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UVM Health to suspend weight loss drug coverage for its employees
The hospital said it would expect to save $19 million dollars each year, but staff are skeptical of the long-term costs.
Tucker Carlson floats idea of new political party in the US in interview
Former Fox News host further said he doesn’t ‘want to be a candidate’ for president and aired frustration with Trump
Popular Windsor egg farm exits egg business amid hard times for small farms
Tiffany Holbrook, co-owner at Wise Acre Farm, announced this week that the farm shut down its local egg operations and will move to a new location in Sonoma County to focus on meat production. She said the realities and costs of running the…
Cape Fear Valley Health layoffs leave 138 employees searching for work
Cape Fear Valley Health employs more than 9,000 people. Officials said about 2% of staff at each hospital were impacted.
Thousands need medical attention from ‘already overwhelmed’ Venezuelan healthcare system: Aid worker
Claudia Manresa, Venezuela Regional Manager at Project HOPE joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the urgent humanitarian situation following last week’s twin earthquakes and the strain the disaster is putting on the country's already struggling systems.
First human case of West Nile detected in Sacramento County, health officials say
A woman in her 60s tested positive for the disease and is still recovering, the county said Thursday.
Why the 49ers need another rotational pass rusher
Nobody has ever said you have too many pass rushers
Small Business Owners Need Wider Adviser Support, per Voya
More than 90% of small business owners surveyed said advisers should be equipped to help with employee retention.
Two Women Arrested in Millcreek Township Illicit Massage Business Raid - The Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation
On June 16, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Magic Health Massage Spa in Millcreek Township in an ongoing effort targeting illicit massage businesses in Erie County. Law enforcement arrested two New York women who allegedly lived at the … Read more about Two Women Arrested in Millcreek Township Illicit Massage Business Raid »
Exclusive: Trump administration plans to boost worksite immigration enforcement after increase in criminal probes
The Trump administration is planning for an increase in worksite enforcement operations, with multiple federal agencies involved in determining how to boost the number of immigration arrests and placate the president’s base, according to five sources familiar with the discussions.
Raiders top newcomers ranked by immediate impact
We went about listing the Raiders top ten veteran newcomers and ranking them by how much of an impact they will have right away.
Oregon Health Authority director Sejal Hathi announces resignation
Hathi’s departure is a surprise and comes as OHA is preparing to cut $421 million from medicaid after years of expanding the program.
How a freelancer pitched a story about sperm freezing to Popular Science
Freelancer Julia Daye’s commitment to attending in-person media events paid off by inspiring a successful pitch to Popular Science.
Negotiations between Cherriots, business leaders paused after months of meetings
Talks between the Salem Area Mass Transit District and representatives from a coalition of six business and real estate groups, and citizens were halted last week, Cherriots said in a press release. The two groups formed a task force to find a compromise after a proposed payroll tax sparked frustration last year. To comment on this story, use the form at the end of the report.
Taking the world’s temperature: WHO chief spotlights global health emergencies
The hantavirus global outbreak is officially over, Ebola outbreaks are growing in Africa and responders are helping recovery efforts in quake-hit Venezuela, the World Health Organization (WHO) chief said on Thursday, announcing updates on global health emergencies.
Colorado governor fires board members who criticized release of election denier
Gov. Jared Polis (D) said clemency deliberations should be confidential.
Wisconsin Senator demands investigation into Postal Service
Sen. Tammy Baldwin said hundreds of votes were not counted in the state’s April election because ballots were delivered after the deadline.
I got laid off after 31 years at Disney
Chris Bess says a social media post about losing his Disney job reached millions and expanded his professional network.
A Medicaid fee in New Jersey is now in place for some businesses. More states may follow
The new legislation signed by Governor Sherrill will charge companies that have at least 50 employees covered by Medicaid.
Raiders roster 2026: Remaining free agent
Are there some in-house free agents that could still return
Giants' Matt Chapman goes on injured list with abdominal strain
Matt Chapman said his abdominal area had been bothering him over the last several weeks.
New Jersey will charge fees to employers with low-income workers on Medicaid, and other states could follow suit
New Jersey is set to charge companies whose workers have Medicaid health coverage.
