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What's NEXT: adjoe’s Eileen Keng on why entertainment apps are turning to gaming for retention and revenue
Behind this model sits a straightforward funding mechanism, according to Eileen: premium mobile game advertisers cover the cost of both user rewards and publisher revenue through performance-based campaigns.
Dodgers on Deck: Monday, September 7 vs. Reds
Get ready to see a lot of Cincinnati Reds baseball over the next week and a half. Through their first 143 games of the season, the Dodgers have not played the Reds, but will play their longtime National League rivals seven times in the next 11 days. Up first is three games at Dodger Stadium, […]
Letter: How de Gaulle doesn’t fit modern political templates
From Smith Rothchild, Seattle, WA, US
Letter: Science Museum is wrong to ‘capitulate’ to activists
From Sir John Rose, Former Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce PLC, London SW11, UK
Oklahoma State falls to Tulsa, will face Oregon next
Oklahoma State didn't hold up their end of the bargain in their Week 2 matchup against Oregon, as they lost to a Group of Six team in Week 1.
8-Year NFL TE Gets Important Prediction Before Commanders Game
With a new offensive coordinator running the show for the Philadelphia Eagles and an All-Pro wideout out of the picture, Jalen Hurts is facing some key changes in 2026. Having familiarity with his tight end, Dallas Goedert, could lead Hurts to help the veteran become the unsung hero for the Eagles next season. Dallas Goedert […] The post 8-Year NFL TE Gets Important Prediction Before Commanders Game appeared first on HEAVY.
Ice cores, krill and ship-based science the focus for Australian Antarctic Program, conference told – Australian Antarctic Program (News 2026)
The Australian Antarctic Division will coordinate four strategic science campaigns over the next three years and contribute to an international collaborative research program called Antarctica InSync, a leading Antarctic research conference has heard.
COUNTDOWN: 12 days to West Seattle Wine Walk. Here are the winery/business matchups!
You might call it the first big event of fall in The Junction, though it'll be a few days before the official arrival of autumn: The next West Seattle Wine Walk is happening Friday, September 18, and if you don't have your ticket(s) yet, you might not want to wait much longer, as it often sells out. Here are the 30+ winery/business pairings ...
Westminster College to Welcome New Major: Exercise Science
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa.—Westminster College will welcome a new major to campus starting in the 2027-28 academic year! Starting next fall, the college will allow students to enroll in a brand-new
AfD Victory in Saxony-Anhalt Sends a Signal to Europe
A vote in eastern Germany has given fresh momentum to hard-right parties hoping to win elections across Europe next year, analysts said.
Kane County regional education office gets new business director from Sycamore schools
The Kane County Regional Office of Education named a longtime Sycamore schools' official as its next director of business and operations.
Apple (AAPL) Sets iPhone Launch Event. The First Under New CEO John Ternus
CNBC and Reuters reported that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will hold its next product launch event on September 9 at Apple Park in Cupertino, marking incoming CEO John Ternus’s first major event since taking over from Tim Cook. He became executive chairman on September 1. Analysts expect Apple to reveal the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro […]
Meghan Markle’s next act is anyone’s guess
Harry and Meghan’s plans for the U.K. remain unclear, as does the prospect of Meghan returning to acting
Yadkin Valley Harvest Festival set for Sept. 19
YADKINVILLE — There are plenty of fairs, festivals, and live concerts throughout Surry County coming up over the next several weeks, but for anyone looking for even more fun, the
Dabo Swinney keeping Clemson quarterback options open after blowout loss
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney doesn't know who will start at quarterback next Saturday.
Into the last 16 with ease
Win quickly sealedOur team had no trouble against second-division side SKN St. Pölten, advancing to the round of 16 of the UNIQA ÖFB Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win. Our opponents in the next round w...
BCM to feature radio personality Dallas Wayne
BRISTOL — Join the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. for their next Speaker Session featuring musician and radio personality Dallas Wayne.
Keep the run going against Villarreal
This start to the season leaves you wanting more! And now, next Tuesday, Europe’s premier competition is finally back on the schedule at the most beautiful stadium in the world. A mix of sun and clo...
