[They are the professional analysts who research, keep track of, advise their clients on, and opine to the news media about the video game business.

In Analyze This, we present a timely question pertaining to the business side of the industry, and then simply let a trio of analysts offer their thoughts directly to you. Each person's opinion is his own.]

Ed Barton of Screen Digest, Jesse Divnich of Electronic Entertainment Design and Research, and Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities considered these questions:

With the slowing economy likely to enter recession, how do you predict each platform (console and handheld) will fare this holiday season?

Which titles coming out for the holiday season do you predict will be hits? And which ones will struggle for gamers' money in the weak economy?

In the end, how do you think the industry will fare this holiday season? Will gamers buy significantly less this season compared to last year?