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UConn football 2026 season preview: WR & TE
Over the 2026 offseason, the UConn football team lost one of the most productive receivers in the country to the NFL and the rest of its depth here hit the transfer portal. Skyler Bell racked up a career-high 1,278 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns last season, good enough to be a Biletnikoff finalist and the […]
Richard Hughes Leaves His Role as Liverpool Sporting Director
Four days after the transfer window closed, the club has announced the departure of the man responsible for this summer's business. But who will come in and replace Richard Hughes at Liverpool?
Gary Larson’s 5 Funniest ‘Far Side’ Comics About Scientists, Ranked
Throughout The Far Side's run, Gary Larson wrote plenty of hilarious comics about scientists, often painting them as immature to humorous effect.
Daniil Medvedev is Having Fun Again
Daniil Medvedev is once again through to the second week of the US Open, without dropping a set and getting broken just once. The Russian had a rather manageable draw to start the tournament. However, everything was on the line in his third-round match against Arthur Rinderknech. The Frenchman had beaten Medvedev the last time …
Puck Drop Preview: 2026-27 Edmonton Oilers
Last Word On Hockey's Puck Drop Previews are back for the 2026-27 season! As the regular season approaches, Last Word will preview each team's current outlook. We'll flag the stories worth watching for the year ahead, and we'll do our best to project how things go for each team throughout the campaign. Today, we're previewing …
10 college football games to watch in September
The 2026 college football season is underway, and the best matchups and settings are still to come. Here, we’ll take a look at 10 of the best games to watch in September’s slate through Week 4. Week 1 Clemson at No. 10 LSU When: Saturday, Sept. 5; 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge,…
Weekend Musings: Some Houston Texans thoughts before the regular season
The last break before the regular season. A few thoughts before that time.
Gary Neville predicts the outcome of Arsenal v Chelsea
Gary Neville has predicted how he expects the Chelsea-Arsenal game to end as two unbeaten clubs prepare to meet in the Premier League this weekend.Arsenal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Ast...
Liverpool loses another top executive as sporting director steps down
Richard Hughes has stepped down from his role as Liverpool sporting director, becoming the latest high-ranking executive to depart the Premier League club recent months. Hughes, who is reportedly set to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, is leaving less than two months after Michael Edwards exited as CEO of football for Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group. Liverpool said Saturday that Hughes wanted to “seek a fresh challenge.”
Richard Hughes steps down as Liverpool sporting director
Richard Hughes steps down from his position as sporting director of Liverpool and is set to join Saudi side Al Hilal.
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes steps down
Liverpool have confirmed the departure of sporting director Richard Hughes, will sources telling ESPN he is expected to take up a similar role at Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.
We bought an abandoned home in Japan for $22,000
Lloyd Enbom and his wife bought a home in a ski town in Japan for $22,000. They plan to live a nomadic lifestyle, but Japan will be their home base.
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes leaves position, expected to join Al Hilal
Hughes, 47, worked for two-and-a-half years at Anfield and the club are expected to look at internal candidates to replace him.
Liverpool look for new sporting director after Richard Hughes formally leaves
Liverpool are searching for a fourth sporting director in four years after confirming the departure of Richard Hughes, who is set to join Al-Hilal
Richard Hughes leaves Liverpool after overseeing £670m transfer spend
Hughes was Liverpool’s sporting director as they spent £450m under Arne Slot last summer in an effort to rebuild Jurgen Klopp’s old side
Influential rock star dead at 74: ‘Changed the whole conversation about music’
His brother and daughter shared the news.
Letters: Clippers and Kawhi get off easy; fans are big losers
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on the NBA's penalties for the Clippers, USC's defense, the Angels sale and more.
Colorado Politics Calendar Sept. 7-13
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
‘It’s over’ – Rob Gronkowski drops brutal Kansas City Chiefs prediction
The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot to prove during the 2026 season after their dismal 6-11 record from last year. There is cause for optimism, though, with Patrick Mahomes making a strong recovery from his knee injury that ended his 2025 season.
