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I've worn an Oura Ring for 5 years. The Oura Ring 5 is its finest work yet
So good, in fact, I don't know where Oura can go next
Universal Health Services (UHS) Is Up 8.7% After CMS Proposes Hospital Payment Increase and Analyst Support
In recent days, Universal Health Services received a boost after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed a 2.4% payment rate increase for hospitals, alongside supportive analyst commentary on its operating performance and upcoming second-quarter results. This regulatory tailwind for hospital reimbursement comes as UHS continues to expand its behavioral health footprint and prepare for its next earnings update, potentially influencing how investors assess its longer-term growth...
These 20+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (July 6-10)
Including at least two more Game Pass additions
AYANEO NEXT 2 Strix Halo handheld starts global shipping in late July, top SKU hits $5,299
AYANEO is preparing global NEXT 2 shipments for late July after months of delays. The top Ryzen AI Max+ 395 configuration now reaches $5,299 as memory and storage costs continue to affect availability.
How Flutter’s Removal from Key Russell Growth Indices Will Impact Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Investors
In late June 2026, Flutter Entertainment plc (NYSE: FLUT) was removed from multiple Russell growth benchmarks, including the Russell 1000 Growth, Russell 3000 Growth, Russell Midcap Growth, Russell 3000E Growth, and Russell Small Cap Comp Growth indices. This broad index exclusion matters because it can prompt passive and index-tracking investors to sell shares, potentially amplifying trading volumes and sentiment shifts around Flutter’s stock. Next, we’ll examine how Flutter’s removal from...
A Bipartisan Prescription for American Democracy
Leaders from across the political spectrum offer ideas to strengthen American democracy for its next 250 years.
Cowboys Headlines: LB concerns persist, Cowboys next sack leader
The latest Cowboys headlines and news from around the entire NFL.
Who Is Colombia's Next World Cup Opponent?
Here is a look at which team Colombia will play in the round of 16 and its potential path to the World Cup final.
Combat Sports World Joins NBA Superstar LeBron James Sweepstakes
The combat sports world has joined in on the festivities as sports fans everywhere await Lebron James next move. In case you don’t know, the legendary NBA superstar is no longer a member of the Los Angeles Lakers where he has played for the past eight seasons. This includes an NBA Championship back in 2020 […]
SpaceX's Next Big Business Isn't Rockets. It's Computer Chips.
The newly public space company is quietly buying its way into the AI hardware race.
Apple has reportedly suspended the development of the AirPods Ultra
Even so, they could still presumably be launched late next year. For quite a while now we’ve been hearing rumors about an upcoming pair of AirPods that...
Scientists thought ravens followed wolves for food. A 2.5-year GPS study told a different story.
For decades, biologists believed ravens found their next meal by shadowing wolves across the landscape until the predators made a kill. A new study in and around Yellowstone National Park suggests the birds are using a far more sophisticated strategy.
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
Scientists warn: a hidden space threat could trigger the next plane crash - Futura-Sciences
Space debris: silent stalkers in our skies For the past 50 years, NASA has recorded no more than one piece of space debris making it to the ground per day. And thankfully, there’s yet to be a single serious accident. After all, Earth is big and humans only occupy a...
'Rough draft' of the Declaration on display for America's 250th birthday
Those visiting the Library of Congress over the next several months will be able to get a rare look at a draft of our founding document up close
2026 NFL Odds: Josh Allen, Buffalo Best Bet To Win AFC East
Find out why Will Hill believes that Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will win the AFC East next season.
From The Sports Desk: Portugal advances, Croatia sent packing after dramatic finish
Cristiano Ronaldo played hero yesterday, leading Portugal to a 2-1 win over Croatia, which had a late equalizer taken away on replay review. Now, Portugal takes on Spain next.
Dave Roberts Discusses Rōki Sasaki's Recent Struggles and Upcoming Review
Dave Roberts revealed the next steps about struggling Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki.
Eleven Pirates Named Preseason All-Conference By Athlon Sports
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Eleven East Carolina football player have been named to preseason All-American Conference Teams according to an announcement by Athlon Spo...
12 Hilltoppers Named To Athlon Sports 2026 Preseason All-CUSA Team
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football had 12 players recognized on the Athlon Sports 2026 Preseason All-Conference USA Team.
Health Alert in effect until 10am for potential smoke and haze, Red Flag Warnings continue in Southern Colorado
Hotter temperatures expected over the next couple afternoons, heat should back off slightly by Sunday
Dave Portnoy reveals he is losing millions in brutal Bitcoin crash
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy admits he doesn't have plans to sell Bitcoin despite its volatile nature and his struggle to predict the cryptocurrency's next move.
America’s next 250? A revival of civic virtues might hold the key.
Democracy requires civic engagement – and it can sometimes seem to be falling short. But the seeds of renewal are visible, from potluck dinners to youth programs.
Exciting new Galaxy S27 Ultra and S27 Pro rumor tips long overdue camera upgrade
For the first time in several years, Samsung is expected to upgrade the front-facing camera of at least two of its next-gen Android high-enders.
