2010 is a big year for some of the established franchises. The year kicks off with Mass Effect 2 in January and then there’s the likes of God of War III, Max Payne 3, Crysis 2, Bioshock 2 and Final Fantasy XIII to follow. Many of these series have built up loyal and large fan bases that should ensure that they do very well indeed, certainly in terms of earning their developers and publishers a few quid, but hopefully critically as well.

It's a list of sequels, spin-offs and established franchises that gives 2010 a strong sense of déjà vu. Will any of the new franchises be able to compete with such a prestigious list? Well, the year hasn't even begun yet so there are sure to be a few surprises come year end and of course we're looking forward to finally getting our hands on the incredible-looking Alan Wake, the PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain, and Rockstar's L.A. Noire, all of which could take the shine away from some of the more well known franchise by showcasing some real innovation in 2010.

Yes, there's plenty to get excited about, but we do hope there's plenty of new games that will encourage us to part with our cash away from these known franchises. Take a deep breath...here's just some of the sequels, spin-offs and established franchises coming up in 2010, unless they're delayed of course.

Mass Effect 2
God of War III
Mafia II
Max Payne 3
Crysis 2
Fallout New Vegas
Bioshock 2
Final Fantasy XIII
Just Cause 2
Army of Two: The 40th Day
Yakuza 3
Gran Turismo 5
Starcraft II
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight
Crackdown 2
Dead Rising 2
Dead Space 2
Halo: Reach
Kane & Lynch 2:Dog Days
Lost Planet 2
Red Steel 2
Supreme Commander 2
Test Drive Unlimited 2
Two Worlds II
Aliens vs Predator
Splinter Cell Conviction

That's not to mention all of the yearly sport's game updates: FIFA, Pro Evo, NBA, NHL....and so on.

There are undoubtebly going to be some great games in that bunch, but what about the new games? Dante's Inferno, Heavy Rain, The Agency, Edge of Twilight, I Am Alive and R.U.S.E are just some of the new IPs that will be hoping to grab our attention in 2010 and no doubt they'll be many more announced throughout the year. The list above may have a familiar ring to it, but there's still plenty to get excited about. Let's hope we're in for another good year of gaming!