Scientists say they can now predict where an earthquake will strike next
Scientists at the University of California-Riverside have developed a way to identify where the biggest earthquakes are likely to occur. UC Riverside researchers say that their methodology identif…
Early Husker Struggles but a Solid Day Overall for Nebraska
There was plenty to like and dislike about the Huskers' opening-game victory over Ohio. The next two weeks will be a crucial opportunity to see whether they can fix the issues before a tough conference schedule.
Bold Predicition for Orlando Magic 'X-Factor' Next Season
Anthony Black’s breakout season has sparked intense extension debates as Orlando balances a looming salary cap crunch against the rising guard’s demand for a lucrative long-term future.
Richard Barrera explains why he should be the next State Superintendent
Richard Barrera, a candidate for California state superintendent, shared his views on recent changes to the California Department of Education, his campaign priorities, and his vision for public schools in an interview on California Politics 360 this week.
California Politics 360 full episode | What's next after wildfire liability proposal fails
PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric wanted to shift some of those wildfire costs onto insurance companies. This week, the California Assembly decided to scrap a plan that lawmakers put together in the final hours of the legislative session.
Alabama Might Have Found Its Next Superstar
t’s only one game. And yes, it was East Carolina . But Alabama fans have every reason to be excited about Keelon Russell right now. The sophomore made his first career start Saturday and immediately showed why Kalen DeBoer handed him the keys to Alabama’s offense. Russell completed 18 of 30 passes for 256 yards…
2026 NFL Season Award Predictions: Defensive Player of the Year
The WCG Crew is predicting the 2026 NFL Awards, and next up is Defensive Player of the Year.
Charles Leclerc needs further health checks after Monza F1 crash
Leclerc isn’t 100% certain he will race in next weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix
Australia’s humpback whales were acting weird. What happened next surprised scientists.
A citizen science project uncovers a new humpback whale calving ground around the Great Barrier Reef.
Australia’s humpback whales were acting weird. What happened next surprised scientists.
A citizen science project uncovers a new humpback whale calving ground around the Great Barrier Reef.
Will Seahawks RB Jadarian Price lose carries to George Holani in 2026?
Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price may be at risk of losing key carries to George Holani next season.
Spurs Ideal Midseason Roster Addition Revealed
The San Antonio Spurs are carrying a nearly full roster heading into NBA training camp, and might have to wait for the season to start to sign their next free agent.
Observations: Dramatic finish rescues Michigan in mistake-filled opener
A last-second touchdown saved Michigan from an upset, but plenty of questions remain entering next week's showdown with Oklahoma.
KAIST identifies cause of artifacts in battery nanoscale analysis, paving the way for more reliable measurements
- A research team led by Professors Seungbum Hong and Jong Min Yuk from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Nam-Soon Choi from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has identified the cause of a measurement artifact in nanoscale battery analysis that can make surface topography appear to represent ion movement. - The team has developed a method to reduce these artificial signals by smoothing rough battery-material surfaces, potentially improving the accuracy of analyses for next-generation batteries, including conventional lithium-ion batteries and emerging technologies such as sodium-ion and solid-state batteries.
Column: How the brotherhood among Chicago’s young stars fuels our great sports town’s next wave
Caleb Williams leading the “PCA” chants from behind the Cubs dugout Thursday night at Wrigley Field reminded us of a time when the starting quarterback of the Bears was not so beloved. It was 14 years ago next week that TMZ reported angry Bears fans at Stanley’s Kitchen & Tap, a North Side restaurant, lit a Jay Cutler jersey on fire. The video showed former Blackhawks star Chris Chelios as one ...
Why this diet could be the next tool in treating mental illness
The keto diet is a serious therapeutic approach for brain disorders dating back more than a century.
YOB cancell all upcoming shows due to health issues
YOB, a progressive doom metal band, has had to postpone their next live dates. More info can be found in the article.
