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A Bipartisan Prescription for American Democracy
Leaders from across the political spectrum offer ideas to strengthen American democracy for its next 250 years.
Former Washington GM warns of potential interest in Brandon Aiyuk
Scot McCloughan, a former GM for the 49ers and Washington, offered some excellent insight into Brandon Aiyuk.
‘Who Should I Vote for?’ Voters Turn to A.I. Before Casting Their Ballots
It takes effort to be an informed citizen. Artificial intelligence tools offer an alluring shortcut — but they’re not without risk.
Should Jaguars Add This Top-100 Player in Free Agency?
With Devin Lloyd gone, Jacksonville faces a massive void at linebacker. Future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner offers the elite production and veteran leadership needed to anchor this defense.
Carlsson's Flyers offer sheet was entirely avoidable for Verbeek, Ducks
If Anaheim does match, they'll be in tight salary cap straights with much more to do. If they don't match, they'll lose their franchise center for four first-round picks. How did we get here?
Health officials offer tick safety tips as summer outdoor season ramps up
Mesa County Public Health is reminding residents that while tick-borne illnesses are rare in the area, taking precautions during outdoor activities can help reduce risk this summer.
Dior, Chanel bags among items offered at Taylor and Travis' wedding
If an invite to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's New York wedding wasn't cool enough, guests can also flex what they brought home.
Texas Tech Health Science Center Offers Summer Safety Guidance
Texas Tech Health Science Center Offers Summer Safety Guidance
Mesa Business Builder Offers Support for Local Entrepreneurs
Mesa Business Builder provides free consulting to help local businesses grow and succeed, reflecting the city's commitment to entrepreneurship. Mesa Business Builder Offers Support for Local Entrepreneurs
Business Briefs: July 2026
Fallen Tree Breaks New Ground with Wine Wins In the tasting room of Fallen Tree Vineyard, co-owner Matt Hales offered a glass of petit manseng. He’d just been manning the kitchen, his wife Lisa overseeing the front of the house, and out on the lawn a small crew of workers built the foundation of a
Trump joins Usha Vance’s “Storytime” podcast, reading on presidents and sports
President Trump made a guest appearance on second lady Usha Vance’s children’s podcast, where he read a picture book about U.S. presidents while offering unscripted commentary on his presidential p…
Apple Loop: iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Order Dates, New iPad Pro Details, iPhone 16e Special Offers
This week’s Apple headlines: iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders, Apple's significant data leak, iOS 27 dates, new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro details, refurbished iPhone 16e and more...
Is AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) A Bargain Following Its $350 Million Equity Raise?
AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) is back in focus after raising US$350 million through equity offerings. The company is using the cash to fully redeem its 2027 notes, extend major debt maturities and reshape its balance sheet. See our latest analysis for AMC Entertainment Holdings. Recent equity offerings and the full redemption of AMC Entertainment Holdings' 2027 notes have coincided with a sharp 90 day share price return of 68.75%, although the 1 year total shareholder return is still down...
As Trump commands 250th stage, Democrats offer their vision of patriotism
They want to show opposition to Trump without looking like they’re unwilling to celebrate the United States.
