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Ample Entertainment to launch YouTube channel with designer Nate Berkus
Culver City-based prodco Ample Entertainment has struck a partnership with interior designer, author and TV personality Nate Berkus to launch a new YouTube channel, Nate Berkus Presents. The prodco says it’s ...
Miley Cyrus releases new single, 'Bass Persuades,' and music video
Miley Cyrus performs onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Eligibility is not a new issue in college sports
In the late 1940s, the talented Bubba Phillips played college football for Southern Mississippi and pro baseball for the Detroit Tigers.
Artist-In-Residence Offering Story-based Events In St. Johnsbury
ST. JOHNSBURY — 560 Railroad Community Artist and Vermont Studio Center alum Lori Lee will host several community engagement events in September and October as part of her upcoming St.
Drone business opens Winchester manufacturing facility
Sterling-based Heven AeroTech opens a 56,000-square-foot Winchester facility to manufacture hydrogen-powered drones
Sold: Sanford buys North Memorial Health
Following years of mounting financial pressure, North Memorial Health has reached an agreement to be acquired by South Dakota-based Sanford Health, backed by $600 million in guaranteed local hospital investments
Loves Park celebrates new adaptive baseball season
Loves Park celebrates the first season of adaptive baseball programs at the new Home Base Sports Fields facility.
Redesigning Urban Green Spaces for Nature-Based Healthcare
Doctors are increasingly mandating time in nature to treat patients' chronic diseases, mental health disorders, and sedentary lifestyles.
PRIMA raises $5M to turn hot tables into a referral business
Miami-based PRIMA wants to change that. The hospitality booking platform has raised a $5 million seed round to expand its performance-based referral network
BMW North America secures long-term lease in Wellford logistics park
Developed by Charleston-based Greystar, Mid85 is an industrial logistics park in Wellford adjacent to I-85 near the U.S. 29 interchange.
Gravity Media Appoints Alex Pannell as Chief Business Officer
Gravity Media has appointed Alex Pannell as Chief Business Officer. Pannell joins from Appear, where he served as Chief Commercial Officer. He will be based in London. In the newly...
10 life sciences startups selected for accelerator program
Seven of the 10 companies participating in the fall cohorts of MassBio and SCbio’s Drive program are based in the United States, including four in Massachusetts.
Apple working on new surround sound, Party Mode features for HomePod
Apple has several new HomePod features in development, based on new code references discovered in audioOS 27. The code seemingly...
IEDC seeking to hire business accelerator operators
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. is looking for interested parties to run business accelerators for Indiana-based companies at various stages of development, from startups to more established companies.
Switchboard Health Acquires Livara Health to Integrate Value-Based Musculoskeletal Care
Acquisition Brings Livara’s Virtual MSK Care Model Onto Switchboard’s Specialty Care Platform; Closes $5M+ Round of Funding Switchboard Health, creators
Miguel Studios Expands Beyond Podcasting
Miguel Studios, a Fort Worth-based content studio and digital marketing agency, announced an expanded business model designed to help companies solve an i
The player who needs to deliver for the Penguins
According to Sportsnet: Pittsburgh Penguins: Arturs Silovs It’s something of a similar story in Pittsburgh. After finishing second in the Metro last season, after a string of campaigns in the division’s basement before that, the Penguins enter 2026-27 looking to prove their resurgence was more than a one-year fluke. They’ll do so with a lineup that’s […]
Mets Morning News: Tong could get another look soon
Your Friday morning dose of Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Sony's PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90
Sony’s PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90 Sony won’t license disc pressing to anyone else, Microsoft does, and a former PlayStation boss thinks that’s the whole problem. When Sony DADC chief Dietmar Tanzer spoke with an Austrian broadcaster in July about PlayStation disc production at the Thalgau plant, a number of press outlets misunderstood the report, writing that production would fall to a tenth of current levels. It won’t. Sony DADC confirmed to Game this week that the figure is a 10 percent decline, not a decline to 10 percent. “To clarify and avoid any misleading information: in that statement Dietmar anticipated an overall product volume decline by 10 percent, not a decline down to 10 percent,” a spokesperson with Sony DADC told Game. That figure covers 2028. Tanzer didn’t put a number on the years after, and the spokesperson declined to comment further. What we do know is that on July 1, PlayStation announced that physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028 and that the transition has no impact on games that have already released in disc format or will be releasing in disc format prior to that month. “So, there will be reorders going to the market after January 2028,” the Sony DADC spokesperson said. “For details around that