But what have we to look forward to in 2008? We've gathered a few of our contributors thoughts and completed the job of a videogames industry analyst at half the price. So read on to see what it is we think can be expected out of the new year.
Luke Van Leuveren - PALGN General Manager
I feel that 2008 is going to be a huge year for gaming and I wouldn't be surprised if we knew who would be 'winning' the console wars by the end of the year.
Microsoft really need to work hard to establish themselves in 2008, by losing so many key developers in 2007 we are going to need to see first party developers such as Rare and Turn10 step up, otherwise Microsoft won't have enough exclusives. I do however expect that by the end of the year we will be playing Gears of War 2, we would have heard first details on Halo 4 and I fully expect a sequel to the cult favourite Viva Pinata, but I very much doubt we will see Banjo Kazooie 3.
I feel that 2008 will be a brilliant year for Sony but not because of Killzone 2 and LittleBigPlanet. I don't think Killzone 2 will be out in 2008 and I think LittleBigPlanet will be a great game that doesn't sell as much as it should. Sequels to titles like Uncharted and Resistance will push the PlayStation 3 into people's hands in 2008, along with a price drop which will put the console into the same price vicinity as the Xbox 360.
Nintendo will keep frustrating PAL gamers, with Brawl coming out after July and the release schedule getting further behind America. The Wii with the DVD drive will end up coming out only in Japan and the Wii Zapper will get a heck of a lot of support, same with the Wii balance board which will catapult Wii Fit to one of the best selling Wii games yet.
In terms of third party publishers successful titles like Carnival Games and Assassin's Creed will get sequels in 2008. I wouldn't be surprised if the Tony Hawk series is rested for the year and Activision will easily become the number one publisher, not before EA unsuccessfully tries to purchase Ubisoft. EA will push hard in 2008, with sequels to Skate and a return to arcade form with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 3 (I pray).
By the end of 2008 the PSP could well be on it's last legs and the Nintendo DS will continue the software dominance it has in the portable market, my fingers are crossed for another Super Mario Bros DS game, but I don't think we'll hear anything about this in 2008.
We asked Zoltan what to expect in 2008 but he claimed he felt unqualified to answer as apparently the most recent game he's played is Arkanoid.
Matt Keller - PALGN Writer
Nintendo will officially reclaim the throne in all territories, but supply issues will be a concern. First party lineup is solid with traditional games including Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart and Disaster: Day of Crisis (and a bunch of unannounced ones), and then unique titles like Wii Fit and Wii Music. I'm interested to see what form first party support of WiiWare will take. 3D titles are great and all, but who wouldn't like to see SNES version of Mario Kart updated to support 4 players?
Microsoft played kiss and tell too early on many of their big guns, leaving very little announced for 2008. Expect to hear more of their 2008 lineup as the year goes on - Gears of War 2 is no secret, and Halo Wars is there, but continued silence on Alan Wake, Too Human and Banjo Kazooie 3 is a worry. Existing first party titles have sequel potential too - Perfect Dark and Kameo anyone? Expect more strategic partnerships with third parties, much like Mass Effect and Gears of War. It's likely that 2008 and 2009 will be the peak years for the 360, and Microsoft will start planning accordingly.
Continued manufacturing cost cutting will see the PlayStation 3 fall even lower in price. The key PlayStation 2 audience has yet to make the switch, and with the PS2's release list beginning to diminish, I think a few impressive games could convince those folks to jump to the PlayStation 3. The PlayStation Store needs to pick its act up, particularly in Australia, and Home must hit before July. Sony will be a little more aggressive after the retail failure of Heavenly Sword, Ratchet & Clank and Uncharted; expect heavy promotion for Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 and possibly combined efforts for third party titles like Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto IV. Hopefully with the release of improved SDKs, third parties will bring their PS3 versions of new titles up to scratch.
The DS will continue to sell like crazy, despite the fact that Nintendo is keeping quiet about most of its lineup. RPG fans should be happy with Final Fantasy IV and Tactics A2 and the Dragon Quest remakes. The slim PSP has caused a resurgence in sales of the hardware, but it will take time for studios to catch up. Piracy is the biggest issue, and unless action is taken, the software lineup will linger in obscurity.
Third parties will continue to play it safe, sticking to sequels, licenses and Wii ports.
