Tag:

Expansion

Opening Night Live buried the lede with WoW’s Midnight expansion – the MMO has a load of new additions coming that are genuinely interesting

by admin August 20, 2025

Gamescom Opening Night Live was packed full of new game reveals as is tradition, one of the fancier looking ones surely being the new cinematic for World of Warcraft’s Midnight expansion. Blizzard cinematics are always fantastic, the team responsible for them having seemingly made a pact with eldritch forces to maintain a level of quality one would think insurmountable.

But aside from the glitz and glamour of this cinematic, and the community-wide sigh of relief from the World of Warcraft community that Lor’themar didn’t get murdered live in front of Geoff Keighley, loads of other dope World of Warcraft related information was dropped that you may have missed. Here’s the good stuff.

Watch the cinematic for World of Warcraft: Midnight here!Watch on YouTube

World of Warcraft has housing and it looks pretty cool

My house! | Image credit: Activison Blizzard

A few months back Blizzard announced its intention to eat Final Fantasy 14’s lunch and add player housing into the game, without virtual landlords and camps of destitute players camped outside of plots they’ve heard may be going up for sale soon.

There’s a housing virtual tour website you can use right now to get an idea of what these homes will look like, and a gameplay demonstration at Gamescom gave us a look at what customising a house would actually be like via the lens of various content creators. Seeing internet celebrities place down a dozen carpets has never been so exciting.

Housing will either be a new venture for collectors and social players that’ll add another layer of immersion and lovely personalisation, or it’ll be a barren building speed levelers will run into briefly once when the expansion comes out before racing to max level and wiping in Mythic zero dungeons. Either way, cool. Those who pre-order the expansion can gain access to play housing early, obviously.

New Demon Hunter specialisation and a new allied race

Perhaps the most Avenged Sevenfold spec of all time. | Image credit: Activison Blizzard

A new Demon Hunter specialisation – called the Devourer – has been revealed. This void-focused spin on the edgiest class in WoW allows players to gorge themselves on the power of darkness, using the void to deal loads of damage. Using spells like “Collapsing Star” and “Hungering Slash”, you can pretend you’re not 35 years old and balding.

The Haranir will also be playable as an allied race in Midnight. These subterranean elvish / trollish people were introduced in The War Within and are a pretty rad spiritual subrace of intriguing weirdos. You’ll be able to play them as a Druid, Mage, Monk, Shaman, Priest, Warlock, Rogue, Warrior, and Hunter. Those who level ’em up get a hairy bat mount.

We’re going back to Blood Elf territory

I mean check this out… Brilliant. | Image credit: Activison Blizzard

One of the best zones Blizzard ever made purely from a perspective of vibrancy and high-fantasy vibes was Quel’Thalas. It’s a gorgeous forest filled with beautiful people with one big scar running down the middle. Well it turns out we’re going back, and not only will that big horrible scar be fixed up, but Silvermoon City will also be totally repaired. As a Blood Elf player, it’s a big victory all on its own.

You’re there to make sure the Sunwell doesn’t fall to the forces of evil, a tough endeavor considering the Sunwell has fallen twice already throughout its history. Still, it’s an excuse to head back to Zul’Aman and murder a third generation of Troll, as well as explore two new zones called Harandar and the Voidstorm. Nice.

A Prey system that might just fix the open world difficulty

Now every quest could be a lot more than you bargained for. | Image credit: Activison Blizzard

For years players have been doing quests and roaming around the open world in World of Warcraft with War Mode on, which would open you up to world PvP. This was meant to make questing a little more challenging, but frankly has mainly been used for an XP boost and for some niche collections.

The new Prey system is similar, though doesn’t require any PvP. Instead, by marking yourself as prey, you can go out and hunt (or be hunted) by tough bosses. There are three difficulties too, so it should all be genuinely tricky for those looking for some extra excitement.

Mounts and house customisation pieces can be gained by signing up, so all in all it’ll likely offer a decent diversion for those looking to extend their time in the Midnight zones, rather than through themselves at raids with terrible friends.

