Nintendo is riding an unprecedented high, as both its handheld, Nintendo DS, and new console, Wii, are selling out at stores as quickly as they're resupplied. Nintendo of Japan President Saturo Iwata recently compared this phenomenon to what happend in Japan years ago. He predicted that what the U.S. videogame industry is now experiencing with the popularity of Wii and Nintendo DS is the beginning of a mass market acceptance of gaming. When that happened in Japan, the number of gamers doubled in size. Given that the U.S. market is much larger, and clearly the number one market for any type of entertainment, this resurgence could be great for the entire industry.

In addition to strong sales of Nintendo products, Sony has been selling PlayStation 2s and games at a record pace. Microsoft continues to sell its more expensive Xbox 360 to a growing number of consumers, as well. With three strong horses in this race and millions of marketing dollars behind each one, this fall should see another record year in gaming. But the bigger implication, especially with Nintendo, is that new gamers young and old, male and female, are discovering this pastime with Wii and Nintendo DS. In order for the games industry to truly grow, it needs a new audience. Wii and Nintendo DS are delivering this audience. As anyone who plays games already knows, once you get hooked on gaming, it's not something you ever really give up. Parents play with kids and new grandparents are playing with grandkids. That's good news for future Nintendo consoles and handhelds, as well as to its competitors.