Video Games the Biggest Winner of 3D Customer Demand

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - December 2, 2008) - Meant to be Seen, the foremost authority group on stereoscopic 3D (S-3D) gaming and home entertainment, has announced the preliminary results of the U-DECIDE Initiative, an ongoing study of what customers think of 3D entertainment technologies and why.

Stereoscopic 3D refers to the ability to display true volumetric 3D content through 2D media. Examples include explosions that pop out of the screen, and a sense of depth that makes viewers think they can reach inside the screen.

Made possible with the assistance of AMD, iZ3D, Blitz Games Studios, The Game Creators and Guild Software, U-DECIDE has become the most credible determination of what customers think of 3D entertainment with hopes of dispelling the leading myths and assumptions about the technology.

The U-DECIDE Initiative was designed to capture customer opinions in two separate online surveys. One was for traditional gamers who don't yet own 3D equipment, and the other was for experienced stereoscopic 3D gamers and consumers. Each respondent was required to answer 26 multipart questions.

"3D is often judged before being seen. We wanted to learn how far apart the opinions were of traditional 2D and experienced 3D customers so our industry can have a reasonable measure of where we are, and how far we can go. Currently, the number of completed surveys is nearly equal between the customer types, and this makes the data invaluable," said Neil Schneider, President & CEO of Meant to be Seen.

Information learned from 2D and 3D customers include 3D hardware quality expectations, perceived deterrents to 3D technology, motivators or messages that connect with customers at a marketing level, brand awareness for leading products and companies, gaming performance expectations depending on game type, and much more.

The first finding is that only a minority of 2D customers think that 3D is tacky or uncomfortable. Nearly 26% of respondents think 3D is a "must have" technology, and over 65% find it "intriguing." Less than 4% think 3D is "tacky," and just over 5% think 3D "sounds uncomfortable."

For inexperienced 2D and existing 3D customers, wearing comfortable 3D glasses is an insignificant barrier to the technology for some types of content. Only 12% of 2D customers object to 3D glasses for video games, while this climbs to almost 30% for 3D broadcast television. Experienced 3D customers are more forgiving with a 3% objection level for video games, and 12% for broadcast television. Blu-ray movies fall in-between with 16% glasses objection for 2D, and 4% for experienced 3D customers.

All respondents are nearly unanimous about one market. Stereoscopic 3D is most suitable for video games with an 87% suitability rating by 2D, and nearly 97% rating by experienced 3D gamers. Without yet owning the technology for themselves, 93% of 2D customers want game developers to officially support true 3D in their games, and this climbs to 99% amongst 3D gamers.

"The customers have spoken, and it is clear that game developers have a real consumer need that requires answering. These findings will help them get it right the first time," said Schneider.

Suitability ratings varied widely for Blu-ray, sporting events, and broadcast television. In-depth analysis will be announced in the formal U-DECIDE Initiative report.

"Success in the at-home 3D cinema and content markets is going to be more selective, and this new data will help ensure that 3D efforts tie in with customer demand for the best sales results," Schneider explained.

The findings are still considered preliminary, and the surveys will remain open until January 1st, 2009. Participating respondents will qualify for a draw to win one of nearly 60 prizes including iZ3D 3D monitors, ATI GPUs, and a wide selection of video games by Blitz Games Studios, The Game Creators, and Guild Software. Gamers of all experience levels are encouraged to participate at http://www.mtbs3d.com/udecide.shtml.

Preliminary graphics charts are available for download from mtbs3D.com in the U-DECIDE sub-menu, and the complete report is expected to be available for purchase in January 2009. Committed MTBS partners and qualified game developers who accept complementary MTBS Certification can get the report for free.

To date, leading game developers on record for MTBS certification include Epic Games for Unreal Tournament 3, The Game Creators for DarkBasic Professional, and Unigine for their game engine by the same name -- the first modern game engine to natively support S-3D hardware solutions without a driver. More announcements are pending.

Meant to be Seen is made possible by unrestricted education grants from iZ3D LLC and TDVision Corp. Non-proprietary in nature, MTBS welcomes additional industry involvement to help grow the popularity and effective use of consumer stereoscopic 3D technologies.

About Meant to be Seen (MTBS)

Meant to be Seen is the foremost authority group on stereoscopic 3D gaming and consumer technologies. Featuring news, active forums, educational guides, reviews & certification of games and more, MTBS is the first stop for stereoscopic 3D excitement. For more information, visit http://www.mtbs3D.com.

Contact Information: Carol Warren, Principal Antarra Communications Tel. 714-891-3660 Cel. 714-865-6735 Toll Free 866-268-2772 Email cwarren@antarra.com