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Eleven Pirates Named Preseason All-Conference By Athlon Sports
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Eleven East Carolina football player have been named to preseason All-American Conference Teams according to an announcement by Athlon Spo...
From Smoker to Advocate: A Powerful Lung Health Journey
For me, every breath today is a reminder. A reminder of where I’ve been, of what I’ve been given and of what’s at stake.
Guilt by Accumulation
The recent news of entrepreneur Elon Music becoming the first trillionaire in world history should have been an occasion met with not only the astonishment it merited, but also the admiration it deserved. Unsurprisingly, it was met with neither. Just the far opposite. Instead, the jealous fangs of the anti-capitalists were bared which, in and […]
Camera-Equipped AirPods Pro Development 'Suspended,' Leaker Claims
Development of Apple's rumored camera-equipped AirPods Pro has been halted, according to the leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami". In a blunt post on X referencing an earlier post about the product, the occasional leaker claimed that the project has been "suspended". No other details were provided.
Contract details for New York Giants GM Joe Schoen revealed
Details about the contract extension given to New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen have been revealed.
CNN analysis: Turnout in this year’s primary elections clearly favors Democrats so far
This year’s primary turnout continues a trend that’s been building since Donald Trump’s return to the White House – Democrats are more motivated than Republicans to vote.
Liverpool install new Jota memorial
Liverpool have installed a permanent memorial outside Anfield in tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva to mark the first anniversary of their death. The 'Forever 20' memorial, created by renowned sculptor Emma Rodgers, is centrally a flowing heart sculpture, an acknowledgement of the forward's goal celebration. From different angles it also shows the numbers 20 and 30, the brothers' shirt numbers, and includes the lyrics to Jota's song, which has been sung in the 20th minute of every match since his death in a car crash on 3 July 2025.
Taiwan Tests Doomsday Invasion Scenario as China Pressure Intensifies
The drills represent a shift from Taiwan's previous emergency exercises, which had often been criticized as overly scripted and symbolic.
David Sassarini is the new Inter Women coach
FC Internazionale Milano can confirm that David Sassarini has been appointed as the new head coach of Inter Women. The coach has signed a contract with the Club until 30 June 2028. Born in La Spezia o...
Hossam Hassan and the blurring of lines between football and politics in Egypt
Egypt face Australia in a historic World Cup game on Friday and the manager has been keen to highlight president Al-Sisi’s role in the achievement
Valley Golf Center owners say it's been an 'honor' as business closes
KMPH Fox 26 is the Central Valley's news leader, covering Fresno, California and the surrounding area, including Clovis, Madera, Hanford, Visalia, Biola, Kerman, Tranquillity, San Joaquin, Reedley, Coalinga, Avenal, Lemoore, Tulare, Selma, Caruthers, Tollhouse, Three Rivers, Porterville, and Merced.
Deal will see Liverpool midfielder reunited with former Reds coach
Liverpool have been tipped to shake up their midfield options this summer.The likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones have been linked with moves away following poor seasons under Arne Slot.Slot...
The 17-year-old beekeeper busy with his own bee business
Harry took up the hobby after discovering his grandmother's old bee equipment in his family's shed.
Health officials warn beachgoers of flesh-eating bacteria ahead of July 4; What you need to know
From New York to Florida, cases have been recorded.
The real cause of a common stroke may have been missed for decades
Scientists have discovered that a common type of stroke may have a very different cause than doctors once thought. Instead of fatty plaque clogging arteries, the strongest link was found with enlarged and damaged blood vessels deep within the brain. The finding helps explain why standard treatments like aspirin are often less effective and is driving the search for new therapies that target the brain’s tiny blood vessels directly.
AMERICA AT 250: COMPETING CELEBRATIONS REFLECT NATIONAL POLARIZATION, SAYS SMU POLITICS EXPERT
DALLAS (SMU) – As the nation marks its 250th anniversary with separate celebrations in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson says the split reflects a deeper reality about modern America: the absence of a shared national narrative. Wilson argues that what should have been a unifying moment of national pride has instead become a symbol of the country's growing political polarization, with rival groups promoting fundamentally different visions of Amer
Mitch McConnell Has Been Hospitalized For Weeks—What We Know About His Health
The 84-year-old senator has been hospitalized twice this year.
Zuckerberg said AI agent progress has been slower than expected
Superintelligence will take time, Zuckerberg tells Meta staff, as the company makes its AI training program opt-in after a data leak.
