Open question: Gaming is growing up. Do we care?

I've just spotted some figures in New Media Age about how the video game market is continuing to mature.

The cliches are true enough, and maturation in this context means an influx of female consumers: a new study by Aegis Media has found that 34% of women play games once a week.

And while the in-game advertising market is struggling to maintain the trajectory some industry-watchers predicted, there is still potential, particularly as the demographic changes. 

Google extended Adsense to Flash games last year, and other studies have suggested that gamers are receptive to advertising - though this should be taken with a pinch of salt, given that in-game creative is something far more novel than a 30-second TV spot or an online banner ad.

Two questions, then:

- Will games ever become a significant part of the marketing mix for travel companies? 

- Will we see DMOs involved with big-ticket games that feature real-world locations? (Imagine what New York could do with an equally realistic but less, erm, gritty Grand Theft Auto IV.)