New Breed Of Theatrical 3D Advertising Launches - Samsung's Interactive Pre-Movie 3D Gaming Ignites Audiences

Very cool new concept using your hands to control game motion on a 3D screen at the theater! Samsung is ramping up their cinema marketing for their brand new Galaxy S III phone and they are certainly not being cheap about it. $20 million not cheap. Apparently it's the biggest cinema ad buy EVER.

The cool thing about the advertising is that it's in 3D: A traditional advertisement - but in 3D, *AND* an interactive 3D game for the audience to participate in. The game was set in motion by US advertising agency Razorfish, produced by Audience Entertainment/NCM and the live action was produced by Geneva Film Co. headed by my good friend Director James Stewart.

Here's what Digital Outsider had to say about the new 3D advertising / entertainment:
The campaign will run all summer long across National Cinemedia’s entire network of around 18,000 screens nationwide as part of its FirstLook pre-show package of entertainment and advertising, which should put the budget for the cinema ad component at $20 million or more (NCM wouldn’t comment, but comparisons with other cinema ad campaigns confirm it should be well into eight figures; Ad Age earlier reported that Samsung is more than doubling its 2011 budget for promoting Galaxy products this year).

The centerpiece of the campaign is a two-minute-long 3D spot featuring two of the 20-somethings from Samsung’s earlier campaign promoting the S II, not-so-gently mocking Apple fanboys (in which one of them reminds the other, snarkily, “Dude, you’re a barrista”). This time around, while appearing to wreak havoc on the theater from the projection booth, the guys demonstrate one of the big new features of the S III: users can share content with each other simply by tapping the phones, which employ near field technology.

The campaign also includes a first-of-its-kind 3D interactive crowd motion game, designed by Audience Entertainment, running at a limited number of theaters equipped with the necessary motion sensor technology. In the game, the audience has to work together to make two phones (which appear to be “hovering” in the ether) touch to share content (as seen in the video) -- thus demonstrating the key new feature again, this time with audience participation.

Check out the game below:

We're seeing the beginning of a new phase of theatrical advertising that I hope is much more enjoyable for audiences. Embedding brands and experiences in 3D games that can be played before a movie starts is a brilliant move. Kudos to the companies involved!

Some content from MediaPost

Jimmy Fallon LOVES KILLZONE 3 In 3D!!

Gotta love the guy! Jimmy Fallon has always been known as a technoid but I simply loved seeing him fall in love with 3D on his late night talk show. Keep in mind that what we are seeing here is pre-alpha code (very early in development).

Here is the clip of him playing the upcoming KILLZONE 3 on the Sony PlayStation with a 3D Bravia S3DHD TV - check it out!!



Wow - that game looks AMAZING! And to quote Fallon: "Even dying is fun in 3D!" :-) Look for KILLZONE 3 in 3D coming out in February 2011.

MUST WATCH: TRON: EVOLUTION Game Trailer And Sony's Upcoming 3D Game Line Up!!

Wow! Stunning new trailer for the upcoming TRON: EVOLUTION stereoscopic 3D game being released at the end of the year around the same time as the TRON: LEGACY movie hits our 3D theater screens.

With this game trailer you will get at least a TASTE of what is coming in the movie as well! Notice all the lines being used? The crazy depth perception in the TRON world? This movie is going to knock your socks off like nothing else before (except AVATAR of course).

My inside sources say TRON's 3D will BETTER AVATAR's so be prepared for that!

The game looks amazing. Can't wait to try it out. You will need a S3DHD TV, a Sony 3D Playstation and 3D glasses that come with the television to play it.

Other 3D games announced from Sony include GHOST RECON, KILLZONE 3, NBA 2K11, MLB 2K11, MORTAL KOMBAT, SORCERY and MOTORSTORM. Check out the Game trailer below for all the action!

Also have a look at this (I recommend clicking on the 1080p HD)!



More when I get it!!

CRYSIS 2 And SOCOM 4 Will Be In Stereoscopic 3D!

I know Adam is excited about this announcement and so am I - Crytek President and CEO Cevat Yerli announced that CRYSIS 2 will be playable in S3D on ALL platforms this holiday season!

Yerli stated: "The success of 3D movies like AVATAR and the introduction of 3-D TVs from the hardware manufacturers tells us that this is the next big movement in entertainment, much like HD was years ago," says Cevat Yerli, CEO of Frankfurt-based Crytek. "For games especially, 3-D gives gamers an increased level of immersion, which can enhance an intense experience like Crysis 2."

More top of the line games are coming too: SOCOM 4 will be playable in 3D as will KILLZONE 3 (previously announced). Of course Nintendo has their 3DS coming out too! More details coming soon from E3...

Check out the CRYSIS 2 demo that just aired at the E3 2010 Conference and more from Yerli:



AWESOME! Can't wait to try this thing out in 3D!!

Crytek To Send 2D Gaming Into A Crisis (Or Is It CRYSIS)?

Hello everyone, Adam Loncar here. This is my first time writing for MarketSaw and I am ecstatic about being a new contributor to this website. I've been reading this site ever since October 2007, around the time Jim got the exclusive about The Hobbit being in 3D and Peter Jackson being at the helm. Ever since Michael Stat decided to step down from writing on MarketSaw I knew that someone would have to replace him (*Editor's note: We wish Michael all the best! He is welcome back anytime). I will attempt to fill his shoes and I hope I can inform and entertain you all with my writing. I am immensely excited to join the MarketSaw community that Jim has worked so hard to create. Have a read!

Back in November 2007 game developer Crytek unleashed the defining technological achievement in the industry that was a PC exclusive using their in house developed CryEngine 2 game technology. As you might know that title was Crysis and it still remains today the most technically complex and most visually stunning game any developer has ever made or dared to make – with the exception of Crytek. They quickly followed their flagship property with another entry in the series by the name of Crysis Warhead. Although it actually improves upon the unmatched graphics of the original, it isn’t as hotly talked as being the benchmark title for which all PCs being used for gaming will be judged simply because it is much more optimized than its predecessor, even though it makes significant improvements in what gamers actually want in terms of performance and on-screen visuals. What that means is the frame rate in Crysis Warhead can be very smooth if you adjust the settings according to what your computer is capable of and at the same time get an amazing looking game to boot.

That doesn’t resonate as well with the hardcore benchmark community that is constantly looking for the latest computer to run the original Crysis at maximum settings and see how difficult of a time it has trying to run it. Is this attitude understandable? Yes, but when it comes down to a game, you want to be able to play it with at least acceptable performance and you get great performance with Crysis Warhead as well as an awesome game experience.

Fast forward to today and Crytek is developing one of the most anticipated titles of the year, maybe even the most anticipated title of the year and that happens to be Crysis 2 coming just in time for the 2010 Holiday season for release on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and of course the PC. The interest level, or rather fascination level, with the game is extremely high because for the first time in Crytek’s over decade long industry pushing history they will be making a AAA multiplatform title with their new CryEngine 3 technology. The developer claims that CryEngine 3 does everything in real-time and ends the need for the division of staff members in a studio to form the number of development groups based upon the number of platforms a game is going to be released on. So instead of having three groups of people working on Crysis 2 (one for PC, one for 360, and one for PS3) there is one collective group that works on the game since the editing tools are so powerful that they optimize everything about the game on all platforms simultaneously. The only place division happens is in the R&D/programming department where the engine is developed and the different languages the 360 and PS3 use are intertwined so that that all other developers have a seamless experience. This is an absolute milestone of an achievement for not only Crytek but the entire global development community because as Crytek’s Carl Jones says “Now all you need is just much bigger desks.”

So you are probably asking at this point “How does this all relate to Stereoscopic-3D?” Well, actually everything! But let’s start to drive that point home. Once you understand everything that Crytek is about you will realize that they are the most technologically advanced game developer on the planet. And they can demonstrate that with an amazing game experience that is full of innovation and excitement, they are a world class developer. In other words the Crysis franchise is going to do for gaming what the AVATAR franchise did and will continue to do for cinema. See where I’m going now? So while any reasonable person can understand this to be true once they are given the facts, you have to ask yourself how 3D is actually a key component of Crytek’s culture.