Heat wave caused some 480 excess deaths in Netherlands, health authorities say
Last week's unprecedented heat wave led to around 480 excess deaths in the Netherlands, Dutch health authorities said on Thursday.
Heat Wave Caused Some 480 Excess Deaths in Netherlands, Health Authorities Say
AMSTERDAM, July 2 (Reuters) - Last week's unprecedented heat wave led to around 480 excess deaths in the Netherlands, Dutch health authorities said on Thursday. • Excess deaths in the week from June 22 to 28 were mainly among people aged 80 years and older. • Most were reported in the ...
Parasite outbreak spreads to 21 Michigan counties. See where cases are
Michigan health officials said a gastrointestinal parasite that causes explosive diarrhea has sickened over 225 people. Here's where the cases are.
U.S. filings for jobless aid fall to 215,000 as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for jobless aid inched down last week as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending…
Fewer health information exchanges say they experience info blocking
Fewer companies may be impeding the flow of digital health information, but some could be doing so frequently, the ONC said.
How first-time candidate Melat Kiros upended Denver politics by defeating one of its biggest figures
“To overcome the millions of dollars in dark money, we were able to have real conversations with folks across the city, and I think that made a real difference,” Kiros spokeswoman Annie Orloff said.
Croatia criticised for ‘unambitious’ changes to 2022 science law
Croatia’s science ministry has been accused of a lack of ambition, and even incompetence, over proposed changes to the country’s 2022 science law. Critics say an opportunity has been missed to fix wider shortcomings in the research and universities system.“This law, like all the previous ones, will not significantly change the current state of science in Croatia,” Vlatko Silobrčić, a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences, told Science Business. “A small shift here and there will not have a significant impact.”The 2022 law introduced multi-year block grant financing of research, based on results, and changes intended to boost employment and career progression for researchers and lecturers. But implementation of the law has been uneven. “It became apparent that certain of its provisions were subject to different interpretations by higher education institutions and scientific institutes,” the science ministry said in its proposal for change. “This caused legal uncertainty in the system, administrative difficulties in implementation and, in certain cases, unequal treatment of teachers, scientists and students.”Most of the proposed amendments deal with technicalities in hiring and promoting staff, such as extending the committee deadlines from 60 to 90 days, or allowing applicants to cite all of their achievements and not only those since their last appointment.Both the ministry and Croatian media highlighted changes that would raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 years and allow part-time students 15 year rather than 10 years to finish their studies.The change to retirement age has been criticised for reinforcing a weakness in the system. According to Matko Marušić, professor emeritus at the University of Split, this will “allow unproductive teachers to advance and work longer, while hindering and discouraging productive ones.”A longtime campaigner for excellence-based meritocracy, he sees little hope in the new legislation. “I am not optimistic that things will improve,” he told Science Business. “As recent changes to the law in Croatia show, the legal framework is becoming increasingly hypocritical and harmful.”For Marušić, who analyses Croatia's university system in a recently published book, the situation is “unfavourable and constantly deteriorating” due to the criteria used for academic advancement.“The key criterion for advancement should be scientific productivity,” he said. “In Croatia [. . .] scientific criteria are increasingly lowered, and ineffective and absurd criteria such as waiting times for promotion and age limits for remaining in a job are promoted.” He would also like to see better criteria for the quality of teaching at universities. “In practice, teaching is not monitored or evaluated,” he said, estimating that up to a third of teaching simply does not take place. “Under the guise of university autonomy and bad laws, universities and faculties are allowed to earn additional money by increasing enrolment quotas that have nothing to do with the needs of the labour market.” Lack of ambitionDora Kršul, a reporter at Telegram.hr who covers science policy in Croatia, finds the rationale for changes “bizarre.” “The ministry responsible for supervising the uniform application of the law is changing the law because it is being implemented unevenly,” she said. “This primarily speaks to the power relationship in the sphere of science and higher education in Croatia, that is, the question arises as to who actually manages this system.”Rather than raising quality, she continued, the changes appear to be designed to help vocational and applied universities who have not been complying with the law.The Independent Union of Research and Higher Education Employees of Croatia said that the changes were “unambitious” and represent a missed opportunity for more important changes. “We think some of the changes are even negative,” it said in its statement on June 25. One of these is introduction of an “assistant” job title that allows people to be hired only for the duration of a project. Related articles: Elections to top science bodies test Croatia’s gender equality in researchSlovakia revises R&D approach to increase focus on competitivenessLatvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluationsThe union’s president, Tvrtko Smital, who was part of the 15-member working group tasked with drafting the changes, told the local media there was a “worrying lack of ambition” in the process, and “lack of competence” in terms of research experience and understanding the problems in the system.“There is no clear will to deal with the problems,” said Smital, an assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. “It’s a combination of unambitiousness and incompetence,” he went on, expressing his “deep frustration” with the situation. “There is no strategy, no clear thinking, and money is not being spent optimally.”Croatia’s science ministry has not responded to requests for comment.
