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Mistrust of US government information is rising across major issues, new poll shows
A new AP-NORC/USA Facts poll finds that Americans are more skeptical of government information than they were a few years ago, with majorities now saying they have little or no trust in federal government information about elections, foreign affairs or the environment.
Worried about rising beef prices? WA farmers say, share a cow
CARNATION, Washington — Far from the refrigerated meat sections of Seattle's grocery stores, two dozen beef cattle relaxed in the afternoon drizzle falling on Carnation Farms' grassy fields. Livestock manager
Altour's Boult: Rising Travel Costs a 'Permanent Phenomenon'
Travel costs will continue rising into 2027, though more slowly than earlier this year, according to the annual GBTA-Altour forecast. Altour chief commercial officer Michael Boult spoke with BTN's Michael B. Baker about the findings, why travel buyers should expect little relief from higher prices in the near term, and why policy might not be the answer.
Starbucks raises health insurance premiums, sparking worker tension
Rising costs for health insurance premiums offered to Starbucks workers are sparking tension.
Snowflake CEO: AI is unleashing a flywheel effect on our business
Snowflake may have a few more surprising quarters ahead as customers pay for added AI services.
A-State sets fall enrollment record
Arkansas State University has set another fall enrollment record, reaching 18,775 students as continued growth among Arkansas freshmen, improved student retention, and rising graduate enrollment helped push the university past...
A-State sets fall enrollment record
Arkansas State University has set another fall enrollment record, reaching 18,775 students as continued growth among Arkansas freshmen, improved student retention, and rising graduate enrollment helped push the university past...
Drug developed for lung disease may slow biological aging in surprising ‘bonus’
Rentosertib, an AI-discovered drug for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, made patients appear three to four years biologically younger in a clinical trial.
Are rich people really worse behaved? Here’s the science
Who’s more likely to steal sweets from a child? According to science, it’s the rich. A study seemingly confirming our suspicions about the moral behaviour of the wealthy was one of the winners of the 2026 Ig Nobel prizes, which honour research that makes you laugh and then think. Science editor Ian Sample tells Madeleine Finlay what the researchers think could be behind the phenomenon, and they explore some of the other awards, including one for a surprising quality we look for in our friends and another for a biomechanical definition of kissing
Are Irving, LaVine, Holiday realistic for Heat? And surprising Richards info
The Heat’s challenges in landing one more impactful player. And some notable data on new backup center Nick Richards.
Oil prices keep rising and weigh on Wall Street
U.S. stocks are drifting lower in their return to trading following a three-day weekend. The S&P 500 dipped 0.2% Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 477 points, and the
Scientists Uncover a Surprising Gut Connection in Fatal Asthma
The lungs may not be where a fatal asthma attack begins.
Former Pentagon official analyzes Strait of Hormuz oil threats
Former Pentagon official Brent Sadler discusses rising geopolitical risks including Iran's threats in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. envoys pushing for Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations and the new Russia-North Korea road bridge.
Broncos New Running Back Looks Like A Sean Payton Special
The Denver Broncos drafted Jonah Coleman in the fourth round, and he could be a surprising contributor.
Padres Got a Surprisingly Strong Start From Pivetta
The San Diego Padres gave Nick Pivetta a surprise start yesterday, and it went better than expected.
Your personality may be more genetic than scientists realized
More than 1,200 genetic variants have been linked to the Big Five personality traits, and many of the same variants are also associated with health, longevity, careers, income, and everyday habits. The findings reveal a surprisingly wide genetic connection between personality and life outcomes while showing that environment still plays a powerful role.
Association Health Plans Could Give Small Businesses A Break On Health Costs
Small businesses have struggled with the rising cost of health insurance for years. The Trump administration may soon give them a meaningful way to fight back.
Association Health Plans Could Give Small Businesses A Break On Health Costs
Small businesses have struggled with the rising cost of health insurance for years. The Trump administration may soon give them a meaningful way to fight back.
Amish families find uncommon ways to pay for healthcare
Amish communities avoid insurance, relying on mutual aid plans and cash to cover rising medical costs.
Amish families find uncommon ways to pay for healthcare
Amish communities avoid insurance, relying on mutual aid plans and cash to cover rising medical costs.
Hospitals pursue deals to ensure survival as Trump's Medicaid cuts loom
Rural health systems are seeking partnership to survive, fueling a debate over competition and the rising cost of medical care.