If you have Nvidia’s 3D Vision setup you can play Crysis and Crysis Warhead in amazing three dimensions. But those games are not natively done in 3D. CryEngine 3 on the other hand has the capability of doing 3D from the moment of a game’s conception on all platforms. You heard that right, 3D can be done extremely well on current generation consoles. Obviously the AVATAR game proved that but unfortunately from an overall gameplay quality perspective, it did not deliver what was expected. That’s where Crysis 2 steps in to fill the void – and more. Although the game is not officially announced as being a Stereoscopic-3D title, and we should know by E3 2010 for sure, it would be very hard to argue that it won’t be for a few reasons.

The most compelling reason is that at this year’s GDC event Crytek announced CryEngine 3’s native 3D capabilities. They were demoing content in 3D (I have not heard if it was Crysis 2 or not, but it likely was) and it was one of the biggest highlights of the show. And here’s another kicker, Crytek has publically declared that Crysis 2 has to be the flagship title for what CryEngine 3 can do. Since we know they have allied themselves with 3D in a big way, Crysis 2 HAS to demonstrate that. As if that weren’t enough to convince you, John Schappert, COO of EA Games (Crysis 2’s publisher) recently said in a financial earnings call that at E3 the publishing giant will "show a marquee title in breathtaking 3D." Although we’ll find out in what it is only a matter of days, Crysis 2 certainly fits that description. EA is so excited for the game that David DeMartini, EA Partners General Manager, said at a Crytek press event that Crysis 2 "is the greatest product that is going to come out this year." Whoa. No one will ever declare a statement like that unless there is supreme confidence that what is being achieved is absolutely groundbreaking. Just look at the competition this year: Halo Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Medal of Honor, F.E.A.R. 3, Portal 2, and more to be announced soon!

The people who have seen Crysis 2 in action on consoles in just the 2D format have been blown away by what they have seen. Some press have even declared that the Xbox 360 (from a technical perspective this is the lowest end system the game is being developed on) version alone is the best looking game ever made, including PC games in the equation! Crytek’s declared goal is to make Crysis 2 not just the ‘best looking game ever’ but also the ‘best game ever.’ Here’s the parallel: James Cameron’s AVATAR was an unparalleled experience in the cinema whether seen in 2D or 3D. It is also an unparalleled technical achievement whether considering 2D, 3D, or both. I’d like to suggest to you all that Crysis 2 is going to do the exact same thing for gaming once it releases this Holiday season. Crysis 2 is going to put Crytek in the minds of people as the company that truly kicked off 3D gaming. Any time a new technology comes around there needs to be a killer application to show it off. AVATAR did that for theaters and Crysis 2 will undoubtedly be the killer app for 3D gaming and be the kick start to 3D in the home. Sure broadcasting sports live in 3D for the home on the ESPN 3D channel is a big deal but being able to fully immerse yourself in a game where your instantaneous choices are reflected in the character’s movement is going to be an even more compelling choice for most people.

Regardless of the number of dimensions you play Crysis 2 in towards the end of the year, you will end up playing an incredible game. Still need convincing? Go and play the original Crysis on a very high end PC and just see what I am talking about. The only weak spot about that game was its narrative and fortunately Crytek has been very vocal about that and is more than just fixing that problem with the upcoming sequel. Crysis 2 is going to have the story be the focus of everything that goes on. The narrative is being written by acclaimed author Richard Morgan and he is very aware that story needs to be grounded in everything that players witness in the game. Just looking around in the environment (the game is set in New York City) will give you plenty of information about what has gone on and what might happen as you continue to play. Now just imagine how awesome playing a well told story, a fierce action experience, and a classic setting will all look in flawless 3D! It’s going to rock you to your core.

