This year stands to be a watershed in the production and marketing of 3D TVs across the globe. While some companies, such as Mitsubishi, have had a 3D TV model on the market since 2006, the number of actual units in living rooms worldwide is estimated at a relatively minuscule two million. However, consumer electronics manufacturers are gunning to multiply that number manyfold in the coming quarters. As such, majors like Panasonic, Sony, Mitsubishi and Philips are busily readying 3D-enabled TVs for mass-market distribution.

David Naranjo, director of product development for Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, expects 2010 to be a landmark year.

‘The industry as a whole is now very focused on bringing more 3D TVs and 3D content to the home in 2010,’ he says, adding that all the available sets will require users to wear glasses. Glasses-free 3D, while being showcased at various trade shows, is still conservatively five to seven years away from reaching the consumer products market.

The 3D push is so unified that experts don’t expect the same sort of format wars that hampered the release of HD-quality home entertainment tech. Steven Jacobs, principal analyst at SEJ Media Solutions, says the consumer electronics industry and content producers learned their lesson after the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD war of 2005.

‘All the consumer electronics manufacturers want to avoid round two,’ says Jacobs. ‘It’s safe to say they want everybody on board.’

While the technology and new content are seemingly ready, the big question remains: Will consumers be willing to pay for new sets with the capability? Once the price of sets begins to settle, content might be the deciding factor.

‘If people fall in love with the 3D experience from packaged media, then I think you will see more experimentation among broadcasters with 3D events of the month, or the week,’ says Jacobs. ‘It took about 15 years for HD to become an overnight success – I don’t think 3D TV will take that long.’

Gaming will lead the way

And, while Avatar was busy breaking box-office records the world over with its ground-breaking 3D technology, it also forged new ground in the gaming world – an influence on mainstream media that should not be overlooked.

The 3D movement has piqued the interest of game developers and publishers, including Ubisoft Montreal, which released Avatar the Game around the time of the film’s big-screen debut. About two years prior, before anyone could predict the popularity of Avatar, James Cameron approached Ubi’s Patrick Naud and his team, to see what they could do on the gaming side with 3D technology at their fingertips.

With 2D as the defacto dimension of choice for most games, stereoscopic 3D quickly picked up momentum. Last summer, Disney Interactive Studios released the game based on G-Force, the animated film revolving around a team of crime-fighting guinea pigs. Namco Bandai is also on the market with Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao, a downloadable title for Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade and Sony’s PS3 PlayStation Network.

And now with more films slated for the 3D treatment going forward, along with the number of 3D TVs already in the market and other major electronics players waiting for retail launch, it seems that the ‘gimmicky’ nature of 3D could well become a thing of the past as gamers begin to adapt to a whole new dimension and demand for the technology is felt in every living room.

Though the current penetration of 3D TVs in households is still fairly limited, Avatar the Game executive producer Naud is convinced that will change, and that it’s not just a trend.

‘What we are seeing is that by presenting the game to more and more people, the gimmick disappears. They do see the benefit, that the immersion is stronger,’ says Naud. ‘Back when we first had surround sound, you’d watch a great movie or great game in stereo. But with surround, you’d get a bit more immersion in this world, and that’s exactly how we see 3D.’

But while the world waits for more small-screen entertainment that goes beyond 2D, Naud states firmly that ‘game consoles are the easiest way to provide 3D today.’

He would not confirm that Ubisoft was working on any 3D titles, but did note that the company invested a lot of time and manpower in 3D, so if it were to happen again down the road, they’d be well-prepared for it.

With files from KidScreen