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Microsoft Announcing 3D Plans 'Soon'

- By - Source : Tom's Guide US

Microsoft will probably not want to be left out of the 3D bandwagon, and announce its plans next week.

Good news for console gamers: Microsoft is expected to announce its plans for 3D sometime soon. Blitz Game Studios co-founder Andrew Oliver spilled the beans Thursday at the Wastminister eForum event in London, admitting that 3D development "takes a bit of extra work." Although Oliver wouldn't admit to an exact timeframe, he revealed that Microsoft was going to make an announcement about 3D support "at some point soon." 

But who are we kidding here? With Nintendo getting ready to save face by revealing its upcoming 3DS unit next week, it stands to reason that Microsoft will choose E3 2010 as its platform to reveal full-blown 3D gaming for the Xbox 360. Sony also plans to promote the PlayStation 3's capabilities as a 3D-capable console--Microsoft is the only "rival" who at this point has remained rather quiet about the issue (outside saying that converting the console's back log will be unlikely). 

But in all actuality, the Xbox 360 is already capable of playing 3D games. "Our game did come out in 3D on the Xbox 360, so 3D is possible, even  through an HDMI 1.2 cable," Oliver said. "Ubisoft created Avatar, which includes a mode  for 3D on a 3D TV. It is just a case of adding a mode into the options menu, so there's no need for two different products." 

Microsoft's European platform boss Chris Lewis confirmed with MCV's weekly magazine on Thursday that 3D games are already available, and that the feature will continue to evolve. "You can buy a 3DTV and wear glasses to  play games like Avatar and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Of course, as 3D  adoption grows, we'll support more 3D games and entertainment, but the  spotlight for Xbox 360 is focused on creating breakthrough social  experiences that everyone can enjoy and play together." 

Expect to hear Microsoft's big 3D announcement at E3 2010--we're betting it will somehow be tied into Project Natal.

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silky salamandr 06/10/2010 10:47 PM
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I really dont get this 3d craze thats sweeping the nation. Im not buying another flat screen just to play a game in 3d. I honestlly have no intrest in 3d right now. Maybe when tech improves and gets cheaper.

Proxy711 06/10/2010 10:48 PM
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silky salamandr :
I really dont get this 3d craze thats sweeping the nation. Im not buying another flat screen just to play a game in 3d. I honestlly have no intrest in 3d right now. Maybe when tech improves and gets cheaper.


I agree if this fad continues into the next generation of my computer monitor or Tv purchase, then maybe ill look into 3D.

However i think 3D wont last that long, 3D is just a "cool" addition to media...nothing ground breaking that will continue on into the far future.

husker 06/10/2010 10:56 PM
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How is this good news? Game prices will increase, resources will be sucked into 3D bells/whistles rather than good design, and hardware requirements will be steeper.

jamessneed 06/10/2010 10:54 PM
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It will only last if they make displays that produce very nice HD 3D images without having to wear glasses. Otherwise I think it will be a short lived fad.

Tmanishere 06/10/2010 11:00 PM
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I agree with the first post. Looking at 3D movie on a moderate 50" screen was not very exciting. I'm thinking 3D needs to be 70" and larger equivalent to really have that "WOW" factor. I'll probably sit out of 3DTV for a year or two.

Kelavarus 06/10/2010 11:09 PM
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silky salamandr :
I really dont get this 3d craze thats sweeping the nation. Im not buying another flat screen just to play a game in 3d. I honestlly have no intrest in 3d right now. Maybe when tech improves and gets cheaper.



That's the point though. They need to try commercial adoption to probe the waters to build up steam to eventually make it cheaper and improve the tech.

At least, that's what it seems they're doing to me. I know quite a few people who have gone out and purchased 3D capable hardware for the living room though.

dertoter 06/10/2010 11:32 PM
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The way prices are looking, i don't think it's smart to invest in a new fad. Like most of the posts here, i'll def wait as well. From what i've seen, also, I really don't like the added 3d effect at least what's presented right now. It really doesn't seem worth it until the technology advances and the prices are more reasonable. Maybe one day :)

pharge 06/10/2010 11:49 PM
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Hope the 3D craze... will actually push down the price of the beautiful, nice, thin, 120/240Hz LED backlited LCD TV.

