The other day, Sony said it would rely on motion control, 3D gaming, and the PlayStation Network to drive sales in 2010. To me, 3D gaming is a pipe dream, at least for the next five years or so, and today I’ve got a little proof.

XpanD, the company that produced the glasses for Avatar has said a pair of their shutter glasses will start at $70 a pair and run up to $150. That’s on top of the premiums you’ll pay for the TV, though some sets will likely ship with glasses included.

For a family of four, you’re looking at about $300 just for the glasses. Granted, your average family of four won’t be gaming in 3D together, but think about having your friends over. The expense of the hardware is going to dictate that you enjoy your 3D games alone, a trend the industry has been moving away from for the last decade.

Until costs come down, there’s no way Sony can expect real revenue from 3D next year. It’s just too expensive.

When you consider the NPD data for 2009, it’s hard to imagine why Sony thinks it will have such a great 2010. John Koller, Sony’s director of hardware marketing, talked with Gamepro about what’s in store for for Sony fans next year, a plan that hopes to stand on the “three big pillars” of motion control, 3D gaming, and the PlayStation Network.

You’ll have to excuse my sarcasm, because I do think Sony has a big year ahead. The biggest its had in a while, anyway. The PS3 Slim is selling like mad and there are some great games out for the system. The only “pillar” I see working in 2010, though, is PSN. Motion gaming already exists on another system, one that is much more family friendly than a console like the PS3. And 3D gaming? That’s a pipe dream for 2010. Hell, I’d call that a pipe dream for 2015. There just won’t be enough 3D TVs to drive any kind of reasonable business for a game system.

That doesn’t keep Koller from claiming that Sony just might hit the “Holy Grail of gaming,” by “placing you as a consumer into the game physically.” I think he’s nuts. Read the full interview at Gamepro.

I’m pretty pissed that Uncharted 2 is only available on the PS3. I’m never going to own one, no matter how cheap it gets, but I really want to play the game. There was a ray of hope for me this weekend when Naughty Dog’s co-prez Evan Wells said he’d like to see the game expand beyond the PS3. What he meant was the PSP, another console I will never EVER own.

The interview is pretty good, though. Wells talks about continued support for the game through DLC, the development process that could turn Uncharted 2 into the most played game on the PSN. At the end of the interview Evan Wells was pushed for answers about a Jack & Daxter sequel for the PS3. He wouldn’t say anything definite, but he made it clear that the company is committed to J&D in the future.

Source: Examiner

The highly anticipated demos for Forza 3 and Brutal Legend are now available for download. If you’re looking for something to keep you busy this weekend, these two games are a pretty solid start.

The Brutal Legend demo is pretty massive at 2GB, but it’s a substantial look at what should be a pretty solid game. You’ll get to play the entire opening chapter in all its demon-shredding glory. The Forza demo isn’t exactly slim, racing in at 1GB. For the wait you’ll get a new damage modeler and leaderboards for the included tracks.

Both games are for XBL Gold members only, so you’ll have to wait if you’re a Silver subscriber. You Playstation users will be able to get the Brutal Legend demo over the Playstation Network soon as well.

We already know the PSP Go is a ripoff. It’s essentially a minor upgrade over the current hardware at a premium price. In the UK things are even worse. Our friends across the pond are looking at prices as high as £230 (approx. $380), which is nearly double the price of the current generation mobile gamer.

Whether it’s the price, the hardware, or just an utter lack of interest, UK retailers are showing zero, yes, zero pre-orders, and they’re not happy. The problem comes with the margins on hardware retail, which are historically small. Now that the PSP no longer supports UMD drives, the only justifiable revenue stream comes in the form of Playstation Network cards, which can be purchased in $20 and $50 increments in the US, but remain unavailable in the UK.

Sony’s banking on mobile software delivery for games instead of your typical physical media with the PSP Go, and it’s already got retailers wondering if they should bother with the new device. Seems like a lot of people share that sentiment where Sony is concerned. Will they listen, or just continue to frustrate retailers and developers out of doing business together?