3D is nothing new for first person shooter games. When the genre brought a whole new dimension to computer games, which until that time had mainly been side scrolling - or 2D - games, gamers could see the visual improvements with so-called 3D graphics cards for their computers. These of course simulated the 3D experience, but next month Activision will take gamers to a whole new dimension with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Activision has announced that the game will be playable in stereoscopic 3D when it arrives on November 9 for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Windows PC. It will be compatible with 3D-ready HDTVs and 3D PCs utilizing active shutter 3D glasses. Call of Duty: Black Ops is the first Activision title to be released in 3D, and it follows the release of Sony's WipEout HD and Super Stardust for the PS3. In 3D mode Call of Duty will run at 720p (due to the high frame rate requirements for smooth motion), while the 2D version will presumably run at 1080p.
"Development of stereoscopic 3D began as an R&D project, but once we saw what the technology brought to the Call of Duty experience, what a great fit and how immersive it was, we knew that we had to develop it for Black Ops," says Mark Lamia, Studio Head of Treyarch. "Aiming down the sights of your weapons, flying in helicopters, rappelling down mountains, and moving through highly detailed environments are just some of the awesome experiences you will have in 3D with Black Ops."
Although Microsoft has focused much of its attention on its upcoming Kinect motion-capture camera-based control system, the Xbox 360 is capable of supporting full stereoscopic 3D games. The company has so far left this option to developers.
The Windows PC version will support NVIDIA 3D Vision-Ready and will be compatible with stereoscopic 3D gaming using 3D Vision active-shutter glasses and NVIDIA GeForce GPUs. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will require a compatible 3D-ready HDTV.
Call of Duty: Black Ops will be rated "M" (Mature - Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language) by the ESRB. The game will be available worldwide on November 9. In addition to the 3D compatible version for the Xbox 360, PS3 and, a 2D version will also be released for the Nintendo Wii.
For More Information:
Where to Buy:
