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In the next twelve months more schools will be setting homework assignments for their students to play computer games. This will be because schools, expecting more of their students, will be looking for ways to support them to develop a deep level of understanding in, say, science, maths, or in being effective creators and consumers of the digital world (how to code, mash-up websites, design apps and so on).

Los Angeles-based British video games designer Jolyon Myers, inset, was a key programmer on the wildly successful Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. MW3 beat all sales records at the end of last year, earning $400m in its first day of sales and reaching $1bn in 16 days.

"using a Participatory Design of a Location Based Game (LBG) developed as part of a project to connect young people (11-19 years old) in Lancaster and Manchester by exploring issues surrounding place and their sense of belonging within their community. Both these communities were chosen, as they are representative of particular socio-economic conditions that have led them to be considered digitally excluded. The results highlight issues researchers face when working with such a group and the importance of building trust and being sensitive to the lives of the participants."

Profile of former Ubisoft Games executive and his new mobile games company

"Rather than being vilified, video games should be recognised as an art form appreciated for the way they tugged at our emotions and stimulated creativity, Prebble said"A playwright emphasizes skills exercised in video game play.

VIDEO game developers at Nottingham Trent University scooped top awards at a design event. The teams of designers were challenged to create new games in just 48 hours. One Trent team took first prize at the IndieCity Global Game Jam category for their multiplayer game Flerbs, in which players have to guide jellies from one flag to another.

Cloud gaming on demand

"Games are an important part of modern culture. The nature of most video games is such that it can be difficult for individuals with impairments to enjoy many titles. In many cases, this is not due to the games themselves presenting an impossible challenge, but because the games have been left inaccessible through the omission of common features. Mainstream titles are often accessible and inaccessible by turns. This strongly suggests that the resultant inaccessibility is an oversight rather than conscious design. Awareness building is an important process in improving the inclusivity of game titles. This in turn is important in ensuring that all members of society have an opportunity to enjoy a valuable recreational form. To this end, the essay discusses both the types of disability that could be supported and some common mechanisms by which this can be done. A short overview of several prominent game titles is included to provide real world context for the discussion. In this essay, the author argues that ensuring accessibility need not be a costly or an onerous task, and that great strides can be made by, simply adopting the existing good practice that is currently spread across mainstream titles."

A 10-year old tinkering with the device's clock exposed security holes

The city is ruined. Bored and frustrated residents patrol the night streets, windows are smashed, buildings ransacked - there is no will or desire to fix anything or to understand its value. There is no sense of community any more… A year ago, journalist and author Jim Rossignol approached Channel 4's education department with the idea for a game - a game about broken cities.

next generation Wii - "motion control, touchscreen, analogue joysticks and an accelerometer," described in a video