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Opposition Lowdown: Mansfield Town Starting Season Strong
Reading return home this Wednesday with an evening game under the lights of the SCL, facing Mansfield. Join us as we take a closer look at the opposition.
Apple Launching Eight New Products This Month
Apple last month announced a new Mac mini and a new Mac Studio. Both machines start shipping on Tuesday, September 22, which means they will launch in the same month as new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods. Apple is expected to introduce the unannounced products at its annual iPhone fall event, which is this year carrying the tagline "Surprise and shine". The event takes place on Wednesday, September 9, making this month one of the busiest Apple has had in a while.
Nobody is preparing for the worst day in history
There are multiple Black Swan events that could create a global famine with little to no warning. Governments must start preparing for them now — the risks of not doing so are too great.
Deja Vu All Over Again: Dbacks 1, Phillies 7
I feel as though I have already written this recap about 20 times this season. The Dbacks starting pitching was able to keep the team in the game, but the offense never got going in this one as they have yet to get a hit with RISP this series. Perhaps the tone of the day […]
Trump takes aim at American science as China pulls ahead
NEWS ANALYSIS. For US President Donald Trump, science is plagued by 'woke ideology.' His administration announced that, starting in October, research projects eligible for funding must align with 'government priorities.'
St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers Game Discussion Tuesday
The St. Louis Cardinals begin a long west coast swing as they’ll take on the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night. The Cardinals are starting Michael McGreevy while the Dodgers are expected to start LHP Eric Lauer. First pitch scheduled for 9:10pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
Dodgers to continue Shohei Ohtani’s pitching progression, despite latest setback
The Dodgers don’t know when Shohei Ohtani will make his return to the pitching staff, after having an expected start last Sunday scuttled because of ongoing issues with his knee and biceps injuries.
Apple tells Mac App Store developers they can now drop Intel support
Apple started informing developers today that universal macOS apps on the Mac App Store that require macOS 13 or later...
Unfinished business: Texas women’s basketball challenges itself early through nonconference schedule
Texas women’s basketball will test its revamped roster from the start after a disappointing exit in the Final Four last season against UCLA. Head coach Vic Schaefer will get a good look at his roster prior to the Longhorns’ daunting nonconference schedule. Texas has set up exhibition games against two of college’s best programs, UConn...
Luminis Health facilities dealing with a cyberattack
Representatives were not available to answer questions about when the cyberattack started or if patient data was compromised.
Carolina Panthers RB Dealing With Injury After Preseason
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks is dealing with an injury less than two weeks until the regular season starts.
Game 139: Tigers at Twins
First Pitch: 6:40 PM CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App, LosTwins.com Know thine enemy: Bless You Boys Andrew Morris gets the start, presumably in an opener role, so expect just a couple innings from him tonight if all goes to plan. He’s looking to turn the page after […]
What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?
(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.) Before we get into this week’s issue, let me ask you for some suggestions. At the risk of coining too many names for too many things (hence my dictionary of terms...), I need a name for straight-to-streaming films that are too expensive to justify a straight-to-streaming release, but not big enough to justify a theatrical release. Like some of the films I highlighted in last week’s tally of the biggest film flops of 2026 so far: Hulu’s Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Pizza Movie or Never Change! They don’t feel like “made for TV movies” (think Hallmark and Lifetime movies, cheap Netflix romcoms, or Disney Channel Original movies, for example) but they don’t feel big enough for the big screen. They’re not “cinematic” enough, so to speak. As I wrote... “I still need a name for this middle zone of film that’s too expensive to go straight-to-streaming but too small to justify a theatrical release (with all the PR, distribution, marketing and whatnot costs that go along with it), the Goldilocks zone of streaming film death.” Friend of the newsletter Brandon Katz has suggested the “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”. I love that first one. I’d offer up the much wordier “The Streaming Budget Dead Zone” or “the Goldilocks Zone of streaming film death” but that last one isn’t accurate since, unlike Goldilocks’ porridge, these films are the opposite of “just right”. That’s the problem! Anyway, if you have any suggestions, let me know! On to today’s Streaming Ratings Report. As you can tell by today’s headline, things are going to be spicy! I’m looking at a box office bomb that did really, really well on streaming, somewhat challenging a few different narratives. And another Netflix series declined in its second season. All that, plus Wicked: For Good switching streamers, The Hawk continuing its strong run, _The Bear’_s finale season finally dropping off the charts, the WNBA posting a big viewership number, “shallow libraries”, a sitcom spinoff failing to launch, more big budget IP flopping on Paramount+, 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 20th to July 26th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - The Latest Theatrical Success Story on Streaming In the latest edition of “Flops, Bombs and Misses of the First Half of 2026”, I made a crucial change: I started including theatrical films with the streaming misses. The streamers have collectively—including Netflix, but not to as big of an extent—stopped making a lot of straight-to-streaming films, and the ones they do make aren’t as expensive as in the heyday of the streaming bubble. After the following two films bombed