Gaming Trends: 2008

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"It's a disruptive trend, and it's beginning right now," says Liew of upcoming efforts in this area from companies such as EA (BusinessWeek.com, 1/22/08) and Id Software, makers of the Quake and Doom series. "The major companies have recognized this is the future, and they are starting this year in order to be successful later."

Designers, meanwhile, are likely to continue experimenting with games that appeal to the influx of new players, from thirtysomething moms to seniors, that has stretched—if not entirely broken—the gamer stereotype of gangly, socially awkward teenage boys. And user-generated content will grow in importance.

What's in a Game?

Last year's blockbuster Halo 3, for instance, put an emphasis on social networking (BusinessWeek.com, 6/24/08) by allowing players to create their own game levels and share them online. "Game designers are really starting to give players the power to customize," says Dan Hsu, executive editor of the 1Up Network of gaming news and reviews sites. Hsu says designers are taking cues from sites such as MySpace (NWS), Flickr (YHOO), and YouTube (GOOG), and that upcoming titles such as Sony's much-anticipated Little Big Planet and EA's Spore (BusinessWeek.com, 2/14/08), both of which provide worlds in which players create levels and characters, will push the boundaries of gaming.

In a similar vein, episodic content is likely to be another major creative focus for game makers, at least according to Leigh Alexander, a freelance writer and author of the popular industry blog Sexyvideogameland.com. "The consoles finally have robust enough download services to support the gradual rollout of new pieces of games," says Alexander of game serializations that are offered online for additional fees. Instead of costing $60 up front, for example, a series of optional episodes with new levels, characters, and events would cost $10 to $20 each. Alexander points to titles such as the hugely popular Mass Effect from BioWare (BusinessWeek.com, 10/29/07), which recently generated favorable buzz for its downloadable additions, as an example of designers testing these waters.

Jesse Divnich, an analyst for the forecasting firm simExchange, says casual games will continue to grow in importance. While in past years the best-selling casual titles were released around the holidays, this year "publishers are releasing strong titles during the off-season, capitalizing on the opportunity [created by increased interest]," says Divnich. As the category expands, forthcoming titles will be more creative. Divnich says Wii Fit, an interactive exercise game from Nintendo, and Boom Blox, designed in part by Hollywood titan Steven Spielberg, are more innovative casual games that will further drive sales.

As game companies continue to bulk up to compete, game designers will be well placed to make the most of the new technologies and the broader base of players. By all accounts, the industry's ongoing transition from the periphery to the center stage of the entertainment world is only likely to continue.

View the BusinessWeek slide show for some of the biggest games in 2008.

Matt Vella is a writer for BusinessWeek.com in New York.