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Phantom Blade Zero launch trailer, PS5 physical editions launch in 2027
S-GAME has released the launch trailer for Wuxia action RPG Phantom Blade Zero, as well as announced that physical standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate editions will launch for PlayStation 5 in 2027.
“DWTS”’ Ezra Frech took brutal fall while rehearsing for ‘Dedication Night’ contemporary routine
Frech also spoke to EW about developing the “blade stand” move with pro partner Daniella Karagach.
Does Blade Tidwell Have a Future With the Giants?
San Francisco Giants right-hander Blade Tidwell saw an increase in opportunities in 2026, but has he done enough to be a part of the team's future plans?
Photo gallery: Science students at McTigue Elementary launch rockets
After weeks of work, science students in McTigue Elementary School’s eighth-grade STEM course launched rockets outside on Wednesday. Click through the ...
Xbox 'Won’t Survive' Without New IP, CEO Says
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said in a town hall that the division needs to focus on new IP after divesting from many of its studios that made new IP.
Quickly Sharpen Your Chainsaw Blade Efficiently With A Portable Amazon Find
Quickly sharpen your chainsaw blade efficiently with the Tarist 6-Piece Chainsaw File Set on Amazon, which comes with files of multiple sizes.
Blade Runner 2099 Is About a Future Where Replicants Hunt Humans
The new series wants to be the “dawn of a new era” for the landmark sci-fi saga.
'Blade Runner 2099' trailer: Amazon unveils its latest Prime TV vehicle at NYCC
The hype couldn't be any higher.
Shribman: Drinking double Haterade in this political climate
LAMBS GROVE, Iowa — Move over, soccer moms, forget about NASCAR dads and dismiss even the “bunch of childless cat ladies” that JD Vance identified — all ...
United Auto Workers tries to reassert political power in Michigan as it faces internal divisions
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Walter Usakowski was mowing his lawn in a northern suburb of Detroit when three canvassers from the United Auto Workers approached. ...
Venezuelan and Latin-fusion food truck celebrates 2 years of business in Toledo
Casero Kitchen has been serving up Venezuelan and Latin-fusion flavors in Toledo for nearly two years. The local food truck, owned by Ramiz Parra, ...
20 Minutes of New PC Gameplay Footage From Phantom Blade Zero
YouTube's Geek Culture Plays shared a video showcasing 20 minutes of gameplay from the PC version of Phantom Blade Zero.
Phantom Blade Zero's Fast-Paced Action Took 15 Years, Two RPG-Maker Games, And A Whole Lot Of Money To Bring To Life
S-Game is finally nearing the release of Phantom Blade Zero, and as part of previewing it one last time, I discovered this game has a whole lot of history
After 4 Hours, Phantom Blade Zero Just Became My Most-Anticipated Action Game
Get ready for the ‘kungfupunk’ era
Phantom Blade Zero hands-on preview
Six hours with Phantom Blade Zero gave us a deep look at its combat, weapons, exploration, story, and PC performance ahead of release.
I Played 6 Hours of Phantom Blade Zero and Can’t Stop Thinking About It
After half a day playing Phantom Blade Zero, it’s gone from mostly not on my radar to to the top of my wishlist this fall, and I truly cannot wait to dive back in later this month to see if it can deliver beyond those first handful of hours. At least for now, though, just about everything I’ve seen and played has made me more convinced that this is going to be one of the coolest action games of 2026.
‘Transformation is our central priority,’ science minister says
Blade Nzimande emphasises focus on promoting women, underrepresented racial groups and disabled scientists
Muramasa: Revenant Blades hands-on gameplay preview
Recently, I had the chance to visit Marvelous at its Shinagawa headquarters for a one-hour preview of its upcoming Vanillaware side-scrolling action RPG remaster Muramasa: Revenant Blades. As a dis…
Preview: 'Muramasa: Revenant Blades' Polishes Vanillaware's Gem To Shine Brighter Than Ever
Reforged
Hunter Schafer on transforming into a bona fide action star for ‘Blade Runner 2099’
Hunter Schafer discusses her transformation into a bona fide action star for ‘Blade Runner 2099’ — including mentorship from none other than Michelle Yeoh.
Blades expect to avoid points deduction
Sheffield United CEO Stephen Bettis tells BBC Radio Sheffield the Blades expect to avoid an EFL points deduction but will not reinvest a summer transfer haul in January.
