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Dodgers on Deck: Saturday, September 5 vs. Nationals
The Dodgers and Nationals continue their weekend series on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Tyler Glasnow is on the mound for the Dodgers, making his first home start since returning from the injured list. Right-hander Cade Cavalli starts for the Nationals. Saturday game info
Primm braces for booming Labor Day business
Primm is preparing for a busy Labor Day weekend as travelers stop by while heading in and out of Las Vegas
St. Louis Cardinals vs Colorado Rockies Game Discussion Friday
The St. Louis Cardinals head east from California, but not that far east as they’ll land in Denver on Friday for a weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. Andre Pallante returns from the injured list to the mound for the Cardinals while the Rockies will give the ball to Ryan Feltner. First pitch is scheduled […]
Local businesses cash in on Texas A&M football season
As Texas A&M kicks off its season, hotels and boutiques in College Station and Bryan say gameday weekends are their biggest moneymakers of the year.
Vodafone launches TV entertainment hub
Vodafone is to launch Vodafone TV, an entertainment hub offering streaming services, live television, gaming, and music in one place.
Southern Decadence brings crowds, business boost to French Quarter
The 54th annual Southern Decadence is underway in the French Quarter, bringing a weekend of parties, drag shows and its annual parade Sunday. The Golden Lantern Bar on Royal Street is the official ho...
Opposition Lowdown: Blackpool Aiming To Bounce Back From Defeat
Riding high off of a 5-0 win in midweek, Reading take on Blackpool this weekend. Join us as we take a closer look at the opposition.
Labor Day weekend crowds flock to shore as families, businesses savor summer's final days
As the Labor Day weekend begins, families and businesses at the Jersey Shore are making the most of what many see as summer's final celebration before the school year gets fully underway.
Carlo Ancelotti heads to stadium for Brasileirão match this weekend
Coach Carlo Ancelotti will be at Nilton Santos Stadium to watch the match between Botafogo and Palmeiras next Sunday (6) in the Brasileirão.The match takes place on the eve of the Italian’s first s...
BRAVES VS. PHILLIES: NL EAST SHOWDOWN HAS ARRIVED
The calendar has flipped to September, and the National League East race is about to get extremely interesting. The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies begin a massive four-game series Friday at Citizens Bank Park, with the Braves entering the weekend sitting four games ahead of Philadelphia in the division. Atlanta comes in at 83-57, while…
The Fierce Battle For Kids’ Eyeballs...Plus Two “Devils” Face Off
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) During the week of this report, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters and went on to become one of the biggest films of all time. So, you know what that means! It’s time for a poll! Recently, Project Hail Mary came to Prime Video and became a top five film for them, but didn’t smash streaming records, a feat I cautiously thought it could accomplish. Can Spider-Man 4 do better? To set the stakes, some of the biggest films of all time do just okay on streaming. Wicked, Top Gun: Maverick, and Barbie come to mind... But unlike those films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony film which means it’s headed to Netflix, the world’s largest streamer. Now, per friend of the newsletter and my go-to Netflix expert, Kasey Moore of What’s on Netflix, Sony films usually appear on Netflix 120 days after they premiere, which means Spidey 4 would land on Netflix on, checks notes, 28-November, one of the two biggest streaming weekends of the year! But Sony occasionally delays its biggest hits for a bit longer, to give them more time to make money on PVOD, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not swing onto Netflix until late December or even February 2027. Loading... Okay, on to this week’s issue. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made its way to Peacock, I’m looking at the true workhorse of streaming viewership: kids films. And the surprising film that bested most Netflix animated movies. All that, plus Hulu has a new show that might be a hit (for them…?), two “Devils” square off on streaming, Zendaya tries to find some streaming magic, Netflix’s I Will Find You continues to do well, House of the Dragon tries to break into the season three top ten, some big NBC sports and summer programs, what friendly neighborhood Spider-Man character actually generates the most viewership on streaming, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 27th to August 2nd, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hits Peacock, How Have Kids Films Fared in 2026? Like Mario hopping on a Koopa, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie landed on Peacock on 30-July. (Yeah, I kinda forced that Mario reference.) How did it do? Great, just like the first film. It got 13.0 million hours on its opening, and that’s good enough to take second place among Peacock films on the Nielsen charts all time: As I mention all the time, Peacock just isn’t the world’s biggest streamer—in fact, nowhere close—so its films struggle to put up numbers like Netflix (or even Prime Video and Disney+). So this is a solid debut for that streamer. And as we saw last time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie had a HUGE second life on Netflix when it moved streamers. This chart doesn’t even show how long the first Mario lasted on Netflix: a whopping, KPop-esque 31 weeks. For NBCUniversal, though, the big win was the second Mario movie grossing $429 million in America and over $1 billion globally. But yeah, to add a very strong streaming performance only makes its success even greater. Illumination pretty clearly has another hit franchise on their hands. This is a good time, though, to check in on kids films so far in 2026. We’ve had a few big, big titles, a rare Netflix success, and some disappointments. Let’s start with the top animated films since November of 2025, over their first four weeks on the charts, along with a few of the “best all time” animated films: (As a reminder, if a film doesn’t make the Nielsen top ten lists, I don’t have data for it, so it gets a “zero” in terms of viewership. Now, it had some viewership, but I don’t know what it