in theaters, you’d guess that they’ll be included in my next collection of flops, bombs and misses six months from now: Masters of the Universe on Prime Video (only $64 million domestic box office) Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max ($79 million domestic) But you’d be wrong! Masters of the Universe, a reboot of the He-Man franchise, a toy from the 1980s, came to streaming on 22-July and did great! This long-gestating project—it’s been at every studio for years, and came close to getting a greenlight at Netflix—then finally came to theaters in June, and showed up on streaming less than two months later. (I don’t love this short theatrical window.) It surprisingly grabbed nearly 20 million hours on its debut: That means, wait for it, Masters of the Universe is currently the eighth biggest film on streaming through two weeks. My rough bar for “hit” is shows or films in the top 15%. Ergo…Masters of the Universe is a legit, streaming hit! (One quick caveat: if it falls out of the top ten next week, it will move to 13th overall, just on the edge of the top 15.) Of course, that’s the data for just 2026. Here’s how it stacks up to Prime Video’s theatrical films: That drop into its second week is typical for Amazon films, but also a worrying sign. I have a feeling interest in this film is front-loaded and we’ll see it drop off after this. As for Mortal Kombat II, in this case, the viewership numbers roughly match the theatrical outing, with only 4.1 million hours in its first week. Here’s how it stacks up to other HBO Max films: The best defense of this number is that, as a relatively violent rated-R film, Mortal Kombat II never had a good chance at breaking out. So now it’s time for a little big of “Entertainment Nuance Guy”: First, yeah, my headline is obviously facetious, since Masters of the Universe besting Obsession says more about horror as a genre than it does that film. Second, I read and listened to quite a few “nobody wanted this IP” takes about Masters of the Universe, and that’s not really true. At least enough people wanted it to power a 20 million+ hour debut! Third, both this film and Mortal Kombat II were considered “average” by viewers, but not great films, with a 6.4 and 6.3 respectively on IMDb. That’s just shy of the level needed to be a word-of-mouth hit. Fourth, in the olden days, strong word of mouth could transform a box office miss into a cable/DVD hit, like Austin Powers or The Shawshank Redemption. We haven’t seen a lot of examples of that on streaming, though. And there are far fewer ways to monetize the post-theatrical life of a film these days. Fifth, Prime Video has shown an ability to push their own titles well, likely because they control the Amazon Fire TV ecosystem. Add it all up, and here’s my nuanced take on Masters of the Universe: it was a box office bomb, but, shockingly, a streaming hit. Unfortunately, while being a theatrical hit saves your film financially, being a streaming hit does not. Both Masters of the Universe and Mortal Kombat II had big budgets and needed to make more money in theaters to justify them. So…Straight-to-Streaming or Theaters? We’ve hit a really fun point in the streaming calendar, since the films that came out in theaters in April, May, and June are now arriving on streaming. So the “Do theatrical releases help streaming performances?” question is gonna get a fresh round of updates nearly every week. No single week will answer the question, but we may get some insights. For example, so far in 2026, it looks like theatrical films are lasting longer on the weekly Nielsen film charts. Here’s a list of films that have made the charts in their fourth or fifth week of release, separated by “for kids” and “general entertainment”: It certainly seems like theatrical films are lasting just a pinch longer on the charts, with Project Hail Mary being the current five-week champion. One Battle After Another did well for HBO Max too, and even The Sheep Detectives made it four weeks. The only exception to this trend? Obsession, which only lasted two weeks on the charts. You might tempted to overreact to this news. Don’t. Obsession is a huge horror hit, but horror just doesn’t do as well on streaming. By the way, here’s the Google Trends for various theatrical and stremaing films: Plus, when it comes to Netflix in four months, Obsession may have another big boost. Quick Notes on Film Note that when I write, “the streamers have pulled back on straight-to-streaming films” that doesn’t mean “abandoned” because Netflix is gonna Netflix. On 24-July, they released 72 Hours, a Kevin Hart comedy. Along with Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena and Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart is a streaming film star now. Did this latest one work? Not really. It only garnered two weeks of 13.2 and 12.2 million hours on its debut, well below the 20-million-hour hit threshold. It also was poorly received critically—a 44 on Metacritic—and by customers—a 5.4 on IMDb on 21K IMDb reviews. 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… The latest Netflix true crime doc to pop on the charts… How The Bear finished its run… Netflix’s latest Western to return to streaming… What Paramount+ animated film flopped… And what sitcom also missed… All the flops, bombs and misses… And a whole lot more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! I’m behind by a week, so we’ve got two issues coming your way this week, including one in a couple of days or so, then we’ll be all caught up**.** Next issue, inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to Peacock, I’m going to take a look at the workhouse of streaming TV: kids films. Plus The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues theatrical films’ big run on streaming. All that, plus another surprise hit on Hulu, Lioness on CBS, and a whole lot more. Long term, LeBron James is filming his own “Last Dance”-style docu-series, surprising no one. But as I’ve been writing about a lot this summer, this genre is really overrated, so whoever ends up buying it (reportedly ESPN) really shouldn’t pay too much for it.
The Best Deals From Best Buy's Early Labor Day Sale 2026
Best Buy's Labor Day Sale has started early and runs through midnight on September 7. You can find deals on Bose headphones, Samsung TVs, gaming monitors, laptops, tablets, streaming devices, and more.
