This generation is been nothing short of amazing considering how much has improved in the last 10 years. At this point, graphics have almost hit photorealism, physics engines are able to emulate real life environments, and a host of other technical improvements.

There has been plenty of talk for the next coming generation, but my question is where is there room for technical development?

Graphics are now to the point that improvements are basically rendering the extremely fine details like hair and particles. (faces are just harder to do but thats a whole other discussion). I am not entirely sure how much more processing can help it AI.

In the last couple of years motion control has definately emerged as the next trend. I there is a great deal of potential but at this point, is mostly a lot of waggle.

(Personally I dont think I would give up on using a controller but we will see how things change)

how do you see the industry changing over the next 10 years?

I see controllers still playing an integral part of gaming 10 years from now. Not near the use they get from now and without near as many buttons, but still being neccesary for most games.

The future of gaming isn't in graphics or photorealism, but in making the interface more acessible and in creating the games that become a part of a persons daily life, in blurring the line between what is in the game and what is in the real world

I can't pretend to know what will happen ten years from now, but I can tell you what I'd like to happen.  What I would like is for video games to further legitimize themselves not just as a commodity but as an artform. I'd like to see games get better and better at telling a story, or conveying a message.  I'd like to see video game awards that are seen as legitimate as Oscars.

I don't mean that all games should follow this path, but I'd like it if some did.

@Torillian

I highly agree with you. Personally I think that will naturally occur, not only that it happen at a faster rate than comic books. There have been a few studios that have obviously want to have their games to be viewed as art (mirrors edge, shadow of the colossus, etc) and there have been games that are very well put together which simply are pieces of art in my opinion (portal, Silent Hill 2)

Just hope Developers keep coming up with great stories and ideas.

i'm hoping for some serious virtual-reality.

Future=/=present.

Don't fall to the mistake of believing that the future will be an extreme, exaggerated version of the current trends.
When WoW was successful, first everyone was like "MMOs are teh future! Monthly fees For The Profit!!!44!!" but the MMOs that's development started that time, all failed.

When the Wii was successful, first everyone was like "OMG!!! Casual Gamez For The Profit!!!44!!! But most of the 3rd party casual games were not outstandingly successful


Now motion controls are praised, and planned for next-gen. But they are already the present, not the future. In a few years, there will be another "big thing", that will be claimed to be the future, but everyone will take motion controls as granted.