David Low - PALGN Executive Editor
2008 will be an extremely difficult year to predict in terms of individual products, but there are some general principals that can probably help see what is coming.
In some ways the recent Activision-Vivendi merger was demonstrative of the climate in the games industry as it goes forward into some very uncharted territory. Whether you correctly predicted the Wii rapidly taking over the industry or not (there was a pretty big hint right in front of everyone's face called the Nintendo DS), the fact is the vast majority of publishers do not appear to have seen it coming at all. On the whole they threw all their eggs into the HD console basket, which currently has an install base that's probably a less then half what was projected at this point. As a result, third party game sales as a whole are also probably less then half of what was projected. Microsoft can talk about attach rates all they want, in absolute volumes the 360 is selling significantly less software then the PS2 was at the same point, even in the US, the only major market Microsoft is doing even decently in. On a month by month basis the Wii is selling the most home console software worldwide (based on the data we have), but obviously a huge chunk of that is first party.
So what has this got to do with predictions for 2008? I predict we will see more mergers, downsizing and/or company liquidations. How many companies have produced $15-$20 million epic games that need to sell a million to break even, and how many of these games can the market support? I'd suggest the former number is much higher then the latter.
Not to say no-one can survive. The way the 360 (and to some extent PS3) audience rallies around a top game every second month or so shows that if you can be that game you can still make money. The problem is a more limited install base with sales concentrated on a few titles means even more risk-free and less imaginative games then we got in 2007, if that's even possible. And based on the formula in the paragraph above, half of these will still bomb. It's no different on the Wii - how many half-baked Wii Sports clones can we take? In a whole year there have only been two decently positioned top-tier third party games released on the Wii: Guitar Hero 3 and Resident Evil 4, both port-ups, the latter of which was already playable on the console. Ultimately I think the very top games on each console will survive, and there'll be a rise of smaller, more imaginative games from those companies who have adapted. But the middle tier (ie the third party profit base of the PS2) will be at least partly wiped out. Neither the 360 or the Wii is the new PS2 (and the PS3 certainly isn't), so things will definitely be different.
Rapid and unexpected changes have happened to the industry before, but never before have they happened in an environment of so many 'make or break' development budgets. We're looking at a shake-up akin to the 2D to 3D transition here, particularly concerning Japanese third parties. Who will be the new Namco, who rose from 16-bit obscurity to major player status in that transition?
"Can't talk right now, PALGN are anticipating me in 2008, and I've only got a few months left before I'm supposed to be there."
Luke Mitchell - PALGN Writer
Microsoft have clearly had the most software released this year as the PS3 and Wii were still finding their feet, but 2008 is going to be a much more competitive year. The 360 will see a sequel to it's mega-hit Gears of War which will be just as hyped as Halo 3 was and big interest titles such as Too Human and Banjo Kazooie 3 will see their releases, although it wouldn't surprise me if they take until Xmas 2008 to actually surface.
Those PS2 owners who were considering the jump to the PS3 will finally be pushed into doing so, with another probable price drop backed up by major titles Metal Gear Solid 4, Gran Turismo 5 and Killzone 2. Add in the extremely appealing Home and LittleBigPlanet to the mix, and more SingStar, Buzz! and PSeye support around the corner, and Sony could really see itself as a serious competitor once again. I also predict sequels to commercial successes Resistance and Motorstorm.
Nintendo will continue to be massively popular. Mums and Dads will get a kick out of Wii Fit, Wii Music and perhaps some more Brain Training titles, while everyone will find some serious enjoyment in Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii. Some new Wii versions of old favourites are likely to gain some exposure including the return of Starfox, Donkey Kong, Yoshi and Kirby. The Trauma Centre sequel will hopefully see the light of day in Australia.
The DS will keep on dominating with titles for casual and hardcore gamers alike. RPG nuts will be very satisfied with more Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy love, and several more games involving the training of your brain, eyes, ears, health and more will keep topping the charts. The PSP will need to have a cheaper version available to really compete with the DS in the handheld market, but I just don't see it as a serious competitor until that happens, despite big games like God of War: Chains of Olympus and Secret Agent Clank on the horizon.
