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Are there already worrying signs for Vrancken's Hearts?
Former Hearts forward Ryan Stevenson delivers a scathing verdict as Wouter Vrancken's reign begins with a chastening Champions League elimination.
CBS Sports Secures Exclusive U.S. English-Language Rights for Champions Cup Beginning in February
CBS Sports, new home of Champion Cup
Tower Health is laying off 160 workers at Pottstown Hospital while expanding emergency department, behavioral health
The job cuts amount to 22% of the Pottstown workforce and come seven months after Tower eliminated 131 jobs at the Montgomery County facility in an earlier round of layoffs.
CMS Energy forecasts 2027 profit below estimates, exits non-utility renewables business
CMS Energy forecast 2027 adjusted earnings below Wall Street estimates on Tuesday and said it would exit non-utility renewables development, as the utility focuses on its regulated business while investing to meet growing electricity demand.
Health financing under pressure as civil society calls for urgent action
Ahead of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly, the WHO Civil Society Commission and partners highlighted the need for sustainable domestic health financing, stronger accountability, health equity, and meaningful civil society and youth engagement to advance universal health coverage amid global funding challenges.
Civil society pushes for action on health financing
WHO Civil Society Commission dialogue highlighted the need to turn health financing commitments into action through stronger accountability, efficient resource use, increased investment in primary health care, and greater civil society and youth engagement to advance equity and universal health coverage ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly.
Skanska delivers $380M LAX project, touts small business partnerships
The contractor said it surpassed all of its targets for inclusion of small, local and veteran-owned business enterprises on the project.
New pharmacy opens in Pearland
Royal Atoms Pharmacy is now open in Pearland, staff said.
The “Odyssey” reveals secrets of ancient science, mobile phones don�
The “Odyssey” reveals secrets of ancient science, mobile phones don't cause cancer, scientists find an exomoon
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow new limits on mail ballots
The appeal to the justices is part of a high-stakes push by President Donald Trump and his allies to put fresh limits on voting ahead of pivotal elections where control of the House and the Senate is at stake.
Mike Vrabel reveals Patriots' offseason award winners
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel named four players as this year's offseason award winners.
Chevron CEO ignores history, science and modern economic realities
Nostalgia for oil wells is an odd look.
Sustainable Mendota Heights Business Spotlight
Since 1987, Sovran has helped Minnesota organizations grow and compete by providing information technology (IT) services. As one of the first Sustainable Mendota Heights Businesses, Sovran leads in th
Should the Guardians Sell at the Trade Deadline?
Facing some hard truths
Two Huge Positives for New England Patriots Training Camp Opens
For New England Patriots fans, it’s been a superb start to training camp 2026. All the news on two key fronts was positive, led by the owner addressing the Christian Gonzalez contract situation early in the morning before the team's first official practice. Gonzalez, as promised by head coach Mike Vrabel in Friday’s opening camp address, was on the field and competing in individual drills with his team.
Mike Vrabel keeps mum on Harold Landry’s injury status
The veteran linebacker opened training camp on the PUP list.
Giants waive linebacker Cam Jones and defensive lineman C.J. Ravenell
Hundreds attend inaugural St. Louis County NAACP health fair in Dellwood
Hundreds of people gathered Saturday for the inaugural St. Louis County NAACP Health Fair at the Dellwood Recreation Center.
PFL Washington: Jean vs. Rodriguez live results, highlights
Keep up with live results and highlights from PFL Washington, which features Thad Jean vs. Ernesto Rodriguez for the vacant welterweight title.
Giants waive 2 players just days before training camp
New York now has a pair of spots to fill before training camp begins.
The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)
11K likes, 1,827 comments - theshaderoom on July 25, 2026: "Ohkay! The folks are all up in #KeyshiaCole’s business after photos she and rapper #Skrilla recently shared resurfaced. KC 44, and Skrilla 27, popped out to LIV on July 12th for the XXL Freshman Class 2026 party. #Roomies is it giving bae 👀 SWIPE ✍🏾#TSRStaffAS".
Juan Soto goes on 10-day IL with left calf strain after leaving Mets' 4-2 loss to Dodgers
Mike Vrabel’s second act will define his Patriots legacy
Reaching the Super Bowl once proves you're a good coach. Sustaining excellence—proves you're great. Which one is Vrabel?
