Openness in the Video game Industry

Nocturnal Initiative

PhyreEngine

Independent Game Press

XNA

UT 3 Modding for Console versions

XNA Zune development

Wii Ware 

This years GDC theme seemed to be one of openness and advancing games as a viable platform for artistic expression and communication.  I love the fact that every 1st party publisher (MGS, SCE, and Nintendo) has concrete plans to support community contributed games and independently developed games.  I believe 2008 will be a very good year for the entire industry, I think developers will begin to realize the real potential of the medium and we'll see more Okami's, more Dreamfall's (yep I got around to playing it, I loved it), more Beyond Good & Evil's, and Portal's.  The overall quality of games will vastly improve because the reason for developing them will change.  competition will be a much smaller factor in the setting of deadlines, and it will no longer negatively effect the quality of games (EA, I'm pointing at you).  We'll start to see a more prevalent independent spirit in the development process of games, and that will mean more artistic games that explore the human psyche, and  grab at our emotions in a deeper way.  I am excited.