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Americans hate both ‘Lake America’ and Trump’s trade war with Canada
President Donald Trump has dropped another clunker in the laps of his fellow Republicans in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
Holland America pumps up poolside entertainment
Lido Pool bandstands to bring live music on Oosterdam and Zuiderdam.
Celebrate 40 years of Waynesville's Main Street milestones
For 40 years, merchants, property owners, volunteers, community leaders and residents have worked together to shape downtown Waynesville into the vibrant Main Street community it is today. Next month, the
Trump takes aim at American science as China pulls ahead
NEWS ANALYSIS. For US President Donald Trump, science is plagued by 'woke ideology.' His administration announced that, starting in October, research projects eligible for funding must align with 'government priorities.'
Line in the sand’: Plowman says SEC standing firm on rule banning ex-pros
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — As some former NFL players attempt to return to college football, University of Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman told ESPN the SEC is standing firm on its rule banning players who were drafted or listed on professional rosters from returning to play. Plowman, who is the president of the SEC’s executive committee, […]
President Trump pushes tax break for entertainment industry
In an effort to bring entertainment industry jobs back to the U.S., President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to create a federal tax incentive. Conan Nolan reports for the NBC4 News at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
ICE cites N.Y. law in planned 100-bed expansion at Batavia detention facility
ICE told Spectrum News 1 it is constructing a new hard-sided detention facility on federal property at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility.
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive | Newsradio WOOD 1300 and 106.9 FM
Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive
Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive
Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive | NewsRadio 1370 AM & 92.9 FM WSPD
Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive
Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive
Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...
The Spiders are national ultimate champs and other Oakland sports news
The Roots are still in playoff contention, while defending league champions the Oakland Ballers fail to make the playoffs for the first time.
Ocasio-Cortez says Trump's Mar-a-Lago should be near data centers
The New York Democrat suggested building an AI data center near the president's Mar-a-Lago resort.
Vance talks about the end times and the attempted assassination of Trump in Christian podcast
Vice President JD Vance says that if a 2024 assassination attempt had killed Donald Trump, he would have always wondered if it was part of a conspiracy and might not have accepted even another Republican as the next president.
William Jewell College: RB Barnett had no known health condition
MicahJo Barnett was immediately attended to by multiple onsite medical workers with AEDs, William Jewell College's interim president said.
Insider Provides Surprising Aaron Glenn Jets Job Security Update
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic provided a surprising Aaron Glenn New York Jets job security update ahead of the season. The post Insider Provides Surprising Aaron Glenn Jets Job Security Update appeared first on HEAVY.
Former President Joe Biden Will Attend Sept. 11 Ceremony in New York
Mr. Biden will join three other living presidents at the event. President Trump has decided to skip the ceremony and is expected to appear at the Pentagon on the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?
(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.) Before we get into this week’s issue, let me ask you for some suggestions. At the risk of coining too many names for too many things (hence my dictionary of terms...), I need a name for straight-to-streaming films that are too expensive to justify a straight-to-streaming release, but not big enough to justify a theatrical release. Like some of the films I highlighted in last week’s tally of the biggest film flops of 2026 so far: Hulu’s Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Pizza Movie or Never Change! They don’t feel like “made for TV movies” (think Hallmark and Lifetime movies, cheap Netflix romcoms, or Disney Channel Original movies, for example) but they don’t feel big enough for the big screen. They’re not “cinematic” enough, so to speak. As I wrote... “I still need a name for this middle zone of film that’s too expensive to go straight-to-streaming but too small to justify a theatrical release (with all the PR, distribution, marketing and whatnot costs that go along with it), the Goldilocks zone of streaming film death.” Friend of the newsletter Brandon Katz has suggested the “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”. I love that first one. I’d offer up the much wordier “The Streaming Budget Dead Zone” or “the Goldilocks Zone of streaming film death” but that last one isn’t accurate since, unlike Goldilocks’ porridge, these films are the opposite of “just right”. That’s the problem! Anyway, if you have any suggestions, let me know! On to today’s Streaming Ratings Report. As you can tell by today’s headline, things are going to be spicy! I’m looking at a box office bomb that did really, really well on streaming, somewhat challenging a few different narratives. And another Netflix series declined in its second season. All that, plus Wicked: For Good switching streamers, The Hawk continuing its strong run, _The Bear’_s finale season finally dropping off the charts, the WNBA posting a big viewership number, “shallow libraries”, a sitcom spinoff failing to launch, more big budget IP flopping on Paramount+, 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 20th to July 26th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - The Latest Theatrical Success Story on Streaming In the latest edition of “Flops, Bombs and Misses of the First Half of 2026”, I made a crucial change: I started including theatrical films with the streaming misses. The streamers have collectively—including Netflix, but not to as big of an extent—stopped making a lot of straight-to-streaming films, and the ones they do make aren’t as expensive as in the heyday of the streaming bubble. After the following two films bombed in theaters, you’d guess that they’ll be included in my next collection of flops, bombs and misses six months from now: Masters of the Universe on Prime Video (only $64 million domestic box office) Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max ($79 million domestic) But you’d be wrong! Masters of the Universe, a reboot of the He-Man franchise, a toy from the 1980s, came to streaming on 22-July and did great! This long-gestating project—it’s been at every studio for years, and came close to getting a greenlight at Netflix—then finally came to theaters