is, so it gets a zero.) I added a few titles to get an idea of what the best of the best looks like in terms of animation. And you can see, through four weeks, Zootopia 2 can now claim “one of the biggest streaming films of all time” titles. GOAT too did surprisingly well, besting Netflix’s biggest films (Swapped and In Your Dreams) through four weeks. When I’ve talked about how films can have varying performances on streaming compared to their box office, this is what I mean. Goat just managed to gross even $103 million at the box office—so it’s popular, but just barely—but did very well on streaming. Of course, what set Encanto and KPop Demon Hunters apart from the rest was their absolutely insane longevity. Here are the kids film charts through eight weeks to show that: And really KPop Demon Hunters just kept going, and no 2025 or 2026 kids films have had that sort of longevity. I can’t wait to see the sequel in theaters. Film - Two Devils and a Drama As I wrote last week, in the past, theatrical-first film flops weren’t eligible for “Miss of the Week” or “Miss of the Year” honors/dishonors, but since so many more films go to theaters first these days, I’ve made them eligible now! But it’s complicated. You see, this is a Streaming Ratings Report, emphasis on streaming, which makes analyzing this week’s two biggest streaming misses—The Drama on HBO Max (A24’s dramedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) and Prime Video’s The Devil Mouth (a killer shark movie starring young attractive people)—somewhat tricky. The Drama isn’t eligible for Luminate, but The Devil’s Mouth only had 1.5 million hours in its first week: The Devil’s Mouth notched 5.2 million hours according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, The Drama missed the charts entirely. Not great! But Prime Video is a much bigger streamer than HBO Max. That said, HBO Max titles are on Prime Video, but I think Prime Video prioritizes their original/exclusive titles, which helps boost their viewership. Complicating this further, The Drama made $48 million in the US—while A24 sells foreign distribution; the $57 million of overseas grosses helps A24 sell overseas rights for money in the future—off of a $28 million budget (which seems low for Zendaya and Pattinson, so they might have backend). The Devil’s Mouth, though, had zero dollars at the box office. The other stats for The Devil’s Mouth are bleak, and by “bleak”, I mean horrendous: a 4.7 on 15K reviews on IMDb (yikes) and a 46 on Metacritic (double yikes). The Drama, though buzzy online, only has a solid (but far from elite) 7.1 IMDb score on 121K reviews and a 59 on Metacritic (which is far, far lower than I’d have guessed). So which film is the “Miss of the Week”? I’m giving it to The Devil’s Mouth for one simple reason: it’s a horror film. And almost all horror films, even poorly reviewed horror films, should get a shot in theaters to at least try to recoup some of their budgets. The Drama made money at the box office and The Devil’s Mouth didn’t. It’s just like the situation last issue with Obsession and Masters of the Universe. Sure, Obsession didn’t pop on the streaming charts, but at least it already made it money at the box office. And as we’ve been seeing for years now and we’ll see all fall, theatrical films just do better on streaming. After all, the big “devil” winner this week was actually The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 14.8 million hours according to Nielsen. That’s right, The Devil Wears Prada 2—one of the box office success stories of May—came to streaming and parlayed its $220 million box office into 14.8 million Nielsen hours. Disney also put out a datecdote that it had 15.2 million “views” globally in five days, but again we don’t have a lot of great context for what that means. Here’s how it stacks up to other Hulu films, since I’m categorizing this mainly as a Hulu title (though it was also on Disney+): Share Quick Notes on Film We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Whether Hulu has a new hit show on its hands... The top first and third seasons of all time and which shows are climbing those charts… What version of Spidey is the most popular... What sport and TV show are performing better on NBC than the NBA... All the flops, bombs and misses... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, wow, things stay so busy. One of streaming’s biggest shows of all time, Ted Lasso, returns along with new YA-ish shows from Hulu (The Shards, from Ryan Murphy) and Prime Video (Sterling Point). The Challenge moves to Paramount+, plus My Life with the Walter Boys returns to Netflix and Futurama returns to Hulu. And Netflix has a new horror film, The Last House. Lots to talk about! All month, things stay busy. We’re talking Reacher on Prime Video! Outer Banks and Tires on Netflix! Lanterns on HBO Max! UFC 330 on Paramount+ and the MLB Field of Dreams game on Netflix. And a ton of smaller films come to streaming. Long term, the VMAs are back on 27-Sep! I feel like I haven’t heard much about this show in past years, but I’m seeing more news coverage and buzz for this show than in past years. I’m curious to see how it does.
Weekend Pulse 9/4-9/7: Labor Day Edition
Labor Day weekend brings music, art, theater and fairs to the Monadnock Region, including Keene Music Festival and Art in the Park.
2. Bundesliga Topspiel preview: Dynamo Dresden vs. VfL Bochum
In a meeting between two sides who have both endured faltering starts and begin the weekend level on points in the bottom half of the table, Saturday’s Topspiel presents an opportunity for either Dr...
Brentford v Sunderland: Key stats and talking points
Brentford are aiming to maintain their unbeaten start against a Sunderland side with one win and one defeat so far. BBC Sport takes a look at the key themes ahead of their clash at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday (15:00 BST). It's been a promising start to the season for the Bees, who have a win and a draw from their first two matches and were a bit unlucky to be pegged back by Leeds last weekend.
Entertainment: Journey performs at the Blaisdell this weekend
Journey performs at the Blaisdell this weekend as part of their farewell concert tour.
Matchday 24: Messi's momentum, Vancouver's test & more!
By Jonathan SigalThe MLS Secondary Transfer Window closed Wednesday night, as teams rushed to complete moves before Matchday 24 this weekend.With summertime signings settling in and the Audi 2026 MLS ...