I would ask you to liaise with the PR team from PlayStation, as we can’t speak or comment on their behalf.” PlayStation officials did not respond to questions about reorders or other disc-related matters. But I did recently speak with Shawn Layden, Game Industry Strategic Advisor and former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, who called a future without physical PlayStation discs “depressing, but solvable.” then added, “I think.” The chief hurdle to third-party manufacturing of collector’s editions or any other version of a PlayStation game disc is that Sony owns the proprietary process to press those discs, Layden said. “And unless they decide or determine a way to license that to some of these bespoke disc manufacturers, there’s no way to make it happen,” he said. Layden was careful to add that he understands the concept but doesn’t have “line of sight on the particulars.” “Depressing but solvable, I think.” — Shawn Layden Microsoft already licenses replication to outside plants. Xbox discs are pressed by manufacturers Microsoft certifies as Authorized Replicators, a term defined in its publisher agreements, with the approved list set at the company’s sole discretion and Microsoft retaining the right to halt manufacture. The structure is still in place today: publishers select an Authorized Replicator in Partner Center and submit a bill of materials created with a Microsoft representative. Sony, by contrast, presses PlayStation discs through Sony DADC, its own manufacturing subsidiary. No one I spoke with said they were in discussions with Sony about doing that, and PlayStation hasn’t responded to questions about whether it would be open to a licensing deal. There is an obvious reason Sony might not want to. Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed it out on the day of the announcement: it’s a platform-led decision, he wrote, designed to cut costs, eliminate the resale market, and drive all revenue through the PlayStation Store. The math is not subtle. On a $70 third-party game sold through the PlayStation Store, Sony keeps $21. Sold at retail, Ahmad says, it earns about half that. Licensing disc replication to an outside manufacturer might not be worth it. And even if it were, it seems unlikely that such a deal would come from boutique companies like iam8bit, which sells collector’s editions of video games. “We would absolutely love to find a way forward to continue making physical PlayStation games,” said Jon Gibson, co-owner and co-creative director of the company. “We are big believers in giving humans the option to truly own media. If we can play a role in helping make that a reality for the future of PlayStation games, count iam8bit in!” If it were to happen, it would most likely be with a company like Conectiv Supply Chain Solutions, a Memphis-based manufacturer of optical discs and vinyl records that also runs third-party logistics, fulfillment and distribution for packaged media. The company, which was formed in 2025 when Los Angeles private equity firm Variant Equity Advisors purchased Vantiva’s Supply Chain Solutions division, traces its lineage back to Technicolor. When it sold the division, Vantiva described the business as having served video game creators for more than 25 years. Conectiv is also buying, not shrinking. Last month it acquired SDS, the distributor for Universal and Warner Bros. home entertainment, consolidating those studios’ packaged-media pipeline from pressing plant to retail shelf. I reached out to Conectiv and its CEO, but haven’t heard back. Layden pointed to music and books in our discussion about the ongoing value of physical media. “No one ever saw the comeback of cassette tape,” he said. “And vinyl didn’t so much come back. The flame went down, the fire’s dying, but the ember was always there, and it just kind of came back. Much like the book business. We thought we’d all be on Kindles right now. “I believe that physical media is crucial and important. One of the things that makes us gamers, one of the core game mechanics, going back to the beginning of time, is collecting stuff. “Did you get all the diamonds in Crash Bandicoot? Did you get all the stars in Mario? And we like to collect our games. And we have a game shelf. And we put all our boxes up there. And if you’re super hardcore, when you buy a game, you buy two copies, right? One stays in the shrink wrap, and you play the other one. What happens to that important cultural part of the gaming world? You know, we buy the steelbook and the three-disc Final Fantasy set and the figurine and, you know, you can’t download any of that. “What happens to that?” And Layden believes it shouldn’t have been a revenue question for PlayStation. “This was a core thing to the experience of our most devoted fans,” he said. “Yeah, it’s fan service. Why would we take that away? Well, we can’t afford to. It’s already 120 bucks, you know, limited edition special purchase onyx box version of whatever, and those sell at a higher rate than the box selling at $69.99 does. So yeah, the market has said they will continue to buy them. You’re just saying you just don’t want to make them anymore.” Layden said he was recently talking with someone about these sorts of business decisions and how they’re made. Too often, he said, it’s all about the financials and nothing else. “OK, we can do this and save this much money, or we can invest this to look at that outcome, or we can do this and have this happen over there, or move this team to Sri Lanka,” he said. “But each one of those, someone also has to have a ledger there saying, ‘OK, what is the brand impact from that move?’ “Iif you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” — Shawn Layden “If we do that, dollars and cents work out. I get it. That’s just math. But what’s the brand impact? Are people going to say, ‘Good move, you guys?’ Or are they going to say, ‘We hate you guys. Quit doing that.’ And sometimes they say, ‘We hate you.’ Then you take a note and say, OK, how much of that can we live with? How much ‘we hate you’ is OK. And when does it go over the line? “I see a lot of companies making decisions which, objectively speaking, I don’t know what the dollar end of that was for you, Mr. Company, but your brand value just dropped 30 percent. So I hope it was worth it.” Of course, shifting to a digital-only model for games raises other issues beyond simply wanting to collect. The biggest is ownership. Layden pointed out that once you go to a streaming-only or download-only model, it’s just a digital footprint on a hard drive. “What does ownership mean anymore?” he said. “It’s a genuine question. Well, in fact, it’s not even a question anymore. It’s like you are shifting the model from ownership to accessibility. “And what’s always been true, which people forget, is you’ve never been able to sell your iTunes library. And you can’t sell your PlayStation download library. So if you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” The touching tribute found in the credits for Star Wars Zero Company. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Interview and Hands-On with a Minoan Masterpiece Star Wars Zero Company hands-on: Attack Astromechs, permadeath, and delightfully fatal Rube Goldberg tactics Control Resonant opens up as you get stronger — and as characters start trusting you
Is Jon Ossoff the key to Democratic success in 2028?
This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to David A. Graham of the Atlantic about why Jon Ossoff decided to take the fight to Donald Trump in August, and why this has rattled Republicans
Has Flutter Entertainment (NYSE:FLUT) Fallen Far Enough To Look Cheap?
Flutter Entertainment’s share price has undergone a sharp reset over the past year, yet broader valuation checks still suggest the stock screens as inexpensive. This puts recent price weakness in contrast with a more constructive read from its fundamentals-based metrics. The share price has fallen 65% over the past year, indicating a major reset in investor expectations for Flutter Entertainment. Regulatory clarity around U.S. sports prediction markets, including the New Jersey petition...
One of the region's largest public companies completes $315M acquisition
Hillman Solutions expands into industrial fasteners with $315 million acquisition of Illinois-based Kanebridge Corp.
Maxwell: Remember the Florida politicians who cast cruel votes against heat safety
Maxwell: Two years ago, Florida lawmakers voted to ban counties from giving outdoor workers basic heat-safety protections, like guaranteed access to water and shade. You should remember who they are and how they voted.
How synthetic turf and a $5M new HQ are reshaping baseball league owner’s business
The USPBL is looking beyond baseball as it looks to bring in additional revenue.
Health-tracking smart ring maker Oura to list on US stock market
Firm has celebrity fans and ambassadors including Prince Harry, Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian
Minnesota is losing hospital obstetrics units faster than most states, new data finds
Minnesota is one of only eight states that lost more than 20 percent of hospital-based labor and delivery units since 2010. It’s part of a nationwide trend of hospitals closing birthing centers across the U.S, especially in rural areas, where obstetrics services tend to be too expensive to staff for the relatively few babies delivered each year.
Fast-food franchisee chooses Tampa to debut healthy eating drive-thru
Tampa-based drive-thru concept Greenlane is redefining convenience with fresh, made-to-order meals — and bringing innovation to an industry sorely lacking it.
Human Urine and Fuel Are Melting the Glacier Beneath Everest Base Camp
Everest’s seasonal city produces enough heat to melt thousands of tons of ice.
San Francisco 49ers arrive in Melbourne for historic NFL game against the LA Rams
The San Francisco 49ers have arrived in Melbourne for their season-opening NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sept. 11. It is expected to be the first of many regular-season NFL games in front of its growing Australian fan base. The team’s 200-member traveling party touched down on Friday morning after a 15-hour chartered Qantas flight and will spend a week acclimatizing before facing the Rams in front of an expected sold-out crowd at the MCG.
Stats Show How Badly Pirates Need Konnor Griffin Back
It's almost impossible to get a feel for whether the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to make the playoffs, but they're certainly in the mix. Right now, the Pirates have been one of the more interesting teams in Major League Baseball, struggling at times and also showing in others that they can be very good.