How to preorder Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8: See preorder deals
Three foldables from Samsung are here.
Mike Vrabel reveals Morgan Moses' health status ahead of training camp
Morgan Moses' health is a question as the right tackle is entering his 13th NFL season at the age of 35.
Influencers are shaping politics more than ever
The battle for Gen Z voters is increasingly being fought on social media. Republicans have established a strong ecosystem of influencers, while Democrats are trying to catch up. Three political influencers share what they think it might take for both parties to win over young voters in the midterm elections.
OpenAI makes Health in ChatGPT widely available, moving deeper into consumer health
OpenAI on Thursday made its Health in ChatGPT feature broadly available, enabling U.S. users to connect its artificial intelligence chatbot with medical records and wellness apps. | OpenAI on Thursday made its Health in ChatGPT feature broadly available, enabling U.S. users to connect its artificial intelligence chatbot with medical records and wellness apps.
80 years strong: the WHO Constitution
Eighty years ago this week – in July 1946 – nations emerging from the devastation of the Second World War chose cooperation over division. They signed the Constitution of the WHO, founded on a bold and radical idea: that health is key to peace and security, and that health is a human right.
Philadelphia Eagles Get Linked to Intriguing Browns Trade Target
Going into the 2026 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles‘ biggest question marks will be on the offensive side of the ball. After dominating in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, the defensive side of the clear was by far the strongest for Philadelphia in the following season and it wasn’t particularly close. But with that […] The post Philadelphia Eagles Get Linked to Intriguing Browns Trade Target appeared first on HEAVY.
How a refinery fire ended a 25-year-old national mental health rule
A federal court said the demise of Chevron deference may have sealed the rule’s fate.
Failure to rescue after TAVR: New study tracks outcomes at high- and low-volume hospitals
High-volume hospitals are often associated with better TAVR outcomes. The team behind this new study wanted to see if a similar trend was seen with FTR rates as well.
Astros Trade RP Nate Pearson to Royals
Today, the Houston Astros announced they have traded reliever Nate Pearson to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for righthanded pitching prospect Max Martin. Martin, 22, has posted a 6-2 record with a 2.01 ERA in 26 relief appearances across two levels of Class A ball in the Royals system this season. Martin was a […]
Strange Milky Way planetary system leaves scientists puzzled
Scientists are documenting a planetary system in the Milky Way galaxy that is so starkly dissimilar to our own solar system that they are struggling to find the proper terminology to describe it.
The Mountain West Bowl Situation Becomes More Complicated
Back in June, we discussed how the bowl situation would be more complicated for mid-major conferences, especially the Mountain West and Pac-12, going forward. Now, it appears that the Mountain West will face more obstacles for its bowl teams. When the Poinsetta Bowl announced its return, the original reports were that it would take the […]
Cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan climb to over 7,000, state health officials say
Michigan health officials reported 7,171 cases linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis on Wednesday, up 600 cases since its last update on Tuesday.
City of Brownsville, Midtown Entertainment District come to agreement following attempted shutdown
The city of Brownsville and Midtown Entertainment District bar owners reached an agreement allowing businesses to operate while appealing code violation claims.
Analysis | How a Democratic candidate’s volatility could shape a key Senate race
Troy Jackson has a tough road ahead.
US to spend $5 billion on health, construction research powered by AI
The U.S. will spend $5 billion to tackle long-standing scientific problems across multiple fields using AI, the Trump administration said in a statement on Wednesday.
US to spend $5 billion on health, construction research powered by AI
The U.S. will spend $5 billion to tackle long-standing scientific problems across multiple fields using AI, the Trump administration said in a statement on Wednesday.
Seattle Seahawks Work Out Former Packers, Ole Miss Receiver
The Seattle Seahawks are exploring another option for an already crowded wide receiver competition.Seattle hosted Malik Heath and three defensive backs for tryouts, according to the NFL transaction wire.Heath, 26, brings more regular-season experience than most players searching for an opportunity this close to training camp.The 6-foot-2, 213-pound receiver spent his first three NFL seasons […] The post Seattle Seahawks Work Out Former Packers, Ole Miss Receiver appeared first on HEAVY.
