Microsoft's Spencer: 3D No More Than A 'Science Experiment'

Phil Spencer, corporate vice president for Microsoft Game Studios, has expressed concerns over how mainstream 3D console gaming can be, describing the 3D version of Batman: Arkham Asylum as "more like a science experiment than something that's going to go touch millions of people." Speaking to CNN, Spencer said: "As an entertainment company, we're trying to do things that millions of people can go enjoy today," Spencer said. "And for better or for worse, people just don't really have TVs in their house right now that are going to do 3-D in a way that's going to work." For Spencer, one of the main drawbacks of the technology is the need for players to wear 3D glasses. "A bunch of people sitting around the living room wearing $150 glasses -- I'm just not sure that's kind of mainstream today," he said. "Trying to get a bunch of people playing together in a room where not everybody sees the same thing ... is kind of a weird disconnect to me." "I like the [Nintendo] 3DS," he added. "You don't have to wear the glasses." Despite these reservations, Spencer made clear that Microsoft is going to provide for consumers who want 3D content. "Clearly, we're not going to ignore 3-D," he said. "I think it is something that will play a role in entertainment," he said, before adding, in a seemingly barbed comment aimed at rival Sony, "But as a corporate mandate, I don't need to sell you a new TV. That's not part of my business model."