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Drew Rasmussen dominates Guardians in Game 5 to move Rays win away from World Series
Drew Rasmussen allowed one run over seven innings for his second postseason win, Tampa Bay’s offense kept on constant pressure and the Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians
Halloween crafts among upcoming Jervis Library activities
Jervis Public Library in Rome has announced its upcoming activities for the week of Oct. 19, including Halloween crafts on Thursday, Oct. 22.
The Waltham Public Library this week: Spooky Science
Curated by Amber Harvey, reference librarian Drop in for some super fun, super cool and super spooky hands-on STEM activities. Recommended for ages 5 and
Halloween comes alive at Senior Care Health and Rehab
With Halloween two weeks away, Senior Care Health and Rehab is hosting a Trunk or Treat on Monday, Oct. 19, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at 910 Midwestern Pkwy.
Biketoberfest brings crowds to Daytona Beach, but not all businesses see a boost
Biketoberfest was expected to bring up to 125,000 people to Daytona Beach over four days, but one local restaurant owner says the motorcycle event slowed down his business as regular customers stayed away.
Epic Games shifts to automation-first development: Tim Sweeney sees a “golden age of gaming”
Epic Games is moving teams toward automation-first development. Tim Sweeney says generative tools could speed up production, lower costs, and open wha
Streaming’s Biggest Show Returns…and a Buzzy Genre Struggles
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Obviously, the big news of the week (if not month) is Netflix letting go of executive Bela Bajaria, their chief content officer. I’m going to cover this in my next “Most Important Story of the Week”, but I also have a data angle that I might publish before then. (Too much news this month, am I right?) But first, I have a bonus Streaming Ratings Report issue for you. Today’s article is a bit of a grab bag of topics I’ve wanted to write about, but couldn’t squeeze into the (already very long) Streaming Ratings Report issues. The NFL drives huge viewership numbers, so I’ve got a look at that. A whole bunch of TV shows returned to the traditional broadcast channels, and I have thoughts. And I have a quick look at adult animated shows, since a couple flopped earlier this month. Plus, the Emmys aired earlier this month, and we got some fun data bout how popular those nominated shows are and why I’m not optimistic about the show’s future. That’s a lot, so let’s dive right in. Subscribe Sports - Football Remains the King of Streaming Over the last two Streaming Ratings Reports, I sorta ignored the biggest “show” each week. (I was tempted to say “piece of content” but I know that word bugs folks.) In my database, I call these “specials”, and they sure are special. I speak of the king of American TV: football!!! Streaming football is back and, unlike some other sports, it routinely dominates all viewership. Probably the best way to show this is to update one of my favorite graphics, the “40 Million Hour Club”1 since football games have joined that club each week they’ve premiered: (Yep, that’s the data through 28-Sep, the first four weeks of the season. As a reminder, I take the average minute audience provided by Nielsen, factor out a percentage of linear TV viewers in home markets, and multiply the run time by the three-hour runtime.) Again, the numbers are huge. Let’s start with Netflix. They grabbed the rights to the bonus opening week NFL Kickoff game (which was on YouTube last year) and it put up 18.5 million viewers on average. That nets out to 47.4 million hours of estimated streaming hours. That’s good! Though, notably, it’s well below Christmas Day games from previous years. Compared to other streamers/broadcasters, that’s a bit of a mixed result. On one hand, Netflix’s 18.5 million average is about what YouTube claimed last year, though Nielsen used a bespoke methodology at that time, so I trust this viewership figure more. So that’s good. (The game also shifted from a Friday to a Thursday and that could have helped the viewership as well.) And Netflix continues to best Prime Video in total viewership—as you’ll see next—though Netflix has had much higher-profile (opening week and Christmas Day) games. NBC/Peacock’s opening game the night before averaged 25.1 million average viewers, which is just much bigger than Netflix (or Prime Video). That’s the big caveat to all streaming viewership records: even in success, they can’t compete with traditional linear TV. Previously, I called this my “hierarchy of viewership”, and the data keeps supporting that thesis. The downside for NBC is that this game’s viewership was down compared to previous years, though it may be a counting issue. Here’s a great chart from Sports Media Watch: Indeed, looking at all the opening week games across all windows, Netflix still lags the other primetime windows, but does well compared to the afternoon games: I saw a few folks make the case that streamers still lag traditional broadcasters in reach, and I’d add they really lag compared to “broadcast plus streaming” options like NBC/Peacock, ESPN/Disney+ and CBS/Paramount+. The best data I saw for this came from Samba TV, who charted reach through the 2025 season, and, wow. (Samba TV’s numbers are historically lower than Nielsen’s, so don’t compare their household figures to Nielsen’s hours, but use them as a proxy for the relative reach of the streamers.) The good news is Prime Video is NOT having a down year. Their opening Thursday Night Football game reached 18.6 million viewers (about what Netflix got), but that’s a high for Prime Video on Thursdays and the biggest Thursday night game since 2015. The TNF games the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep continued this streak, getting 43.1 (16.8 million average viewers) and 42.5 total hours (16.6 million average viewers), which were both up from last year. Still, that continues the (typical) season slide: (For those new-to-streaming-football-numbers folks, the viewership declines for Thursday Night Football as the year goes along.) Overall, it appears as if Prime Video is now part of the “football habit”, be it for customers at home or out at places like bars and restaurants. And its viewership is slowly catching up to broadcast. One last chart shows this. Last season, Nielsen started adding out-of-home viewership to the charts, so I try not to do season-to-season comparisons as I did for the first few years. And