Identifying the Seahawks' best position group for 2026
The Seahawks’ defensive line was ranked by Seahawks on SI as being the team’s best position group for the 2026 season.
Of course Matt Damon told Ben Affleck about landing the lead role in ‘The Odyssey’ before his wife
Matt Damon admitted that he told Ben Affleck about landing the lead role in ‘The Odyssey’ before his wife Luciana Barroso.
Less invasive anesthesia strategies during TAVR linked to a key benefit
Long-term TAVR outcomes were comparable. When tracking 30-day data, however, researchers found that hospital readmission was much less common for patients treated with regional anesthesia or moderate sedation.
Power grid serving Northern Illinois faces breakup risk as feds weigh fate
A frustrated Trump administration wants major changes to the operator of America’s largest power grid as federal regulators meet this week.
Rangers Sports Network presented by Progressive Receives Five 2026 Lone Star Sports Emmy® Award Nominations
Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers and Rangers Sports Network presented by Progressive (RSN) are proud to announce that RSN has been nominated for five 2026 Lone Star Sports Emmy® Awards, including a Special Achievement Award for Sports Excellence. A full list of nominations can be found below: - Special
MLB fan slaps spectator for sitting during national anthem in viral video
The incident went viral on Sunday.
WordPress wp2shell Exploitation Grows as Public Exploit Fuels Mass Scanning
Attackers are exploiting two WordPress flaws as wp2shell, chaining them for unauthenticated RCE and deploying web shells and malicious plugins.
Dimitri de Vreeze helped build DSM’s materials business. Then he had to sell it
After more than three decades at science-based firm DSM, Dimitri de Vreeze faced what he calls the hardest decision of his career: selling the materials business where he had grown up professionally. In this episode of "Executive Decisions," the DSM-Firmenich CEO reflects on why the decision made strategic sense, even as it felt deeply personal, and how it shaped his view that success is not a finish line.
Experts agree at landmark event that simulation should be built into health system
On 15 June 2026, over 80 representatives from simulation societies, ministries of health, hospitals, universities, international organizations, professional associations and industry partners met at the WHO Academy in Lyon for a joint event of WHO and the Society for Simulation in Europe (SESAM). Together they tackled a pressing question: how can simulation move from isolated initiatives to systematic integration within health systems? The consensus was clear: simulation is no longer a niche educational tool. Beyond training, it strengthens health systems by improving quality of care, patient safety, workforce preparedness, team performance and organizational resilience.Participants agreed the evidence for simulation’s value no longer needs to be demonstrated, but that implementation remains fragmented and too often dependent on individual local champions. Bridging that gap, they said, means both generating further evidence and raising awareness among decision-makers.Discussions pointed to a shared path forward. To achieve scale and lasting impact, simulation must be embedded in national policies, workforce development plans, education systems and financing mechanisms. No institution can do this alone; stronger collaboration between governments, health institutions, academia, professional societies, international organizations and industry partners will be essential.“At the WHO Academy, we see simulation not simply as a training methodology but as a strategic tool for capacity-building, workforce readiness and stronger health systems,” said Dr Bart Janssens, Unit Head, Health Learning and Capacity Building. “This event is not only about discussion; it is about moving from ideas to action.”As health systems worldwide face workforce shortages, growing complexity of care and rapidly evolving competency needs, participants concluded that the question is no longer “Why simulation?” but rather how to scale it, how to sustain it, and how to ensure it becomes an integral part of stronger health systems.Looking aheadThe event marked the beginning of a collaborative effort rather than the end of a conversation. Over the coming weeks, WHO and SESAM will consolidate the discussions, recommendations and priorities that emerged, with a joint WHO–SESAM report to be published soon.
WHO marks 25 years of Research4Life, advancing access to scientific knowledge in more than 120 countries
The World Health Organization (WHO) today marks the 25th anniversary of Research4Life, a public-private partnership that provides researchers, educators, health professionals and policy-makers in low- and middle-income countries with affordable or free access to scientific knowledge.
Ubisoft teases Ghost Recon news soon after leaks
Will the long-rumored Project OVR be officially revealed?