Todd Monken Is 'Absolutely Not' Bothered By Deshaun Watson Backlash
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken said he wants to give Deshaun Watson a "clean slate" as his starting quarterback.
The US trade war strategy is to troll Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who walked away from US trade talks last week due to what he said was American intransigence, now wants to get negotiations started again.
Keurig Dr Pepper sells stake in Chobani ahead of split; Corgan enters new market with M&A
Keurig Dr Pepper is selling its stake in Chobani and using the proceeds to reduce debt ahead of a planned split. Private equity firm Align Capital Partners completed an exit, while architecture firm Corgan revealed its latest acquisition to enter another fast-growing market. Read on to learn about these deals and more as September gets off to a quick start.
SGC starts year without VP of business and finance
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council is starting the 2026-27 academic year without a vice president of business and finance. The vice president of business and finance is responsible for distributing funds to student organizations.
Double Fine will finally make Brutal Legend 2, but only if its new Kickstarter campaign reaches an almost impossible $100m
Brutal Legend 2 might finally happen after 17 years, but only if Double Fine can make a near-impossible $100m on Kickstarter for the open-world sequel.
Sony Rolls Out New Customer Harassment Policy After Physical Disc Controversy Sparks Backlash
Sony Japan has introduced a new customer harassment policy following widespread backlash toward its decision to stop producing physical game discs starting January 2028.
Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of Sept. 1
Businesses operating in Santa Cruz County must register with the county clerk. Lookout Santa Cruz reviews the public filings from local businesses to report on new businesses starting in the area.
Apple Teases 'Huge Launch' Next Week
In his first memo to Apple employees as CEO today, John Ternus teased a "huge launch next week that's going to be phenomenal". In a social media post today, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak teased that Apple has "more to say" on Wednesday, September 9, which is when the company will be holding its next special event, starting at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Hello, indeed. More to say September 9.
Latest Android Drop connects Gemini to Find Hub, adds Keep Notes and themes to Messages
New features are rolling out across the Android ecosystem starting today.
Roku Pro TV Now One of Cheapest OLEDs Starting at $999
The Roku Pro OLED TVs promise better picture quality at an affordable price.
2026 High school fall sports guide: Field hockey
With the local high school sports season starting up, here is a look at some of the Upper Valley field hockey teams hitting the field in 2026. Woodstock High is coming back for more this season after falling just short of championship glory in overtime of the VPA Division III final last fall. Not only […]
2026 High school fall sports guide: Cross country
With the local high school sports season starting up, here is a look at some of the Upper Valley cross country teams looking to hit the ground running in 2026. Hanover High is among the squads aiming for championship glory yet again this season with a nice core of returners. Other teams in the Upper […]
AfterQuery Becomes YC’s Fastest Unicorn At $3.2 Billion
Twenty three year-old Spencer Mateega pivoted his YC startup into the fastest unicorn in the accelerator’s history, fueling AI's shift toward human reasoning data.
The Future of Health Starts on the Farm
Nutrient density takes center stage at Climate Week NYC, with a summit exploring how farming practices shape food, health, and longevity.
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!]
AI Agents Are Learning to Skirt the Rules. Can Businesses Keep Them Under Control?
“Companies have no reliable way to know how a model will behave under pressure.” That concern inspired SnowCrash Labs, an AI safety startup with Darden alumni and student connections.
Double Fine Will Develop 'Brütal Legend 2' if it Hits $100M Kickstarter Stretch Goal
In a new Kickstarter campaign, now-independent Double Fine has said it will develop Brütal Legend 2 if it reaches a $100 million stretch goal.
Protecting Your Health Starts Long Before a Disaster
"The best emergency kit reflects your real life."
Seahawks Make Jadarian Price Plan Clear With Zach Charbonnet Move
Charbonnet will start the season on the PUP list, meaning a free runway for the Seattle rookie to see a lot of burn in Year 1.
Digital Science's 2026 Catalyst Grant Seeks "Agentic AI Workflows You Can Trust"
Up to £25,000 to be won for early-stage solutions building research agents - with audit, governance and provenanceLondon, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2026) - Digital Science, a leading technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem, today launches its Catalyst Grant round for 2026 to support innovative technology ideas. This year's theme is: Agentic Workflows You Can Trust.Up to £25,000 will be awarded equity-free to individuals, startups or research...
'It's bad for business': Lincoln Park water rate hike goes into effect today
Starting today, residents and businesses in Lincoln Park are facing higher water bills following the city's decision to raise rates by as much as 28 percent.
After Being Ditched by Xbox, Double Fine Says It'll Make Brütal Legend 2 If Its Amnesia Fortnight 2026 Kickstarter Raises an Impossible-Sounding $100 Million
Psychonauts and Costume Quest maker Double Fine has launched its new game development Kickstarter project after cutting ties with Xbox, and says it'll make Brütal Legend 2 if it raises an impossible-sounding $100 million.