So there’s actually a lot to be excited for with World of Warcraft: Midnight. I, someone who swore off the game a year or so ago, has once again reinstalled the MMO and have found myself roaming around the world. Such is the cycle of WoW. I may even pre-order the expansion, for a mount I will ride around only once and transmog I shall never use.

Source link

August 20, 2025 0 comments

A frosty barbarian from Grim Dawn: Fangs of Asterkern leans with a halberd, a vicious snow wolf companion looming behind her.

Product Reviews

Grim Dawn’s next expansion will be honkin’ huge, with 54 new bosses and more than 380 new unique items, it takes up ‘approximately 3.55sq. km’

by admin June 23, 2025

During the Great Britpop Wars of the 1990s someone might have asked you whether you preferred Oasis or Blur. The correct answer was “Pulp, actually.” Likewise, if someone asks whether you like Path of Exile 2 or Diablo 4, the correct answer is Grim Dawn, dammit.

Crate Entertainment’s mud-and-blood action RPG was thought dead when its third expansion, Fangs of Asterkarn, was announced out of the blue in 2023. As Crate’s latest developer blog explains, the expansion was announced earlier in development than the previous two as a way of reminding people there was still life in the old girl yet. That’s one reason why it’s not out yet. The other is that it’s bloody ginormous.

“To put things in perspective,” writes designer Kamil ‘Zantai’ Marczewski, “by our current estimations, Fangs of Asterkarn will cover approximately 3.55sq. km, which makes it roughly 110% as big as Ashes of Malmouth. Kurnhold, the de-facto capital of the Kurn and the new quest hub, spans 4 zones, compared to the 1.5 that the Covenant of the Three took up in Forgotten Gods.”

For the sake of comparison, Forgotten Worlds took up only 2.5sq. km, and even the rather large Ashes of Malmouth was a slightly smaller 3.2sq. km. “Scattered across Asterkarn are 54 new bosses,” Marczewski goes on, “including 8 new Nemesis encounters. Mechanically, these bosses will feature some of the most advanced skill tech the game has had yet as we continue to push this aging engine to its absolute limits.”

With “over 380 new Unique items and 120 Monster Infrequents”, not counting Awakened Epic items or Ascended common drops, “Fangs of Asterkarn is Grim Dawn’s largest expansion, filled with the most unique assets, animations, and new creatures than we have ever done before.”

Which, again, suggests we shouldn’t expect to see it release too soon. Apparently “a late Fall/Winter 2025 release is within the realm of possibility” but it’s just as likely that’ll be adjusted to “Spring 2026, or even early Summer if we need more time to polish.” Hey, whenever it’s ready is good for us. It’s not like we don’t have plenty of other things to play this year. When’s Titan Quest 2 coming out, anyway?

(Titan Quest 2 is Suede in the Britpop comparison.)

Source link

June 23, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Chinese Central Bank Pledges Expansion of Digital Yuan

by admin June 18, 2025

China’s central bank chief Pan Gongsheng has pledged to expand the footprint of the digital yuan, reaffirming the country’s vision for its central bank digital currency (CBDC).

According to a Reuters report, China is creating an international operations center in Shanghai for the digital yuan, also known as e-CNY. Pan made the remarks at the Lujiazui Forum, a professional forum for high-profile local and international finance regulators and executives.

China envisions a “multipolar” currency system where multiple currencies support the global economy, Pan said. This vision contrasts with the current system, where a few currencies, like the US dollar and the euro, play large roles in the global financial system.

The US dollar, in particular, may have become less appealing to investors in 2025, partly due to the unscripted rollout of tariffs by US President Donald Trump over the past months.

Pan also weighed in on digital technologies, claiming that traditional cross-border payment systems are vulnerable to geopolitical risk.

“Traditional cross-border payment infrastructures can be easily politicized and weaponized, and used as a tool for unilateral sanctions, damaging global economic and financial order,” he said.

Related: Chinese Bitcoin ASIC makers to begin US production amid tariff pressure

The battle between stablecoins and CBDCs

Stablecoins, often pegged to the US dollar, have become well-known for their ability to facilitate cross-border transactions. These digital assets are considered one of crypto’s first breakthrough mainstream use cases and present a contrast to CBDCs, which are controlled by a centralized entity, such as central banks.