Florida Surgeon General Reminds Floridians to Take Precautions Against Dengue Ahead of Labor Day Weekend
State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo joined local officials in Hillsborough County to urge Floridians to take precautions against mosquito-borne illnesses as families prepare to spend more time outdoors over Labor Day weekend.
The 20 states with the highest and lowest gas prices in the US
Average gas prices have soared above $4, setting a fuel price record for Labor Day weekend. Southern states are among the cheapest places to fill up.
Bumbershoot 2026: Lineup, schedule, tickets and what else to know
SEATTLE — One of Seattle’s biggest festivals of the summer, Bumbershoot, is back this Labor Day weekend at Seattle Center. Hometown indie-rock heroes Death Cab for Cutie are headlining the
HEALTH MINUTE: LABOR DAY BEACH BACTERIA SAFETY
The heat isn’t taking a vacation for Labor Day weekend, and if you’re saying goodbye to summer by heading to the lake or beach, experts say to beware! Hot weather
Three things to watch before Ligue 1 matchday 3
Ligue 1 2026-2027, Episode 3 this weekend!A third matchday that promises plenty of action. Here are the three biggest highlights of this Ligue 1 weekend!Ligue 1+ available on OneFootball 📺This seas...
Padres Face A Prove-It Series Against Yankees This Weekend
The San Diego Padres have dropped out of the third wild-card after a rough road trip, and they have a big homestand.
New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Onslaught' in theaters, rent 'I Want Your Sex,' stream 'The Runner' on Prime Video
Adria Arjona's action horror flick "Onslaught" is the week's big movie release, while Mark Wahlberg and Gal Gadot helm new films of their own.
September 4 Playbook: Fetterman Shows Little Interest In Doing Job
👷 Happy Labor Day Weekend. We’re off Monday for the holiday. And thank you to everyone that makes the dream work. 🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Workin For A Livin. Huey Lewis & The News PA Weather☂️ Pittsburgh | Mostly Cloudy, Showers, 86☀️ Harrisburg | Mostly Sunny, 86☀️ Philadelphia…
Labor Day Weekend is brought to you by these Florida lobbyists and political associations
These are the people who help workers and labor unions get results in the Capitol.
Gary Neville predicts Chelsea result against “really aggressive” Arsenal
Chelsea Arsenal is this weekend’s big game – and pundit Gary Neville has already had his say on the result of the match.If you enjoy Talk Chelsea coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a p...
Premier League news conferences after transfer deadline fallout
All the latest football news, including Friday's news conferences before the weekend's Premier League action.
Phillies News: Aidan Miller, Alex McFarlane, The Farm
Four games back as the weekend dawns. How many when Monday ends?
Ohio Renaissance Festival returns to Waynesville this weekend
The Ohio Renaissance Festival returns to Waynesville this weekend as organizers and vendors finish months of prep for its run through Nov. 1.
Mid-Michigan entertainment for the weekend of Sept. 4-6 and beyond
Check out what’s happening in the area.
Here’s everything you need to know about Harrisburg’s Kipona festival
The 2026 Labor Day weekend event features entertainment, food, shuttle service and enhanced security measures.
Springfield Mile, Oyster and Beer Festival happening this weekend
After a year off, the Springfield Oyster and Beer Festival returns to the capital city this weekend, along with another popular event.
Downtown Norfolk businesses expect boom in business as Cousinz Fest comes to town
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Cousinz Fest is going to be a family affair in Downtown Norfolk all weekend, and local businesses are excited to get in on the fun. For instance, the Granby Street Flow Ju…
Activities aplenty on holiday weekend
Labor Day is considered the unofficial end of summer, and this weekend features several events in the area to help celebrate the occasion.
Arsenal brace for Chelsea test as Spurs seek spark
Something has to give when Arsenal host Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend, with both teams putting their 100 percent records on the line, while Tottenham are desperate to stop the rot.Recent history is against Chelsea, who are winless in nine Premier League games against Arsenal ahead of Sunday's clash at the Emirates.
Fall Events Preview: A look at what's happening in northeast Indiana
With Labor Day weekend comes the transition from summer to the fall events season. But just because the days are shorter doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of fun to
Texarkana Live Entertainment for the Weekend of September 4 & 5
If you haven't made plans for this Labor Day Weekend, thanks to our community partners at Tony Langford Roofing and Whiskey River Country Club, here is a list of the best bets for the weekend of September 4 & 5 in Texarkana.
What the Tech: Road trip entertainment
if you're one of the millions who'll be hitting the highways over the Labor Day weekend, you probably have a lot on your mind. Keeping people in the backseat entertained
4 The Weekend: A storm of entertainment happening in Southern Arizona
You can get conned, enjoy great music with a spectacular view or experience a rodeo with all the extras. All part of the fun happening 4 The Labor Day Weekend.
Labor Day Weekend Eve Chat and Discussion
All last weekend, my kid told me that it was going to be Labor Day that next Monday. I kept telling her no, it was next Monday. I mean, like 10 or 12 times. Then I told this to the wife. She was very quiet, then asked “it’s not Labor Day tomorrow?” Because she kept […]
Startup Redding marks 10th year of Startup Games, building businesses in one weekend
Aspiring entrepreneurs in Redding will have a chance to turn an idea into a business in a single weekend as Startup Redding’s Startup Games return for their...
