• by Josh Lovison , November 29, 2007

A nuclear winter wouldn't be able to get gamers off their consoles and portables

1. If 2007 was the proving ground for casual gaming, 2008 is going to take this to the next level. Innovation in business models around casual games will make headlines in 2008. Time will be wasted on a massive scale.

2. As games become increasingly networked, they become a social activity. The value of game advertising will increase dramatically as gaming is less and less the domain of the lonely outcast.

3. A number of games slated for 2008 place strong emphasis on the inclusion of user-generated content. From the level design of Little Big Planet to the dynamic inclusion of player-created species in Spore, users are going to be their very own developers.

4. Physical stores for digital content are readily becoming obsolete. More games will be distributed over digital channels in 2008. This will open possibilities for repurposing of classic games as seen on Xbox Live Arcade and the Wii, adding additional content to games after the retail date, and lowering the barrier of entry for distribution of independent content. Sports stadiums will host "burn your disc" nights.

5. The first year after a console's release is typically barren of content while the hardware sales rise. Just as 2007 was the year the Xbox360 came into its own for quality content, 2008 is going to be the year the Wii reaches its potential with games that match the hype.

6. Played the game? See the movie. Comic book movies sucked until the first X-Men came out, showing the genre could be done well. Now every blockbuster or hit TV show seems to be comicbook related. Legendary Pictures, one of the best production companies in Hollywood, obtained the rights for World of Warcraft. Expect to see Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie by year's end.

7. As advancements happen in the mobile space, the gates open up for bigger, better and more consolidated mobile games. This year will see many of the kinks in the system worked out. No one will have to look up on the subway.

8. HDTV ownership will increase throughout 2008. This, coupled with the recent support of HD content in Flash, will finally cement the expectation of HD resolution for almost all visual content. Games will be no exception. You will see the pores on Mario's face.

9. The switch of Apple to Intel processors has opened up the eight percent of the computer market that happens to run on a Mac to more computer games. PC gaming is going to get a nice boost when the ultimate solution arrives. Those annoying "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" ads will stop running.

10. As capabilities, graphics and game design evolve, the consumer is going to become disillusioned with the fruits of the new generation of games. There will be a return to the roots en masse, and Pong will lead the way. Expect in-game advertisers to argue whether replacing the ball or paddles with product placement is the best solution. Massive will do both.