A slumbering giant appears to be stirring in the 
video game industry — and that could be bad news for Microsoft and Sony.
After quietly sitting on the sidelines for the entire console war, the television industry is starting to get into the fight. Vizio announced plans this week to integrate the OnLive game streaming service into all of its 2011 HD TVs and Blu-ray players, as well as forthcoming smart phones and tablets from the company.
One of the problems with being a 
gamer during the holidays is you get a lot of duplicates of games you already own – or, worse, a collection of titles you never wanted in the first place. And not everyone is kind enough to include a gift receipt.
There’s money in those unwanted games, though – and there are a variety of ways to cash in on them.
Video game designers generally don’t look to their grandparents 
for inspiration when they’re putting together a game, but for Cara Ely, there really wasn’t a better choice.
As creative director at I-Play games and the overseer of the “Dream Day Wedding” series, Ely had long loved the story of how her grandparents met, had a whirlwind courtship and married – though she wasn’t sure if the larger gaming world would. But when she told the story to her development team, they loved it. The result was “Dream Day: True Love”.
When Hollywood takes a few extra years 
before it gets around to making a sequel to a film, it often provides some sort of bridge for the audience. Some movies rely on books. Others opt for viral videos on YouTube or Facebook.
But when the time between releases is more than 28 years, you need to pull out the big guns. And when it comes to nerd cinematic icon “Tron,” it’s only fitting that the bridge is a video game.
Lara Croft is, in some ways, 
the gaming equivalent of the Mustang. At her core, she rarely changes, but that doesn’t stop fans from getting all worked up when she gets a new look.
Square-Enix is hoping to shake things up in a more dramatic fashion with the series’ next installment, dubbed simply “Tomb Raider.”
Holiday shopping for gamers should, in theory, be
an easy affair. After all, with so many titles on the market, it’s just a matter of choosing the best one, right?
But there’s a good chance your gamer already has a copy of what you’re buying. Or, perhaps, he or she isn’t a fan of the blockbuster that GameStop or Best Buy employee assured you was a surefire winner. And gift cards? They’re just so impersonal.
Video game culture, thankfully, extends beyond games themselves. Here are a few alternative suggestions you might want to consider:
While professional video gamers may still 
struggle to be thought of as athletes by the general public, they’re starting to see paydays that are on par with some of today’s sports stars.
Major League Gaming, the largest of the so-called eSports gaming leagues, wrapped up its 2010 season Sunday, handing out some $700,000 in prizes to joystick jockeys.
It happens in every game – whether it’s Monopoly, 
pro football or “Halo: Reach”. Inevitably, some hyper-competitive jerk tries to rig the game, ratcheting up his victory count by illicit means.
It’s particularly bothersome in the video game world, but now the cheaters are getting their just deserts as the developers of some of today’s most popular games – including “StarCraft II,” “Red Dead Redemption” and “Halo: Reach” – are outright banning the most egregious double dealers.
Nintendo pioneered the motion gaming movement 
with the Wii. In September, Sony tried to better the experience with Move. And on Nov. 4, Microsoft will begin selling Kinect, which does away with controllers altogether. That’s when the battle will really kick into overdrive.
As holiday shoppers prepare their lists this year, they’ll be subjected to marketing blitzes and in-store kiosks for all three technologies, each hoping to separate people from their money. It’s the new front line for gaming companies and no one wants to be left behind.
Trying to decide which, if any, of these motion gaming experiences is right for you? We’ve broken down the pros and cons of each to make it easier.
If you want to know how much money 
your favorite movie earned at the box office, it’s pretty easy to find out — just look at USA Today or head online. Curious about how well a music CD sold? Billboard or Nielsen’s SoundScan service will let you know.
If you want to know how your favorite video game has sold, though, you’re essentially out of luck.
Chris Morris: Journalist 