And I haven’t even mentioned that Crysis 2 is only one of five AAA projects that Crytek is currently working on. There are all sorts of rumors as to what they might be, the most appealing one being a possible epic fantasy game. Remember, once 3D, always 3D as Jon Landau says. So it is very possible that with the six building locations there are in the Crytek Empire, they could have a huge scale project coming out every year – and all fully compatible with Stereoscopic-3D. With that number of games, Crytek will establish themselves as the leading 3D developer. Bring it on!

A Look At What May Be In The New Nintendo 3DS!!

Wow - could it be what I think it is? Judging by this recent FCC filing photo (entitled: "Nintendo CTR Target Board") Nintendo has given us a look at a testing board that is potentially used for their upcoming 3DS. It seems the company is trying to get approval for use of the Wi-Fi card in the US.

Things to note:
- It seems to be a DS with its two screens stretched out to facilitate testing.
- The top screen is now a widescreen with the lower one still being a 4:3 ratio.
- Sharp's autostereoscopic 3D technology (that's right - no glasses) seems to be included with the top widescreen (and not the bottom screen).
- Stereo speakers, DS cartridge slot and SD card port are still present. Yes - it will have full backwards compatibility with existing DS games.
- Mark June 15 on your calendars - Nintendo is expected to reveal the unit to the masses along with its official name.
- I have been hearing about a release window between October 2010 and March 2011. The former seems most likely as no manufacturer wants to miss the holiday gift giving season.

I know this will be on our family's wish list this year if it is available so, yes, I am very interested to learn more! This product will be a sure fire barn burner especially with NO 3D glasses required. No doubt about it!! :-)

Gaming Giant Ubisoft Forsees a 50% Marketshare For 3D By 2012!!

You read that right! Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, spoke the company line during a conference call this week and said that he expects 15-20% of gaming titles will adopt 3D in 2011 and 50% in 2012!

Personally I believe he is bang on. With Sony's Playstation going 3D (looks like KILLZONE 3 will be S3D!), Nintendo coming out with their "no 3D glasses required" 3DS by March 2011 (more info here) and NVIDIA excelling with their 3D Vision technology for the PC, we are witnessing a 3D gaming renaissance.

I can't get enough of it really. I run NVIDIA's setup here in my office and it rocks! Every new title seems to better the previous one as developers master new techniques and start to envision in 3D what will happen on screen for gamers. You have got to try it!!

Recent Sony 4K Projector Installations Pushing Not Only 3D Movies, But 3D Sports, Concerts and Gaming!

Jim here. Here is an update on how Sony is doing with their 4K digital projector installations and associated RealD 3D deployments. Muvico Theaters, Uptown Entertainment and Wildwood theaters have installed the systems and couldn't be more thrilled. Each are looking for premium entertainment experiences for their customers and it seems that Sony has fit the need. And as you'll read, it is not only about the movies:

Muvico Theaters (whose motto is "Drink, Dine and Watch") now has 89 screens outfitted with Sony 4K projectors, of which 17 are RealD enabled for 3D. Further, Muvico has partnered with Sony for alternative content programs which I have been a huge advocate of since day one - especially for S3D). We are talking in-theater gaming with Sony's PlayStation and special live broadcast events like concerts. Muvico Theaters has reserved seating for patrons 21 years and older with complementary popcorn, and a restaurant / bar to utilize during your night out.

Uptown Entertainment (owned by the Ilitch family of Little Caesar's and Detroit Tigers fame) has moved to Sony 4K on an initial 19 screens of which several will be upgraded to Real D 3D. Again they are not only into movies, but also sporting events or music concerts.

Wildwood Theaters is going Sony 4K digital almost across the board, albeit with a smaller number of screens. 20 of their 26 screens are now Sony 4K of which 4 will be RealD 3D.

Sony has what's called their Digital Cinema Solutions and Services group that will work with theater owners on the integration, installation, maintenance and service support for its 4K conversion, providing the exhibitor with a complete turn-key solution for converting to digital technology. The solution covers not only movies, but the all important alternative programming discussed earlier.

