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New York Boat Stewards Return to 220+ Launches Statewide
Boaters and anglers are being urged to take extra steps to stop the spread of invasive species in New York’s waters.
Gonorrhoea and syphilis hit record levels in Europe, data shows
STIs have surged thanks to record cases and gaps in testing and prevention, a health agency reports.
WHO urged to declare climate health emergency, and other climate and nature news
Top news: RCP8.5 misinformation; Forecasters warn of powerful El Niño; Early warning systems get G7 support.
Primary Care Making More Mental Health Diagnoses for Kids
Pediatric mental health visits in primary care surged over a 9-year period.
Genius Sports Revenue Surged 31% Last Quarter. So Why Did This Investor Bail?
Genius Sports delivers real-time data and digital solutions to sports leagues, sportsbooks, and media clients worldwide.
UC faculty and staff rally for state investment in science
UC President James B. Milliken and other leaders urged state lawmakers to pass SB 895, bipartisan legislation that would place a $12 billion bond to fund scientific research across California on the November 2026 ballot.
Risky Business: More Guidance Needed for Companies in Conflict Zones
In a comment submitted to the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, CBHR and Steptoe LLP urged the need for clearer guidance on corporate responsibility in conflict zones, where overlapping bodies of international law leave businesses unsure of their obligations.
Tom Brady gives commencement speech to Georgetown University business school graduates
Former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady urged the graduates to fight through adversity as he often did on the gridiron.
Public Health Law and Policy Experts Urge Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Reject the Latest Effort to Destabilize Childhood Vaccines | Milken Institute School of Public Health | The George Washington University
In comments filed on May 19th, a group of public health and administrative law scholars urged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reject a petition seeking to dramatically expand the scope of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986.
Microsoft Confirms Active 0-Day Exploit—Check Emergency Mitigation Now
Microsoft Exchange users are urged to mitigate a zero-day vulnerability that CISA has confirmed is under active exploitation.
Lululemon takes battle with Chip Wilson public, calls founder 'misguided' and 'outdated'
Lululemon responded publicly to founder Chip Wilson's campaign in a letter to shareholders, where it urged them to vote in its favor at its annual meeting.
Amid dysfunction in Congress, some Republicans hope to ditch DC for governorships
In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, the nation's top GOP governor urged Republicans to run on affordability. But will Trump get in their way?
Microsoft Confirms Active 0-Day Exploit—Check Emergency Mitigation Now
Microsoft Exchange users are urged to mitigate a zero-day vulnerability that CISA has confirmed is under active exploitation.
Morgan Stanley turns bullish on Ford's EV storage business
Ford Motor stock surged 13% in a single session the week of May 10 after Morgan Stanley issued a bullish call on the automaker's energy storage business. That was Ford’s biggest one-day gain since March 2020. For context, that kind of move doesn't happen without a serious catalyst. And this one ...
Microsoft Exchange Active 0-Day Exploit—Enable Emergency Mitigation Now
Microsoft Exchange users are urged to mitigate a zero-day vulnerability that CISA has confirmed is under active exploitation.
Ford stock pops nearly 20% in two days as investors bet on AI adjacent energy storage business
Ford stock surged on Wednesday after Morgan Stanley said its new energy business could be a winner for the automaker, citing the automaker's significant competitive advantage in battery tech.
Action urged on dozens of homes located on former Saint Rose campus
Amid redevelopment, the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association wants to ensure the nearly 50 houses on the campus footprint aren't forgotten.
Yankees urged to trade for Giants' 5.18 ERA veteran after Max Fried's elbow injury
New York's depth will be tested.
Lehigh Valley Political Pulse: Politics in an evolving news landscape
Katherine Reinhard said many voters remain undecided heading into the primary and urged audiences to rely on credible reporting as they make final decisions.
The Real Brokerage, Genesco, and Sphere Entertainment Shares Plummet, What You Need To Know
A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after Brent crude surged, erasing the brief oil relief from the previous week as consumer sentiment hit a record low, sparking concerns that shoppers will cut back on non-essential spending.
