Five Development Trends for 2010

20 Comments Posted October 30, 2009 - By Nikole Zivalich

Five Development Trends for 2010

2010 is shaping up to be an exciting year for gamers. The impressive number of games coming down the pipe is sure to keep us all entertained (and our wallets empty). As we saw this year, the industry is heading into new territories, and games are being made for new audiences. With the new year approaching, certain trends and ideas about what's coming next are becoming more and more obvious. Developers have learned a lot over the past few years about what gamers want and, more importantly, what makes money. Here are Five Development Trends for 2010.

Number Five: Schedule Change

Alpha Protocol

One of the most unfortunate trends, for impatient gamers anyway, is that developers and publishers are delaying games. Some companies are claiming they want more time to add more features, while some are admitting the holiday '09 line-up is so intimidating they are pushing back their games to avoid the competition. The list of titles that have been postponed into 2010 is growing: BioShock 2, Red Dead Redemption, StarCraft 2 (we hope!), Splinter Cell: Conviction, Bayonetta, Blur, Alpha Protocol, Mafia II…just to name a few. As a result, the first half of the year is loaded with games, and the traditional holiday-heavy release schedule is starting to even out.

Number Four: Making Good on Motion Control

Project Natal

The idea of motion control has been floating around even before the launch of the Wii, usually in the dark recesses of E3's old Kentia Hall. Now that the Wii has been out for nearly three years, Nintendo is starting to fulfill their promises about what the Wii's motion controls are truly capable of, and we should hopefully see the MotionPlus in full effect with 2010's crop of games (Red Steel 2 is leading the charge). Not ones to be left out of the fight, Microsoft and Sony are joining in…three years late. Microsoft is also jumping on the motion bandwagon with Project Natal, their "controller-free gaming and entertainment experience." Sony's unnamed offering is the most mysterious, but is also expected in 2010. We should be hearing more about both strategies sooner rather than later. Will this be the year developers get me off my couch? (Not likely.)

Number Three: Excessive Violence

God of War 3

Video games have long been persecuted for being too violent, with the mainstream media quickly turning to the gaming industry as a scapegoat for all the world's problems. Game developers have heard the media's cry and answered them with a bullet to a major artery: 2010's games are offering more ways to kill people than ever before. Games like Dante's Inferno, God of War 3, No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle, Aliens vs. Predator and Splatterhouse are guaranteeing that the cable news network producers will be busy. Developers certainly aren't being shy about blood, guts and excessive violence in 2010.

Number Two: Tourist Mode

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

A brand new audience of gamers is being exposed to video games due to the wild success of the Nintendo Wii and DSi. These new casual -- or should we call them "leisurely?" -- gamers may have brought along their money but don't exactly have the skills to back it up. In order to appease this new audience, developers are finding new ways to lessen the frustration factor some games generate. Various levels of difficulty are common place in recent video games, however offering both "Easy" and "Very Easy" (sometimes labeled as "Casual") is a new approach. Taking it even further, upcoming Nintendo titles such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii will have a new feature called "Super Guide." This mode will essentially play through the level for you, showing how to complete it. For some people, it's the only way they'll learn.

Number One: Multiplayer, Like It Or Not

BioShock 2

Current trends suggest that the inclusion of multiplayer can make or break a game. Successful multiplayer can tack months onto a game's replayability, and developers are definitely noticing this. We are seeing more and more games that are fundamentally a single-player experience ship with an added multiplayer component. We first saw this gamble with Uncharted 2. While its prequel, Drake's Fortune, was just fine without a multiplayer setting, UC2's multiplayer is getting rave reviews. The same remains to be seen with another predominantly single-player experience: BioShock. Will BioShock 2's multiplayer be up to the same level of quality as the single-player story? (We don't even know if the story will be as good as the first game…) With the massive success of Xbox Live and the continued growth of PlayStation Network this trend is sure to grow, not just in 2010 but well into the years beyond. Save some room on your friend lists.

Tags: PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Wii, Xbox 360

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Nobar550

The reason Nintendo sales took off is because they developed to the "those who might play" people. They realized that while having the hardcore gamers kept happy is a good thing, the non-gamer market stands to truly transform the growth of the consoles. If you make a family game, it will get more accepted by a wider demographic, something that took Microsoft and Sony too long to realize. This gave Nin a huge lead because simply, the casual gamers are more numerous than the die-hard fanboys.

Posted: October 30, 2009 7:47 AM | Reply | Report

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qallayen

Nintendo just reported a 50 somthing % loss. They made their money recently on being trendy and a gimic. Its starting to wear thin. The only device that has been a reliable performer for them recently is their DS. But they seem to have taken the apple route and are now making tons of models for the same product with little to no improvements. You would think they would have upped the screen resolution by now, or boosted the processer speed by now. What are we on, the 3 model in the states and a 4th on is out in Japan shortly. The new one has a bigger screen, with no better rez and it's also not faster.
I'm a little shocked MS hasn't tried to jump on this bandwagon.