Who Is Switzerland's Next World Cup Opponent?
Here is a look at which team Switzerland will play in the round of 16 and their potential path to making the World Cup final.
Trump's ties to Erdogan sold him on this year's NATO summit. Turkey may win big in other ways
U.S. President Donald Trump has berated and belittled many of the European leaders expected to attend next week’s NATO summit in Turkey but has only praise for its host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
From chasing titles to building businesses: Tennis legend Rafa Nadal on his next act
From chasing titles to building businesses, 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal speaks to CNBC’s Tania Bryer about retiring from professional tennis, his new chapter as an entrepreneur, and measuring success without trophies.
NHS to reward people who walk 30 minutes a day
The "marathon a month" scheme, developed with former Olympic medallist Sir Brendan Foster, will launch early next year.
NATO tensions push Europe to chart a path past Washington
Ahead of a major NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey next week, strain on the alliance is pushing European lawmakers toward a new posture—one that is less reliant on Washington.
Timeline Emerges For LeBron James' Free Agency Decision
Even at the age of 41, LeBron James still has basketball fans around the world anxious to find out where he's heading next. Despite taking a step back at times during the 2025-26 season, James flexed his muscles during the postseason. He powered the Los Angeles Lakers to the second round, averaging ...
Fox Sports rules analyst Mark Clattenburg: Folarin Balogun red card ‘shouldn’t have been a VAR intervention’
A delightful win for the USMNT on Wednesday night was overshadowed by a questionable red card on striker Folarin Balogun, immediately casting concern over the national team’s next match on Monday as Balogun serves a suspension. The second-half booking came after Balogun became tangled up with a Bosnian defender. In real time, the play did…
The weather and science behind a perfect fireworks show
A great fireworks show is about far more than the fireworks themselves — the weather plays a starring role. Clouds, wind and even the humidity can mean the difference between a crisp, dazzling display and a hazy, muffled dud. Meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser breaks down the science that makes fireworks burst into color and the conditions that can make or break the perfect show.
Nike Running's a $5 Billion Business: What's Next?
Nike Running added $1 billion over the last five quarter to become a $5 billion business, leading Nike's turnaround. Can that momentum continue?
2026 Phillies MLB Draft Preview: Caden Sorrell, OF
Just as I was trying to figure out who to write up next, Baseball America popped out their 5th mock draft, this time with a new name as the Phillies pick. It doesn’t sound like there’s sourcing for this or actual rumors of Phillies interest so much as there is “It’s the 36th pick. Who […]
From The Sports Desk: The U.S. advances, but loses Folarin Balogun to costly red card
The U.S. beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 to advance to the round of 16, where it will face Belgium next. But the U.S. will be without Balogun, its top goal-scorer of this tournament.
Eight Golden Flashes Named to Athlon Sports 2026 Preseason All-MAC Teams
KENT, Ohio — Kent State football placed eight players on Athlon Sports' 2026 Preseason All-MAC Teams, the publication announced as part of its 2026 College F...
Scott Dixon Departure From Chip Ganassi Racing Confirmed
Scott Dixon is out at Ganassi. So what's next?
Track & Field Alum Pablo Almaguer Celebrates Induction into RGV Sports Hall of Fame
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The week of Pablo Almaguer's induction into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame for his success as the head girls track & field and cross country coach at Weslaco High School, he was asked if he ever envisioned such an honor coming his way.
Sporting director Hughes set to leave Reds next year
Richard Hughes is overseeing Liverpool's current transfer window, but is expected to exit the club next summer.
Liverpool news: Sporting director Richard Hughes not expected to sign new deal at club
Richard Hughes is overseeing Liverpool's current transfer window, but is expected to exit the club next summer.
This startup wants to make city streets searchable with AI
Orchestra has installed more than 100 cameras in San Francisco. Next up: 900 more, then the rest of the world.
New Leaks Show the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in a Stunning Burgundy Color
As we inch closer to Samsung's big Unpacked event next month, we're starting to see more and more details about the devices that Samsung will be
US to give Tanzania $1.3 bln under five-year health pact
The United States has signed a memorandum of understanding with Tanzania to invest more than $1.3 billion in its health sector over the next five years, the latest in a series of deals that have caused controversy in some African countries.
30 Crusaders Named Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars
WORCESTER, Mass. – The College of the Holy Cross had 30 student-athletes named 2026 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars, honoring their athletic and academic achievements. The awards were announced in the June 8 issue of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. Leading the way was senior Julian Beban of the men's soccer team, who was one of 10 national finalists for the men's Sports Scholar of the Year award. Beban was also joined by senior Julian Jenkins (men's lacrosse) and senior Emma Tweed (women's rowing) as the top honorees in their respective sports.
Allegheny Health Network, Heritage Valley finalize combination in Pennsylvania
The deal brings Highmark Health-owned AHN’s hospital count to 16, and the combined system will invest about $285 million over the next decade to bolster Heritage Valley’s facilities.