Time lords prepare to kick leap seconds into the next millennium
Risk of an unprecedented negative adjustment prompts plan to let UTC drift by as much as an hour
Galaxy S27 Pro gets Samsung’s fastest charging speed yet
Samsung is planning to launch four high-end phones, the Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27+, Galaxy S27 Pro, and Galaxy S27 Ultra, early next year. While most of their spec
‘Unfinished business’: Travis Kalanick revisits robotaxis with new start-up
Atoms gears up for hiring spree and could link with Uber, the company he was ousted from almost a decade ago
Charlotte FC match against Houston ends in scoreless draw
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CAROLINA SPORTS LIVE) — Charlotte FC gained one point after a home match draw against Western Conference foe Houston Dynamo FC. The Crown returned home after a 2-nil road win over Atlanta United. Charlotte hosted Houston Dynamo FC, one of the last few home games left in the regular season. These next few […]
Rumor: New Smash Bros. game on the way, Nintendogs returning, more
A number of Nintendo rumors have come to light from malo932, who is building up some credibility when it comes to leaks. Most recently, malo932 indicated that we’d be getting presentations next week for The Legend of Zelda and Nintendo in general days before they were announced. That ultimately turned out to be true, as two Directs were confirmed yesterday....
The next James Bond: the (00)7 questions fans want answered
Speculation has been building recently that an announcement about Daniel Craig's successor could be close.
Sunday Preview – Shake the earth with the Sons of Behemat
See what’s coming up for pre-order next week.
Jays @ Royals
Game Two with the Royals. Another blowout would be a good thing. Blowout in favour of the Jays, of course. Tiedemann is back, Taillon is on the DL. And the team is admitting that Patrick Corbin and Cody Ponce won’t be back this season. They need someone to start next Wednesday in Taillon’s spot against […]
5 Questions Michigan Can Answer in Its Season Opener vs. Western Michigan
Michigan opens the Kyle Whittingham era against Western Michigan, but the final score isn't the only thing worth watching. Five individual storylines could tell us much more about the Wolverines before Oklahoma arrives next week.
Arizona Rep. David Schweikert reflects on his long political career
Rep. David Schweikert sat down with The Arizona Republic to talk about his departure from Congress, his gubernatorial ambitions and what's next.
Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell Reveals Why 2026-27 Will Be Different
Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell explained why he thinks next season could be different for the team, especially on offense.
Atlanta Braves Will Get Back Key Reinforcement Next Week
The Atlanta Braves are getting back a key member of their pitching staff next week.
Baltimore Orioles Provide Next Step for Closer Ryan Helsley
The Baltimore Orioles are hoping to get back right-hander Ryan Helsley this year.
TENNESSEE LADY VOLS SOCCER: Unbeaten Northwestern is next
The No. 10 Tennessee soccer team closes its six-match nonconference slate on Sunday afternoon against Northwestern at Regal Soccer Stadium. Kickoff between the Lady Vols and the Wildcats is set for 2 p.m. ET.
Projecting Next Phoenix Suns To Receive New Contracts
Brian Gregory’s aggressive roster building puts Miles Bridges and Jalen Green in the spotlight as Phoenix balances veteran security with the high-upside potential of its rising core.
'That's a sackable performance' - what next for Martin at Leicester?
Tipped for a turnaround in fortunes, the Foxes and their boss continue to falter in the third tier.
Hamburg up next in the DFB-Pokal
Eintracht Frankfurt will travel to Hamburger SV at the end of October in the second round of the DFB-Pokal.The draw for the second round of the DFB-Pokal took place on Saturday evening, handing Eintra...
Michael Hutchinson's Next Chapter Keeps Him Close To Home
Trading his pads for a whistle, the former Jets netminder joins the Selkirk Steelers staff to mentor local prospects while launching a new goaltending school in Winnipeg.
'Overwatch' Won't Get Its Most Exciting New Feature In Years Until Next Season
Blizzard delayed adding Unvaulted Passes to Overwatch until the start of Season 5
Prepare for your next power outage with an entertainment USB stick
A screen with nothing to watch is a terrible thing.