Long Reads for the Long Weekend
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Happy Fourth of July weekend! As has been a tradition of mine going back to the beginning of the EntStrategyGuy website, I’m sharing my favorite long reads of the last year, like I did in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025. Let’s dive right in! Subscribe “Different Prices for the Same Ride: How Uber and Lyft Use AI to Get More Money Out of You“ by Derek Kravitz in Consumer Reports I don’t think surveillance pricing, like the kind described in this brilliant Consumer Reports article, is long for the world—it’s toxically unpopular—but we’ll see if either party takes on this issue. If I ran a political party focused on affordability, I would focus on a few pro-consumer and pro-market policies: Banning non-compete agreements. Ending surveillance pricing Eliminating junk fees (read more here...) Ensuring “right to repair” for consumer (and military!) products Capping excessive app store fees Stopping digital/algorithmic price-fixing tools. Preventing automatic subscription price increases. And more. If you want to fight inflation, there are a lot of great ways to do it quickly. Speaking of higher prices... “Secret Documents Show Pepsi and Walmart Colluded to Raise Food Prices Across the Economy“ by Matt Stoller in BIG Again, I think a political party should focus on lowering prices for consumers. And deals like this—Walmart making a deal/forcing Pepsi to offer the lowest prices at its stores and nowhere else—hypothetically lower prices at Walmart...but raise them everywhere else. “15 DUIs, still driving: California’s failure to take repeat drunk drivers off the road“ by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler in CalMatters CalMatters does terrific reporting in California, something the Golden State desperately needs more of, and this article is a great example of that. “PugLips: The next insanely popular thing you’ve never heard of…” by Simon Carless in Game Discover Co I thought that this parody article (and yes, it’s a parody, but I was definitely unsure at first) was hilarious and totally nailed how much tech/business journalism feels these days. Actually, three of my favorite articles this year were on hype in the video game industry, including Georg Zoller’s “The Video Game Industries Very Dark Night”—which I linked to recently and wrote a follow-up here—and Owen Mahoney’s “Derek Zoolander, Videogame Exec”. In particular, I like Mahoney’s focus on user experience as a guide to what trends will actually grab hold of customers. “The Matrix Lies“ by Evan Shapiro in Media War & Peace Evan Shapiro’s first person account of his experience with AI was hilarious. I think LLMs capabilities have significantly grown from last summer, and yet...my editor/researcher just had an abysmal experience using an LLM to do a quite basic task (which our LLM normally does each week) and the LLM made a mistake on every single data entry...along with seven different mistakes affecting twelve of the twenty or so entries, including mistakes that are explicitly spelled out in the prompt. That’s a brutal failure rate. Again, if you use AI/LLM for data collection, you need to take a lot of extra steps to verify and check the data. “Ghosts in the Balcony: A Cross-Country Trip to 58 Theaters Fighting to Survive“ by Matthew Frank in The Ankler I thought Matthew Frank’s pitch to head across America to visit theaters sounded insane aggressive at the time—at least it felt that way to someone a decade older than him; man, to be in your twenties again, am I right?—but I knew the result would be great. And it was, a terrific feature by a great young writer. Also, I loved Matthew’s recent article on who’s getting the precious few entry level jobs in Hollywood. (Hint: nepotism.) “Disney erased FiveThirtyEight“ and “Did Las Vegas get too greedy?” by Nate Silver in Silver Bulletin I love media history and analysis, and there’s no one better to get the history of FiveThirtyEight than from Nate Silver, who wrote about his personal experience in one of my favorite pieces from this year. I also loved Nate’s breakdown of what’s causing Vegas’ woes, but I’ll offer one criticism, summarized as “Might I suggest antitrust?” Many centrists/center-right/libertarian thinkers (Nate is self-described as the latter) often don’t consider consolidation or antitrust as factors in policy issues like housing, America’s military readiness, or, in this case, Las Vegas. Even if libertarians want to debunk antitrust/consolidation concerns, I’d love to read that debunking. In this case, Vegas is incredibly consolidated (though it also has been for a long time) and I’d have loved to read Nate at least contending with this factor, since he addresses almost every other potential factor for Vegas’ decline. “Why Microsoft’s Carbon Removal Pullback Is Such a Big Deal“ by Robinson Meyer in Heatmap News I’m a big supporter of carbon removal efforts, but this nascent industry faces a lot of headwinds, including this big move most recently. I think it’s clear that solar panels and batteries should be able to get the world to its carbon footprint goals, but effective carbon renewal remains necessary to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. “AI is killing the cheap smartphone“ by David Oks LLMs and AI will impact the world in ways we’re not ready for, and already, third world countries are seeing the prices of cheap cellphones skyrocket due to the cost of chips skyrocketing. This article by David Oks is a terrific breakdown. “100 Days