Microsoft's Phil Spencer not ready to embrace 3D tech yet

If you're hoping for Microsoft's first-party efforts to follow Sony in championing 3D gaming, it sounds like you could be in for a long wait. As Microsoft Games Studio VP Phil Spencer recently told CNN, "we're trying to do things that millions of people can go enjoy today and for better or for worse, people just don't really have TVs in their house right now that are going to do 3D in a way that's going to work."

Spencer was, of course, taking a not-so-subtle jab at Sony's big first-party push for glasses-based 3D technology, but it's also a good indicator that Microsoft isn't in a rush to enter the space as it stands today. In fact, Spencer says even though he hasn't seen it in person, he likes Nintendo's 3DS because it doesn't require glasses.

"As a corporate mandate, I don't need to sell you a new TV," Spencer added. "That's not part of my business model. Other companies maybe have that part of their business model. I don't." (Spencer almost continued, "Do you get it yet? I'm talking about Sony. See, they sell TVs and we don't. Do you understand now?")

While Microsoft Game Studios waits for the technology to be more widely adopted, third-party Xbox 360 developers are already delivering titles in 3D. EA highlighted next year's Crysis 2 as a marquee title with 3D support, and it doesn't get much bigger than Call of Duty: Black Ops, which has already demonstrated its implementation of a 3D graphics mode.