Sony doles backhanded insult to Nintendo 3DS

The lack of success for Nintendo’s 3DS system may mean jeopardy for Sony’s 3D gaming efforts, but apparently Sony has a justification for that.

Although the 3DS was not the specific subject of conversation, it seemed to be the elephant in the room during recent comments from Sony Group Studio Director Mick Hocking.

In an interview with Gamespot at this week’s Gamescom conference in Europe, Hocking said there is a “strong correlation between good-quality 3D content and [a] great response from our fan base.”

In other words, he stresses that 3D only works when it’s done well. He said that’s why the upcoming Playstation Vita will not have 3D capabilities, because the tech isn’t good enough to provide worthwhile experiences.

It seems like an underhanded dig at the 3DS, which has had enormous struggles to reach consumers. Nintendo dropped the price of the flagship 3D handheld by $80 just a few months after being released, a move almost unheard of especially for Nintendo.

Hocking also noted that there hasn’t really been an “Avatar” type of PS3 3D game – that is, a game that absolutely everyone has to watch in 3D.

As he explained, though, “We don’t want peaks and troughs. We want a consistent level of quality.”

He summed up today’s 3D landscape by saying, “What’s different about today is this is the first time we’ve been able to offer high-quality 3D: a high-quality display with high resolution, high refresh rates, high-quality software and movie experiences.”