4 The Weekend: A storm of entertainment happening in Southern Arizona
TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) — You can get conned, enjoy great music with a spectacular view or experience a rodeo with all the extras. All part of the fun happening 4
Family-friendly entertainment option:Laser light show at Rondele Ranch this weekend
Rondele Ranch in Harshaw is known for its incredible venue, memorable wedding and vacation space. But they are experimenting with different forms of entertainment, including a laser light show this
Five Things presented by Compass Minerals: Sporting travels to face FC Dallas
Sporting Kansas City hits the road this weekend to take on FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium down in Texas on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on Apple TV, while the game will also be broadcast locally on the radio via
Rays could clinch playoff berth this weekend
Will need much more time to know who gets the first round bye.
HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: Labor Day weekend brings parades, music and theater to the Roanoke Valley
Labor Day weekend brings parades music and festivals to the region
Michigan football schedule for 2027 gets update, including Texas game
College Football Week 0 will be eliminated and the entire FBS will open prior to Labor Day weekend. Here's the Michigan football 2027 schedule update.
Seasonal celebration
EAU CLAIRE — Celebrating its 37th annual return, DECI’s Eau Claire Fall Festival is set to return to downtown next weekend.
Fitness for Hope classes raising awareness for mental health, suicide prevention
Fitness for Hope is bringing together exercise communities across the country in a weekend of movement, remembrance and hope.
Extended Heat Could Increase Health Risks Across Eastern Nebraska
Football season may be getting underway, but the weather in Lincoln this weekend will feel more like the middl...
10 Labor Day weekend things to do in the Seattle area
From flying stunt dogs at the Washington State Fair to the last hike before summer ends, here are the latest local things to do around the Seattle area.
Best of Santa Cruz County entertainment, arts & food events this weekend, Sept. 3-6
With the long weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County, with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout's BOLO events calendar.
Blue Ridge Health plans new medical facility in Hendersonville
WLOS News 13 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Asheville, NC and nearby towns and communities in Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina, including the counties of Buncombe, Henderson, Rutherford, Haywood, Polk, Transylvania, McDowell, Mitchell, Madison, Yancey, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Union, Pickens, Oconee, Laurens, Greenwood, Abbeville and also Biltmore Forest, Woodfin, Leicester, Black Mountain, Montreat, Arden, Weaverville, Hendersonville, Etowah, Flat Rock, Mills River, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde, Franklin, Cullowhee, Sylva, Cherokee, Marion, Old Fort, Forest City, Lake Lure, Bat Cave, Spindale, Spruce Pine, Bakersville, Burnsville, Tryon, Columbus, Marshall, Mars Hill, Brevard, Bryson City, Cashiers, Greer, Landrum, Clemson, Gaffney, and Easley.
Weekend Entertainment | ‘The YO’ Film Puts City at Center of the Extreme Sports World
A good question to ask when watching a locally made movie is, would anybody outside of Youngstown want to watch this? Of course, the story or narrative, the cast, and the production quality also have to be of the highest quality. The latest offering from a Mahoning Valley filmmaker easily checked all of those boxes […]
Free Play Days – EA Sports College Football 27, The Survivalists, The Lonesome Guild, and Under The Waves
This weekend, Polterguys: Possession Party is available this weekend for XBOX Game Pass members, while WWE 2K26 and Wildgate are free for all. Jump in!
Free Play Days – EA Sports College Football 27, The Survivalists, The Lonesome Guild, and Under The Waves
This weekend, Polterguys: Possession Party is available this weekend for XBOX Game Pass members, while WWE 2K26 and Wildgate are free for all. Jump in!
A weekend with the Women’s Professional Baseball League
Creating opportunities and inspiring a new generation
Riverside Indie Fest returns to Crescent Park Sept. 5
EAST PROVIDENCE – With Labor Day being the unofficial end of summer, there’s always plenty happening during the weekend leading up to it. These may range from backyard barbecues to
As sports betting surges, Virginia weighs how to curb gambling harms
As college football season gets into full swing over Labor Day weekend, sports betting companies, public health experts and Virginia lawmakers are confronting a question that has grown more pressing since wagering moved into smartphones: How can the industry keep gambling from becoming an addiction?Representatives from those groups gathered Wednesday at the Hilton Richmond Downtown for a Responsible Gaming Roundtable hosted by the Sports Betting Alliance, an advocacy organization representing bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel — five of the nation’s largest online sports betting operators.
⚾ Standings watch
Phils’ bats go quiet in series finale. A weekend series vs. the Atlanta Braves is up next.
FIA declares heat hazard for F1's Italian GP in Monza
Italy's sixth heatwave of a stifling 2026 summer is set to affect this weekend's running of the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix
Argentine league to pause games to honour Messi
The Argentine football league will pay tribute to Lionel Messi's international career by pausing all their domestic matches in the 10th minute this weekend.
Nebraska soccer set to open Big Ten play against Indiana and Iowa
Nebraska's women's soccer team looks forward to an opening weekend of Big Ten action, hosting Indiana on Thursday and heading to Iowa City on Sunday.
Weekly Entertainment Report: Live music and lively arts, Sept. 3-6 » Nashua Ink Link
Music is happening this weekend. Go get some.
DeKalb County expands free business incubator for entrepreneurs
Costs continue to rise, and as a result, many Georgia entrepreneurs are struggling to grow their businesses. On the weekends, business owner Amanda Stevens sells sweet treats like frozen grapes and watermelon cakes to kids and families from her food trailer, Candy Lady on Wheels.