in June, and showed up on streaming less than two months later. (I don’t love this short theatrical window.) It surprisingly grabbed nearly 20 million hours on its debut: That means, wait for it, Masters of the Universe is currently the eighth biggest film on streaming through two weeks. My rough bar for “hit” is shows or films in the top 15%. Ergo…Masters of the Universe is a legit, streaming hit! (One quick caveat: if it falls out of the top ten next week, it will move to 13th overall, just on the edge of the top 15.) Of course, that’s the data for just 2026. Here’s how it stacks up to Prime Video’s theatrical films: That drop into its second week is typical for Amazon films, but also a worrying sign. I have a feeling interest in this film is front-loaded and we’ll see it drop off after this. As for Mortal Kombat II, in this case, the viewership numbers roughly match the theatrical outing, with only 4.1 million hours in its first week. Here’s how it stacks up to other HBO Max films: The best defense of this number is that, as a relatively violent rated-R film, Mortal Kombat II never had a good chance at breaking out. So now it’s time for a little big of “Entertainment Nuance Guy”: First, yeah, my headline is obviously facetious, since Masters of the Universe besting Obsession says more about horror as a genre than it does that film. Second, I read and listened to quite a few “nobody wanted this IP” takes about Masters of the Universe, and that’s not really true. At least enough people wanted it to power a 20 million+ hour debut! Third, both this film and Mortal Kombat II were considered “average” by viewers, but not great films, with a 6.4 and 6.3 respectively on IMDb. That’s just shy of the level needed to be a word-of-mouth hit. Fourth, in the olden days, strong word of mouth could transform a box office miss into a cable/DVD hit, like Austin Powers or The Shawshank Redemption. We haven’t seen a lot of examples of that on streaming, though. And there are far fewer ways to monetize the post-theatrical life of a film these days. Fifth, Prime Video has shown an ability to push their own titles well, likely because they control the Amazon Fire TV ecosystem. Add it all up, and here’s my nuanced take on Masters of the Universe: it was a box office bomb, but, shockingly, a streaming hit. Unfortunately, while being a theatrical hit saves your film financially, being a streaming hit does not. Both Masters of the Universe and Mortal Kombat II had big budgets and needed to make more money in theaters to justify them. So…Straight-to-Streaming or Theaters? We’ve hit a really fun point in the streaming calendar, since the films that came out in theaters in April, May, and June are now arriving on streaming. So the “Do theatrical releases help streaming performances?” question is gonna get a fresh round of updates nearly every week. No single week will answer the question, but we may get some insights. For example, so far in 2026, it looks like theatrical films are lasting longer on the weekly Nielsen film charts. Here’s a list of films that have made the charts in their fourth or fifth week of release, separated by “for kids” and “general entertainment”: It certainly seems like theatrical films are lasting just a pinch longer on the charts, with Project Hail Mary being the current five-week champion. One Battle After Another did well for HBO Max too, and even The Sheep Detectives made it four weeks. The only exception to this trend? Obsession, which only lasted two weeks on the charts. You might tempted to overreact to this news. Don’t. Obsession is a huge horror hit, but horror just doesn’t do as well on streaming. By the way, here’s the Google Trends for various theatrical and stremaing films: Plus, when it comes to Netflix in four months, Obsession may have another big boost. Quick Notes on Film Note that when I write, “the streamers have pulled back on straight-to-streaming films” that doesn’t mean “abandoned” because Netflix is gonna Netflix. On 24-July, they released 72 Hours, a Kevin Hart comedy. Along with Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena and Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart is a streaming film star now. Did this latest one work? Not really. It only garnered two weeks of 13.2 and 12.2 million hours on its debut, well below the 20-million-hour hit threshold. It also was poorly received critically—a 44 on Metacritic—and by customers—a 5.4 on IMDb on 21K IMDb reviews. 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… The latest Netflix true crime doc to pop on the charts… How The Bear finished its run… Netflix’s latest Western to return to streaming… What Paramount+ animated film flopped… And what sitcom also missed… All the flops, bombs and misses… And a whole lot more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! I’m behind by a week, so we’ve got two issues coming your way this week, including one in a couple of days or so, then we’ll be all caught up**.** Next issue, inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to Peacock, I’m going to take a look at the workhouse of streaming TV: kids films. Plus The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues theatrical films’ big run on streaming. All that, plus another surprise hit on Hulu, Lioness on CBS, and a whole lot more. Long term, LeBron James is filming his own “Last Dance”-style docu-series, surprising no one. But as I’ve been writing about a lot this summer, this genre is really overrated, so whoever ends up buying it (reportedly ESPN) really shouldn’t pay too much for it.
Behind the scenes at the Science Museum of Minnesota
(ABC 6 News) – In this edition of Must See Museums, we take a look behind the curtain at the more than two million artifacts and specimens that don’t make it on to the museum floor.To go on an insider tour yourself, click here.Watch the video above for more.
Presidents Cup 2026 captain's picks revealed: Who made the teams?
U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker and International captain Geoff Ogilvy revealed their captain's picks for the 2026 Presidents Cup on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
WATCH: Massie names 14 Epstein associates to 'shame' DOJ
Speaking from the House floor Monday, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., pointed to how much time had passed since President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
US Army has lost top figures driving transformation
With Driscoll's resignation, the service has lost its leaders spearheading Army modernization. Those initiatives are now on uncertain footing.
Apple Maps renames Lake Ontario to Lake America, joining Google
Apple is following Google Maps, after President Donald Trump ordered the federal government to change the name of a Great Lake.
OpenAI has a major stake in SB Energy's IPO plans
SB Energy's IPO filing shows how it is entangled with OpenAI across its business, relying on the AI lab for demand in the AI buildout.
Smile! You're on Dyson's $500 toothbrush camera
Cameras are in smart toilets, AI glasses, vacuums, fridges, and now ... toothbrushes? Dyson's latest CameraJet gadget is aimed at lazy flossers.
