It’s all speculation at this point, but it looks like Infinity Ward was getting a little tired of the Call of Duty franchise being their only product, so Activision formed another studio to help carry the load (as they have been doing with Treyarch). Inifinity Ward is currently developing the two map packs for Modern Warfare 2 that are due out this year, but after that it would be hard to imagine that they are doing much with Treyarch responsible for the 2010 game and Sledgehammer being responsible for the 2011 release.

In a statement regarding the future of the franchise, Activision had this to say:

“2010 will be another important year for the Call of Duty franchise,” stated Mike Griffith, President and CEO of Activision Publishing. “In addition to continued catalog sales, new downloadable content from Infinity Ward and a new Call of Duty release, we are excited about the opportunity to bring the franchise to new geographies, genres and players.”

Typical PR blabber, for sure. As the details come out more fully we’ll all know more, but for now it really feels like the best days of the Call of Duty franchise are behind us. Just like Activision ran Guitar Hero into the ground, I see the same happening to Call of Duty.

• Will have dual screens again (obviously)
• Will carry over compatibility with current DS lineup
• Will have a capacitive touchscreen
• Touch screen will support multi touch
• Nvidia’s Tegra 2 chip or a custom variant of it is rumored to be part of the hardware
• Will have a built in tilt sensor
• Analog control present in some form

Now, all of these are rumors, some of them more solid than others, but let’s think about what sort of device these rumors would add up to. From a power standpoint, the DS would be a huge leap forward. The graphical prowess of the machine would put it noticeably ahead of the PSP, but it would still run efficiently in regards to power consumption, so this seems like something Nintendo would be open to. Here’s a demo of what the Tegra 2 chip is capable of.

The multi touch and tilt support would allow the game library to just explode, because iPhone/iPad developers could port their projects up to the DS 2 platform. All of a sudden the emergence of the iPhone gaming market benefits Nintendo in a roundabout way. Developers like PopCap and ngmoco would jump at the chance to dramatically increase the sales of their games with minimal effort assuming Nintendo opens up the DSi Ware release scheduling. The dual screens mean that many of the simple games would still remain DS exclusive, however.

The analog control input is one of the more loose rumors at this point, but if Nintendo can pull it off (especially if they integrate dual analog), this handheld will have the potential to lock in pretty much every type of gamer to the platform. FPS games are almost always the weakest genre on handhelds in comparison to how they perform on consoles. Getting true analog controls would go a very long way toward closing that gap and would eliminate the need to have one screen continually obscured for making use of the touch screen for aiming.

To me, none of these rumors seem too wild to believe, although Nintendo has a knack for surprising people who had prior expectations. We’ll most likely get the answers we want at GDC, but until then speculation is all we have. I for one am quite excited to see if this all pans out, especially the Tegra 2 rumor.

Enjoy!

Bayonetta (Xbox 360) – This was a game I reviewed for Kombo and one I was beyond excited to get my hands on after getting a few short minutes with it back at E3 last year. The game turned out to be what I was hoping to be and I had an absolute blast with it from start to finish. With fluid controls, an excellent combat/combo system, and a wacky presentation, Bayonetta will more than likely be in my top games of 2010.

Assassin’s Creed (Xbox 360) – Yeah, it took me until early 2010 to finally finish Assassin’s Creed. Like many I became a bit fatigued by the repetitive nature of the missions, so when other releases started coming out that interested me I set the game aside. With the release of Assassin’s Creed 2, I needed to go back and wrap this one up for storyline continuity sake. In the end I enjoyed the game, but I’ll always be quick to point out that it has its fair share of issues.

Duck Tales (NES) – One of my favorite games ever made (look for an upcoming Best Game Ever feature on this), I will come back to this one for a few speed runs or high score challenges. Never do I put this game into my NES and feel like I’m only enjoying it for the nostalgia effect. This game is a timeless winner from Capcom and Disney.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3) – Simply a fantastic game that deserved the many awards it picked up in all the game of the year voting for 2009. The action, story, presentation, and overall experience all combine to make Uncharted 2 a must play for all PS3 owners. The behind the scenes content on the disc is pretty fun to watch as well (you can also find the videos on YouTube).