Other publishers will push out sequels to some big 2007 titles including Assassins Creed and Guitar Hero, while Rock Band will be released over here with major commercial success, topping the charts for a seemingly endless period of time. GTAIV and Burnout Paradise will be huge multi-platform successes and Condemned 2: Bloodshot is my personal prediction to be the best game that nobody plays.
Jeremy Jastrzab - PALGN Writer
2007 was meant to be the year we'd be seeing the benefits from either motion-sensing control or the HD generation. Unfortunately, of all the massive releases that came out this year, there were only a handful that actually delivered on these promises. Unfortunately, there is a fear that 2008 will again be filled with non-risky ventures, such as shooters and franchise follow-ups. In terms of hardware, it's way too early for any of the consoles to start looking to the future. There is some argument for a DS/Game Boy follow-up or redesign but there's no reason for Nintendo to disturb momentum.
Somehow, Nintendo used 2007 to re-surge into the console lead. Despite an entirely lacklustre first half of the year, demand kept outstripping supply and continued to do so when the blockbusters hit. 2008 promises more of the same. A number of gimmicky and poor port jobs, interspersed with casual hits such as Wii Fit and Wii Music. Occasionally, a gamer's game might hit such as Super Smash Bros. and to a lesser extent Mario Kart but there are two causes of concern. Firstly, Nintendo haven't announced many games that would appeal to core gamers, and one might argue that this audience is on the verge of being forsaken for the booming casual market. Secondly, if you're a PAL gamer, you're pretty much going to screwed from now on. Now that Nintendo have regained the hardware lead, there's no reason for them to care about the well-being of PAL gamers, so expect to see many more delays.
Microsoft put their biggest hand forward in 2007 and there is seemingly not that much for them left in 2008. That is, apart from a lot of vapourware that has spilled over from past years. You can still expect to see a number of good games, though it's doubtful that many will push the envelope. Again, shooters, sequels and shooter sequels will be the order of the day. It would probably be the highlight of the year if Too Human actually ends up being released.
Sony have the most to prove in 2008. A late but small resurgence was barely enough to pull it out of the mire. Now that the PS2 has most likely seen its final successful Christmas, it's time for the PS3 to take centre stage. Big games such as MGS4 and Killzone 2 are among the most anticipated of 2008 and should fit nicely alongside follow-ups to Singstar and Buzz. Unfortunately, it's probably too little, too late to send the PS3 back to the top, and the farce that has been the delay of Home, is unlikely to make the ripples that some are expecting when its finally released. Though it might help if Sony stop following up each good move with what has become a token shot in the foot.
With nothing to very little of interest or of note announced for either major handheld, you can only expect each to chug along their merry way, with the DS selling heaps and the PSP selling a bit less. But hey, I wouldn't complain if there was a new Castlevania or a new Metroid. The third parties are likely to be the most interesting, because we'll be seeing the results of the EA-Bioware buyout, the Activision-Vivendi merger and more. Just exactly what effect each has, will be worthing looking for alone. Games such as Call of Duty 5 and (as much as I don't like to say it) Assassin's Creed 2 will most likely lack the flair of their predecessors, because the REAL follow-ups will come in 2009.
Will the console war heat up in 2008?
Anthony Capone - PALGN Writer
In 2007 we finished the fight and the moustachioed marvel (literally) reached for the stars. In 2008, hardware manufacturers and games publishers will again be making the headlines for both the wrong and right reasons.
The Wii, which is arguably already dominating worldwide console sales, will again prove to be the system of choice for casual gamers and families. Though PAL gamers will continue lamenting the absurdity of Nintendo's lengthy game delays, titles such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii will prove highly popular. After the previous holiday fiasco, Nintendo will ensure there is enough product to meet consumer demand in 2008, with television advertising and mall stakeouts reinforcing their dominance. Third party publishers will carry on playing second fiddle to the Wii, and though there may be a few stand-out titles, they will continue attempting to exploit the console's success with poorly executed ports and licensed games.
