DirecTV gets into the game

It's been said that television and games don't mix, but DirecTV appears determined to prove otherwise, if a pair of announcements coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas are any indication.

Starting this year, DirecTV is establishing the Massive Gaming League, a game tournament that the company says it will cover as a sporting event, "complete with producer, director, and technical crew." As in coverage of traditional televised sports, the heated action will be supplemented by stories of the competitors themselves, told via interviews and feature pieces.

Meanwhile, Bill Gates' keynote address revealed that the Massive Gaming League isn't the only gaming endeavor for DirecTV. Gates said that Microsoft has signed a "broad agreement" with the satellite TV provider that will allow digital content to be transferred between PCs, DirecTV boxes, PlaysForSure-based portable devices, and Xbox 360s.

Stay tuned to GameSpot for more details on the Massive Gaming League and DirecTV's partnership with Microsoft as they become available.