Despite the rising adoption of stablecoins, many countries continue to pursue CBDCs. Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, is advancing its stablecoin pilot program. In Europe, lawmakers across member states continue to push for a digital euro, while the United Arab Emirates expects to roll out the digital dirham by the end of 2025. Israel has also released a preliminary design for a digital shekel.

According to a Feb. 11 report from the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), CBDC interest is cooling among central banks, with 31% delaying implementation plans. Among the central banks, common concerns include regulation and economic conditions.

China began exploring the creation of a CBDC in 2014 and has plans to expand the digital yuan as a payment tool both internationally and domestically. The country has hoped to combat the US dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency. The two countries had been mired in a trade war since Trump rolled out the tariffs.

Magazine: Legal Panel: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Source link

June 18, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Oil rig horror game Still Wakes the Deep is going underwater in a surprise story expansion that arrives next week

by admin June 13, 2025

Still Wakes The Deep: Siren’s Rest | Announcement Trailer – YouTube

Watch On

It’s a scientifically proven fact that nothing good ever happens underwater, and that’s especially true in videogames. Subnautica, SOMA, Barotrauma, Iron Lung, the list goes on: Basically, if you’re in a videogame and you’re underwater, you’re in for a bad time. Which brings us to Siren’s Rest, the newly announced DLC for The Chinese Room’s oil rig horror game Still Wakes the Deep: That’s right, it’s going underwater.

There are spoilers of varying degrees to follow, so conduct yourselves accordingly.

First, a brief recap: Still Wakes the Deep takes place on the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland, which is struck by disaster in 1975—the sort of disaster that includes an “unknowable horror” that’s somehow made its way onboard. It’s a very good game: PC Gamer’s Elie Gould said it’s “one of the best stories I’ve played through in a very long time” in their 86% review, built on “the most traumatic dialogue and voice acting I’ve ever heard in a horror game.”

“If you can bear with the emotional toll and terrifying moments, then Still Wakes the Deep is an experience that I couldn’t recommend more highly,” Elie wrote. “Its unsettling monster and horrific setting are elevated by something that’s rare in horror games: meaningful relationships with other characters.”

Siren’s Rest follows 10 years after the events of the main game. The Beira D lies at the bottom of the North Sea, and the mystery of its disappearance remains unsolved. Which is where you come in: As the leader of a saturation dive to the rig’s wreckage, you are “a fragile light in the crushing dark,” sent to “uncover the fate of the crew and recover what remains of their passing.” As the trailer makes abundantly clear, the mission does not go smoothly.

It’s great to see Still Wakes the Deep getting some post-launch love: The game was critically well received and won a few BAFTAs, but I don’t think it was a huge seller, and all too often games that aren’t immediate big hits tend to be quickly abandoned. It’s also interesting because The Chinese Room, not an especially large studio, is developing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, a much more high-profile project that’s currently set to come out in October but still doesn’t have a solid release date—and, notably, has been delayed multiple times previously, although most of that happened before TCR took over.

Still Wakes the Deep: Siren’s Rest does have a release date, though, and it’s very close: It’s set to arrive on June 18 and is available for pre-purchase now on Steam.

Source link

June 13, 2025 0 comments

Circle stock price pump gains steam, but a crash may follow

Crypto Trends

Circle brings USDC to XRP Ledger in major stablecoin expansion post-IPO

by admin June 13, 2025

With native USDC support, the XRP Ledger gains a trusted, regulated stablecoin, while Circle accesses the ledger’s proven cross-border infrastructure for strategic expansion following its public debut.

USDC issuer Circle announced on June 12 that the world’s second-largest stablecoin by market cap has been deployed on the XRP Ledger, allowing developers, institutions, and users to access it directly on the network—without the need for bridging.

The company said its institutional stablecoin creation platform, Circle Mint, and Circle APIs now fully support USDC on the XRPL mainnet, bolstering the stablecoin’s liquidity while enabling users to benefit from the XRPL’s fast and secure infrastructure.

USDC use cases on the XRPL

According to the announcement, users can leverage USDC on XRPL for a range of purposes, including real-time payments and cross-border remittances. XRPL is known for low transaction costs and rapid global settlements. Ripple has noted that its payments platform has processed over $70 billion in transactions to date.