of Madness: Netflix, Paramount, Warner and the Future of Hollywood“ by Wade Major at Hollywood Heretic Wade Major dove deep into Hollywood/streaming’s financials in this must read piece. Not that I agree with everything in this article (read my take on Warner Bros./Paramount here) but the analysis is top notch. I think many people discount how quality thinking, regardless of the argument/conclusion, will make you a better thinker. “Erased by the UFC: Frank Shamrock, The MMA GOAT of the 20th Century“ by Nate Wilcox in The MMA Draw Newsletter Growing up playing the UFC fighting game on the Dreamcast, Frank Shamrock was my favorite MMA fighter, and this history/tribute to him was great. Other Fun Reads “The Hardest Part Of History To Tell Is How It Felt“ by Craig Fehrman at Defector “Unmasking the Sea Star Killer“ by Craig Welch at bioGraphic “What Could Save the Industry? Fin-Syn“ by Richard Rushfield in The Ankler Alex Rollins Berg in Underexposed on movie bumpers, pillow shots, Disney trash cinema, cult films, and Casablanca. David H. Montgomery in YouGov’s The Surveyor on punctuation marks, condiments, dinosaurs, and comic strips and kids media. “How Medium finally pivoted its way to profitability“ and “Why the best journalists on YouTube are all former Vox employees“ by Simon Owens in Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter “It’s Not Just You, Netflix Shows Have Gotten Slightly Shorter: Here’s What the Data Says“ by Kasey Moore at What’s on Netflix “Numlock Awards: How Diane Warren became the biggest loser in Oscar history“ by Nathaniel Rakich and “Numlock Awards: The Oscar Bait era is over. The Oscar Chum era is here.” by Walt Hickey & Michael Domanico at Numlock Awards
Top general fired by Trump administration criticizes use of military for political missions
The former top US general whom Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired last year offered a sharp criticism of the Trump administration in an op-ed published Friday, pointing to its political use of the military, such as deploying troops to clamp down on crime in major cities.
Small businesses supported by BMO Bank find big success at Summerfest
Summerfest offers a big stage for local businesses to grow through a unique BMO Bank sponsorship program.
After Sony Kills PS5 Discs and GTA 6 is Just a Code in a Box, Xbox Is Using Halo: Campaign Evolved's Physical Disc as a Selling Point
Microsoft is using the fact that Halo: Campaign Evolved will offer a physical game disc in its box as a selling point.
China’s Momenta IPO oversubscribed 414 times as Hong Kong listings pack calendar
Autonomous-driving firm draws nearly 210,000 orders for a US$751 million offering, making it year’s second ‘red-chip’ firm to get Beijing’s permission to list via offshore structure.
As Trump commands 250th stage, Democrats offer their vision of patriotism
Partisanship around the country’s big anniversary has put Democrats in a bind: They want to criticize the president without appearing unpatriotic.
Arts and entertainment calendar
Events coming up in the Greenville area offer music, arts, theater and family fun. Here is a sampling.
If this game-changing Galaxy S27 leak is real, nobody's gonna stop me from buying it
Samsung could offer an ultra-exclusive feature to the vanilla model.
North Carolina lifeguards prepare for holiday surge, with an eye on rip currents
Experts offer safety tips for beachgoers as millions are expected at the North Carolina Coast this weekend.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Local health officials offer food safety tips for 4th of July cookouts
Spoiled food can lead to multiple foodborne illnesses, including E. coli.
China says man who flew plane into Beijing skyscraper had mental health problems
Official statement offers the most detailed official account yet of the highly unusual and fatal incident in Beijing
Palm Beach police union offers backup for Belinda Keiser
'In Washington, she will effectively advocate for the needs of law enforcement, defending the rule of law.'
HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: July 4th celebrations across the region offer fireworks, food and family fun
Multiple fireworks celebrations are scheduled across the region this weekend with live music, food and family entertainment
Titletown to host additional ‘World Soccer Watch Party’ July 6
The newly added watch party will offer a variety of entertainment and activities for families and visitors of all ages to enjoy beginning at 5 p.m.
Trump's 'hero' justice offers roadmap after Supreme Court rejects birthright order
Justice Kavanaugh's concurrence outlines how Congress could legislatively restrict birthright citizenship, sparking immediate Republican action.
Carpinteria’s Performing Arts Center Offers a Wealth of Entertainment and Community Components
From films and plays to classes and camps, The Alcazar Theatre has been serving the Central Coast since 1928.
American College of Cardiology celebrates 100 hospitals for offering ‘highest level of cardiovascular care’
These "forward-thinking organizations" have all committed to participating in multiple data registries and quality improvement programs. Did your facility make the cut?
Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory Partner to Expand Marine Science Training
Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences have launched a partnership offering graduate students a Marine Science specialization through the Sea Change Semester, combining coursework with hands-on research voyages and laboratory training in Maine.
