What will CES 2012 have in store for gaming?

CES isn't exactly gaming's biggest stage, but it seems each year its presence increases. At CES 2012, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo will all be at the big show. While it doesn't appear that Microsoft will have any new hardware on display, both Sony and Nintendo have lots to show off.

Sony is sure to be pushing the Vita, and I'm hoping to get a better idea of how the device will interact with its big cousin, the PlayStation 3. Sony has also told CNET there will be some new Vita games on the show floor for us to check out as well.

3D remains a big talking point for the PlayStation 3, so expect to hear more about the company's efforts to make the technology even more pervasive. While it may not have caught on at the mainstream level it's been intended for, gaming arguably remains its best platform.

Nintendo is bringing the Wii U to CES and I'll be getting more hands-on with the tablet-console hybrid to build on my impressions from E3 2011. Nintendo has historically skipped over CES, but it's great to hear the company will have a presence there in 2012.

As far as Microsoft is concerned, look for the company to use CES as a means of pushing its brand new universal content integration on the updated Xbox 360 interface. The dashboard is constantly being updated with streaming content, so hopefully Microsoft will have some new partnerships to talk about.

Of course I'm expecting to hear more from third-party accessory manufacturers like Nyko, Logitech, and Mad Catz who should all be ready to start showing off the latest PS Vita innovations. The Vita's battery is already standing out as something that might want to be addressed by one of these major brands.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Las Vegas will have in store for the world of games--and there's always great surprises. Be sure to check out my continuing coverage from the show floor as well as my live video podcast, The 404, from the CNET stage every day of CES at 1pm PT!