• by Aaron Baar , November 8, 2010

With no new hardware or console upgrades to hype this year, look for the major gaming companies -- Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo -- to rely on extending the life of their current hardware through peripherals and other add-ons.

"Traditionally, we're used to seeing a new console launch every four to six years," Tal Blevins, vice president of games content at IGN Entertainment, tells Marketing Daily. "[The gaming companies] are looking to see how they're going to be extending the life of their hardware, and motion gaming is where they're putting that emphasis."

With both Sony and Microsoft finally entering the arena of motion-controlled gaming (through the Move and Kinect peripherals), the gaming companies are looking to edge into Nintendo's territory and get some of the more casual gamers and families to buy their systems, particularly as they offer entertainment options beyond gaming, such as Blu-Ray disc playing and online content.

"In a lot of ways, I think they consoles are becoming the central entertainment hub for families," Blevins says. Earlier this month, IDC projected Microsoft will sell between 2.5 million and 3 million Kinect peripherals this year, while Sony will sell between 2 million and 2.5 million Move controllers.

The appeal for gaming is also getting broader, thanks to more portable devices like the iPad and iPhone, which allow for gaming on the go, he says. "The iPad has sold well for Apple and you're starting to see games imported over to the iPad," he says. "Portable gaming is a big trend for this year."