Developers can integrate USDC into decentralized finance products, trading applications, and on/off-ramping services. With support from Circle Mint and its APIs, institutions gain a streamlined gateway to issue, redeem, and manage USDC at scale, while taking advantage of XRPL’s decade-long track record of high throughput, low fees, and regulatory-friendly design.

“Regulated stablecoins like USDC coming to the XRPL will enable new institutional and retail use cases by leveraging the ledger’s built-in capabilities for compliance, tokenization, low-cost settlement, and seamless on/off-ramps,” said Markus Infanger, Senior Vice President, RippleX.

The integration marks a strategic step for Circle, coming just one week after its public listing. The move expands USDC’s footprint across major blockchain ecosystems and reinforces the firm’s commitment to embedding its stablecoin within both advanced crypto networks and legacy financial systems.

For XRPL, the addition of USDC enhances its appeal to wallets and global financial service providers seeking enterprise-grade stablecoin liquidity without sacrificing security or efficiency.

Source link

June 13, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Coinbase to Launch BTC Rewards Card With Amex, Eyes U.S. Futures Expansion

by admin June 13, 2025

Crypto exchange Coinbase is planning to launch a credit card that offers bitcoin

cashback, the company said on Thursday.

The Coinbase One Card, issued in partnership with American Express, includes perks such as earning 4% in BTC after purchases, boosted rewards on USDC stablecoin holdings and higher staking rewards and transaction credits on Base, the Ethereum layer-2 network developed by the exchange, according to the card’s website. The card’s rollout is expected this fall.

The move comes as more crypto platforms and exchanges are rolling out payment cards to enable users to spend their blockchain-based token stash on everyday purchases. For example, self-custodial wallet MetaMask introduced its debit card last year, while Mastercard unveiled plans in April to launch debit cards with crypto exchanges OKX and Kraken.

It’s also not the first crypto endeavour for Amex, either: the company issued a credit card offering crypto rewards with Abra in 2022.

Coinbase’s announcement coincided with the company’s State of Crypto Summit event in New York, where the exchange also hinted at expanding perpetual futures trading to the U.S., according to media reports.

Perps trading has been limited to non-U.S. users at Coinbase Advance. However, the exchange said earlier this year in a blog post that it was working with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) towards making “perpetual-style futures contracts” accessible to U.S. users.

Source link

June 13, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

The Sims 4 is away with the fairies in new Enchanted by Nature expansion

by admin June 12, 2025

The Sims 4 is striding purposefully into the verdant splendour of summer with a new nature-loving expansion, which also happens to mark the return of fairies as a playable Sim-type.

In fact, for all its talk of the natural world, EA’s Enchanted by Nature expansion reveal suggests fairies – last seen in The Sims 3’s 2012 Supernatural expansion – are very much the focus this time around. Mother Nature, it seems, is recruiting Sims to swell her fairy ranks, and players that opt to heed her call will find their Sims graced with abilities enabling them to nurture plants, manipulate objects, change the moods of others, and more.

A wide range of wings, skin tones, ears, teeth, head accessories, glowing tattoos, and more are promised so players can create the fairy that suits their whims, and once that’s taken care of, they’ve the option of following two distinct fairy paths. Harmonious Fairies are all about helping others find health and balance, while Discordant Fairy are the chaos gremlins of the fairy world, flitting around and making life just a little more more difficult for other Sims with their mischief.

The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature reveal trailer.Watch on YouTube

Regardless of the path they choose, players will need to be mindful of their fairy Sim’s specific needs: rather than food, fairies are sustained on the emotions of others, so you’ll be hoovering up all sorts of feelings to avoid Emotional Starvation. On the upside, you get a special fairy WooHoo to impress the neighbours with, so there’s that.

