Gaming isn't just for basement-dwellers any more.

As long as humankind has existed, we have sought out ways to entertain ourselves. Video games, since their creation, have often been seen as a lazy or even detrimental distraction-controversies over sexual and violent content have been rampant since games starting rising in popularity.

However, there is no denying that video games have become a staple form of entertainment for us. According to statistics from 2009's E3, a well-known gaming convention:

- 68% of households play computer or video games.
- 42% of American homes have at least one video game console.
- The average game player is 35 years old.

Online gaming has increased as well. According to statistics from Xbox LIVE:

- There are more than 20 million Xbox LIVE users worldwide.
- In the last year, on average, Xbox LIVE has added a population larger than the city of Seattle each month.
- In its six-year history, Xbox LIVE members have spent nearly 15 billion hours on Xbox LIVE.

Love them or hate them, video games have so ingrained themselves in our culture that they're not likely to go anywhere any time soon. Pick up a controller and try the controversial title, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" (page 8), or play one of the games revolutionizing the portrayal of women in video games (page 6.) Your inner basement-dweller will thank you.