Sony 4K projectors offer 8.8 million pixels and are the industry leaders for digital projection from what I have seen. The difference between 2K and 4K is staggering and you really do need the extra resolution for 3D movies and events. You can tell the difference immediately.

Alternative programming should allow theater owners to reduce screen downtime dramatically. With creative local managers, these facilities should be raking in revenue morning, afternoon and night.

Digital projection is the future of cinema and Sony has a heckuva offering. I will have more notable developments in the digital 3D projection world as they happen.

Apple Foresees 3D Glasses That Use Your iPhone!

Jim here. Apple continues to patent stereoscopic 3D product ideas that seem truly revolutionary and this one is no exception! In fact this is actually a second refinement of a previous patent. The idea is to slide in an obviously VERY high resolution iPhone / iPod Touch into the frame of glasses to achieve 3D viewing for the consumer.

Word is the next iPhone will have even higher resolution, and it has a flat back like the one in this patent image. Could it be that this functionality be in our hands soon? Hard to say. Traditionally though, Apple's patents have been slow to push through and they just don't want to make any more patent mistakes by actually NOT patenting their ideas and having others, *ahem* Microsoft, take them.

Supposedly called iSpecs, the iPhone will slide into it and present side by side stereo images / video which the user will merge together naturally. The iSpecs also has a potential integrated camera which would allow the user to flip from watching media to seeing whatever was in front of them in realtime.

Of course the unit would be able to use the built in accelerometer (an iPhone and iPod touch feature that recognizes its own physical movement) to augment 3D gaming.

Looks like something that would be a no-brainer to me. Use your existing investment to enjoy hands-free 3D. We are seeing smaller autostereoscopic (glasses-free) 3D portable devices appear now, so perhaps iPhone is heading that way too. We'll see soon enough.

Sony's PS3 Update Will Include 3D Gaming, Movies To Follow - S3DHD TVs Coming In June!

Jim here. We know Sony is going full tilt 3D across their product line and now is when it starts to get exciting for the mega electronics and entertainment company!

The 3D firmware update that Sony Playstation 3 owners have been waiting for to enable stereoscopic 3D capabilities has been clarified for us: The update will only enable 3D gaming this time around with the intent to include 3D movies in the coming months.

There is significant urgency for them to include 3D movies ASAP as they are releasing their own CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS in S3D for June (in Europe at least). This coincides with Sony's release of their S3DHD televisions as well (June), namely their HX800.

Consumers will be getting free stuff with their 3D TV purchase: Free 3D Blu-rays (including bundles with CLOUDY and DEEP SEA) and 3D PS3 games. The games that will be included will be demo versions - not the full package, but they will be more than enough to whet your appetites!

Those 3D games will be: WIPEOUT HD, PAIN, SUPER STARDUST HD and MOTORSTORM PACIFIC RIFT. Word is all four demos will be included with purchase. The full versions will be available at the PlayStation Store in mid June.

It's getting hot in here isn't it? S3D is taking off and we are pretty darn close to those rocket booster flames! Can't wait to get my hands on this tech. I experienced it in Las Vegas at Sony's 3D Experience pavilion @ MGM Grand and let me tell you - it rocks. You have to see it in action yourself!

S3DHD Gamers Rejoice! NVIDIA Bringing 3D Gaming To Panasonic 3DTVs

Jim here. NVIDIA announced today a partnership with Panasonic and will be joining the "Panasonic Touch the Future Tour" to show off the graphics card maker's new 3DTV Play - a software solution that allows consumers to connect their new S3DHD TVs to compatible GeForce powered computers. Of course, Panasonic just launched their lineup of new VIERA 3DTVs this month.

So what does this mean to consumers? It means you have the power and versatility of S3DHD PC gaming on much larger screens. Further, the active shutter glasses that come with each VIERA 3DTV also works with NVIDIA's GPUs.