List of DVD release dates for Oct. 6 and beyond
Following is a partial schedule of coming movies on DVD. Release dates are subject to change: OCTOBER 6: Moana 6: Jackass: Best and Last 6: Late Fame 6: Blades of
Bladen Community College to host “So You Want to Start a Small Business” class and preview Pitch It Bladen 2027
The Small Business Center at Bladen Community College invites aspiring entrepreneurs to attend “So You Want to Start a Small Business” on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Building 14, Room 104. This class will help participants explore what it takes to become an entrepreneur and take the first steps toward turning a business idea into reality.Participants will explore the entrepreneurial mindset and consider whether they have the interests, characteristics, motivation and willingness to take on the challenges of business ownership. The class will encourage attendees to examine their personal goals, expectations, strengths and readiness to pursue entrepreneurship.Attendees will also gain insight into the realities of starting and operating a small business, including the commitment, planning, decision-making and perseverance required to build a successful venture. Whether participants are just beginning to consider business ownership or already have an idea they want to pursue, this class will provide a foundation for determining their next steps.In addition to the class instruction, attendees will receive advance information about the upcoming Pitch It Bladen 2027 Business Competition, including the application form and details about the program. Individuals who are ready to move forward may submit their applications early and have the opportunity to receive advance acceptance into the program.Pitch It Bladen helps aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs develop their business ideas through structured instruction in business planning, financial management, cash-flow projections, marketing and operations. Participants work toward completing a business plan and preparing a business pitch, with the opportunity to compete for cash prizes.Last year's Pitch It Bladen program demonstrated the value of investing in local entrepreneurs by helping participants strengthen their business knowledge, develop their business plans and prepare to present their ideas. The competition showcased the creativity and potential of Bladen County's small-business community and provided participants with practical tools to move their business goals forward.Building on that success, Pitch It Bladen 2027 will provide another opportunity for local entrepreneurs to gain knowledge, build confidence and take meaningful steps toward launching or growing a business.“The Small Business Center wants to help individuals make informed decisions about entrepreneurship before they take the leap into business ownership,” said Theresa Dennison, Small Business Center director, in a press release. “This class gives participants an opportunity to evaluate whether entrepreneurship is right for them while also introducing them to Pitch It Bladen 2027 and the resources available to help them succeed.”Registration: Visit www.ncsbc.net and search for the class by name, or contact the Small Business Center at 910-879-5572 for additional information.
Ninja Theory begins laying off staff, according to employee posts
Ninja Theory has begun laying off employees.
Hellblade studio Ninja Theory has started laying off staff, following Xbox’s announcement that it faces closure
Two separate agreements with the studio “fell through”…
PlatinumGames boss hints he wants to expand Bayonetta as Stellar Blade director calls the series "indispensable"
PlatinumGames president Atsushi Inaba says he "strongly wants" to expand Bayonetta, three years after series creator Hideki Kamiya left the studio.
The Blade | Toledo's breaking news, sports, and entertainment watchdog
A Pulitzer Prize winner, The Blade covers Toledo's news, sports, weather and entertainment scene, including most of northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan
Where’s Blade? Fans wonder why Marvel Studios cutbacks seem to be landing on Black heroes
Mahershala Ali has said he’s moved on from the “Blade” reboot, making it another MCU project that’s fallen by the wayside. Black fans are asking whether Black characters are being purposely neglected and sidelined.
PlatinumGames talks Nintendo Switch 2, offers brief comment on Bayonetta's future
PlatinumGames has offered a few words about Nintendo Switch 2 as well as the future of Bayonetta. PlatinumGames CEO Atsushi Inaba was recently taking part in a joint discussion with Shift Up’s Kim Hyung Tae. For those who missed the news, the companies recently announced a collaboration which will bring special Bayonetta costumes to Stellar Blade in time for the...
Phantom Blade Zero, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, Final Fantasy Resonance, and 5 More Big October Games We've Already Played and Can Tell You About
October is here, which means the Fall is in full swing, which means some of the biggest games of the year drop this month. We've already played some of the biggest ones, so check out our previews of Phantom Blade Zero, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, Final Fantasy Resonance, and more below.