Apple Watch 12 & Ultra 4: Leaks Reveal a Big Hardware Change
Apple’s next smartwatches may bring the first true silicon overhaul in years alongside an expanded sensor layout. Here is what the Ultra 4 and Series 12 leaks show.
Top Stories: 'Surprise and Shine' Apple Event Preview, John Ternus Takes Over, and More
After years of rumors, the highly anticipated foldable iPhone is almost here, but that's not all we're expecting to see at next week's big event, and we've got full coverage of expectations for the "Surprise and Shine" event.
Like everything else, health insurance rates will increase next year
State regulators say they denied $1.57 billion in premium increases proposed by health insurers offering individual and small business plans in the state next year.
Signant Health and Lothar Medical Sign Letter of Intent to Commercialize ALDS PRO for Clinical Trials
Signant Health, a leading provider of evidence generation solutions for clinical trials, and Lothar Medical today announced that they have signed a letter of intent outlining a planned strategic collaboration to bring Lothar Medical's next-generation pulmonary function technology to the global clinical trial market.
Talarico plans Texas food drive to counterprogram Trump’s GOP convention
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico plans to hold a statewide food drive next week as Republicans descend on Dallas for President Donald Trump’s midterm convention.
The dissonance of an American Jew thinking about Israel
The Jewish High Holidays will soon be upon us. The third anniversary of Oct. 7 will then quickly follow. Three weeks later, Israeli voters will head to the polls to elect all 120 members of its parliament, the Knesset and thereby their next prime minister. It has been a couple of years since I’ve addressed […]
There May Not Be an iPhone 18 This Year
Apple is expected to announce several products at its September event next week—including a folding phone—but the iPhone 18 might not be among them. It would be a first for the company.
The Bull Case For Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) Could Change Following New 4D Wizard of Oz Launch
Sphere Entertainment Co. announced that The Wizard of Oz at Sphere introduced a series of new and expanded 4D effects on September 25, 2026, including animatronic Winged Monkeys, themed scents, “Glinda Glitter,” pyrotechnic fireworks, and scented apples. By deepening its multi-sensory technology in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, Google and Magnopus, Sphere is reinforcing its position in premium, experiential destination entertainment. Next, we will examine how this upgraded 4D...
The politicians who can fix America’s polarization problem will win (Opinion)
The elected officials who figure out how to govern across difference will dominate the next decade of American politics. With dysfunction and paralysis having become the status quo in Washington, elected officials who work together to get…
Liverpool enter talks with star's father over groundbreaking deal
Liverpool are now preparing for a groundbreaking deal. One transfer window has shut, but the next one is only around the corner. Life moves thick and fast, especially in the football world.Given how i...
HIGHLIGHTS: El Paso Franklin vs. Midland Lee
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – The Midland Lee Rebels have their second win of the season, defeating the El Paso Franklin 48-17. Quarterback JP Reyes threw four touchdowns on the night, and the offense fired on all cylinders. Next week, the Rebels are on the road to face El Paso Eastlake. Watch the video above for […]
Pensacola area Week 3 final scores
Week 3 of high school football has wrapped up. See the final scores and what is next for Pensacola area teams.
Reitz holds off Jasper in third straight win
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — Reitz high school football team is undefeated through the first three weeks of the season beating Jasper Friday night 56-21. Next up the Panthers will head on the road to face North on Friday, September 11th. While the Wildcats will look to bounce back against Bosse.
Business calendar
ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING: The Literacy Alliance has opened enrollment for the next cohort of its Integrated Education and Training Entrepreneurship program. The free program is designed for community members who are
Pro Football Hall of Fame overhauls voting process
Starting with next year's voting, things are changing for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. See what is different now.
Dianna Russini’s Next NFL Move Takes Shape as Barstool Sports Emerges as Favorite
Dianna Russini may not be away from the NFL spotlight much longer.Five months after leaving The Athletic, Russini is “absolutely” planning a return to sports media and has been discussing several potential opportunities, according to a new report from Front Office Sports.And one possible landing spot has quickly separated itself from the pack.Front Office Sports’ […] The post Dianna Russini’s Next NFL Move Takes Shape as Barstool Sports Emerges as Favorite appeared first on HEAVY.