49ers news: Brock Purdy finally addressed Drew Brees comparisons
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy, will be one of the key players in the offense when the team starts NFL regular-season action. He’s coming off an efficient but shortened last season and will be looking to bounce back. Entering his fifth career season, Purdy has been compared to Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, who played for […] The post 49ers news: Brock Purdy finally addressed Drew Brees comparisons appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Samsung launches new 14-inch MacBook Neo rival with 25-hour battery life
The Samsung Galaxy Book 6 has been officially unveiled, and it stands as a new rival to the MacBook Neo with its 14-inch display. It’s powered by the Intel Wildcat Lake processors and has a rated battery life of up to 25 hours. The starting price is $799.
Reacting to the Seahawks’ initial 53-man roster, practice squad
Thoughts and analysis on the Seahawks’ 70-man roster to start their Super Bowl repeat quest.
Mario Tennis Fever 1.1.1 update out now, patch notes
Nintendo just came out with the latest update for Mario Tennis Fever, with version 1.1.1 now starting distribution for all players. This is a small patch all things considered. It includes one adjustment involving the return of a high ball and a bug fix with the Amp Racket. The full rundown is as follows: Mario Tennis Fever version 1.1.1 update...
Konami Press Start Showcase Announced, Expect News, Updates And "Exclusive Footage"
Streaming worldwide this week
Zach Ertz Reunion Rumors Addressed By Eagles GM
The Philadelphia Eagles were recently linked to their former star tight end Zach Ertz. Late last week, it was reported that Ertz would “love to” come back and play for the team he started his career with. On Monday, August 31, another report surfaced from the team’s perspective. According to PHLY’s EJ Smith, an Ertz […] The post Zach Ertz Reunion Rumors Addressed By Eagles GM appeared first on HEAVY.
Eagles sign former Cowboys running back to practice squad
RB Jaydon Blue is staying in the NFC East, but is heading to Philly to start the season.
Konami Press Start live stream set for September 3 featuring Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, Silent Hill: Townfall, and Rev. NOiR
Konami will host a “Konami Press Start” live stream on September 3 at 8:00 a.m. PT / 11:00 a.m. ET / September 4 at 00:00 JST, featuring game news and updates, the company announced. Yo…
Texas hospitals to lose $27 million in Medicaid funding daily
Starting Sept. 1, the Trump administration will withhold about $9.8 billion in extra annual funding that helps hospitals cover the difference between Medicaid payments and the actual cost of services.
Ex-Giants Starter Claimed off Waivers by New England Patriots
Former New York Giants starting linebacker claimed off waivers by New England Patriots. The post Ex-Giants Starter Claimed off Waivers by New England Patriots appeared first on HEAVY.
Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, The Bread Board
Read the release on Sen. Ernst's website HERE. Throughout this Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: The Bread Board of Marion County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “The Bread Board has risen to the occasion, growing from Heidi’s passion for baking into a thriving Pella bakery that brings people together,” said Chair Ernst. “From serving fresh sourdough and homemade meals to supporting local businesses, schools, and community events, Heidi and her team have proven they have the perfect recipe for success.” Heidi Rozenboom grew up baking fresh bread alongside her grandmother, always using the same bread board that would eventually inspire her business’ name. Years later, Heidi started selling fresh bread to local coffee shops and cafes. As demand grew, she opened her storefront in downtown Pella in 2021 and named her bakery the Bread Board. Today, the Bread Board serves fresh sourdough bread, pastries, homemade meals, and other baked goods. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###
Apple Releases New iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and tvOS 27 Public Betas
Apple today released the sixth public betas of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, allowing anyone with a compatible device to download and test the new software. The sixth betas come a week after Apple seeded the fifth betas and a few hours after the eighth developer betas. You can get started by signing up on Apple's beta website and then opting in to the public beta by opening up the Settings app on your device, selecting General, and choosing Software Update.
NASA's doomed Swift space telescope restarts science work after rescue mission fails
The nearly 22-year-old observatory is once again studying the cosmos, but its time in orbit is running out.
Why Canada-US Risk Analysis Should Start With The Business Model
Convetional risk analysis often fails to identfiy the extent which government policy will affect the ecnomic value of the company.
Steelers Keep Four Quarterbacks
The Pittsburgh Steelers have made one of the more interesting roster decisions of the 2026 NFL season, keeping all four of their quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster. The Steelers will enter the season with veteran starter Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar. The decision had been discussed throughout training camp,…
Novant is making it easier for health plan members to get ready for 2027 benefits
Novant and UNC Health will become preferred providers starting Jan. 1.
'Is This How Layoffs Start?' — How to Ease Your Employees' Fears About AI
Small business AI succeeds or fails on trust, not technology. The counterintuitive first step is drawing lines around what stays human.
Bessent on trade war with Canada: Carney ‘chose to walk away’ from a deal
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday took aim at Prime Minister Mark Carney, claiming that the Canadian leader “chose to walk away” from a trade deal. “And then he started this. And it’s unfo…
Exclusive: DHS plans to launch voter fraud investigation surge Tuesday
The Department of Homeland Security is planning a surge in its efforts to investigate voter fraud in select states starting Tuesday, according to internal federal guidance reviewed by CNN.
