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College football Bottom 10 after Week 4 - Clemson's fall continues
Esports

College football Bottom 10 after Week 4 – Clemson’s fall continues

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  • Ryan McGeeSep 24, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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    • Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com
    • 2-time Sports Emmy winner
    • 2010, 2014 NMPA Writer of the Year

Inspirational thought of the week:

Pale September
I wore the time like a dress that year
The autumn days swung soft around me like cotton on my skin
But as the embers of the summer lost their breath and disappeared
My heart went cold and only hollow rhythms resounded from within

— “Pale September,” Fiona Apple

Here at Bottom 10 Headquarters, located in the Miami poolside cabana where university semiotic specialists are studying Pat McAfee’s tan lines, we are sad because we know that for most of the nation, the days of jumping into any swimming pool are quickly coming to a close. The days remaining in September have dwindled into single digits, soon to be followed by single-digit temperatures in those pools.

For many, September can’t wrap up soon enough. I am of course speaking of the pumpkin spice cartel and the teams of the Bottom 10. The hopes that those teams carried into Week 0 have all but vanished. As October looms, they are already halfway or more to a cache of losses that will guarantee a sub-.500 season. The dreams they shared of earning a 6-6 berth to a December bowl game are nearly as bankrupt as the cryptocurrency bank that failed to make payment on its sponsorship of that bowl game.

But alas, all is not lost. No team in the FBS ranks has more than four losses. There’s still one more game weekend left in September. There is still time for a turnaround. Just make sure you don’t get so turned around that you wind up running the ball into the wrong end zone.

August 30, 2012: Kent State’s Andre Parker returns a muffed punt the wrong way against Towson and was tackled by his opponents. pic.twitter.com/koRDpRmydY

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) August 30, 2025

With apologies to Andre Parker, Earth, Wind & Fire and Steve Harvey, here’s the last Bottom 10 of September 2025.

The Bearkats kreated a konundrum for Texas fanatiks. Kould they in kind konscience kontribute enkouragement to Arch Manning?

The Minutemen failed to cover the spread against the Fightin’ Byes of Open Date U. And by that we mean they tried to have a picnic at Lexington Green and literally failed to cover the spread, which was overrun with ants. Still, that’s better than being overrun by Tigers, which will happen this weekend at No. 20 Missouri.

There was also a bye in Westwood. As in, “Bye, Coach.” Now it’s off for the Pillow Fight of the Week, that tradition-rich Big Ten rivalry game at Northworstern.

I was in Corvallis midweek, mere days before the Game Formerly Known As The Civil War. Fittingly, the mood ahead of the Oregon matchup was much like the feelings of the Confederates as they arrived at the Appomattox Court House. The postgame mood was like when they were leaving the courthouse and stepped in a pile of horse manure.

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As I contemplated the Coveted Fifth Spot this week and rewatched a lot of Clemson news conferences, I thought of the eternal words of Crash Davis, speaking to Nuke LaLoosh in “Bull Durham”: “Your shower shoes have fungus on them. … If you win 20 in The Show, you can let the fungus grow back and the press will think you’re colorful. Until you win 20 in The Show, however, it means you are a slob.”

The Golden Flashes in the Pan have an off week. Some might tell you they will use that time to prepare for their Week 6 trip to Oklahoma. But we know better. They are already looking ahead, as we all should be, to their Oct. 11 hosting of UMess in what has all the makings of our first official PFOTWOTYOTCMB of 2025, the Pillow Fight of the Week of the Year of the Century Mega Bowl.

The Woof Pack had somehow managed to elude our evaluation scouts this season despite a loss two weeks ago to then-Bottom 10 member Muddled Tennessee. That made sense when we found those scouts in Reno, passed out on the floor of the Circus Circus casino atop a pile of losing keno tickets and chicken wing bones.

I live in Charlotte and there’s always been this one guy who follows me around the grocery store dressed in green-and-gold 49ers gear chanting “Boo! Bottom 10!” and throwing free cocktail weenie samples at me as he gnaws on a beef stick. I would punch him in the nose, but that’s no way to treat a cousin.

