Living up to its reputation as the innovation kings, we now learn that Nintendo had created the 3D-gaming bandwagon almost a decade ago.

Iwata’s third quarter financial results briefing gets more and more interesting, with the CEO revealing to the public for the first time that the GameCube was designed for 3D gaming, had Nintendo decided to go down that path.

“To tell you the truth, GameCube is secretly designed to load graphical circuits which display graphics for right and left eyes respectively, for a future possibility of realizing [sic] 3D gaming experience.”

So why didn’t Nintendo go ahead with the technology? The short answer is that Iwata had “some doubt that current 3D technology which requires eyeglasses [would] be suitable for [their] products.” Aside from that, he added that while he liked the idea of 3D movies lasting about two hours, he was concerned about the impact that “3D games as full-scaled as current video games” and lasting much longer would have on the human body.

This mind-blowing revelation just makes you wonder what crazy things have gone on over the years in Nintendo’s Q-Branch-like R&D offices. I’m sure if we ever had a peep inside, our faces would explode.

Had the power of 3D technology in the GameCube been unlocked, would the console have been much more successful? Or was Iwata right in believing that 3D gaming wouldn’t catch on? With Sony’s 3D Blu-ray technology and Microsoft’s Project Natal to be released some time this year, we’ll soon see whether or not Nintendo made the right decision.

Source: The Escapist