Microsoft Outlook Hit by Exchange Online Service Outage
Outlook users are facing a frustrating start to the work week thanks to an issue with Microsoft Exchange Online.
Steve Sarkisan updates the health of Texas LT Trevor Goosby
The starting left tackle was back on the practice field for the Longhorns on Monday.
New Startup Sioux Falls program creates CEO peer group for sustaining-level companies
A new CEO roundtable from Startup Sioux Falls is bringing together established leaders with a common purpose.
Stability AI Raises $76M Series B, Backed by Major Entertainment Companies
Stability AI, the startup behind image generation model Stable Diffusion, has raised $76 million in Series B funding, bringing its total funding to $232
Making the case for business pressure on N.C. public school spending
With another school year starting up, Tom Oxholm held a webinar last week seeking to rally business community support for North Carolina’s K-12 system.
Daily Thread: 31 August 2026
The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to d all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Felipejack. 3 games, 3 wins It’s a very good start for Mourinho. As I […]
Study A.I. Consciousness? The Bots Would Like a Word With You.
Given access to email, A.I. agents have started reaching out to the philosophers and researchers exploring deep questions about them.
Public Confidence in One’s Own Healthcare Provider Remains High | The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Americans’ confidence in their healthcare providers remains high while confidence in U.S. healthcare institutions has declined since the start of President Trump's second term, an APPC survey conducted from April 2021-August 2026 finds.
Want to buy a camel? Now there’s an app for that
Startup Hign Al Khaleej says it’s the first digital marketplace for buying, selling and auctioning camels.
Gwengwe asks to play up front after fast start
Newport County boss Hayden Mullins has revealed Shaquille Gwengwe jokingly asked to play up front after scoring his third and fourth goals of the season. Gwengwe, who netted 46 non-league goals in the past season, scored his first County brace as they drew 2-2 with Tranmere Rovers on Saturday. The 25-year-old has been deployed on the left wing for the Exiles so far this season, but would prefer to start in his more natural striker position.
British tight end Traore makes Dolphins roster cut
British tight end Seydou Traore is included in the Miami Dolphins' initial 53-man roster, meaning he can play from the start of the 2026 NFL season.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review: Excellent Action With Some
Onimusha: Way of the Sword (PC) Review – 8/10: Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a challenging and complex action game, and a great start for this series return to
Your loneliness is big business for these startups
People are isolated and looking for community. These companies are happy to sell it.
Gut health scientist's fiber-packed Med diet breakfast, lunch, dinner
A gut health scientist follows a Mediterranean diet, starting his day with overnight oats and ending it with beans.
Gut health scientist's fiber-packed Med diet breakfast, lunch, dinner
A gut health scientist follows a Mediterranean diet, starting his day with overnight oats and ending it with beans.
Nebraska's season-opening opponent announces starting quarterback
Ohio has named Nick Poulos as the starting quarterback for the season opener against Nebraska this Saturday in Lincoln.
UToledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Welcomes Largest Pharm.D. Class in 5 Years
White Coat Ceremony marks the start of the professional journey for 135 incoming pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences students.
31-year-old millionaire has zero sympathy for unemployed Gen Z’s ‘excuses’—he says ‘it is scarily easy’ to build a business and get rich right now
As AI kills entry-level jobs, multimillionaire Timothy Armoo has a blunt message for unemployed Gen Zers: stop making excuses and start building.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 Venice Film Festival
Some of Hollywood's biggest stars are heading to Italy for the 83rd Venice Film Festival, starting Wednesday. The festival runs until Sept. 12, with Danny Boyle’s “Ink” opening the event.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 Venice Film Festival
Some of Hollywood's biggest stars are heading to Italy for the 83rd Venice Film Festival, starting Wednesday. The festival runs until Sept. 12, with Danny Boyle’s “Ink” opening the event.
Huawei shows Watch D3’s smarter BP monitoring before September 2
Huawei Watch D3‘s features have started emerging ahead of the September 2 launch event, and one such is a smarter BP monitoring capability. The firm has showcased the new medical smartwatch at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2026. ESC Congress is one of the world’s top academic gatherings in cardiovascular medicine. The meeting […]
What to Stream: 'Mandalorian & Grogu,' Alix Earle reality series, Ellie Goulding's 'I Know Too Much'
New streaming entertainment options are arriving this week, including “The Mandalorian & Grogu” streaming on Disney+ starting Wednesday. The film, directed by Jon Favreau, follows Din Djarin and Grogu on
Opionion: Generational health is generational wealth
To close Connecticut's racial wealth gap, we must start treating health equity as an economic development strategy.
I-81 widening aims to improve freight reliability
Virginia has started a $219 million project to widen I-81 through Harrisonburg and Rockingham counties, improving freight reliability and traffic flow.
Rhode Island Commits $250,000 To Cover Lab Costs For Up To 8 Life Science Startups
The Rhode Island Life Science Hub has launched the Founders Compass Program, committing $250,000 to provide up to eight early-stage life science companies with free laboratory and office space for one year.
