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Zarb School of Business Remembers Douglas L. Maine, MBA, '73, Chair of the Dean's Advisory Board
The Hofstra University community mourns the passing of Douglas L. Maine, MBA, '73, a distinguished business executive, visionary, philanthropist, and steadfast advocate for the Frank G. Zarb School of Business. Maine, who chaired the Zarb School's Dean's Advisory Board, leaves an extraordinary legac
State Health Plan ditches Aetna, sends business back to Blue Cross
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will take over control of state employee’s insurance, returning to what had been the status quo for decades — until 2023, when the board voted to shift control to Aetna.
State Health Plan ditches Aetna, sends business back to Blue Cross
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will take over control of state employee’s insurance, returning to what had been the status quo for decades — until 2023, when the board voted to shift control to Aetna.
NC State Health Plan raises premiums, offers new tiered benefits that could help members cut costs
The N.C. State Health Plan's Board of Trustees voted Friday morning to raise premiums for many of its 770,000 members.
Two Days of U.S. Strikes in Iran Signal a Sharp Escalation
U.S. forces hit more than 170 targets, including air defense systems, drone and missile storage sites, and military speedboats.
Trump ousts election commission members
It comes after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave the president new personnel authority to fire members of independent agency boards
State Health Plan board to vote on major coverage changes for 750,000 NC members
Big changes could be coming to North Carolina's State Health Plan. A key vote Friday could affect coverage and costs for nearly 750,000 members.
Missouri governor signs bills creating armed school ‘rangers,’ high school sports appeals board
Missouri schools will be able to hire a new class of armed guards, and high school athletes will get a state-run avenue to appeal some eligibility and competition decisions under two bills signed Thursday by Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Hegseth pushes for action after sailors appear to flout his beard policy
As the US-Iran war risked reigniting in recent weeks, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded a Navy ship for what was supposed to be a routine visit with sailors.
The Young Star vs. The Old Guard: What To Know For Spain vs. Belgium
What to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal match between Spain and Belgium.
SSM Health challenging recent union election at St. Mary's hospital in Madison
Ahead of the vote, the health system challenged the eligibility of the hospital’s charge nurses to vote in the election. And after the vote, SSM filed objections to the conduct of the election with the National Labor Relations Board.
Filipina aquaculture scientist Dr. Janice Ragaza appointed to leading animal science journals
Dr. Janice Ragaza is one of the first Filipinas to serve on the editorial boards of several globally-recognized academic journals.
Anthropic’s new Claude feature is quietly selling you on AI
Claude’s new Reflect dashboard doesn’t just visualize how you use AI. It also subtly reinforces how much of your daily work now depends on Anthropic’s chatbot.
Vendors, food and entertainment return for 53 Art in the Park
West Lincoln Part will come to life this weekend with live music, tasty delights, a beer tent and 153 vendors selling handmade goods and arts from across the region. The ironic event is celebrating its...
Seth Green Joins Global Gaming League as GGL Primes Launches
Actor and producer Seth Green has joined the advisory board for rising esports entertainment company, Global Gaming League (GGL).
How to Turn Your Phone Into a Personal Health Dashboard
Free apps from Google, Samsung and Apple can help you track your diet, exercise and well-being — and provide vital information during emergencies.
How to Turn Your Phone Into a Personal Health Dashboard
Free apps from Google, Samsung and Apple can help you track your diet, exercise and well-being — and provide vital information during emergencies.
Prologis Pushes for Talks on $16.9 Billion Segro Bid
Prologis said it remained ready to engage with Segro and urged the company’s shareholders to encourage their board to enter into talks.
French Quarter businesses prepare for court intervention over Decatur Street construction
French Quarter businesses have filed an injunction against the Sewerage and Water Board, citing prolonged construction on Decatur Street as the cause of financial losses and closures.
Delta rolls out cheaper first-class, business fares with fewer perks: 'More ways to choose'
The fares include the same onboard premium experience but with added restrictions.
LA County Public Health confirms another case of measles
LA County Public Health said the traveler arrived in Southern California on July 3, 2026, aboard British Airways Flight 281, which landed at LAX. The person walked through Terminal B, Gate 155.
LA County health officials warn of possible measles exposure at LAX, on shuttle
County public health officials said a traveler with measles may have exposed people to the virus at LAX and aboard a rental car shuttle last week.
Business owners say prolonged Decatur Street construction has cost them millions
Several French Quarter business owners have filed a lawsuit against the Sewerage and Water Board, saying nine months of construction along Decatur Street has driven away customers and pushed their businesses toward closure.
