The first question to ask is – does Nintendo need saving? I’m sure they still have plenty of reserves from all the money made from the Nintendo Wii hardware sales. Not to mention all the profit made from the accessories sold. However, 2010 wasn’t a stellar year for the company we love so much. The other consoles played catchup, and the hot trend of Wii ownership petered out. Not to mention Microsoft and Sony releasing motion control options for their perspective consoles.
Nintendo did have an ace up their sleeve, and it came during the E3 presentation earlier in the year. The Nintendo 3DS was announced, and with it came a handheld which would provide 3D gaming without the need of glasses. Amazement ensued.
Here we are in 2011, and the 3DS is a few months away from launch. The hype surrounding the system is still growing strong, as there has been announcements coming this week concerning more of the technical specs. Along with more information regarding the games coming out.
With all of this hype, one has to wonder if 3D will be the next shift for Nintendo. It is most definitely a technological feat to release a 3D handheld with the capabilities the 3DS will have. Could the handheld be a peak at what Nintendo has planned for the living room?
The whole 3D trend has been interesting to watch unfold. In the theaters, the prospect of 3D movie watching has been met with reactions from all across the spectrum. People have come to love it, some to hate it, while others believe it’s all about the quality of the movie and how the 3D is used. As for the video game world, there is 3D out there right now. However, it requires glasses and a whole lot of financial investment. Which is why it’s really not doing well at the moment.
The prospect of a glasses-less 3D television isn’t unheard of, though cost is still a major factor in the minds of consumers. One wonders if Nintendo is watching this all unfold while thinking up ideas for their next console. If they’re looking at releasing a console in the next 2-3 years, do trends show 3D televisions making more a push during this time? If this is the case, will Nintendo take that chance?
The problem with bringing 3D to a console, compared to a handheld, is Nintendo has no control over the display. How much of a market would Nintendo have selling only to 3D TV owning consumers?
While 3D gaming looks to be amazing on the 3DS, this author is highly skeptical as to the impact it will have in the living room. In the next 3-5 years anyway.
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