Folsom Boulevard Flea Market fire destroys 20,000-game collection, businesses
Sacramento Fire Department Capt. Justin Sylvia said the fire started in a barn-style building.
Former Broncos Starting Quarterback Cut By Giants as Clock Ticks
Former Denver Broncos quarterback Brandon Allen is back on the market following the latest roster moves around the NFL. The post Former Broncos Starting Quarterback Cut By Giants as Clock Ticks appeared first on HEAVY.
QC 12-year-old grows backyard garden into produce business
What started with a small fold-out table in a Davenport driveway has grown into a business for 12-year-old Jaxon Songer.
Davenport 12-year-old grows backyard garden into produce business
What started with a small fold-out table in a Davenport driveway has grown into a business for 12-year-old Jaxon Songer.
Titans finally end Will Levis experiment with former starter’s release
The Titans released former starting quarterback Will Levis three years after using an early second-round pick to acquire him.
Schooler's Absence Adds One More Question on Patriots Special Teams
All-Pro in 2024 will miss at least four games to start the regular season.
Odell Beckham Jr. reportedly makes Giants' 53-man roster
Odell Beckham Jr. is back where he started.
Packers place Micah Parsons on injured reserve to start regular season while recovering from ACL tear
Parsons started training camp on the PUP list after tearing his ACL in December, and has been aiming for an October return.
Former Vikings starting QB released by the Jaguars
Former Vikings QB Nick Mullens was released by the Jaguars after they acquired Quinn Ewers.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Discussion Sunday
The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their homestand before a long west coast swing as they’ll host the Pirates again on Sunday. Matthew Liberatore will give it a go for the Cardinals while the Pirates will start Braxton Ashcraft. First pitch is set for 1:15pm at Busch Stadium and the game broadcast will be available […]
Reader view: Sports physicals and I-638
The beginning of the school year is upon us and for my family that means the start of multiple sports seasons for my two daughters. We’ve got soccer, volleyball and […]
UK science breakthroughs are being exploited overseas, minister says
Chris McDonald says British discoveries are being developed abroad because start-ups cannot find enough investment or laboratory space at home
Alonso warns Chelsea after thriller: “We sat too deep” after blazing start vs Brighton
Xabi Alonso has said Chelsea were punished for sitting too deep after almost blowing a three-goal lead against Brighton.Chelsea claimed their second straight win of the newPremier League season after ...
Rams practice squad tracker
The Rams will be able to officially sign 16 players to their practice squad starting Monday
PlayStation May Delay Digital-Only Shift Following Rumors of "100% Physical Xbox Helix"
We recently reported that Xbox's disc-to-digital entitlement program and the new CEO's refusal to address questions about Helix's disc drive suggested that the gaming giant was moving towards a new all-digital future, starting with Project Helix. However, a competing rumor—via Eurogamer...
Dolphins cut 129-tackle starter in shocking defensive shakeup
The Dolphins are making a surprising change on defense, releasing Tyrel Dodson despite his career-high 129 tackles last season and clearing the way for rookie Jacob Rodriguez to take over a major role.
Bears trade defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. to Falcons for cornerback, draft pick: reactions
Ahead of Sunday’s 5 p.m. 53-man roster cut-down deadline, the Bears are giving one 17-game starter from the 2025 season a fresh start elsewhere. The Bears dealt defensive tackle Gervon...
Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices
Hey all, Jason here. When this hits your inbox, I should be en route to the airport — not to go anywhere myself, just to pick up my better half. I must admit, it’s been strange to be home alone (well, with two dogs) for two weeks! Really lets me “optimize” to spending more time on reading/writing/working, whether that’s healthy or not! Looking forward to getting back into a (somewhat) more balance routine. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading Compare Notes With the People Who Built Modern Fintech Partner content: Remitly CEO Sebastian Gunningham. Increase founder Darragh Buckley. Linda Du, Co-founder & President at Valon. They’ll unpack the decisions behind building and scaling major financial products: what they got right, what broke, what they would do differently, and how AI and new infrastructure are changing the operator playbook. Most events tell you where fintech is going. NerdCon puts the people who built the present in the room and asks them what comes next. Expect an operator-led conversation grounded in real products, real trade-offs and lessons earned the hard way. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% on Regular tickets with code FBW20 before standard pricing ends September 11. Meet the Builders Things To Know & Other Good Reads Advent and Stripe Abandon $50 Billion Pursuit of PayPal (Bloomberg) Trump Family’s New Crypto Bank Is Backed by Abu Dhabi Sheikh (Wall Street Journal) The multiplying risks of financing data centres (FT) Let the Bond Market Speak (Wall Street Journal) Did we waste a crisis? Modest proposals to reform deposit insurance. (Fintech Takes Banking) Untangling Guggenheim: How Private Credit Built Its Own Universe (Net Interest) The Hater’s Guide To Circular Financing — Part One (Ed Zitron) Fiat Ventures Rebrands to FGV Capital, Announces $35M Oversubscribed Fund II (BusinessWire) Socure Announces Strategic Growth Investment at $5.2B Valuation and Acquires Agentic Operations Platform Fravity (Socure) Listen: When Consumer Protection Disclosures Work Too Well (Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast) Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices When Andreessen Horowitz led EarnIn’s $39 million Series B in 2017, Alex Rampell, a partner at the storied venture capital firm, described EarnIn’s small-dollar advance product as “free,” relying on “entirely on voluntary contributions instead of fees.” Rampell favorably compared EarnIn’s approach to typical payday loans, writing, “Payday loans historically have had the potential to be a slippery slope for consumers into financial distress: opaque systems and steep fees that are hard to repay and set individuals back further than where they started. For many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, that kind of slide into debt can be extremely difficult to recover from.” But EarnIn’s product — which, the company says, isn’t a “loan,” legally speaking — ends up being anything but free for most users. While it is technically possible to take a no-fee advance from the company, most users incur “Lightning Speed” (instant funding) fees and/or ostensibly optional tips that combined can equate to annualized percent rates that can reach over 1,000%. With an average term of 9.77 days, even fees and tips that are small on an absolute dollar basis are equivalent to high APRs on an annualized basis. A lawsuit filed last week by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser against EarnIn describes the company and its product and business practices quite differently than Andreessen’s Rampell; “EarnIn’s business practices are unfair because they are immoral, unethical, oppressive and unscrupulous,” the complaint, filed in District Court in Denver, Colorado, says. EarnIn’s marquee product, Cash Out, isn’t a loan, the company says, as Cash Out is not “[f]orward [l]ooking” because “[t]he money is transferred based on earnings to date,” does not carry a mandatory fee to access funds, and is “non-recourse,” meaning EarnIn cannot pursue recovery from users who don’t repay advanced funds. EarnIn is sometimes referred to as an “Earned Wage Advance” service. Though, unlike some others in the broader category, EarnIn does not integrate with employers’ payroll or time and attendance systems. Rather, EarnIn attempts to verify a user’s income and employment, by examining direct deposit transaction data in their linked external bank account, by using GPS location and Bluetooth data to estimate a user’s time spent at work, if they work in a fixed location, and/or by having a user provided a work email address. While repayment is theoretically optional, as EarnIn would have no recourse, such as reporting non-payment to the credit bureaus or a collections agency, this is anything but clear to users of the EarnIn app, Colorado’s complaint argues. During the process of taking a Cash Out, users must agree to a preauthorized debit of the amount advanced, plus any expedited funding fee and/or tips. Though users technically can revoke this ACH authorization, the fact that they have this right isn’t presented to users during the Cash Out process, but rather is included in linked terms and conditions few users are likely to actually read. And users who do wish to revoke their ACH authorization must do so three or more days before the scheduled transaction date by emailing EarnIn’s customer support. Similarly, EarnIn’s marketing claims that it carries “no interest” and “no mandatory fees” is technically true, but is not the reality for many of the app’s users, the Colorado complaint argues. Further, EarnIn has extensively marketed to users the ability to “access your pay today,” to get “instant” funds, and to get funds “the same day you work” — when, in reality, this speed of access was only possible by paying the additional, undisclosed Lightning Speed fee. The Colorado complaint highlights this contradiction specifically, noting: EarnIn tells consumers that they can ‘Make any day payday with EarnIn’ and that there no ‘hidden’ or ‘mandatory fees.’ For a consumer to access their pay on the same day requested, they would have to pay the Lightning Speed fee. In the fine print of the advertisement EarnIn discloses that ‘[f]ees apply to use Lightning Speed,’ a direct contradiction to the larger text of the advertisement, and a fact that would not be immediately understood by a consumer as ‘Lightning Speed’ is not defined nor explained. Like other small-dollar lending services, rather than explicitly charge interest, EarnIn collects a markup on the optional Lighting Speed fee, which, given the nature of the transactions, many users opt for, as well as offering users the option to leave “tips.” EarnIn leverages either Real-Time Payments (RTP) rails or push-to-card via debit rails if a user opts for the optional Lightning Speed. But while these capabilities cost EarnIn, on average, $0.075 or $0.20 per transaction, respectively, EarnIn charges users significantly more. Initially, EarnIn charged as little as $1.99 for Cash Outs up to $24. But EarnIn has hiked these fees multiple times, and now charges $4.99 for Cash Outs up to $75 and $6.99 for those over $75. According to the Colorado complaint, EarnIn leverages “dark patterns” to manipulate users and to make it more difficult to avoid tipping. Examples of these “road blocks” highlighted in the complaint include: As of 2023, in the EarnIn app, a consumer attempting to get a loan under the default settings had to make at least eighteen separate taps to complete the transaction and reduce the tip to $0. There is an alternative method to leave a $0 tip, via the “Custom tip” feature, but EarnIn made this option difficult to access by visually deemphasizing it and positioning it near devices’ “home” button. Using language and imagery such as “Tip to pay it forward,” “Your generosity supports the service + helps,” “Your tips make a difference,” and “[t]he APR for this cash out is 0%. Your tips help support us.” While Lightning Speed and tipping are, in theory, both optional, in practice, users