John Rich Says Jelly Roll Knew Political Comments Could Cost Him Fans
John Rich says Jelly Roll likely knew his recent political comments could alienate part of his country music fan base but spoke candidly anyway.
Brewers' Chourio in Same Conversation as Trout, Rodriguez
By matching the historic early-career power and speed of legendary icons, Milwaukee Brewers' young phenom Jackson Chourio is already cementing his place among baseball’s elite.
Dodgers' Dave Roberts Provides Critical Injury Update On Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is not in the lineup on Thursday
Judge temporarily grants request for 5th year eligibility in NCAA case involving OU athletes
Former OU baseball player Dayton Tockey and seven other athletes from various schools were granted a temporary restraining order Thursday afternoon at the Cleveland County Courthouse in a case seeking
Former Syracuse Basketball Player Picks New School For Year Five
JJ Starling will finish his college career at a new school after spending the last three with the Orange, as long as the courts continue to rule in his favor.
Ballot initiative would base Nebraska school sports participation on biological sex
Nebraska voters will decide in November whether state law should determine who can play on sports teams in the state.
Ty J. Young Wealth Management acquires Washington-based insurance firm
This is at least the third annuity book acquisition the company has announced in three weeks
Senator Andy Kim Tours Saint James Health With RWJBarnabas Health Community Health Team
RWJBarnabas Health welcomed Senator Andy Kim to the Saint James Health Clinic at East Side High School in Newark to share how the school-based model is helping bring care directly into the community.
Smithtown Science Teacher Earns National Honor
Smithtown High School East Science Research Coordinator Maria Zeitlin has been selected for one of the nation’s top honors for high school chemistry educators.
Nate Oats' wife rejoins Alabama men's basketball team
Alex Accetta spent 2015-22 with Alabama, and returns as director of program relations after marrying coach Nate Oats in July.
Jays Beat Guardians
Blue Jays 6 Guardians 3 That was an interesting game in a lot of ways: We had nine hits, but only one extra-base hit, Lukes’ double and six walks. Bateman had 3 hits, Lukes 2. Vlad was 0 for 3 with a walk and the sac fly. Smith was 0 for 2 with 3 walks. […]
Spinning ‘right round (like a record): Maple City Music opening downtown storefront
The new shop 12 Kingman St. is set for a grand opening this Saturday, Sept. 5. The event from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. will feature local musicians all day with hundreds of records in bins and baskets, as well as a benefit raffle.
Help available for Mainers struggling to afford healthcare
Rising affordability challenges are forcing some Mainers to drop their health insurance coverage but healthcare advocates said financial help is still available. Residents who use the state’s marketplace, CoverME.gov, will see rate increases of more than 13% next year while small-group market rates jump nearly 15% — another double-digit increase. Ann Woloson, executive director of the Augusta-based group
Austin will outsource adult sports leagues after backlash
The parks department announced it would cancel city-led adult indoor basketball and volleyball leagues, saving about $400,000 per year.
Nets’ Brown Jr. Receives Praise From Fellow Louisville Alum
Donovan Mitchell draws comparisons to James Harden while hailing the rookie’s elite basketball IQ, signaling a new era of playmaking and defensive versatility for the Brooklyn backcourt.
TV Academy announces 2026 Engineering, Science, and Technology Emmys
SpaceX's Starlink and AI-based face replacement tech among this year's winners.
Television Academy announces 2026 Engineering, Science, and Technology Emmy recipients
SpaceX's Starlink and AI-based face replacement tech among this year's winners.
Can Klint Kubiak Scheme the Raiders Out of the Basement
A flawed roster in Las Vegas will provide a massive test for Klint Kubiak in his first season as a head coach. Can he coach the Raiders out of last place?
Tyson Foods lowers earnings guidance for beef segment
Tyson Foods lowered its full-year earnings guidance on Thursday (Sept. 3) after reporting larger beef losses than expected. The Springdale-based company now expects to lose between $775 million and $625...
