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From the Sports Desk: Argentina’s great escape
Lionel Messi scored another goal — his eighth of the tournament — to help his team to one of the great World Cup comebacks
Another Final Fantasy 7 Mobile Game Bites The Dust
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis will shut down this October
Marine Le Pen Gives a Lesson in Power Politics
By Leo Klimm and René Pfister in Paris She saw her chance and wanted to seize it. Why wouldn’t she? For months it looked as though the French judiciary would rob Marine Le Pen of her dream of the French presidency, her dream of the Élysée Palace. It looked like the right-wing matriarch would be unable to run for the office – at precisely the moment her party leads the public opinion polls by a wide margin. But then, a French appeals court opened the door to another candidacy. It was just a crack, but the 57-year-old used the opportunity to kick the door wide open. DER SPIEGEL - The German View is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
For A Few Short Minutes Today, 99 Percent Of Humanity Will Be Bathed In Sunlight. If You Miss It, You Will Get Another Chance Tomorrow.
For a short few minutes, nearly all of humanity will experience sunlight together.
Another big premium hike on the horizon
FDA's crackdown on online ketamine retailers, unprecedented health care premium hikes, and more health news from Morning Rounds
Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe
Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”
ACA premiums likely set for another double-digit rise next year
Insurers are proposing a rate hike of about 14%, driven by rising healthcare costs, inflation and the loss of enhanced tax subsidies.
Another Planet Entertainment Contract Extension Before Board of Supes
A resolution to extend APE’s contract with the Recreation & Parks Department for three more years, with an option of extending it out further to 2035, was approved by the Budget and Appropriat…
NBA insider reveals meeting between Draymond Green and LeBron James
NBA insider Shams Charania revealed that LeBron James and Draymond Green were spending time with one another this week amid NBA free agency.
Dodgers’ chances at another walk-off thwarted by Rockies
Justin Wrobleski strikes out nine over seven innings, bullpen lets lead slip in 4-3 loss to Rockies.
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Reaches Another Impressive Milestone Against Rockies
Shohei Ohtani continues to add to his laundry list of accomplishments by joining one of MLB's most prestigious clubs.
Republican senators ready another attempt at banning THC next year
Texas senators examined the relationship between THC products, mental illness and homelessness during an interim hearing, with witnesses pointing to rising health care costs and increasing mental h…
Justice Department reaches another settlement with Trump adviser Michael Flynn
Former Trump adviser Michael Flynn has reached another settlement with the Justice Department — this time for over $38,000 in retirement funds the Army had withheld from the former general after officials found he earned money from speaking at an event tied to the Russian government in 2015.
After Supreme Court Ruling, CT Republicans Renew Push For Ban On Transgender Athletes In School Sports
Legislative Republicans are preparing for another attempt to ban transgender athletes from girls sports in Connecticut, this time with the backing of the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled last week that states could regulate gender identity in sports and could ban transgender athletes from competing in girls sports.
Detroit extends its signature small business incentive program for another year
The Detroit City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved $2.5 million to keep the Motor City Match program operating through the city’s 2026-27 fiscal year.
Travis Kelce called out by another NFL star over wedding snub: ‘I’ve known you for 10 years’
Travis Kelce is being called out by NFL player Taylor Lewan for being left off his and Taylor Swift’s wedding guest list.
Rogers shuts down sports radio effective immediately
WHAT?! This is insane. Vancouver is a great market. Another big loss in Canadian media.
The Politics of Provocation: The ECtHR’s Ruling in Miladze v Georgia
A recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights concerning a TikTok video published by a Georgian self-defined civil activist adds another layer to the Court’s increasingly messy Article 10 case law. The applicant repeatedly insulted public officials in crude and sexually explicit terms while broadcasting to a large online audience. Domestic courts imposed only a modest administrative fine, later reduced on appeal. The ECtHR did not find a violation of the applicant’s right to freedom of expression – raising several questions about the limits of legitimate political speech online.
Rui Hachimura is joining the Clippers
The Lakers are losing yet another one of their key players in free agency.
