OPINION: 3DS is a vision of the future

At the time of writing you can’t speak to anyone in the industry without touching on 3DS. Everyone has an opinion.

People want to discuss the price, the launch line-up, or the quality of last week’s presentation – but not so much the device’s core USP.

Perhaps it’s easy to forget amidst the usual hype and excitement we expect around a hardware launch. But there is a huge statement of intent here around 3D content that must not go overlooked.

Outside of Nintendo, big, big forces are pushing hard to make 3D a staple of mainstream entertainment.

From Sony PlayStation through to Sony Pictures by way of media giants like BSkyB, Disney and Paramount, the momentum is building.

However there are some some barriers to entry.

Some film and game makers decry that it is gimmicry not artistry. Indeed, there’s still a way to go until we know on what level 3D has an impact. Will it freshen up more casual games? Or add depth to already-rich core titles?

But the key issue right now us cost. Who has the cash to splash on a 3D TV? No, me neither. Yet I might be able to stretch to a 3DS. The same will go for many others. Hence why in just a week the trade has seen a sudden jump in pre-orders.

Fittingly, 3DS is a triple-pronged answer to the first problems with 3D: it’s portable, affordable and accessible. Something that makes the success of 3D all but assured, whether you share the vision or not.

To read MCV’s 3DS Launch Guide, click here.