Trumpicans thumb their nose at the Constitution
As is all too often the case, there are again too many interesting things appearing in Colorado Politics for me to comment on all of them. So let me tell you what I won’t be talking about before I get to the good stuff. I’m not going to talk about Victor Marx’s remarkably and surprisingly […]
The Otherworldly Geology of Vasquez Rocks
Layers of sedimentary rock that jut from the Soledad Basin at surprising angles have long enthralled television and film producers, including the team behind Star Trek.
X-Men Reboot’s Wild 4-Movie Comparison Includes Batman V Superman
A leaked script review for Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot draws comparisons to four wildly different films. The surprising mashup description hints at the tone and style audiences can expect from the MC...
Senate candidate Todd Achilles talks costs, health care at Twin Falls County Fair
The Twin Falls County Fair wrapped up as independent U.S. Senate candidate Todd Achilles campaigned there, discussing rising costs, health care and congressional reform with voters in the Magic Valley.
Iva Jovic Announces Personal News Before US Open
The spotlight on America's rising tennis star,Iva Jovic, shines bright during her successful run at the 2026 US Open. The post Iva Jovic Announces Personal News Before US Open appeared first on HEAVY.
Minnesota Vikings Bold Prediction Reveals Biggest Strength, Concern for 2026
Brian Flores’ elite linebacker corps anchors a rising defense, yet Kyler Murray’s durability and field vision remain the primary obstacles to Minnesota claiming NFC North dominance.
Gen Z uprising reshaped Nepal’s politics. A year on, questions linger over what it really achieved
Injured protesters and families of those killed say the government has failed to deliver on promises of medical care, jobs and other support, leaving many questioning the movement’s legacy.
The war on Iran’s energy infrastructure creates rising political risk
When Israel targeted Tehran’s oil storage facilities in the initial days of the war launched on Feb. 28, black smoke blanketed the capital and plunged parts of the city into darkness. Roughly ten days later, strikes hit natural gas facilities at the giant South Pars field, key oil refineries, major steel plants, and petrochemical complexes, impacting thousands of workers. These attacks on vital energy and industrial assets revealed a critical dimension of the conflict: compounding an already acute domestic energy...
Shreveport BBQ business sees Labor Day boost despite rising food costs, heat
Local BBQ restaurant sees increase in customers this Labor Day.
Markel expands California workers' comp reach with Midwest General partnership
The deal launches days after California approved its second straight year of rising workers' comp benchmarks
Craig Robinson reveals ‘The Office’ creator’s surprising feedback that made him panic during audition
Craig Robinson tells EW about the unprompted praise from ‘The Office’ creator Greg Daniels that sent him down an unexpected mental tailspin during his audition for ‘The Office.’
Darius Slayton’s eight-year Giants run comes to a surprising
The Giants made a stunning roster move by releasing veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton, ending his eight-year run in New York and putting an experienced playmaker on the open market
Jesse Minter makes surprising decision on Ravens’ starting center
Opportunity has arrived for Jovaughn Gwyn. After spending most of his NFL career waiting for an expanded role, the Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman will be thrown into the spotlight when the team opens the 2026 season against the Indianapolis Colts. Head coach Jesse Minter confirmed Monday that Gwyn will get the start at center, giving the former seventh-round draft pick his first NFL start.
“Camp Rock 3 ”star Malachi Barton reveals his surprising personal connection to Demi Lovato
“I have a crazy story about Demi,” he tells EW.
‘Camp Rock 3’ star Malachi Barton reveals his surprising personal connection to Demi Lovato
Disney star Malachi Barton — and his mom — had a ‘special moment’ with Demi Lovato on the set of ‘Camp Rock 3.’
Trump keeps heralding an economic boom, but even a solid jobs report is causing problems for him
President Donald Trump has spent 20 months promising that America was on the cusp of an economic boom. But Friday's surprisingly positive jobs report ultimately provoked frustration from Trump.
The AfD Is Rising. Germany’s Political Center Is Failing.
"The Alternative for Germany built its nationwide constituency through relentless opposition to immigration, nativist appeal, and efforts to relativize Germany’s Nazi past," write Sudha David Wilp and Jackson Janes.