Posted: October 30, 2009 8:22 AM | Reply | Report

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armygentleman

The problem is that Ninendo is not keeping the hardcore happy and really is taking them for granted. Nintendo's efforts to develop family games has meant their ability to bring out challenging games and foster quality third party games has really slid. Their were other factors to Nintendo's success also, they only make moves that will make them the most profit. One example is that Nintendo makes a big profit on every Wii sold, while Sony and Microsoft have sold their consoles at a loss for years.

Posted: October 30, 2009 8:32 AM | Reply | Report

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topgamer101

Like it or not Nintendo is doing just fine and they aren't going anywhere.

On another note, I am annoyed a bit on how every developer seems to feel the need to include Multiplayer now a days. I always loved the single player experience and Multiplayer (non co-op versions anyway) never really kept me interested for long stretches of time.

Posted: October 30, 2009 8:37 AM | Reply | Report

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Robt. Juster

i like excessive violence. a lot. excessively, even.

Posted: October 30, 2009 9:24 AM | Reply | Report

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Joe22

Multiplayer and violence, alright to a point. but I just hope they don't over do it this year.

Posted: October 30, 2009 9:49 AM | Reply | Report

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vinny87

I just hope that motion controls remain a choice and not a standard. I don't know if anyone has noticed but most Wii games that offered a choice between buttons and flailing were better using the buttons. Super Mario Galaxy certainly would have been better with a choice.

Posted: October 30, 2009 9:49 AM | Reply | Report

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gear176

It's hard for a console to capture both types of gamers. I think we have yet to see a console that is truly for the hardcore and casual gamer.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:30 AM | Reply | Report

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Army_Ant

So apparently DDR is the most influential game on the planet now.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:32 AM | Reply | Report

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rayken15

I think the fact that games get bashed for not including multiplayer is dumb. However, games with good multiplayer keep there sales and price point a LOT longer.

Posted: October 30, 2009 11:04 AM | Reply | Report

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nilsen31

Barely any hardcore gamers are that into the Wii. Like many I went out and got one once I saw how popular it was, but soon after I got real tired of waving around a controller. The hardcore gamers have probably become the minority at this point with all the "casual" gamers poppin up on the scene. I'm not going to bash the Wii because there are those that will definitely love the crap out of the Wii. But for me and the hardcore gamers, we need great graphics, more complex games, online multiplayer, friends lists, DLC and streaming media/surround sound/1080p gaming!

As for multiplayer being thrown into a lot of games. I think as long as it doesn't take away from the single player experience, then whatever, it'll probably help sell more copies.

Posted: October 30, 2009 11:44 AM | Reply | Report

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Drop_Six

I think they need to start working on the length of these games. If I spend $60 for a game that is only 10 hours long, its a rip off.

Posted: October 30, 2009 1:04 PM | Reply | Report

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KilferMF

The truth is, lack of multiplayer doesn't make a bad game. But the addition of a solid multiplayer experience, adds to the lifecycle of a game. I love Braid, but it's a "one-way", incredibly linear experience. An option to bring my friends in for the fun, would open the game to far more people.

And I agree, games today are far too short for their $60 price tag. Still, thus is the cost of development + bad economy. The game QUALITY isn't bad, but they're far too short lately, hence multiplayer.

Posted: October 30, 2009 1:22 PM | Reply | Report

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jro59

hello Nikole!

Posted: October 30, 2009 1:27 PM | Reply | Report

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samiam0605

All the trends seem to be good trends to have. I'm still not that interested in motion control for the 360 and PS3. Natal seems like a fancy eye toy and I guess its not fair to judge PS3's yet since it seems less unfinished than Natal.

Posted: October 30, 2009 1:32 PM | Reply | Report

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linc77

hopefully more psp games come out next year this year was weak, other than AC bloodlines which looks good. Speaking of handhelds when is microsoft gonna realize that handhelds make money. Maybe they will be the company that finally smartens up!!! and makes a second analog stick. Im not sure why sony hasnt done it yet, theres room for it already

Posted: October 30, 2009 3:49 PM | Reply | Report

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vanapes

i agee with all 5

Posted: October 30, 2009 5:22 PM | Reply | Report

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AngelsandDemons

I hope one of the trends will be to have rich and original stories.

Posted: October 30, 2009 7:14 PM | Reply | Report

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FaroDemon

lol a mario picture, what a joke

Posted: October 30, 2009 8:37 PM | Reply | Report

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stevekarsten

Use to love Nintendo. Not anymore. They need a normal system again. Its PS3 for me all the way.

Posted: October 31, 2009 5:29 PM | Reply | Report

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