The Xbox 360 enters 2008 with the highest installed base of any current generation console in the US, but it is rapidly losing ground to the Wii. In order to maintain its leadership position, it needs to bolster its image as the go-to system for the hardcore while also appealing to a broader demographic. While the latter might take a price drop, the former is all about exciting, high-quality games, something the 360’s 2008 catalog is full of. Our choices for 2008 are games that have garnered much creative and commercial anticipation.

As all of the games are works in progress, release dates and some details are subject to change. Sales estimates are for the first three months of US sales and only take into consideration the Xbox 360 version of the games. Estimates were calculated by reviewing the sales of a 2008 game's previous franchise installment (or a similar game, if it's a new IP) and increasing that amount by the expected percentage of growth of the console's installed base. Other factors such as consumer buzz, release dates and expected marketing push were also taken into consideration in our estimates.

Burnout Paradise
Electronic Arts
Criterion Games
January 22nd
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 500K-800K


The first Burnout to be designed from the ground up for this generation of consoles, Paradise takes the series to the sprawling sandbox of a load-free, fully traversable city. But it’s still Burnout, so all of this freedom means the crazy pileups that made earlier Burnouts so enjoyable will happen only more frequently, and wherever and whenever the player wants. It’s an appreciable yet organic evolution to the franchise’s classic design.

Devil May Cry 4
Capcom
Capcom Production Studio 1
February 5th
Est. 3-mo. sales: 500K-800K


Dante may not be the lead hero anymore, but Devil May Cry 4 still looks as stylish as ever. The game runs at an absolutely gorgeous 60 frames per second, and the focus on aerial combat and epic, dramatic combat promises to exhilarate. The fact that the new hero Nero has a motorcycle throttle to power up his sword should say everything you need to know about this one.

Lost Odyssey
Microsoft
Mistwalker / Feel Plus
February 12th
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 100K-300K


Lost Odyssey is certainly the most ambitious Japanese RPG on the 360 to date. The story covers the immortal protagonist Kaim and his long life across multiple human generations. While this seems like a difficult trick to pull off, the development team of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and Shadow Hearts alumni has shown nothing but talent in the past. The game itself has already found a warm critical reception in Japan, though an expectedly muted sales reception.