Capital Region influencers support Muslim-owned businesses in light of hate
LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In light of recent online hate, local community members have been banding together, using their platforms to support one another following the death of seven-year-old …
Cardinals make noise in power rankings after another impressive week
St. Louis really turned some heads last week.
Nielsen eyes further methodology changes ahead of football season
It appears as if Nielsen is preparing to find yet another way to keep sports viewership trending upward ahead of the upcoming football season. The audience-measurement firm, whose data is treated as the gold standard within the television business and is the currency by which networks sell advertising to media buyers, plans to formally roll…
After America’s 250th, Trump will test how far he can push NATO allies
As NATO leaders gather in Turkey, they are preparing for another summit shaped as much by managing President Donald Trump as by the alliance's security agenda.
Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg: Another solid SL outing
Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg: Another solid SL outing
Why a Surprising New Travel Trend Is Fueling a Massive Small Business Boom Across the U.S.
As the price of airline tickets continues to spike, Americans are turning to another form of transportation.
Celtics could flip Paul George to add $112 million wing in another blockbuster
The Boston Celtics shocked the NBA world with their recent Jaylen Brown trade, but it's possible the team isn't done making moves.
Marvel Tokon Blocked in 132 Countries, and It Looks Like PSN Requirements Are to Blame
PlayStation and Arc System Works' Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has been blocked in 132 countries in what appears to be another example of Sony's PSN requirements barring players from access on Steam.
Meccha Chameleon tops another milestone, selling 15 million copies in less than 30 days
The indie developer said "thanks a million", promising "a new collaboration with a famous Japanese star" is dropping next week.
Working 2 jobs in secret: He makes $330,000, doesn't worry about money
One employer called him back to the office. Another tracks his time. He's still secretly juggling two jobs and making $330,000.
Man killed, another injured in late-night shooting outside North Austin business
Police are investigating a late-night shooting that left one man dead and another injured in north Austin, marking the city's 32nd homicide of the year.
Phillies on the Pharm: 7/5/2026
Painter with another solid start for the IronPigs
America celebrates its 250th birthday after another rough year
War, inflation and presidential grifting mark an Independence Day best put in the past. But America has made it through worse times, which lends perspective and offers hope for better times ahead.
The Left Knows One Narrative About Conservative Women. An Eye-Opening New Book Offers Another.
Christian conservative women aren’t all alike, Katie Gaddini’s book Esther’s Army suggests.
Braves look for much-needed series win behind Chris Sale
The Braves will look to back Chris Sale to secure a series win, who they can expect another strong start from.
Sony Underfire Yet Again for Blocking Marvel Tokon in 132 Countries on PC
One disaster to another
Timberwolves 'Ramp Up' Pursuit Of LeBron James
Another free agency suitor for LeBron James has suddenly emerged this weekend. According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Minnesota Timberwolves are "ramping up" their push for James. They're hoping to pitch him on the idea of leading the franchise to its first NBA championship. It certainly ...
Cyberpunk 2077 reaches 40 million copies sold
CD Projekt has confirmed a new sales milestone for Cyberpunk 2077. The game has added another 5 million copies since the 35 million figure reported in late 2025.
Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Thread
Follow along as the Nats look to take another series in an early 4th of July game against the Pirates
MBB Summer Preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers
Howdy, y’all! We are back again with another summer basketball preview, and today we’re taking a look at the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota finished last season at 15-18 with an 8-12 conference record, good for 11th in the Big Ten in head coach Niko Medved’s first year. They’ll be going into the season without two […]
Mexico vs England World Cup last 16: Thomas Tuchel faces another right-back dilemma as Azteca awaits
The Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues review – stomping blues and anti-Musk politics make this another late triumph
Continuing the rejuvenated sound of 2023’s Hackney Diamonds, there’s touching vulnerability from Keith Richards while Jagger confronts war and autocracy
Cease won’t desist, Jays beat M’s 2-0
Tonight’s game began with a raucous ceremonial first pitch from head coach Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Men’s National Team. Canada would own the rest of the night. The first inning was the canary in the coal mine, as J.P. Crawford biffed yet another throw from the hot corner in the top half, and in […]
Jaguars’ Waldron To Play Much Bigger Role This Season
Following a promotion to Assistant Head Coach, Shane Waldron aims to revive his reputation by powering Jacksonville’s elite coaching staff toward another high-flying offensive season.