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.
Capcom pushes forward Onimusha: Way of the Sword release date just days after devs stated they're not afraid of September's busy schedule
We'll be playing Onimusha: Way of the Sword earlier than we thought, after all.
4 tech stocks that can weather an upheaval in the AI trade
Ben McMillan, IDX Advisor's chief investment officer, said of his clients are growing wary of a sea change in the AI trade.
How local NJ businesses are faring during the World Cup
What impact have the World Cup matches had on North Jersey businesses and restaurants? Here is what they said.
Elevance pays CMS $342M to assuage concerns of noncompliance and overbilling
The Medicare Advantage insurer said the payout is equal to what a CMS audit stated was the total amount the company was overpaid for patient care services. Despite receiving the cash, the agency has yet to officially withdraw its enforcement action, as the two parties are still negotiating.
Sobble Community Day: Your Go-To PvE Guide
Sobble Community Day makes Inteleon a strong Water-type raid attacker with Hydro Cannon and a valuable future pick for Max Battles.
M&A is ‘on fire’ as large-cap firms simplify, Citi U.K. CEO says
Citi U.K. CEO Tiina Lee said U.K. M&A is “on fire” as companies simplify and overseas buyers target British assets.
OpenAI proposes 5% stake to Trump administration to ease Washington pressure: report
Trump said in June that the U.S. taking an ownership stake in AI giants would be "a beautiful thing" and make American public "partners in this revolution."
Will Ferrell says dad gave him the 'best showbiz advice ever'
Even though it wasn't a "rah-rah speech," Will Ferrell said his father's words "took the pressure off succeeding."
Vinton Cerf says AI must learn these 3 lessons
From standardization to turning a product into a platform, Vinton Cerf said there are lessons AI must learn from the internet boom.
All politics is local — even the Declaration of Independence
"What I found to my surprise," said Maier, "was this mass of local 'declarations of independence,' the greater part of which come from Massachusetts."
CID businesses voice frustration over lack of foot traffic, safety during World Cup
“The rest of downtown is benefiting. We are not. So, enough is enough,” one business owner said.
Athletics slugger Brent Rooker to have season-ending knee surgery
Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker will undergo surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee and miss the remainder of the season. “This is a big blow,” manager Mark Kotsay said Wednesday before the A's played the Los Angeles Dodgers. A two-time All-Star, Rooker hasn’t played since June 8.
Bayer shifts US glyphosate business to Ruveon after seeking tariffs on Chinese imports
Bayer said on Wednesday it is consolidating its U.S. glyphosate business into its Ruveon unit, a day after it asked Washington to impose duties on Chinese imports of the chemical used in the company's weedkiller Roundup.
WHO, Member States discuss expanding South-East Asia Emergency Health Fund SEARHEF
With climate-related disasters, disease outbreaks and other health emergencies becoming more frequent and complex across South-East Asia, WHO and Member States today discussed measures to strengthen and expand the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) to ensure countries have rapid access to life-saving support when crises strike. "Health emergencies are becoming more frequent, more complex and more costly. Countries need rapid, flexible financing that can be mobilized immediately when lives are at risk. SEARHEF represents regional solidarity in action, enabling Member States to support one another when emergencies strike," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge WHO South-East Asia Region. She was addressing the Fifteenth Meeting of the Working Group on the Governance of SEARHEF.
Laid off federal scientists keep maps and data visuals online with crowdfunded money
Federal employees axed during waves of cuts by the Trump administration have fought back against the dismantling of a key climate science website.