Business Rules Management System Market to Reach $4.20 Billion by 2035 as AI-Driven Decision Automation Accelerates
The U.S. Business Rules Management System Market is Projected to Grow from $0.47 Billion in 2025 to $1.09 Billion by 2035, While Europe is Expected to Expand from $0.54 Billion to $1.36 Billion, Driven by Real-Time Decision-Making, Regulatory Compliance, Enterprise Automation, and Rising Adoption of AI- and Machine Learning-Enabled Business Rules PlatformsAustin, United States, Sept. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Business Rules Management System Market was valued at USD 1.79 Billion in 2025 a
Carrie Ann Inaba addresses dance backgrounds of ‘DWTS’ standouts Julia Stiles and Jenna Dewan
Carrie Ann Inaba is weighing in on a hot-button issue arising from the ‘DWTS’ season 35 cast reveal — should contestants with dance backgrounds like Julia Stiles and Jenna Dewan be judged differently?
Prince William & Kate Middleton’s ‘Fun Evening’ Includes This Reality Show
Prince William and Kate Middleton reportedly had a surprisingly relatable favorite for a quiet night at home. The royal couple apparently enjoyed settling in together for a popular reality competition...
Why AI Governance is Now a Board-Level Business Priority
With AI adoption outstripping governance, ISACA research highlights rising pressure on leaders to ensure systems are secured and backed by skilled teams
Aviva launches fronting unit amid rising reinsurer demand for MGA business
Aviva believes demand from reinsurers for MGA business and heightened scrutiny of some specialist fronting carriers will support growth at its newly created hybrid fronting unit, chief commercial director Matthew Gordon and head of global hybrid fronting John Andrews told The Insurer.
West Hartford’s amenities fuel strong office demand amid broader market slump
West Hartford’s office market has rebounded with low vacancies and rising rents, helping attract employers as demand remains strong near the town center.
Rising tuition, enrollment pressures fuel CT colleges’ push for three-year degrees
Connecticut colleges including Quinnipiac are developing three-year, 90-credit degrees to lower costs and attract students, but state rules block them.
John Ternus’s first test at Apple: selling a $2,000 foldable iPhone
Smartphone maker needs to raise prices across its device range to make up for rising costs
Poland’s anti-Ukrainian turn spills into violence
The number of crimes against Ukrainians in Poland is rising as right-wing Polish politicians ramp-up anti-Ukraine rhetoric.
Arizona State HC Describes Decision to Shorten 4th Quarter
The Arizona State Sun Devils took care of business Saturday with a blowout 70-7 win over the Morgan State Bears.The score might have been even more lopsided if not for a surprising decision before the start of the fourth quarter. The two teams talked and decided to put only 10 minutes on the clock in […] The post Arizona State HC Describes Decision to Shorten 4th Quarter appeared first on HEAVY.
These Are the Ages When Your Body Starts Aging Faster, According to Science
A new study found major bursts of tissue aging in the 30s and 50s, with different organs changing on surprisingly different timelines.
What Should Fans Expect From Bogdan Bogdanovic This Season?
After a surprising free agency signing, the Serbian sniper must overcome age and injury history to crack Houston's crowded rotation and prove his health under Ime Udoka. If not, he can hopefully still be a good veteran presence for someone like Reed Sheppard.
Bold Predicition for Orlando Magic 'X-Factor' Next Season
Anthony Black’s breakout season has sparked intense extension debates as Orlando balances a looming salary cap crunch against the rising guard’s demand for a lucrative long-term future.
Scientists find a way to slash computer memory energy use by orders of magnitude
Scientists have devised a new way to switch magnetic computer memory while using far less energy than today's leading technologies. By mathematically optimizing the pulses used to flip digital bits, the method could reduce energy consumption by several orders of magnitude. Simulations suggest it may bring future memory devices surprisingly close to the fundamental physical limit for processing information. The same idea could eventually work with electrical currents or ultrafast lasers.
Scientists find a way to slash computer memory energy use by orders of magnitude
Scientists have devised a new way to switch magnetic computer memory while using far less energy than today's leading technologies. By mathematically optimizing the pulses used to flip digital bits, the method could reduce energy consumption by several orders of magnitude. Simulations suggest it may bring future memory devices surprisingly close to the fundamental physical limit for processing information. The same idea could eventually work with electrical currents or ultrafast lasers.
Antarctica gained a record 695 billion tons of ice. Scientists found the surprising reason
East Antarctica gained an astonishing 695 billion tons of ice between 2021 and 2023, temporarily slowing Antarctica’s long-term decline. Researchers found that warming thousands of miles away in the tropical ocean altered atmospheric circulation and funneled moisture toward the continent, triggering exceptionally heavy snowfall.
8 Subtle Signs Your Gut Health Might Be Affecting Your Mood, Skin, or Energy
Gut health is linked to so many facets of overall health that you might not even realize which mental and physical signs actually link back to the state of your microbiome. Here are some common and surprising signs of poor gut health, and easy steps to improve your gut health naturally.
