They are the professional analysts whose job it is to research, keep track of, advise their clients, and opine to the media about the gaming business. Analyze This cuts right to the chase.

Rather than reporting on a subject, and throwing in quotes by analysts to support or refute a point, Gamasutra offers up a timely question pertaining to the business side of the video game industry and simply lets the analysts offer their thoughts directly to you. Each person's opinion is his own and will (probably) not necessarily agree with their fellow colleagues'.

Music games have grown from a niche to one of the most dominant genres in 2007. Rock Band and Guitar Hero III are fighting the most publicized battle of this holiday season. The third installment in the Guitar Hero franchise launch netted Activision's biggest sales week ever for the company.

So we asked David Mercer of Strategy Analytics, Jesse Divnich of The simExchange, and Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies:

What opportunities are there for other emerging niche genres?

What will be the next Guitar Hero-style phenomenon?