while Nielsen added Big Data viewing this year, I’m going to compare the last two seasons. Here’s that chart, which shows the season-over-season gains: When it comes to streaming football, we have to keep a few seemingly contradictory thoughts in our head… First, streaming doesn’t come close to matching broadcast’s reach and, thus, viewership. Second, even with that gap, football is still the biggest “thing” on streaming. It’s very, very popular. Third, while some methodology changes have likely helped Prime Video’s numbers, their viewership does appear to be growing. Lastly, yeah, the NFL started the season off poorly, with week one dragging down the numbers in year-over-year comparisons. However—and again, methodology changes may have helped this—the viewership grew compared to previous seasons over the next couple of weeks. So football is still king. On streaming and off. Television - Adult Animation Continues to NOT Make the Streaming Charts In the last two reports, two adult-animated shows whiffed: Netflix’s animated comedy, Dang! Paramount+’s Sega-video-game-inspired fantasy/comedy, Golden Axe. Neither made the charts, but that’s usually the case for animated shows. I mean, here’s literally every animated show that’s made the Nielsen Original charts since the start of 2025: And one of those shows is G_abby’s Dollhouse_! A kids show! The problem with charts like this is that they don’t give you a sense of how many shows miss the charts. Netflix had at least eleven animated flops, including comedies like Big Mouth (a show everyone assumed was popular in the pre-Streaming Ratings Era), Long Story Short, Haunted Hotel, Mating Season, Strip Law, and Alley Cats, and action shows like Blood of Zeus, Castlevania: Nocturne, Devil May Cry, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Prime Video had at least six animated misses, two in the same universe (Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss), three more comedies (#1 Happy Family USA, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy and Kevin) and an action show (The Mighty Nein). Disney+ had MCU and Star Wars animated misses (Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, Star Wars: Visions, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, and Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld) but I can’t tell how many of those shows were geared towards adults. HBO Max had Harley Quinn and Hulu had Solar Opposites. None of these shows made the charts! That’s a lot of misses! If I remade the chart with all those misses, here’s how it would look: Listen, I know the counter arguments. First, it’s cheaper to produce animated shows than live action. Fair enough, but with viewership this low, even that cheaper price point starts to not matter. Second, just look at the acquired charts. Hit animated comedies can generate viewership for years! Shows like The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers do really, really well. Fair enough, but streaming has failed to recreate the dynamic that Fox has mastered so well. That’s a problem for streaming still. Television - Emmys! The annual Emmys broadcast was a few weeks ago, and I’ve got data on how the nominees performed on streaming, plus hot takes on this year’s viewership (and the big news about the broadcast’s, er, streamcast’s future). We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The top Emmy-nominated shows… ...why I’m worried about the future of the Emmys telecast... ...the pros of broadcast television ...and the cons... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue (since the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep were so light), but then I’ll be all caught up after a deluge of streaming ratings data from Nielsen in September. In the meantime, I’m going to try to take a look at Netflix’s stats to explain why Bela Bajaria is out. But even light weeks give me plenty to talk about. The Great British Baking Show returns to Netflix and Apple TV has a buzzy new star-studded comedy. And Netflix has a controversial-but-appears-to-be-popular new game show. Plus big films like Toy Story 5, Backrooms and The Breadwinner head to streaming. And is East of Eden a hit? After that, The Kardashians return to Hulu, Prime Video has a reboot of Carrie, and Netflix has a horror show, Below. Disclosure Day heads to Peacock, The Housemaid heads to HBO Max_,_ a new Ben Affleck film, Animals, lands on Netflix, and Apple TV has a new John Cena action film based on, checks notes, Hasbro’s Matchbox toys. Okay. Longterm, some interesting TV production news. HBO Max ordered How to Survive Without Me, starring Kaley Cuoco, Joshua Jackson, Ray Romano and Rita Wilson, for fifteen episodes! I love that some streamers (or, at least, HBO Max) are finally ordering TV shows with more than eight episodes. In less wise production news, Landman does not appear to be coming back this year, since it just started production. Frankly, I don’t love this (get your shows out on time) but Landman is so popular, I doubt it matters.
‘This is disgusting’: Nebraska’s independent Senate candidate rips dark money in politics
Democrats are hoping to whittle away at the Republican Senate majority in unexpectedly vulnerable red states like Nebraska. Incumbent Senator Pete Ricketts, a multimillionaire former governor, is defending his seat against independent challenger Dan Osborn, a Navy veteran and industrial mechanic. Osborn says he wants Congress to take back its power, end the war in Iran, lower fuel costs, so we “can worry about little league and bake sales.”
Fair Value Cut Raises Fresh Questions For Flutter Entertainment Stock (FLUT)
Flutter Entertainment has recently seen analyst fair value estimates marked lower following repeated guidance resets and ongoing regulatory pressures across key betting markets. The split between confidence in FanDuel’s customer momentum and concern over heavier promotions and regulation highlights growing uncertainty around Flutter Entertainment’s near term profitability profile. We will now look at how this more cautious tone on regulation and costs could reshape Flutter Entertainment’s...
Grab Apple's 2026 Mac Studio for $2,299, now $200 off
The lowest online Mac Studio price on the 2026 line is available at Amazon, with a $200 discount on the standard model.
Hundreds of Families Turn Out for Celebrate Science Indiana Festival
The October 10th event allowed children and parents the opportunity to conduct science experiments, learn about robotics, and more. The 15th annual Celebrate Science Indiana Festival brought together ...
