Tech companies vying to have everyone gaming

There is a multibillion-dollar game being played by big, rich, technology corporations and the winners will land a spot in your living room — maybe more than one.

Many millions are being spent to develop products to lure you into what used to be known as the world of video games. That niche, which sometimes carried a stigma of being for ever-single, 30-year-old adolescents (and actual 11-year-old boys) has changed its focus and has grown into the all-encompassing title of "home entertainment" that stands, or will stand, at the center of your electronic universe.

The biggest target these days is non-gaming females — yes females of all ages, getting the most attention from mega-corporations that manufacture gaming consoles and the legions of smaller companies that produce the games for them.

To say they want to get into your living room is only part of their ambition. They also want to be in your car, your gym, your school and your kitchen. They are probably even thinking of ways to get in your bedroom.

Playstation 3 vs. Wii vs. Xbox 360

The spot at the center of your entertainment life is highly coveted. Nintendo's Wii system, without any doubt, has found its way into the most homes and the company once predicted to lose the race among the trio is a hands-down winner in number of consoles sold both worldwide and in the U.S. Microsoft's Xbox 360, now the cheapest of the three options (stripped down to its bare bones) sits in second place but struggles in Japan while the PlayStation 3, successor to the still viable PlayStation 2, is bringing up the rear for Sony and things are still looking a little grim.

Total units sold worldwide:

Nintendo's Wii: 37.6 million — Innovative control system still bringing in non-gamers by the droves

Microsoft's Xbox 360: 23.4 million — First released, new dashboard, best live experience, least expensive option

Sony's PlayStation 3: 17.1 million — Blu-ray player included, a lot of machine but does it cost too much?

The Wii is still difficult to obtain for the third holiday in a row and it prospers in Japan, the U.S. and the rest of the world. So game over? Yes and no.

The PS3 and the 360 and the companies behind them still have a few tricks up their sleeves, and the unquestioned console king has its limitations.

Movies, television, games and music

The movie industry is connected to a big part of what the latest gaming consoles do. Besides playing games based on film or TV (often best sellers), consoles want to be the center of your movie playback system. The Wii was never meant to perform this way.

The PS3 and 360 are both places to stream or download and watch movies, music and games while your Wii wasn't ever intended to do this.