Take a look at the features (coming later this spring):
• Can be run on GeForce GPU-based desktop or notebook PCs equipped with an HDMI or DVI connector
• Full support for all HDMI 1.4-compatible 3D TVs, including Panasonic VIERA Plasma full HD 3D TVs
• Enables 1080p24, 720p60, and 720p50 3D formats
• Advanced NVIDIA software and graphics drivers automatically convert more than 400 games to stereoscopic 3D in real time, without the need for special patches.
• Enjoy full HD Blu-ray 3D playback with real-time GPU accelerated decoding and playback on GeForce GPUsi
• Watch streaming 3D movies
• View 3D photographs directly on the 3D TV
• NVIDIA 3DTV Play software will be available later this spring and sold separately with an anticipated U.S. MSRP of $39.99. It will also be available for free for current NVIDIA 3D Vision™ customers.

“NVIDIA is all about raising the bar of PC gaming, and gamers are going to love playing in 3D on one of the new Panasonic VIERA 50-inch full HD 3D TVs,” said Phil Eisler, general manager of 3D Vision technology at NVIDIA. “This is truly one of those ‘must experience to believe it’ moments, and we are ecstatic that consumers will have the chance to try it for themselves on any of our 15 stops across the US.”

Want to try all this excitement first hand? You can! Check out these tour cities and dates and make it on your calendar:
Tour dates and locations are:
3/15 - 3/17 New York, Penn Pavilion, 401 7th Ave at 33rd St
3/15 - 3/17 Chicago, Tribune 445, 445 S. Michigan Avenue
3/15 - 3/17 Los Angeles, Hollywood and Highland, 801 Hollywood Boulevard
3/20 - 3/22 Boston, Copley Place, 2 Copley Place
3/22 - 3/24 Detroit, Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway
3/22 - 3/24 Scottsdale, Fashion Square Mall, 7014 East Camelback Road
3/25 - 3/27 Philadelphia, King of Prussia Mall, North Gulph Road
3/29 - 3/31 Minneapolis, IDS Tower, 80 8th Street South
3/29 - 3/31 San Francisco, One Market Plaza, 1 Market Street
3/31 - 4/2 Washington, Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave, NE
4/6 - 4/8 Dallas, Grapevine Mills Mall, 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway
4/6 - 4/8 Seattle, Top of the Market, 93 Pike Street, Suite 307
4/7 - 4/9 Atlanta, 595 North, 595 North Ave, NW Atlanta
4/12 - 4/14 Houston, The Warehouse, 4108 Dupont Street
4/15 - 4/17 Miami, Ice Palace, 59 Northwest 14th Street

Want another reason to go? You will have a chance to win a complete Panasonic full HD 3D home theater system—featuring a Panasonic VIERA® 50” full HD 3D TV, a Panasonic 3D Blu-ray Disc player, and a pair of Panasonic 3D Eyewear. One of these systems will be given away at EACH market listed above! If that isn't motivation I don't know what is. After you come back from the event, let me know what you think!

NVIDIA is a sponsor of MarketSaw

Quick Post: Epic Games To Reveal New Unreal Engine 3 Features And S3D At GDC!

Jim here. So not only do we have Crytek's stereoscopic 3D developments to watch out for at GDC, you can add Epic Games to the list with their gaming engine!

Epic will be revealing new features for their Unreal Engine 3 at the show and attendees will be able to see the demo in full blown stereoscopic 3D! You can check it out in their private theater within its Expo Suite (#202) located in the South Hall of San Francisco's Moscone Center.

Hours for Epic’s booth are the same as expo hours: Thursday, March 11, 9:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m., Friday, March 12, 9:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m., and Saturday, March 13, 9:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m. Demos are scheduled to run on the half hour each day of the show and appointments are not required.

Wow! Sounds like an awesome show for S3D gaming!

Crytek Showing Off CryEngine 3 In Stereoscopic 3D At GDC!!

Jim here. Awesome news gamers! The engine behind CRYSIS 2 will be shown off in full blown S3D at the upcoming GDC conference in March :-) We have been waiting to see Crytek's 3D baby and now it is time...

