Sony patents 3D multiplayer system without split-screen

Sony's filed patents that would allow for two people to play games in 3D without using split-screen mode.

Found by Broke My Controller, the patents were filed last year, and became available online last week. In the schematics, Sony describes the tech's ability to render separate images on one screen, which are filterd by 3D glasses.

"Stereo 3D is all about generating two different images - one per eye. The glasses work by making sure that the right images are sent to the correct eyes," Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter explained to Eurogamer.

"The theory here is that instead of having stereo 3D, the glasses each point to either the left or right "eye" view, which will be the view of each player in-game. So two screens are being generated, one goes to each player. Simple!"

So, in order to play co-op with a pal, instead of playing in split-screen mode, players would choose the stereoscopic setting so that each player would only see their own character’s point of view on the screen.

The patents can be looked at over on FreePatentOnline, and you will notice the 3D glasses also sport earbuds which is a bit interesting.