Waccamaw Siouan Tribe hosting evening of health and culture
he Waccamaw Siouan Tribe is partnering with Carolina Complete Health to host a community health fair this weekend.
Auburn vs. Baylor Preview And Prediction
There might not be another player I’m more interested to watch this weekend than DJ Lagway . We already know about the talent. Now we find out whether a fresh start can finally unlock it. Lagway transferred to Baylor after throwing for 4,179 yards and 28 touchdowns during two seasons at Florida , and he’s…
5 Fayetteville sports to check out beyond Major League Stadiums
Looking for affordable weekend entertainment? Discover the top Fayetteville sports on the minor league circuit that guarantee family-friendly action.
Iran fires on its Gulf neighbors, retaliating for U.S. military strikes
Fighting between the U.S. and Iran has increased since the weekend after the American military hit Iranian rocket launchers in the Strait of Hormuz
Former Patriots find new homes after NFL roster cuts
The Patriots trimmed their roster from 91 to 53 players over the weekend.
Marijuana business owner charged with murder after Oklahoma explosion kills 2
Ryan Bassham, 35, turned himself in over the weekend after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder in last week's blast at Solos Extracts near Tulsa, Oklahoma, authorities said.
Another accused killer released from Virginia mental health facility after insanity plea
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office agreed to the release of another man accused of murder after another accused killer fled the U.S. on a weekend pass from a Fairfax County mental health facility.
Los Angeles Dodgers Announce Will Smith News Before Cardinals Game
After winning their series against the Detroit Tigers this past weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers are returning home to face the St. Louis Cardinals. With the calendar turning to September, that means MLB rosters have officially expanded. And the Dodgers are returning a key piece to their offense in the form of Will Smith, who […] The post Los Angeles Dodgers Announce Will Smith News Before Cardinals Game appeared first on HEAVY.
'Grand Theft Auto VI' Preview Is Netflix's Most-Watched Weekly Title
A 27-minute extended look at 'Grand Theft Auto VI' landed on Netflix on August 27, raking in 31.1 million views globally over the weekend.
A Grip on Sports: Saying goodbye is never easy. Saying goodbye to a guy like Joe Palmquist is even tougher. Saying 'thanks' isn't. Nor should it ever be.
A GRIP ON SPORTS • I know. I should be spending the next 1,000 words or so railing about the Seattle Mariners. Or raving about the Seahawks. Anticipating the Apple Cup. Or wondering what happened to Eastern last weekend. But I’m not. All that will still be here tomorrow. Joe Palmquist won’t. And that makes me want to cry. Again.
gamescom 2026’s Steam wishlist winners
gamescom wrapped up last weekend, and it was bloody fantastic. It really felt like the industry had a spring in its step again. The show itself was BUZZING, with 368K attendees (+3% over last year), maxed-out exhibit space, and Opening Night Live pulling over 78M online views (+7.5%). Let’s have a look at the games at the event that brought in the most new Steam wishlists between August 23 and 30. One quick thing before we start, and stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but wishlists are NOT a barometer for launch sales (they’re bookmarks, not baskets is what we always say over here at Alinea). With that aside, wishlists are a nice gauge of hype, so let’s dive in. Witche(r)s and Warlocks take the top two spots The biggest game of the event (by new wishlists, anyways) wasn’t a game at all. It was an expansion. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s upcoming expansion, Songs of the Past, nabbed 451K Steam wishlists by the end of the weekend. It’s a big example of something we bang on about constantly: proven IP with built-in fandom is the most powerful force in this market. But said IP can also ripple into other external success stories (more on that later!). Anyway, Songs of the Past debuted at Opening Night Live, and it’s the first Witcher 3 expansion in over a decade, landing next year after a full Witcher 3 remaster (free for existing owners!) arrives next month. The Witcher 3 has sold around 66M copies, and I’ll be one of those owners jumping back in to refresh myself on the core game (like there isn’t enough to play!), then play the expansion next year. This is all part of CDPR’s plan. The studio is clearly whetting everyone’s appetite for The Witcher 4 in 2028 via a classic bridge strategy. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Releasing a free 4K remaster next month – followed by a proper expansion in 2027 – keeps IP top-of-mind across a huge gap between content (games-wise, anyway). It kind of echoes Capcom’s evergreen catalogue strategy. And outsourcing co-development to Fool’s Theory (a studio led by trusted Witcher 3 veterans) keeps CDPR’s internal headcount focused on The Witcher 4. #2 by wishlists between Aug 23 and 30 went to another giant IP: Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, published by Wizards of the Coast and developed by Invoke Studios (a team of ex-Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and Splinter Cell devs). It’s due to launch in 2027, and it looks brilliant so far. It’s a dark-fantasy open world with third-person spell-slinging. It’s a very Witcher-ish aesthetic. As you might expect, 48% of Warlock’s Steam wishlisters have played Baldur’s Gate 3, and 46% have played The Witcher 3. One to watch. For sure! Mash-ups: Anime GTA (!?) and a city-builder for kids (and adults) Ananta took #3 with 302K new wishlists. It’s an open-world game that looks like GTA and Persona had a baby. It was published by NetEase, developed by Naked Rain, and got a trailer at Opening Night Live. I got hands-on at the show, and it wears its influences openly; there’s literal web-slinging (very Spider-Man) and a LOAD of mini-games (Like a Dragon). It’s free-to-play and out in January. For Ananta, Naked Rain is taking the free-to-play, cosmetics-only route. That’s certainly a choice for a single-player open-world game. Without gacha mechanics driving high ARPU, Ananta is betting purely on top-of-funnel reach and long-term retention. This puts pressure on skin appeal when there’s no multiplayer lobby to flex in (although, co-op is reportedly coming later). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Then there’s Lego Skylines (273K wishlists between Aug 23 and 30), which does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a cosy Lego twist on the city-builder genre, as shallow or as deep as you fancy (five min quick sesh or ten-hour no-lifer session; latter for me). There’s some family-friendly stuff in there like couch co-op, which is only really viable on console. Iceflake Studios, which Paradox acquired back in 2020 is developing this one. So Paradox is probably looking for a family-friendly onramp to its rad Cities: Skylines games. The overlap there is plain, with 33% of Lego Skylines wishlisters having played Cities: Skylines and 16% Skylines II. There’s no doubt plenty of parents here (and uncles, ahem) planning to indoctrinate the next gen of city-builders. I’ll definitely be playing with my youngest nephew. This one could be big and educational. I’m very curious to see more. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Mature IP, new and old, rounds out the list As for the rest of the list of gamescom games by new wishlists between Aug 23 and 30: Heroes of Might & Magic III Remake got 189K new wishlists. It remakes the iconic 1999 turn-based-strategy classic in full 3D and 4K. It follows this year’s Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era (~1.8M copies sold, as per our estimates), and around a quarter of the III Remake wishlisters have played Olden Era, including 7% of them this month. Wardogs – a $40 PvP shooter – added another 146K to an already massive pile (nearly 1.6M total). It’s published by Team17 and made by Bulkhead. It plays somewhere between the tactical squad stuff of … Squad and the all-out-chaos battlefield of … Battlefield. It’s up to 100 players, and it’s out in about 10 days. It’s already pre-sold over 500K copies on Steam ($16.6M), boosted by a pre-order-only beta. It sold another 70K copies during gamescom, too. Afterworld managed 121K new wishlists. It’s a Paradox-made post-apocalyptic grand-strategy game, and it was announced at the show. It’s a departure from Paradox’s usual historical stuff, and the studio’s first new setting in over a decade. The Paradox purists are into it, with over half its wishlisters having played Hearts of Iron IV (19% this month) and 41% Crusader Kings III (17% this month). Metro 2039 got 110K during the show, tunnelling its total past 1.3M. Nearly 40% of wishlisters have played 2020’s Metro Exodus, the previous mainline title in the series. The Metro novels are Russian, dev 4A Games is Ukrainian, and it’s set in Moscow, so it’s unsurprising that – after the US (17.3% of wishlisters) – the next two countries are Russia (12.7%) and Ukraine (10.0%). The Blood of the Dawnwalker drew in (the blood of) 108K new wishlisters, now totalling an impressive 1.7M (at a $70 price point, though). It’s an open-world dark-fantasy action-RPG set in 14th-century Europe (with vampires!), made by some former Witcher devs at Rebel Wolves. Again, it shows. Over half of Blood of the Dawnwalker’s wishlisters have played The Witcher 3, and its #2 market is Poland, home of Rebel Wolves. That’s that hometown-hero effect we keep banging on about again! And Blood of the Dawnwalker plays very well, by the way. While it looks like a Witcher clone on the surface, it actually brings a lot to the table mechanics-wise. I love the whole time-as-a-currency spin on RPG gameplay. It gives the game a different, refreshing pace. Essentially, you start Blood of the Dawnwalker with a pool of 480 action points spread across 30 days and 30 nights. As for how the game performs, we’ll be posting some numbers next week, so hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready. Subscribe The Witcher’s legacy ripples Make no mistake: on a high level, this was The Witcher‘s gamescom. The #1 game by wishlisters was a Witcher 3 DLC. Warlock is clearly Witcher-inspired – as is Blood of the Dawnwalker, which was made by ex-Witcher devs. There was a lot of other cool stuff on the floor that we’ll no doubt be covering in subsequent newsletters, though! As always, wishlists went through the roof for sequels, remakes, DLC, and licensed IP. As always, though, these wishlists will likely convert to about 5% to 10% of launch-day buyers, with the probable exception of The Witcher DLC – the exception that proves the rule. Either way, we’ve got a nice, diverse list here – one that is very Witcher-y, Paradox-y, and – if you’re a fan of great games on Steam – a bloody good list. We even got a bunch of new IP to get excited for. Great gamescom! Even if we are still processing that unfathomable number of mini Kölsch beers! One more thing: GTA 6 broke the internet (again) Move aside, Spider-Man and The Odyssey (I love you both, really). But the decade’s defining entertainment zeitgeist is round the corner. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Rockstar dropped an extended look at GTA 6 last week. It was INSANE, the most impressed I’ve ever been by a showcase like this. You can see the budget seeping through every second of the extended look, and this level of game is unobtainable for any other publisher. Everyone’s going nuts, and rightly so. GTA 6 is out in holiday 2026, and it’ll be the biggest entertainment release ever, full stop. For those without a PS5 or Xbox Series console, a $500-$900 console is a big ask in this economy, but GTA will pull a lot of last-generation-console fence sitters over the current-gen fence either way: The autumn timing puts GTA 6 on (digital) shelves for the holidays, meaning a PS5 or Xbox (let’s be honest, mostly the former) will be on many a Christmas and Hanukkah list. Demand will outweigh the struggling supply, though, and PS5 Pros are already sold out and being sold at a markup via scalpers. Every console that isn’t on a shelf is a sale deferred or lost, and worse, it hands scalpers the margin. GTA has cultural clout that reaches everyone. It’s been a mainstream fixture since 2001’s GTA III and its clout has only grown exponentially since then. There’s a touchpoint for every generation alive. The FOMO-word-of-mouth double punch does the rest. Loading... It’ll reactivate the lockdown cohort, the millions who picked up gaming in 2020-21 and churned. GTA 6 will bring them back. Remember when College Football 25 brought a bunch of US gamers to current-gen consoles? GTA will do that globally. Once they’re back (or upgraded), and all GTA’d out, the fresh current-gen-console folks will check out the rest of the current-gen catalogue they missed. GTA Online, if not free to play, will also lead to a boost for PS+ and Xbox Game Pass, another boost for the ecosystem players. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Even some of the smug PCMR 60FPS crew won’t be able to resist their FOMO and will bite the bullet on a console to play this one early (then double dip). The consoles cost the same as a decent stick of RAM these days anyway lmao… Don’t get me wrong, though. GTA 6 is no silver bullet for the mature console market, but it does prime the current gen for a couple of strong swan-song years. And it’ll also give the consoles more users from which to maximise ARPU. ‘’We are in the latter half of the lifetime cycle of [the PS5],’’ said Sony President and CEO Hiroki Totoki in a Wall Street Journal interview. ‘’That means we do not need to aggressively sell the console today; rather than that, we are focusing on the current revenue from the current user base.’’ The biggest, best premium games always arrive late in a console cycle, so getting more players aboard now, ahead of that content storm (the new current-gen-only Call of Duty included), is a clear win for the platforms. On the Netflix thing, though: let’s all chill out a bit, like. Half my LinkedIn feed was going bonkers treating the reveal debuting on Netflix like it’s the future of entertainment. It wasn’t. It was a six-hour head start, and Netflix left that detail out of the “first-of-its-kind partnership” press release. The extended look hit Netflix at 3pm ET on 27 August, then went up on YouTube and Rockstar’s site for everyone six hours later. And it was all over social immediately, anyways. This reveal was going to reach an untold number of people whether it debuted on Netflix, YouTube, a Times Square screen, or a group chat. The last trailer did nearly half a billion views in a day with no gatekeeper at all. Netflix just stood next to that audience for six hours, borrowing it. It’s was a tidy deal for Netflix, sure. But every outlet on earth was breaking the thing down frame by frame by the evening anyway. Anyway. I’m hype. And we’ll be covering some GTA numbers on the newsletter soon. So hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready! Subscribe The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
A spotlight on women in sports, including locals, at Virginia Beach Super Girl
The festival expands to the Oceanfront over Labor Day Weekend.
New York Jets Flight Connections 09/01/26
Happy Tuesday, Jets fans! Here are your links for today. Randy Lange – Aaron Glenn Assesses ‘Worst Weekend in Football’ and What It Means for the Jets Brian Costello – Jets see plenty of reasons to believe in Cade Klubnik as backup QB — even after uneven preseason Rich Cimini – Rookie Cade Klubnik is […]
‘Most’ of Star Wars Zero Company studio Bit Reactor was furloughed ahead of launch
Last week was meant to be a moment of triumph for Bit Reactor, the Maryland-based game studio founded in 2021 with ambitions to create a great new tactical combat game. On Thursday, August 27, Bit Reactor’s debut title, Star Wars Zero Company, released to stellar reviews. And, from the Gamescom show in Cologne, Germany, studio co-founder Greg Foertsch was giving interviews discussing what the studio’s next game may be. But for many developers on the game, launch has been bittersweet. Fans love it. Critics prefer it to most recent Star Wars games. Zero Company, which is out for PS5, Xbox Series consoles and PC, is the top-selling game on Steam. Much of the team that made it, however, is currently going without pay. They were furloughed, just weeks ahead of the game’s launch. A rep for Bit Reactor confirmed to Game File today that the studio had furloughed many of its workers prior to the game’s release. They said it was a difficult decision and one that had been made before it was clear how launch would go. The rep emphasized that the call to do this was Bit Reactor’s alone (meaning not from publisher EA nor Star Wars license holder Disney). While the rep declined to comment on the scale of the furloughs, a previously unreported lawsuit brought by studio co-founder Alison Kelly in 2024 noted in a filing from August 12 of this year that Bit Reactor “has furloughed most of its employees and terminated contractors…” One source told Game File the furloughs impacted 80% of the team; another referred to there only being a skeleton crew left on Bit Reactor’s active payroll, ready to address any of Zero Company’s post-launch bugs. The issue is that Bit Reactor, a studio formed in 2021, had run out of most of its money just ahead of the launch of its first game. Over the weekend, Zachariah Scott, a senior technical artist who worked at Bit Reactor from early 2023 until an acrimonious exit this past May, said on LinkedIn that the studio was “concealing the fact that the team was Furloughed weeks ago.” Reached by phone today, Scott told Game File that he spoke to nearly a dozen Bit Reactor workers over the weekend. “Everybody has essentially the same story, which is, ‘Yeah, I got furloughed three weeks ago.” The Bit Reactor rep told Game File that the studio hoped to bring furloughed workers back, suggesting that a successful launch of the game could be impactful. Scott told Game File that workers he spoke to were less confident that even if there were returns, that all who were furloughed would get their old jobs again. A heated dispute Bit Reactor’s mid-2026 was almost even more tumultuous. The lawsuit by co-founder Alison Kelly that first revealed the furloughs was initially slated to go to trial in June. The suit is a she-said/he-said about whether Kelly, until 2024 the chief operating officer of Bit Reactor, was a co-owner of the studio or whether it was solely owned by Greg Foertsch. In July 2024, Kelly sued, saying she was pushed out by Foertsch. She first sued in federal court and later refiled in Maryland’s Baltimore County, alleging breach of contract and that Foertsch had unjustly enriched himself. Kelly cited damages of over $20 million, on the basis of Bit Reactor allegedly being worth more than double that. Foertsch’s side has said Kelly was never a co-owner and has countered with claims about her job performance (which she has denied). The June trial was postponed until early 2027, as both sides have been deposing witnesses and filing more claims and denials along the way. Amid all of that, filings in the lawsuit reviewed by Game File paint a picture about Bit Reactor’s origins, early aspirations around tactics games, the team’s breakthrough in drawing the attention of Electronic Arts with the help of a pitch tied to one of EA’s non-Star Wars franchises, and early fractures among its co-founders. The real story about the company behind Zero Company
