Sony Patents Alternative to Split-Screen Multiplayer (Special thanks to Hylian7!

A couple of patents published recently show that Sony's looking at stereoscopic video for more than just 3D gaming; it could take the place of split-screen local multiplayer.

Broke My Controller noticed the patents, filed a year ago and published on Thursday, that show a method for rendering separate images on the same screen, which are then filtered by glasses worn by player 1 and player 2. The glasses also look like they have earbuds, meaning players get a separate audio feed, too.

Ideally, this would allow both players the view of an entire screen, without either the distraction of their opponent's activity to the side, or the ability to cheat by looking at his screen to see where he is.

The drawback, of course, is you need a 3DTV. And you have to wear the glasses. But as something that's more functional than cosmetic, I could dig it.

http://kotaku.com/5591038/sony-patents-alternative-to-split+screen-multiplayer

A new era of local one-room multiplayer gaming as we know it?

This looks cool. I wonder if we'll ever see it happen.

I believe this was revealed back at last years (2009) CES. I remember seeing a demonstration somewhere. It seems cool, but sounds like it's going to be very expensive early on. With online multiplayer, I don't think there are going to be many people who will buy this.

CreepinDeth said:

It seems cool, but sounds like it's going to be very expensive early on. With online multiplayer, I don't think there are going to be many people who will buy this.

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This. I mean, I like splitscreen gaming as much as anyone else, and hate screenlooking. But I'm not going to drop several thousand dollars just to resolve that when they can just play from their house.

This, like every technological break-through is going to be expensive at first. I love the idea. I rarely buy 1-player games anymore. And since I hangout with friends almost every day, split-screen gaming is immensely valuable to me. If this comes to fruition, I'll wait a few years for it to drop in price to something a little more comfortable.