Boys Town Nevada lights Las Vegas sign green for Mental Health Action Day
The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign lit up green as Boys Town Nevada marked Mental Health Action Day and urged people who are struggling to seek help.Over
Ford stock surges as Morgan Stanley gets bullish on energy storage business
Ford shares surged on Wednesday after Morgan Stanley said Ford's new energy business could be a winner for the automaker, based on a big competitive advantage it has with battery tech.
Alibaba's AI Business Is Booming, But Its Profits Basically Disappeared
Cloud revenue surged 38% and AI income hit a new record, but aggressive spending on delivery and infrastructure wiped out core earnings
County health officials urge complete JYNNEOS vaccine series for Mpox protection
San Diego County public health officials Tuesday urged people at greater risk for mpox to get both doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine as cases rise statewide, including reports of the more severe Clade I strain.
Harvey Weinstein defense urges acquittal as rape retrial nears a close
Harvey Weinstein’s defense has urged jurors to put an end to a #MeToo-era rape case that has gone to trial three times. An attorney for Weinstein argued Tuesday that the
TSS: Business Improved, Same Core Problem
TSS delivered a 44% revenue decline, but higher-margin Systems Integration revenue surged 88%, driving GM expansion to 18%. Click for this TSSI stock update.
Finally, texts between Android and iPhone users can be end-to-end encrypted
Google had urged Apple for years to support RCS texting to make communication between each company's devices more seamless.
Unions, businesses urge legislators in opposite directions on independent contractor rules
Business groups and freelances urged lawmakers to undo recently adopted rules on worker classification. Unions said they should persist.
The Real Brokerage, Genesco, and Sphere Entertainment Shares Plummet, What You Need To Know
What Happened? A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after Brent crude surged, erasing the brief oil relief from the previous week as consumer sen...
GOP dissenters purged in Indiana primaries
Trump encouraged the ouster of Republicans who voted down a new congressional map
Nintendo R&D expenses increase 23% from last fiscal year suggesting new hardware could be in works
An eagle-eyed Redditor has noticed that Nintendo’s Resource and Development expenses have surged by 23% from the last fiscal year, suggesting that new hardware is being worked on. You never know what…
Fiery hearing over Louisiana redistricting shows historic stakes: ‘The country is watching’
Over the course of more than eight hours, dozens of speakers urged legislators not to redraw maps to eliminate two majority-Black districts.
Alabama Asks Supreme Court to Allow it to Use New Voting Map
State officials urged the justices to allow them to jettison Alabama’s congressional district map, citing the Supreme Court’s recent decision that dealt a blow to the Voting Rights Act.
French bulldogs top U.S. popularity list, but vet warns of serious health risks
French bulldogs have surged to become the most popular dog breed in the U.S., winning over owners with their small size and distinctive looks.But veterinarians
MSG Entertainment posts Q3 2026 revenue of $246M
MSG Entertainment’s Q3 2026 revenue rose 2% to $246.3M, while nine-month revenue hit $864.5M and operating cash flow surged to $368.1M, boosting liquidity.
Bruins Urged To Begin Extension Talks With 30-Goal Center
Boston could look to sign a centerman to an extension this summer.
SM Entertainment’s revenue surges 21% YoY in Q1 to $192M on strong concert, merch sales
SM’s revenue from concerts surged 56% YoY to KRW 60.8 billion ($42m), driven by tours from SUPER JUNIOR, NCT DREAM, aespa, RIIE and NCT WISH.
AMD Profit, Revenue Jump on Growth of Data Center Business
The chip maker’s data center segment sales surged 57% year-over-year, driven by strong demand for its EPYC processors and the ramp-up of its Instinct GPU shipments.
U.K. 30-Year Gilt Yields Hit 28-Year High Amid Political Concerns
Borrowing costs on U.K. 30-year government bonds surged ahead of local elections on Thursday due to concerns about a potential political crisis in the U.K.
Bruins Urged To Pursue 70-Point Defenseman In Free Agency
Boston could use another puck-moving defenseman.
Greenland ice melt has surged sixfold and scientists are alarmed
Greenland’s ice sheet is now melting in ways never seen before, with extreme events becoming more frequent, widespread, and intense. Since 1990, meltwater production has skyrocketed, and most record-breaking events have occurred in recent years. Scientists say warming temperatures are supercharging these episodes beyond natural climate patterns.