Downtown Bend Business Association leader resigns
Rachel O’Rourke, the leader of a prominent downtown Bend business group, announced plans this month to step away from her role amid a period of major upheaval for the organization. Days before the resignation went public, the Downtown Bend Business Association also announced it would redo the process for a recent board of directors election. The turmoil comes after discussions over the prospect of paid parking were met with fierce pushback from […]
Persona 4 Revival Producer Confirms Some Noteworthy Character Changes Are Coming
Or: Yosuke's less of a jerk now, probably
New Hanover County commissioners to vote on housing, business park, crematorium zoning
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners will meet to vote on a $4 million workforce housing commitment, a construction contract for a new business park, and a zoning change for standalone crematoriums.
Judges deny request to return Trump's name to Kennedy Center pending an appeal
A three-judge panel on Wednesday denied a request from the Kennedy Center's board to restore President Donald Trump's name to the institution while the board appeals an earlier ruling that dubbed the name change illegal and had it rescinded.
Acquisition of Caesars takes a step forward as Fertitta Entertainment execs approved
Two leaders of Tilman Fertitta’s company received unanimous approvals from Nevada regulators on Wednesday, a step forward in acquiring Caesars Entertainment in a nearly $18 billion transactio…
Crew Works Health Checks, CubeSat Maintenance, and Soyuz Seat Checks
Health checks and CubeSat hardware maintenance were the prime research objectives aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday. The Expedition 74 crew members also stowed spacewalking gear, transferred cargo, and checked seats in a Soyuz spacecraft.
Biggest Music Business Stories of 2026 So Far: Analysis
The biggest music business stories of 2026 so far are analyzed by Billboard staff, from major mergers and acquisitions to AI's effect on the industry.
Greenland is being swarmed by autonomous drones and underwater robots as scientists race to answer one question: How close is Earth to a climate tipping point?
Self-driving drones, robotic boats, and underwater vessels will be sent to Greenland to find the answer to one of the most important questions in the realm of climate science: how far are we from crossing the climate tipping point on our planet? In this expedition, scientists hope to collect data from some of the world's most difficult glaciers, improve sea-level projections and assess whether major ocean circulation systems are changing irreversibly.
West Nile virus detected in mosquitos trapped in Fulton County neighborhood, health board reports
Mosquitos trapped in an area of Fulton County have tested positive for West Nile virus, the county's board of health reports.
Fathom Entertainment Names Jason Brenek as CEO
Jason Brenek has been named as Fathom Entertainment’s new CEO following the previously announced retirement of Ray Nutt. Speaking on behalf of the Fathom Entertainment Board of Directors, Adam Rymer, ...
Watchdog calls for feds to investigate St. Louis County health director
The Holy Joe Society asserts that county health Director Dr. Kanika Cunningham has interfered in the board's operations, and is usurping the board's authority.
Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe
Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”
Another Planet Entertainment Contract Extension Before Board of Supes
A resolution to extend APE’s contract with the Recreation & Parks Department for three more years, with an option of extending it out further to 2035, was approved by the Budget and Appropriat…
North Charleston businesses board up after pellet gun vandalism hits shopping center
Williamson Health leaders say $950M Ascension St. Thomas sale will fuel hospital growth in the county
Williamson Health's board recommends a $950M sale to Ascension St. Thomas, pending Williamson County commission approval.
Mike Beck appointed to California Ocean Science Trust's board of trustees
State Secretary for Natural Resources named Beck and Cal Poly Humboldt's Eric Riggs to serve on the unique science-policy bridging organization's board, citing their distinguished leadership and deep expertise in coastal climate resilience and marine STEM education.
LPS board hears plan to modernize school playgrounds and sports facilities
Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) has unveiled a plan to transform outdoor spaces as well as district athletic and activity facilities at multiple schools across the city.
Dr. Mia Shim of Seattle named new county health officer
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today appointed Mia Shim, MD, MPH, as Sonoma County’s new health officer, replacing Dr. Michael Stacey, who has held this role on an interim basis since last November. Dr. Shim’s appointment becomes effective tomorrow.
Brigham and Women’s nurses make history with largest health care professional strike in Mass.
Over 4,000 unionized nurses and home care professionals are set to strike July 8, due to unsuccessful pay and benefits negotiations with the hospital's board of directors.
Jennifer Hudson & Patti LaBelle Lead MLB All-Star Game Entertainment
Jennifer Hudson, Patti LaBelle and Boyz II Men will lead the 2026 MLB All-Star Game's pre-game entertainment.
UCLA scientists bring real-world experiences — and pop culture
Broad Stem Cell Research Center researchers use Pokémon, LeBron James to help science click for high school students.