Penguins Interested in Using Connections to Land 44-Point Center
The Pittsburgh Penguins are interested in landing one of the top trade candidates in the market. It was recently revealed that the Seattle Kraken are moving on from Shane Wright this summer. Seattle previously drafted the center with the fourth-overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. Despite lofty expectations, he regressed during the most recent […] The post Penguins Interested in Using Connections to Land 44-Point Center appeared first on HEAVY.
Alliance Entertainment and Virax Interviews Aired on the RedChip Small Stocks, Big Money(TM) Show on Bloomberg TV
ORLANDO, FL / ACCESS Newswire / July 20, 2026 / RedChip Companies aired interviews with Alliance Entertainment Holding Corp. (Nasdaq:AENT) and Virax Biolabs Group Ltd. (Nasdaq:VRAX) on the RedChip Small
The Hidden Cost of Healing: Where Health Insurance Ends
The Together for Families Fund at Children’s Minnesota channels local generosity to shield parents from financial crises.
🎥 Bad loser? World Cup star completely loses the plot
Well, what on earth happened there? Shortly after the final whistle of the World Cup final, which Spain had won 1–0 after extra time, some pretty wild scenes unfolded on the pitch.During a mass con...
The market for psychedelic drugs to treat mental health conditions gets a big buy signal
Eli Lilly's acquisition of psychedelic drug maker AtaiBeckley extends Big Pharma's embrace of a stigmatized class of medications for treating mental health.
Andy Biggs and David Schweikert offer competing visions for Republican Party in Arizona primary
Rep. Andy Biggs and Rep. David Schweikert are clashing in the Republican primary for Arizona governor.
Students graduate from Carus Summer Science Camp
The 24th annual Carus Summer Science Camp concluded Friday with a graduation celebration at St. Bede Academy, marking the successful completion of another week of hands-on science exploration for local students entering sixth grade.
Governance Fragmentation and Collapsing Health in Wartime Yemen
Humanitarian groups need international support to overcome funding shortages and the country’s divided politics.
76ers Leverage Rare Advantage as LeBron James Pursuit Nears End
The Philadelphia 76ers got an unlikely leg up in their recruitment of LeBron James at Fanatics Fest in New York City. The post 76ers Leverage Rare Advantage as LeBron James Pursuit Nears End appeared first on HEAVY.
Health officials demand access to Aurora ICE facility over tuberculosis case
ICE did not directly answer whether public health officials have been allowed inside, State and county health leaders also did not respond to FOX31’s questions on Saturday.
Josh Allen’s Bills facing ‘formality’ regular season, says Tim Hasselbeck
The Buffalo Bills enter the 2026 NFL season with championship expectations, but ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck believes that creates a unique challenge. Speaking on NFL on ESPN, he said the regular season has almost become secondary for Josh Allen‘s team.…
Former NFL player arrested in connection to business fire, according to West Melbourne Police
A former NFL player is facing serious charges in connection with a fire at a West Melbourne landscaping business. Police say the suspect set fire to multiple company vehicles at Tropic Care of Florida after breaking into the property and taking a can of gas from an unlocked work vehicle Wednesday morning.
Valve Drops Big SteamVR Update Ahead of Steam Frame Launch
Valve has dropped a sizeable update to SteamVR, paving the way for what appears to be imminent launch of its long-awaited standalone VR headset, Steam Frame. Valve’s latest update brings a good slate of Steam features to SteamVR, which seems to be shaping up to be a proper VR-based operating system, now including a new […]
'A dangerous proposition': How AI is warping the social fabric and the ways we collectively imagine the future
In this excerpt from "Predicted: How AI Is Restructuring Social Life," author Mona Sloane examines how artificial intelligence is reconfiguring our understanding of the world and how we imagine the future.
Isle Royale business prevented from transporting visitors asking to leave
The visitors want to leave due to poor air quality conditions at the park.
Medical societies take a stand as CMS nears final decision on TAVR proposal
Back in June, CMS proposed significant updates to its current TAVR policies. Three leading healthcare societies have now joined forces to share their own perspective on the potential updates.
Fifth Third reports rise in quarterly profit on higher interest income
Fifth Third Bancorp reported a rise in second-quarter profit on Friday, helped by higher net interest income and fee growth in capital markets and wealth management businesses.