Science takes the runway: HIV Unwrapped at NYFW
At this year’s New York Fashion Week, HIV Unwrapped has put science on the runway, calling attention to today’s breakthrough treatments, the U=U message, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic that forever changed New York’s art and cultural scene
Meet the Minnesota legend in everything from ‘Chinatown’ to ‘Seinfeld’
MINNESOTA — James Hong isn’t ready to retire. The 97-year-old Minnesota native may not look as spry as he did in memorable moments from “Chinatown” and “Blade Runner,” but he
Mahershala Ali says ‘Blade’ taught him to focus on movies ‘that don’t feel like reissues of things’
‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’ star Mahershala Ali wants to focus on movies that ‘don’t feel like reissues’ after his ‘Blade’ movie failed to materialize at Marvel. His new film, out this weekend, is a step in that direction.
Mahershala Ali says “Blade” taught him to focus on movies ‘that don’t feel like reissues of things’
His new film, “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,” is a step in that direction.
Bladen Small Business Center to host “Funding Toolbox” Small Business RoundTable
Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to attend the September Small Business RoundTable at Bladen Community College, featuring a practical discussion on one of the most important challenges facing entrepreneurs: finding the right funding for a business.The September RoundTable, “The Funding Toolbox,” will be held Monday, Sept.28, from 5:30–7 p.m. in Building 14, Room 135, at Bladen Community College.Sponsored by the Bladen Community College Small Business Center (SBC) and the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the event will bring together experts familiar with the Small Business Center and SSBCI programs to help participants better understand the funding resources available to entrepreneurs and small businesses.Rather than focusing on one type of financing, “The Funding Toolbox” will explore a variety of funding tools and resources that may be available depending on a business's stage, needs and goals. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about available programs, how they work, what lenders and funding organizations look for, and how business owners can prepare to seek financing.Topics will include:Funding options for startups and existing businessesLoans and other financing resourcesSSBCI-supported funding opportunitiesHow to determine which funding option may fit your businessWhat lenders and funding organizations look forPreparing financial information and documentationResources available to help businesses become funding-ready“The Funding Toolbox” is designed for both aspiring entrepreneurs and established small business owners who are considering starting, expanding or investing in their businesses.The Small Business RoundTable provides an informal setting where local entrepreneurs can learn, ask questions, share experiences and connect with business-resource partners. The program is part of the ongoing efforts of the Bladen Community College Small Business Center and the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce to strengthen and support small businesses throughout the community.The September RoundTable is free and open to the public.For more information or to register, contact the Bladen Community College Small Business Center at 910-879-5572.Event DetailsWhat: Small Business RoundTable – The Funding ToolboxWhen: Monday, Sept.28, 2026 | 5:30–7 p.m.Where: Bladen Community College, Building 14, Room 135Cost: FreeSponsors: Bladen Community College Small Business Center and Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Mahershala Ali and Bassam Tariq share the path from Blade to 'Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother'
"I came up different."
Enjoy fall weather? So do ticks, scientists warn
After initially peaking around May, the tick population sees a second peak in October.
New eligibility rules may stretch NRF, science minister says
Blade Nzimande admits regulations expanding pool of potential beneficiaries might put pressure on grants budget
Stellar Blade will let players turn off frame generation on Nintendo Switch 2
According to Shift Up, when Stellar Blade launches on Nintendo Switch 2, the full game will include a toggle for frame generation, allowing players to turn it on and off at will. News about the planned functionality was shared on social media. A few days ago, the game received a demo on Nintendo Switch 2. Shift Up has been monitoring...
Rising costs top concern at Ohio Farm Science Review
LONDON, Ohio — The high costs of diesel fuel, fertilizer, and health care are among the top concerns of farmers as the November election approaches, Ohio ...
Hellblade developer Ninja Theory to be shut down in new wave of Xbox cuts, as two separate agreements collapse
Ninja Theory - developer of the Hellblade series - is shutting down as part of today's Xbox cuts. Its proposed buyers pulled out, resulting in the closure.
Bladen County Health and Human Services to host walk for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Bladen County officials are inviting community members to participate in a Suicide Prevention Walk to mark Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Stellar Blade Still Not Finished, Four Free Bayonetta Costumes Coming to PS5
Original game will get "some changes" for sequel
Video: Stellar Blade Nintendo Switch 2 vs. PS5 graphics comparison
A brand-new graphics comparison video has surfaced for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 versions of Stellar Blade. For those that missed the news, Shift Up just dropped a demo for the Nintendo Switch 2 release on the eShop today. That’s where the latest footage comes in. Note that it’s possible we could see changes / improvements in the...
