Research firm the NPD Group has offered a number of games industry predictions for the coming year.
"Q1 is shaping up to be the biggest quarter in video game history as several marquee titles slipped from this year into next, joining the already strong line-up of new releases," said games analyst Anita Frazier, who also believes that "motion-sensing controllers will be a focal point as Microsoft's Natal will likely make its way to market during the year." Microsoft has since confirmed that Natal will release in 2010, while Sony's new motion sensing controller is set to launch this spring.
"In PC games, sales generated via digital distribution will overtake those generated at retail, and there will be some big PC game releases, most notably from Activision Blizzard," Frazier added.
"But perhaps the biggest issue facing the industry in 2010 is the proliferation of mobile and social gaming, much of which is free to the consumer. While they can't replace or replicate the gaming experience that a full frontline game offers, they can and do satisfy the gaming craving for many occasional gamers. Their existence is putting pressure on the casual games side of the industry, and the impact may spread to the more traditional segment of the industry through downward price pressure on content."
New report from Skillsearch found that 22% of those surveyed had been laid off within the past 12 months.
It's a step forward for Stop Killing Games.
The Callisto Protocol director thinks the solution involves the right people, the right timing, and perhaps a little bit of AI
I don't agree with that. I WISH I could agree with that. But buying habits and customer opinions prove otherwise
We've seen developers in the AAA space try new things and ideas. More often than not, the customers aren't willing to give things a chance, or not enough people buy into the project for it to grow.
Creativity works better in the indie space because the budgets, pressures, and expectations aren't the same.
it's a nice idea and it worked during the PS2/PS3-era when AAA didn't cost hundreds of millions of dollars. smaller budgets and shorter development time left room for more creativity and more risk. a game didn't need to sell 4 million+ copies to break even. things are different now.
This is the guy who bragged about crunching his staff and having them work through the night. Crunch culture has lost more talent and done more damage to the industry than any other factor. Screw him.
2010 will be an awesome year for gamers. Motion-sensing aside, there will be a lot of quality titles this year for the PS3 and 360, but prices need to drop.
Why I have to predict video games I wanted toys.
He said "Ok do both they're the same"