The holiday season is upon us, as evidenced by the empty wallets and glassy eyed stares of gamers who've been up all night playing a game they just bought so they can get started on the next game they just bought...before the next game they want to buy gets released.  Sheesh!  Consider the following list of ten games a reason to either A) Count your blessings as an avid gamer and thank ye digital gods for this copious bounty OR B) Start looking for a better paying job.

World of Warcrack - Wrath of the Lich King

The alternative title "World of Warcraft - License to Print Money" didn't stick.  Releasing an icy-themed expansion at the start of winter sounds like good marketing.  Let's hope the spring release of "World of Warcraft - Fury of the Gumdrop Unicorn" doesn't get pushed back.

Gears of War 2: Gear Harder

Plenty of new levels, player characters, and online modes ensure you'll have an arsenal of reasons to blame the game when you're getting curb-stomped rather than admit you were distracted by Marcus' armor-boobs.

=

 Fallout 3

So much more than just "Oblivion with Guns".  It's got a cannon that shoots garbage in it too.

 Left 4 Dead 4 Lyfe

You and three of your friends can re-enact the sheer horror of a weekend trip to Wal-Mart.

 Resistance 2: Piece de Resistance

Sporting an amazing 60 player online mode, giving Playstation 3 owners a game they can all play at the same time.

 Call of Duty 5: World at War aka "COD WAAAAAW!!!"

So true to life you'll find yourself wondering why our nation's disabled veterans didn't spend more time in the war looking for health packs.  Also promises to finally provide the player an opportunity to teabag Hitler's corpse.

 Animal Crossing: City Folk

The first in a series exploring anthropomorphic social-economic stereotypes.  Following "City Folk" Nintendo plans to release "Country Folk", "Ozark Hermits", "Prison Inmates" and "Petz Dogz K.K. Sliderz".

 Valkyria Chronic(les)

Created to fill the niche for gamers who find World War 2 otherwise too gloomy and not animated enough, as well as providing plenty of fodder for "MAI WAIFU" threads on internet forums everywhere.

 Castlevania: Order of Unpronouncable

If you buy one game this holiday season, it may as well be Castlevania because face it: there's no way you're ever going to beat this.

 Mortal Kombat vs. DC

Like bad plastic surgery: without Marvel vs. Capcom we did the best with what we had.