JD Vance and Abdul El-Sayed Really Don’t Like Each Other
The vice president called the Michigan senate hopeful “evil” on Monday, but El-Sayed is giving as good as he’s getting in this feud.
ESA, NASA Astronauts Complete Navigation and Science Spacewalk Outside Station
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot concluded their spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 3:29 p.m. EDT.
Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna to headline Des Moines political fundraiser
Progressive U.S. representative and potential 2028 presidential candidate Ro Khanna is returning to Iowa for an event just weeks before Election Day.
Trump names pastor as tobacco health adviser at CDC
President Trump on Tuesday announced the selection of Pastor Darrell Scott, a longtime supporter of his, to be the tobacco health adviser for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). T…
SGC starts year without VP of business and finance
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council is starting the 2026-27 academic year without a vice president of business and finance. The vice president of business and finance is responsible for distributing funds to student organizations.
Holly & Smith Architects opens a Baton Rouge office
Holly & Smith Architects has opened a Baton Rouge office, the firm announced Tuesday. The move gives the Hammond-based architecture firm a physical presence in a market where it has worked for yea… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
City to consider new Entertainment Zones in Sacramento where public drinking is allowed at events
Following the impact of the Rainbow Festival and Terra Madre Americas events, Sacramento City leaders will consider a new round of proposed Entertainment Zones.
Baton Rouge General bringing permanent healthcare clinic to Scotlandville
Baton Rouge General plans to open a new primary care and mental health clinic at the Jewel J. Newman Community Center in October, expanding access to healthcare for residents of Scotlandville, north B… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
Chevron to expand Venezuela operations, says U.S. official
President Donald Trump last week announced an ambitious deal to develop Venezuela's oil reserves and give the Pentagon a stake in the profits
House Votes to Avert Government Shutdown Before Midterm Elections
Lawmakers sent the legislation to President Trump in an overwhelming vote, reflecting bipartisan enthusiasm around punting a messy spending fight until after the midterms.
Hendrix to lead NC Military Business Center
Martin J. “Jimmy” Hendrix III, a retired Army colonel, will become executive director of the North Carolina Military Business Center Oct. 1, succeeding Scott Dorney, the NCMBC’s founder and leader for more than two decades. Dorney is retiring at the end of the year. A Fayetteville native, Hendrix was appointed by Fayetteville Tech President Mark […]
Meta is switching from Google Chat to Slack for AI agents
Meta is moving employees from Google Chat to Slack, saying Salesforce's product is better suited for an ecosystem of AI agents.
Minnesota Vikings Silence Noise After Big Announcement
With J.J. McCarthy sidelined by injury, Kyler Murray takes the reins as QB1 while veteran Carson Wentz solidifies the depth chart ahead of a pivotal Week 1.
Nicki Minaj joins Trump administration’s small business pitch competition as judge
The rapper will serve on the panel for the SBA’s “Million Dollar Pitch Competition” alongside business executives and other celebrities.
The benefits of AI model ownership versus leasing
Reltio's Manish Sood discusses why companies should own AI loops instead of models, emphasizing proprietary data and continuous learning.
PlayStation argues "reasonable consumers" already know they don't actually own their digital games
PlayStation lawyers have argued that "reasonable" players aren't being deceived by Sony's small print, which says digital game purchases don't grant ownership.
Bank of America employee Erin Piacenti killed in Times Square stabbing
Bank of America VP Erin Piacenti was killed in what police described as a "random and unprovoked" stabbing in Times Square on Monday.
The light is blinking red on Trump messing with the 2026 election
It should surprise nobody that the president who tried to overturn the 2020 election based on lies — and didn’t seem to mind his supporters rising up violently on January 6, 2021 — might try to monkey with the 2026 midterm elections.
Settle In and Get Comfortable with the Designed for XBOX Cozy Collection
Made for side quests, little adventures, and everything in between, the Designed for XBOX Cozy Collection is available now, bringing warmth and whimsy to every journey. Step into a tiny, pixelated woodland where every click, key stroke, and button tap feels like discovering a new cozy corner. The 8BitDo keyboard, mouse, and controller bring a […]
Penguins and First National Bank Announce Fourth Annual ‘FNB Small Business Development Camp’ Program for Local Pittsburgh Businesses
The Pittsburgh Penguins and First National Bank, the largest subsidiary of F.N.B. Corporation, will be hosting the fourth annual FNB Small Business Development Camp, designed to assist locally owned small businesses in the Pittsburgh area. Five local businesses will be selected to participate in a six-week training program consisting of
Academy of Natural Sciences to close September 30
Drexel University's Academy of Natural Sciences is set to close on Wednesday, Sept. 30, according to a university-wide message sent by President Antonio...
Trump names pastor to advise administration on tobacco health
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Pastor Darrell Scott will serve his administration as an adviser for tobacco health issues on a committee that advises the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DLSS 5 Officially Goes Live September 3 With NBA 2K27, Exclusive to RTX 50-series "Blackwell" GPUs
NVIDIA has confirmed that DLSS 5 will officially launch on September 3 alongside NBA 2K27, and it will remain exclusive to GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs. When asked directly at a Gamescom technical briefing whether older cards would ever receive support, NVIDIA gave a flat answer: "It's RTX...
Trump Names Pastor to Advise Administration on Tobacco Health
WASHINGTON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Pastor Darrell Scott will serve his administration as an adviser for tobacco health issues on a committee that advises the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "For far too long,
Debi Mazar claims ‘Entourage’ set became ‘toxic’ after she welcomed her second baby: ‘Didn’t like that I got fat’
Debi Mazar claimed that the ‘Entourage’ set became ‘toxic’ after the actress welcomed her second baby.