Geaux Automotive Group acquires four former All Star Automotive dealerships
Geaux Automotive Group has expanded its Louisiana footprint by acquiring four former Hudson Automotive dealerships, adding 111 employees and positioning the Baton Rouge-based dealership group for cont… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
Final Fantasy Resonance Is an HD-2D Turn-Based RPG That Brings in Heroes From Final Fantasy's Past
Final Fantasy Resonance feels like it’s walking a tightrope between being a loving tribute to Final Fantasies past while also taking the series into a cool new direction and telling its own story. Is it going to pull it off? We’ll have to wait and see, but I was very impressed by the hour I spent playing it. From the gorgeous HD-2D aesthetic to the awesome soundtrack and a battle system that can hold its own, Resonance looks like it’s doing all the right stuff.
Roguelite action game The Eminence in Shadow: Phantom Echoes announced for PS5, Switch 2, and PC
Publisher Aiming and developer Team Caravan have announced The Eminence in Shadow: Phantom Echoes, the first console game based on The Eminence in Shadow anime series. It will launch for PlayStatio…
A weekend with the Women’s Professional Baseball League
Creating opportunities and inspiring a new generation
iPhone 18 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week
Less than a week before Apple debuts new iPhone 18 Pro models, research firm TrendForce has estimated the prices of the devices based on the latest hardware cost environment.
Euro zone overall business growth held steady in August, PMI shows
Growth in the euro zone's dominant services industry slipped to a two-month low in August though solid and broad-based demand kept overall private sector activity on an even keel, a survey showed on Thursday.
Planet Coaster studio Frontier Developments announces new title based on Disney IP
UK-based studio to fund, develop, and publish the title using experience in creative management simulation genre
HHS announces $77M in grants to curb drug addiction, prevent suicide
The agency said $22 million will be sent to community-based initiatives to aid areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
Anker's MindBase Wants to Be the Smart Hub for Your Life
With Matter support, on-device AI, and NAS storage, Anker's MindBase makes a play to be the center of your home.
Anker's New MindBase Home Hub Runs AI Locally, Doubles as NAS
Anker today announced the launch of Anker MindBase, an AI home hub meant to work with almost 100 Anker devices and Matter-enabled smart home devices from other companies. It works alongside HomeKit, and is equipped with an AI Core compute card and the on-device Anker TrueSmart AI Agent. In addition to working as a smart home hub, the MindBase supports up to 48TB of local storage, and it functions as a NAS. It can be used for storing files, photos, and videos locally.
ChatGPT for Healthcare unveils Epic integration as part of data consolidation strategy
In addition to providing Epic users with access to the popular LLM, OpenAI said all clinicians that use its platform will be able to access public databases, including ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed, with the proper plug-ins in place.
AI company scores world’s 1st approval for breast triage tool that skips radiologist review
Vara announced the achievement on Sept. 3, with the Berlin, Germany-based technology firm earning CE Certification under the EU's Medical Device Regulation.
As election looms, Netanyahu turns his focus to his divided base
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks reelection, his main concern these days isn’t his political rivals. It’s some of his biggest supporters.
With his eye on reelection, Israel's Netanyahu turns his focus to his divided base
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks reelection, his main concern these days isn’t his political rivals | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
Yankees Manager Gives Honest Spencer Jones Statement Before Angels Game
The New York Yankees have to be feeling good about how Spencer Jones has turned out this season. Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke about Jones before their series finale against the Los Angeles Angels.“He can impact a game in profound way on both sides of the ball, on the bases, you name it,” Boone told […] The post Yankees Manager Gives Honest Spencer Jones Statement Before Angels Game appeared first on HEAVY.
Burnham to tackle 'mega-donors' in UK politics, minister says
Some MPs have pressed for the government to introduce a cap on UK-based donors.
Seattle-based software maker cuts 117 jobs after acquiring another company
Qualtrics, a Seattle-based survey-software maker, is cutting 117 employees after acquiring another company in a multibillion-dollar deal.