Eight Patriots facing the most pressure ahead of training camp
Last year, expectations for the Patriots were bare-bones. But heavy lies the crown for the reigning AFC champs.
Kansas City burglary ring leader sentenced as small business owners call it ‘a long time coming’
The alleged leader of a burglary ring that targeted more than 100 Kansas City businesses was sentenced Thursday.
How AI can help heart teams identify TAVR patients
Many heart patients who would benefit from TAVR are still missing out on the care they need. AI, it turns out, can help cardiologists find those patients. An upcoming webinar is set to explore this topic at length.
'Crisis' in youth sports comes into focus after early US World Cup exit
Another early World Cup exit underscores a fractured youth sports culture in the United States, as the nation hopes to catch up with footballing powerhouses that have no clogs in their talent pipeline.
‘The Odyssey’ reviews: What critics are saying about Christopher Nolan’s take on the epic
Before you watch ‘The Odyssey,’ see what critics are saying about the new Christopher Nolan epic.
How fuel additive science keeps pace with modern engines
Learn how a Chevron chemist helped produce Techron, a next-generation fuel additive designed to boost engine performance and help keep engines efficient.
Christmas in July Small Business Bash
Oak Park Church in Mobile is hosting its Christmas Small Business Bash!
ESPN New York joins Buffalo Bills Radio Network
ESPN and the Buffalo Bills are giving New York sports fans something few people in the metropolitan area have been clamoring for. Beginning in the 2026 NFL season, ESPN New York 1050 will be part of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network. The Bills made the announcement Tuesday morning, revealing 23 affiliates in their radio network…
Astros Trading SPs McCullers Jr., Gordon to Brewers
According to reports, the Houston Astros are finalizing a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that would send pitchers Lance McCullers Jr. and Colton Gordon to Milwaukee. The deal appears to be a salary dump for Houston, who is reported to be paying down some of the salary owed McCullers Jr., who is in the final […]
Sons of country music star and NFL great will face off to start high school football season
Bo Bryan and Battle Ground Academy will face off against Gunner Rivers and St. Michael Catholic next month.
Sources: Silver persuaded Engelbert to suspend Thomas after Clark incident
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was not going to suspend Alyssa Thomas for burying a fist onto Caitlin Clark’s throat three weeks ago until NBA Commissioner Adam Silver implored her to reverse course and issue a suspension, multiple sources told SBJ Tuesday.
Sources: Silver persuaded Engelbert to suspend Thomas after Clark incident
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was not going to suspend Alyssa Thomas for burying a fist onto Caitlin Clark’s throat three weeks ago until NBA Commissioner Adam Silver implored her to reverse course and issue a suspension, multiple sources told SBJ Tuesday.
Elevance raises annual profit forecast on better medical cost management
Elevance Health raised its annual profit forecast after beating second-quarter earnings estimates on Wednesday, as it looks to keep medical costs in check.
Diagnostic dilemma: Junk-food diet caused a teen's permanent blindness
A teen's nutrient-poor diet led to irreversible vision problems.
Swing Therapeutics acquired by medical VR platform XR Health
Swing Therapeutics, developer of a digital treatment for fibromyalgia, has been acquired by medical virtual reality company XR Health.
Sweden's Neko Health raises $700 million ahead of US launch
Stockholm-based Neko Health, a technology firm focused on the prevention and early detection of disease, said on Wednesday it has raised $700 million in a Series C funding round ahead of the launch of its first U.S. clinic later this year.
Michigan Democratic voters want to see change in the American health care system, poll finds
Michigan Democratic voters were asked in a recent poll about the 2026 U.S. Senate primary and their views on various topics.
Rochester sports complex indoor phase potentially on hold
Plans to bring covered sports facilities to the city may be stopped.
PlayStation Store’s Summer Sale starts July 15 with up to 75% off hundreds of games
Sony’s PlayStation Store Summer Sale begins July 15 with discounts of up to 75% across hundreds of PS5, PS4, and PS VR2 games.
Amazon Has the Lowest Price on a GeForce RTX 5070 Graphics Card That I've Seen So Far This Year and It Features Triple-Fan Active Cooling
The ASUS Prime RTX 5070 GPU has 12GB of VRAM and a robust triple-fan cooling system.
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
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