Hundreds of Families Turn Out for Celebrate Science Indiana Festival
The October 10th event allowed children and parents the opportunity to conduct science experiments, learn about robotics, and more. The 15th annual Celebrate Science Indiana Festival brought together thousands of students, families, educators, and science enthusiasts to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for a day of hands-on learning and exploration. Organized by the Science Education Foundation […]
13th Floor Entertainment brings spooky fun to Denver area for Halloween season
Scientists Solve a Quantum Mystery Hidden Inside Crystals
Tiny flaws in crystals could become building blocks for quantum sensors, and scientists can now better predict how these imperfections lose energy. A laser can excite electrons at a tiny flaw in diamond or silicon carbide, but the energy does not always return as light. As the defect relaxes toward its lowest-energy, or ground, state,
PS6 Memory Components Alone Could Cost More Than $700
The speculated price tags on the next generation of consoles already has fans sweating as the AI-driven crunch shows no end in sight
‘The Field Is Atrocious,’ ‘Risking Players’ Health’ — Super Bowl Champion, NFL Fans Rip Playing Surface in London for Jaguars-Texans Game
The NFL’s 2026 international series has gotten off to a solid start, with games in Australia and Brazil followed by two matchups in London. Now, the fifth international game of the season, and third in London, features the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium in Week 6.
Can You Get Actually Swallowed By A Whale? Here's The Real Science Behind 'Whalefall'
'Whalefall' is a whale of a tale, but poor Austin Abrams might be a little luckier in reality.
Allison Williams Says There Is ‘a Science’ to Buying a Kids’ Halloween Costume as a Parent (Exclusive)
The actress shares a 4-year-old son, Arlo, with husband Alexander Dreymon
MGM+'s 'From' will debut on Netflix ahead of Halloween. How to watch
This Halloween-worthy binge hits the spooky checklist: monsters, mystery, and jaw-dropping moments.
My family of 5 moved from a small town to a big city; pros, cons
My family moved from a small country town to a city. I love the opportunities here, but miss a slower pace of life.
2 Cups of Orange Juice a Day May Help Lower Blood Pressure, Study Shows
Orange juice may influence genes that help lower blood pressure, but whole fruit offers more heart-healthy benefits.
Lower GLP-1 costs are here. Mochi cuts prices and adds lab testing
Mochi Health lowers costs for compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide while adding new blood testing services.
Lowell Bicentennial: Caring for Lowell
Many important organizations in Greater Lowell make the region a better place to live. Among them, the Lowell Community Health Center is perhaps the most significant.
Three upcoming shows offer variety at Stanley Theatre
UTICA — From the music of Phil Collins to a popular television game show and a Halloween-themed circus, The Stanley Theatre has a variety of entertainment lined up.
TV Tinsel: Television dresses up for Halloween
It’s that time of year when witches wax their broomsticks, monsters slither out from under beds, and goblins gather at midnight for a séance. Television is doing its best to
A Childhood Experience May Lower Mental Health Risk By 11%, New Research Finds
Small moments of support in childhood may have benefits that last into adulthood.
Springfield barbecue spot re-opens for business after fire
This week in 417 foodie news, a barbecue spot returns, a food truck goes up for sale and a speakeasy gets in the Halloween spirit. Plus, 7 Brew expands to another Ozarks town.
Children learn about nuclear science as they trick-or-treat through Fall Fission Fest
AIKEN — Children dressed in Halloween costumes filled a downtown parkway Oct. 17, learning about nuclear science and even wielding Geiger counters at the SRS Heritage Foundation’s fourth Fall Fission ...
Inside a reality show-style incubator for startup founders
A group of startup founders went to eastern Pennsylvania for a lesson in company building. They left with more followers.
A conversation with comedian Ali Siddiq
The standup comedian will perform at Clowes Memorial Hall on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Scientists discover the universe’s first known green star
Forget about spooky green zombies shuffling around on Halloween. The real sci-fi magic is happening hundreds of light-years away in deep space. Stellar scientists have just identified the universe’s very first known green star, proving that the cosmos is a whole lot more colorful than anyone previously imagined. Breaking the cosmic color rules For generations, […] Read the original article here: Scientists discover the universe’s first known green star
Old Forge Library offers free Halloween activity bags for children
Old Forge Library offers free Halloween Grab N' Go craft bags for children ages 4-11, plus a Halloween party and trick-or-treating activities.
Haunted attraction in Kathleen adds mental health mission, with part of sales donated
As Halloween shadows lengthen across Middle Georgia, a haunted attraction in Kathleen is aiming for more than screams, turning fright into support for mental he
Pokémon Pokopia Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises Halloween Event Guide, From Pumpkin Candy To Gourgeist
Treat yourself to two Ghost-types this Halloween
Iconic musician gives health update, reveals he’s not allowed to drive
The 77-year-old singer has a neurological condition that affects his balance and other functions.
Trump's Diesel Deal With Russia Won't Lower Gas Prices for Americans
Donald Trump's diesel deal with Russia is a big favor to Vladimir Putin, but it won't lower prices for Americans ahead of the midterm elections.
Pokémon Pokopia Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises Halloween event
How to get Pumpkin Candy and Pumpkaboo's habitat during Pokémon Pokopia's Halloween event, Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises.
Global survey links financial hardship to lower trust in science
Poor access to health care, limited local influence over research priorities and an unequal distribution of scientific benefits are undermining public confidence in science, experts warn, following the ...