Annual training manuals too slow to train Ukraine soldiers: commander
Training for Ukrainian troops on NATO soil aims to mirror the battlefield, but the commander in charge says bureaucratic manuals can't keep up.
Santikos buys 21 acres for far West Side entertainment complex
This would be the San Antonio-based entertainment and real estate company’s farthest west entertainment complex.
Why Quentin Johnston is ‘excited’ about Chargers offense
The Los Angeles Chargers are undergoing some changes on the offensive side of the ball for the 2026 season.
Watch CNBC's full interview with President's Council of Advisors on Science & Technology's Sacks
David Sacks, President's Council of Advisors on Science & Technology co-chair, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss AI regulation and growth.
Michigan Tech to Induct 10 into Sports Hall of Fame
Ten individuals will join the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony in October.
Scottsdale investment firm acquires Shasta Pools, plans nationwide growth
It was more than a year ago when Jeff Thiessen, president of Scottsdale-based Dansons Capital Group, was in the middle of having a pool built in his backyard when the builder couldn't finish the job.
I took a gap year in my 40s after 20 years in corporate America
After 20 years in corporate America, I took a midlife gap year. It changed my priorities and helped me find a more flexible career.
SoHo neighbors, businesses at odds ahead of $93M flood relief vote
The city of Tampa is preparing to move forward with the South Howard Flood Relief Project, a major infrastructure overhaul designed to address chronic flooding in the South Howard business and residential area.
When a Nightmare Scenario Becomes the Most Likely Scenario
With 64 days before Election Day (although the first mail-in ballots will go out in a matter of days), Republicans should brace themselves: The three most plausible outcomes are that it will be bad, really bad, or truly horrible. Conversely, a Democrat should at least briefly consider that the good fortune they may have in November will come compliments of the president, not as a result of much that they have done.
Top Western Caribbean ports on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas
I took a weeklong cruise to the Western Caribbean with Royal Caribbean and thought the best port stops were in Roatan, Honduras, and Cozumel, Mexico.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down after 18 months on the job, White House says
No reason was given for the departure of Driscoll, who is a friend of Vice President JD Vance, but tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have been widely reported.
gamescom 2026’s Steam wishlist winners
gamescom wrapped up last weekend, and it was bloody fantastic. It really felt like the industry had a spring in its step again. The show itself was BUZZING, with 368K attendees (+3% over last year), maxed-out exhibit space, and Opening Night Live pulling over 78M online views (+7.5%). Let’s have a look at the games at the event that brought in the most new Steam wishlists between August 23 and 30. One quick thing before we start, and stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but wishlists are NOT a barometer for launch sales (they’re bookmarks, not baskets is what we always say over here at Alinea). With that aside, wishlists are a nice gauge of hype, so let’s dive in. Witche(r)s and Warlocks take the top two spots The biggest game of the event (by new wishlists, anyways) wasn’t a game at all. It was an expansion. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s upcoming expansion, Songs of the Past, nabbed 451K Steam wishlists by the end of the weekend. It’s a big example of something we bang on about constantly: proven IP with built-in fandom is the most powerful force in this market. But said IP can also ripple into other external success stories (more on that later!). Anyway, Songs of the Past debuted at Opening Night Live, and it’s the first Witcher 3 expansion in over a decade, landing next year after a full Witcher 3 remaster (free for existing owners!) arrives next month. The Witcher 3 has sold around 66M copies, and I’ll be one of those owners jumping back in to refresh myself on the core game (like there isn’t enough to play!), then play the expansion next year. This is all part of CDPR’s plan. The studio is clearly whetting everyone’s appetite for The Witcher 4 in 2028 via a classic bridge strategy. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Releasing a free 4K remaster next month – followed by a proper expansion in 2027 – keeps IP top-of-mind across a huge gap between content (games-wise, anyway). It kind of echoes Capcom’s evergreen catalogue strategy. And outsourcing co-development to Fool’s Theory (a studio led by trusted Witcher 3 veterans) keeps CDPR’s internal headcount focused on The Witcher 4. #2 by wishlists between Aug 23 and 30 went to another giant IP: Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, published by Wizards of the Coast and developed by Invoke Studios (a team of ex-Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and Splinter Cell devs). It’s due to launch in 2027, and it looks brilliant so far. It’s a dark-fantasy open world with third-person spell-slinging. It’s a very Witcher-ish aesthetic. As you might expect, 48% of Warlock’s Steam wishlisters have played Baldur’s Gate 3, and 46% have played The Witcher 3. One to watch. For sure! Mash-ups: Anime GTA (!?) and a city-builder for kids (and adults) Ananta took #3 with 302K new wishlists. It’s an open-world game that looks like GTA and Persona had a baby. It was published by NetEase, developed by Naked Rain, and got a trailer at Opening Night Live. I got hands-on at the show, and it wears its influences openly; there’s literal web-slinging (very Spider-Man) and a LOAD of mini-games (Like a Dragon). It’s free-to-play and out in January. For Ananta, Naked Rain is taking the free-to-play, cosmetics-only route. That’s certainly a choice for a single-player open-world game. Without gacha mechanics driving high ARPU, Ananta is betting purely on top-of-funnel reach and long-term retention. This puts pressure on skin appeal when there’s no multiplayer lobby to flex in (although, co-op is reportedly coming later). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Then there’s Lego Skylines (273K wishlists between Aug 23 and 30), which does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a cosy Lego twist on the city-builder genre, as shallow or as deep as you fancy (five min quick sesh or ten-hour no-lifer session; latter for me). There’s some family-friendly stuff in there like couch co-op, which is only really viable on console. Iceflake Studios, which Paradox acquired back in 2020 is developing this one. So Paradox is probably looking for a family-friendly onramp to its rad Cities: Skylines games. The overlap there is plain, with 33% of Lego Skylines wishlisters having played Cities: Skylines and 16% Skylines II. There’s no doubt plenty of parents here (and uncles, ahem) planning to indoctrinate the next gen of city-builders. I’ll definitely be playing with my youngest nephew. This one could be big and educational. I’m very curious to see more. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Mature IP, new and old, rounds out the list As for the rest of the list of gamescom games by new wishlists between Aug 23 and 30: Heroes of Might & Magic III Remake got 189K new wishlists. It remakes the iconic 1999 turn-based-strategy classic in full 3D and 4K. It follows this year’s Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era (~1.8M copies sold, as per our estimates), and around a quarter of the III Remake wishlisters have played Olden Era, including 7% of them this month. Wardogs – a $40 PvP shooter – added another 146K to an already massive pile (nearly 1.6M total). It’s published by Team17 and made by Bulkhead. It plays somewhere between the tactical squad stuff of … Squad and the all-out-chaos battlefield of … Battlefield. It’s up to 100 players, and it’s out in about 10 days. It’s already pre-sold over 500K copies on Steam ($16.6M), boosted by a pre-order-only beta. It sold another 70K copies during gamescom, too. Afterworld managed 121K new wishlists. It’s a Paradox-made post-apocalyptic grand-strategy game, and it was announced at the show. It’s a departure from Paradox’s usual historical stuff, and the studio’s first new setting in over a decade. The Paradox purists are into it, with over half its wishlisters having played Hearts of Iron IV (19% this month) and 41% Crusader Kings III (17% this month). Metro 2039 got 110K during the show, tunnelling its total past 1.3M. Nearly 40% of wishlisters have played 2020’s Metro Exodus, the previous mainline title in the series. The Metro novels are Russian, dev 4A Games is Ukrainian, and it’s set in Moscow, so it’s unsurprising that – after the US (17.3% of wishlisters) – the next two countries are Russia (12.7%) and Ukraine (10.0%). The Blood of the Dawnwalker drew in (the blood of) 108K new wishlisters, now totalling an impressive 1.7M (at a $70 price point, though). It’s an open-world dark-fantasy action-RPG set in 14th-century Europe (with vampires!), made by some former Witcher devs at Rebel Wolves. Again, it shows. Over half of Blood of the Dawnwalker’s wishlisters have played The Witcher 3, and its #2 market is Poland, home of Rebel Wolves. That’s that hometown-hero effect we keep banging on about again! And Blood of the Dawnwalker plays very well, by the way. While it looks like a Witcher clone on the surface, it actually brings a lot to the table mechanics-wise. I love the whole time-as-a-currency spin on RPG gameplay. It gives the game a different, refreshing pace. Essentially, you start Blood of the Dawnwalker with a pool of 480 action points spread across 30 days and 30 nights. As for how the game performs, we’ll be posting some numbers next week, so hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready. Subscribe The Witcher’s legacy ripples Make no mistake: on a high level, this was The Witcher‘s gamescom. The #1 game by wishlisters was a Witcher 3 DLC. Warlock is clearly Witcher-inspired – as is Blood of the Dawnwalker, which was made by ex-Witcher devs. There was a lot of other cool stuff on the floor that we’ll no doubt be covering in subsequent newsletters, though! As always, wishlists went through the roof for sequels, remakes, DLC, and licensed IP. As always, though, these wishlists will likely convert to about 5% to 10% of launch-day buyers, with the probable exception of The Witcher DLC – the exception that proves the rule. Either way, we’ve got a nice, diverse list here – one that is very Witcher-y, Paradox-y, and – if you’re a fan of great games on Steam – a bloody good list. We even got a bunch of new IP to get excited for. Great gamescom! Even if we are still processing that unfathomable number of mini Kölsch beers! One more thing: GTA 6 broke the internet (again) Move aside, Spider-Man and The Odyssey (I love you both, really). But the decade’s defining entertainment zeitgeist is round the corner. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Rockstar dropped an extended look at GTA 6 last week. It was INSANE, the most impressed I’ve ever been by a showcase like this. You can see the budget seeping through every second of the extended look, and this level of game is unobtainable for any other publisher. Everyone’s going nuts, and rightly so. GTA 6 is out in holiday 2026, and it’ll be the biggest entertainment release ever, full stop. For those without a PS5 or Xbox Series console, a $500-$900 console is a big ask in this economy, but GTA will pull a lot of last-generation-console fence sitters over the current-gen fence either way: The autumn timing puts GTA 6 on (digital) shelves for the holidays, meaning a PS5 or Xbox (let’s be honest, mostly the former) will be on many a Christmas and Hanukkah list. Demand will outweigh the struggling supply, though, and PS5 Pros are already sold out and being sold at a markup via scalpers. Every console that isn’t on a shelf is a sale deferred or lost, and worse, it hands scalpers the margin. GTA has cultural clout that reaches everyone. It’s been a mainstream fixture since 2001’s GTA III and its clout has only grown exponentially since then. There’s a touchpoint for every generation alive. The FOMO-word-of-mouth double punch does the rest. Loading... It’ll reactivate the lockdown cohort, the millions who picked up gaming in 2020-21 and churned. GTA 6 will bring them back. Remember when College Football 25 brought a bunch of US gamers to current-gen consoles? GTA will do that globally. Once they’re back (or upgraded), and all GTA’d out, the fresh current-gen-console folks will check out the rest of the current-gen catalogue they missed. GTA Online, if not free to play, will also lead to a boost for PS+ and Xbox Game Pass, another boost for the ecosystem players. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Even some of the smug PCMR 60FPS crew won’t be able to resist their FOMO and will bite the bullet on a console to play this one early (then double dip). The consoles cost the same as a decent stick of RAM these days anyway lmao… Don’t get me wrong, though. GTA 6 is no silver bullet for the mature console market, but it does prime the current gen for a couple of strong swan-song years. And it’ll also give the consoles more users from which to maximise ARPU. ‘’We are in the latter half of the lifetime cycle of [the PS5],’’ said Sony President and CEO Hiroki Totoki in a Wall Street Journal interview. ‘’That means we do not need to aggressively sell the console today; rather than that, we are focusing on the current revenue from the current user base.’’ The biggest, best premium games always arrive late in a console cycle, so getting more players aboard now, ahead of that content storm (the new current-gen-only Call of Duty included), is a clear win for the platforms. On the Netflix thing, though: let’s all chill out a bit, like. Half my LinkedIn feed was going bonkers treating the reveal debuting on Netflix like it’s the future of entertainment. It wasn’t. It was a six-hour head start, and Netflix left that detail out of the “first-of-its-kind partnership” press release. The extended look hit Netflix at 3pm ET on 27 August, then went up on YouTube and Rockstar’s site for everyone six hours later. And it was all over social immediately, anyways. This reveal was going to reach an untold number of people whether it debuted on Netflix, YouTube, a Times Square screen, or a group chat. The last trailer did nearly half a billion views in a day with no gatekeeper at all. Netflix just stood next to that audience for six hours, borrowing it. It’s was a tidy deal for Netflix, sure. But every outlet on earth was breaking the thing down frame by frame by the evening anyway. Anyway. I’m hype. And we’ll be covering some GTA numbers on the newsletter soon. So hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready! Subscribe The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
