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Our love affair with games and the gaming industry continues unabated in the February issue. This month, PLAYED examines downloadable content as another smart way for marketers to get involved in the gaming space. We also look at how gaming companies are assisting relief efforts in Haiti, as well as at home, by putting their users to work. With the release of the iPad, we analyze how Apple’s new device isn’t necessarily changing the game, but allowing more and more folks be a part of the space. Finally, as casual and social gaming captures increasing mainstream attention and player time, we wonder whether the new casual gamer is just as hardcore as the “typical” gaming demographic.

There is something strangely satisfying about subscriptions. In a world where we increasingly browse and Stumble Upon to find things of interest, a subscription means something in our mailbox (real or virtual) on which we can rely every time. Subscriptions feel trustworthy in a world where the rest of our content is found through the sometimes-thrilling but sometimes-exhausting process of trial and error. It finds us instead of us needing to seek it out. And the best subscriptions have the capacity to surprise us again and again.

Here are five of my current favorites:

Did you know that there is an artist using eBay as part of one of his works? Or that this piece is called ‘A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter’? You’re going to want to read about that one. And since you’ve already clicked through, take a little time and learn about Mystery Google, the infographic community (talk about geek chic), and some insane awesome fan theories.

Click above for the full issue.

I’ve been thinking about the iPad backlash and decided it isn’t because the device is subpar. Instead, the device is disappointing to many. When I ask myself why, I see a rare but significant problem for Apple: the Curse of Brand. It’s a syndrome that occurs when the expectations of a brand are so precise (and high) that it can only appease them in a very specific way. I thought of other brands that have suffered from the Curse of Brand and realized the same could be said of Muhammad Ali. In fact, looking at these two brands side by side, I’ve concluded Jobs strategically navigated this curse, while Ali did not.

Social Media Week is in full swing all around the globe, bringing six different cities together for a conference and discussion connected digitally. In New York, Denuologist Saneel Radia particpated on a panel about the benefits of crowdsourcing, titled, “CROWDSOURCERY POTIONS 101: WHY SOME MARKETING POTIONS FAIL AND OTHERS THRIVE.” The discussion ranged from the very definition of crowdsourcing, to looking at its effect on not only a business’ bottom line, but also the cultural aspects of a business and the impact on control within the organization.