Post by Marik on Jan 1, 2007 11:32:45 GMT -5
2007 will be a big year in gaming, but what will happen. one of my favorite sites, gamesarefun.com did 2006 predictions and they were pretty exciting to read. After careful consideration, have thought of 23 things that will most likely happen in the industry in 2007. Now this may sound weird in some places, but just think about it:
1) Like the 360 in 2006, the Christmas hype for the Wii and PS3 will slow down as little amount of games will hit the systems in the next few months. The PS3 will pick up more in Q2 2007 due to multi-platform games with the 360 like Ghost Recon: Advance Warfighter 2. The Wii’s hype will continue as soon as more systems come in, just not nearly as much.
2) The DS will have yet another stellar year with Pokemon Diamond and Pearl imitating what the New Super Mario Bros and Brain Age did and that is to be the killer apps this spring flowing to hot sellers in the summer and have Zelda: Phantom Hourglass hit early fall.
3) Even though a lot of quality titles hit the PSP in 2006, the DS destroyed it in sales worldwide. The PSP will see a price drop to counteract the DS and to try to pick up speed with Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core and some Sony-branded titles. Since UMD’s are basically gone now, Sony will focus the machine as a gaming handheld and not a universal media device.
4) EA will have a predictable lineup for the PS3 and 360 this year and will try harder to fight the 2K series after the dreadful performance of NBA Live 07. Madden 08 will hit Wii and if Nintendo gets the Wii’s Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection out in time, it will also be online. EA will also not have all the sports games on Wii, instead like the Wii Sims game, have their own exclusive lineup games.
5) Without E3, other game conventions like the Game Developers Conference, Tokyo Game Show or Penny Arcade Expo will try to become a bigger game convention. E3’s replacement, the GamePro Expo will still deliver in content, just without huge crowds.
6) With Jump Superstars and Naruto DS on sale in Best Buy and in the future, GameStop, the import market will increase and expand with the PSP and PS3 as well, which are both region free with their Japanese exclusive games.
7) Sony will not try to push Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto 4 as the big titles for the PS3, Sony will do what they always done, push every Sony-made PS3 title only while word of mouth spreads for the third party titles. MGS4 will be exclusive to the PS3 at launch, but will have their own Substance/Subsistance remake on the PS3 and 360 (and/or PC) in 2008.
8) Nintendo will stay third in the console market race as the 360 and PS3 continue to release the same style games as the PS2 and Xbox did, just prettier. Nintendo though will do better than the GameCube did due to extreme exclusiveness though and stay on their tail in third. The 360 might surpass Sony as #1 in America and Europe’s market share, while the DS will continue to slaughter every console and handheld in Japan.
9) Solid Snake will not be the only third party character in Super Smash Bros Brawl. Brawl is also not 100% being an online title and that will be the serious clincher on Nintendo’s 2007 Fall lineup.
10) Halo 3 will come out in 2007, but Halo Wars and Peter Jackson’s Halo-based game will not.
11) Ubisoft will continue their increased Wii support and will be more refined to the gameplay and have online functionality (If all goes to plans with the WFC), but the games will still be lackluster in some degree.
12) A Final Fantasy VII game will be announced, either remake, port or another spinoff. Either way, Sony won’t be happy.
13) Like the DS did its second year, Nintendo will have a great 2007 year with Wii with more solid games tailored specifically for the Wii and third party games using it well also. For example, expect to see a game to use its controls well like Atlus did with Trauma Center: Under the Knife, Capcom did with Phoenix Wright or Konami did with Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow back in 2005 with the DS. Capcom will be one of those companies.
14) With more cancelled shows just being bought out to be repeated on it, G4 will suffer, if not fold. Adam Sessler and/or Morgan Webb will quit this year.
15) Microsoft will announce more hit titles for the 360 to keep as much light on it as possible. Gears of War 2 will be one of them. Other than Halo 3, Microsoft will focus on Banjo Kazooie 3, Fable 2 and Blue Dragon.
16) Due to the massive success of Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 2007 (and/or 2008) will see a 360 version.
17) The PS2 will sell more than the PS3 with a price drop, as well as sell more in software. The PS2 will still see games coming out for it (Like EA’s stuff and games based on something), but very little exclusives.
18) 2007 will be the last year the original Xbox will be online. Microsoft will focus on the Multiplayer Map Pak 2 for Halo 2 to transfer as much over to the 360.
19) Square-Enix will continue to focus on the DS more than any other system, but will announce more for the consoles as well.
20) The next Zelda game for Wii will be announced in 2007. Releasing in 2008-9.
21) The Wii’s Virtual Console will pick up more in 2007, continuing with the weekly updates, hopefully expanding to more systems like the 32X as well. The first VC original game(s) will be announced and released this year.
22) Wii and 360 will see a price drop this year. Nintendo can afford it and Microsoft will be using a cheaper CPU as well as other parts for a quieter, cooler and all-round efficient console. The DS might as well with more colors.
