SimulView is a technology that allows two players to use the same TV at the same time, while each sees their own image in full-screen mode. Unlike traditional split-screen gameplay, where the display is divided into sections, SimulView removes this limitation entirely, letting each player see only their own game across the whole screen.
SimulView is based on the same principle as stereoscopic 3D. In 3D mode, a TV generates two separate images—one for the left eye and one for the right eye. With SimulView, one player’s game is transmitted through the left-eye channel, while the second player’s game is transmitted through the right-eye channel. Specially designed 3D glasses filter out the opposite image, so each player sees only their own gameplay on the full screen.
Sony was the first company to bring SimulView to the market, introducing it for the PlayStation 3 and compatible Bravia 3D TVs. Over time, the technology disappeared along with 3D televisions themselves: their peak popularity was between 2012 and 2015, and by 2016 the production of 3D TVs had been discontinued.
SimulView in passive and active 3D TVs
SimulView can be implemented on both passive and active 3D televisions, although the way it works differs between the two technologies.
On passive 3D TVs, SimulView requires two distinct pairs of polarized glasses. Each pair is designed to pass only one of the two alternating images. For example, one set of glasses allows the viewer to see only the image intended for the left eye, while the other filters the image intended for the right eye. These glasses are purpose-built for SimulView gaming and are not compatible with standard 3D movie playback.
Active 3D TVs use battery-powered shutter glasses that synchronize with the TV’s refresh rate, rapidly alternating between light and dark in step with the displayed frames. In SimulView mode, the glasses are configured to block one of the two alternating image streams. As a result, one player sees only the frames assigned to the left eye, while the other sees only those assigned to the right eye. Depending on the TV’s software and system compatibility, active SimulView glasses could sometimes be used for both gaming and watching 3D movies.
Limitations and requirements
Using SimulView requires support from both the television and the game itself. Not all 3D TVs or video games were compatible with this mode, as developers had to implement SimulView support directly into their games. With the discontinuation of 3D TVs, the technology has effectively disappeared. SimulView was supported only on the PlayStation 3, and later PlayStation consoles no longer included this feature.
