3D to be bigger deal at E3 than motion controllers

Natal and Move? They're so last year. 3D is the new black at E3 this year.

Several publishers, including Take Two, have told MCV that the "wow factor" will be the biggest talking point at the LA event when it begins in a week-and-a-half.

"The use of 3D needs to be meaningful to the gamer and publishers will need to ask questions," T2 CEO Ben Feder told the site.

"Will it draw players further into my world? Will it change how they interact with the game? Will it make the title more fun and keep the player engaged? The answers need to be ‘yes’ for them to fit into our strategy of being a leader in innovation and quality."

"What we are trying to do in the 3D space is part of a cross-Sony initiative," added SCEE president Andrew House, referring to the company-wide plans for the tech.

"We’ve realised, particularly for a younger audience, that games can be an easier way for people to engage with 3D than movies.This will be on the cutting edge of gaming for the next year or two. If Avatar taught us one thing in an age of globalisation, it’s that when consumers embrace something it moves quickly. This is definitely a wave of the future and one that we intend to ride."

But EA Sports president Peter Moore still remains skeptical of what 3D can possibly do in homes with games.

"We are looking at 3D but there are challenges," he said. "I’ve seen a number of our games running in 3D, and we’re learning that we can’t take the existing camera angles. You have to get lower and have depth of field to actually see it.

"You’ve got to look at things differently than just porting to 3D, because 50 per cent of what you are seeing you can’t even tell it’s 3D. I’m not sure it adds value to the experience."

E3 begins on June 14. There's more through the link.