Study Finds General Interest in 3D Gaming

3D gaming isn’t just for the hardcore gamer, a new Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) study found. More than a third of respondents (35%) who were interested in 3D gaming said they were casual gamers, versus 64% who were interested but said they were video game enthusiasts.

“The introduction of 3D into the gaming arena has the potential to reinvigorate the gaming market by adding greater realism and fostering a more social gaming experience,” said Ben Arnold, CEA’s senior research analyst. “As interest grows and consumers become more comfortable with the technology, 3D is poised to become the preferred format for many gamers.”

The study, “The 3D Gaming: Entertainment’s Next Dimension,” also showed 58% of consumers expect to use a gaming device to watch 3D movies, and 51% expect to connect to the Internet with their gaming device. Nearly half (45%) of respondents wanted to download games, and respondents generally wanted their gaming devices to be backward-compatible with 2D content.

Of consumers who were interested in 3D gaming, 32% said they have seen an in-store 3D gaming display, while a quarter have watched a 3D gaming demonstration. Twenty-one percent of interested consumers also said they’ve played a 3D game in the past year.

Thirty-one percent of respondents who identified as avid gamers said they planned to buy a 3D-capable game console within the next year, while 27% of hardcore gamers said they would buy 3D display and 24% said they will buy a portable 3D gaming device. Meanwhile, 7% of casual gamers expected to buy a 3D-capable console over the next 12 months.

“Like with 3DTV, HDTV and other innovative technologies, consumers will need to experience a 3D video game to truly appreciate the experience,” Arnold said. “Manufacturers, retailers and game publishers will have to partner to offer more demonstrations and consumer education so prospective buyers can experience gameplay and other features of a 3D gaming device.”