Xbox Game Pass reportedly boasts around 30m subscribers
That is well below the 77m user target that Microsoft apparently had for the subscription service for 2026
151 newly tenured faculty and two Regents Professors named
In June, the Board of Regents approved the appointments for faculty systemwide.
2027 Health Care Plan Update
Greg McLaughlin, director of Health Care Services, discusses recent board-approved changes to 2027 premiums for the STRS Ohio Health Care Program.
Williamson Health board approves sale to Ascension
FRANKLIN — Williamson Health's Board of Trustees voted Monday unanimously to sell the community-owned hospital system to Ascension Saint Thomas in a deal valued at $700 million.
Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority examines operational costs
WHEELING — The Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority board is looking to pump the brakes on growing operational expenses. Members of the GWSEA board met recently for their last meeting until the end of August, as the board traditionally does not hold a regular monthly meeting at the end of July. Officials discussed operating […]
HP OmniBook X Flip 14 review: Flexible performance with AMD Zen 5
The new OmniBook X Flip 14 is even more impressive than the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 with more CPU performance, more ports, and a revised keyboard and look. However, most SKUs are limited to just a 60 Hz touchscreen despite the ~$1500 asking price.
Williamson Health board unanimously approves hospital sale to Ascension
Williamson Health will no longer operate as an independent, community-owned hospital following a vote by the hospital system’s board on Monday.
About 2K pounds of copper stolen from Boardman business: Report
Police are investigating the reported theft of about 2,000 pounds of copper banding that was stolen from a Boardman business.
Fed's Waller says forward guidance 'more art than science'
Federal Reserve Board Gov. Christopher Waller says he is OK with dialing down the amount of communication issued by the central bank's monetary policy committee, but doesn't want the central bank to throw out the baby with the bathwater.
YouTuber Builds 25-Foot Rideable RC Battleship for $400, and It Shoots Fireworks
When most gearheads and DIYers get the itch to hit the water, they look into buying a used jet ski, a small john boat, or maybe a kayak. But YouTube creator Julius Perdana had a slightly different vision. He wanted…
How this Olympic snowboarder is building a business career
Inside the budding business mind of a young Olympic medalist.
‘They had hyped us up so much’: Seattle businesses near World Cup stadium report declining sales
The city’s tourism board estimated 750,000 visitors would visit over the course of the World Cup
Union County Announces Return of Sensory-Friendly Summer Camp at Trailside Nature & Science Center
The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to open registration for the 2026 Sensory Friendly Summer Camp at Trailside Nature and Science Center – 452 New Providence Road in Mountain…
This extreme ski competition could be coming to Utah’s 2034 Olympics
An extreme skiing and snowboarding event is vying to become the newest Winter Olympic sport. If Utah 2034 brings in freeride, will it have to be held in the Cottonwood Canyons?
Oscar Health's Mark Bertolini on making 'healthcare work for all'
A former CEO of Aetna and Bridgewater (and current chairman of the board of Verizon) brings his leadership philosophy to a challenger brand.
Scotty James & Nigel Sylvester: the big business of extreme sports
Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi chats with professional snowboarder and Olympic silver medalist Scotty James and professional BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester about the evolution of their extreme sports and how it's driving big business for their brands.
Prison health care lacks oversight, despite dedicated DE review board
A report analyzing the work of a state board tasked with monitoring the quality of health care in state prisons concluded the board isn't working.
Trump posts a doctored photo of the Obamas and Air Force One with graffiti spray-painted on plane
President Donald Trump has posted a falsified image of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama boarding Air Force One covered with graffiti | News-Talk 1380 WAOK
Trump posts a doctored photo of the Obamas and Air Force One with graffiti spray-painted on plane
President Donald Trump has posted a falsified image of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama boarding Air Force One covered with graffiti | WWJ Newsradio 950
Neymar breaks down in tears after likely final World Cup game as Norway eliminates Brazil
Crimson Desert Update 1.13.00 is live
There are also dozens of new pieces of equipment for Kilff and Oongka obtainable through quests, achievements, shops, and "other sources".
GentleBrook to operate mobile Snapology franchise
GentleBrook has entered a franchise agreement with Unleased Brands to launch a mobile, Snapology-branded education program.
The strangest show on earth: lightning, imperial hubris and a boring tour of Trump’s rhetorical back alleys
Would we get a 21st-century Gettysburg address? Or YMCA, gripes about his legal woes and boasting about Iran?