OKC Mexican consulate provides free health, financial programs
The Mexican Consulate in Oklahoma City is offering free health, finance and education services through three community windows. A health \
Browns hoping improved health can lift defensive line entering opener
The Browns defensive line dealt with injuries through the first half of training camp. As the opener nears, though, they're starting to get healthy.
Browns hoping improved health can lift defensive line entering opener
The Browns defensive line dealt with injuries through the first half of training camp. As the opener nears, though, they're starting to get healthy.
Browns hoping improved health can lift defensive line entering opener
The Browns defensive line dealt with injuries through the first half of training camp. As the opener nears, though, they're starting to get healthy.
Breakthrough Helps Expand Genetic Alphabet - UC San Diego Health Science
Breakthrough Helps Expand Genetic Alphabet - UC San Diego Health Science / Dmitry Lyumkis, Dong Wang, genetic alphabet, Grigore Pintilie, Hui Pen Tan,
'Pericles' review: Shakespeare playfully reworked at Boston Court
Ellen McLaughlin's modern verse translation of Shakespeare's 'Pericles' has its West Coast premiere at Boston Court Pasadena.
‘War of the Worlds’: CTG theater kicks off season with radio show sci-fi play
In 1938, a young Orson Welles took to the microphone to perform a live radio broadcast acting out a Martian invasion of New Jersey. There was one problem: listeners thought the invasion was real.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Leeds United: Match preview
Leeds United head to the South Coast on Saturday afternoon looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2026/27 Premier League season, but Daniel Farke’s side face one of their toughest tests yet against a Brighton & Hove Albion side who have already shown just how dangerous they can be in front of goal.
Will a Turnaround Plan Revive Volkswagen or Merely Delay Its Demise?
The beleaguered auto giant reached a deal with unions to cut tens of thousands of jobs and slash production. Is it enough to revive an iconic German company?
Positives and negatives from Real Madrid’s frustrating loss to Betis
Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss to Betis proved that José Mourinho, his coaching staff and the players still have a lot of work to do if they want to consistently earn wins against elite opponents, even though it’s fair to acknowledge the fact that they should’ve won this game. Positives Negatives
Luciano Spalletti reveals his first thoughts about Juventus’ new signing
Luciano Spalletti has discussed what he expects from Nick Woltemade, including the areas where the German attacker needs to improve after spending time with him on the training pitch.Woltemade made a ...
A Victorian Estate Agent Built a Virtual Property Tour Before Photography
Victorian buyers previewed distant mansions through lenses and creativity
Former TCU Starting Center Makes Decision About Immediate Plans
For the latest notable player to pursue a return to college football after failing to make an NFL roster, former TCU center Coltin Deery has entered the transfer portal.As first reported by Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Deery will now look to find a new college program to play one extra season. Though Deery never […] The post Former TCU Starting Center Makes Decision About Immediate Plans appeared first on HEAVY.
A's Option Jack Perkins After Rough Stretch
While Perkins has been struggling as a starter, there is a chance that he'll be back in the rotation before long.
Kevon Looney: Lakers will 'run through a wall for' Luka Doncic
Kevon Looney came away from Luka Doncic's recent Lakers minicamp impressed with the superstar's leadership.
Rockies Suffer Crushing 7-6 Loss to Cardinals
The Colorado Rockies had a win against the St. Louis Cardinals in the palm of their hand, but it slipped through their fingers.
Sampaguita Pictures actress Jean Lopez dies at 86
Photo from Instagram/@ barbicastelvi Veteran performer worked alongside many of Philippine cinema’s leading stars during the 1960s Veteran Sampaguita Pictures actress Jean Lopez, who appeared alongside some of Philippine cinema’s leading stars during the 1960s, died Sept. 1, her family said. She was 86. Her daughter Barbi Castelvi announced the death on social media, describing it as sudden and unexpected.…
How posh are you? Do you have a therapist? What would you say to Trump at a party? Marina Hyde answers readers’ questions
We asked you what you most wanted to put to our Guardian columnist. You responded in droves, querying her ‘beef’ with Burnham, who she thinks is this generation’s Hugh Grant, and what she really thinks about Richard Osman ...