Giants-Rockies Series Preview: KABOOM?
The Rockies relievers were better than the Giants relievers in June. Low bar or sign of another tough NL West series?
1 in 5 adults make health decisions based on what they see on social media despite widespread mistrust
Every few scrolls, another health expert appears on the screen. While some are genuinely qualified, others simply sound convincing enough to pass as one. With AI-generated content flooding feeds, avoiding ...
iOS 27 Beta Hints at New Apple Product Such as 'AirPods Ultra'
The second iOS 27 developer beta seemingly hints at a new Apple product, according to code uncovered by app designer and developer Sam Henri Gold. The code mentions a product codenamed B790 that can relay "two images from cameras on either side of user's head". Gold speculated that the code could be referring to Apple's rumored smart glasses, but another possibility is AirPods with cameras, which are reportedly further along in development. AirPods Pro 3 were codenamed B788.
Taylor Swift’s Wedding to Travis Kelce Is Another Big Win for MSG Entertainment
Madison Square Garden Entertainment stock has been on a great run over the past year and Taylor Swift's wedding to Travis Kelce could be the icing on the cake.
Cyberpunk 2077 passes another extraordinary sales milestone as CD Projekt Red hails "the incredible, lasting strength" of the game
Yes, the launch was bad, but the success of CDPR's retro-futuristic RPG is undeniable.
10 Reasons Philadelphia Is the Best Sports City
The birthplace of the United States has another reason to rebel 250 years later. Philadelphia didn’t get enough votes to register in a recent Sports Business Journal poll of best American sports cities. New York City led the way at 20%, followed by Pittsburgh (16%) and Chicago (13%).
Why One Global Shipping Choke Point Isn’t a Blueprint for Another
The Strait of Malacca may be a model for how Oman and Iran could collect fees in the Strait of Hormuz, but the differences between the waterways are vast.
Skybound Entertainment Begins Another Equity Crowdfunding Raise
After Losses in 2024 and 2025
Huge VAR call prolongs Ronaldo's last dance but ends Modric's
Veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo gets another day on the World Cup stage after Croatia are denied a late equaliser by a huge VAR call.
Donald Trump's Freedom 250 celebration suffers setback as falling panel nearly crushes dancers
Donald Trump's beleaguered Freedom 250 celebration suffered another potentially disastrous setback on Thursday, when a large panel on the White House main stage fell, nearly crushing a group of dancers.
Why the 49ers need another rotational pass rusher
Nobody has ever said you have too many pass rushers
Premier Lacrosse League raises $100 million as sport gears up for ‘biggest moment’ in its history
Another big valuation moment for an up-and-coming sports league.
Is yet another Microsoft studio, Obsidian, negotiating with Xbox to avoid closure? Conflicting reports emerge
There's "a real sense amongst some teams that they're being punished for the poor performance of Call of Duty".
Guernsey business groups urge States to make tax decision
Guernsey's largest business groups say Guernsey cannot afford another term of tax decision drift.
Giants Finally End Skid with 6-4 Triumph
TL;DR: A punchless offensive attack and another poor pitching performance from Zac Gallen doomed the sweep attempt.
New Costco approved in California, but some locals say location is 'unnecessary'
A proposed Costco warehouse and gas station in Downey, California, cleared a key approval, but many residents say another location isn't needed.