Overnight News Digest: Star Spangled Science Saturday, 7/4/26
Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, JeremyBloom…
Patrick Ewing reportedly joining Wizards' staff as assistant, with Steve Clifford coming aboard as coaching adviser
Patrick Ewing reportedly joining Wizards' staff as assistant, with Steve Clifford coming aboard as coaching advisor
Flatbush Zombies’ Erick the Architect misses his BlackBerry keyboard
Fresh off a surprise appearance rapping about apps at WWDC.
Aroldis Chapman breaks MLall-time strikeout record among relievers
The Red Sox closer broke a tie with Hoyt Wilhelm for the top of the career leaderboard.
Aroldis Chapman breaks MLB all-time strikeout record among relievers
The Red Sox closer broke a tie with Hoyt Wilhelm for the top of the career leaderboard.
East Texas business leader discusses key success factors on local, national levels
Tonight, we’re joined by an East Texas leader whose work has taken him from local business circles to guiding executives, boards, and organizations across the country.
New Pentagon office will oversee majority of drones
From small one-way attack drones to drone boats and ground robots, the new office will have vast authority over the future of uncrewed programs.
Providing Outdoor Science Education
Science Kids was one of 15 nonprofits that received funding from the Sheridan-Johnson Counties Local Board of the Wyoming Community Foundation as part of their spring competitive grant cycle. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has more. Science Kids in Sheridan started in 2009. The nonprofit provides outdoor, hands-on science education and summertime classes for youth ages […]
NYC Board of Elections to certify primary results
During a manual recount, each campaign will make its case for votes cast in its favor.
VivoPower Reinforces Focus on AI Data Center Business and Provides Update on Non-Core Businesses
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VivoPower PLC (NASDAQ: VIVO) (“VivoPower” or the “Company”), a B Corp-certified global developer and owner of powered land and data center infrastructure for AI compute applications, today provides the following update in respect of its strategic direction and the previously announced separation initiatives relating to its subsidiaries Tembo e-LV B.V. (“Tembo”) and Caret Digital (“Caret Digital”). Following a strategic review, the Board o
Coleman: Walz pardon of child rapist puts politics over public safety
Senate Republican Assistant Leader Julia Coleman (Waconia) denounced the actions of the Minnesota Pardon Board, including Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, for pardoning illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes to help them avoid deportation. The pardons were made to men convicted of criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated robbery, and...
Blake Duncan & Scott Hendricks Launch TAYCAN Entertainment
Blake Duncan and Scott Hendricks launch TAYCAN Entertainment, ROAM's new hire brings his roster which includes Angine de Poitrine and more music hires.
Colorado governor fires board members who criticized release of election denier
Gov. Jared Polis (D) said clemency deliberations should be confidential.
Intel Expected To Restart Supply Of 10th, 12th, 13th, And 14th Gen Processors In Mainland China
Intel will reportedly focus more on the previous-gen processors to fulfill the current demand in the PC market. Intel is Reportedly Restarting Supply of Last Four Generation of Processors as Motherboard Vendors Ramp Up DDR4 Platform Production Roughly a month ago, we reported that some vendors are now restarting the production of DDR4 platforms, i.e., DDR4-compatible motherboards. This is to ensure the market gets DDR4 motherboards in sufficient quantity, as expensive DDR5 memory has made it unfeasible to build DDR5 systems on a budget. More reports are surfacing confirming the same report, and Intel appears to have prepared accordingly. Related […]
Silicon Valley-Themed 'Breaking The Code' Boarded By Two Sales Reps.
The Silicon Valley-themed 'Breaking the Code,' about pioneering Indian entrepreneur Kanwal Rekhi, has been boarded by two international sales agents.
Mia Sara calls this former costar 'a dreamboat of a man'
Mia Sara called her 'Life of Chuck' costar Mark Hamill 'a dreamboat of a man' in a rare podcast interview.
Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton rank sixth in CBS Sports’ dynamic duo wide receiver ranking
Will 2026 be the year that the Denver Broncos once against boast two 1,000-yard wide receivers?
Colorado governor fires two clemency board members who spoke out about Tina Peters’ commutation
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday fired two members of the state’s clemency board after they spoke out against his controversial decision to grant clemency to Tina Peters – an election denier whose sentence was cut in half by the outgoing Democratic governor in May.
Politics in the Park: Natrona County commissioner candidates talk taxes, energy, responsibilities
CASPER, Wyo. — Nine Republican candidates for the Natrona County Board of County Commissioners outlined their visions Wednesday for property taxes, energy
ESPN hates the Rams’ offseason
Sean McVay’s bullet board material for Rams players starts with a “C+”
British Business Bank bolsters board with four new directors
The British Business Bank has appointed four new non-executive directors across its boards, effective July 1, as chair Stephen Welton CBE is confirmed for a second three-year term
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
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