CT senior living facility changes hands for $68.25M
American Healthcare REIT purchased The Residences at Westport, at 1141 Post Road East, on Aug. 6, property records show.
LZ Sees Surprising Result in Search for Dark Matter
Key Takeaways Dark matter is the mysterious substance that accounts for the vast majority of matter in our universe. LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a world-leading dark matter detector and specializes in searching for WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles. A new LZ study found one particle interaction that is difficult to explain with known background processes and could potentially have been caused by a WIMP. LZ continues to run to see if additional data strengthens or weakens the hint of a dark matter interaction. For the better part of a century, people have been trying to understand dark matter. This invisible substance makes up roughly 85% of the mass in the universe but has never been directly detected. Determining exactly what it is remains one of the biggest questions about our world. Now, a new analysis from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment has recorded a single particle interaction that researchers have great difficulty explaining with known background signals from normal matter. The result does not yet meet the statistical threshold required to claim a discovery, but is the most compelling hint of dark matter reported by the experiment to date. LZ is an international collaboration of 250 scientists and engineers from 39 institutions. The detector is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and operates nearly one mile below ground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota. The experiment uses 10 tonnes of ultrapure liquid xenon to search for dark matter and is optimized to look for WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles. The results were presented in a scientific talk at the 2026 TeV Particle Astrophysics conference in Japan. The paper will be released on the online repository arXiv and submitted to the journal Physical Review Letters. “We’re very intrigued to see this event in the data, in the region where we expect dark matter to show up and the competing backgrounds are very low,” said Rick Gaitskell, a professor at Brown University and the spokesperson for LZ. “With only one event, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We are not claiming to have seen dark matter. But we have seen something interesting that we want to share with the scientific community for their input.” The LZ collaboration studies experimental data in batches. In the new result, researchers analyzed 220 live days of data collected between March 2023 and April 2024. The collaboration had previously searched this dataset for faint signals from the simplest kinds of WIMP interactions. The new analysis searched for a broader range of possible WIMP interactions that could deposit more energy in the detector. LZ is particularly sensitive to such signals while also minimizing false positives. “This was a detailed study in a region we hadn’t explored within this dataset, and we spent months of additional effort to understand all the possible causes of background events,” said Sam Eriksen, a senior research associate at the University of Bristol in the U.K. and lead author of the study. “We understand our detector and the backgrounds so well that even a single outstanding event, like the one we found, is important. We expect dark matter events to be extremely rare, so only a handful could mark the first detection of WIMP dark matter.” If the anomalous event was caused by dark matter, the WIMP that generated it would likely have a mass of at least 200 GeV/c2 (gigaelectronvolts), or more than 200 times the mass of a proton. It would also suggest a specific type of interaction between WIMPs and ordinary matter beyond the simplest model. The LZ results have not reached “5-sigma” significance, the statistical threshold considered a discovery in physics. The new analysis is 2.6 sigma, meaning there is approximately a 0.5% chance that the event could be explained by known backgrounds. With additional data, researchers can test whether the finding continues to grow in significance or fades away. LZ has already accumulated the world’s largest dark matter dataset and will continue to accrue WIMP search data at SURF, substantially improving their search statistics. LZ searches for dark matter by looking for signature flashes of light from energy deposited in the detector. The collaboration leverages multiple methods to prevent or account for particle interactions caused by normal matter. This includes the mile of rock that shields the detector from cosmic rays from space, a water tank and outer detectors that protect the central detector from background neutrons, and a suite of computational tools that disentangle particle interactions and reject dark matter mimics. “Outlier events in the data are not unexpected, but they usually stand out as a background of some kind when you look at them deeper,” said Aaron Manalaysay, a physicist at Berkeley Lab and the chair of LZ’s Institutional Board. “This is the first example in any experiment I’ve worked on of an outlier that appears valid in every way. Of course, we’re still twisting our brains trying to think if there’s a rare background mechanism we could’ve missed, but it’s thrilling to wonder if this could be the first hint of a dark-matter observation.” LZ is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of High Energy and Nuclear Physics, and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science user facility. LZ is also supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom; the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics; and the Institute for Basic Science, Korea. Thirty-nine institutions of higher education and advanced research provided support to LZ. The LZ collaboration acknowledges the assistance of the Sanford Underground Research Facility. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Health institute issues ‘Red Alert’ over potentially deadly Trump ecstasy pills
The two-toned pills feature an image of President Donald Trump on one side and a score line with “NL” and “Trump” on the other, according to the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, known as theTrimbos Institute. Officials …
Insider hints at why Steelers didn't trade Mason Rudolph
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't receive any legitimate trade offers for quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Augusta Health CFO Joe Meador Appointed by Governor Spanberger to Virginia Board of Medical Assistance Services
Gubernatorial appointment places Augusta Health executive on the state board overseeing Medicaid coverage for more than 1.7 million Virginians FISHERSVILLE, VIRGINIA — Augusta Health today announced that Joe Meador, CPA, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed by Governor Abigail Spanberger to the Virginia Board of Medical Assistance Services (BMAS), the […]
Bond yields are surging around the world as macro concerns spiral
Bond yields were on the rise globally on Tuesday, with investors spooked about wars, inflation, and a shaky fiscal outlook.