Two student deaths prompt University of Utah to share mental health resources
The University of Utah is mourning the deaths of two students who died in unrelated circumstances over the weekend and has shared mental health resources with t
Music and entertainment marathon planned for Labor Day weekend along the bay at Matanzas Inn, On the Bay
A three-day marathon of music and entertainment is in the works this Labor Day weekend at Matanzas Inn, On the Bay, and Petey’s Upper Deck. The businesses will be hosting live music and entertainment as part of a new event being called “Bash on the Bay” by organizers. The bash will be held Sept. 5-7 […]
Police saturate entertainment district in downtown Selma
From the West Alabama Newsroom– The Selma Police Department and the Dallas Co. Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint saturation detail in downtown Selma over the weekend. The detail was conducted in the city’s entertainment district — in response to a shooting incident that happened the previous weekend. “When you have 300 and something shots that were fired, one person injured,...
Lionel Richie admitted to ICU after St. Louis concert
Lionel Richie has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a St. Louis-area hospital after performing a show on his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire over the weekend.
USA TODAY Sports Super 15 East region football rankings, Week 3
After the East region's first full weekend of play, see which high school football teams top the East rankings this week.
Officials press Pennsylvania health department on ‘measles-associated’ deaths
Lancaster County Commissioner Josh Parsons wrote over the weekend. “If the governor disputes [the coroner’s] finding, he has a responsibility to say why in a clear, transparent way, rather than dismiss it. Nothing prevents him…
Sleeping in on weekends is good for the heart: What research has shown
Study finds that catching up on sleep at weekends is linked to a lower risk of hypertension.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta Steam numbers haven't budged in the second weekend, despite Warzone's arrival and transformative patch
Although many would argue the second beta weekend of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 was better in key ways, the numbers seemingly didn't reflect that.
Weekend Break: 810 Entertainment in South Barrington pairs brunch with some healthy competition
Chicago's Very Own source for breaking news, weather, sports and entertainment.
Weekend Break: Brunch, bocce and bowling? 810 Entertainment in South Barrington has all 3 and more
Chicago's Very Own source for breaking news, weather, sports and entertainment.
Colorado High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams
Valor Christian is looking very strong, and their cross-sectional matchup against Mater Dei this weekend will be one of the biggest games in the country.
‘Coyote vs. Acme’ surges past expectations, snagging No. 2 at domestic box office after cancellation
‘Coyote vs. Acme dropped an anvil on the domestic box office this weekend, surpassing projections for a $15.4 million premiere that placed it just behind ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and just ahead of ‘The Odyssey.’
Meep, meep. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opens with $15.5 million, 'Spider-Man' stays No. 1 for fifth weekend
Three years after Warner Bros. abruptly canned “Coyote vs. Acme,” the Looney Tunes feature film that was given a new lease on life by Ketchup Entertainment debuted with an estimated $15.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend. For the fifth weekend in a row, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” topped…
Weekend Break: Bowling, bocce and brunch? Yes, you can do all 3 and more at 810 Entertainment in South Barrington
810 Entertainment opened earlier this year in a newly renovated space in South Barrington, located in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.
Meep, meep. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opens with $15.5 million, 'Spider-Man' stays No. 1 for fifth weekend
Three years after Warner Bros. abruptly canned the Looney Tunes feature “Coyote vs. Acme,” it has a new lease on life thanks to Ketchup Entertainment. The movie debuted with an estimated $15.5...
Meep, meep. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opens with $15.5 million, 'Spider-Man' stays No. 1 for fifth weekend
Three years after Warner Bros.
Meep, meep. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opens with $15.5 million, 'Spider-Man' stays No. 1 for fifth weekend
Three years after Warner Bros.
Razmania Sports Festival brings kids face-to-face with Lions players, trading cards in Pontiac
Kids got a sports experience they won’t soon forget this weekend. At Razmania Sports Festival, young fans had the chance to meet their sports heroes, participate in youth drills and explore the world of trading cards.
A Grip on Sports: A couple things of note today? The NFL can't get here quickly enough. And it wasn't a great weekend for the local college football teams
A GRIP ON SPORTS • As far back as I can remember, Sundays have been lazy days. The calm after Saturday’s storms. The deep breath before Monday’s hamster wheel rolls again. A day for quiet contemplation of whatever higher power guides you. Until kickoff.