SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " auto " 20,111 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Parasite outbreak spreads to 21 Michigan counties. See where cases are
Michigan health officials said a gastrointestinal parasite that causes explosive diarrhea has sickened over 225 people. Here's where the cases are.
What is cyclosporiasis? Know the signs, prevention as Michigan health officials investigate outbreak
Michigan health officials are investigating an outbreak of cyclosporiasis across the state after at least 170 cases were reported within days.
How PepsiCo is shaking up business as usual
By committing to AI and embracing digital transformation, the food and beverage giant is driving growth in innovative ways
How remote patient monitoring advances affordable healthcare
As global medical costs face double-digit spikes, remote care is a clinical tool and an economic necessity.
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.
The Fat ‘Upgrade’ A Doctor Recommends To Lower Bad Cholesterol
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, a doctor explains why we need fat and how to choose the best type for heart health.
Bonus 236: A Term of Self-Inflicted Wounds
Within minutes of the Supreme Court handing down the birthright citizenship ruling on Tuesday and rising for its summer recess, its defenders were pointing to that decision (alongside the late-arriving mail-in ballots ruling on Monday and the tariffs ruling from February) as decisive proof that the Court really is “above politics,” and that criticisms of the justices for behaving more like politicians in robes than like judges are thus unfair. For a particularly thoughtful version of this claim, see Professor Will Baude’s opening response to the latest New York Times written roundtable about the Court with Baude, Professor Kate Shaw, and me. In that roundtable, I already offered one of the two major arguments against this thesis—that it’s an assessment of the numerator without regard to the denominator, and that a full account of the Court’s behavior throughout OT2025 suggests that the Court behaved even more politically during the current term than during even the previous (highly politicized) one. Just to take one of many data points, last term (OT2024), there were six rulings in argued cases in which all six Republican-appointed justices were in the majority and all three of the Democratic appointees were in dissent (along with a slew of such rulings on the emergency docket). This term, there were … 13. (Along with two 6-3 summary reversals and 10 rulings on the emergency docket from which the three Democratic appointees all dissented.) Today’s bonus issue addresses the flip side of that coin. In particular, below the fold, I identify four different moments in which the justices could have acted in ways to specifically defuse charges of political behavior—and opted instead to lean all the way in. As much as end-of-term narratives focus on what the Court did, and on the takeaways from individual rulings, consider today’s post an attempt to identify opportunities that the Court missed, as well. At least in the examples discussed below, by opting for the outcome that made the Court look more transparently political, the Court inflicted a series of (unnecessary) credibility wounds on itself. For those who aren’t paid subscribers, we’ll be back Monday with our regular coverage of the Court. For those who are, please read on.
5 foods for heart health you can actually eat every day
Discover which foods you can eat to best support a healthy heart over time, according to research
Capcom pushes forward Onimusha: Way of the Sword release date just days after devs stated they're not afraid of September's busy schedule
We'll be playing Onimusha: Way of the Sword earlier than we thought, after all.
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.
The Business Model of Colleges Is Broken. It’s About to Get Worse
Declining enrollment and Trump’s policies are “breaking the business model that built the modern higher education system,” writes Jeffrey Selingo.
Happy birthday, USA? At 250, nation may be too divided to celebrate
With President Trump stamping his imprint on the official commemoration, many Americans are struggling with how to separate politics from pageantry.
The big picture: Astrophotography buffs share tips and tricks
There's a whole range of equipment for taking photos of the universe. Aldrich Astronomy Society members share tips for every sky buff, and budget.
Xbox reportedly to follow PlayStation's example and ditch discs for next-gen console Project Helix
The next Xbox console may also ship without a built-in disc drive, but Microsoft may have a solution for discs from older generations.
How local NJ businesses are faring during the World Cup
What impact have the World Cup matches had on North Jersey businesses and restaurants? Here is what they said.
Over-40s with obesity have normal-BMI cholesterol and blood pressure levels, study finds
Success of statins and blood-pressure drugs hailed as researchers find some people with obesity were ‘better off’
They say Andy Burnham is ‘good at politics’ – but the proof will only come in time
The PM-in-waiting brings the promise of likability and a mission voters can believe in. He’ll need all that and more to survive, says Guardian columnist Zoe Williams
Apple to launch 5 new iPhone models to gain market share amid memory crunch
Company raises production target for first foldable phone to about 10 million units
James Ransone coroner report shows actor's mental health struggles
"The Wire" actor James Ransone wanted mental health treatment before his death by suicide at 46, according to a medical examiner's report.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Release Date Moved Forward
Capcom has announced that Onimusha: Way of the Sword, the upcoming action-adventure sequel for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, will now be released earlier than previously guided: it will be available on September 4 rather than September 25.