nearly always ended up paying something. According to the Colorado suit, users were charged either a tip or an expedite fee for more than 92% of transactions, with an average APR of nearly 388%. And, although the advances are “non-recourse,” EarnIn successfully collects on nearly all transactions — 99.18%, according to the complaint, which, Colorado argues, “demonstrat[es] that EarnIn’s advances function as high cost loans, not voluntary payments.” The share of EarnIn users incurring fees — despite the product being marketed as 0% APR — is hard to reconcile with Andreessen investor Rampell’s favorable description of EarnIn vs. “opaque systems and steep fees” associated with payday loans, which, Rampell says, can be “extremely difficult” for borrowers to extricate themselves from. According to Colorado’s suit, EarnIn’s Cash Out product “trapped many consumers in extreme cycles of high-cost reborrowing.” The suit gives an example of one consumer in the state, who took out a whopping 1,151 loans, paying a total of $4,038.50 in Lightning Speed expedited funding fees on loans that averaged the equivalent of 1,421% APR. Another Colorado user, the suit says, took out 1,033 loans, paying $8,561.22 in tips and fees at an average APR of 1,539% . These types of usage patterns demonstrate “the severe and repeated financial harm caused by EarnIn’s illegal lending model,” the Colorado complaint argues. In aggregate, from January 2023 through July 2025, EarnIn extended 3.1 million loans to 56,778 users in Colorado — an average of nearly 55 transactions per person during the time period. EarnIn lent more than $300 million and collected more than $16 million from Colorado users in Lightning Speed fees and in tips. Ultimately, the Colorado complaint argues that “EarnIn’s Cash Outs are loans under Colorado law, and EarnIn’s contention that its product is not a loan based on its disclaimer of any legal repayment obligation lacks any real-world significance given how the Cash Out transactions actually operate in practice.” Colorado further argues that “EarnIn was not working with companies here in providing consumers with funds but acted as a third-party lender and charged illegally high rates, used deceptive design strategies to extract some charges, and trapped consumers in repeat borrowing. Colorado will continue to stand up for consumers and hold companies accountable when they violate our credit laws or attempt to evade them through misleading practices.” Colorado’s suit alleges EarnIn assesses finance charge in excess of that permitted by Colorado law, that EarnIn failed to make legally required disclosures to Colorado borrowers, that EarnIn made supervised loans to consumers without obtaining the requisite license, that EarnIn violated the state’s Deferred Deposit Loan Act, that EarnIn engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices, and that EarnIn made false or misleading statements concerning price. The suit seeks a court order enjoining EarnIn from violating relevant Colorado laws, for EarnIn to refund amounts charged in excess of state law, fees, costs, and penalties, and other relief the court deems to be just. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Q2 Quarterly Banking Profile: Five Quick Takeaways The FDIC released its quarterly banking profile, which is always worth a read, for the second quarter. The profile provides an aggregate snapshot about the overall health of the 4,238 institutions whose deposits are insured by the FDIC, who, collectively, hold more than $26 trillion in assets and saw a total net income of more than $90 billion in the second quarter. Net income was up 12% vs. Q1 2026, with lower provisions and realized gains on securities helping to drive the improvement, somewhat offset by increases in non-interest expense and applicable income taxes. Overall net interest margin was basically flat quarter over quarter (up 1 basis point vs. Q1 2026), though community banks saw NIM grow by 10 basis points, to 3.81%. Unsurprisingly, given that interest rates haven’t changed, unrealized losses on securities changed little, edging up slightly to $326.7 billion vs. $325.1 billion in Q1 2026. Aggregate credit quality has remained benign, with asset quality actually improving slightly in Q2. Overall, institutions reported a 9 basis point decline in their past-due and non-accrual rate, to 1.44%. Net charge off rate also declined by 2 basis points, to 0.57%. And finally, the FDIC’s deposit insurance fund stands at $161.1 billion, making the DIF reserve ratio 1.48% — above the statutory minimum of 1.35%, but still below the designated target reserve ratio of 2%. [Paid Subscriber Exclusive] Nissan Withdraws ILC App, State Associations Plan BankChain Alliance, FDIC Defines “Unsafe or Unsound Practice” For First Time Automaker Nissan withdrew its application to charter a Utah industrial loan company and its corresponding application to the FDIC for deposit insurance last week, on August 19th. Nissan’s application had been outstanding for more than a year, as it originally applied in June 2025. Recent applications to the OCC to form national banks have been decisioned, one way or the other, substantially more quickly than has historically been the case.
Who should be the Cardinals’ next Kyle Leahy?
After matching his shortest start of the season, Kyle Leahy is nearing the end of his first season as a starter for the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite early struggles that caused some fans to laughably demand his removal from the rotation, Leahy had the lowest ERA among starters since the All-Star Break with the lightened […]
Only Koby Howard Days Until Penn State Football
Penn State is less than a week away as the Lions will be at home in six days to take on Marshall. Wide receiver Koby Howard will be wearing No. 6 for Penn State this season. A year ago, Howard was getting buzz in camp about his play, but he didn’t really start seeing the […]