And speaking of neighbours, The Sims 4’s Enchanted by Nature expansion features a new world in the form of Innisgreen, split into three distinct districts. The Coast of Adhmor is a peaceful seaside village, while Sprucederry Grove promises a “vibrant blend of friendly shops, cosy homes, and draping ivy that blur the line between civilisation and the natural world”. Fairy focused players, meanwhile, will be wanting to make a beeline for the enchanted woodland sprawl of Everdew. One word of warning: luck is its own force in Innisgreen, and Sims choosing to live here will experience good, bad, and ordinary luck, impacting their career, love life, and more – so luck-modifying charms may come in handy.

Amid all this, there’s talk of new adventures, skills, traits, and a new mechanic in the form of balance. Sim that fail to stay emotionally grounded will gradually grown imbalanced, which can make life a little trickier. They might, for instance, learn skills more slowly, and if their balance continues to deteriorate, they’ll enter ‘very imbalanced’ territory, at which point they’ll start developing Ailments like Emotional Void, Simoleon Fever, Sonic Sinuses, and Greenie Meanie – which makes them a better gardener, but really, really angry at the same time.

Sims struck with Ailments can get respite by crafting cures and elixirs using the new Apothecary Table. By foraging and gardening for new ingredients, players can follow treatment recipes producing “fantastical effects”, and all this ties into the new Elixir Enthusiast Aspiration, and the Naturopath profession, enabling Sims to monetise their newfound Apothecary skills.

And that’s pretty much everything EA has revealed so far. The Sims 4’s Enchanted by Nature expansion launches for all platforms on 10th July, and costs £34.99/$39.99 USD. Players who purchase the expansion before 21st August get a couple of additional items, including the Lofty Leaf Pond, the glowing Mycena Lantern, and the Disguised Dwelling Fairy Home.

Source link

June 12, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

XRP and Solana Added to Nasdaq Crypto Index: Market Expansion Imminent?

by admin June 9, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

The Nasdaq Crypto US Settlement Price Index (NCIUS) was updated on June 2 to include four new cryptocurrencies: Solana ($SOL), Cardano ($ADA), Stellar ($XLM), and XRP ($XRP). Earlier, it had only included $BTC and $ETH.

While this is great news for the development of the broader crypto market, it ‘s caused an issue for the Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF (NCIQ). This ETF tracks the NCIUS index to provide weighted exposure in $ETH and $BTC.

Until now, it could replicate the index with precision and minimum divergence. However, even though the composition of NCIUS has now changed, the ETF isn’t permitted to track any assets other than Bitcoin and Ethereum. This has caused a mismatch between the fund’s objective and the index it is tracking.

NASDAQ has submitted a proposal to let NCIQ track the Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI) instead of the current NCIUS. The NCI index also includes $SOL, $ADA, $XLM, and $XRP, as well as $LINK, $LTC, and $UNI.

The SEC is expected to respond by November 2, 2025. In any case, there’s no denying Wall Street is now adopting a more inclusive approach to crypto, looking at assets other than Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Bitcoin is a Great Buy Even at $106K

In other pro-crypto developments, John Deaton, an ace Bitcoin investor and XRP supporter, took to X to voice his analysis that $BTC ‘s a safer buy at $106K than it was at $20K.’ He believes that the risk-to-reward ratio is more favorable now than when Bitcoin was trading much lower.

Deaton also said that the current macroeconomic conditions will gradually undermine people’s confidence in fiat currencies. For example, growing national debt and exorbitant tariffs are big red flags for the cash economy.

In such a scenario, ‘digital gold’ emerges as a clear alternative.

First, $BTC’s supply is limited, so corporations and governments can’t manipulate it.
Secondly, companies and countries, both large and small, are racing to add Bitcoin to their balance sheets, pushing up the price.

Michael Saylor’s Strategy, for instance, now owns more than 580K $BTC, and 16 firms added it to their balance sheets just last week.

Governments across the board, like Ireland, Pakistan, and Ukraine, are considering creating their own Bitcoin reserves after the US announced it would pursue one.

All these signals show that Bitcoin is here to stay and only goes from strength to strength. If you, too, are keen on milking $BTC to the last possible drop, we’d like to introduce you to BTC Bull Token.

What Is BTC Bull Token?

BTC Bull Token ($BTCBULL) has taken a simple idea – to cheer on the greatest digital asset, Bitcoin – and transformed it into one of the best meme coins on the market right now.