JD Vance confronts Jewish GOP skeptics ahead of a 2028 run
Vice President JD Vance has in recent months given voice to a rising skepticism in America toward Israel, leaving some Jewish Republicans uncomfortable, if not openly concerned, about the expected GOP frontrunner in the next presidential election.
Grand Canyon Education (LOPE): A Steady Cash-Generating Business Ignored in a Speculative Market
Riverwater Partners, an investment management company, released its ‘Small Cap Strategy’ Q2 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. The Small Cap Strategy underperformed the Russell 2000 in the second quarter as the benchmark experienced one of its strongest risk-on rallies in recent memory, although the strategy remained ahead year-to-date. The quarter was defined […]
Western New York lawmakers propose 'Hands Off Our Great Lakes' Act
The proposed legislation seeks to block the president and other federal officials from renaming any of the Great Lakes.
ESA, NASA Astronauts Begin Spacewalk for Navigation, Science Maintenance
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot began a spacewalk at 8:40 a.m. EDT outside the International Space Station to replace a retroflector, install jumper cables, prepare the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for future maintenance, and replace a high-definition camera.
Health institute issues 'Red Alert' over potentially deadly Trump ecstasy pills
The two-toned pills feature an image of President Donald Trump on one side and a score line with “NL” and “Trump” on the other.
Health institute issues 'Red Alert' over potentially deadly Trump ecstasy pills
The two-toned pills feature an image of President Donald Trump on one side and a score line with “NL” and “Trump” on the other.
NFL power rankings have Broncos listed as AFC's best team
The Broncos are considered an AFC favorite in NFL power rankings ahead of Week 1.
Double Fine Will Develop 'Brütal Legend 2' if it Hits $100M Kickstarter Stretch Goal
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Airbus A321XLR: Where you can book flights on newest long-haul plane
37 destinations, mostly in Europe and the US, are served by Aer Lingus, Air Canada, American Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, and United Airlines.
Madhav Rajan reappointed as dean of UChicago’s Booth School of Business
Madhav Rajan has been reappointed for a third term as the Steven S. Wymer Dean of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, President Paul Alivisatos and Provost Katherine Baicker announced.
Scientists discover why snake embryos twist into spirals
Snake embryos begin life curled into a distinctive right-handed spiral, and scientists may finally know why. Their bodies grow faster than their guts, creating a tether that forces the lengthening embryo to buckle and twist inside the egg. Researchers reached the conclusion after studying more than 900 embryos and using CT scans to reveal the hidden anatomy behind the coils.
Holland & Knight Health Dose: September 1, 2026 | Insights
Congress returns to consider a continuing resolution funding the government through December 11, 2026, as healthcare policy and regulatory developments continue.
NYC unveils new Legionnaires safety measures after 11 deaths in Upper East Side cluster
The 11 deaths top the total number of deaths in a similar outbreak in Harlem in 2025, when seven people lost their lives.
Preserving the Academy of Natural Sciences' Legacy and Collections for the Future
As part of this broader effort and following careful consideration, grounded in deep respect for the Academy’s extraordinary legacy, Academy and Drexel leadership have made the difficult decision to close the Academy’s museum as of September 30. While the museum will close, the Academy remains committed to public engagement and education, and work will continue to identify new and financially sustainable opportunities for the public display of elements from its collections and engagement with the natural sciences.
Tim Cook is out as Apple CEO, showed us how to succeed a legend
Apple's newly departed CEO, Tim Cook, beat the odds as Steve Jobs' successor by combining his strengths and judgment with Jobs' values.
ESA, NASA Astronauts Suit Up for Navigation, Science Maintenance Spacewalk
NASA is streaming live coverage as two astronauts prepare for a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at approximately 8:30 a.m. EDT and last about six and a half hours. Watch online at: https://www.nasa.gov/live
Grace Meat + Three closing September 13 in the Grove
Grace Meat + Three (4270 Manchester), the nine-year-old restaurant inspired by the Southern tradition of pairing a choice of meat with three side dishes, will close after service on September 13, owners Rick and Elisa Lewis announced. With its lease in The Grove coming up for renewal, the husband-and-wife team chose to consolidate operations at […]
'It's bad for business': Lincoln Park water rate hike goes into effect today
Starting today, residents and businesses in Lincoln Park are facing higher water bills following the city's decision to raise rates by as much as 28 percent.
