3D gaming 'most anticipated' tech this year

A new survey by GamesIndustry.biz has revealed that 3D gaming is the most anticipated technology to arrive on the market this year.

Over 300 industry professionals in the GamesIndustry.biz Network were polled to gauge interest on new technology, with the Wii MotionPlus, iPhone, Nintendo's DSi and the continued evolution of the New Xbox Experience also piquing interest.

Top of that list is 3D technology and its integration with gaming. With developers such as Blitz Games and publishers like Ubisoft embracing stereoscopic 3D, 2009 should see the early fruits of experiments with the format.

The second most anticipated tech for 2009 is the Wii MotionPlus peripheral for Nintendo's home console, which promises to increase the sensitivity and tracking of the player's actions in games. Electronic Arts and Ubisoft are already working on titles for the add-on, but with no firm release date, they may be waiting as much as consumers for Nintendo to solidify the technology.

Already on the market and picking up increasing support from the development community, Apple's iPhone is the third most popular technology as voted for by the Network. Although established publishers including Konami, Sega and Bethesda are porting their franchises to the device, it's original titles such as Rolando, Drop7 and Dr Awesome that are becoming synonymous with the machine, and 2009 should see developers get more out of the handheld.

Nintendo's DSi is the fourth most anticipated technology, proving that a simple upgrade to features on the already wildly-popular device could be enough to keep the device at the forefront of handheld gaming in 2009. The system is due for release in Europe April 3.

Next on the list is Microsoft's New Xbox Experience, or rather, what comes next for the service. Launched last year, 2009 will see the Primetime service go live, offering real-world prizes for playing online, and along with incremental updates, Microsoft is promising a big upgrade before the year is over.

Following Microsoft's NXE is Sony's PlayStation 3, with industry voters clearly expecting the platform to evolve as developers continue to push the console considered the most powerful on the market.

Perhaps more of a dark horse is Google's Android platform, the mobile software supporting T-Mobile's G1 phone. It might not have the same backing as the iPhone, but clearly some in the industry are interested in the potential of the Android SDK.

While Nintendo has already revealed the MotionPlus, it's also expected to have other gadgets in the works. With the Wii Balance Board proving so popular, it's no surprise to note that a number of Network members voted for a new Wii peripheral, despite nothing officially being announced yet.

Microsoft's DirectX 11 was next on the list, continuing the evolution of APIs for multimedia platforms. Other notable technology included expectations for a new PlayStation 3 controller, the continued evolution of digital distribution, and more details on id Software's Tech 5, due to power forthcoming titles Doom 4 and Rage.

The full top ten follows:

Most Anticipated Technology in 2009

• 01 3D TV/Gaming
• 02 Wii MotionPlus
• 03 iPhone
• 04 DSi
• 05 New Xbox Experience
• 06 PlayStation 3
• 07 New Wii peripheral
• 08 Android
• 09 DX11
• =10 New PlayStation 3 controller
• =10 Digital distribution
• =10 id's Tech 5

Other results of the GamesIndustry.biz Network Survey can be found on the site, looking at economic concerns, the big software sellers for 2009, and the publishers and hardware manufacturers expected to be the most successful this year.