Let the rich people support the R&D of thise companies, so I can enjoy some quality products without costing me an arm and leg.

Gin Fushicho 06/11/2010 1:20 AM
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I'm getting tired of this 3-D stuff.... leave it to the movies please.

Antimatter79 06/11/2010 2:27 AM
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I feel the way a some others feel, I'm just totally not interested in 3-D, and also I feel like it's being shoved down our throats at this point. Yeah, it was cool as hell to watch Captain Eo at Disney World 20 years ago in 3-D, but it was done correctly (except for the hard plastic glasses). It looked like 3-D, not blurry, eye-aching, strain to "see it in 3-D" 3-D, the effects were within the proper context, not just arbitrarily thrown in, and here was none of that red/blue screen garbage. If they can't do for a reasonable price it w/o glasses, if it doesn't enhance the game or movie, and if it won't look right from multiple seating positions and viewing angles on a moderately sized tv (47" to 55") then I won't ever want to adopt.

bearracuda 06/11/2010 2:41 AM
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So, basically, the xbox is already 3D capable. For a couple games. But we want them to say the console is capable! It's already capable but we want them to make a press release about it! Nrraggh!

alextheblue 06/11/2010 4:28 AM
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bearracuda :
So, basically, the xbox is already 3D capable. For a couple games. But we want them to say the console is capable! It's already capable but we want them to make a press release about it! Nrraggh!


Yes. If they don't make a big fuss about 3D, the masses will probably think it's a PS3 exclusive feature.

JOSHSKORN 06/11/2010 5:05 AM
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Meh...am I the only one that doesn't even care about 3D? If not, please click that Green thumbs up button. :)

b23h 06/11/2010 7:28 AM
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Huh? Every new technology is expensive and marginally useful at the beginning. However as it goes through iterations and develops into a more mature product and gains more market penetration then all those who are saying never will be saying “let me get one.”

Personally I am not interested right now, and I would prefer a non-glasses form of 3D display. But this is how I handle just about any new tech. I do not buy the first or second generation and let the rich and crazy inhabit the bleeding edge. I do not see 3D as a fad at this point and am simply waiting for the technology to mature before I buy in. I only bought a HD LCD TV within the last year. I had a HD CRT TV before that and bought that late in the HD CRT cycle.

underpatch 06/11/2010 11:57 AM
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this did not interest me when i could have done it with my pc many years ago ... and it does not interest me now ....

g01d3n 06/11/2010 1:24 PM
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Westminster not Wastminister

gemmakaru 06/11/2010 2:17 PM
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Stereo!

Anonymous 06/11/2010 3:28 PM
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3D tech is in its infancy and has a lot of maturing to do. I also cringe at the whole "3D" bandwagon jumping at the moment, but having said that, it's important that enough consumers do invest in it and create incentive for research organisations to improve the tech.

theguy82 06/11/2010 3:59 PM
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Get rid of the required glasses and I will think about going 3D.

sliem 06/11/2010 5:24 PM
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theguy82 :
Get rid of the required glasses and I will think about going 3D.



That'll take several decades.

invlem 06/11/2010 8:22 PM
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I fail to see how either the PS3 or 360 can support 3D other than for movies.

Both consoles only have a handfull of native 1080p titles... How do either of them plan on 3D gaming support when they can barely push 720p on current titles? 480p 3D? No thanks

Anonymous 06/11/2010 9:50 PM
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yes, 3D on the xbox360! more RROD! more drive failure! and more angry consumers! thats exactly what microsoft is advertising, right?

Roten67 06/11/2010 10:24 PM
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sliem :
That'll take several decades.




How about a year or to instead

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/10 [...] e-like-it/

Anonymous 06/12/2010 7:16 AM
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It definitely won't take several decades it seems like technology is advancing so fast now days, every year something new and better and it's advancing at a rate 10x faster per year than a few decades a go tbh.

jenesuispasbavard 06/12/2010 4:50 PM
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I don't think current consoles have the graphical horsepower necessary to display good graphics AND 3D.

Red Dead Redemption wouldn't look so absolutely fantastic if it was in 3D.