Surge in new business formations in Nevada
Nevada led the nation in post-pandemic small business growth, according to new analysis from UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research. Business filings surged in 2020, when Las Vegas ...
Xi Jinping: Advancing China's strength in science and technology
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged greater efforts and more concrete measures to strengthen basic research, enhance China's capacity for original innovation, and further solidify the foundation for building the country's strength in science
Trump endorses Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky Senate primary
The president urged businessman Nate Morris, a Barr rival, to drop out of the race and take an ambassadorship. Morris agreed and promptly joined Trump in backing Barr.
Seattle’s mayor waves goodbye to prosperity
Starbucks retreats from Seattle after the socialist mayor urged a boycott.
Twilio stock soars under CEO's AI-driven strategy
Twilio's stock surged Thursday as the company's AI strategy pays off. Previously, activist investors demanded cost cuts amid growth challenges.
Companies Are Talking More About Renewables, But Policy Headwinds Still Bite
As interest in non-fossil fuel sources has surged amid the energy crisis, some businesses are being more vocal in their support for green power
Bat tests positive for rabies in Pasadena, health officials say
Pasadena health officials urged the public to stay away from bats on Thursday after one tested positive for rabies in the city.
FAMU president asks for support from Tallahassee's business leaders
FAMU President Marva Johnson urged Tallahassee business leaders to invest in the university and its students, aiming for enrollment growth.
Lawmakers urged by AHA to support key health initiatives in FY 2027 appropriations bill
The AHA April 29 urged House and Senate appropriations committee leaders to fund health care programs that have been successful in improving access to care for patients and communities nationwide, as the committee begins drafting the fiscal year 2027 appropriations bills. The AHA encouraged Congress to support various programs focusing on the health care workforce, maternal and child health, rural health, disaster preparedness, medical research and behavioral health. Additionally, the AHA urged legislators to include specific bill language that would bar the use of funds for the implementation of a 340B Rebate Model Program at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Media And Entertainment CEO Pay Surged 117% In 2025, Report Finds
Across the S&P 500, CEO pay packages for 2025 rose nearly 11% over 2024 levels – and media and entertainment led all sectors with a dramatic 117% surge.
UK urged to deploy EU-style ‘trade bazooka’ against Trump’s tariffs
‘Inadequate economic security’ is putting growth and jobs at risk, says British Chambers of Commerce
House Democrat proposes bipartisan national commission for political violence after WHCA dinner shooting
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Sunday urged lawmakers to create a bipartisan national commission for political violence following the shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ Associat…
Trump says he expected oil to spike to $200. Here's why it hasn't.
Oil hasn't surged to $200 like some, including Trump, had expected. Business Insider spoke to energy market pros about what's kept a lid on prices.
Yankees Urged to Make Questionable Spencer Jones Decision
The New York Yankees are being urged to make a rather questionable decision with Spencer Jones.
North Carolina businesses urged to use new portal for refunds after tariffs ruled illegal
North Carolina businesses impacted by the federal government's tariffs that were later ruled illegal are being urged to seek refunds through a new portal.
Penn Entertainment Stock Surges 17% Following Strong Earnings Report
Penn Entertainment stock surged 15% after a strong Q1 earnings beat. Here’s what drove the rally and what investors should watch next.
Pot firms rally after US reclassifies marijuana as less dangerous drug
Shares of cannabis firms surged on Thursday after the U.S. government moved to reclassify the Food and Drug Administration-approved and state-licensed marijuana as a less-dangerous drug.
Anthropic has surged to a trillion-dollar valuation on secondary markets.
Buyers are in a race to secure a dwindling supply of shares in Anthropic, driving the AI company's valuation on some platforms to $1 trillion.
Journalists urge protest of Trump at correspondents' dinner
A coalition of 200-plus journalists and press freedom groups urged the White House Correspondents' dinner organizers to call out Trump at the event.
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
NC lawmakers urged to boost Safe Sleep funding after 1,100 infant deaths in less than a decade
From 2015 to 2023, unsafe sleep environments claimed the lives of 1,135 North Carolina infants, data shows.
