Microsoft and Sony are expected to give presentations at the annual E3 conference regarding their Project Natal and Move motion control systems, respectively. Nielsen Games surveys gamers’ expectations.

Nielsen research suggests that consumers are driven by many factors when buying a gaming console. Surprisingly, the purchase of a specific game title actually ranks lowest in a list of purchase motivators.

Research shows there is a “prime time” for video game play in the U.S., just like television, with the peak time for play between 7-11pm. But can an hour of video game play be thought of by advertisers the same way as an hour-long prime time TV drama?

Video game buyers comprise 24% of U.S. households, and their share of wallet profiles paint a picture of valuable, tech-savvy entertainment consumers.

Trends in 2009 include a rise in households that have “cut the cord” by trading their traditional landlines for wireless cellular services and an increase in mobile media device usage among a diverse set of households.

While many consumers cut back their spending on entertaining outside of the home in 2009, that didn’t necessarily translate to increases inside the home.

Half of all U.S. households own a video game console or handheld system—and despite the stereotypes about teenage males, gamers are not monolithic. While gamers spend most on new games, game rentals provide an extra conduit to spark sales.

Video games based on films have long provided fans an opportunity to enhance their movie experience by taking control of the central characters and reliving the action firsthand.

With gamers expected to rush out en mass to buy Modern Warfare 2 this week, retailers may be just as excited for the release as even the biggest COD franchise fans.

Despite increased optimism about the economy, the social media landscape indicates that we are in a similar place to where we were this time last year.