Autumn, finally: A season to calm our politics
September has arrived, which means autumn is here. It couldn’t come soon enough.
Reitz holds off Jasper in third straight win
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — Reitz high school football team is undefeated through the first three weeks of the season beating Jasper Friday night 56-21. Next up the Panthers will head on the road to face North on Friday, September 11th. While the Wildcats will look to bounce back against Bosse.
Crystal Palace XI vs Fulham – Predicted lineup and team news
Crystal Palace will look to get their first win of the new Premier League season when they take on Fulham on Saturday at the Craven Cottage.Crystal Palace are enduring a tough start under new manager ...
From a taqueria to a café: The California businesses linked to relatives of ‘El Mencho’
The brother and youngest daughter of the man who led the Jalisco New Generational Cartel opened business ventures in the cities of Hemet and Perris
ART-conceived children show reassuring long-term health outcomes
The birth of Louise Brown in 1978, the world's first baby conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART), was a major breakthrough that reshaped the field of reproductive medicine.
A Science Fair Judge on Projects Doomed by October
Fifteen years of judging a regional science fair from the retired end of an engineering career has taught me that most projects are decided before any experiment runs. The doom happens in October…
Jared Jones Ends Drought at Crucial Time for Pirates
PITTSBURGH – Entering Friday night’s game against the Angels, the Pirates had not won a game that was started by […]
Vikings Trade Proposal Turns Heads Ahead of Packers Showdown
Minnesota could ditch the former top-ten pick as Jim Harbaugh emerges as a potential lifeline, offering the struggling quarterback a fresh start with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Bishop Arts business owners call for accountability after overnight break-ins
A quick break-in was caught on camera, then another theft followed hours later. Owners say they want whoever did it held accountable.
Trump’s latest clemency grants aid a union boss and a Jay-Z associate
President Donald Trump issued 30 clemency grants on Thursday, including for a drug dealer-turned-executive of Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s sprawling company.
Roundtable Statcast Deep Dive: What Has Changed for Max Clark?
Detroit’s top prospect is finding his rhythm, swapping grounders for high-velocity line drives as refined timing and improved contact quality signal a major breakthrough for the young outfielder.
Giants' Cam Skattebo Reveals Conversation With John Harbaugh About Role
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo has spoken with head coach John Harbaugh about his role on the team for the 2026 season.
Brews & Tunes hosts Matt Sanders on Sunday
JONESBOROUGH — Main Street Brews & Tunes will host Matt Sanders on Sunday, September 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. on the plaza of the International Storytelling Center. The One
Player Ratings: Real Betis 1-0 Real Madrid
Real Madrid left Seville empty-handed despite controlling much of the game and creating more than enough opportunities to get a result. A combination of poor finishing, a missed penalty, and one decisive Real Betis set piece condemned Madrid to a 1-0 defeat. Here are the player ratings. Thibaut Courtois — 7 Made four saves, including […]
Saints Reacts Results: How would you grade the offseason?
CSC readers give their thoughts on the Saints offseason.
49ers got a 16-hour flight to Australia. Here's how my journey compared
The San Francisco 49ers got a direct flight to Melbourne from SFO with lay-flat seats. For a new reporter flying coach, connecting through New Zealand, it wasn't the same experience.
Israeli scientists find ‘multitasking’ gene controls mood and metabolism in mice
Weizmann Institute researchers find Orthopedia gene plays critical role throughout life after aiding in-utero brain development; study may help treatment of anxiety and metabolic disorders
Mike Norvell on SMU: ‘I love coaching in these games’
On Labor Day, Florida State and SMU face off for only the second time in the history of their programs. SMU will deploy a vaunted and aggressive passing offense against a Florida State defense that, at times, was not aggressive enough in their pass defense against New Mexico State in week zero.