Stellar Blade Gets A Switch 2 eShop Demo Today
New Bayonetta collab trailer also released
U.S.-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war
NEW YORK — A trade war between the United States and Canada is making it more difficult and expensive for small businesses in the economically entwined ...
Letter to editor: When health insurance says no, Ohioans deserve help
Nobody should do everything right and still be denied the health care they were promised. Yet that is exactly what is happening every day across Ohio. ...
'A weird and concerning period for the Blades'
BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton on Sheffield United's League Cup exit, a lack of accountability from the board and a club seemingly lacking proper leadership at the top.
How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Blade Tidwell vs. Andre Pallante
Editorial: Politics hurts economy
The longest serving woman in the history of the United States Congress is putting her political interests ahead of the economic interests of northwest Ohio. ...
Blade Runner 2049 Auction: Ryan Gosling's Coat Among 300 Sequel Items
The blaster used by Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard in Denis Villeneuve's 2017 feature is also heading to the block from Propstore and Alcon Entertainment.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother will make you forget all about Marvel’s Blade disaster
Day 3 at TIFF 2026.
'Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother' review: Mahershala Ali flashes his blade in epic thriller
You think being a hit man is tough? Try being a single dad (who is also a hit man).
UNC vs. ETSU Live Discussion
The Tar Heels hope to sharpen their blade before taking on Clemson next weekend.
To the editor: Farm families improving lake health
We appreciate your Sept. 2 editorial, “Lake Erie has looming issue,” recognizing H2Ohio and progress being made to improve Ohio’s water quality. The story, ...
Muramasa: Revenant Blades resolution and frame rate targets revealed for PS5, Switch 2, and Switch 1 docked
Marvelous reveals the resolution and frame rate targets for the console versions of Muramasa: Revenant Blades.
Muramasa: Revenant Blades launches February 4, 2027
Side-scrolling action RPG Muramasa: Revenant Blades will launch for PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam on February 4, 2027, publisher Marvelous and developer Vanillaware announced.
Editorial: Provide political protection
Gov. Mike DeWine’s decision to give both party nominees for governor Ohio Highway Patrol security details looks pretty smart in the aftermath of an armed ...
St. Louis Cardinals vs San Francisco Giants Game Discussion Wednesday
The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their west coast swing with a matinee game Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco against the Giants. Andre Pallante gets the start for the Cardinals while it will be RHP Blade Tidwell starting for the Giants. First pitch scheduled for 2:45pm central time and the game broadcast will be available […]
Blades boss Wilder looking to bring in forward
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder confirms the club have identified a forward in the free market but his arrival will depend on if they can release a current player.
Sigma's Lightweight 85mm f/1.2 Art Is Official, But Canon RF Shooters Are Out in the Cold
Sigma’s official 85mm f/1.2 DG Art lens hits E and L mounts for $1,599; utperforming Canon’s $2,799 RF lens in weight, bokeh blades, and edge resolution.
Wilder hopeful but admits doubt over new Sheffield United signing
Chris Wilder remains hopeful Sheffield United can add another new signing to his squad but says a player must first leave the club before they can complete a deal.The Blades have identified a potentia...
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.
Letter from Iranian Former Political Prisoners, Writers, Scholars, Activists
We, the undersigned former Iranian political prisoners, activists, writers, artists, intellectuals, academic scholars, researchers, and members of civil society within Iran and in exile, stand resolutely in support of the open letter published in The Guardian on 20 August 2026,
Leak lists Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake developer as Xenoblade Chronicles studio
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Ridley Scott isn't thinking about legacy. He's too busy
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Zero'd
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Bay Area sports calendar, Aug. 16-17
Blade Tidwell and the Giants will host the Rockies at 1 p.m. Sunday. (NBCSBA)
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Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Demo Leaks Before Next Week's State of Play
The PS Store strikes again
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State of Play for Phantom Blade Zero Announced for Next Week, 11-Minute Trailer Revealed
A $60 PS5 game with pre-orders live now
Phantom Blade Zero pre-orders now available, 11-minute trailer; dedicated State of Play set for August 17
S-GAME has opened pre-orders and released an 11-minute trailer for Wuxia action RPG Phantom Blade Zero.