Hochul tells auto insurance companies to show their work in implementing changes
The auto insurance law changes were billed as a cornerstone of Hochul’s affordability agenda
Former NBA player Malik Beasley pleads not guilty in gambling scandal
Beasley is the latest charged in a growing sports gambling probe led by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York.
Bruins swing another trade with Rangers, add defenseman
The Bruins and Rangers came together for another trade on July 1.
Small Businesses Prepare for Shift as Recreational Marijuana Market Takes Shape
Virginia’s legal recreational marijuana market is one year away, but for businesses already selling cannabis products, the transition is happening now.
Three lessons from this year’s primaries: From the Politics Desk
Plus, how Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” has changed America.
Godot bans "autonomous AI agent use or vibe coded" contributions
Godot has updated its contribution policy and "take[n] steps" to reduce "demoralizing" AI contributions.
Marion County leaders blast 'unnecessary' OHA rules, demand rescission
Marion County leaders are asking the Oregon Health Authority to rescind recent rule changes they say endanger patients, staff and the community.
Operations workforce powers ORNL’s autonomous science future
Behind every self-driving laboratory at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a team people most never see. Facilities and Operations workers are building and maintaining the infrastructure that makes autonomous science possible. More than a dozen self-driving labs operate at ORNL, placing the Tennessee national lab among the first research institutions in the world to create this autonomous laboratory model at scale.
Xbox is reportedly considering dropping disc drives as it tests new feature that lets players digitize physical games
A new report now claims Xbox, like PlayStation, is set to "drop the disc drive."
Palantir Just Issued a Warning to Business Leaders About AI: Guard This 1 Thing Like 'Treasure'
Palantir also warned about tokenmaxxing and a sense of 'false progress.'
Zohran Mamdani to deliver a speech marking America’s 250th birthday
The New York City mayor will speak from George Washington’s desk hours before President Trump delivers a speech from Mount Rushmore.
Next Metroid Game for Switch 2 Reportedly Leaked in Age Rating From Brazilian Government
The Brazilian government may have leaked the next Metroid game, thanks to an age rating filed through the country’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
UN panel warns AI is outpacing scientific understanding, government policy
AI is already being used to generate misinformation and other harmful content and could be exploited for fraud, cyberattacks and biological threats.
Nearly 450,000 New Yorkers Are Losing Health Coverage July 1
Thousands of low-income New Yorkers are among the first to feel the impacts of the "Big Beautiful Bill."
Stomach bug causing explosive diarrhea. How to reduce your risk
In the past nine days, health officials have diagnosed more than 170 people with cyclosporiasis, a diarrheal illness. It is considered an outbreak.
Michigan health officials warn of ‘large and growing outbreak’ of cyclosporiasis
State officials are still working to identify what caused the spread of more than 170 cases.
Amaneos completes acquisition of Magna’s lighting business
The acquired unit will become part of Amaneos' subsidiary Light Mobility Solutions (LMS).
A Colorado primary defeat highlights a dangerous political environment for Democratic incumbents
Democratic socialist Melat Kiros defeated Rep. Diana DeGette in Denver on Tuesday night, the latest in a string of results heralding big change for the party in Washington.
Michigan parasitic outbreak grows as experts race to identify source
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite called cyclospora cayatenensis, which is common in tropical and subtropical parts of the world.
Subnautica 2 studio Unknown Worlds' CEO resigns as Krafton agrees to pay $250m bonus
Krafton has settled its lawsuit with the former leadership team of Subnautica 2 developer, Unknown Worlds, and agreed t…
'This Is Borderline Evil' - Minecraft Creator Speaks Out Against ESA Calling Private Servers 'Illegal'
Minecraft creator, Markus 'Notch' Persson, has spoken out against the Electronic Software Association for claiming that private servers are "illegal."
Lionel Richie jokes his 'vitamin pill kicked in' after health scare
Lionel Richie was up and moving in his tour return after a health scare forced him to postpone recent concert dates.
Google Gemini Spark Comes to Mac With Local File Automation
Google today launched Gemini Spark for its macOS desktop app, allowing the AI agent to automate tasks involving local files and desktop workflows. Google announced the update today, adding a dedicated Spark tab to the sidebar of the Gemini app for macOS. The feature allows the AI agent to take action on files stored locally on a user's computer rather than just responding to questions in a chat window.