23) The PC market will try to keep itself from being neglected, but little exclusives games will not help. It’ll keep most of its current fanbase, but this year will be tough to convert people to PC.
1) Like the 360 in 2006, the Christmas hype for the Wii and PS3 will slow down as little amount of games will hit the systems in the next few months. The PS3 will pick up more in Q2 2007 due to multi-platform games with the 360 like Ghost Recon: Advance Warfighter 2. The Wii’s hype will continue as soon as more systems come in, just not nearly as much.
2) The DS will have yet another stellar year with Pokemon Diamond and Pearl imitating what the New Super Mario Bros and Brain Age did and that is to be the killer apps this spring flowing to hot sellers in the summer and have Zelda: Phantom Hourglass hit early fall.
3) Even though a lot of quality titles hit the PSP in 2006, the DS destroyed it in sales worldwide. The PSP will see a price drop to counteract the DS and to try to pick up speed with Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core and some Sony-branded titles. Since UMD’s are basically gone now, Sony will focus the machine as a gaming handheld and not a universal media device.
4) EA will have a predictable lineup for the PS3 and 360 this year and will try harder to fight the 2K series after the dreadful performance of NBA Live 07. Madden 08 will hit Wii and if Nintendo gets the Wii’s Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection out in time, it will also be online. EA will also not have all the sports games on Wii, instead like the Wii Sims game, have their own exclusive lineup games.
5) Without E3, other game conventions like the Game Developers Conference, Tokyo Game Show or Penny Arcade Expo will try to become a bigger game convention. E3’s replacement, the GamePro Expo will still deliver in content, just without huge crowds.
6) With Jump Superstars and Naruto DS on sale in Best Buy and in the future, GameStop, the import market will increase and expand with the PSP and PS3 as well, which are both region free with their Japanese exclusive games.
7) Sony will not try to push Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto 4 as the big titles for the PS3, Sony will do what they always done, push every Sony-made PS3 title only while word of mouth spreads for the third party titles. MGS4 will be exclusive to the PS3 at launch, but will have their own Substance/Subsistance remake on the PS3 and 360 (and/or PC) in 2008.
8) Nintendo will stay third in the console market race as the 360 and PS3 continue to release the same style games as the PS2 and Xbox did, just prettier. Nintendo though will do better than the GameCube did due to extreme exclusiveness though and stay on their tail in third. The 360 might surpass Sony as #1 in America and Europe’s market share, while the DS will continue to slaughter every console and handheld in Japan.
9) Solid Snake will not be the only third party character in Super Smash Bros Brawl. Brawl is also not 100% being an online title and that will be the serious clincher on Nintendo’s 2007 Fall lineup.
10) Halo 3 will come out in 2007, but Halo Wars and Peter Jackson’s Halo-based game will not.
11) Ubisoft will continue their increased Wii support and will be more refined to the gameplay and have online functionality (If all goes to plans with the WFC), but the games will still be lackluster in some degree.
12) A Final Fantasy VII game will be announced, either remake, port or another spinoff. Either way, Sony won’t be happy.
13) Like the DS did its second year, Nintendo will have a great 2007 year with Wii with more solid games tailored specifically for the Wii and third party games using it well also. For example, expect to see a game to use its controls well like Atlus did with Trauma Center: Under the Knife, Capcom did with Phoenix Wright or Konami did with Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow back in 2005 with the DS. Capcom will be one of those companies.
14) With more cancelled shows just being bought out to be repeated on it, G4 will suffer, if not fold. Adam Sessler and/or Morgan Webb will quit this year.
15) Microsoft will announce more hit titles for the 360 to keep as much light on it as possible. Gears of War 2 will be one of them. Other than Halo 3, Microsoft will focus on Banjo Kazooie 3, Fable 2 and Blue Dragon.
16) Due to the massive success of Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 2007 (and/or 2008) will see a 360 version.
17) The PS2 will sell more than the PS3 with a price drop, as well as sell more in software. The PS2 will still see games coming out for it (Like EA’s stuff and games based on something), but very little exclusives.
18) 2007 will be the last year the original Xbox will be online. Microsoft will focus on the Multiplayer Map Pak 2 for Halo 2 to transfer as much over to the 360.
19) Square-Enix will continue to focus on the DS more than any other system, but will announce more for the consoles as well.
20) The next Zelda game for Wii will be announced in 2007. Releasing in 2008-9.
21) The Wii’s Virtual Console will pick up more in 2007, continuing with the weekly updates, hopefully expanding to more systems like the 32X as well. The first VC original game(s) will be announced and released this year.
22) Wii and 360 will see a price drop this year. Nintendo can afford it and Microsoft will be using a cheaper CPU as well as other parts for a quieter, cooler and all-round efficient console. The DS might as well with more colors.
23) The PC market will try to keep itself from being neglected, but little exclusives games will not help. It’ll keep most of its current fanbase, but this year will be tough to convert people to PC.