Marshall Health Network first in West Virginia to offer histotripsy treatment for liver tumors
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Health Network–Cabell Huntington Hospital (CHH) is the first hospital in West Virginia to treat liver tumors using the Edison® Histotripsy System, giving patients access to an advanced treatment that targets tumors with focused sound waves instead of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. The Edison Histotripsy System uses image-guided sonic beam therapy to precisely target […]
iOS 27 makes a very strong case for upgrading to a new iPhone
Most years, major iOS updates offer the same basic feature set on new iPhones and old ones. But with iOS...
McNeese SEED Center offering consultation services and small business growth roundtable
There are several upcoming opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs coming up at the McNeese SEED Center.
Bonus 236: A Term of Self-Inflicted Wounds
Within minutes of the Supreme Court handing down the birthright citizenship ruling on Tuesday and rising for its summer recess, its defenders were pointing to that decision (alongside the late-arriving mail-in ballots ruling on Monday and the tariffs ruling from February) as decisive proof that the Court really is “above politics,” and that criticisms of the justices for behaving more like politicians in robes than like judges are thus unfair. For a particularly thoughtful version of this claim, see Professor Will Baude’s opening response to the latest New York Times written roundtable about the Court with Baude, Professor Kate Shaw, and me. In that roundtable, I already offered one of the two major arguments against this thesis—that it’s an assessment of the numerator without regard to the denominator, and that a full account of the Court’s behavior throughout OT2025 suggests that the Court behaved even more politically during the current term than during even the previous (highly politicized) one. Just to take one of many data points, last term (OT2024), there were six rulings in argued cases in which all six Republican-appointed justices were in the majority and all three of the Democratic appointees were in dissent (along with a slew of such rulings on the emergency docket). This term, there were … 13. (Along with two 6-3 summary reversals and 10 rulings on the emergency docket from which the three Democratic appointees all dissented.) Today’s bonus issue addresses the flip side of that coin. In particular, below the fold, I identify four different moments in which the justices could have acted in ways to specifically defuse charges of political behavior—and opted instead to lean all the way in. As much as end-of-term narratives focus on what the Court did, and on the takeaways from individual rulings, consider today’s post an attempt to identify opportunities that the Court missed, as well. At least in the examples discussed below, by opting for the outcome that made the Court look more transparently political, the Court inflicted a series of (unnecessary) credibility wounds on itself. For those who aren’t paid subscribers, we’ll be back Monday with our regular coverage of the Court. For those who are, please read on.
Cost-Free Entertainment Platforms Propel Growth in the Ad-Supported Streaming TV Sector
The FAST market is driven by increasing consumer adoption of cost-free streaming, expanding ad-supported content, and enhanced personal advertising technologies. This growth is further accelerated by smart TV integration, diverse content offerings, and rising digital video libraries, notably in Asia-Pacific. Free Advertisement (Ad)-Supported Streaming Television (TV) (FAST) Market Free Advertisement (Ad)-Supported Streaming Television (TV) (FAST) Market Dublin, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Lawyers offer 7 boxes to check before hiring your next regulatory compliance officer
Hospitals are not the only healthcare entities competing over a limited pool of qualified compliance officers. Payers, vendors and others are in the race too. But hospitals and health systems may have the most to lose if they let down their guard on adherence to regulatory rules.
Valley businesses offer Fourth of July deals and discounts for America's 250th birthday
From buy-one-get-one ribs to a $17.76 pizza, local businesses are offering holiday savings — and some give back to the community.
Priced out: The growing cost of live entertainment
Summer tours are trying to fill seats while keeping up with growing ticket prices. Tickets for the Ed Sheeran concert at U.S. Bank stadium are BOGO through the 4th of July, and the Mystic Lake Amphitheater is doing an offer of four tickets for $99 for select concerts. Meanwhile shows like Noah Kahan are having no problem selling tickets with high ticket prices. Music critic for the Star Tribune Chris Riemenschneider joins All Day to talk about the drama around concert tickets.
Trinity Health Grand Rapids works to offer more free medication
Trinity Health Grand Rapids is rolling out a new program that aims to get prescription medicine to some of the lowest-income patients in West Michigan.
