I think 2009 will be a banner year for the sports gamer. Most improved in 2008 and the expectations are high for 2009.

I predict that MLB 2K9 will be the game with no hype that is received very well upon release. With no room for a let down, gamers will be pleasantly surprised with this title. This could be the MVP of 2003 (after Triple Play.)

Madden NFL 2010 will be better than NCAA Football 2010. I like the direction this game is headed with Ian and Phil on board. NFL 2K5 will finally be forgotten!

Dirt 2 will be up for game of the year. Not much has been said about this title, but it will be the best racer ever to grace a console. Codemasters knows how to push a platform to its limits!

NBA Live 2010 will continue to not receive very good reviews; thus, EA will try to purchase 2K once again.

The PS3 will finally be equal gameplay-wise to the 360 (framerate, jaggies) and will surpass it with a few common titles. (Dirt 2, NHL 2010)

Fight Night Round 4 will be game of the year followed by UFC, then THQ will announce it's making a boxing game....errr just kidding..

I think you are right on Rudy. Is there a game no one thinks will be any good next year? (I'm talking games which aren't Live 06/07 bad) Even the worst major sports game of this last year, SCEA's NBA game, should be decent at the very least.

Thanks for the positive outlook for the PC gamer....good god I hope not.

Wow if this came true it would be awesome.

Since I have no idea what your prediction rate is, I have to assume this is merely speculation. I can't speak to many of these games. For example I would have picked any of the 2k football games over madden when 2k was allowed to produce the NFL. I thought the 2k game was superior to Madden, which is probably why EA snapped up exclusive rights to the NFL.
As for MLB09, I think that game as it is now, stands head and shoulders above any baseball game ever produced and I believe 09 will improve a bit from last year furthering the title in the market place.

"Madden NFL 2010 will be better than NCAA Football 2010. I like the direction this game is headed with Ian and Phil on board. NFL 2K5 will finally be forgotten!"

That made me laugh. While I do like the direction it's going, Madden is still so far behind 2k5 it's incredible.

My predictions:

NHL2k9 will actually fire back at EA, as EA will probably primarily focus on the EASHL online Be A Pro mode, rather than actual gameplay.

Madden will still not offer custom stadium sounds, certainly not in the manner the NFL2k series allowed.

Madden will still not take advantage of their ESPN license, again certainly not in the manner the NFL2k series did it.

Hunting, fishing, and bowling games will continue to suck.

I wrote an article explaining why PC Gaming would be dead in three years.

That was in 2000.

It is a virtual impossibility to kill off PC Sports Gaming.

I do not entirely comprehend why this is.

~UFC will be the game of the year, it will blow FN4 out of the water, and leave EA gasping for air on producing another Fight Night.
~MLB 2K9 will be the sleeper game of the year, no one thinks it will be good, and we will be in store for a nice suprise. Next year will be the year it shows The Show who is boss.
~NCAA and Madden will both be excellent this year, really, I think they actually get it right for both games...
~NHL 10 will continue to be my favorite sports game, because it actually improves drastically year to year

I hope take two doesn't get bought out