Bills urged to roll the dice in NFL Draft
The Bills might be looking to fix their Keon Coleman mistake.
Teladoc Health Inc (TDOC): AI Push Amid Share BuyBack Calls
Teladoc Health Inc (NYSE:TDOC) is among the best medical AI stocks to buy now. On March 31, activist investor Pineal Capital Management urged Teladoc to launch a share repurchase program. Pineal Capital is pushing for at least $200 million in share buybacks. Additionally, the activist investor has called on the Teladoc management to consider separating […]
Mpox vaccination urged after more-severe strain detected in San Francisco
California health officials are urging high-risk residents to get vaccinated against mpox after a potentially more-severe strain of the virus was detected for the first time in San Francisco.
Stock market today: Indexes hit records after Iran says Hormuz is open
US stocks surged and oil prices plunged after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz was "completely open," removing a key overhang for markets.
Let's play the game and not the occasion, urges Pep
Pep Guardiola has urged City to play the game and not the occasion when the Blues lock horns with Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday. Men's Team Bernardo Silva to leave Manchester ...
Allbirds Is Selling Its Sneaker Business to Become an AI Company. The Stock Just Surged 650%
After years of losses and a 99% stock collapse, the struggling shoemaker is betting on AI infrastructure.
Sabres’ playoff return has business of hockey booming in Buffalo again
The Sabres' attendance, TV ratings and merchandise sales have surged with Buffalo's first playoff team since 2011.
U.S. wholesale prices surged 4% last month during the Iran war
The surge in prices complicates the work of the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve, who have faced intense pressure from President Donald Trump to lower their benchmark interest rate. But some Fed policymakers are inclined to raise rates instead, as higher energy costs increase the inflation threat.
Eric Swalwell ends campaign for California governor after sexual misconduct allegations
Rep. Eric Swalwell said Sunday he would withdraw from the California governor’s race in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct that led to a nearly immediate campaign collapse, as staffers quit and prominent Democratic supporters urged him to drop out.
Eric Swalwell ends campaign for California governor after sexual misconduct allegations
Rep. Eric Swalwell said Sunday he would withdraw from the California governor’s race in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct that led to a nearly immediate campaign collapse, as staffers quit and prominent Democratic supporters urged him to drop out.
Stormont urged to delay workers' rights reforms by business leaders
The Good Jobs Bill would give workers a range of enhanced rights including an effective ban on zero hour contracts.
Laredo proclaims April Autism Awareness Month, underscores challenges
Laredo proclaimed Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month as officials, families and community members urged others to move beyond awareness and address barriers.
This Women’s Healthcare Stock Is Up 15% on Reports of a Takeover In the Works
Organon shares surged Friday following reports India’s Sun Pharmaceutical made a bid for the women's healthcare company.
Inflation surged in March as Iran war's energy impact hit consumers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest consumer price index data which showed that CPI inflation surged in March as the Iran war's imapct took a toll on consumer prices.
Comptroller: State workforce overtime surged 23%, driven by DOCCS, prison strike
State workforce overtime costs increased by $1.6 billion in 2025, according to a report released by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said.
State election dispute on political speech comes to Supreme Court on interim docket
Lawyers for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, as well as county election officials, urged the Supreme Court on Wednesday to let them go ahead with a ballot that does […]
Amid license review, Camp Mystic being investigated by Texas Rangers and state health officials
Camp Mystic filed to renew its license in March. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has repeatedly urged state officials to reject the application.
Health insurers score major win with higher 2027 Medicare Advantage rates
The stocks of major Medicare Advantage insurers surged on the announcement.
Arsenal's Mikel Arteta preaches calm ahead of Sporting quarterfinal
Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal's players not to panic as they aim to get their season back on track against Sporting Lisbon.
How fuel surcharges are squeezing small business margins
Rising fuel costs are hitting small businesses with a new wave of shipping expenses, as major carriers pass along higher diesel prices through surcharges many owners say feel like “tariffs 2.0,” The Wall Street Journal writes. FedEx and UPS have pushed fuel surcharges above 26%, while diesel prices have surged sharply in recent weeks, driving […]
Call for citizen scientists to collect space dust
Resident are urged to join a cosmic quest for micrometeorites from space landing in their gutters.