First human case of West Nile detected in Sacramento County, health officials say
A woman in her 60s tested positive for the disease and is still recovering, the county said Thursday.
Oakland sports standings: Roots playoff push, ultimate frisbee dominance
Plus the Ballers' home run leader, the Unicorns’ promising cricket season and the rise of some local youth weightlifting champions.
Legacy Business Spotlight: Baton Rouge Clinic
— ESTABLISHED 1946— The Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC has been delivering patient-centered care to the Capital Region for 80 years. Founded by four local physicians, the clinic has grown from a single practice into a network of 18 locations serving nearly 400,000 patients across Louisiana, while remaining true to the physician-led model thathas defined it […]
Fox Sports rules analyst Mark Clattenburg: Folarin Balogun red card ‘shouldn’t have been a VAR intervention’
A delightful win for the USMNT on Wednesday night was overshadowed by a questionable red card on striker Folarin Balogun, immediately casting concern over the national team’s next match on Monday as Balogun serves a suspension. The second-half booking came after Balogun became tangled up with a Bosnian defender. In real time, the play did…
Health alert issued for smoke in Albuquerque
A health alert has been issued for Albuquerque and Bernalillo County due to smoke.
Trump's massive July 4 firework show raises health alarms
An "unforgettable" tribute to America, or a health hazard that will terrorize animals and pollute the environment?
Medics Responded To ‘Cardiac Arrest’ At Mitch McConnell’s Home Last Month—What We Know About His Health
The 84-year-old senator has been hospitalized twice this year.
Carpinteria’s Performing Arts Center Offers a Wealth of Entertainment and Community Components
From films and plays to classes and camps, The Alcazar Theatre has been serving the Central Coast since 1928.
Helio and You: Heliophysics as an American Endeavor
Heliophysics is an important cornerstone of the history of astronomy, and many of the pioneers in this field have been American. This article examines a bit of this history in depth.
Feds pull Iowa's 'healthy food' SNAP waiver
A federal waiver allowing Iowa to restrict the types of food that can be purchased with SNAP has been vacated.
Former Olympic canoeist indicted by a grand jury after arrest at the Reflecting Pool
David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, has been indicted by a grand jury in Washington, DC, Superior Court, after being arrested last month when he reached into the Reflecting Pool, a source familiar with the charges told CNN.
Jon-Paul Maria named interim head of Materials Science and Engineering
Jon-Paul Maria, Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State, has been named interim head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, effective July 1.
Folder with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s alleged wedding plans spotted at MSG amid reports they’ve ‘transformed’ the venue
A folder seemingly dedicated to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding has been spotted at Madison Square Garden amid reports that the couple 'transformed' the midtown Manhattan venue.
Former Arkansas basketball players preparing for NBA Summer League
At the time of writing, eight players who finished their careers with the Arkansas men’s basketball team have been announced on Summer League rosters.
Scientists Sound the Alarm: Antarctic Discovery Is More Disturbing Than Anyone Feared - Futura-Sciences
The Frozen Continent Is Changing Faster Than We Thought Antarctica has always been a tough nut to crack for scientists. Its complex and sometimes baffling phenomena have long made it mysterious, and recent findings suggest its influence on our planet’s climate could be much greater than we thought. In September...
Gov. Stein names Rep. Tim Reeder to NC Health Care Affordability Commission
Rep. Tim Reeder, R-Pitt, has been appointed by Gov. Josh Stein to serve as a voting member of the newly established North Carolina Health Care Affordability Com
What Is Going On With Mitch McConnell’s Health?
The former Senate Republican leader has been hospitalized since last month, and new reports suggest he was likely unconscious when paramedics arrived.
What Is Going On With Mitch McConnell’s Health?
The former Senate Republican leader has been hospitalized since last month, and new reports suggest he was likely unconscious when paramedics arrived.
Once a source of national pride, Cuba’s healthcare system declines as energy shortages deepen crisis
Irisleydis Tristá, a cancer patient in Cuba, has been unable to get a crucial CT scan for seven months because the machine at Havana’s leading hospital is broken.
Giants' Matt Chapman goes on injured list with abdominal strain
Matt Chapman said his abdominal area had been bothering him over the last several weeks.
Team's prediction task compares GPT-4o with classic machine learning
Large language models have been functionally opaque. Seeking transparency, a team undertook a comparison with traditional machine learning.