GTA Online Event Week: Independence Day Special (July 2nd-8th)
[responsivevoice_button] A new GTA Online Weekly Update has begun and Rockstar are offering Independence Day rewards, massive discounts and more ahead of the new update. Check out everything happe…
Marion County warns Oregon behavioral health rules put staff, residents at greater risk
KATU ABC 2 offers coverage of news, weather, sports and community events for Portland, Oregon and surrounding towns, including Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Gresham, Vancouver, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Tualatin, West Linn, Woodburn, Tigard, Tualatin and Garden Home.
U-M’s Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project leans into AI to support small businesses
In the last 10 years, the program has expanded significantly. In addition to consulting projects, DNEP now offers accounting assistance, community technology support, AI workshops and specialized programming office on helping business owners strengthen their financial and digital skills.
iPhone 18 Pro to offer only these three colors, per leaker
Here are the new iPhone 18 Pro colors launching this fall, according to leaker Instant Digital, and the one that could be missing.
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?
Applications for grants to aid businesses along Route 66 to open July 2
If you are a business along The Mother Road, a grant program is being set up to offer you aid.
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Is Down 8.7% After Equity Raise To Retire 2027 Notes And Fund Upgrades
In late June 2026, AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. completed a registered direct equity offering of about US$200.03 million and moved to fully redeem US$125.47 million of its 6.125% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2027 at par plus accrued interest. The company plans to use the remaining proceeds to bolster cash reserves and fund growth-oriented upgrades across its theatres as early as this autumn. Next, we’ll explore how using fresh equity capital to retire higher-cost debt and invest in...
Events in VT go big for July with Weird Al, Jack White and Thundercat
The Vermont Comedy Club, Higher Ground and the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort all have plenty to offer as America celebrates its 250th birthday.
Why Some Businesses Sell For Millions While Others Never Sell At All
Learn why some businesses sell for millions while others never sell, and discover the key factors buyers look for before making an offer.
Waynesboro offers new grants for local businesses
Waynesboro is offering new grants to help local businesses improve storefronts and boost tourism marketing efforts.
The Sims 4 June Patch: Testing Features, Fixes and New Moola Offers
The new Sims 4 June Patch has dropped today, and while the features included are a bit lighter than what we saw with the Sims 4 May Patch with base layers and
Central College to offer data science major
Central College will begin offering a new degree program this fall aimed at preparing students for data-focused professions across a number of industries. The Pella private college announced in a
The Clicks Communicator Phone With Blackberry Roots Demoed in New Video
A new video shows the $500 Clicks Communicator phone actually working. It offers a preview of all the typing and messaging that's to come.
Anthropic launches Claude Science
CNBC's Angelica Peebles to talk Anthropic's new healthcare offering.
Generative AI chest X-ray models offer new approach to radiology reporting and quality improvement
While the technology remains investigational in many practices, researchers say it has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, streamline AI development and strengthen radiology quality assurance.
America's national parks could add years to your life — here's how they boost health
National parks offer more than scenic views. Research shows trails and greenways boost physical activity, reduce stress and improve mental health.
Palace Theater and Downtown Gallatin offer July entertainment
Historic Downtown Gallatin, Inc. and the Palace Theater continue to offer plenty of entertainment and shopping choices to Gallatin citizens, both inside the air-conditioned theater and outside in the July heat. The Kids Summer Movie Series continues all month on Fridays from 10 a.m. until noon. July 3 will feature 2025’s “How to Train Your
Anthropic launches Claude Science in bid to expand revenue streams ahead of IPO
Anthropic is launching its Claude Science product as it seeks to increase revenue streams ahead of its anticipated initial public offering.
I asked strangers to let me farm their yards. They said yes
Marisa Mender-Franklin built a flower business after dozens of neighbors offered free yard space through Facebook.
VA Primary Care adds virtual reality to Veterans’ Mental Health Toolkit
Virtual reality devices help Veterans by offering additional ways to manage issues affecting their physical and mental health.
HILCO GLOBAL ANNOUNCES SALE OF TURNKEY MOVIE & ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX IN WHEELING TOWN CENTER
/PRNewswire/ -- The Hilco Global Real Estate Practice is pleased to announce the offering of a turnkey 36,880± SF movie and entertainment complex located at...
‘A place where everyone felt welcome,’ New KC business offers sensory-friendly play for kids with autism
Bubbles and Goo opened in Kansas City's River Market to offer sensory-friendly slime play for families affected by autism.