WHO, Member States discuss expanding South-East Asia Emergency Health Fund SEARHEF
With climate-related disasters, disease outbreaks and other health emergencies becoming more frequent and complex across South-East Asia, WHO and Member States today discussed measures to strengthen and expand the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) to ensure countries have rapid access to life-saving support when crises strike. "Health emergencies are becoming more frequent, more complex and more costly. Countries need rapid, flexible financing that can be mobilized immediately when lives are at risk. SEARHEF represents regional solidarity in action, enabling Member States to support one another when emergencies strike," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge WHO South-East Asia Region. She was addressing the Fifteenth Meeting of the Working Group on the Governance of SEARHEF.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized for 'heart and breathing issues'
Harvey Weinstein is facing another setback in his ongoing health battle.
In another 250 years, what will be considered an American classic?
NEW YORK – What makes a Great American Novel? Which books deserve to be called classics? You may think of the books you read in school, like F.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers – Andrew Abbott vs. Shane Drohan
Surely Cincinnati won’t lose another game to Milwaukee. Surely.
Bruins swing another trade with Rangers, add defenseman
The Bruins and Rangers came together for another trade on July 1.
Both chambers of General Assembly pass budget, another vote Thursday
Both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly passed a state budget Wednesday and are a second vote away from sending it to Gov. Josh Stein's desk.
SpaceX has an AI device prototype, and it sure sounds phone-ish
SpaceX reportedly showed investors a "handset-like" AI device before going public. It could be another signal SpaceX wants to expand into wireless.
Party fever: Another political party is gathering signatures to get on Nebraska's ballot
A party that wants to put Americans and Nebraskans first is collecting signatures to secure a ballot line ahead of the November election. A similar effort is underway to establish a Nebraska Working People Party. Both efforts have a July 15 deadline to get enough signatures.
'60 Minutes' shake-up continues with departure of longtime producer
The newsroom at "60 Minutes" is facing another goodbye. Henry Schuster, a longtime producer on the CBS program, revealed his departure in a LinkedIn post Monday, June 29.
Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Season Preview
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly said he would write an “embarrassing” check to win another Super Bowl. Since 2013, the Cowboys have not participated in the first wave of free agency. Despite Jones’ vow to “bust the budget” in the 2026 offseason, the Cowboys again stood pat for most of free agency.
Lawmakers takes another crack at easing privatization of youth sports
House bipartisan committee addresses private equity’s "vertical integration" that has youth sports costs soaring. What might come out of the hearing?
Microsoft to cut 2.5% of its workforce in yet another round of layoffs
More than 5,000 people will likely lose their jobs pretty soon. It seems like Microsoft continues its series of layoffs, with the last one being in July...
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
Another entertainment option is coming to an area already booming with them
Whitney and Thomas Hughes, who have an Escapology franchise in San Antonio, are bringing one to Wichita in the K-96 and Greenwich area.
Microsoft set to cut thousands of jobs next week, spanning Xbox, sales and consulting
Microsoft is preparing another round of layoffs, spanning Xbox, sales and consulting, as it holds down operating costs while pouring more than $100 billion into AI infrastructure.
Miami Dolphins Discussion: 2026 NFL Schedule Edition
As the Miami Dolphins enter another season under a new regime and navigate significant roster changes, there is a palpable sense of uncertainty surrounding the team. Like many of you, however, I am eager to see how the squad performs once the regular season begins. Miami faces a challenging road ahead, as the team is […]
Supreme Court upholds transgender sports bans: What to know and what’s next
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld state bans on transgender students playing on girls sports teams, delivering another blockbuster setback to trans youth and their families in a decision that is likely to sustain similar laws in about half of the nation.
Supreme Court upholds transgender sports bans: What to know and what’s next
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld state bans on transgender students playing on girls sports teams, delivering another blockbuster setback to trans youth and their families in a decision that is likely to sustain similar laws in about half of the nation.
Post From Community: ThriveOn King Small Business Loan Program returns for fourth round
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is mobilizing another round of affordable loans to Milwaukee neighborhoods, with preference for disadvantaged businesses facing economic challenges due to rising costs and limited access to capital.
