While the game industry has struggled to get gamers to adopt 3D games, the global 3D movie business continues to take off.
The addressable market for 3D in the US, Europe and China
Penetration for 3D remains highest in 2012 across cinema-screen infrastructure, driven by higher per-ticket revenue and the continued practice of major studios releasing blockbuster titles in 3D.
In homes, 3D penetration is dependent on households upgrading to 3D TVs as well as 3D BD players and the associated 3D glasses. 3D features are becoming a standard on high-end HDTV sets and BD players in the forecast period to 2016, resulting in a growing segment of households in developed markets being ripe for 3D movies viewing. By 2016, the penetration of 3D ready TV households will have surpassed that of 3D cinema screens in select markets worldwide.
The largest international footprint overall for 3D cinema this year belongs to China, where more than 8,000 screens had been installed as of the third quarter—more than double from a year earlier—as the rapidly growing screen infrastructure makes a significant contribution.
The country’s BD 3D space, however, is still in infancy, owing to the lack of a legitimate physical video market in the country in light of rampant piracy. The ability of Chinese manufacturers to integrate 3D as standard feature will also have a significant impact on 3D TV broadcasts moving forward, after Chinese public broadcaster CCTV launched the first 3D TV channel in the country on a trial basis earlier this year.
