Microsoft on 3D gaming: Sony sucks, Nintendo rocks

Emil

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Phil Spencer, Microsoft Games Studio VP, was recently asked about what he thought about 3D technology and its role in the gaming industry. He didn't say it outright, but he did say Sony's 3D business model was flawed, mainly due to the fact that current 3D technology isn't mainstream yet, so 3D gaming is unlikely to be very successful as a result. Spencer doesn't believe that expensive 3D televisions and the accompanying 3D glasses will break the 3D market in the home. He did admit, however, that he liked the glasses-less concept of Nintendo's 3DS.

"For better or for worse, people just don't really have TVs in their house right now that are going to do 3D in a way that's going to work," Spencer told CNN. "I like the 3DS, you don't have to wear the glasses."

Spencer doesn't name Sony specifically but he does say: "As a corporate mandate, I don't need to sell you a new TV, that's not part of my business model. Other companies maybe have that part of their business model. I don't." Sony has invested heavily in the 3D market with films, PS3 3D support, and 3D televisions themselves. Unfortunately for the Japanese company, the market penetration of 3D televisions has been very low so far.

So how is Microsoft handling 3D? "It felt a little more like a science experiment than something that's going to go touch millions of people," Spencer remarked in reference to Batman: Arkham Asylum, a stereoscopic 3D release as part of a game of the year special edition. "Clearly, we're not going to ignore 3D. I think it is something that will play a role in entertainment." In other words, the company is playing the waiting game, and betting big on Kinect in the meantime.

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I kinda agree, having to buy a new 3D TV and wearing those uncomfortable glasses, just to play a game thats only probably half decent isn't worth it.

Reality is kinect will sell its a gimmic, non-gamers will flock to it.

"Microsoft on 3D gaming: Sony sucks, Nintendo rocks" as a title is a little misleading, but did get me to read it :) so thats a plus
 
yes.. im doing some heavy school work right now. and decide to check what was on techspot saw the title and read it! and now i'm here.
 
When the PS3 hit the public market, it costed a fortune in itself. When 3D-televisions hit the market, similarly they also costed a fortune. Even though the latter still sets you back a few bucks, I reckon 3D-television will become more available. In fact, available enough for Sony's investment in 3D-supporting PS3's to pay off good. And just like the VGCats comic referred to by princeton, Microsoft seems to put all their eggs in one basket with the Kinect.
 
Well 3D imho is flawed. All these films and games, and I am just not interested in the slightest. It is too expensive and not all that good. It is way too early to adopt. And altho some people say wearing glasses helps immerse you into a film or game, i just can not see it.

So in that sense I can see microsofts point. But I hate many things about my xbox and love my ps3. It is by far superior to microsofts "so-not-next-gen" piece of crap. I will be shocked if the kinect changes this for me.

But then Microsofts business model is to make an inferior product that requires you to purchase many extras, and dish that with poor customer support, so that the poor mugs that buy into their poor junk get fed up returning their xbox and buy new.

Seriously I remember reading about one guy who is on his 7th xbox. No wonder Microsoft have such huge sales. Microsoft suck.
 
princeton said:
But of course motion control is the entire future of the ****ing industry. Kinect...Kinect here's what I think of you.

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=294

@princeton Hahahaha =P

I'm very 'skeptical' of kinect because there's only been dull kids games shown so far like most of the Wii games, they need some great RTS games. Just imagine selecting units so easy and quick using a grabbing motion with your hands or pointing with your finger and kind of dragging it... like you do with a mouse more or less =/ it would be great IF they did something like that but I think it'll be limited.

And the dopes saying all this stuff at Microsoft should really stop this trash talk it's not healthy =P
 
3D anything is a joke. We can all thank "Avatar" for making the major equipment and media manufacturers believe we want this and for the last year have been pummeling consumers with "you just GOTTA have it!" kool-aid.

And exactly what princeton said. It's comical that MS would dis 3D on one side of their mouth but on the other side promote the equally ridiculous kinect.
 
I remember it in early development when it was called 'project Natal' It looked rather impressive at that stage. why is it getting such bad reviews by you guys now? did they change it?
I'm just curious as it looked like it really had potential, and looked head and shoulders over Wii.
I'm not a console guy and do not have an X Box,PS3 ect so I have no idea.
 
"But then Microsofts business model is to make an inferior product that requires you to purchase many extras, and dish that with poor customer support, so that the poor mugs that buy into their poor junk get fed up returning their xbox and buy new. "

Sounds like Microsoft just took a page from Apple's marketing scheme. Does anyone recall having to buy specific headphones in order to use the first IPOD's that came out, or all the accessories that you still have to buy with any apple product. My macbook for example has two usb ports and offers an extension kit when your are ready to checkout. When you buy a regular laptop you get 3-4. Or how about HDMI, a lot of laptops have that as a standard now. I have to buy an adapter, the list goes on and on. What makes Microsoft so different considering a lot of companies do that?
 
Classic microsoft blasting away at something they cant even do

Simulated Microsoft press conference:

Yeah we microsof think sony 3D is crap since most peaple dont have 3D tv's

Oh so what are you offering then ?

Well we at microsoft dont have anithing new to offer but we just feel that making useless statement is usefull. And btw we still say blue ray is useless...
 
red1776 said:
I remember it in early development when it was called 'project Natal' It looked rather impressive at that stage. why is it getting such bad reviews by you guys now? did they change it?
I'm just curious as it looked like it really had potential, and looked head and shoulders over Wii.
I'm not a console guy and do not have an X Box,PS3 ect so I have no idea.

Not much changed from when it was still Project Natal to now. It's still in reality just a more accurate and glorified version of that Playstation Eye video thing from years back. The reason most people are dishing on it is the lack of effective interaction - it can sense your motion, your position, your stance, but you can't substitute the flexibility of button presses with that. How will they make FPS games, for example, if you don't have a trigger to pull?

In the end, most are guessing it will find a niche somewhere, but someone may have to carve that niche out by hand and convince people they want to live there. The hardcore gamers have pretty much dismissed Kinect as irrelevant. At least with Sony's Move system, you have position feedback and button interaction, which may give it a fighting chance to win the hearts of some of those hardcore gamers.
 
red1776 said:
I remember it in early development when it was called 'project Natal' It looked rather impressive at that stage. why is it getting such bad reviews by you guys now? did they change it?
I'm just curious as it looked like it really had potential, and looked head and shoulders over Wii.
I'm not a console guy and do not have an X Box,PS3 ect so I have no idea.

Because it's Microsoft. That is the main reason for 90% of them. It's the exact same as before .

I find this extremely weird, because this same crowd typically bashes 3D whenever it's mentioned. I clicked this article expecting some form of congratulations for Microsoft for actually having sense.

Nintendo's 3D appeals to me much more than wearing utterly horrendous glasses and buying those super expensive TVs. But most importantly I should say 3D as a whole has less appeal than lady gaga, imo.
 
until i can get prescription 3d glasses then I wont be buying a new telly. cant wear contacts with 3d glasses as one eye is stronger than the other so it ruins the effect. Cant be arsed wearing 2 pairs of glasses (I have tried). Also what about people with visual impairments?
 
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