With Claude Science, Anthropic Targets Another Application
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Match for the Marsh with Barton Health
We’re back with another awesome opportunity to transform the south end of the Upper Truckee Marsh, this time with help from our friends at Barton Health! Now that the California Tahoe Conservancy has demolished the former Motel 6 building, restaurant, and parking lot from the Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe, planning is underway […]
The Roberts court knocks down one of the last campaign finance rules
Another win for billionaires. Another loss for democracy.
Dianna Russini Invades Vikings Social Media
We should have known — eventually, some way or another, Dianna Russini, formerly of The Athletic and ESPN, would find […]
Cavs are reportedly interested in another reunion with LeBron James
Don’t count out a return to Cleveland just yet.
Supreme Court rules states can restrict transgender athletes’ sports participation in schools
The decision marks another legal setback for transgender youth as the Trump administration and Republican-led state legislatures have advanced policies limiting transgender rights.
UFC Power Rankings after UFC Baku
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Alleged iPhone 18 Pro Sim Tray Again Shows Dark Cherry Color
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to introduce new color options, including a dark cherry color, and today we may have been given another peek at the rumored finish, courtesy of the Chinese leaker known as Ice Universe. Image shared by leaker Ice Universe In an image posted on Weibo, a SIM tray allegedly from the unreleased iPhone is shown in a dark cherry colour, which could also be described in this grainy example as burgundy, brownish, or purple.
Duke basketball's first 2027 commit has a familiar last name
The Blue Devils get another Knueppel next year.
Jazz Chisholm leaves with injury, Yankees lose odiously to Tigers
The Yankee second baseman entered concussion protocol; the Tigers dealt New York another nasty loss.
Addison Barger Will Be Out Longer
The start of another series, and all I’m thinking is ‘don’t be swept’. That stuff about Addison Barger being back soon? Not so much. He has a ‘stress reaction in his back’. I guess that means stress fracture, but he’ll be shut down for two more weeks. So let’s hope that he might be back […]
LeBron Reportedly Issues 'Ultimatum' To Warriors Amid Free Agency Rumors
LeBron James has reportedly issued an "ultimatum" to the Golden State Warriors amid the ongoing free agency rumors. The four-time NBA champion forward is set to hit free agency this summer. LeBron is most likely to return to the Lakers, though another team could be inching closer and closer. The ...
Science Says Driving A Stick Shift Is Good For Your Brain
The manual transmission may have another argument in its favor beyond driver engagement.
France keeps health emergency plan at highest level in case of another heatwave
PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Monday he was keeping the country's health emergency response plan, ORSAN, at its highest level for the coming days in view
Luna the eagle takes a ‘leap of faith’
The 13-week-old eaglet flew to another tree, where his dad Shadow was waiting.
France Keeps Health Emergency Plan at Highest Level in Case of Another Heatwave
PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Monday he was keeping the country's health emergency response plan, ORSAN, at its highest level for the coming days in view of "a possible recurrence of a heatwave episode". Lecornu was speaking at the start of a ...
South Coast Business & Technology Awards Gross Another Record Total for Area Scholarships
Credit: Courtesy Santa Barbara, CA — For the fourth consecutive year, the South Coast Business and Technology (SCBT) Awards ceremony has grossed
Google Pixel Watch 5 seemingly surfaces with four variants and even more questions
As another year goes by since the last Pixel hardware launch, the Pixel Watch 5 is beginning to surface online...
How Jude Bellingham SAVED England against Panama
England are through to the World Cup knockout rounds following a 2-0 win over Panama. But after another sluggish start, which looked for a while like it could be a repeat of the Ghana game, Jude Bellingham both scored and assisted to get England through. Adam Clery looks at how, without Declan Rice in the side, Bellingham played every single midfield role to drag Thomas Tuchel's side to a vital win.
Bob on Business: Fort Worth Stockyards auction barn seeing new life as studio, live venue
Also, more Stockyards-area property on the market; area CEO honored; pawnshop deal; and another acquisition.
Miles Bridges trade grades: Suns burn another potential rebuild year, Hornets add to draft pick pile
The asset-rich Charlotte front office got a home run return with the 2033 first-round pick