As an enthusiastic fan, I can’t help but reminisce about my first encounter with Pokémon GO’s Wild Area back in November 2024. It all began with a thrilling, in-person event held in the vibrant city of Fukuoka, Japan, on the 16th and 17th of that month. The excitement was palpable as we were introduced to the spectacular Gigantamax Toxtricity and the groundbreaking GO Safari Ball, marking their global debut a week later!
Evan Auyang of Animoca Group, when asked why China suddenly cares, muttered something about the U.S. GENIUS Act-the financial equivalent of handing a toddler a loaded gun. “It’s forcing China to speedrun adulthood,” he sighed, as if describing a teenager forced to pay alimony. 🚀💸
Cozy games, often informally referred to as such, are an expanding category within gaming. While some might say that games like _Harvest Moon_ on the SNES set the stage for this genre’s conventions, it’s worth noting that today’s relaxed, low-pressure gaming experiences have evolved significantly from those offered in the 90s. Numerous titles, including indie favorites such as _Cult of the Lamb_, demonstrate how cozy tropes can mask deeper, thought-provoking themes. A fresh game titled _Whisper of the House_ attempts something similar by blending warm, nostalgic cozy feels with dark and chilling horror elements.
Back in August 2023, I was thrilled to learn about an exciting new project within Bungie studios, code-named “Gummy Bears.” This intriguing title, as they shared in their recruitment tweet, draws inspiration from a diverse range of genres – from MOBAs and fighting games to life sims, platformers, and even those adorable ‘frog-type games.’
Fast forward to July 2024, and the studio underwent some changes. Regrettably, they had to let go of over 200 team members while also reassigning approximately 150 staffers to different divisions within Sony Interactive Entertainment. You might recall that Sony acquired Bungie in July 2022 for a whopping $3.6 billion.
These changes, however, seemed to foster new opportunities. The Gummy Bears development team was spun off and given the chance to establish their own studio, called teamLFG. Excitingly, Sony officially announced the launch of this new venture in May 2025. I can’t wait to see what they create next!
A character with intelligence and ingenuity may find ways to utilize any Devil Fruit effectively, but it’s clear that some fruits offer greater potential than others. Depending on whether they are wielded for good or ill, these abilities can shape or end the world. The most hazardous Devil Fruits grant their users near divine power, inspiring terror in entire nations.
Fans of Jujutsu Kaisen have been feeling rather deprived lately, mainly due to the wrap-up of the manga last year. It’s likely that many followers of the tale are already aware that Jujutsu Kaisen concluded with Chapter 271, and since then, the author has only released a solitary one-shot.
Turns out, the big players-aka the “strong hands”-are still holding on around $15, while the small fry are backing away, scared silly. Our good friend Teresa – no, not the one who bakes cookies, the analyst – spotted that folks who panicked and dumped their coins are now a little less frantic, suggesting some sort of bottoming out might be underway. A bit like a hangover easing after a wild night.
Even though My Hero Academia ended about a year ago, there continues to be strong interest in the series due to Horikoshi’s unwavering commitment to his fans. This year alone, he has released two one-shots, a fanbook, and an art book for the series, adding even more exciting content.
Following a significant setback approximately a month prior, Crystal Dynamics faced mass job cuts. On July 2, Microsoft made the announcement that they would be letting go of thousands of employees across all departments. This included the closure of studios such as The Initiative, where a remake of Perfect Dark was underway for both PC and Xbox consoles. Prior to its acquisition by Embracer Group in 2021, Crystal Dynamics had been enlisted by Microsoft to aid The Initiative in smoothing out the development process of Perfect Dark. Unfortunately, the widespread layoffs by Microsoft led to the cancellation of Perfect Dark, which had initially been unveiled to the public during the 2020 edition of The Game Awards, some four and a half years prior.
Meanwhile, Gemxbt (think of them as the Mark Darcy of chart analysis but with less awkward stammering), scooped up compliments for calling Solana’s breakout above the 200-day SMA-cue confetti and minor existential crises among bears. This is basically the cryptocurrency equivalent of breaking up with mediocrity and texting all your friends “I’m finally thriving, babe.” That breakout has influencers (and wannabe influencers) dusting off their bullish hashtags, reminding us that hope springs eternal when the trend shifts and the crowds start chanting “to the moon.” 🌝🚀