Today, Tuesday, March 18, is National 3D Day. Yeah, it’s an actual holiday according to the National Day Calendar. The day was founded back in 2020, although stereo 3D itself has been around for a very long time.
Over the years, we’ve heard a wide range of comments concerning stereo 3D: Stereo 3D was a thing; stereo 3D is a thing, stereo 3D has always been a thing. Everyone seems to have an opinion when it comes to the genre. I guess it’s just a matter of perspective.
Today, March 18, 2025, is National 3D Day, celebrated on the third day of the third week of the third month of the year. Back in 2022, in recognition of this “holiday,” I wrote an extensive article about stereo 3D, including its history and inclusion in films, games, screens, and more.
Many Baby Boomers and Gen Xers were first introduced to stereo 3D as children, with the popular View-Master stereoscope toy, introduced in 1939. In fact, the toy can still be found on some store shelves today—that is, if you can find a brick-and-mortar store—and online. While some contend that stereo 3D has experienced a number of ups and downs over the years, the late longtime stereo 3D inventor Lenny Lipton argues to the contrary, specifying that there have just been times of greater growth, as opposed to peaks and valleys.
One such high growth period was in 2009, when stereo 3D films were riding the wave of popularity, with a big boost coming at the end of that year thanks to Avatar. In April 2009, while I was the editor at Computer Graphics World, I celebrated the growing interest and development in the genre with a stereo 3D issue, drawing attention to some of the S3D projects featured in the issue. This is what I stated at the time: “Stereo 3D is a hot trend, as movies, games, and television are embracing this revived medium. In covering the topic, we decided to not only write about the technique, but to show it, too.”
Gimmicky? Maybe. But, it caught readers’ attention.
At the time, stereo 3D was transitioning from a novelty to a growing slate of animated films being shown in stereo, as filmmakers and others were recognizing that stereo was no longer a vehicle for a gag, but rather a tool to enhance the storytelling experience.
Stereoscopy has evolved by leaps and bounds over the years since. The image quality is more refined, and most likely, Avatar: Fire and Ash, on tap for the end of this year, will reignite the excitement—at least in the theater.
So, where has stereo 3D been in the past several years? Some say it has been overshadowed by other technologies such as AI and ML. The truth is, it has not been pushed aside. Instead, it is front and center in our lives. Some people just may not recognize its presence.
Many AR and MR glasses and headsets enable users to interact with 3D models. Do you have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16? The phone cameras can be used for 3D videos and 3D photos. Also, Apple Vision Pro enables users to not only capture 3D photos and videos, but to relive them time and again. And, there are easily accessible tools available for 3D stereo editing for hobbyists as well as pros. Remember those very expensive stereo 3D monitors? Now anyone can afford to have a personal glasses-free stereo viewer on their desk at home.
Stereo 3D is becoming more and more pervasive and continues to grow and evolve in many different forms. People seem to enjoy novelty 3D street art. I have to admit, it can be a little unsettling, as my eyes and brain fight to comprehend and decode the image before me. But, it’s a lot of fun to watch people interact with the image before them. Also, 3D rugs, carpets with a 3D visual illusion, are in fashion. Personally, I find them a bit much to look at all the time, all day, every day. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective.
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