Walmart says higher fuel costs will offset tariff refund benefit
Walmart previously said it wanted to plow tariff refunds into lowering prices, but now the company says higher fuel costs will erase that benefit.
Where to find the best Halloween displays and treats in Knoxville
The ghosts and goblins are out! Here are neighborhoods in Knoxville to visit for a few thrills and treats on or even before Halloween night.
Healthcare costs top survey of Americans’ biggest economic concerns, followed by gasoline, food, utilities
The cost of healthcare is the top economic issue for voters, according to a recent national survey, as politicians in Arkansas and across the U.S. prepare to make their final pitches ahead of the November midterm elections.
Boo! Insider's guide to Halloween in Haywood
Halloween season is here and Haywood County is getting into the spooky spirit. From trick-or-treating and costume parties to haunted happenings and family-friendly fun, there will be plenty of ways
Clients, employees left hanging as NH wedding photography business files for bankruptcy
Kasey Fedorchuk and her fiancé Joshua Logan are set to tie the knot on Halloween, but just weeks before the couple will say, "I do," an unexpected email hit their inbox.
Frontier, fuboTV, E.W. Scripps, Sphere Entertainment, and AMC Entertainment Stocks Trade Down, What You Need To Know
A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after The LSEG/Ipsos Primary Consumer Sentiment Index fell 5.3 points from September to 45.2 in October 2026, the lowest reading since October 2011. According to LSEG, the survey was taken from Sept. 25 through Oct. 1. The monthly drop was the second-largest on record, behind only April 2020. The index is now below its May 2020 pandemic low of 45.4 and is 7.7 points under its level of a year ago.That kind of break in confidence hits the companies
A Look at the Computer Science Degree in 2026
In 2018, a student published an article in this paper titled “YC’s Computer Science Major is on the Rise.” His piece proved prescient for the next four years, as enrollment in Intro to Computer Science continued to increase, indicating a growing interest in the field. Enrollment in this introductory course in Yeshiva College reached an […]
Bucs’ Josiah Trotter questionable for Steelers game with knee injury
Bucs rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter was limited in practice Friday with a knee injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Steelers. Trotter ranks first on the club in tackles (41) and passer rating allowed (66.
Katie Zacharia is out after 5 days as White House press secretary
Zacharia had gotten off to a bumpy start with her first and final press briefing, followed by an onslaught of headlines about whether she had misrepresented herself as a lawyer.
Vegas Has the Pistons 10 Wins Below Last Season’s 60
The Pistons won 60 games last season, and Vegas set their new win total 10-plus games lower. #Pistons
Red Bull New York Debuts New, Lower Prices on Fan Favorites at Sports Illustrated Stadium
Matchday just got better. Red Bull New York are always looking for ways to improve the experience at Sports Illustrated Stadium, and fan input is a big part of that. The latest step: lower prices on six fan-favorites, starting with the Saturday, October 17 match vs. Toronto FC. Crispy Fries
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
Fort Smith Regional Airport traffic down 5.4% through September
Traffic out of the Fort Smith Regional Airport fell more than 20% in September, which followed a 12.5% decline in August. The declines result from fewer departures out of the...
“9-1-1: Nashville” pays tribute to Chad Lowe’s daughter after her death at 13
Lowe is an executive producer and director on the show, which honored his late daughter, Fiona, following the season 2 premiere.
To the editor: The taint of corporate involvement in politics and government
hen we hear Republican candidates earnestly talking about reducing regulations, cutting government programs and lowering taxes to help ordinary Americans, we need to recognize the distinction between tactics and strategy. These proposals are tactics. The broader strategy behind them is to drastically reduce the role of government in our lives. We have watched this strategy
Windows 11 Is Finally Becoming the OS It Should Have Been From the Start
Microsoft is completely redesigning parts of its OS so it doesn't hog all the resources of lower-end PCs with 8GB of RAM.
‘Thriller’ flash mob, Spooky Mad Science Expo take over Alexandria this weekend
Halloween festivities are starting to ramp up in Alexandria as October continues on. This weekend, the "Thriller" Zombie Flash Mob descends upon Old Town, retailers will host the new Sticker Treat sticker crawl, and the Spooky Mad Science Expo returns for an 11th year at Patrick Henry Recreation Center. The Ethiopian Fall Festival has also
Pirates Should Make Brandon Lowe Decision as Early as Possible
This would change the plans of many teams.
Amendment 87 will actually lower costs for many Colorado small businesses (Opinion)
As someone who chats regularly with small business owners, I hear one consistent concern: everything is too expensive.
Sports quiz of the week: love, songs, speedy skating and celebrations
Have you followed the big stories in football, rugby, tennis, boxing, basketball, skateboarding, F1 and the NFL?
White House Ordered Limits on Starshield Service for Ukraine
Leaders at the Defense Department received a message that the SpaceX Starshield service for the Ukrainian military needed to be slowed.
‘I’m Not Allowed to Drive’: Billy Joel Shares Health Update as He Prepares to Sell Vintage Motorcycles
The singer was diagnosed with a brain disorder and stepped away from live performances last year
Billy Joel Says 'I'm Not Allowed to Drive' Before He Sells Motorcycles
Billy Joel shares an update about his health and says that at the moment, he's not allowed to drive.
AI study of 101,000 patients links brown fat to heart and mental health
In a retrospective analysis of PET-CT records from 101,243 patients, researchers found that detectable brown fat was associated with lower prevalence of cardiometabolic and psychiatric conditions, while greater activity, particularly in the axillary region, was linked to more favourable metabolic outcomes. Medication screening identified losartan, which increased brown fat thermogenic activity in laboratory experiments and energy expenditure in mice, although its effects on human brown fat remain unproven.