Sony and Microsoft say they’re not obligated to pass U.S. tariff refunds to consumers, echoing Nintendo
Back in July, Sony executives told investors that the company expected to receive $508 million in refunds from the U.S. government, after tariffs that the PlayStation-maker paid were ruled mostly in 2025 were found to be illegal. “Most” of the refund would by recouped by Sony’s gaming division, its chief financial officer said. This week, Sony’s lawyers are arguing that the company is not legally obligated to pass those proceeds on to consumers who paid for recently price-hiked PlayStation consoles. That’s in the face of a lawsuit from gamers calling on them to do exactly that. “Paying fair market price for voluntarily purchased consumer goods is not a legally cognizable injury in fact,” the lawyers wrote in a legal motion filed on Monday, as they asked a judge in California’s Northern District to dismiss a potential class action lawsuit over the tariff refunds. Microsoft made a similar argument two weeks ahead of Sony’s lawyers, in a similar lawsuit brought by a gamer in federal court in Washington State. As Microsoft’s legal team put it on August 21, in their request for a dismissal of that lawsuit: “There is nothing unjust about Plaintiff purchasing an Xbox at an advertised price and getting exactly what he paid for—regardless of whatever theory he devised months later about Microsoft’s cost structure.” Both legal fights are set to go on for some time. How things got to this point U.S. tariffs impacting a wide range of imported goods, including game consoles, had kicked off in early 2025. In May 2025, Microsoft raised the price of its Xbox consoles, citing “market conditions and the rising cost of development.” They raised them again that September. In August of that year, Sony raised the price of PlayStation 5 consoles, citing “a challenging economic environment.” Sony later told investors that its tariff fees for the fall quarter were nearly $200 million. in February of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the 2025 tariffs illegal, prompting impacted companies to begin to request refunds. In turn, consumers began suing the likes of Sony and Microsoft to get what they said was their share. The gamers in the Microsoft and Sony lawsuits argue that the 2025 price hikes of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, which added $50 or more to their sticker price, were due to illegal tariffs and should now be returned to consumers. The Sony suit started in May, when a group of gamers sued in federal court in California, saying Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation) would be unjustly enriching itself if it did not pass tariff refunds to its PS5 buyers. “Sony is poised to be paid twice for the same unlawful tariff burden: once by its customers (through elevated prices) and once by the U.S. government (through tariff refunds),” the gamers’ lawyers wrote at the time. They called for Sony to partially reimburse anyone who bought a PlayStation in the U.S. since August 1, 2025. The Microsoft suit, filed by gamer Trevor Hastings against the Xbox giant in July, made similar claims. The console makers push back In late July, Nintendo’s lawyers, facing a similar suit accusing them of double-dipping on tariffs and refunds, replied with arguments that previewed Microsoft’s and Sony’s: “Nintendo or one of its retailers set a price for each product, and consumers decided whether that price was worth paying,” they wrote. Sony has buttressed that Nintendo-style argument this week by saying that the gamers have failed to prove that tariffs were the reason for its August 2025 PS5 price hike. They call thatclaim “speculative and illogical.” Other factors, including “inflation, currency fluctuations, component costs, logistics, competitive dynamics, or demand,” could have played a role. (No, the Sony lawyers do not break down the costs and factors that officially triggered the price increases). Microsoft has also argued that there’s no proof in these lawsuits that tariffs drove all or some of the price increase, as it seeks to dismiss the tariff refund suit it’s facing: “Plaintiff provides no specific allegations that would establish any pricing differential attributable to tariffs or suggest any possibility that Microsoft applied then or could recreate now any dollar-for-dollar calculation of tariff-related pricing—any more than it could any other market factor that affects pricing.” To further skewer the gamer side’s argument in its case, Sony’s lawyers have pointed to what might be a surprising defense: yet another PlayStation 5 price hike from this past spring, after the tariffs were ruled illegal. “If the original price increase were attributable to tariffs, SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment, aka PlayStation] would have had no reason to raise prices again after the Supreme Court invalidated the IEEPA tariffs.” … “If tariffs were the cause of the price increases, one would expect SIE to lower prices once the tariffs were eliminated—not raise them again. Instead, the timeline confirms that the pricing of PlayStation consoles includes a diverse and dynamic set of input costs.” Judges have not yet ruled on the arguments made by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. Last week, Panic, the company behind the small, yellow Playdate handheld said it would be passing its tariff refunds on to consumers. It is the only gaming hardware maker to have made such a pledge. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my reporting, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: A reporter’s second Second Life Wagner James Au, who from 2003-2006 was paid by San Francisco-based tech company Linden Lab to be a full-time journalist embedded in their virtual world Second Life, is returning to the company. This time, he’ll be an editorial advisor and business development specialist, he tells Game File. The new role will involve trying to share the stories of people inhabiting Second Life’s ongoing online world with reporters and by extension the public. Au plans to continue to also chronicle some of that through his long-running blog New World Notes. I’ve known Au since the mid-2000s and featured him in a 2007 article for the Columbia Journalism Review about reporters like him opening up virtual news outlets within Second Life. As I wrote at the time: On April 22, 2003, writing as Hamlet Linden for the New World Notes blog on Second Life’s Web site, Au introduced himself. “For the next few months, Linden Lab has invited me to set aside my journalist cap, and instead, don the digital beanie of their in-house virtual correspondent.” He wasn’t paid to keep it positive. He wrote about builders and eccentrics, but then in August of that year, he reported on a tax revolt against Linden Lab (a complaint about the fees it charges users who build stuff) led by a resident whose avatar was a big cat. Second Life has always been less of a video game and more of a virtual world where people can live, hang out, make art, sell virtual items and flirt. Back in 2007, Au described touring it as “sort of like underwater lucid dreaming.” For the past two decades, Au has maintained New World Notes as an independent publication. But he said he’s been drawn back to Second Life and Linden Lab as a place to directly work. The virtual world has around 650,000 monthly active users, he said, “which is actually about what it was during the hype wave.” Au says he’s still finding rich stories in Second Life, the kind that keep him interested 20 years into the beat: “Over the last few months for instance, I wrote about an SL creator in Venezuela whose apartment was destroyed by the earthquakes, so the global SL community rallied to get him back on his feet,” he told me. “Then there’s the woman from a Middle Eastern country who explored her lesbian sexuality in SL, then earned enough from her virtual jewelry to escape her abusive family situation and country.” Au wants to beckon more reporters to give Second Life another look. He argues that it is often ahead of internet trends, noting, for example, an early backlash in the community against AI-made art. Now the platform is drawing curiosity from more of the user-generated content community who’ve grown up with the likes of Roblox, according to Au. “Second Life was too early during its hype wave in 2005-2010, but it now feels right for a new wave of interest,” he told me.
Medicaid changes to restrict Husky Health eligibility for non-citizens based on immigration status
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — New federal rules will restrict Medicaid eligibility for certain Connecticut residents who are not United States citizens starting Oct. 1. The Connecticut Department of Soc…
Presented with bleak polling, the White House moves to make the midterms about Trump
Despite economic headwinds and an unpopular war, Donald Trump’s allies believe that Republicans will win in November if only they can get the president’s base to turn out.
Philadelphia leaders work to preserve Academy of Natural Sciences as museum prepares to close
The effort is focused on preserving the academy's research, education and public engagement missions, according to David Cohen, an attorney and former U.S. ambassador to Canada who has joined the effort.
Birds stop play but Medvedev flies into third round
An interruption from a pair of birds ruffles Daniil Medvedev's feathers but fails to disrupt the seventh seed as he eases into the US Open third round with a dominant victory over Sebastian Gorzny.
Why health equity is now a business imperative in cardiology
For health systems under value-based care payment initiatives, there a direct financial incentive to invest in programs that improve access and outcomes among underserved populations. Cardiologist Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, shared her thoughts on this important topic.
Six Plano restaurants close over serious health violations, rodents and roaches
This inspection database compiled by the Star-Telegram contains results of 113 inspections from Aug. 16-22.
AI boom through 2050 hinges on power supply, politics, PwC says
PwC expects global data center capex will hit $31.6 trillion by 2050 in a base case scenario, with spe | AI may unleash a $31.6 trillion data center buildout by 2050, but PwC says the real race isn’t just for capital — it’s for power, chips and political advantages.
AI boom through 2050 hinges on power supply, politics, PwC says
PwC expects global data center capex will hit $31.6 trillion by 2050 in a base case scenario, with spe | AI may unleash a $31.6 trillion data center buildout by 2050, but PwC says the real race isn’t just for capital — it’s for power, chips and political advantages.
Science Podcasts Separate Fact From Fiction In A MAHA World
Science podcasts are a vital counter to the surge of misinformation, conspiracy theories and concerns about official science by offering rigorous, fact-based content.
Women’s Sports Leagues Have Exploded Around the Nation
Money is flowing into start-ups in softball, baseball, volleyball and basketball, and TV viewership is following.
Browns come in near the bottom of ESPN power rankings
ESPN does not have high hopes for the Browns based on their power rankings spot.
AZ Digest. ASU men's basketball names new sports performance coach
The latest news and updates happening around Arizona.
I run a bank. My daughter misunderstood her credit card balance.
Teri Williams runs OneUnited Bank and taught her kids about money. She was stunned when her daughter misunderstood a basic credit card term.