Phantom Blade Zero pre-orders now available, 11-minute trailer
S-GAME has opened pre-orders and released an 11-minute trailer for Wuxia action RPG Phantom Blade Zero.
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Phantom Blade Zero pre-orders open August 11
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Science|Business summer reads of 2026
As most people in the European research and innovation policy bubble are going on a well-deserved summer break, we have come up with a list of our favourite books, podcasts and essays from the past year that ask deeper questions about science, technology and politics.BooksPasteur’s Quadrant: Basic Science and Technological Innovation, by Donald StokesIf you haven’t read Pasteur’s Quadrant yet, now is the time. In the EU and elsewhere, we’re living through a period of dwindling faith that curiosity-driven research automatically leads to economic growth and technological progress. Pasteur’s Quadrant, published in 1997 by the Princeton academic Donald Stokes, is the most influential critique of the standard “linear model” of R&D: the idea that new discoveries made in ivory-tower labs get neatly passed on for commercialisation by start-ups. In reality, Stokes argues, practical applications often inspire more theorical lines of inquiry. Of course, we have long known that things are more complex than the linear model, but even today, it’s still often assumed in Brussels discourse. The book is a useful corrective, and is being used now to argue for new types of scientific institutions. David MatthewsThe Weaponization of Expertise: How Elites Fuel Populism, by Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis PattersonAre society’s problems solvable by technical expertise alone? “If only the benighted would listen,” say Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis Patterson, two professors at Rutgers Law School who got frustrated with how scientists and politicians handled public health communication during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the book, they argue that clichéd mantras about scientific evidence and expertise perpetrated by academics, journalists and politicians have harmed public trust in the very institutions they were trying to defend. Paradoxically, slogans such as “we believe in science,” “follow the science” and “defer to the experts” can fuel mistrust in science, experts and democratic institutions. The authors criticise “condescension” and “technocratic paternalism” in the public discourse and make the case for a more nuanced approach to scientific and expert policy advice that rests on humility, doubt, scepticism and open dialogue. “Most complex social questions in fact revolve around values, not the recitation of unambiguous facts,” they say. Florin ZubascuBreakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, by Dan WangIn this book, Dan Wang compares the structural differences between the US and Chinese industrial policies, but raises a very timely question for innovation policy wonks: how can advanced manufacturing know-how contribute to technology-intensive economic growth? Wang says technology has three components: the tools, the blueprints and patents, and the process knowledge. The third component represents the “proficiency gained from practical experience, which isn’t easily communicated and requires years of implementation.” According to Wang, rather than seeing tools and blueprints as the ultimate ends of technological progress, policymakers should see them as milestones in the training of better scientists and manufacturers. Over the past decades, China has amassed “process knowledge” because capital flowed to complex fabrication facilities, while investors in the West have parked their money in capital-light businesses such as digital platforms or chip companies that focus on design. As it turns out, thanks to its oversized focus on manufacturing, China has gained remarkable advantages in the global technology race. Florin ZubascuBaltic: The Future of Europe, by Oliver MoodyWhat can Europe learn from the nine countries surrounding the Baltic Sea? Alongside the familiar stories about Estonia's digital transformation, the book examines how the region has used technology, resilience, education, governance and long-term thinking to respond to geopolitical, economic and security challenges. Innovation policy wonks might find fresh perspectives on how innovation can strengthen defence, societal resilience and Europe's capacity to adapt in an uncertain world. Whether or not you agree with all of Oliver Moody's conclusions, the book is a useful guide to a region that is increasingly shaping European debates on security, competitiveness and technology. Goda NaujokaityteThe Invention of Nature, by Andrea Wulf This book chronicles the wild and adventurous life of natural science pioneer Alexander von Humboldt who at some point in the 19th century seems to have been just about the most famous person in the world. Through scientific expeditions to the Andes Mountains and to the depths of Siberia, von Humboldt contributed a host of discoveries and concepts. During his life he met and formed relationships with historical figures as different as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Simon Bolivar, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles Darwin. He is also claimed to be the person in the world with most things named after him, a list that includes