EAST TEXAS POLITICS: Smith County GOP chair previews RNC midterm convention, reacts to Trump’s data center remarks
Smith County GOP Chairman David Stein joins Blake Holland ahead of next week’s convention in Dallas
Hiniker Parkway reconstruction complete; ready to aid Highway 169 business access
Reconstruction work on the new Hiniker Parkway in Mankato is now complete, providing a crucial alternative route to local businesses ahead of next year’s major Highway 169 reconstruction project.
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. 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: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
GOP brings unusual midterm convention to Dallas next week
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The Fierce Battle For Kids’ Eyeballs...Plus Two “Devils” Face Off
(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.) During the week of this report, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters and went on to become one of the biggest films of all time. So, you know what that means! It’s time for a poll! Recently, Project Hail Mary came to Prime Video and became a top five film for them, but didn’t smash streaming records, a feat I cautiously thought it could accomplish. Can Spider-Man 4 do better? To set the stakes, some of the biggest films of all time do just okay on streaming. Wicked, Top Gun: Maverick, and Barbie come to mind... But unlike those films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony film which means it’s headed to Netflix, the world’s largest streamer. Now, per friend of the newsletter and my go-to Netflix expert, Kasey Moore of What’s on Netflix, Sony films usually appear on Netflix 120 days after they premiere, which means Spidey 4 would land on Netflix on, checks notes, 28-November, one of the two biggest streaming weekends of the year! But Sony occasionally delays its biggest hits for a bit longer, to give them more time to make money on PVOD, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not swing onto Netflix until late December or even February 2027. Loading... Okay, on to this week’s issue. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made its way to Peacock, I’m looking at the true workhorse of streaming viewership: kids films. And the surprising film that bested most Netflix animated movies. All that, plus Hulu has a new show that might be a hit (for them…?), two “Devils” square off on streaming, Zendaya tries to find some streaming magic, Netflix’s I Will Find You continues to do well, House of the Dragon tries to break into the season three top ten, some big NBC sports and summer programs, what friendly neighborhood Spider-Man character actually generates the most viewership on streaming, 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 July 27th to August 2nd, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hits Peacock, How Have Kids Films Fared in 2026? Like Mario hopping on a Koopa, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie landed on Peacock on 30-July. (Yeah, I kinda forced that Mario reference.) How did it do? Great, just like the first film. It got 13.0 million hours on its opening, and that’s good enough to take second place among Peacock films on the Nielsen charts all time: As I mention all the time, Peacock just isn’t the world’s biggest streamer—in fact, nowhere close—so its films struggle to put up numbers like Netflix (or even Prime Video and Disney+). So this is a solid debut for that streamer. And as we saw last time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie had a HUGE second life on Netflix when it moved streamers. This chart doesn’t even show how long the first Mario lasted on Netflix: a whopping, KPop-esque 31 weeks. For NBCUniversal, though, the big win was the second Mario movie grossing $429 million in America and over $1 billion globally. But yeah, to add a very strong streaming performance only makes its success even greater. Illumination pretty clearly has another hit franchise on their hands. This is a good time, though, to check in on kids films so far in 2026. We’ve had a few big, big titles, a rare Netflix success, and some disappointments. Let’s start with the top animated films since November of 2025, over their first four weeks on the charts, along with a few of the “best all time” animated films: (As a reminder, if a film doesn’t make the Nielsen top ten lists, I don’t have data for it, so it gets a “zero” in terms of viewership. Now, it had some viewership, but I don’t know what it is, so it gets a zero.) I added a few titles to get an idea of what the best of the best looks like in terms of animation. And you can see, through four weeks, Zootopia 2 can now claim “one of the biggest streaming films of all time” titles. GOAT too did surprisingly well, besting Netflix’s biggest films (Swapped and In Your Dreams) through four