J.B. Hunt third-quarter earnings rise narrowly, revenue up 20%
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., a Lowell-based transportation services company, posted gains in earnings and revenue in the third quarter of 2026 as freight demand and costs rise. After markets...
Halloween festivities drive Denton business sales
Denton businesses and city officials report a major economic boost from the annual Halloween celebrations and Denton's Day of the Dead Festival.
Healthy lifestyle choices may help lower breast cancer risk
The American Cancer Society estimates that 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease, underscoring the importance of understanding risk factors beyond genetics.
Billy Joel Shares Health Update as He Prepares to Auction Off His Beloved Motorcycle Collection: ‘I’m Not Allowed to Drive’
Further, "The neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion," Joel shared in a new interview.
UW-River Falls to offer Halloween carnival and “Haunted Lab” science demonstrations Oct. 20
RIVER FALLS – Two special Halloween-themed events are planned at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Tuesday, Oct. 20, including a Halloween carnival and “Haunted Labs” science …
Laredo Health Promotores hosts third annual Halloween Health Fair
The Laredo Health Promotores will host its third annual Halloween Health Fair at El Eden Park on Oct. 17 from 4 to 7 p.m.
IP Saves the Day On Streaming
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get started, I wanted to highlight a new idea I saw from Real Good AI, proposing a ratings system for AI use. (H/T to Anthony Kaufman’s article highlighting this.) It would look something like this: In general, I think that this is a solid, middle-ground solution that should appease both the pro-AI camp (who love AI) and the anti-AI camp (who wants to know if what they’re watching didn’t come from humans). Regardless of your feelings on AI/LLMs—I’ll never use it for my writing—transparency is often the best solution to many problems. In general, I think way more media outlets need to be using way more AI disclosures. My quick “Yes and...” to this idea: what about ads? In particular, I hate it when I see or hear ads that are obviously AI-generated, but a person or voice says, “I used this product”. AI doesn’t use products! Just today, I watched a YouTube ad where a “person” said they use some sort of rain wind chime...but that’s not a real person! They didn’t use this product. (Especially since the video of the wind chime itself also appeared to be AI-generated...) I believe most traditional advertising already has standards like this anyway.1 Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re covering the week of 14-Sep, and then next issue, I’ll be fully caught up with Nielsen’s new release schedule. In the future, I plan to put out Streaming Ratings Reports each Monday after Nielsen’s Thursday releases. Overall, we had some big new shows this week, like Prime Video’s Reacher spinoff_, Neagley_, which is off to a big, big start, and Netflix’s latest in its Monster anthology, which is their largest opening since June and the second-largest since One Piece came out in March. All that, plus Slow Horses returns, the trio of returning shows (Lioness, Reacher and Ted Lasso) continue to dominate the top tens, Paramount+’s latest crime drama, a big whiff for a Netflix original film and a precipitous drop for Netflix film charts, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to September 20th 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - IP For the TV Win Can I use the dirty word of entertainment journalism right now? IP. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone I said it. But IP works at the box office, and we’ve seen some evidence it works in TV too. Not as well, and not all the time—no absolutes here!—but often enough. And glancing at the Nielsen top ten…it worked this week! Take Prime Video, who has a monster hit in the crime drama Reacher. Would a spinoff work for that show? Yep! They binge-released Neagley, about a detective from the original Reacher series, and its eight episodes debuted to 29.6 million hours. Here’s how it stacks up to Reacher, one of Prime Video’s biggest shows: That’s great. Nearly as strong as Reacher’s opening! (Both shows started with eight, binge-released episodes, so this comparison is apples-to-apples.) Notably, Prime Video scheduled the debut of Neagley to overlap with Reacher’s most recent season, to help drive tune-in. Obviously, I love smart release strategies like that. And even though I wrote “obviously”, it’s not really that obvious, since streamers don’t often take advantage of natural overlaps like this_._2 Other data backs how well Neagley performed. It opened at second place on Samba TV for two weeks and got 51.7 million hours on Luminate. That’s the eleventh biggest opening on Luminate since May of 2024 and tied with Bridgerton’s third season opening. That’s a huge opening! Its IMDb is solid too, a 7.7 on 24K reviews. Netflix’s latest edition in the “Monster” series—which started with Jeffrey Dahmer and comes from Ryan Murphy—did well too, opening to 24.7 million hours. That’s the biggest opening for Netflix since I Will Find You in June, and second biggest since March. Unlike the Reacher series, this franchise is trending downward, though. The first Monster show—Dahmer - Monster—was giant. More than anything, I think this reflects that Netflix running out of extremely popular—if that’s the right word?