Where is Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' sign? What we know
Stephen Colbert may have said goodbye to the Ed Sullivan Theater, but has "The Late Show" left the building?
Opelika business owners arrested on hemp product charges
Two Opelika business owners have been arrested following a joint investigation into alleged illegal operations at several local vape and CBD businesses, the Opelika Police Department said.
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 ...
Undercover investigation leads to arrest at Jasper massage business
An undercover investigation into a massage business in Jasper ended Wednesday with one arrest after authorities said they found evidence of illegal activity. The investigation began after the Jasper ...
State health officials celebrate extended Medicaid coverage after pregnancy
Eligible pregnant people can now qualify for one year of Medicaid coverage postpartum instead of only 60 days, thanks to a state law passed earlier this year.
Anthropic Goes Deeper Into Drug Development With Claude Science
The company launched an app designed as an AI workbench that brings together the vast array of tools used in scientific research and also said it is getting into drug development.
New Illinois Republican Party chair hopes for ‘JB fatigue’ in tough midterm
In an interview with Capitol News Illinois, Bob Grogan, who was elected party chair in May, said he knows what bridges he needs to build for the party to succeed in the 2026 midterms.
AP source: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will celebrate wedding Friday at MSG
The festivities will kick off with a smaller rehearsal dinner planned for Thursday night, the official said.
Johnny Manziel Unloads On Critics Of His 'Hate' For Cleveland
If you're going to insult Johnny Manziel, do it at your own risk. Back in the September of last year, Manziel ripped the Cleveland Browns while on Shannon Sharpe's “Nightcap” podcast. The former Heisman Trophy winner said he wanted the Browns to go 0-16 during the 2025 season. "I think I will ...
Trump denies he financially benefits from presidency following crypto earnings
The president said he, like "everybody," is profiting from the stock market going up
Trump denies he financially benefits from presidency following crypto earnings
The president said he, like "everybody," is profiting from the stock market going up
Frankie Muniz and wife Paige Price split after 7 years of marriage
Frankie Muniz announced he and wife Paige Price are getting divorced after seven years of marriage: 'Closing one chapter with gratitude,' the 'Malcolm in the Middle' actor said.
Federal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence, signals focus on inflation
New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the central bank would remain independent and seek to bring down inflation, likely foreclosing the rate cuts President Trump has sought.
VA health secretary quits less than a year into tenure
John Bartrum, who led the Veterans Health Administration’s rollout of electronic health record modernization, said he is leaving public service.
Trump admin blasts Machado's "grotesque political opportunism" after Venezuela quakes
Machado's attempts to return to Venezuela have saddled the State Department with "extra needless drama," an official said.
With DeGette’s loss, Raul Ruiz eyes her job on a powerful health panel - Live Updates
The Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee has jurisdiction over HHS, Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid.
With DeGette’s loss, Raul Ruiz eyes her job on a powerful health panel - Live Updates
The Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee has jurisdiction over HHS, Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid.
CMS proposes updates to home health payments for CY 2027, updates to provider enrollment and quality and value-based purchasing programs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 1 issued its calendar year 2027 proposed rule for the home health prospective payment system. The rule proposes a 2.4% update, which includes a 3.1% market basket update, reduced by a 1.0 percentage point cut for productivity, as well as an 0.3 percentage point increase related to outlier payments. In addition, the agency proposes a temporary cut of 3.0% that it states is necessary to achieve budget-neutral implementation of the Patient-driven Groupings Model.
Federal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence, signals focus on inflation
In remarks at a central bank conference in Sintra, Portugal, Warsh said that if businesses or households thought the Fed would accept inflation above 2%, “I guess they'd be disappointed. We're going to deliver price stability.”
Sony says goodbye to discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
Sony said it will stop production of physical discs for PlayStation games in response to industry and consumer shifts.
Alex Karp says AI models are 'irresponsibly oversold'
Palantir CEO Alex Karp said that "something has gone completely wrong" in the AI market. "The enterprises are just tired of it," he said.
Cause of death revealed for Oregon-raised star of 'The Ring,' 'Lilo & Stitch'
Daveigh Chase, the Oregon-raised actress known for her roles in the films like "Spirited Away," “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring," died June 16 from complications due to AIDS, The Oregonian reports.
