This week, The Escapist looks at the trends, both good and bad, that could shape the industry for years to come.

Each week we publish letters sent to us regarding previous issues and highlight particularly interesting forum posts. If you'd like to comment on an article directly, send your letter to editor@escapistmag.com.

Think computer opponents in games are hard now? Wait until A.I. researchers get through with them. Michael Cook examines how the industry and academia are profiting from an open dialogue on artificial intelligence.

Nintendo may have won a decisive victory against Sega in the 1990s, but for some console warriors the battle rages on. Peter Parrish documents the evolution of the Sonic the Hedgehog fanboy.

For a brief period in 2008, indie game designers got a foothold on retail shelves by bundling their games with fashionable T-shirts. Unfortunately, it didn't last. Jared Newman takes a closer look at the failed experiment that was EGP Apparel.

Handhelds and cell phones may let players game on the go, but developers have yet to realize the possibilities of truly mobile gaming. Spanner speaks with LocoMatrix founder Richard Vahrman about how his cell phone gaming platform is blurring the lines between real-world and game-world.

Developers are increasingly aware of the disabled in their audiences, but deaf gamers are still being left out in the cold. Robert Ashley looks at how game developers are slowly improving the experience for deaf players.