Predictions for the 2006 Gaming Year

[Justin Buser]

Here are 12 predictions for gaming for the 2006 year. While the article is not specifically focused on the Xbox 360, if it is to be believed then things are looking up for gaming in '06.

• The Microsoft Xbox 360 will have a good first year.
• The PS3 will launch in time for the big Holiday 2006 shopping season.
• The PSP will finally get its must-own game.
• The Nintendo Revolution will steal the show at E3 2006.
• There will be no successor to the Game Boy Advance on store shelves this year.
• Nintendo’s “virtual console” backwards compatibility series for the Revolution will launch with the same kinds of titles that Nintendo has been pumping out every few years in different formats.
• Sega will finally create an exceptional 3D Sonic the Hedgehog title.
• Capcom will bring us the latest installments and iterations of Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Mega Man for the next generation of consoles.
• Konami will wow attendees at E3 2006 with the first footage of a very dark, very cinematic Castlevania title for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
• Electronic Arts will continue to be both profitable and reviled.
• Former golden boy Rare will finally start to be worth the very high price Microsoft paid for the company at the dawn of the Xbox generation when the company announces a new Banjo-Kazooie adventure for the Xbox 360.
• More gaming “also-rans” will drop out of the market, as Nokia drops the n-Gage line once and for all, Gizmondo goes down in a fiery blaze, and the often-mocked Phantom finally pulls the plug when investment capital dries up.

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[MH_prophet]

Wow, I agree with every single one of those.

[bentout]

Many of these are general and obvious.

- The Microsoft Xbox 360 will have a good first year.
- The PSP will finally get its must-own game..
- There will be no successor to the Game Boy Advance on store shelves this year.
- Nintendo’s “virtual console” backwards compatibility series for the Revolution will launch with the same kinds of titles that Nintendo has been pumping out every few years in different formats.
- Capcom will bring us the latest installments and iterations of Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Mega Man for the next generation of consoles.
- Konami will wow attendees at E3 2006 with the first footage of a very dark, very cinematic Castlevania title for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
- Electronic Arts will continue to be both profitable and reviled.
- More gaming “also-rans” will drop out of the market, as Nokia drops the n-Gage line once and for all, Gizmondo goes down in a fiery blaze, and the often-mocked Phantom finally pulls the plug when investment capital dries up.

However, something tells me that it will take more than a Banjo-Kazooie game to make up for the $375 million that Microsoft payed for Rare!