Stringer: Blu-ray â??essentialâ?? in Sonyâ??s 3D push

Sony chairman Sir Howard Stringer believes that his company’s Blu-ray enterprise is central to its new venture in 3D TV, 3D cinema, and 3D games.

“If we hadn’t done Blu-Ray we wouldn’t be where we are in 3D now,” Stringer told The FT as he prepared for his visit to this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

“Blu-Ray for us was an exhausting process, and didn’t pay off initially, but it’s finally paying off in a different way,” he added, referring to the firm’s growing number of 3D businesses.

“Sony is the only company with expertise in every part of the 3D value chain," he added.

The CES show has already been dubbed ‘3D CES’ by some observers, with numerous electronic firms and game developers set to flaunt their new 3D-enabled products.

At last year’s CES show, Stringer showed attendees a still image of Gran Turismo 5, rendered in 3D. "You’ve never seen the game like that," he claimed.

Meanwhile on the show floor, Sony demonstrated a selection of games – such as MotorStorm and Wipeout HD – on its 3D Bravia displays.