Backlash over data centers hits California, and the midterms
Widespread anxiety over environmental risks and rising costs have turned the rapid expansion of AI data centers into a focal point in midterm elections nationwide.
Pa. Health insurers propose 2027 rate hikes as Pennsylvanians grapple with rising costs
Thousands of Pennsylvanians dropped their health plans purchased on the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Pennie, after the expiration of federal subsidies more than doubled monthly costs. Now, many health insurers that offer plans through Pennie are proposing rate increases for 2027.
[Science Through Covers] Alpine plants in the Bernese Alps face extinction as warming intensifies
Twenty-one-year Science study links higher mountaintop temperatures to rising local extinctions above the treeline
Surprising pick for Commanders' X-factor in 2026
A surprising, but solid pick for the Commanders' 2026 X-factor.
The Surprising Thing That Motivates Men to Lose Weight More Than Health
Men in focus groups downplayed body image concerns, then described avoiding photos, hating mirrors, and wanting to fit into old clothes again.
Giants' Well-Documented Concern Might Actually Be a Strength
The New York Giants might have a surprising area of strength on their roster.
Mercury Isn’t What Scientists Thought: New Study Reveals a Surprisingly Different Surface
From tiny glass beads and a map of the Moon to Mercury, a new study uses an indirect method to determine the silicon dioxide content of Mercury’s surface. Mercury’s surface appears to contain substantially less silicon dioxide than researchers previously estimated. A new analysis puts the compound at about 37 percent by mass, up to
Projecting Next Phoenix Suns To Receive New Contracts
Brian Gregory’s aggressive roster building puts Miles Bridges and Jalen Green in the spotlight as Phoenix balances veteran security with the high-upside potential of its rising core.
3 Stocks Tied To Rising HSA Use Including CVS Health Stock
Health Savings Accounts are quietly becoming a core part of how Americans pay for care, with more employers auto enrolling workers and pairing HSAs with high deductible health plans. That shift channels more money through platforms that handle contributions, custody, and investments. For investors, the question is which stocks may benefit most from this structural change. This article walks through three HSA exposed stocks from our screener and what the news could mean for each. The three...
Man Utd Looking To Sign Pre-agreement For January Transfer
The Red Devils are positioning to secure Leicester City prodigy Louis Page, prioritizing the physical 18-year-old midfielder to avoid repeating past recruitment misses on rising EFL talents.
Surprising things about staying in a tiny home Airbnb on wheels
I spent two nights in a 250-square-foot tiny home on wheels during a trip to Miami. I was surprised by how spacious it felt.
Italy's far-right Vannacci lashes EU in business summit address
Italy's rising far-right politician Roberto Vannacci told a high profile business forum on Saturday that the European Union should halt political integration and start defending its cultural identity instead, prompting former Prime Minister Mario Monti to warn against his "fascist rhetoric."
Italy’s far-right Vannacci lashes EU in business summit address
By Valentina Za, Elvira Pollina and Francesca Landini CERNOBBIO, Italy, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Italy's rising far-right politician Roberto Vannacci told a high profile business forum on Saturday that the European Union should halt political integration and...
Italy’s far-right Vannacci lashes EU in business summit address
By Valentina Za, Elvira Pollina and Francesca Landini CERNOBBIO, Italy, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Italy's rising far-right politician Roberto Vannacci told a high profile business forum on Saturday that the European Union should halt political integration and...
Braves Sign 9-Year MLB Backstop After Sean Murphy Update
The Atlanta Braves made a surprising catcher signing shortly after a roster cut.
ESPN has surprising pick for Titans' X factor in 2026
ESPN names JC Latham the Titans' X factor for 2026, as his development is a key part of Tennessee's hopes for a major improvement from the offense.
Chicago Bears Coach Drops Telling Hint on Gervon Dexter Replacement
The Chicago Bears made one of the more surprising moves of cutdown weekend when they traded defensive tackle Gervon Dexter […]
Cinemark theaters to offer $5 Bring Your Own Bucket popcorn deal
Calling all kernel connoisseurs: Cinemark is reprising its Bring Your Own Bucket popcorn deal, and you'd \
Cinemark theaters to offer $5 Bring Your Own Bucket popcorn deal
Calling all kernel connoisseurs: Cinemark is reprising its Bring Your Own Bucket popcorn deal, and you'd "butter" believe it's "a-MAIZE-ing."
