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Once again, the PLAYED crew tore through the Electronic Entertainment Expo in a whirlwind of meetings, presentations and, of course, the best games.  After catching our breath and gathering our thoughts, we all agreed that this year’s show felt a little different from previous E3 events.

Included in our E3 recap is a look at how publishers are starting the promotional machine further and further out, leaving less gaming for players to do on the showfloor and a deeper focus on 2012’s big-budget releases.  We also analyze the “Big Three’s” (Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony) big steps to connect accessible gamers with core gamers through new technology and systems.  Finally, we check out how games built for the elementary school-age crowd held sway at the show, and non-endemic brands’ attempts to fit in with the game-centric crowds.  Download it here!

No April fooling, this issue of PLAYED comes screaming into spring with a heaping helping of insight and info that would make even the angriest of birds grin.

This month, we look at the exponential growth of the Angry Birds franchise and what it means for mobile gaming developers across the industry. Also, we see what lessons can be learned from the recent hiatus of the Guitar Hero brand which, until now, was one of the most popular gaming series in the world. Coming out of the annual Game Developer Conference, we analyze the growing debate over the value of social games, both to users and developers trying to decipher its success. Finally, we examine the trend of “gaming the system,” or exploiting a program to gain an edge. As our marketing programs become more interactive, is this something we should be aware of and how can we utilize this behavior for more interesting participation?

Denuo’s PLAYED staffers are romantics through and through.  That said, instead of a bundle of roses, we crafted this sweet-smelling bouquet of gaming insights and news, gently placed around titles involving science-fiction terror, Russian stacking dolls, and 3D tech, delivered straight into the palm of your hand.  You can feel the love, can’t you?

In this month’s issue, we look beyond the third dimension of Nintendo’s new 3DS handheld.  While everyone is agog over glasses-less 3D, the handheld brings even more functionality to the social and casual game spaces than first thought.  On the mobile gaming side, we check out the big, exclusive steps that Google’s Android mobile OS platform has taken to move into gamers’ hearts and minds.  Meanwhile, we examine Facebook’s virtual currency market shake-up with the rollout of Facebook Credits and its effects on the social gaming space, and wrap things up with a couple Denuologists weighing in on EA’s marketing effort for their latest hit, Dead Space 2.

Last week, we had the pleasure of helping run the world’s first Tweet Race for Mercedes-Benz. Along with our colleagues at Razorfish, we took four teams across the country in Mercedes-Benz vehicles that were “fueled by Twitter,” meaning the teams had to generate social media activity to keep their engines running. We designed a game around this that involved the teams competing in challenges, stoking their supporters for extra Tweet Fuel, and various tasks to accomplish both online and offline, all building up to a winner based on the strength of their social network and their skill behind the wheel.

Over a frenzied three days of racing, we learned a lot about games, digital marketing, competitive spirit, blizzards, Dallas ice treatment controversies, live event management, and when to let go and enjoy the ride. Join us, won’t you?

….and we’re back! Last year saw the gaming industry grow in unexpected ways, from social gaming to the rise of digital distribution. 2011 looks to be another year of innovation, business development, and, of course, great games. That said, this issue of PLAYED takes 2011 to task, asking both how and where we’ll all be gaming over the next year, while also recapping and prognosticating about the ever-shifting social gaming space. Also, since the year is getting off to a splendid start for blockbuster titles, we look at how gamers are utilizing unique and innovative ways to try games before plunking down their hard-earned cash well beyond the video store shelf.