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** This article appears in the November issue of PLAYED, our monthly gaming newsletter. Download the entire issue here. **

If the gamers on your holiday shopping list are anything like us, chances are they’ve already bought every “most wanted” title on their lists (including Criterion’s ). But that doesn’t mean you need to resort to the giving of traditional gifts like socks, sweaters, or fruit cake. Thankfully for you (and your gamer) we’ve put together our annual gift guide for the gaming-inclined with ideas picked straight from our own 2012 holiday wishlists.

Hopefully we caught you before we all head out to feast on some deliciousness and spend some much-needed time with friends and family. Though the holiday cheer is coming on full-force, we haven’t forgotten the task at hand by giving you the latest and greatest in gaming.

We start the holidays off right with a gaming gift guide…though not which videogames we need to play, but instead, gadgets and gizmos that make our holiday wish list. But we didn’t just make a list to send our friends and family (ahem), we also dive into the paradigm of mobile apps and games – how long does it take for you to realize you have games that you’ve played a whole 2-3 times before you’ve moved on? We feel you.

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As Halloween approaches and we finalize our Psy costumes (I mean, we all know we’re going as him, right?) we also are here to give you all a very special treat this month. We kick it off with Nintendo’s highly anticipated Wii U launch, the first of the next “next-gen” consoles. While it may look a lot like its predecessor, the new GamePad should usher in a whole new set of gameplay experiences for consumers and developers. We follow up new console news with new console games and our fall titles preview. Though most are sequels, we’re not complaining with the likes of Halo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and Assassins Creed 3 on the docket.

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As autumn approaches, we’re getting ready for the change in leaves and cooler weather…well, except for us in LA where we’re still at 90-degrees on a daily basis. But hey, can’t win them all. As I bear through this heat, we’re excited to bring you our first fall edition of PLAYED. This month, we take a look at how indie games are utilizing social networks in a different way to find great traction and interaction with their fan base; how can brands learn how to create this dialogue and trust in the same manner? We also explore the overlap between game development and user generated content and its impact not only on the games, but on the connections with the communities of players themselves, as well as future revenue streams.

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While all the PLAYED guys were cheering on the Curiosity’s landing on Mars, the PLAYED gals were admittedly more interested in NASA’s Mohawk Guy; nonetheless, we still did our own searching…but for the latest and greatest in gaming, of course.

This month we break down the hype surrounding Ouya, a highly anticipated Android-powered console with a resounding Kickstarter campaign of over $8,000,000. Speaking of monetary achievements, we revisit gaming’s emerging content models and their evolving definitions of success.

Also inside is a look at how musicians’ involvement in the gaming industry now extends well past a simple soundtrack, and a quick dive into Kiip’s new app that allows users to get real-world rewards, like free Vitamin Water, and coupons for everyday tasks; taking gamification to the next (analog) level. Lastly, we wrap up this issue with our latest list of gaming gear that we’ve either ordered, pre-ordered, or Kickstartered (if that’s a verb), but can’t wait to get our hands on, regardless.

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