Riccitiello urges 3D caution

3D is expected to play a big part at next week’s E3 expo in LA, but one senior video games exec has warned publishers not be too hasty in their effort to jump aboard the 3D bandwagon.

I am a little nervous that some game companies will put out poorly authored 3D content, sort of just put it together,” EA CEO John Riccitiello told IndustryGamers.

It doesn’t take that much to separate, you know, two and a half inches and sort of redraw the entire frame and have it run through any of the various polarization or the primary blinking system between the right and left eye.

It’s quite a different thing to author it in such a way that the ‘Z-dimension’ the third dimension, is really well done. When it’s not really well done, it’s a new kind of headache that you haven’t ever experienced.

I’m actually a little afraid this year that we’re going to get less than well-authored content and it’s going to be one of those stories: video games give me a migraine.

However, that’s not to say that Riccitiello isn’t excited about the potential of 3D gaming.

A great 3D game experience is a truly wonderful thing,” he enthused. I was playing a title we’ve got for fiscal 2012 in 3D yesterday up in Vancouver and it was definitely unbelievably cool.

I think that over time, probably in the course of 2011, 2012, the strongest publishers will author some great content, the installed base will be there, and there will be a good positive growth spurt. I just don’t think it will be this year.”