weeks. When I’ve talked about how films can have varying performances on streaming compared to their box office, this is what I mean. Goat just managed to gross even $103 million at the box office—so it’s popular, but just barely—but did very well on streaming. Of course, what set Encanto and KPop Demon Hunters apart from the rest was their absolutely insane longevity. Here are the kids film charts through eight weeks to show that: And really KPop Demon Hunters just kept going, and no 2025 or 2026 kids films have had that sort of longevity. I can’t wait to see the sequel in theaters. Film - Two Devils and a Drama As I wrote last week, in the past, theatrical-first film flops weren’t eligible for “Miss of the Week” or “Miss of the Year” honors/dishonors, but since so many more films go to theaters first these days, I’ve made them eligible now! But it’s complicated. You see, this is a Streaming Ratings Report, emphasis on streaming, which makes analyzing this week’s two biggest streaming misses—The Drama on HBO Max (A24’s dramedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) and Prime Video’s The Devil Mouth (a killer shark movie starring young attractive people)—somewhat tricky. The Drama isn’t eligible for Luminate, but The Devil’s Mouth only had 1.5 million hours in its first week: The Devil’s Mouth notched 5.2 million hours according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, The Drama missed the charts entirely. Not great! But Prime Video is a much bigger streamer than HBO Max. That said, HBO Max titles are on Prime Video, but I think Prime Video prioritizes their original/exclusive titles, which helps boost their viewership. Complicating this further, The Drama made $48 million in the US—while A24 sells foreign distribution; the $57 million of overseas grosses helps A24 sell overseas rights for money in the future—off of a $28 million budget (which seems low for Zendaya and Pattinson, so they might have backend). The Devil’s Mouth, though, had zero dollars at the box office. The other stats for The Devil’s Mouth are bleak, and by “bleak”, I mean horrendous: a 4.7 on 15K reviews on IMDb (yikes) and a 46 on Metacritic (double yikes). The Drama, though buzzy online, only has a solid (but far from elite) 7.1 IMDb score on 121K reviews and a 59 on Metacritic (which is far, far lower than I’d have guessed). So which film is the “Miss of the Week”? I’m giving it to The Devil’s Mouth for one simple reason: it’s a horror film. And almost all horror films, even poorly reviewed horror films, should get a shot in theaters to at least try to recoup some of their budgets. The Drama made money at the box office and The Devil’s Mouth didn’t. It’s just like the situation last issue with Obsession and Masters of the Universe. Sure, Obsession didn’t pop on the streaming charts, but at least it already made it money at the box office. And as we’ve been seeing for years now and we’ll see all fall, theatrical films just do better on streaming. After all, the big “devil” winner this week was actually The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 14.8 million hours according to Nielsen. That’s right, The Devil Wears Prada 2—one of the box office success stories of May—came to streaming and parlayed its $220 million box office into 14.8 million Nielsen hours. Disney also put out a datecdote that it had 15.2 million “views” globally in five days, but again we don’t have a lot of great context for what that means. Here’s how it stacks up to other Hulu films, since I’m categorizing this mainly as a Hulu title (though it was also on Disney+): Share Quick Notes on Film 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… Whether Hulu has a new hit show on its hands... The top first and third seasons of all time and which shows are climbing those charts… What version of Spidey is the most popular... What sport and TV show are performing better on NBC than the NBA... All the flops, bombs and misses... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, wow, things stay so busy. One of streaming’s biggest shows of all time, Ted Lasso, returns along with new YA-ish shows from Hulu (The Shards, from Ryan Murphy) and Prime Video (Sterling Point). The Challenge moves to Paramount+, plus My Life with the Walter Boys returns to Netflix and Futurama returns to Hulu. And Netflix has a new horror film, The Last House. Lots to talk about! All month, things stay busy. We’re talking Reacher on Prime Video! Outer Banks and Tires on Netflix! Lanterns on HBO Max! UFC 330 on Paramount+ and the MLB Field of Dreams game on Netflix. And a ton of smaller films come to streaming. Long term, the VMAs are back on 27-Sep! I feel like I haven’t heard much about this show in past years, but I’m seeing more news coverage and buzz for this show than in past years. I’m curious to see how it does.
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