NOAA Fisheries Outlines Science-Based Reforms to Boost American Seafood Production
NOAA Fisheries has released a set of agency-level reform priorities designed to advance science-based fisheries management and strengthen American seafood competitiveness, following input from more than 700 stakeholders and building toward a broader interagency America First Seafood Strategy expected in the coming…
Yankees' Aaron Boone Drops Major Update On Aaron Judge's Return
The New York Yankees have been without Aaron Judge for most of the season, but he is close to returning
'A clarity of path': Farhan Zaidi talks future of Los Angeles Sparks
Basketball Insider Howard Megdal sits down with Farhan Zaidi for an exclusive interview about the path forward for the Los Angeles Sparks.
MLB Expert Picks & Baseball Predictions Sept. 2
MLB expert picks and moneyline, run line, and Over/Under predictions for Sept. 2, featuring the Mariners, Red Sox, and Tigers.
Fantasy Baseball Prospects Report: Ranking the 10 best September call-ups, led by Lazaro Montes, Ethan Salas
Lazaro Montes headlines the top September call-ups with massive power and upside
"The internet we once loved is gone": SteamDB founders announce the community-run database has been acquired by Nexus Mods' owners
Nexus Mods owners Chosen have acquired SteamDB from its founders, and say the latter will be "keeping its own name, brand, community, and identity" for now.
SteamDB acquired by Nexus Mods after 13 years as an independent Steam database
SteamDB has been acquired by the company behind Nexus Mods after its founder said maintaining the service had become a full-time workload. The site will remain free and separate.
Cooper Standard Achieves SBTi Validation of Near-Term Science-Based Emissions Reduction Targets
/PRNewswire/ -- Cooper Standard (NYSE: CPS), a leading global supplier of sealing and fluid handling systems and components, today announced that the...
NOAA announces priorities to promote science-based American seafood dominance
Today, NOAA announced priorities for advancing reforms within NOAA Fisheries to move towards regulations grounded in science that support American seafood dominance. These agency-level actions follow the Regional Priorities guidance that was released on July 2, 2026, to apply the same standard of accountability to NOAA’s own opera
Health insurer Anthem targeted in lawsuit over air ambulance claims
PHI Health says the Indianapolis-based insurer is ignoring claims awards that are supposed to be binding under the federal No Surprises Act.
Apple TV Inks Deal With Yahoo Sports for Free MLB, MLS Alt-Casts
Under an Apple TV deal, Yahoo Sports will stream alt-casts of two MLB "Friday Night Baseball" games (but only the first two innings) and two MLS matches.
Defeated by physics
The Pentagon's $3.2 billion bet on space-based boost-phase missile defense ignores basic orbital dynamics, offering no real protection while fueling a costly, destabilizing arms race in space.
La Canada QB Joe Bell is in sports heaven with baseball teammates
In throwback to 1980s, La Canada has seven baseball players on its varsity football team, embracing the multiple-sport athlete.
AI dominates the 4th International Congress of Basic Science in Beijing
Subir Sarkar finds that AI was a hot topic among the over 800 delegates
Leakers battle over whether third iPhone 18 Pro color will be silver or black
Based on a whole succession of leaks, there’s a clear consensus view on two of the three colors we can...
The Adriatic Sea's Hidden Shark And Ray Hotspot Is Changing What Scientists Know
The Adriatic Sea is one of the Mediterranean's most important regions for sharks and rays, yet many of its species are critically endangered. New research based on decades of monitoring and close partnerships with local fishers is revealing previously unknown habitats, rediscovering rare species, and reshaping what scientists thought they knew about these animals.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Leadership shakeup at Driscoll’s; Watsonville’s new distillery takes inspiration from the sea
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko reports on high-level departures at Watsonville-based berry giant Driscoll's, a new distillery in South County and plenty of names, numbers and dates to know.
Realta, MGE explore building a nuclear fusion power plant in Wisconsin
Madison Gas and Electric is investing in Madison-based Realta Fusion to explore a 200-megawatt power plant. No timeline or location have been announced.
HK-Listed Macau Firm Asia Pioneer Entertainment (8400.HK) H1 Profit Surges 90-Fold Targets Overseas Expansion for Future Growth
/PRNewswire/ -- Asia Pioneer Entertainment Holdings Limited ("APE" or the "Company"; Stock Code: 8400.HK), a leading Macau-based Electronic Gaming Equipment...
Acer’s Smaller Intel-Based Gaming Handheld Has Sky-High Ambitions
Acer's next handheld is smaller and less powerful, but it's packed with premium parts.