Tennessee awards first round of rural health grants, but not to hospitals, clinics
Tennessee has received nearly $207 million through a federal grant program funded in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” but the first grants aren’t going toward hospitals, ambulances, …
Texas Attorney General investigates military healthcare contractor TriWest
Following a report for the series “The Cost of Denial,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into the company at the center of the Nightly News story. NBC News’ Erin McLaughlin reports.
Community Health Care Clinic in Normal sees influx of patients tied to Medicaid cuts
Executive Director Holly Wayland-Hall said the clinic's mission is charity-based, providing health services to people who are uninsured, or have recently lost coverage through Medicaid. She said 99% of the clinic's patients have no insurance.
Double Fine Boss Says 'We Never Actively Tried To Make A Game We Thought Was Going To Lose Money'
Setting the record straight on making artsy games vs. ones that sell
Lack of Center Depth Could Lead to Disaster for 76ers
Joel Embiid will be healthy to start the season. If he doesn't make it through the season, the 76ers will have a hard time replacing his production.
Chargers Predicted to Make Bold Trade Ahead of 2026 Season
The Los Angeles Chargers could still have some roster moves left to make before we reach the regular season.Roughly a week removed from cutdown day, teams are still fine-tuning their squads. Decisions are being made not just for what’s best right now, but also down the line. The Chargers have assembled their practice squad, and […] The post Chargers Predicted to Make Bold Trade Ahead of 2026 Season appeared first on HEAVY.
UW Health shares advice to boost a child’s fiber intake
Better health throughout the school year starts with small changes, says UW Health.
Andrea Yates attorney speaks on public views on women's mental health amid Lindsay Clancy trial
"I've seen changes in the way the public views women's mental health through the years," Andrea Yates's attorney said amid the Lindsay Clancy trial.
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
Apple’s Foldable iPhone Ultra Launch May Be Days Away, if You Can Get One
The iPhone 18 Pro could be upstaged by Apple's first foldable this year, though the iPhone Ultra might be hard to get at launch.
I Wanted To Like Onslaught, But A Couple Of Things Hold The Movie Back For Me
It came so close to being so cool.
Trump moves to allow ranchers and hunters to kill gray wolves
The president ordered his administration to lift Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves, again wading into a fraught debate between ranchers and conservationists.
‘Big Brother’ star Lala blasts Drew and Haley on her way to the jury house
Lala blasts Drew and Haley on her way to ‘Big Brother’ jury house, and reveals she thought she had the votes to stay.
Lending a trusted ear to farmer mental health struggles
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and that’s especially important in rural areas, where suicide rates are roughly 1.5 times higher than urban areas. A lack of rural mental health care options and a negative stigma against discussing mental health have contributed heavily to this issue. Fortunately, a new project in the Midwest is aiming […]
‘Wheel of Fortune’ announcer fired after airline laptop incident
Sony Pictures Television has fired Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton over an incident on a Los Angeles-bound flight involving his participation in an online chatroom, TMZ reported Friday. “Following a thorough investigation, Jim Thornton’s employment with Wheel of Fortune has been terminated, effective immediately,” a studio spokesperson told TMZ. The incident unfolded in May […]
The 15 best witch movies, from “The Wizard of Oz” to “Weapons”
From horror to comedy to romance, witches have taken many forms throughout film history.
Theater preview: Fall 2026
Court Theatre's 2026-2027 season doesn't start until December, but in the meantime, enough shows are opening in September alone to keep you out at the theater almost every night. Besides
Erie organizations, businesses rally together to help those impacted by storm
Throughout the devastating damage, one positive thing remains true: the people of Erie will always be there for each other. With hundreds of households left without power, organizations across the …
Atacama Makers connects science, technology, and territory at ALMA
Thirty students from Toconao and San Pedro de Atacama took part in the first sessions of a special edition of the Atacama Makers program, held for the first time this year at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) facilities. Through programming, electronics, and innovation workshops, the young participants are creating technological solutions to the challenges...
