This February it's Game On In Blackpool UK

There is the perfect opportunity to settle some family scores this February half term as PLAY Expo heads to Blackpool on February 10 and 11 with some super challenges for lads and dads, mums and huns and champs and Gramps!

Returning to the resort for a seventh year, PLAY Expo Blackpool is the UK’s longest-running retro games expo and offers a wealth of gaming entertainment for the whole family, whether you’re a pinball wizard, a SEGA superstar, or just a regular nostalgia-loving parent. It’s the perfect event at which to explore the very best challenges in the history of gaming, whilst also bridging the generation gap and bringing the family closer together.

'Dead in Iraq' Professor Joseph DeLappe to kick-off new lecture series

The internationally-renowned Professor of Games and Tactical Media, Joseph DeLappe, will present the first of a diverse new series of Professorial Lectures at Abertay University.

Professor Joseph DeLappe

Prof DeLappe's talk ,‘Resistance, Play and Memory’ will kick-off the year-long programme of lectures on Wednesday February 14 from 6pm to 7pm.

Working with electronic and new media since 1983, Prof DeLappe has been involved with online gaming performance, sculpture and electromechanical installation throughout the world.

Free update coming to Super Mario Odyssey download this month - Switch

A free update is coming to Super Mario Odyssey! After downloading the update and beating the main story, a new online activity called Balloon World will be available.

By finding balloons other players have hidden, and hiding your own balloons in unexpected, hard-to-find places, you can move up in the rankings. The key to setting high scores is knowing every nook and cranny of a Kingdom’s terrain and leveraging that knowledge to quickly hide and find balloons. It’s like a new-form of objective-based speed-running!

Puzzle Puppers dog-based puzzle game of your dreams on Nintendo Switch

Take a break from mutt walking duties as world-renowned doggo fan favorite Puzzle Puppers will be available soon on Nintendo Switch worldwide, on the Nintendo eShop on 20 February 2018.

Puzzle Puppers is a game about stretching cute dogs to their food bowls. Deceptively simple mechanics conceal progressively trickier puzzles… Enough to give even the brightest pooch paws for thought.

Space Hulk: Tactics a new take on the Space Hulk experience - PC PS4 XO

After successfully bringing Blood Bowl, the classic board game by Games Workshop, to Consoles and PC with two faithful adaptations, Cyanide Studio is proud to take on another fan favourite from the Warhammer 40,000 universe with their turn-based tactical game, Space Hulk: Tactics!

Bringing a unique twist to the classic gameplay of the cult board game, engage in bloody battles through an immense Space Hulk - a twisted mass of asteroids, wrecked ships and debris – as either a squad of Terminator Space Marines or the deadly alien Genestealers. Which side will you choose?

Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age The World of Ivalice Optimised for PC and Ultrawide Monitors - 20% off link

The release of Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age last year included high definition visuals, a remastered soundtrack, new Speed and Trial modes, fast forward function, and other enhancements. 

With over a million console units sold, the STEAM version upgrades the game even more with brand-new features for PC players, including:

• 60fps - Ivalice will look better than ever with the game running at 60 frames per second.
• Compatible with 21:9 ultra-wide monitors - Up to three HD monitors can be used for a potential 48(16x3):9 experience.
• New Game Plus and New Game Minus - Post-game content modes are now accessible from the beginning of the game.
• Three background music options – The original, re-orchestrated and soundtrack versions are now available from the beginning of the game.
• Maximized License Points and Gil - New functionality added to grant players max License Points and Gil from the configuration screen.
• Full controller support, Steam Trading Cards and more to optimise the PC player experience.

Citadel: Forged with Fire - Deadly new enemy Great Golem - PC PS4 XOne

New content for the amazing world of Citadel: Forged With Fire that includes a deadly new enemy. The latest update features the Great Golem, a hulking goliath of animated stone and wood.

This beast has been dormant in hibernation for hundreds of years and has awoken to become a major threat to careless Wizards and Warriors. Invade his personal space and you must make a quick choice to either run like hell or engage in combat - either way, it won’t be easy.

Caravan War - multiplayer tower defense game on iOS Android

Caravan War takes the inherent challenge from the historical Silk Road trading route and turns it into a beautifully illustrated multiplayer tower defense game.

Blending strategy and pre-battle planning, you are tasked with managing a commercial empire with immense resources – including a well-equipped caravan perfect for acquiring goods and gold. Assemble a squad with carefully chosen towers and units (some of them sporting special abilities), and then venture into the world by undertaking campaigns and ambushes. But watch out: You can also be raided by others who will have no qualms about seizing your merchandise! You’ll need to excel at the art of war – err, “trading” – if you want to keep up with the competition.

Fishing: Barents Sea - Explore the impressive Barents Sea Fishing simulator - PC

Fishing: Barents Sea fishing simulation game by the Norwegian developer team Misc Games using Unreal Engine 4. Explore the impressive Barents Sea and its abundance of maritime life on board of six authentic ships.

Players will get the chance to move around freely on their fishing boats across a huge open world map, which has been modelled after real areas in Northern Norway, and go in search of the best fishing zones for cod, mackerel, redfish and more. Their quest will be supported by the electronic catch control systems of license partner Scanmar AS, which will help them track down the continuously moving schools of fish.

Closer Together - community launch event starts

With just one week before the launch of Closers, the online RPG beat’ em up with anime stylings and crazy combo action, En Masse is hosting a two week long community event called ‘Closers Together’ to celebrate the upcoming grand launch on February 6.

Now gamers around the world can team up to accrue points together and meet game-wide goals, unlock global awards, and even enter to win sweet real-world prizes. How sweet you dare ask? We’re talking a game-ready Razor Blade Pro Laptop custom-engraved for the most hardcore Closers fan!

The ‘Closers Together’ community event started Thursday morning, 12:00 am UTC on February 1 and ends Wednesday night, 11:59 am UTC on February 14. By completing the goals during the ‘Closers Together’ community event, you will unlock new rewards that include: Elite Status, Bonus Credit and Experience, Booster Items, free skill adjustments, and much more!