Brand New The Blood of Dawnwalker Gameplay Showcases Coen’s Investigation Skills and a Boss Battle Against the Eerie Forgotten Guardian
See Coen's investigation and fighting skills on full display in this quest gameplay from The Blood of Dawnwalker.
Business News: Breaking N3W5 - Former AP CEO Bennahmias Announces First New Watch Brand
Ex-Audemars Piguet CEO François-Henri Bennahmias unveils 'N3W5' - the first watch brand under his 'The Honourable Merchants Group' luxury startup. It won't debut until late next year.
Experity acquires AI firm to automate urgent care revenue management
The move by the Machesney Park-based Experity is meant to accelerate revenue cycle management automation through artificial intelligence.
Tps to prevent cyclospora infection and explosive diarrhea
At least 170 Michiganders have contracted a parasitic gastrointestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. Here are the CDC's tips to prevent illness.
See why Shaggy's, Zea Rotisserie, 5 others failed June health inspections
Seven restaurants in Rankin and Madison counties received failing health inspection grades in June 2026.
From The Sports Desk: Mexico’s first knockout win in four decades
Mexico won a knockout game for the first time since 1986 when it beat Ecuador 2-0 yesterday. Elsewhere, Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1, and France hammered Sweden 3-0.
Operations workforce powers ORNL’s autonomous science future
Behind every self-driving laboratory at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a team most people never see. Facilities and Operations (F&O) workers are building and maintaining the infrastructure that makes autonomous science possible.
‘Beautiful blobs’: synthetic life a step closer as scientists make cells using lab-made DNA
Tiny, quivering spheres designed to feed and multiply raise prospect of artificial organisms to make drugs, food and fuel
Anthropic launches Claude Science AI workbench for researchers
Claude Science connects more than 60 databases and tools in one environment, running on existing Claude models with no specialized biology training
Meta building cloud business to sell excess AI computing capacity
The company is weighing plans to sell access to AI models and raw computing capacity, setting up new competition with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
Only the midwest saw US population growth in every state. Will new residents change its politics?
Lower costs in Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Ohio raise questions about whether Republican strongholds will shift
Lawmakers takes another crack at easing privatization of youth sports
House bipartisan committee addresses private equity’s "vertical integration" that has youth sports costs soaring. What might come out of the hearing?
Content Independence Day, one year on: building the business model for the agentic Internet
One year after declaring Content Independence Day, a dynamic market for monetized content has officially emerged. In this report, we examine how the rise of autonomous AI agents is upending traditional search referrals and detail the new infrastructure required to support a sustainable web economy.
US cooking oil market shrinking due to Ice pressures on Latino households, Mazola owner says
Economic squeeze and anti-immigration raids have hit Hispanic communities, prompting people to shop online and reuse oil
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium's announcements of monthly new games are being changed in some territories, and players aren't happy about it
PlayStation has made some changes in certain key territories to how new PS Plus Extra and Premium game reveals are made.
Sony announces an end to the PS3 and Vita digital stores
The company describes it as "not an easy decision to make", and describes it as a resource allocation decision.
How cognitive automation can transform your business
Zapier reports that cognitive automation enhances business efficiency by enabling machines to interpret information and make decisions, unlike traditional automation.
Sony Shutting Down PlayStation Store for New Purchases on PS3 and Vita
Sony has announced the closure of its PlayStation Store on the PS3 and Vita, beginning next month in certain countries.
What to know about the US supreme court’s ruling on trans athletes
Decision upholding bans on trans girls in women’s sports in two states is narrow, but could be broadly weaponized for anti-LGBTQ+ efforts
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?
Rhythm Heaven Groove Is a Superb Sequel That Expertly Capitalizes on the Captivating Energy of Its Excellent Music and Joyful Animations
A superb sequel that expertly capitalizes on the captivating energy of its excellent music.
Danny Glover Reveals Alzheimer’s Diagnosis on TODAY: EXCLUSIVE
The 79-year-old “Lethal Weapon” star shared with Lester Holt that he was diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disease a few years ago.
Expansion clock is ticking. Do Big Ten, SEC make final move?
Big Ten and SEC have a shrinking window to expand before new federal legislation could force media rights pooling.
Virginia’s Styrofoam ban takes effect, Roanoke businesses face rising costs
Macado’s restaurants say the switch will cost more than $115,000 a year
‘Tip of the iceberg’: nearly 500,000 New Yorkers lose health insurance due to Trump cuts
First of major coverage losses expected as a result of the ‘One Big Beautiful’ bill signed into law one year ago
Scared to Take on a Challenge? Science Says It Will Instantly Seem Easier When You Imagine Facing it With a Friend
Research shows the presence of social relationship, whether real or imagined, will change how difficult a challenge appears to be.
