AS POKER mania sweeps across the country, mutterings of Two Fat Ladies and Big Slick buzz around felt-topped kitchen tables. But as friends and acquaintances battle for tournament supremacy, pay attention, because the players in the loser's lounge often gather around a video-game console. When the dust finally settles around poker hysteria, video games are in the perfect position to fill the gaming void.

Jason Della Rocca, executive director for the International Game Developers Association, says the gaming industry has already arrived. "It's this never-ending tidal wave," says Della Rocca. "It just keeps collecting mass."

According to the Entertainment Software ...