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Getting Story Expansion Pass, Store Leak Suggests
Final Fantasy 7 fans are getting excited for a new Story Expansion pass that has been glimpsed as part of a new store leak.
Dutch Bros franchisee ousts MAGA in Shasta County
Shasta County has been ruled by a heavily conservative city council since 2020.
Silicon Valley-Themed 'Breaking The Code' Boarded By Two Sales Reps.
The Silicon Valley-themed 'Breaking the Code,' about pioneering Indian entrepreneur Kanwal Rekhi, has been boarded by two international sales agents.
The Calif. Dutch Bros franchisee who ousted MAGA in Shasta County
Shasta County has been ruled by a heavily conservative city council since 2020.
Cheap Week: How to spend less on fun and entertainment
Having fun doesn’t have to break the bank. Coming up at 9 a.m. on Thursday, MPR News host Angela Davis continues “Cheap Week” with ideas for saving money on entertainment, including live music, sporting events, theater and more.
Multiple Final Fantasy VII Revelation DLC packs have been listed on the Epic Games Store
The EpicDB listings reveal a Final Fantasy VII Revelation Premium Edition, Premium Plus Edition, Story Expansion Pass, and more.
Public health advisory lifted for Fort Custer's Eagle Lake
A public health advisory has been lifted for Eagle Lake in Fort Custer Recreation Area, according to the Kalamazoo County Environmental Health.
McNeese SEED Center offering consultation services and small business growth roundtable
There are several upcoming opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs coming up at the McNeese SEED Center.
MacBook Pro models sharing the MacBook Ultra redesign is, and isn't, surprising
We’ve been hearing for a long time now that a new high-end MacBook Ultra model with a touchscreen will get...
Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Will Now Launch Three Weeks Earlier
The game's release date has been moved forward to the beginning of September.
Croatia criticised for ‘unambitious’ changes to 2022 science law
Croatia’s science ministry has been accused of a lack of ambition, and even incompetence, over proposed changes to the country’s 2022 science law. Critics say an opportunity has been missed to fix wider shortcomings in the research and universities system.“This law, like all the previous ones, will not significantly change the current state of science in Croatia,” Vlatko Silobrčić, a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences, told Science Business. “A small shift here and there will not have a significant impact.”The 2022 law introduced multi-year block grant financing of research, based on results, and changes intended to boost employment and career progression for researchers and lecturers. But implementation of the law has been uneven. “It became apparent that certain of its provisions were subject to different interpretations by higher education institutions and scientific institutes,” the science ministry said in its proposal for change. “This caused legal uncertainty in the system, administrative difficulties in implementation and, in certain cases, unequal treatment of teachers, scientists and students.”Most of the proposed amendments deal with technicalities in hiring and promoting staff, such as extending the committee deadlines from 60 to 90 days, or allowing applicants to cite all of their achievements and not only those since their last appointment.Both the ministry and Croatian media highlighted changes that would raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 years and allow part-time students 15 year rather than 10 years to finish their studies.The change to retirement age has been criticised for reinforcing a weakness in the system. According to Matko Marušić, professor emeritus at the University of Split, this will “allow unproductive teachers to advance and work longer, while hindering and discouraging productive ones.”A longtime campaigner for excellence-based meritocracy, he sees little hope in the new legislation. “I am not optimistic that things will improve,” he told Science Business. “As recent changes to the law in Croatia show, the legal framework is becoming increasingly hypocritical and harmful.”For Marušić, who analyses Croatia's university system in a recently published book, the situation is “unfavourable and constantly deteriorating” due to the criteria used for academic advancement.“The key criterion for advancement should be scientific productivity,” he said. “In Croatia [. . .] scientific criteria are increasingly lowered, and ineffective and absurd criteria such as waiting times for promotion and age limits for remaining in a job are promoted.” He would also like to see better criteria for the quality of teaching at universities. “In practice, teaching is not monitored or evaluated,” he said, estimating that up to a third of teaching simply does not take place. “Under the guise of university autonomy and bad laws, universities and faculties are allowed to earn additional money by increasing enrolment quotas that have nothing to do with the needs of the labour market.” Lack of ambitionDora Kršul, a reporter at Telegram.hr who covers science policy in Croatia, finds the rationale for changes “bizarre.” “The ministry responsible for supervising the uniform application of the law is changing the law because it is being implemented unevenly,” she said. “This primarily speaks to the power relationship in the sphere of science and higher education in Croatia, that is, the question arises as to who actually manages this system.”Rather than raising quality, she continued, the changes appear to be designed to help vocational and applied universities who have not been complying with the law.The Independent Union of Research and Higher Education Employees of Croatia said that the changes were “unambitious” and represent a missed opportunity for more important changes. “We think some of the changes are even negative,” it said in its statement on June 25. One of these is introduction of an “assistant” job title that allows people to be hired only for the duration of a project. Related articles: Elections to top science bodies test Croatia’s gender equality in researchSlovakia revises R&D approach to increase focus on competitivenessLatvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluationsThe union’s president, Tvrtko Smital, who was part of the 15-member working group tasked with drafting the changes, told the local media there was a “worrying lack of ambition” in the process, and “lack of competence” in terms of research experience and understanding the problems in the system.“There is no clear will to deal with the problems,” said Smital, an assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. “It’s a combination of unambitiousness and incompetence,” he went on, expressing his “deep frustration” with the situation. “There is no strategy, no clear thinking, and money is not being spent optimally.”Croatia’s science ministry has not responded to requests for comment.
