2009 will definitely be a year to look forward too. Obviously Obama being in office and Bush getting the hell out will be a great way to start things off, though what does the rest of the year entail, especially for gamers? Fortunately, I managed to grab a crystal ball off the E-bay that’s supposed to give a glimpse of the future. Apparently the old owner died of some sort of ancient Mayan curse, or something.

So, gather around all ye faithful, and let’s take a look and see what we’re in for in the new year.

GTA on the DS? It's more likely than you think.

Nintendo: There is no doubt that Nintendo is making bank with the Wii, choosing to cater to the non-gamer crowd more so than it’s own fan base. The sad thing, though, is that the most loyal of Nintendo fans are now feeling left behind by Miyamoto and company. According to my crystal ball, that trend is likely to continue onwards through 2009, with the brunt of non-shovelware titles being released consisting of ports and multiplatform titles. Hope is not lost, though, as developers are slowly but surely working on games that take advantage of the motion sensor controls, and (*gasp*) aren’t shovelware. One such game is the controversial title Madworld, coming from Platinum Games (comprised of former members of the dissolved Clover Studios), which will attempt to bring a comedic, ultra-violent side to a console that has developed a “family” image. Other games to watch are a new Tenchu game, as well as a title that will serve as a prequel to the Overlord series.

On the handheld side, the DS is also dominating, and will likely continue to do so through 2009 when the DSi hits shelves worldwide (the system has already been released in Japan). Unlike the Wii, the DS library is becoming more varied, as developers are finally noticing the potential of the system. The roster for the DS looks very promising, and include a new Dragon quest game, an Atlus RPG, and even a handheld version of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. The DS shows no signs of slowing down in it’s control of the handheld market.

Microsoft: The Xbox 360 has been taking the second place slot on sales charts, though it’s still a strong contender in the market. However, while they’ve got a strong foothold on the North American and European sales, the console is still struggling to find acceptance with our friends in Japan.  Fear not, for my crystal ball shows me a positive outlook for Microsoft’s console on the eastern front, and that they’ve got the potential to become the top RPG console. They’ve already gotten a good step forward with Japanese titles like Lost Odyssey and Eternal Sonata, both enjoying success on their own part, and they’ve also gained Square-Enix’s support for a new Star Ocean game. We could see some good competition for the top slot this year.

Can Sony make a comeback after losing so many exclusive titles?

Sony: One would think that a company that held the championship title for ten years in the console business would still have what it takes to be on top. Sadly, Sony hasn’t shown developers that same tact that was there during the PS2’s time. In fact, the PS2 is still having more success than the PS3 as of late! According to my crystal ball, Sony will have a small boost in sales during the 2009 year, but this solely relies on what moves the company makes to get them out of this funk. A better price cut would be a nice start. They also have a good thing going with Little Big Planet, possibly the most highly rated game for the system, which is unfortunately suffering from low sales. If they can get their hands on more exclusive titles (Final Fantasy Versus XIII is still planned on being an exclusive, while Japan currently has White Knight Chronicles), then they may have a chance to pull themselves into a decent position. Unfortunately, the damage may have already been done, and by 2010, we may be seeing the PS3 go the way of the Dreamcast and Gamecube.

The PSP is in a similar position, and while it does enjoy better success than the PS3, the DS is still beating it by a landslide in sales. Though it’s not a dead console by any means, as the multimedia aspect, as well as the emulation of games, currently has the main draw. With the DSi coming out though, Sony will likely need to step up their game if they want consumers, and developers, to pay attention to their system.

Other predictions:
- Square-enix will still likely be riding on the coattails of their main franchises, considering the mediocre response to their attempts at new IPs The Last Remnant and Infinite Undiscovery. Expect more Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts material. Possibility of converting haters: 0.

- Capcom’s recent decision to shelve all plans for future RPG releases, most notably the Breath of Fire franchise, has many wondering what they’re smoking. Let’s just say their success this year may very well depend on how much Street Fighter they can shove into the mouths of consumers.

WoW: Harmless MMO, or part of a plot to take over the world?

- Blizzard will push back the release date of Starcraft II in order to fine tune the mechanics (or piss off eager fans). World of Warcraft will still be the most popular MMORPG out on the market.

- With gamers losing trust with the big name companies, 2009 may very well be the year of the little guy, with Atlus leading the pack. Having two hot selling games in Persona 3 and 4, a new MMO that’s currently in beta, not to mention a slew of other games planned, both publishing, and developing, the company as a whole is on fire. Expect other small groups and indie companies to make a break into the game industry.

- Nintendo will still be last in online playability, unless they decide to ditch the annoying friend code system. Fixing Smash Bros. online issues would also be a plus, but that’s not likely gonna happen either.

- Following the lawsuits against Tecmo, the struggling company has already denied a “friendly” takeover by SE. However, talks have already begun with them merging with Koei, responsible for the Dynasty Warriors franchise. The big question here, is will there even be a Techmo after Itagaki is done with them?