'Lilo & Stitch' star Daveigh Chase's father reacts to daughter's death from AIDS at 35
'Lilo & Stitch' and 'The Ring' actress Daveigh Chase's father offered a heartbreaking reaction to his daughter's death after the medical examiner's office ruled her cause of death to be AIDS.
New Molecular Monitoring Offers Scientists a ‘Live Video’ Look at Cells
‘This approach allows us to collect molecular information from precise locations while minimizing disruption to the tissue, making it possible to monitor bi ...
The Satire, Autograph Collection | The Hotel Collection
Discover The Satire, Autograph Collection an American Express Travel Luxury Property. Learn More About The Offerings & Features of The Satire, Autograph Collection in Alexandria, Virginia US.
"We're talking about at least half a decade of horror": former Exodus lead explains why he wasn't keen on doing a Baldur's Gate 4 despite Hasbro offering the chance
After Larian opted against a Baldur's Gate 4, Hasbro asked Archetype Entertainment head James Ohlen if he fancied a crack at it and he wasn't keen.
What Norris Center in Naples offers 2 years after Playhouse exit
Two years after Gulfshore Playhouse's departure from the Norris Community Center, the venue's event calendar is full with broader entertainment offerings.
Blackhawks Extend Qualifying Offers To Bedard & Three Other RFAs
Ahead of Monday’s 4:00 p.m. (CT) deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks issued qualifying offers to four of their six pending restricted […] The post Blackhawks Extend Qualifying Offers To Bedard & Three Other RFAs appeared first on Chicago Hockey Now.
OPM offers incentives for healthcare and insurance employees to leave before Open Season
OPM is offering voluntary separation incentives to healthcare and insurance staff before considering "any involuntary actions."
Meta Summer Sale Offers Massive Savings On Hundreds Of Quest Games
Meta Horizon Store's "Peak Summer Sale" is on, offering major savings on hundreds of Quest, games, apps, and DLC. Here are some of the best deals.
Hood College Launches Accelerated One-Year Master of Science in Environmental Biology Track
Beginning in Fall 2026, Hood College's Graduate School will offer a new accelerated, 30-credit track within its Master of Science in Environmental Biology program, providing students with a pathway to earn their degree in just one academic year while gaining valuable hands-on research experience.
'They’re like my sisters now': Boutique comforts women post-surgery
While hospitals can feel very clinical, there's a shop that offers products for women post-surgery with kind, friendly faces to provide support.
Jodie Turner-Smith offers rare comments about co-parenting with ex Joshua Jackson
Jodie Turner-Smith says she and ex-husband Joshua Jackson are 'learning' and 'not alway getting it totally right' when it comes to co-parenting their daughter together.
Easy tips for healthy eating this summer
Planning a summer cookout? A dietitian offers easy tips for healthy eating this summer and shares some tasty alternatives.
T-Mobile phasing out older plans, moving customers to 5G offerings
T-Mobile is ending legacy wireless plans and auto-upgrading customers to newer, pricier options.
Xbox reportedly stops signing third-party Game Pass deals
Studios are apparently no longer being offered Xbox Game Pass deals. But what does this actually mean?
Central College to offer data science major this fall
Central College will offer a new data science major starting this fall, bringing together STEM, social sciences and humanities teaching.
Leaked A20 Pro Image Hints at iPhone 18 Pro Performance Gains
An alleged image of the iPhone 18 Pro motherboard has leaked online, showing the A20 Pro chip will use a new packaging technology that should offer notable performance gains over the previous model. The leaked image, which has been shared by the accounts "WHYLAB" and "Ice Universe" on Weibo, appears to show the A20 Pro chip integrated into TSMC's new packaging architecture, known as Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology.
KATALIN KARIKÓ
She was met with resistance, got demoted and eventually forced to leave academia – but Katalin Karikó never lost focus, doubling-down on her work to harness mRNA for new vaccines and therapies. Karikó’s Nobel Prize-awarded discovery enabled the development of effective vaccines against COVID-19, offering protection to millions of people.
Comcast to split cable business from media through NBCUniversal, Sky spinoff
Comcast will split into two publicly traded companies through a spinoff of NBCUniversal and Sky, separating its cash-generating broadband arm from a media and entertainment business under pressure from streaming rivals and industry consolidation. The latest U.S. media industry shake-up follows years of cord-cutting as legacy players chase scale to better compete with Netflix while Paramount Skydance's $110 billion deal for Warner Bros Discovery is set to boost competition. Comcast, which leans on cable for much of its cash flow, is also losing broadband customers to fixed wireless offerings from T-Mobile and Verizon and to fiber rivals building out networks.
