"Video games are invading your home -- and the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas wrapping up today demonstrates just how much.

It used to be that whatever gaming products were shown at the monster trade show were tucked away in odd corners or included as an afterthought in the displays of companies that were more focused on 'mainstream' entertainment like television.

Most game manufacturers focused on their own trade show, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, figuring their niche audience wouldn't be as interested in attending CES.

But that audience is a niche no longer, and this year's CES is displaying game products and gaming uses for products in virtually every aisle.

Richard Garriott, executive producer at NCSoft North America and a pioneer in online world games, became the first gaming company executive ever to receive an invitation to host a panel with perennial CES speaker Michael Dell, chairman of Dell Computer. It was easy for him to explain why." [more]