Dominion gas plant, rising healthcare premiums and Lewis Ginter strike
Take a look at this week's top VPM News stories.
Pirates' Luke Weaver Dealing With Surprising Health Issue
Pittsburgh Pirates veteran relief pitcher Luke Weaver shared that he has been dealing with a surprising health problem.
Pirates' Luke Weaver Dealing With Surprising Health Issue
Pittsburgh Pirates veteran relief pitcher Luke Weaver shared that he has been dealing with a surprising health problem.
Will AMC’s New Leawood Films Distribution Arm and Tokenized Share Dispute Change AMC Entertainment’s (AMC) Narrative?
In August 2026, AMC Entertainment Holdings launched Leawood Films, a low-risk film distribution arm based in Los Angeles and Leawood, Kansas, designed to fill excess theatre capacity by focusing on fully financed small and mid-sized titles while respecting traditional PVOD and SVOD windows. Around the same time, CEO Adam Aron’s public clash with Robinhood over tokenized AMC shares highlighted rising tensions between traditional equity markets and emerging digital trading products, raising...
Tomatoes Contain an Invisible Ingredient With Surprising Effects on Liver Health
A tomato contains a hidden ingredient that the eye cannot see, and it may be just as important to liver health as the red pigment that made the fruit famous.
Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 owners are reporting a surprising new feature
Google may bring AirDrop over Quick Share to older Pixel phones after all.
What To Expect From Phoenix Suns in 2026–27 Season
Rising stars battle for frontcourt minutes while Jordan Ott eyes Coach of the Year honors as Phoenix looks to solidify its playoff standing in a competitive West.
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
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The Fierce Battle For Kids’ Eyeballs...Plus Two “Devils” Face Off
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) During the week of this report, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters and went on to become one of the biggest films of all time. So, you know what that means! It’s time for a poll! Recently, Project Hail Mary came to Prime Video and became a top five film for them, but didn’t smash streaming records, a feat I cautiously thought it could accomplish. Can Spider-Man 4 do better? To set the stakes, some of the biggest films of all time do just okay on streaming. Wicked, Top Gun: Maverick, and Barbie come to mind... But unlike those films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony film which means it’s headed to Netflix, the world’s largest streamer. Now, per friend of the newsletter and my go-to Netflix expert, Kasey Moore of What’s on Netflix, Sony films usually appear on Netflix 120 days after they premiere, which means Spidey 4 would land on Netflix on, checks notes, 28-November, one of the two biggest streaming weekends of the year! But Sony occasionally delays its biggest hits for a bit longer, to give them more time to make money on PVOD, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not swing onto Netflix until late December or even February 2027. Loading... Okay, on to this week’s issue. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made its way to Peacock, I’m looking at the true workhorse of streaming viewership: kids films. And the surprising film that bested most Netflix animated movies. All that, plus Hulu has a new show that might be a hit (for them…?), two “Devils” square off on streaming, Zendaya tries to find some streaming magic, Netflix’s I Will Find You continues to do well, House of the Dragon tries to break into the season three top ten, some big NBC sports and summer programs, what friendly neighborhood Spider-Man character actually generates the most viewership on streaming, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 27th to August 2nd, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hits Peacock, How Have Kids Films Fared in 2026? Like Mario hopping on a Koopa, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie landed on Peacock on 30-July. (Yeah, I kinda forced that Mario reference.) How did it do? Great, just like the first film. It got 13.0 million hours on its opening, and that’s good enough to take second place among Peacock films on the Nielsen charts all time: As I mention all the time, Peacock just isn’t the world’s biggest streamer—in fact, nowhere close—so its films struggle to put up numbers like Netflix (or even Prime Video and Disney+). So this is a solid debut for that streamer. And as we saw last time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie had a HUGE second life on Netflix when it moved streamers. This chart doesn’t even show how long the first Mario lasted on Netflix: a whopping, KPop-esque 31 weeks. For NBCUniversal, though, the big win was the second Mario movie grossing $429 million in America and over $1 billion globally. But yeah, to add a very strong streaming performance only makes its success even greater. Illumination pretty clearly has another hit franchise on their hands. This is a good time, though, to check in on kids films so far in 2026. We’ve had a few big, big titles, a rare Netflix success, and some disappointments. Let’s start with the top animated films since November of 2025, over their first four weeks on the charts, along with a few of the “best all time” animated films: (As a reminder, if