With a muscular bull as its mascot and a website theme that mimics Bitcoin’s bright gold color, BTC Bull Token wears its Bitcoin bullish badge with pride.

According to its whitepaper, it’s ‘the unstoppable force pushing Bitcoin towards $1M+.’

It does this by being the ONLY crypto today offering free (and completely legitimate) $BTC to its token holders.

Every time Bitcoin claims a new major milestone, like $150K and $200K, $BTCBULL holders who have stored their tokens in Best Wallet will stand a chance to earn real Bitcoins.

Note: the $BTC amount you receive will depend on the number of $BTCBULL tokens you bought in the Community Sale. Also, subscribe to BTC Bull Token’s social media (X and Telegram) for updates about the airdrop events, as you’ll have to opt in to qualify.

Burn Tokens, Create Hype, and Enjoy Profits

The developers have done everything to ensure the project’s success, including using a deflationary approach, also known as a token burn mechanism, which sees the project shaving off a part of the total token supply to push the price.

These ‘token burn’ events will take place every time Bitcoin’s price increases by $50K, starting from $125K.

Incentives like these, combined with a chunky 40% of the total supply reserved for PR and marketing, suggest BTC Bull Token could become one of the top trending cryptos after its launch.

$BTCBULL Is Currently Cheaper than It Will Ever Be

Hell-bent on backing Bitcoin to $1M and beyond? Get BTC Bull Token!

That’s aside from the chance to win real $BTC (currently worth over $105K) if you’re a $BTCBULL owner.

The good news is the token is still in presale, meaning you can grab it for just $0.002555. The project has already raised around $7M in early investor funding and is raring to go once it launches. You can read all about it in our What is BTC Bull Token guide.

More Cryptos Go Mainstream, but $BTC Remains the Greatest

New ETFs supporting modern cryptocurrencies like Solana and XRP represent a healthy diversification in the market, but the fact remains, there’s only one Bitcoin.

With an innovative approach towards airdrops, a classic token burn mechanism, and a lively community of crypto degens, BTC Bull Token nevertheless could emerge as the next big crypto coin to follow in Bitcoin’s footsteps.

That said, make sure to do your own research before investing. The market is unpredictable, and none of the above is financial advice.

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Source link

June 9, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Summer finally gets going in The Sims 4 with a roadmap, and the reveal of a new expansion next week

by admin June 6, 2025

Maxis has, as promised, delivered some news about some of the content coming to The Sims 4 in the very near future. We’ve been expecting the June-August roadmap to be detailed this week, and that’s exactly what’s been revealed.

It all starts next week, when the next major expansion will be revealed. The Enchanted by Nature Expansion Pack is set to be unveiled on Thursday, June 12. But there’s more coming throughout the summer, too.

Manage cookie settings

As detailed on the official website, the June 12 reveal of Enchanted by Nature will only deliver the initial trailer; EA likes to make announcements of announcements a lot with The Sims. A deeper look at gameplay will arrive two weeks later, on June 26.

Enchanted by Nature will be available in The Sims 4 on July 10, so that’s another wait of two more weeks. The game is also hosting the Nature’s Calling event to celebrate the impending launch of the new expansion.

Nature’s Calling kicks off June 24, two days before the proper reveal of the expansion. This is a limited-time event that EA says will let you “hone your Sim’s handiness skill to discover a long-hidden secret of nature.” There’s actually a dedicated page to Nature’s Calling with more information on what you can expect, and how the event works.

On July 1, The Sims 4 will receive its next update. You can expect some nature-inspired skins and customisation options in that one. Later in the summer – on August 19, to be exact – a fresh batch of customisation options will arrive alongside another base game update.

That’s it! | Image credit: Maxis, EA.

The Sims 4’s most recent expansion was Businesses & Hobbies, a pack that introduced hobby classes, small businesses, and a new pottery skill. With each new expansion, cross-pack interactivity once again becomes a major talking point amongst the game’s community, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Nature’s Calling moves things forward in that area.

If you’re still playing Businesses & Hobbies, we’ve got a number of cheats to help you out, should you need them.

