Xbox Left Out? 3D Gaming Only Works with HDMI

Sony teases PlayStation 3D at consumer technology trade show, requires HDMI to work.

We reported on the possibility of stereoscopic 3D coming to consoles, in particular the PlayStation 3, late last year. Blitz Games, who are developing the technology, claimed that Sony was very interested in bringing the technology to both Blu-ray films and video games.

They were right. At this year's CES, Sony showcased WipEout HD and Gran Turismo Prologue running in 3D. Arstechnica were particularly impressed;

"[The] 3D affect is amazing. Sony showed off Wipeout HD running in true 3D, and I was ready to whip out my credit card right there. Frank and I both agreed, this was one of the best demos of 3D technology we have ever seen."

However, Ars couldn't gleam any technical specifications from Sony, nor whether the games had to be developed with the technology in mind. A Sony representative explained;

"Don't get caught up with specs. We're not going to talk about specifications. This is just a look at what 3D could look like if Sony decided to move in this direction."

So what do you need to get the technology to work? In a new interview with Gamercyte, Blitz Games' co-founder Andrew Oliver, reveals that the consoles will need an HDMI output;

"[Therefore], there are some early Xbox's that won't work. Of course, they've all blown up, haven't they? I guess they get repaired in the long run..."

Still, Blitz Games have the technology working for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with a new IP in the works that utilises stereoscopic 3D.

Oliver explains why Blitz Games were so turned on by the prospect of 3D enabled consoles;

"We felt that the mass market would accept 3D once they'd seen some of these new 3D films and with TV manufacturers starting to build in 3D...well, you can kind of work out where it's all going and that it could work in theory.

"So we decided it was worth pursuing. After all, we quite often make games of films, and if the film is 3D, then it follows that the publisher should want the game in 3D, right? As we're quite a technology-led company, we thought we should be able to offer this as a possibility. So we decided to go for it, and we've been working for, I don't know, six to eight months to work out all the pitfalls and get things up and running, which we've done now."

However, Oliver explains that not only do the consoles need an HDMI output, but the games must be rendered in 1080p at 60 frames-per-second. A rarity even now;

"So the biggest difficulty of making games in 3D - and this is the big, big problem - is the games must run in 1080p at 60 frames-per-second, because that's what this 3D TV standard has dictated."

This explains why Sony was demonstrating WipEout HD and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Both run at 60 frames-per-second. Nonetheless, GT5P is not actually rendered in full-HD, but at 1280by1080. This intriguing revelation might bring hope to developers who might not be able to hit that system-hogging resolution.

And there's another necessary downfall to the technology. No it's not that you'll have to wear darkened glasses (though you will I'm afraid) it's that you'll need a 3D enabled TV/monitor. Sounds expensive? Maybe it'll come free with the 3D game...

Patrick Steen