Microsoft is in the best position it has been for years, with decent sales of both the Xbox 360 and accompanying games. Titles such as Halo 3 and Mass Effect were the bread and butter of Microsoft's monster in 2007, so the company must continue with a strong line-up of exclusives to ensure its prosperity. Gamers such as Halo Wars and Fable 2 will be the stand-outs of the year, and sequels for Gears of War and Perfect Dark will also see the light of day. Nonetheless, Microsoft must get their act together with Too Human and Alan Wake if they are to be on shelves before next Christmas. Though third-part titles such as Splinter Cell: Conviction and the promised episodic content for Grand Theft Auto IV will lure gamers to the Xbox 360, the casual market will continue to elude Microsoft, despite their efforts with games like Viva Pinata and Kameo. Hardware woes will continue to plague the Xbox, so expect to see further tweaking of the system, though it is unlikely there will be any significant upgrades this year. Also expect to see interesting developments with Xbox LIVE in 2008.
Though the PlayStation Portable is beginning to achieve higher sales, it is questionable whether it will it get through 2008 in the face of the Nintendo DS's continued dominance. Though Sony have pledged their unequivocal support for the PSP, with gamers such as God of War: Chains of Olympus and Secret Agent Clank – for the time being, at least – other publishers have already starting foregoing releasing games on the device. First-party titles alone could carry the PlayStation Portable through 2008, but this wouldn't be a satisfactory position for Sony to be in, coupled with console's lack of success as a multi-purpose device. Ultimately, 2008 will be the year in which the PlayStation Portable survives – or fails.
Third-party publishers will continue pumping out sequels, and even more sequels. Titles such as Call of Duty 5, Guitar Hero 4 and FIFA 09 will mark end-of-year sales. Though the hardcore gamer audience will always be catered for, 2008 will mark the year in which the 'casual gamer market' is genuinely established. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and third-party companies will continue following the trend, each with varying levels of success. Rock Band will prove extremely popular, although its post-Christmas Australian release may come back to haunt EA.
Finally, in 2008, it will be proved whether the fallout following the EA-BioWare deal was warranted, mid-size publishers will continue facing financial woes, independent studios will continue being brought out, publishers will find less of an excuse to charge higher prices for next-gen games (which, strictly speaking, and now current-gen), development on the Xbox 360 will still prove easier then on the PlayStation 3, the HD-DVD / Blu-Ray war will not be settled, and there will be a DS and PS2 game for every kids CGI film.
Neil Booth - PALGN Writer
Starcraft 2 will come out around August and be greeted with either dismay that it's just like Starcraft, only prettier, or with rapturous joy that it's just like Starcraft, only prettier. Also, Blizzard will announce a brand new IP, boldly deciding not to use the word 'craft' anywhere in the title.
In July, all the Wiis in the world will unite as one sentient gigacomputer that will assume full control of every satellite, power station and wind farm. The human race will spend three months as a subservient slave race, until Wii-net implodes while foolishly trying to run Crysis on the maximum settings.
Microsoft will finally fix the Xbox 360's 'red ring of death' by shipping every new Xbox with a purple square on the front instead. Sorted!
Sony will release 17 new varieties of the PS3. Some will feature full backward compatibility with the Gizmondo, others will use the human body as the main power source, via a number of uncomfortable steel needles. All varieties of PS3 will ship in identical boxes labelled only with ancient Sanskrit. Sony executives will remain puzzled by low sales.
Casual Games will find themselves in a year long battle with Couldn't Be Bothered Games. CBBGs will all involve only one button, a black screen and a nearly inaudible hum. Peggle fanatics will be outraged by the lack of skill required to play CBBGs and spend most of their time hassling newbs on tiddly-winks forums.
On a slightly more serious note... what's going to happen in 2008? Stuffed if I know, but I'd guess that lots of games will be released, and most of them will be a bit crap. User interfaces and control schemes will mostly suffer from the same problems that have plagued them for the past twenty years, and the biggest selling titles will be slight refinements of well-established franchises. I'd love to see Activision Blizzard take a crack at the sports game market, and then witness the city-flattening Godzilla vs Mothra-style battle with EA that ensues.
Otherwise, I fully expect Nintendo to keep blazing along like a steamroller through a rabbit farm and expect there'll be some fancy new Wii gadget announced mid-year. No idea what it will be but the entire industry will smack themselves in the head for not thinking of it first. A bit more interactivity between the Wii and DS would be nice too.
--------------------------------------------------
There's our thoughts on the industry movements and the games of 2008. Let us, and the rest of the potato loving world, know what you think is in store for us post the clock ticking over to midnight on the 31st.
Loading...