The RedHawks have opened their season by losing to three other teams that wear red: Wisconsin, Rutgers and UNLV. Now they face the FCS Lindenwood Lions, who wear black. If they lose that one, then they are destined to fall to their next opponent, Northern Illinois, who wears red and black.

Speaking of red, the Red Wolves have had a rough September, opening with a win over another set of Redhawks, Southeast Missouri State, but then losing three in a row. That includes a Week 2 defeat versus Arkansas, who amazingly did not figure out a way to lose in inexplicably heartbreaking fashion. Watching Razorbacks football these days is like watching all those dashcam TikToks. It’s not a question of if that truck up ahead if going to crash into a light pole, but how.

Waiting list: Northworstern, Flori-duh, Louisiana Rajun Cagings, Eastern Michigan University Emus, We’re Not In Kansas State Anymore, Georgia State Not Southern, South Alabama Redundancies, Muddled Tennessee, UTEPid, Give Me Liberty Or Give Me 1-3, Akronmonious, Baller State, stomping on a kicker’s feet.





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Crypto market selloff deepens as Bitcoin and altcoins fall
Crypto Trends

Crypto market selloff deepens as Bitcoin and altcoins fall

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The crypto market is under renewed bearish pressure as Bitcoin continues to struggle under $113,000 and major altcoins bleed, deepening a sell-off that commenced earlier in the week.

Summary

  • The crypto market is witnessing more downturn.
  • Bitcoin and altcoins like Ethereum, Solana, and Ripple are also down with losses of 4-10% on the week.
  • Some altcoins like Aster, Mantle, and BNB have posted gains, defying the broader market trend.
  • Traders are eyeing ‘Uptober’ for potential recovery, which has historically served as a bullish month.

The crypto market downturn that has further extended, compounding Monday’s sharp decline that saw over $1.7 billion positions liquidated from the market. Despite a brief recovery attempt, Bitcoin and several major altcoins remain under pressure, with weak momentum and fading investor confidence across the board.

Bitcoin slides as crypto market bleeds

Per market data from crypto.news, Bitcoin (BTC) trades at $112,786 at press time, down 3.5% over the past week. After peaking above $118,000 last week, the crypto king has struggled to reclaim lost ground, briefly dipping below $112,000. 

Sellers continue to dominate, alongside strong outflows from exchange-tracked funds. The negative pressure continues to weigh on price, and unless BTC breaks above $113,500, further downside toward $111,000 appears likely. A move above $115,000 would be the first sign of recovery.

Bitcoin price chart | Source: crypto.news

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum (ETH) has mirrored Bitcoin’s price weakness as the crypto market downturn continues, dropping from its recent high near the $4,700 range to a low of $4,100. At the time of writing, ETH is trading around $4,174, hovering just above support. The RSI at 39.95 suggests nearing oversold conditions, while the 9-day SMA at $4,401.65 looms as resistance.

If ETH fails to hold $4,100, a deeper correction toward $4,000 could follow. Conversely, a breakout above $4,250 would signal a potential shift in momentum.

ETH price chart | Source: crypto.news

Solana (SOL)

Solana (SOL), the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has also seen steep losses. The asset is now down nearly 10% over the past seven days. SOL price is currently around $211, marking a sharp decline from its recent surge above $250.

SOL price chart | Source: crypto.news

For now, Solana’s price remains under the 9-day SMA at $231.94, confirming bearish sentiment. If $204 breaks, the asset could revisit the $195–$200 zone.

Ripple (XRP)

Also under pressure in the ongoing crypto market slide is Ripple (XRP), currently trading at $2.87, down 4.7% so far this week. Although it posted a modest 1.65% gain on the latest daily candle, resistance at $2.90–$3.00 remains strong. The asset’s broader performance has been muted, and if momentum fails to improve, a breakdown below $2.85 could push prices lower, potentially toward $2.75.

XRP price chart | Source: crypto.news

Still, some altcoins are showing resilience. Binance Coin (BNB) is up roughly 3% on the day, while Mantle, PUMP (PUMP), and CAKE (CAKE) have posted gains up to 5%. Aster (ASTER) stands out as the day’s largest gainer, surging 35% as it defies the broader market’s sluggish trend.

