Half of Team Kotaku is getting their game on in HD. Then, there's Florian whose "TV" consists of little more than a bedsheet stapled to the wall and a spotlight. Most HD owners swear by their purdy televisions and find it different to even *cringe* watch anything below 720p. Gamasutra rounded up a handful of pundits to get their opinions on how important HDTVs are and what this means for, well, Nintendo.

Michael Pachter: I think HD resolution is the essential difference between this cycle and the last. Although it is clear that there will be much more happening on-screen, with more independently acting characters, the visceral improvement in graphics is probably the first thing noticed by consumers. ... HDTV is the second fastest growing consumer electronics product (behind the iPod), and it's going to end up the household standard in a few years.

Mike Wolf: HDTV is a critical feature of the new generation of consoles, particularly down the road 2-3 years [from now] when adoption of HD TVs will be much higher than it is today. Sony is obviously using the same strategy it used with the PS2 by offering a low-cost version of the latest format for home video, which worked with the PS2 with regards to beating out the Sega Dreamcast.

...Ultimately, the gamer is looking for the best gaming experience, and HD is a part of that, but not the end-all. Equally important is inventive game play, which is the main focus of Nintendo with the Wii. I don't think Nintendo will lose out on customers by not offering HD.

Ben Bajarin: I do not think the gaming industry is jumping in prematurely at all. There is great demand among the early market that flocked to buy the Xbox 360 and that will flock to buy the PS3. It is definitely important to give the market a 720p and 1080i/p gaming experience, but I would never advise a game developer to not support standard definition TVs for the foreseeable future.

What about those in Kotaku-land? Who owns an HDTV? Is it a must have for next gen? And most importantly, how big is it? Brian Ashcraft

I Want My HDTV [Gamasutra via 1Up]

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