company gets the drop on the competition could mean the difference between huge sales and the fabled ‘console race’ win. If Microsoft wants to compete it’d better get a move on.

Is 3D that important? Will it mark as big a departure as standard-def to high-def was? Are we really expected to play games wearing massive goggles? All good questions that we’re sure will be answered soon. The other question is, though, will consumers who have just bought an HDTV want to upgrade again to a ’3D Ready’ one if their current model isn’t compatible? Seems like a big ask.

Is Sony in a position to continue the success of the Slim launch by being the home of 3D? This will be one to watch for sure.