Here is their press release:
Crytek GmbH (“Crytek”) is proud to announce the presentation of CryENGINE®3 in stereoscopic 3D (S-3D) at this year’s GDC expo in San Francisco (11–13 March). For the very first time, developers can experience the highly topical S-3D trend built with Crytek’s latest development solution.

One of the key features of the third-generation CryENGINE® is the “LiveCreate™” feature, which will also be showcased at GDC. CryENGINE®3 LiveCreate™ allows designers to work with a single editor, but see and play the results in real-time on the PC, PlayStation® 3 and Xbox 360™. With CryENGINE®3, scalability across multiple platforms is a revolutionary development to enable the creation of truly great-looking games – regardless of the target platform.

“After the successful introduction of CryENGINE®3 at last year’s GDC, we are really excited to show the latest version of our all-in-one game development solution this year in stereoscopic 3D. Over the past few years, S-3D technology has emerged as one of the key trends both in movies and games. With CryENGINE®3, developers will have the ability to create their content in 3D on all platforms. There are basically no longer any limits to a designer’s creativity. CryENGINE®3 features many innovations to accelerate development, cut production costs and ensure teams are able to maximize their own creativity without delays,” says Carl Jones, Director of Global Business Development CryENGINE.

CryENGINE®3 is the fastest and most robust high-end renderer in the world, with new features specifically designed for console platforms. Benchmark-setting graphical performance, near-photorealism rendering of indoor and wide-open outdoor environments as well as extraordinary real-time special effects are just some of the hallmarks of CryENGINE® technology. It was the underlying technology for Crytek’s critically acclaimed games Crysis® and Crysis® Warhead, and is used today not only throughout the video game industry and but also for many serious applications in fields from architecture, training and simulation to learning and development.

Crytek's Engine Business Team will be available during GDC for meetings and to discuss licensing details with prospective clients. In addition, Crytek will be hosting a series of public presentations at their booth, #1414. Crytek’s recruiters will also be at the show to answer questions about the company and accept resumes of interested applicants. Their booth is located at South Hall #2320 (Career Pavilion).

Be sure to check out all the S3D gaming action at their booth!!

METRO 2033 To Support NVIDIA's 3D Vision, DX11 !!

Jim here. THQ and NVIDIA have announced that METRO 2033 will be supported by the graphics card maker's 3D Vision technology. Further, PhysX will also be featured.

METRO 2033 is a first person shooter that will make use of the most advanced DirectX 11 techniques ever seen.

Click images to zoom.

"Our engineers have been working closely with 4A Games to ensure that Metro 2033 takes full advantage of some of the spectacular effects made possible with the next generation of DX11 hardware," said Tony Tamasi, SVP, Content & Technology at NVIDIA. "The 4A Engine is one of the most advanced game engines we’ve ever worked with, and with DX11 enabled, Metro 2033 is undoubtedly one of the best looking PC games of 2010. Combine this with NVIDIA 3D Vision and PhysX and you will experience mind-blowing visuals."

The METRO 2033 video game is set in the shattered subway of a post apocalyptic Moscow, Metro 2033 is a story of intensive underground survival where the fate of mankind rests in your hands.

In 2013, the world was devastated by an apocalyptic event, annihilating almost all mankind and turning the earth’s surface into a poisonous wasteland. A handful of survivors took refuge in the depths of the Moscow underground, and human civilization entered a new Dark Age.

The year is 2033. An entire generation has been born and raised underground, and their besieged Metro Station-Cities struggle for survival, with each other, and the mutant horrors that await outside.

You are Artyom, born in the last days before the fire, but raised Underground. Having never ventured beyond your Metro Station-City limits, one fateful event sparks a desperate mission to the heart of the Metro system, to warn the remnants of mankind of a terrible impending threat. Your journey takes you from the forgotten catacombs beneath the subway to the desolate wastelands above, where your actions will determine the fate of mankind.

Man, this sounds like a ton o' fun. I will be definitely checking this out with my 3D Vision system the second it is out.

Look for METRO 2033 in PC and Xbox 360 formats on March 16 in North America and Germany, March 18 in Australia and March 19 for the UK and Europe.