Scientists added sulfuric acid weekly to an Ontario lake for 17 years, lowering pH from 6.8 to 5.2; decades later its lake trout population remains below half its former level
A lake in northwestern Ontario became the setting for a landmark experiment on the effects of acid rain. For 17 years, scientists deliberately added sulfuric acid to Lake 223 every week, gradually changing the water's chemistry to mimic the effects of acid rain that was damaging lakes across North America and Europe.
Legacy Entertainment | Beijing Haichang Ocean Park launch
The new attraction, designed by Legacy Entertainment and its subsidiary, The Aquarium Design Company, is the first new aquarium project in the city since 2000
Amazon AI scientist regrets not building an external reputation sooner
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Inside the Dodgers purchase that launched Mark Walter’s sports empire
When a a little-known financier bought the storied franchise 14 years ago, MLB owners loved the price, not the process.
President Trump pushes tax incentive for entertainment industry
President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to create a federal tax incentive to bring production back to the U.S. Tracey Leong reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026.
President Trump champions federal tax incentive for entertainment industry
President Donald Trump is urging Congress to create a federal tax incentive aimed at helping the film and television industry. Movie and television productions have been leaving the United States for places that offer more financial incentives. The president said he is hoping to change that. In a post on Truth Social, he said in part, “Hollywood is a Complete…
No One Knows All the Toxic Chemicals You’re Eating
More than 1,000 chemicals that migrate from packaging into food pose serious health risks, a new study shows. But the vast majority of chemicals lack enough information to tell if they’re safe.
‘Early riser’ radiology resident helps reduce overnight misses
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Tengo Project announces side-scrolling shoot ’em up remake Cybernetic Attack: Final Mission
Tengo Project has announced Cybernetic Attack: Final Mission, a 16-bit-style remake of the 8-bit side-scrolling shoot ’em up game S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team. Platforms and a rel…
Weirton Chamber of Commerce welcomes new president, seeks input from local businesses
‘Most’ of Star Wars Zero Company studio Bit Reactor was furloughed ahead of launch
Last week was meant to be a moment of triumph for Bit Reactor, the Maryland-based game studio founded in 2021 with ambitions to create a great new tactical combat game. On Thursday, August 27, Bit Reactor’s debut title, Star Wars Zero Company, released to stellar reviews. And, from the Gamescom show in Cologne, Germany, studio co-founder Greg Foertsch was giving interviews discussing what the studio’s next game may be. But for many developers on the game, launch has been bittersweet. Fans love it. Critics prefer it to most recent Star Wars games. Zero Company, which is out for PS5, Xbox Series consoles and PC, is the top-selling game on Steam. Much of the team that made it, however, is currently going without pay. They were furloughed, just weeks ahead of the game’s launch. A rep for Bit Reactor confirmed to Game File today that the studio had furloughed many of its workers prior to the game’s release. They said it was a difficult decision and one that had been made before it was clear how launch would go. The rep emphasized that the call to do this was Bit Reactor’s alone (meaning not from publisher EA nor Star Wars license holder Disney). While the rep declined to comment on the scale of the furloughs, a previously unreported lawsuit brought by studio co-founder Alison Kelly in 2024 noted in a filing from August 12 of this year that Bit Reactor “has furloughed most of its employees and terminated contractors…” One source told Game File the furloughs impacted 80% of the team; another referred to there only being a skeleton crew left on Bit Reactor’s active payroll, ready to address any of Zero Company’s post-launch bugs. The issue is that Bit Reactor, a studio formed in 2021, had run out of most of its money just ahead of the launch of its first game. Over the weekend, Zachariah Scott, a senior technical artist who worked at Bit Reactor from early 2023 until an acrimonious exit this past May, said on LinkedIn that the studio was “concealing the fact that the team was Furloughed weeks ago.” Reached by phone today, Scott told Game File that he spoke to nearly a dozen Bit Reactor workers over the weekend. “Everybody has essentially the same story, which is, ‘Yeah, I got furloughed three weeks ago.” The Bit Reactor rep told Game File that the studio hoped to bring furloughed workers back, suggesting that a successful launch of the game could be impactful. Scott told Game File that workers he spoke to were less confident that even if there were returns, that all who were furloughed would get their old jobs again. A heated dispute Bit Reactor’s mid-2026 was almost even more tumultuous. The lawsuit by co-founder Alison Kelly that first revealed the furloughs was initially slated to go to trial in June. The suit is a she-said/he-said about whether Kelly, until 2024 the chief operating officer of Bit Reactor, was a co-owner of the studio or whether it was solely owned by Greg Foertsch. In July 2024, Kelly sued, saying she was pushed out by Foertsch. She first sued in federal court and later refiled in Maryland’s Baltimore County, alleging breach of contract and that Foertsch had unjustly enriched himself. Kelly cited damages of over $20 million, on the basis of Bit Reactor allegedly being worth more than double that. Foertsch’s side has said Kelly was never a co-owner and has countered with claims about her job performance (which she has denied). The June trial was postponed until early 2027, as both sides have been deposing witnesses and filing more claims and denials along the way. Amid all of that, filings in the lawsuit reviewed by Game File paint a picture about Bit Reactor’s origins, early aspirations around tactics games, the team’s breakthrough in drawing the attention of Electronic Arts with the help of a pitch tied to one of EA’s non-Star Wars franchises, and early fractures among its co-founders. The real story about the company behind Zero Company