Italian football chief resigns after World Cup debacle provoked political outcry
Members of Giorgia Meloni’s coalition urged Gabriele Gravina to step down after Italy lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier this week.
Why Trump’s Iran Address Failed to Soothe Markets
Oil surged and stocks sold off after the president delivered an unclear case for continuing the war in the Middle East.
Hennepin Healthcare workers push lawmakers to shore up support for hospital at risk of closure
Nurses and physicians at Hennepin Healthcare in downtown Minneapolis, home to the first level-one and busiest trauma center in Minnesota, on Wednesday urged the state Legislature to throw the hospital a lifeline — and fast.
Town Meeting voters urged lawmakers to consider a universal health care bill. What can that change in Montpelier?
Also in Final Reading: Labor board rejects return to office, a forensic facility and AI in health care.
Haleiwa open for business as North Shore storm recovery continues
While people are urged to stay away from impacted neighborhoods, local business leaders stressed that Haleiwa town is open and that respectful support can help the community recover.
A Look At Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) Valuation After Jana Partners Activism And Leadership Shake Up
Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) is back in focus after activist investor Jana Partners publicly urged the company to consider a sale and overhaul its board leadership, prompting a rapid shake up in the chairman role. See our latest analysis for Six Flags Entertainment. The recent governance shake up comes against a mixed backdrop, with a 10.52% 90 day share price return and a 7.17% year to date share price return set against a 1 year total shareholder return decline of 53.46%. This suggests...
Liverpool urged to give more opportunities to young midfielder
Liverpool’s Next Midfield Evolution: Nyoni Emerging as Endo’s HeirLiverpool’s midfield has undergone a steady recalibration in recent seasons, but the next phase may already be unfolding in plai...
Georgia men’s track and field storms through Hurricane Invitational
Georgia men’s track and field surged through the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational in Coral Gables, Florida, with a strong performance on March 27-28. The men’s team scored many impressive results in
How Julianna Stratton surged to victory in Illinois' Democratic Senate primary
Juliana Stratton's anti-ICE position, push for a $25/hour minimum wage and boost from Gov. JB Pritzker led to her win in Illinois, said Quentin Fulks, who led the super PAC backing her.
Singapore denies Malaysian scholar entry over political activism
Fadiah Nadwa Fikri urged some in Singapore to "adopt her brand of radical advocacy", authorities say.
8 of 11 Wisconsin tribes urge Evers to approve online sports betting
Eight of Wisconsin's 11 tribes urged Gov. Tony Evers to sign an online sports betting bill, but it's unclear where the remaining three stand.
Warner's 'Sinners' Returns Atop U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Following Oscars Win
Warner’s Sinners returned atop the Official Film Chart, the weekly U.K. home entertainment sales chart, after winning multiple Oscars at the March 15 Academy Awards. Last week’s chart topper, Universal’s Wicked: For Good dropped to No. 2, after four non-consecutive weeks at No. 1. Warner’s other Oscar-winner, One Battle After Another, surged 14 spots to No. … Continue reading "Warner’s ‘Sinners’ Returns Atop U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Following Oscars Win"
Florida Democrat flips seat in special election in district that includes Trump’s Mar-a-Lago
Democrat Emily Gregory won a Florida special election on Tuesday, flipping a state legislative district that is home to Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach estate that President Donald Trump counts as his residence. The president had endorsed Gregory’s rival, Jon Maples. In a social media post Monday, he urged voters to turn out, saying Maples was backed “by so many of my Palm Beach County friends.” READ MORE: Trump casts Florida ballot by mail as he
Marathon has sold 1.2M copies across Steam, PS5, and Xbox