Army experimenting with mobile business apps
The events are also revealing where industry is building redundant software, the Army said.
Sony PlayStation Phasing Out Physical Video Game Discs
Sony PlayStation said it plans to end production of physical video game discs by January 2028.
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.
OtherSide Entertainment lays off 18 from Thick as Thieves team
OtherSide has now laid off 36 employees in the last month.
Victor Willis, Village People lead singer and voice behind 'Y.M.C.A.,' dies at 74
President Trump paid tribute to the Village People cofounder, who helped turn "Y.M.C.A." into one of disco's most enduring hits.
Federal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence, signals focus on inflation
New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the central bank would remain independent and seek to bring down inflation, likely foreclosing the rate cuts President Trump has sought
New Federal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence, signals focus on inflation
New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the central bank would remain independent and seek to bring down inflation, likely foreclosing the rate cuts President Donald Trump has sought. The Fed typically combats inflation by raising borrowing costs. When asked about Trump's oft-repeated desire for lower rates, Warsh underscored the Fed's independence from day-to-day politics.
Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Season Preview
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly said he would write an “embarrassing” check to win another Super Bowl. Since 2013, the Cowboys have not participated in the first wave of free agency. Despite Jones’ vow to “bust the budget” in the 2026 offseason, the Cowboys again stood pat for most of free agency.
Africa CDC: Uganda health ministry confirms isolated Marburg case
Africa's top public health agency said on Wednesday that Uganda's health ministry had confirmed an isolated case of Marburg virus disease.
US cooking oil market shrinking due to Ice pressures on Latino households, Mazola owner says
Economic squeeze and anti-immigration raids have hit Hispanic communities, prompting people to shop online and reuse oil
Georgia man sentenced for stealing more than $65K worth of equipment from Sampson County business
A Georgia man was sentenced to federal prison for stealing $65,000 worth of farm machinery and equipment from a business in Sampson County, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The Case for Performance-First Management
What began as a crisis-driven response to the Covid pandemic laid the foundation for today’s dominant management paradigm: people-first management. But today’s business demands a different approach, as performance and productivity have replaced engagement and retention atop the CEO agenda. Performance-first management represents a gentle shift toward an approach where managers empower their teams to deliver high-impact results within a complex and evolving reality. It keeps people at the center, but reorients the manager’s role around enabling performance, not just supporting satisfaction. Gartner research shows that managers who shift toward a performance-first approach are up to 21% more likely to deliver the business results that are expected of them. And employees who say that their managers are performance-first report higher overall satisfaction with their employee experience.
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.
SoFi enters small-business loan market
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Trump’s audacious bid to end birthright citizenship was not an entire loss at the Supreme Court
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Apple ‘Hide My Email’ Vulnerability Reveals Peoples’ Real Email Addresses
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Urban Aftermath Books to close storefront after 11 years in business
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Anti-Muslim politics is not patriotic
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Two siblings joined forces for pest control. Business is booming in CT as bugs bedevil residents
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Victor Willis, Village People singer, dies aged 75
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Quakes strain Venezuela’s health system
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Academy Sports + Outdoors coming to Siloam Springs
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How urban design leads to better wellness
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Affordable Healthcare Emerges as a Voter Priority in Purple Nevada
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NC’s first full budget since 2023 reflects transformed health policy landscape
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Associated British Foods Sugar Unit Weighs on Business Ahead of Primark Spinoff
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Survey shows Japan's business sentiment improving for a 5th straight quarter
TOKYO (AP) — Business sentiment among major Japanese manufacturers has improved for a fifth straight quarter, the Bank of Japan said in its quarterly “tankan” survey released Wednesday.
Survey Shows Japan's Business Sentiment Improving for a 5th Straight Quarter
TOKYO (AP) — Business sentiment among major Japanese manufacturers has improved for a fifth straight quarter, the Bank of Japan said in its quarterly “tankan” survey released Wednesday. The survey's so-called diffusion index rose to 22 from 17 in the previous quarter, the BOJ said. The index for ...
Enrollment in Affordable Care Act health plans drops by 3M, HHS data reveals
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Employers who laid off workers citing AI are already starting to regret it
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