Accel Entertainment (ACEL) After Russell 2000 Exit Has Undervaluation Back In Focus
Index removal puts Accel Entertainment back in focus Accel Entertainment (ACEL) was recently removed from the Russell 2000 Dynamic Index, an event that can influence institutional ownership patterns, index tracking fund flows, and short term trading activity around the stock. See our latest analysis for Accel Entertainment. Against that backdrop, Accel Entertainment’s recent share price moves have been mixed, with a 1-day share price return of 1.27% but a 7-day share price return that...
‘Am I going back to PS4 days?’ Shuhei Yoshida says Steam Machine is ‘hard to recommend to people’ at its current price
The former SIE president has been sharing his hands-on impressions of Valve’s new hardware…
Check out all the winning shots in the 2026 iPhone Photography Awards
The iPhone Photography Awards competition has been running now for 19 years, and the 2026 winners have just been announced....
Smith Named CAA Leadership and Sports Excellence Award Winner for Swimming & Diving
RICHMOND, Va. - Drexel's Sebastian Smith has been named one of the 19 recipients of the prestigious CAA Leadership and Sport Excellence Award for the 2025-26...
Drug overdose spike in Madison could be related to extreme heat
First responders in Dane County reported at least seven overdoses involving opioids June 29 and 30. No spike has been seen in Milwaukee County yet.
Computer science society creates new research integrity role to address case backlog
AndreyPopov/iStock Over the last five years, the Association for Computing Machinery has been dealing with a rapid rise in allegations of research misconduct that have created a backlog of cases to…
Tariff refunds landing for Colorado importers, though not without a cost for small business
At least $23.7B in refunds from unlawful tariffs have been refunded to U.S. importers out of an estimated $166B owed, according to court testimony
The diminishing political returns of a solid labor market
A rebound in the jobs market hasn’t been enough to get Americans amped about President Donald Trump’s economy.
Too Big? Jones Explains Poatan’s ‘Perfect Storm’
Jon Jones has a bit of experience with moving up to Heavyweight. “Bones” ruled the 205-pound roost for many, many years before finally making the leap in 2023. He teased a Heavyweight jump for much of that span, but Jones has always been a careful decision-maker in regards to his MMA career and (nearly) undefeated […]
Devils Sign Winger Riley Tufte to 1 Year, $850,000 Deal
In one of the more under the radar moves today, the Devils announced the signing of 28-year-old winger Riley Tufte to a one-year, one-way NHL contract. A link to the press release can be found here. A 6’6”, 245lb behemoth, Tufte has been one of the most prolific scorers in the AHL, finishing tied for […]
Facing Barbs and Pressure From Trump, Europe's Leaders Close Ranks
ROME (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on Italy’s premier have had an unintended consequence. After Trump questioned Italy’s reliability as a wartime ally and claimed Giorgia Meloni had groveled for his attention, European leaders rallied to Meloni's side, thawing what had been a frosty ...
A Grand Opening cut short for Highmore Business
HIGHMORE, S.D. (KELO)– Strong winds earlier this week have left some people in Highmore high and dry if they want a burger and a beer at a local bar and grill. The downtown business had to cl…
Dodgers Give Devastating Update on Will Smith
Dodgers catcher Will Smith's neck is not getting any better, according to manager Dave Roberts, and his return is looking longer overall.
