In order to keep the mood light here, I’ve decided to write a bit about some of the more appealing things that have come out of the videogame industry over the past year or so. Here it is:

  1. Proliferation of console downloadable content – The PC has enjoyed numerous years as the platform of choice for downloadable content. This year, the console has really caught up in this area. The biggest difference between PC and console downloadable content is that the majority of PC content is user-generated (and free), and console content is usually created by the developer (at a cost).
  2. PC Gaming once again impressive – There were a number of impressive PC game releases in the past year or so. Such games include Supreme Commander, Crysis, Bioshock, COD4, UT3, and many more. The Games For Windows label has helped slightly, I’m sure, and DX10 makes games prettier. Not too much to report on the Mac front – Apple seems more interested in game dev for their iPod line – but they’re getting Spore this year along with their PC brethren.
  3. Gaming coming into the mainstream – For so many years, gaming has been stigmatized as a hobby for preteen boys and nerds. However, it seems like everyone plays games anymore, be it on the Wii or browser-based or wherever it’s coming from. Probably the fastest growing segment in videogames now is girl gamers, which is very refreshing to see. Of course, mainstream appeal apparently comes with the downside now that politicians are weighing in now on what is and isn’t appropriate subject matter in games. I say if a game company wants to have sex, nudity, and violence in their games, that’s their decision to do so, and it’s my decision where I want to spend my money, and that’s it.
  4. New franchises – There were more compelling new titles released this year than in many years previous. Such examples include Bioshock, Portal, Crysis, Rock Band, and quite a few more. It’s nice to see publishers and developers pushing boundaries and creating compelling new experiences.

There you go – a few things to be excited about. I’m anxious to see how 2008 pans out. It’s a big make or break year for Sony – my prediction is that they’ll continue to struggle through the year, but they’ll do okay. The Wii still needs to deliver on it’s potential and start having a steady stream of blockbuster titles – one a month wouldn’t be too much to ask, right? Microsoft is doing well (outside of Japan), so I think their future is fairly secure this year. We’ll see how the triple-a titles line up – maybe we’ll see Starcraft 2 this year, and GTA IV will rock the house, and who knows what else is in store for us.