Alinea Analytics estimates show that Marathon has generated gross revenues of $55M via 1.2M copies sold on Steam, PS5, and Xbox: Looking at the split between Steam, PS5, and Xbox, Steam is clearly the main platform for Marathon, accounting for a little under 70% of the audience (800K copies sold). Meanwhile, PS5 takes about 19% (217K) and Xbox (including console, PC, and cloud) accounts for a bit over 11% or 133K. Marathon is technically a first-party Sony title, so seeing the home console struggle to break 20% of the volume is a notable data point for the ongoing platform-agnostic debate. PlayStation Studios online games will almost certainly continue being multiplatform (despite Sony reportedly pulling back on PC releases). Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe As for Marathon, the consensus among hardcore players who pushed through the awkward onboarding phase – myself included – is that it’s fantastic. The gunplay, aesthetic, and presentation are among the best in the shooter genre. A great game doesn’t always equal an immediate hit, though, as shown by our estimates. Things are looking lukewarm right now. But this might be one of those marathon-not-a-sprint situations. Had to, didn’t I? Why wasn’t Marathon a hit on the same level as Arc Raiders? One topic that came up in a lot of conversations at GDC this year was why Marathon hasn’t hit the same stratosphere as Arc Raiders. On paper, they’re both extraction shooters, and Marathon has the Bungie pedigree – the house that built the gold standard for gunplay in Halo and Destiny. Marathon’s neon-futuristic aesthetic also distinguishes itself from the gritty realism of Tarkov or the post-apocalyptic hope of ARC Raiders. But vibes can only get you so far for first impressions if the onboarding feels like a brick wall. Marathon is a sweaty PvP-focused experience with a first-time user experience and UI that I can only describe as dreadful. Players are dropped into a complex ecosystem where the UI, though visually striking, is functionally uninformative, forcing users to manually hover over nondescript, identical icons just to identify basic gear or weapon mods. This lack of clarity is compounded by punishing mechanics like a severe heat gauge for movement and a scarcity of vital resources, all without a clear tutorial or a low-stakes mode to learn the ropes. Most people – even top streamers and veteran shooter players – have no idea what’s going on in Marathon at first. Arc is on the complete other end of the spectrum. As we covered here and here, Arc Raiders offers a more collaborative, approachable loop where players often work together toward shared goals. And the objectives are instantly clear. To many players, this contrast only emphasised Marathon’s issues, especially during the testing period. Players understand the Arc Raiders loop within 30 minutes, while Marathon acts as a massive filter, chewing up newcomers and spitting them out before they can experience the depth of Bungie’s signature gunplay. What I’m getting at here is that the poor first-time user experience of Marathon’s Server Slam likely stifled launch sales, while the opposite was true for Arc. Let’s look at the pre-launch copies sold for each game during their respective Server Slams (launch-aligned) : Looking at the trajectory: Arc Raiders saw a massive 80% jump in copies sold during its three-day Server Slam (day -13 to -11). Players jumped in, realised the water was fine, and immediately opened their wallets. Marathon, meanwhile, saw a 49% increase in the four days following its Slam (Day -7 to -3). At the time of each game’s respective launch, Arc Raiders had nearly double the Steam footprint of Marathon – and word of mouth only continued to grow. Bungie could have had more time to fix the onboarding process had the beta happened earlier. But Marathon launched three days after the beta finished. These factors limited the launch sales quite a bit, I reckon. Marathon has found a niche audience, though Despite the friction-heavy start, the data suggests that those who survived Marathon’s onboarding are loving life. We’ve been tracking cross-platform DAUs, and while there’s the expected post-launch leakage, many players are sticking with it. After peaking at 478K total DAUs on its first Saturday, Marathon has settled into a respectable rhythm, holding 345K DAUs as of yesterday and averaging 380K DAUs across the weekend. Steam continues to do the heavy lifting here, consistently accounting for the lion’s share of the daily players. Players have been putting in the hours, too: On Steam, Marathon’s average playtime has climbed to 27.8 hours, significantly outpacing the console averages on PS5 (16.5h) and Xbox (17.3h). Even more telling than the averages: 22% of the Steam audience has surged past the 50-hour mark, and nearly 7% have already logged over 100 hours. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe This data suggests that once the Bungie magic clicks, it hooks players deeper than the average extraction shooter. There’s also started to be a shift in the game’s discourse. Marathon launched as one of those games that’s cool to hate. But as Marathon’s 100-hour club grows, we’re seeing conversations around its mechanical merit outweigh the negativity. Several high-profile creators, who were initially vocal critics, have spent the last week coming around on the mechanical depth of the endgame. It’s a subtle but positive signal; the hate train is losing steam, and a new narrative about the game is emerging. Bungie faithfuls unite Another interesting metric in Marathon’s first few weeks is who, exactly, is playing. Bungie leans heavily on its prestige as the “makers of Halo and Destiny,” in its marketing, and that message has clearly hit the mark. On Steam, the gravity (hammer) of Bungie’s previous work is unavoidable. A staggering 78.2% of Marathon players also played Destiny 2. The trend carries across other platforms, with 74.2% of PS5 players and 82.7% of Xbox players also having played Destiny 2. The Halo legacy lives on, it seems. More on that in a bit. While Destiny 2 went free to play, these numbers still represent a high-intent migration of a fanbase that trusts Bungie’s specific brand of kinetic gunplay and cryptic world-building. The Xbox data adds another layer of legacy. About 85.7% of Marathon players on Xbox have played Halo Infinite, while over half of the Steam audience has spent time in Halo Infinite and 36.1% in the Master Chief Collection (a paid collection of the old Bungie-made legacy games). Interestingly, we see a 55.9% overlap with ARC Raiders on Steam. Overlap is even higher there on PlayStation (60.5%) and Xbox (66.5%). And there’s also significant crossover with Helldivers 2 on all platforms, too. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe Bungie has found some of its fans with Marathon, and the challenge now is keeping this engaged in a high-stakes PvP environment when they’ve spent the last decade primarily enjoying the power fantasies of PvE. On that note… Go the full 26 miles? Or cut and run? Time for some could’ve, should’ve, would’ve. These things would have improved Marathon’s performance at launch: A more robust onboarding process, perhaps in the form of a short single-player/PvE campaign. We know Bungie fans love this stuff. A traditional arena-based mode akin to Destiny’s Crucible could have been a bridge for the cautious players who’d have been otherwise deterred by the Server Slam. It’s also a great palate cleanser after getting merked. Introducing a dedicated PvE environment would have similarly diversified the conversation and lowered the barrier for the Bungie faithful who found the pure PvP extraction loop too abrasive. PvE is safer than PvP these days. There’s an argument that a thin PvE mode would have just felt like a budget Destiny, potentially hurting the brand more. But given how dire the FTUE is, I think it would have been a net positive. Any kind of tutorialised loop that demystifies the stakes, really. While there is merit in a studio sticking firmly to a singular creative vision, and going all in on the hardcore extraction loop. Less forgiving is the technical reality is that the user interface and first-time user experience (FTUE) were not at a commercial standard for launch. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe In a landscape where player time is oversaturated and the most contested currency, a flawed FTUE is a critical failure point. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as Marathon has an incredible, unique gameplay loop, suggesting that financial success is still attainable if Bungie can pivot effectively. Bungie and PlayStation now face a difficult strategic crossroads, though – one within a challenging games market. They could: Double down on Marathon with a long-term Rainbow Six Siege- or No Man’s Sky-style recovery plan, which is something I heard Last Stand Media’s Chris Maldonado mention last week. While this could be a sunk-cost fallacy in action, it could eventually yield the audience the game’s mechanical depth deserves. Shift focus toward the inevitable Destiny 3 or another project, mitigating the escalating opportunity cost and cutting their losses, so to speak. Doing both is an expensive proposition, given the high overhead and burn rate of operating out of Bellevue, Washington. With Sony recently demonstrating a lower threshold for underperforming studios and projects, the margin for error has vanished. Whatever happens, the next six months will determine whether Marathon becomes a cornerstone of Sony’s live-service portfolio or a cautionary tale of vision exceeding accessibility. I’m hoping it’s the former, because Marathon rocks. As always, hit subscribe to get updates on Marathon and other relevant games. Subscribe Want to get your hands on our data for yourself – for free? We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. 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US business activity slows as war-driven costs surge
U.S. business activity slowed in March to its weakest pace in nearly a year as rising costs tied to the Iran conflict weighed on demand, Bloomberg writes. A key S&P Global index dipped but remained in expansion territory, while input prices surged to multimonth highs. Service sector growth softened, hiring declined and companies passed higher […]