—serial killers to feature. Still, the data says this is a very good opening. It made it to third place on Samba TV for two weeks. It also opened to 40.0 million hours on Luminate. That’s not quite as elite as Neagley, but still very, very strong. I’ll be honest: my priors coming into any given week are that IP works to help drive buzz for new shows, but TV shows need to stand on their own even more than movies, so they will succeed or fail based on their quality. But these two spinoffs definitely worked. Quick Notes on TV The top show, film or special this week? Football, again. Specifically, Prime Video’s season opener of Thursday Night Football. The games run long (three hours) but mainly a lot of people watch each game. That adds up to a lot of viewership. Paramount released the second season of MobLand on an unusual day for that service, a Friday! Often, they put their new shows out on a Sunday, as they did last year with a run of shows (Lioness, Tulsa King and Landman). MobLand didn’t make Nielsen in its first week, but on Samba TV it got to eighth and seventh place. Luminate had a smaller opening too, only 5.3 million hours. MobLand missed the Nielsen charts for its first eight weeks, so this season is off to a stronger start. (Bonus note: the first season streams on both Prime Video and The Roku Channel, but I only have it as Paramount+ on those charts.) I’ve mentioned a few times that foreign-language originals do lower numbers than English-language originals on Netflix most of the time. But I don’t usually emphasize what country those originals come from, and observationally, they tend to be from Western or Northern European countries, in general. So credit to Not a Stranger, a Turkish Netflix original, for breaking through on Luminate, getting to 7.9 million hours in its first full week on those charts. As I mentioned last issue, Crew Girl ended up making the Nielsen charts in its second week. That’s still a soft performance compared to many shows, but again this, one looks affordable. And if you’re curious, here’s how it stacks up to some other sports romance shows: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… …about a new data source and how it drives streaming viewership… ...what reality show is struggling in its latest season…. ...what Netflix film bombed…. ...How Reacher, Ted Lasso, and Lioness are doing on the charts… ...what obscure sport put up great viewership numbers… …how far streaming films are falling… …all the flops, bombs and misses for the last week… …and more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue, then we’ll be all caught up with Nielsen’s data. Yes! The goal is to have my report out on the Monday after I get Nielsen’s data. So next issue, I’m looking at East of Eden, The Great British Baking Show, a Willy Wonka game show (that people are upset uses AI, but viewers might not care), and a Cosby show spinoff reboot on Netflix, and Brothers on Apple TV (starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). That’s about it for TV, but who’s going to win the streaming week, The Breadwinner or Backrooms on streaming? Answer: Toy Story 5. Plus Netflix has a Unabomber film and a new Tyler Perry film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma tries to repeat The Substance’s run on MUBI, and Paramount+ has Jackass: Best and Last. Long term, Netflix is remaking Lonesome Dove. I love this choice, but man, there are a lot of westerns on TV right now. And they’re making Sega TV shows, including a Crazy Taxi TV show and Sonic show with an “edge”.
Spooky Science Fun Returns to Orlando Science Center
Creep into Orlando Science Center on October 31, 2026, for OSC After Dark – a premier Halloween party only for adults 21 and older!
Mayo Clinic Minute: Wash your hands for better health
Note: Oct. 15 is Global Handwashing Day As respiratory infections rise in the fall months, washing your hands with soap and water is more important than ever. Regular hand-washing stops germs from spreading and lowers your chances of getting sick. Always wash your hands after using the bathroom, before eating or cooking, and after coughing or sneezing. Washing your hands for […]
Janelle Monáe wants to be L.A.'s reigning Halloween queen
Once again, Janelle Monáe brings Halloween festivities to Los Angeles, from Hollywood Forever to USC to a secret party location. Her hope is to bring people together over a shared love of creative expression.
UCF MBB Falls 85-81 Against Shorthanded LSU
Dior Johnson’s explosive second half sparked a resilient Knights squad, but late miscues allowed the Tigers to escape Orlando with a narrow exhibition victory on Wednesday night.
Henrico Business Watch: Business license filings Oct. 8–14, 2026
Henrico County reported the following business license filings with start dates during the week. The filings are listed alphabetically by business or trade name, followed by a registered address and business industry classification. ANT.ON LLC, 2405 Raymond Avenue, Henrico – Artists, literary, and craft services. Chutes International, various addresses – General
What Chinese viewers are learning from America’s political chaos
What many Chinese viewers see is not a nation falling apart, but a freedom they have never been allowed to have at home.
Why do we like being scared? The science behind Halloween
Why do we enjoy being scared? Clemson psychology professor Cynthia Pury explores the science behind fear and why feeling safe is important.