Google Cloud to Offer Specialist AI Models for Science Research
Alphabet Inc.’s Google will start offering specialist artificial intelligence models from software company SandboxAQ through its cloud service, expanding enterprise and research access to technology designed to accelerate drug discovery, materials science and semiconductor manufacturing.
Grand Theft Auto VI Rumored to Offer 60 FPS Mode on PS5/Xbox Series X, But Maybe Not at Launch
One of the reasons Grand Theft Auto VI fans are eager to learn the currently missing details on PS5 Pro enhancements is that the most powerful console available on the market is expected to include a performance mode targeting 60 FPS. However, according to a credible source, there's a decent chance that even the base PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's roughly equivalent Xbox Series X will support 60 FPS in Rockstar's massively anticipated game. The rumor comes from the popular Polish gaming podcast Rock and Borys, which features Remigiusz "Rock" Maciaszek and Borys Nieśpielak. It is the latter who shared in […]
Former Mets coach Eric Chavez slams David Stearns in rant
Former New York Mets hitting coach and bench coach Eric Chavez offered a brutal takedown of David Stearns, the team’s president of baseball operations, in an episode of “The EC3 Pod” on June 28. Stearns has come under heavy criticism…
Jesse Eisenberg opens up about turning down Aaron Sorkin's offer to return for 'Social Network' sequel
Jesse Eisenberg says passing on Aaron Sorkin's offer for him to return as Mark Zuckerberg in 'The Social Network' sequel felt like 'letting down America.'
Holistic Hilda shares 'Make America Healthy Again' health tips
Wellness leader Holistic Hilda shares her personal health journey and offers advice for transitioning to a healthier lifestyle on ‘The Big Weekend Show.’
5 iOS 27 Features That Aren't Available On Android (Yet)
Apple just released the iOS 27 beta for iPhones. Take a look at the features that Android doesn't offer yet but should adopt for future updates.
Indian Health Center’s grief vigil offers space for remembrance
Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center gathers local Indigenous community to find solace in remembrance and grief.
Pensacola Black-owned business show off goods during Black Business Expo
Check out the goods and services black-owned business had to offer during the Black Business Expo at Pensacola's DeVillier's Square Sunday.
Health insurers are looking for MAHA wins
The companies are offering benefits aimed at appealing to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his Make America Healthy Again movement.
SteamOS now offered with new gaming prebuilt PCs
MetaPCs Steamroller is a $1,299 desktop with SteamOS installed. The system uses Ryzen 5 9600X, Radeon RX 7600 and standard desktop parts.
NEW Pirates Entertainment CONFIRMED for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Hallowee...
There's a new offering coming to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year!
Only one workout helped older adults lose fat without losing muscle
A six-month study of more than 120 adults in their 70s found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may offer a key advantage over other forms of exercise: it helped reduce body fat while preserving valuable muscle mass. While moderate and low-intensity workouts also led to some fat loss, only HIIT maintained lean muscle, which becomes increasingly important with age.
Only one workout helped older adults lose fat without losing muscle
A six-month study of more than 120 adults in their 70s found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may offer a key advantage over other forms of exercise: it helped reduce body fat while preserving valuable muscle mass. While moderate and low-intensity workouts also led to some fat loss, only HIIT maintained lean muscle, which becomes increasingly important with age.
Employment scams study reveals soaring numbers
Job hunters tricked into handing over thousands of dollars are being lured with a new tactic: task-based scams, in which they are offered high pay to “like” and “subscribe” to videos online.
Bullseye! Enormous 'bow and arrow' galaxy is unlike anything radio astronomers have ever seen — Space photo of the week
Astronomers and citizen scientists have discovered RAD-BAARG, a radio galaxy with a striking bow-and-arrow shape, offering a rare direct view of a galaxy falling into the environment of a galaxy cluster.
Airlines Are Installing New Luxury Seats, but No One Is Allowed to Sit in Them
Lie-flat seats in private pods face long waits for safety certifications, delaying debuts for carriers’ high-end offerings.