Castlevania (NES) – Another game I commonly go back to for a quick play, Castlevania is a challenging title that tests my ability to stay sharp when it comes to retro gaming. Much like Ninja Gaiden on the  NES, these old action games really keep the enemies coming nonstop and have very basic but solid level designs. This is definitely not the last time I’ll be playing through Castlevania.

King’s Quest VI (PC) – Ah, the Sierra On-Line classic. I was a big fan of the King’s Quest, Space Quest, Quest for Glory, and Police Quest games and I tend to play through one or two of them every couple of months. They’re great to have on your laptop to play on the go or to casually experience while watching TV. King’s Quest VI was probably my favorite in the KQ series, though they’re all pretty fantastic if you don’t recognize King’s Quest VIII (it NEVER happened).

So here’s what I’m working on in February so far, and I’m hoping to get to Dragon Age: Origins, BioShock 2, and Mass Effect (yeah, the first one) by the end of the month.

Assassin’s Creed 2 (Xbox 360) – Wow, what an improvement over the first iteration in the series. I put this disc in almost immediately after finishing the first game and right away I could tell they had upgraded the graphical engine. The first game looked nice, this one looks fantastic. The free running feels more accurate and the mission variety is way better. More importantly, the game really does a great job at urging you to explore the landscape, but there are also plenty of helps to make it an easy going experience rather than a frustrating one.

Retro Game Challenge (DS) – A funky little game that came out a few months ago, this is one I’m glad I didn’t pass on. It’s hard to explain this one in a few words, but basically you’re playing retro style games to meet specific challenges laid out for you such as a high score to beat or to achieve a number of kills in a certain manner or time period. The game has tons of nods to classic games, magazines, and industry professionals. It’s just a great package overall.

Star Control II (PC) – I come back to this game a lot. A lot.

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision), Xbox 360
2. Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo), Wii
3. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo), Wii
4. Wii Fit (Nintendo), Wii
5. Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo), Wii
6. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), Wii
7. Wii Play (Nintendo), Wii
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision), PlayStation 3
9. Halo 3: ODST (Bungie, Microsoft), Xbox 360
10. Pokemon Platinum Version (Nintendo), NDS

Nintendo took seven of the top 10 positions, which is amazing considering that some of the titles didn’t even come out in 2009 that made that list. With two different versions of Modern Warfare outselling Halo 3: ODST, I think it’s safe to say that Modern Warfare has taken the crown from Halo as king of FPS franchises for the time being. We’ll have to see what sort of numbers Halo Reach can put up, but it’s doubtful that it’s going to do the same sort of quantity of sales as Modern Warfare 2, though still entirely possible. One thing is certain, however, the Wii games developed by Nintendo are sales juggernauts and software sales for the system are quite healthy.

representing the notion of a major change in a certain thought-pattern — a radical change in personal beliefs, complex systems or organizations, replacing the former way of thinking or organizing with a radically different way of thinking or organizing

With that definition, I think it’s wholly possible that 2009 gave us a game that will actually be far more significant than we realize. The game I’m speaking about is Borderlands. For those that played it, they found out that RPG elements could be successfully infused into more genres that we originally realized, and it could be done without majorly interfering a game’s flow or design. You couldn’t safely call Borderlands and RPG, but you also couldn’t label it an FPS game, it was something new. It wasn’t just a game with some RPG characteristics, it was two genres so intricately intertwined that it was both, but neither. This is starting to sound crazy, but what I’m trying to say is that Borderlands is a game that will be looked upon years from now as a title that had as much influence and weight as games like Mario 64, Grand Theft Auto, or Halo.

Maybe it won’t happen in 2010, at least not in the first half of the year, but in the near future you’re going to see more genres, especially shooters successfully integrate RPG elements into the mix just as Borderlands did. Characters in gaming are going to become more dynamic, even in the most one dimensional genres. Much like Modern Warfare’s perk system (which is being copied or adapted like crazy these days), Borderlands will be the starter’s pistol for a major new trend in gaming.

Moving forward, RPG elements will no longer be the hook into a good game, they’ll be the backbone. And years from now, when we trace back the jumping point, Borderlands will be identified as the first game to make that leap.

Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge

Developed for the Xbox by FASA Interactive, Crimson Skies was one of the absolute gems of the Xbox library. There were a few air combat games released during that console cycle, but nothing came close to providing the crazy action, tight controls, and fun storyline elements that combined to make Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge tops in its genre.

The game takes place in an alternate history setting. It’s the 1930s and the sky is dominated by airplanes, zeppelins, and rival groups of sky pirates, smugglers, and all other sorts of fortune hunters on both sides of the law. You play as a somewhat scoundrel sort of hero (think Han Solo stuck in the early 20th century) and its not long before your somewhat innocent hijinx get you caught up into much larger plots and schemes. I won’t dwell on the story, but it is quite fun.

The game also supported Xbox Live, and multiplayer was extremely addictive. With several different types of planes to choose from, strategy played a bit part in how you dealt with enemies online. The maps were excellent, and finding a match was a piece of cake.

The game is pretty easy to find on disc if you decide to go hunting for it (and you should), but it’s also available on the Xbox Originals store on the Xbox Live Marketplace. I would suggest picking it up on disc, however, as it’s going to cost you $5 or less these days. This would be the perfect title to hold you over if you’re waiting for the next big release to hit and want something to keep you busy.

Below is the original trailer for the game. Give us a sequel, Microsoft!

1. Save more money

In recent years gaming has become more expensive. The average price of a game is $10 higher on consoles and $5 higher on handheld games. And while online retailers like Amazon.com have great sales, it’s still hard to go as far with your gaming dollar as you could during the last round of consoles. To make up for this, I’m going to only grab the absolute must have games on release day and wait for sales, price drops, or (sorry publishers) for used copies of the game to become available. I’m also going to rely on rental stores to help me experience the games that I’m more likely to play through once.

As much as I love gaming, I really think it’s one area in my life where saving a few bucks would be a good idea.

2. Finish what I start

I have a real problem finishing a lot of the games I start. I know I’m definitely not alone in this, but I really could be better about focusing on finishing the games I get into before moving onto newer releases. Doing this will stretch the amount of gaming I get out of each dollar spent, and it will also allow games I’ve yet to get to see a price reduction while I work on my backlog.

This also refers to getting my podcasts recorded, edited, and released more regularly.

3. Lose some weight

I’ve always considered myself a bit of a collector, but lately I’ve been better about selling off some of the excess and dead weight in my collection. I can definitely be better at this, however. Basically I’ll need to be a bit more honest with myself about what games are going to be keepers and what games should be sent along. Not only will I get some extra money to put toward other games, but I can pass along a good deal to another gamer looking to pick up a newer game at a cheaper price.

4. Finish a JRPG and a Western RPG

It’s been years since I’ve finished a console JRPG. If I had to guess, the last one I finished was probably Final Fantasy X. I’ve always like the genre if it’s executed well, but I’ve been horrible sticking with any of them long enough to finish one. Western RPGs are something that I’m still warming up to, but it’s been just as long since I finished one. Knights of the Old Republic was the last Western RPG I completed start to finish, but in 2010 I’ve got a mind to finish Fallout 3 (finally) and Dragon Age: Origins at the very least.

5. Resist the Madden hype

Every single year I get talked into picking up Madden near release date and I every single year I realize that the series hit its peak on the PS2/Xbox last generation. No more buying the game for me until they can prove that the series is indeed worth the yearly price tag once again. Same goes for NCAA football.

6. Improve my reviews

I’ve always been satisfied with the quality of written reviews I do over at Kombo, but I really want to figure out how to improve them even more. Also, I’d like to do more reviews here on the blog as well, and I’m guessing that this would be the perfect place to try out some different review styles.

7. Post more on the blog

I have some new projects coming, but I also want to keep this blog going and  have an active posting schedule. I’m sure that during busy times I’ll struggle to keep up, but I can’t control that. It’s the laziness that I can shrug off a bit better in 2010, I feel.

8. Enjoy the hobby more

I’m not 100% sure how I can enjoy gaming more, but I’m guessing that if I stick to the resolutions I’ve made that I’ll find that 2010 is a better year than 2009 was from a pure enjoyment standpoint.

And to everybody else out there with any resolutions, good luck with them and have a fun 2010.