Top Weekly Entertainment Picks
There’s no shortage of entertainment at the Shore this week, with big-name concerts, live theater, comedy, jazz and Halloween-inspired fun. See Ricky Martin
The Politics of Heat, Homes, and Lobster Boats.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by First National Bank. MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION—The candidates’ forum focusing on House District 15 and incumbent Holly Eaton and Clifford Noyes last week spent a lot of time on the candidates’ thought of heating, communication with constituents, property taxes, education costs, and other issues. It also was a time for the community to ask their own questions and see two candidates up close and personal at the Southwest Harbor Fire Department firehouse. Jim Vallette organized the hour-long event, which was moderated by Carrie Jones of the Bar Harbor Story. Ken Rozsahegyi provided technical support for the congenial event. House District 15 serves Brooklin, Deer Isle, Eagle Island Township, Frenchboro, Isle au Haut, Marshall Island, Southwest Harbor, Stonington, Swan's Island, Tremont, and Vinalhaven. Jones advised as she began the question and answer part of the event, ”Treat everyone here like they are going to be the ones who might give you a ride in a rainstorm, pull your pet out of a burning building, or be the one grading your kids’ papers at school, okay?” She continued. “That’s it. Tonight isn’t meant to be a gotcha debate. The goal is to give people in the district a chance to get to know both candidates, hear what they care about, and understand what they’d actually try to accomplish in Augusta.” The questions and discussion throughout were kind. Eaton currently serves in the position. She’s a Democrat from Deer Isle, raised in a fishing family and has worked in nonprofits and volunteered for her school board. Noyes is unenrolled (politically) and from Southwest Harbor and currently a school board member, self employed as a mason. He focused on fiscal issues throughout the forum. Eventually, at Jones’ prompting, the candidates played “Rock, Paper, Scissors” for who would go first for their closing statements. Noyes used the opportunity to urge others to head to the ballot. “Whether you vote for me or Holly, it’s important that people vote,” Noyes said. He hoped the voter turnout in the district would be over 35 percent because that would mean people were truly engaged. Eaton stressed that she’s a Democrat, but in Augusta, her role isn’t about party. “I am a Democrat, but when I go to Augusta, I am there to represent the people of District 15. I want people to feel as though I’m accessible, that I’m responsive, and that I show up for the district,” Eaton said. Being there for others was vital, she explained. “When something comes before me in Augusta, I try to look at it through the lens of the people and the communities that I represent. How will this affect the people who live here? Does it make it easier or harder to raise a family here, to operate a small business, to work on the water, to afford a home, to keep our schools open, or provide the essential services our communities depend on?” Eaton said. Noyes spoke about fiscal responsibility and about the state being more responsive to communities and the ideas that come from them. “I feel that we desperately need to restore some fiscal sanity, a little bit. So when the legislature meets again,” Noyes said, “it could be critical for Maine residents that we don’t keep digging this hole that we’re in financially and keep raising our taxes so the struggling families struggle even more.” The two answered a series of questions from Jones, then answered questions from the audience and participants via Zoom. Jones asked what they heard the most from people about what was making their lives hard and what can the legislature in Augusta do it about those issues. Both spoke to concerns about heating oil costs. Noyes spoke to the three H’s: health, home, and heat. Eaton and Noyes spoke to the burdens of families with lower incomes, with Eaton mentioning LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program). They both were in favor of free community college and trade programs. They both supported the working waterfront. Both said that data centers—such as the one proposed in Eastport, which is out of the district—should be a local decision, but neither were in favor of it. The working waterfront was supported by both. Eaton’s served on the Maine Marine Resource Committee in the legislature. She advocated a diversity of fishing resources and less of a reliance on lobstering. Shrimp, she hoped, would make a comeback. Noyes worried about out-of-state pressure on the lobstering industry, also spoke of shrimp harvesting timings, and said he supported the lobstering industry. QUICK NOTE Carrie Jones is, obviously, the co-founder of the Bar Harbor Story, which made us have a bit of a hard time putting out this story and thinking it through and how to present it. We ended up with this article. The debate in its entirety is below, many thanks to Ken and Jim for making it publicly available. UPCOMING AND PAST EVENTS The following events are or were organized by the League of Women Voters Downeast. DISTRICT 7 DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 13 Thursday, Oct 15, 2026 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM Candidate Forum: House District 13 125 State St , Ellsworth Featuring candidates Michael Cunningham (D) and Russell White (R), moderated by Cyndi Wood, managing editor of the Ellsworth American. DEMOCRACY FORUM Friday, Oct 16, 2026 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Democracy Forum — Election 2026: What’s on Your Ballot RECENT PRESS RELEASES AND BRIEFS To see all the press releases, click here. To see our news, click here. For the full archive, click here. All of these are on our dedicated website. [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/feeling-stressed-kids-corner-invites) [ Feeling Stressed? Kids’ Corner Invites Parents, Educators, and Caregivers to Rediscover the Joy with National Speaker Raelene Ostberg Oct 14 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/feeling-stressed-kids-corner-invites) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/feeling-stressed-kids-corner-invites) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/mainely-meats-pink-party-for-breast) [ Mainely Meat’s Pink Party for Breast Cancer Awareness is October 18! Oct 14 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/mainely-meats-pink-party-for-breast) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/mainely-meats-pink-party-for-breast) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/conners-emerson-school-announces) [ Conners Emerson School Announces Public Surplus Property Sale Oct 14 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/conners-emerson-school-announces) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/conners-emerson-school-announces) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/planting-the-writers-garden) [ Planting the Writer’s Garden 12:15 AM ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/planting-the-writers-garden) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/planting-the-writers-garden) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/artist-maria-de-los-angeles-explores) [ Artist Maria de los Angeles explores migration and belonging in COA public lecture 12:19 AM ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/artist-maria-de-los-angeles-explores) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/artist-maria-de-los-angeles-explores) HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other. We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going. If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship. It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light. Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now. Thank you so much for being here. Founding member information can be found here. Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you. Subscribe Share Bar Harbor Story Share Leave a comment
The 2026 cold and flu season is approaching, health officials say
Health officials in Ohio are encouraging residents to get their flu shots before Halloween as cases begin to rise, with updated vaccines available to address new strains.
Want to Lower Blood Pressure? A Cardiologist Recommends This 1 Vegetable
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, a cardiologist reveals which vegetable helps the body produce a “potent vasodilator,” which opens blood vessels and promotes blood flow.
Step back to Bedrock for a yabba-dabba-doo celebration
Good Night John Boy turns back the clock to Bedrock for a funky Halloween celebration, Yabba-Dabba-DOO!
Applications now open for Hurricane Lowell business recovery grants
Onetime grants of $5,000 or $10,000 are available for eligible non-agricultural small businesses and nonprofits that experienced physical damage or economic losses caused directly by Hurricane Lowell; will be awarded on first-come, first-served basis, so those interested encouraged to apply quickly.