an ocean current, a penguin and a region of the Moon. Still venerated in Germany, with numerous scientific institutions named after him, von Humboldt has slipped out of public consciousness in most of the rest of the world. For anyone not familiar with him, this book does a good job of describing his fascinating life. Ole EllekrogCareless People, by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsYou may have heard this referred to as the book Meta doesn’t want you to read. The 2025 memoir from Sarah Wynn-Williams, former director of global public policy at Meta, then just called Facebook, includes explosive claims about everything from a toxic workplace culture to how the company worked with advertisers to target vulnerable teens, and the lengths it was prepared to go to in order to break into China. It’s a fascinating insight into how and why the tech company gradually shifted its approach to policy, whether in the US, Europe or Asia. Meta has denied the allegations in the book, and last year won an emergency ruling to prevent Wynn-Williams from promoting it. In response, the author is now suing her former employer. If that doesn’t make you want to read it. Martin GreenacrePodcastsThe Europeans: Europe’s anti-ElonThis podcast is a great choice for a light-hearted dose of European policy and culture news. Most of it has little to do with research, innovation and technology, but this particular podcast features an interview with Mastadon’s founder Eugen Rochko. He talks about his experience running an open-source, federated, European-made social media platform, and leaving it all behind. The conversation, which starts 14 minutes in, gently encourages us to reflect on what kind of technology we, as Europeans, want to make. Goda NaujokaityteSolarpunk and how we escape dystopiaNew technologies are very often taken from science fiction. Alberto Santos-Dumont, inventor the airship, was inspired as a child by the adventure stories of Jules Verne. OpenAI’s attempt to build a personal assistant with the voice of Scarlett Johansson was lifted from the 2013 film Her, completely ignoring the movie’s cautionary message. So if we want better tech, we need to imagine it first. Unfortunately, the state of current sci-fi is relentlessly dystopian, giving inventors precious few ideas or hope. However, a new genre, Solarpunk, which envisages a technologically advanced but ecologically harmonious future, is now taking off. The actual tech the genre imagines, such as permaculture, renewable energy or community repair workshops, while nice, isn’t all that inspiring or ambitious. But it’s a first step towards rescuing sci-fi from its pessimistic Blade Runner rut. David MatthewsEveryday AbundanceLaunched in June, Everyday Abundance is a podcast that tells the stories of the inventions we now take so for granted that we barely given them a second thought. For example, the washing machine, which liberated women from a lifetime “bent over washtubs and washboards.” Or modern dentistry, which ended the reality that “tooth pain was simply part of human life.” Historians of technology, Virginia Postrel and Charles C Mann are very much on the optimistic end of the spectrum when it comes to the capacity of invention to improve human life. Here, they set out their case: if it wasn’t for progress, you might be hunched over a washtub with toothache rather than reading these words. David Matthews‘We will not know what we lost’: Conservation fallout a year after USAID shutdownSince his return to the White House, Donald Trump has been on a mission to undermine science. He slashed jobs at federal agencies, terminated grants in some research areas, took unprecedented control over university affairs and, within hours of his inauguration, suspended the US Agency for International Development. While its initial focus was to administer health and food aid around the world, it had since expanded to conservation projects. The result? Some of these projects were stopped abruptly. In this Mongabay podcast, environmental reporter Michelle Nijhuis tells the story of the EcoGuard conservation programme in Liberia, whose local patrols had helped protect rainforests, monitor endangered wildlife and track illegal threats. From one day to the next, these were left without salaries. Luckily, she notes, the initiative was able to get emergency funding from international NGOs, but its future remains “incredibly uncertain.” Juliette PortalaEssaysThe Mars Delusion, by Henry WismayerWhy is humankind so fixated on establishing a colony on Mars? asks London-based writer Henry Wismayer. From space evangelists promoting Martian settlement as an insurance policy, to billionaire Jeff Bezos, who said humans should settle on Mars “because it’s cool,” the mission is not running short of advocates. However, in this essay, Wismayer reminds us that some critics expect any future Mars pioneer to end up “irradiated, sick, mad and dead.” Scientists have already looked into the possible effects of prolonged exposure to Martian gravity, and it’s not pretty: muscle shrinking, bones weakening, changes to the central nervous system and other biological modifications to make us all reconsider the journey. “Some researchers have forecast that the future settler, after generations of evolutionary conditioning, will look less like an Übermensch and more like ET,” Wismayer writes. Juliette Portala
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