Smith Named CAA Leadership and Sports Excellence Award Winner for Swimming & Diving
RICHMOND, Va. - Drexel's Sebastian Smith has been named one of the 19 recipients of the prestigious CAA Leadership and Sport Excellence Award for the 2025-26...
Steelers roster spotlight: Can Rico Dowdle make history in Pittsburgh?
As the Pittsburgh Steelers move closer to the 2026 season, we’re taking a closer look at every player on the roster, with RB Rico Dowdle up next.
Report: Xbox Disc-to-Digital Feature in Testing, Microsoft "Likely" to Stop Disc Production Too
Both Sony and Microsoft look ready to drop disc drives from their next-gen consoles.
Xbox reportedly to follow PlayStation's example and ditch discs for next-gen console Project Helix
The next Xbox console may also ship without a built-in disc drive, but Microsoft may have a solution for discs from older generations.
Photo Gallery: Dev Camp Roll Call Part Two
Witness top picks and hungry invitees from Sweden to Ontario as they hit the ice in Seattle, showcasing the next generation of talent fighting for a roster spot.
The Next Chapter for Founder-Led Beauty Brands
At The Business of Beauty Global Forum 2026, Unilever Prestige CEO Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson joined K18 founder and CEO Suveen Sahib and Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai to discuss scaling founder-led beauty brands.
Sony is first console giant to stop making physical games
Move sparks angry response from some gamers
Chris Paul fuels return speculation with Jayson Tatum workout video
Chris Paul announced his NBA retirement on Feb. 13. However, fans are speculating that he could play for the Boston Celtics next season. It came after a video of him putting up shots at the Elite Camp on Wednesday with…
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.
Apple is reportedly planning new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro releases early next year
Apple is readying several new iPad Pro tablets, and a budget-friendly MacBook Pro, reports suggest.
Apple Is Reportedly Planning A Visual Refresh Of The Entry-Level MacBook Pro Next Year
Next spring could be a fiesta of new iPads, MacBooks and iPhones.
Kendrick Perkins Thinks LeBron Is Truly Waiting For Cleveland
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins believes LeBron James wants to suit up for the Cleveland Cavaliers next season, but he's not going to guarantee a reunion at this time. James confirmed this week that he's not returning to the Los Angeles Lakers. His agent, Rich Paul, said he wants to have a chance at ...
Apple Readies New iPad Pro, Redesigned Entry MacBook Pro for 2027
Apple Inc. is preparing an upgraded iPad Pro line and a redesigned entry-level MacBook Pro for next year, adding to a slate of several other major new products planned for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary year.
Next Metroid Game for Switch 2 Reportedly Leaked in Age Rating From Brazilian Government
The Brazilian government may have leaked the next Metroid game, thanks to an age rating filed through the country’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
Sudden danger: the science and stakes of flash flood forecasting
Flash floods pose a major threat to lives and property. When it comes to researching them, understanding the rain as it falls is only half the battle. The next step is knowing how the water will move once it hits the ground.
Xbox testing disc-to-digital feature that digitizes a physical game collection
Microsoft’s disc-to-digital feature could be essential for next-gen Xbox consoles.
Business News: Breaking N3W5 - Former AP CEO Bennahmias Announces First New Watch Brand
Ex-Audemars Piguet CEO François-Henri Bennahmias unveils 'N3W5' - the first watch brand under his 'The Honourable Merchants Group' luxury startup. It won't debut until late next year.
Protecting Science. Advancing HIV Prevention. Preparing for What's Next
Global health is being reshaped by rapid geopolitical shifts, scientific breakthroughs and the growing role of artificial intelligence — creating both new opportunities and new challenges. Translating scientific breakthroughs into impact requires protecting research, advancing equitable access and ensuring communities are at the center. Explore AVAC’s latest resources to help navigate and shape what comes […]
Flood Hired as MBB Sports Data Analyst
Aidan Flood '26, a former data intern with the Syracuse men's basketball program, has joined the staff as sports data analyst.
Uber Shakes Up AI Data Labeling Business, Dismissing Top Leaders
Uber Technologies Inc. has dismissed two tech leaders at its nascent AI data labeling business, shaking up a key division that the ride-hail company has positioned as a key growth driver.
Thomas, Hurst Headline Athlon Sports Preseason Awards
Wide receiver Amare Thomas and offensive lineman Shadre Hurst were Houston Football's two Athlon Sports Preseason All-America Third-Team selections announced...
Question of the Day: Who will win Chicago’s next championship?
Every sports franchise in Chicago has an arrow pointing up - but who will be the next to climb the mountain?
Sony Shutting Down PlayStation Store for New Purchases on PS3 and Vita
Sony has announced the closure of its PlayStation Store on the PS3 and Vita, beginning next month in certain countries.
Rhythm Heaven Groove reviews roundup
Reviews are in for the next Nintendo game, Rhythm Heaven Groove, and here are the first wave of reviews.
Enter The Sadie-Verse
After ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘John Proctor Is the Villain,’ Sadie Sink is burning up stage and screen in equal measure. Next stop: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day.’
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?
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Iowa Business Council projects positive six-month economic outlook
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