Trick-or-treating, spooky science and haunted houses arrive at Miami Children’s Museum for Halloween - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
Trick or treating in a museum can be full of surprises because mixing up spooky science with costumes equals a bash to remember. Experimenting withRead More
Your Business Probably Has More Data Than Insight by Nathan Tayloe
Most businesses know more about themselves than they ever have. Leaders have access to financial reports, sales pipelines, customer data, employee metrics, website analytics, and dashboards for almost every part of the organization. CRMs track every stage of the sales process. Marketing platforms report results in real time. AI can analyze and summarize enormous amounts of information in seconds. Yet I've sat in plenty of meetings where all of that information is available, and some of the most important questions are still surprisingly difficult to answer. What's actually working? Why are customers choosing us? Where are we losing opportunities? What should we do differently? Having the data and understanding what it means are two very different things. More Information Doesn't Always Create More Clarity Over the past decade, businesses have invested heavily in visibility, and that's a good thing. We can understand performance with a level of detail that would have been unimaginable not long ago. But there's an unintended consequence. The easier something becomes to measure, the easier it is to assume it must be important. Website traffic goes up, so that looks positive. Leads increase, so marketing appears to be working. Sales activity climbs, so the pipeline looks healthy. Maybe. The numbers tell us what happened. Understanding why it happened, whether it matters, and what we should do next still requires judgment. Not Everything That Matters Fits on a Dashboard Consider a customer who ultimately contacts your company through Google. The data may attribute that lead to search. What it may not show is that the customer heard about you from a colleague six months earlier, saw your company mentioned in an industry publication, followed one of your employees on LinkedIn, and read several reviews before finally searching for your company. Google may have produced the click. It didn't necessarily create the decision. This happens throughout a business. Some of the things that matter most are difficult to reduce to a single metric: Why your best customers stay Why talented employees choose your company Why a prospect trusts one provider over another Why one service is gaining momentum while another isn't Why the market perceives your business the way it does Data can help answer those questions, but it needs context. Better Decisions Start With Better Questions One of the easiest traps for leaders is starting with the information in front of them rather than the decision they're trying to make. Instead of opening a dashboard and asking, "What does the data show?" it can be more useful to start with a different set of questions: What are we trying to understand? What decision are we trying to make? What would we need to know to make that decision confidently? That changes the role of data. Instead of looking at every number available and searching for meaning, you're using information to understand something specific about the business. Information Still Requires Judgment More sophisticated analytics and AI will continue to give leaders access to better information, faster. That's valuable, but I don't think it reduces the importance of experience and judgment. If anything, it increases it. Someone still has to decide which numbers deserve attention, which patterns matter, what context might be missing, and when the data isn't telling the whole story. The goal isn't to know more about your business simply because you can. It's to understand your business well enough to make better decisions. Good data can tell you what happened. Good leadership has to decide what it means. — Learn more about how we help organizations turn business, customer, and marketing insights into smarter strategies at tayloegray.com, or reach out directly at nathan@tayloegray.com.
Find Halloween fun across New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s Halloween calendar is packed with trick-or-treating, zombie dancing, haunted trails and spooky shows, with events running through early November...
Justices grant Trump administration’s request to pause lower court ruling in political ad rate dispute
The Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for political parties and joint fundraising committees to continue to receive favorable advertising rates in the run-up to the 2026 election. In a five-…
Miami-Dade pushes for smaller retail development as available land grows scarce
Miami-Dade County wants to make it easier for retail and entertainment developers to build in unincorporated areas, as suitable land for large-scale projects becomes harder to find. A proposed ordinance would cut the minimum site size by 40 percent to qualify for a retail district zoning designation. The proposal, sponsored by Commissioner Oliver G. Gilbert III, would lower the minimum acreage for a retail entertainment district planned area development district, known as REDPAD, from 50 acres to 30 acres. The measure unanimously passed its first reading, with a second reading and public hearing scheduled for the county commission’s Oct. 20 […]
Applications open for Hurricane Lowell business recovery grants
The Kauai Hurricane Lowell program will offer one-time grants of $5K or $10K to eligible non-agricultural small businesses and nonprofits.
Political ad rates case frozen through midterms
The Supreme Court in an unsigned decision Wednesday sided with Republicans in a dispute over expanding discounted television advertising rates beyond political candidates ahead of the midterms. The unsigned order from a majority of the court paused a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals from the 4th Circuit that could have allowed the courts […]
ICE’s Operation Metro Surge cost Twin Cities a reported 32,000 jobs
Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota 32,000 jobs, a new study found. The job losses followed the immigration crackdown between December and February, which included about 4,000 arrests, according to the
Miami Heat Stars Rated Lower Than Expected In Defensive Rankings
Despite forming a terrifying new frontcourt tandem, Miami Heat stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo are both surprisingly low in the latest defensive player rankings, sparking debate over the league's most versatile defensive duo.
Governor, health advocates push bill to lower drug prices for 23 medications
Under the proposed legislation, the state's Prescription Drug Affordability Board would have the authority to match the maximum fair price for prescriptions negotiated by the federal Medicare program.
Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions
Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”
D.C. is spending billions on sports venues. Experts say the financial return isn't guaranteed
D.C. has already invested billions into building a new football stadium and renovating Capital One Arena. As the District considers new projects, George Mason University Professor Terry Clower explains why sports stadiums aren't always a sure bet.
KISS Expands Halloween Collection
New branded tees, posters – including The Starchild inflatable – joins the holiday line-up.
Some EGF businesses reporting lower operation costs compared to last year
Visits with 12 local businesses give details about workforce needs, increased insurance and material costs and the state's Earned Sick and Safe Time mandate.