It's easy to sense the excitement building around the video game industry this week, as rumors and anticipation welcome Monday's opening of the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.
For the uninitiated, GDC offers a wealth of opportunity to glean an inside look into all that goes into the production of video games, for both industry hopefuls as well as hardened veterans alike.
From dissecting the technology that fuels some of today's hottest titles, to tackling some of the key legal issues companies often find themselves mired in such as intellectual property rights, the halls of the Mascone Convention Center provide a unique opening to pick the brains of some of the best the industry has to offer.
This is why apart from E3, many regard this event as perhaps one of the more important gatherings of the year; especially considering that game makers typically choose this venue to unveil some of their most compelling news.
However, unlike in years past when attendees could expect separate keynote addresses from the big three console kings, this year's GDC will shift its focus away from hardware and instead shine the spotlight on software development.
A look at Microsoft's Project Natal for the Xbox 360. Photo courtesy: Microsoft
That being said, the only true surprise would if many of the headlines coming out of the event were not still dominated by either talk of Microsoft's Project Natal or Sony's PS3 motion controller.
Quite frankly, this would be a wasted opportunity for both companies, considering how much potential exists for each of these systems, even if an absurd claim is made that "Gears of War 3" will be playable using Project Natal.
While unfounded, an announcement such as this would be an instant boon for the franchise and would push this particular title's hype machine into the stratosphere. This hypothetical scenario also highlights the real amount of buzz Microsoft's latest initiative already enjoys.
Sadly the wave of success Microsoft is seeing in front of its product's release also makes it imperative for Sony to seize upon this occasion to ensure that they generate at least some level of interest in their own motion sensing device.
Sony tries its hand at creating a motion sensitive controller for the PS3. Photo courtesy: Sony Computer Entertainment
Up until now, the electronics giant has not been able to get many excited about the prospects of what some call nothing more than a Wii knockoff.
Nevertheless, this has not stopped the rumor mill from disseminating little nuggets of information ahead of Sony's post GDC press conference on Wednesday.
So far speculation has included two possible names for the device (Arc or Gem), and that the final version may feature a Nunchuk attachment woefully similar to the Wiimote.
Fortunately, we may learn as early as Tuesday whether or not any of this gossip surrounding Sony's product is anything more than just that.
Apart from Sony, several other products have also made it to the forefront of people's wish lists.
Among some of the more promising hopes pinned on this year's GDC, is that we may get our first glimpse of Valve's "Portal 2."
Touch will be a key feature of Fable 3 as shown by a father playing with his daughter. Photo courtesy: Lionhead Studios
This follow-up to the surprising hit puzzle game, recently garnered a lot of attention when a single screenshot revealed the possibility that players may be able to venture outside instead of being confined to the inside of a top-secret facility.
Another hope is that we will learn more about the ever-changing world of "Fable 3."
The games creator, Peter Molyneux, is notorious for making big announcements during GDC, and he has already set the stage for himself when he proclaimed during last month's Microsoft X10 event that this title will get people "super pissed off."
In the end we'll all just have to wait and see what the week holds for us. Stay tuned as we bring you updates on the event as well as in-depth analysis of what it all means.
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