Giants’ Cam Skattebo explains viral sideline exchange with John Harbaugh
Cam Skattebo is developing a solid connection with head coach John Harbaugh despite a viral interaction during the Giants' preseason slate.
The Fierce Battle For Kids’ Eyeballs...Plus Two “Devils” Face Off
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) During the week of this report, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters and went on to become one of the biggest films of all time. So, you know what that means! It’s time for a poll! Recently, Project Hail Mary came to Prime Video and became a top five film for them, but didn’t smash streaming records, a feat I cautiously thought it could accomplish. Can Spider-Man 4 do better? To set the stakes, some of the biggest films of all time do just okay on streaming. Wicked, Top Gun: Maverick, and Barbie come to mind... But unlike those films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony film which means it’s headed to Netflix, the world’s largest streamer. Now, per friend of the newsletter and my go-to Netflix expert, Kasey Moore of What’s on Netflix, Sony films usually appear on Netflix 120 days after they premiere, which means Spidey 4 would land on Netflix on, checks notes, 28-November, one of the two biggest streaming weekends of the year! But Sony occasionally delays its biggest hits for a bit longer, to give them more time to make money on PVOD, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not swing onto Netflix until late December or even February 2027. Loading... Okay, on to this week’s issue. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made its way to Peacock, I’m looking at the true workhorse of streaming viewership: kids films. And the surprising film that bested most Netflix animated movies. All that, plus Hulu has a new show that might be a hit (for them…?), two “Devils” square off on streaming, Zendaya tries to find some streaming magic, Netflix’s I Will Find You continues to do well, House of the Dragon tries to break into the season three top ten, some big NBC sports and summer programs, what friendly neighborhood Spider-Man character actually generates the most viewership on streaming, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 27th to August 2nd, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hits Peacock, How Have Kids Films Fared in 2026? Like Mario hopping on a Koopa, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie landed on Peacock on 30-July. (Yeah, I kinda forced that Mario reference.) How did it do? Great, just like the first film. It got 13.0 million hours on its opening, and that’s good enough to take second place among Peacock films on the Nielsen charts all time: As I mention all the time, Peacock just isn’t the world’s biggest streamer—in fact, nowhere close—so its films struggle to put up numbers like Netflix (or even Prime Video and Disney+). So this is a solid debut for that streamer. And as we saw last time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie had a HUGE second life on Netflix when it moved streamers. This chart doesn’t even show how long the first Mario lasted on Netflix: a whopping, KPop-esque 31 weeks. For NBCUniversal, though, the big win was the second Mario movie grossing $429 million in America and over $1 billion globally. But yeah, to add a very strong streaming performance only makes its success even greater. Illumination pretty clearly has another hit franchise on their hands. This is a good time, though, to check in on kids films so far in 2026. We’ve had a few big, big titles, a rare Netflix success, and some disappointments. Let’s start with the top animated films since November of 2025, over their first four weeks on the charts, along with a few of the “best all time” animated films: (As a reminder, if a film doesn’t make the Nielsen top ten lists, I don’t have data for it, so it gets a “zero” in terms of viewership. Now, it had some viewership, but I don’t know what it is, so it gets a zero.) I added a few titles to get an idea of what the best of the best looks like in terms of animation. And you can see, through four weeks, Zootopia 2 can now claim “one of the biggest streaming films of all time” titles. GOAT too did surprisingly well, besting Netflix’s biggest films (Swapped and In Your Dreams) through four weeks. When I’ve talked about how films can have varying performances on streaming compared to their box office, this is what I mean. Goat just managed to gross even $103 million at the box office—so it’s popular, but just barely—but did very well on streaming. Of course, what set Encanto