Which upcoming games have the potential to recreate the hype of Modern Warfare 2?

Infinity Ward's shooter, aka 'best thing ever™' is finally with us, and for the overwhelming majority, the game would appear to be worth the wait. But among the current crop of ‘next big things’ in games, which titles have the potential to inspire similar levels of sheer fanaticism? Which franchises have the clout to match the furore, sales and sheer launch panic of Infinity Ward’s record-breaking sequel? NG games editor Dan Howdle and myself put our heads together to come up with the top ten contenders...

Will Fable rule with Natal at its side?

Fable 3
Most platform exclusives will have their work cut out attempting to emulate Modern Warfare 2’s mass hysteria, and as a result most of the titles on our list are multi-format. But if there’s any big franchise sequel likely to pique the general public’s interest next year, it’s Lionhead’s third Fable game. The premise itself is relatively intriguing, with the game enabling players to rule a kingdom in a much more ‘hands-on’ role than other real time strategies/god sims/role-playing games, but it’s the recent confirmation of motion-control elements courtesy of Project Natal that will provide that ‘must-have’ factor for casual and core gamers alike, guaranteeing game sales and column inches alike. With any luck Molyneux and co. will have the sense to include Natal-powered throne-sitting, crown balancing and peasant-baiting mini-games.
TH

Half Life 2: Episode 3
It’s as yet unclear as to whether Valve is going to release the next stage in the franchise as another piece in the Half-Life 2 series, or whether it’s time to put the whole episodic episode behind them. We can’t knock the quality of the games, but we do wish that Valve would finally bite the bullet and release a clearly labeled sequel. Outside of Star Wars, we can’t think of any other IP in which an episode appears once every three years, but at least with Half-Life, when it finally does, it doesn’t feel like it creator is sadistically chafing your childhood with a worn Brillo. Whatever Valve is concocting, episodic or otherwise it’s going to rock your socks off, of that we can be – reasonably – certain.
DH

Metal Gear Solid: Rising
Not a huge shock, but certainly welcome news was Hideo Kojima’s announcement at this year’s E3 of a new game set in the Metal Gear universe. With the huge level of original praise for MGS4: Guns of the Patriots now lost amid debate over the excessive use of cut-scenes and the death of the Japanese games industry, team Kojima will have a potentially massive point to prove. Although the man himself claims he’ll be less hands-on with Rising, we won’t be surprised if he finishes off MGS spin-off Peace Walker, moves to Hollywood to direct a 5-hour, 3D Solid Snake movie, then splices the footage into a perpetual stealth-based MMO using motion-control tech.
TH

… continued