MD lawmaker's historic journey unfolds in book that's part autobiography, part political memoir
Maryland lawmaker, Lily Qi, writes about her journey from China to the US and into state politics in a book that's part autobiography, part political memoir
Rockstar accused of ignoring pay inequity and mandating crunch
Multiple current Rockstar employees and union members based in the UK claim the Grand Theft Auto maker is failing its workforce.
July Fourth fun, theater, music on tap this week in Alachua County
There's no shortage of ways in Gainesville and Alachua County to commemorate and celebrate America's 250th anniversary.
Events in VT go big for July with Weird Al, Jack White and Thundercat
The Vermont Comedy Club, Higher Ground and the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort all have plenty to offer as America celebrates its 250th birthday.
Sweating has some health benefits – but detoxing isn't the main one
Fitness studios have drawn people in for years with the promise of “sweating out” toxins. But what's the truth?
Xbox ends deal to fund and publish IO Interactive's Project Fantasy; redundancies expected
Developer says it must "adapt to new reality" as Xbox reshapes investment priorities
Redford Township cat hoarding case: Animal Control rescues cats from home deemed public health hazard
Animal control officers from multiple agencies are continuing efforts to rescue dozens of cats from a Redford Township home after authorities declared the property an imminent danger to public health.
How Snoop Dogg Built the Most Powerful Personal Brand in Entertainment Without Ever Changing Who He Is
The rapper turned entrepreneur built a business empire on an unconventional principle: authenticity first, opportunities second.
Waynesboro offers new grants for local businesses
Waynesboro is offering new grants to help local businesses improve storefronts and boost tourism marketing efforts.
Communism isn't taking over the US, despite what GOP says
The idea that some overhyped radical left is about to take over the nation is laughably false.
Garden City restaurant violations include black mold, unsafe foods
Wayne County health reports show violations at Garden City eateries, including improper food storage, equipment malfunctions and hygiene issues.
Not a rerun: This big name in American news is returning to television
Luke Russert, Tim Russert's son, is returning to TV. The format made his "Meet the Press" father famous. What
5 takeaways from Anthropic’s big science event
The company rolled out a biology-centric version of Claude and hosted surprisingly forthright conversations about AI and science.
Weiser wins Colorado Democratic governor primary race over Bennet
NBC News projects that Weiser will move on to the general election after defeating Bennet, who has served in the Senate for 17 years.
Trump raked in more than $1bn from crypto businesses in 2025, filing shows
President’s crypto ventures have eclipsed in revenue much of his property portfolio that took decades to accumulate
Women with irregular periods should be checked for PMOS, NHS says
Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome is underdiagnosed and inconsistenly managed, according to Nice
The Clicks Communicator Phone With Blackberry Roots Demoed in New Video
A new video shows the $500 Clicks Communicator phone actually working. It offers a preview of all the typing and messaging that's to come.
Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year
President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Monday shows.
What to watch for in Colorado tonight: From the Politics Desk
Plus, wrapping up a jam-packed final day of the Supreme Court’s term.
Small Businesses Snagged $273 Billion In Federal Contracts, Even As Thousands Continue To Leave Contracting Base
Even as the government meets its goals in working with small businesses, a concerning trend appears to be accelerating.
How safe is your favorite restaurant in the Hudson Valley?
Search our database to see the latest health inspection results and violations for restaurants across New York state.
Small Businesses Could Lose Access To Billions In Contracts As New HubZONE Deadline Kicks In
Certain areas across the U.S. that were previously designated as HUBzones will see that status expire on July 1.
Gemini Spark rolling out to macOS app for local tasks, automation
As previewed at I/O 2026, Gemini for macOS now supports Gemini Spark. This is the first of two big desktop app updates...
More than 150 people in 7 Michigan counties sickened by parasite
Michigan health leaders say they're investigating the source of an outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness that's sickened 150 people in 7 counties.
Trans youth athletes vow to keep playing after US supreme court sports ruling
Justices upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho, boosting similar restrictions in 25 other states
Records show prior mental health petition for man accused of killing grandmother in Farmington Hills
Records show a petition was filed over three years ago seeking court-ordered mental health treatment for the 34-year-old man accused of killing his grandmother inside the home they shared in Farmington Hills.