Source link

June 6, 2025 0 comments

Esports

NWSL OKs intraleague loans; Boston, Denver get more expansion cash

by admin June 5, 2025

Jeff KassoufJun 5, 2025, 12:19 PM ET
Close

The NWSL announced on Thursday that it will now allow intraleague loans for all teams, and that Boston and Denver franchises will have access to significantly more money to build their initial rosters as the first expansion teams to join the league since the new collective bargaining agreement eliminated drafts.

“I think it’s fair to say that we are trying more and more to align with our global counterparts,” Stephanie Lee, the NWSL’s VP of player affairs, told ESPN. “And I think in of itself, aligning with our global counterparts is part of the larger conversation of, ‘How do we be the best league in the world?'”

Boston Legacy FC and the yet-unnamed Denver expansion teams will bring the NWSL to 16 teams when they begin play next year.

The expansion teams will have access to up to $1,065,000 in allocation money beginning on July 1.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

The league will fund half of that automatically, and the rest will be funded out of pocket by each team at their discretion.

It’s a significant amount for two reasons: Allocation money is effectively player salary funding that exists outside the NWSL’s hard salary cap.

It is a rare and coveted asset that the NWSL previously said would be phased out of existence. Boston and Denver will need to use all funded allocation money by the end of 2027.

Lee acknowledge that “perhaps” this could set a precedent for future expansion teams, but she said that each round of expansion since the NWSL kicked off in 2013 has featured slightly different rules.

Boston and Denver will also be allowed to have an initial transfer threshold of $968,000 more than existing NWSL teams through summer 2026, allowing Boston and Denver to make more significant transfers as they build their rosters from scratch.

Boston and Denver will also have a limited salary cap of $250,000 to sign college players and out-of-contract international players from the start of the upcoming transfer window through the end of the year.

By comparison, the most recent round of NWSL expansion — Bay FC and Utah Royals FC in 2024 — received $500,000 in additional transfer threshold spending but also had an expansion draft to select players from other rosters.

The NWSL, as part of its single entity system with a salary cap, has a net transfer threshold for each team that limits their spending on the open market. (Each incoming transfer adds to the threshold while each outgoing transfer lowers it.)

Lee told ESPN that the league and its sporting committee, composed of select board members, calculated the increased dollar amounts awarded to Boston and Denver by analyzing past expansion drafts and looking at the value of picks that were traded, the salaries for those players, and what a comparable player might cost on the open market.

Intraleague loans will allow all 16 teams including Boston and Denver, which begin play in 2026 to loan players to other NWSL teams, which is common practice in other leagues globally.

Denver’s NWSL expansion team will be able to bring in players via intraleague loans. Courtesy Denver NWSL expansion group

It was not previously allowed in the NWSL. All players being loaned must consent to the move, which falls in line with the new CBA requirements that players must consent to all trades.

The new CBA also grants players full free agency. Lee worked for multiple NWSL clubs before joining the league full-time in 2022. She said she was unsure of why intraleague loans were not previously allowed, but that it was always a point of discussion.

Expansion served as “a catalyst” to implementing intra-league loans, Lee said. Multiple general managers in last year’s ESPN Anonymous GM Survey brought up the need for intraleague loans.

The NWSL’s most prominent and awkward workaround for the lack of intraleague loans happened around a previous round of expansion.

World Cup-winning American centerback Abby Dahlkemper was traded from the North Carolina Courage to the Houston Dash in August 2021 for what North Carolina officials called “a loan.”

Dahlkemper then joined incoming expansion side San Diego Wave FC three months later for what the NWSL classified as “a three-team trade.”

Houston even said in its November 2021 news release that the initial trade included a stipulation that Dahlkemper would join the Wave after the 2021 season — a complicated way of saying she was on loan.

The introduction of intraleague loans could, in addition to a forthcoming second division, help solve a longstanding NWSL problem around player development and a lack of opportunities.

Intraleague loans will also allow Boston and Denver to start signing players on July 1 in the crucial summer window in Europe and loan them out in the NWSL immediately.

Lee said one other thing the league considered was allowing Boston and Denver to sign players earlier than other NWSL teams, but they ultimately decided that it wasn’t much of an advantage.

Source link

June 5, 2025 0 comments