SEGA says Virtua Tennis 3 on the Xbox 360 will support 1080p

Like a serve aimed straight at Sony’s nugget pouch, SEGA just announced that their Virtua Tennis 3 series for the Xbox 360 will come in glorious 1080p. From the press release:

… Virtua Tennis™ 3 on the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, will for the first time in the series’ history allow players to compete around the world in Ranked and Player Modes for top scores on the Leaderboard via Xbox Live®. Virtua Tennis 3 will also support stunning 1080p graphics and a brand new VT:TV live spectator mode at launch.

“With the implementation of 1080p capabilities on the Xbox 360, players will experience a new level of visual intensity and athletic drama played out on the court through a wide range of varied and realistic animations and dynamic cloth physics,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. 

Attention Sony: You just got served. Full press release after the jump with more on multiplayer functions for 360 owners. The game is slated to come out on March 20 for the PlayStation 3, PSP and 360. 

Press release:

SEGA’S ‘VIRTUA TENNIS 3′ ON XBOX 360 HITS THE SPOT WITH XBOX LIVE PLAY AND NEXT-GEN 1080P GRAPHICS
SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (February 6, 2007) – SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced that Virtua Tennis™ 3 on the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, will for the first time in the series’ history allow players to compete around the world in Ranked and Player Modes for top scores on the Leaderboard via Xbox Live®. Virtua Tennis 3 will also support stunning 1080p graphics and a brand new VT:TV live spectator mode at launch.

“With the implementation of 1080p capabilities on the Xbox 360, players will experience a new level of visual intensity and athletic drama played out on the court through a wide range of varied and realistic animations and dynamic cloth physics,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. “Virtua Tennis 3 is a must-have for fans and newcomers to the series due to its great pick-up-and-play ability, life-like details, and incredible physics. Now with unique Xbox Live play, Virtua Tennis 3 has once again pushed the boundaries to redefine what a great multiplayer video game should be.”

Supporting the highest digital video standard available, each of the 20 top-ranked tennis athletes featured in Virtua Tennis 3 appear even more realistic and the court environments deliver a newfound richness in color and texture. The increased levels of detail can be seen in the spectators and backgrounds, and the smooth gameplay mechanics and movements of the players are just as fluid as ever.

The online gameplay for Virtua Tennis 3 consists of a number of features set to make the most of the Xbox Live network. Players can take part in Exhibition games or Tournaments in both Singles and Doubles matches across the Live network. The new VT:TV real-time spectator mode allows players to watch their friends or other top-ranked players compete in tournaments, adding more strategy when sizing up the next opponent.

“We’re thrilled to be able to say that Virtua Tennis 3 will be coming to Xbox 360, showcasing an online experience with Xbox Live that you won’t find on any other systems and spectacular 1080p graphics,” said George Peckham, general manager, global third party publishing for the Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft. “Fun and easy to pick up and play, SEGA is hitting another ace with Virtua Tennis 3.”

Virtua Tennis 3 is slated for release on March 20, 2007 on the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.