and KPop Demon Hunters apart from the rest was their absolutely insane longevity. Here are the kids film charts through eight weeks to show that: And really KPop Demon Hunters just kept going, and no 2025 or 2026 kids films have had that sort of longevity. I can’t wait to see the sequel in theaters. Film - Two Devils and a Drama As I wrote last week, in the past, theatrical-first film flops weren’t eligible for “Miss of the Week” or “Miss of the Year” honors/dishonors, but since so many more films go to theaters first these days, I’ve made them eligible now! But it’s complicated. You see, this is a Streaming Ratings Report, emphasis on streaming, which makes analyzing this week’s two biggest streaming misses—The Drama on HBO Max (A24’s dramedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) and Prime Video’s The Devil Mouth (a killer shark movie starring young attractive people)—somewhat tricky. The Drama isn’t eligible for Luminate, but The Devil’s Mouth only had 1.5 million hours in its first week: The Devil’s Mouth notched 5.2 million hours according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, The Drama missed the charts entirely. Not great! But Prime Video is a much bigger streamer than HBO Max. That said, HBO Max titles are on Prime Video, but I think Prime Video prioritizes their original/exclusive titles, which helps boost their viewership. Complicating this further, The Drama made $48 million in the US—while A24 sells foreign distribution; the $57 million of overseas grosses helps A24 sell overseas rights for money in the future—off of a $28 million budget (which seems low for Zendaya and Pattinson, so they might have backend). The Devil’s Mouth, though, had zero dollars at the box office. The other stats for The Devil’s Mouth are bleak, and by “bleak”, I mean horrendous: a 4.7 on 15K reviews on IMDb (yikes) and a 46 on Metacritic (double yikes). The Drama, though buzzy online, only has a solid (but far from elite) 7.1 IMDb score on 121K reviews and a 59 on Metacritic (which is far, far lower than I’d have guessed). So which film is the “Miss of the Week”? I’m giving it to The Devil’s Mouth for one simple reason: it’s a horror film. And almost all horror films, even poorly reviewed horror films, should get a shot in theaters to at least try to recoup some of their budgets. The Drama made money at the box office and The Devil’s Mouth didn’t. It’s just like the situation last issue with Obsession and Masters of the Universe. Sure, Obsession didn’t pop on the streaming charts, but at least it already made it money at the box office. And as we’ve been seeing for years now and we’ll see all fall, theatrical films just do better on streaming. After all, the big “devil” winner this week was actually The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 14.8 million hours according to Nielsen. That’s right, The Devil Wears Prada 2—one of the box office success stories of May—came to streaming and parlayed its $220 million box office into 14.8 million Nielsen hours. Disney also put out a datecdote that it had 15.2 million “views” globally in five days, but again we don’t have a lot of great context for what that means. Here’s how it stacks up to other Hulu films, since I’m categorizing this mainly as a Hulu title (though it was also on Disney+): Share Quick Notes on Film We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Whether Hulu has a new hit show on its hands... The top first and third seasons of all time and which shows are climbing those charts… What version of Spidey is the most popular... What sport and TV show are performing better on NBC than the NBA... All the flops, bombs and misses... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, wow, things stay so busy. One of streaming’s biggest shows of all time, Ted Lasso, returns along with new YA-ish shows from Hulu (The Shards, from Ryan Murphy) and Prime Video (Sterling Point). The Challenge moves to Paramount+, plus My Life with the Walter Boys returns to Netflix and Futurama returns to Hulu. And Netflix has a new horror film, The Last House. Lots to talk about! All month, things stay busy. We’re talking Reacher on Prime Video! Outer Banks and Tires on Netflix! Lanterns on HBO Max! UFC 330 on Paramount+ and the MLB Field of Dreams game on Netflix. And a ton of smaller films come to streaming. Long term, the VMAs are back on 27-Sep! I feel like I haven’t heard much about this show in past years, but I’m seeing more news coverage and buzz for this show than in past years. I’m curious to see how it does.
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