a film doesn’t make the Nielsen top ten lists, I don’t have data for it, so it gets a “zero” in terms of viewership. Now, it had some viewership, but I don’t know what it is, so it gets a zero.) I added a few titles to get an idea of what the best of the best looks like in terms of animation. And you can see, through four weeks, Zootopia 2 can now claim “one of the biggest streaming films of all time” titles. GOAT too did surprisingly well, besting Netflix’s biggest films (Swapped and In Your Dreams) through four weeks. When I’ve talked about how films can have varying performances on streaming compared to their box office, this is what I mean. Goat just managed to gross even $103 million at the box office—so it’s popular, but just barely—but did very well on streaming. Of course, what set Encanto and KPop Demon Hunters apart from the rest was their absolutely insane longevity. Here are the kids film charts through eight weeks to show that: And really KPop Demon Hunters just kept going, and no 2025 or 2026 kids films have had that sort of longevity. I can’t wait to see the sequel in theaters. Film - Two Devils and a Drama As I wrote last week, in the past, theatrical-first film flops weren’t eligible for “Miss of the Week” or “Miss of the Year” honors/dishonors, but since so many more films go to theaters first these days, I’ve made them eligible now! But it’s complicated. You see, this is a Streaming Ratings Report, emphasis on streaming, which makes analyzing this week’s two biggest streaming misses—The Drama on HBO Max (A24’s dramedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) and Prime Video’s The Devil Mouth (a killer shark movie starring young attractive people)—somewhat tricky. The Drama isn’t eligible for Luminate, but The Devil’s Mouth only had 1.5 million hours in its first week: The Devil’s Mouth notched 5.2 million hours according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, The Drama missed the charts entirely. Not great! But Prime Video is a much bigger streamer than HBO Max. That said, HBO Max titles are on Prime Video, but I think Prime Video prioritizes their original/exclusive titles, which helps boost their viewership. Complicating this further, The Drama made $48 million in the US—while A24 sells foreign distribution; the $57 million of overseas grosses helps A24 sell overseas rights for money in the future—off of a $28 million budget (which seems low for Zendaya and Pattinson, so they might have backend). The Devil’s Mouth, though, had zero dollars at the box office. The other stats for The Devil’s Mouth are bleak, and by “bleak”, I mean horrendous: a 4.7 on 15K reviews on IMDb (yikes) and a 46 on Metacritic (double yikes). The Drama, though buzzy online, only has a solid (but far from elite) 7.1 IMDb score on 121K reviews and a 59 on Metacritic (which is far, far lower than I’d have guessed). So which film is the “Miss of the Week”? I’m giving it to The Devil’s Mouth for one simple reason: it’s a horror film. And almost all horror films, even poorly reviewed horror films, should get a shot in theaters to at least try to recoup some of their budgets. The Drama made money at the box office and The Devil’s Mouth didn’t. It’s just like the situation last issue with Obsession and Masters of the Universe. Sure, Obsession didn’t pop on the streaming charts, but at least it already made it money at the box office. And as we’ve been seeing for years now and we’ll see all fall, theatrical films just do better on streaming. After all, the big “devil” winner this week was actually The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 14.8 million hours according to Nielsen. That’s right, The Devil Wears Prada 2—one of the box office success stories of May—came to streaming and parlayed its $220 million box office into 14.8 million Nielsen hours. Disney also put out a datecdote that it had 15.2 million “views” globally in five days, but again we don’t have a lot of great context for what that means. Here’s how it stacks up to other Hulu films, since I’m categorizing this mainly as a Hulu title (though it was also on Disney+): Share Quick Notes on Film We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Whether Hulu has a new hit show on its hands... The top first and third seasons of all time and which shows are climbing those charts… What version of Spidey is the most popular... What sport and TV show are performing better on NBC than the NBA... All the flops, bombs and misses... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, wow, things stay so busy. One of streaming’s biggest shows of all time, Ted Lasso, returns along with new YA-ish shows from Hulu (The Shards, from Ryan Murphy) and Prime Video (Sterling Point). The Challenge moves to Paramount+, plus My Life with the Walter Boys returns to Netflix and Futurama returns to Hulu. And Netflix has a new horror film, The Last House. Lots to talk about! All month, things stay busy. We’re talking Reacher on Prime Video! Outer Banks and Tires on Netflix! Lanterns on HBO Max! UFC 330 on Paramount+ and the MLB Field of Dreams game on Netflix. And a ton of smaller films come to streaming. Long term, the VMAs are back on 27-Sep! I feel like I haven’t heard much about this show in past years, but I’m seeing more news coverage and buzz for this show than in past years. I’m curious to see how it does.
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