Lakers' summer league roster has been finalized
The Lakers have released their official 2026 summer league roster.
World Cup visitors could be a test for U.S. healthcare systems
Seattle hospitals have been prepping for possible emergency situations and public health issues for months ahead of the matches.
Ukraine's General Valery Zaluzhny emerges as a key figure in national politics
While still hypothetical, elections have reportedly been discussed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the fall, fueling speculation about a possible candidacy by the former commander-in-chief. Like Zaluzhny, several senior officers enjoy strong public support and could play a major role in political life after the war.
Opelika business owners arrested on hemp product charges
Two Opelika business owners have been arrested following a joint investigation into alleged illegal operations at several local vape and CBD businesses, the Opelika Police Department said.
Mitch McConnell Was Reportedly Found Unconscious Last Month—What We Know About His Health
The 84-year-old senator has been hospitalized twice this year.
Alleged Cuban influence operative, family in federal custody after Rubio revokes legal status
A Cuban national who authorities say worked for regime-linked influence organization ICAP has been taken into federal custody pending removal from the U.S.
Meta's plan to launch a cloud business eases the biggest overhang on the stock
The stock's struggles in 2026 had been due to concerns about its aggressive AI spending.
Apple's Hide My Email feature has a bug that's been exposing real email addresses, researcher claims
Research appears to reveal a bug that could render the feature effectively useless.
Report: Penguins sign Andrei Kuzmenko to one-year contract
The Pittsburgh Penguins keep adding, the latest is the report that winger Andrei Kuzmenko is joining the team for one year and $5.0 million. Kuzmenko has been among the NHL’s slowest skaters, but has the hands and scoring ability to cover up that deficiency. Curiously, his salary is right in the price range of Rickard […]
Dr. Steve Grice appointed Interim Dean of TROY’s Sorrell College of Business
Troy University alumnus and former director of TROY’s William H. Carr School of Accountancy Dr. Steve Grice has been appointed interim dean of the Sorrell College of Business. Grice’s appointment, which is effective July 1, comes after Dean Dr. Judson Edwards was named as the University’s interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost. ...Read More
Are your kids already bored this summer? Here’s a new entertainment option.
Sky Zone of Wichita is “an indoor trampoline amusement park,” as one of its owners put it, and is having a soft opening starting July 10.
Bickering Over Healthcare Coverage Disrupts House Panel Hearing
Finger pointing over the number of Americans losing health insurance roiled what otherwise would have been a technical House hearing over employee health coverage.
Trump foe John Brennan sues administration demanding investigative records into him be preserved
Former CIA Director John Brennan, who has been under investigation by the Justice Department, is demanding the Trump administration preserve records about its inquiry into him, and asking for a court’s help, according to a new lawsuit filed in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
Rumor: Metroid Ravenous leaked for Nintendo Switch 2
Metroid Ravenous has apparently been leaked for Nintendo Switch 2. A listing for the game supposedly surfaced within Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security system. The page has already been removed, but not before a screenshot was taken. Here’s a snapshot of the classification: The listing doesn’t provide any specific details about the game. However, the classification indicates 2026...
Best of the Valley 2026: Our Favorites in Lifestyle & Entertainment
The Valley’s wellspring of cultural diversions - festivals, the arts, fitness, et al. - has never been deeper or more diverse. Grab your swimsuit and dive in!
Meta pops 8% as company makes cloud push to sell excess AI compute power capacity
The new business is a welcome signal for some investors who have been uneasy about the company's infrastructure spending plans.
New Federal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence, signals focus on inflation
New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the central bank would remain independent and seek to bring down inflation, likely foreclosing the rate cuts President Donald Trump has sought. The Fed typically combats inflation by raising borrowing costs. When asked about Trump's oft-repeated desire for lower rates, Warsh underscored the Fed's independence from day-to-day politics.
Is Accel Entertainment (ACEL) Outperforming Other Consumer Discretionary Stocks This Year?
Here is how Accel Entertainment (ACEL) and American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT) have performed compared to their sector so far this year.
Judges resume sentencing over shooting at Texas immigration facility
The case has been closely watched by critics who say the prosecution could have wide-reaching impact on protests and First Amendment free-speech rights.
Here comes your last chance to catch this huge Modesto music show. When, where
It’s just one of the many entertainment options coming up in the Modesto and Mother Lode regions.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
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