Despite the current weakness, optimism surrounds the upcoming “Uptober” period, historically known for crypto rallies. However, unless sentiment improves and selling pressure eases, volatility is expected to persist.



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Fall into smarter lighting | The Verge
Product Reviews

Fall into smarter lighting | The Verge

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Smart lighting is one of the most useful and enjoyable smart home upgrades you can make. The convenience of turning lights on and off with a voice command or having them come on at precisely the right brightness when you walk into a room, adjusted for the time of day, is a huge quality-of-life upgrade that you can’t truly appreciate until you try it.

The good news is that now is a great time to consider adding smart lights to your home.

The costs of smart LED bulbs, fixtures, and accessories, such as switches, are starting to come down, just as compatibility across smart home platforms and smartphones is going up — thanks to the Matter smart home standard.

All this means it’s easier than ever to add some smarts to your lighting. Here are a few of my favorite experiences and features that smart lighting can add to your home, along with tips on how to integrate them into your space.

Bring the outside in with Apple’s Adaptive Lighting

$40

Lifx’s 1,600 lumen, 9,000 kelvin smart lightbulb is one of several bulbs from multiple brands that work with Apple Home’s Adaptive Lighting feature. This automatically creates natural, circadian-rhythm light throughout your home.

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Changing the color temperature of your lighting is one of smart lights’ least-known but best abilities. While color changing is fun when you want to decorate for a holiday or celebrate your favorite sports team, changing the color temperature — the warmth or coolness of white light — can improve your environment every day.

In my home, I set the majority of my smart lights to use Apple’s Home’s Adaptive Lighting. This feature automatically adjusts the temperature of their white light throughout the day to mimic natural daylight: cooler and brighter light in the morning to help me wake up, shifting to warmer, more relaxing tones in the evening to help me wind down.

Adaptive Lighting runs in the background, so I don’t have to set up specific scenes for morning or evening lighting, and the light inside my home feels more like the light outside.

$99

Apple’s HomePod Mini smart speaker can work as an Apple Home hub to power Apple Home’s Adaptive Lighting feature.

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To set this up, you need an Apple Home hub (an Apple TV, HomePod, or HomePod Mini) and compatible lights (bulbs, light strips, etc.), as well as an iPhone or iPad for control. Until recently, only a handful of manufacturers supported Adaptive Lighting, but with Apple’s Matter update, it’s now easier for manufacturers to implement. I have adaptive lighting working across Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, Aqara, and Lifx smart lights in my home. Meross and Eve also support it.

While Hue, Lifx, and Nanoleaf offer similar circadian-rhythm lighting scenes in their apps, each only works across that company’s lights. Apple’s approach lets you mix and match brands.

For those outside Apple’s ecosystem, Ikea’s Dirigeria hub has a similar circadian lighting feature. Currently, it’s limited to Ikea lights, but since Dirigera is now a Matter Controller, it should eventually work with any Matter-compatible bulbs.

$308

Philips Hue Twilight is a smart bedside lamp designed around circadian rhythms to help you wake up more naturally and wind down more peacefully. With 4,000 K / 1,380 lumens, its smooth, deep dimming is exceptionally gentle, and the dual light sources provide ample light when needed.

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I haven’t used an alarm clock in years. Instead of jarring tones, I’m woken by light gradually brightening on my bedside table. I can’t recommend it enough. It makes mornings easier, and I never hit the snooze button — there isn’t one.

At first, I used a Philips Hue color bulb in a lamp with the Hue app’s “Wake up with light” feature, which I set to gradually brighten the bulb over 30 minutes. It worked well, but Hue’s new Twilight Sleep Wakeup light has taken the experience to a new level.

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1/2The Twilight offers good task lighting and an adjustable head. Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Designed specifically for sleep / wake, this bedside lamp is a big upgrade (both in price and function). The key difference is its dimmability: it fades as low as 0.02 percent, compared to a Hue bulb’s 0.2 percent, so the light increase feels smoother. It also features two light sources — the main lamp and a glowing LED column built into the back of the base that washes the wall with colorful light — creating a gentler, larger glow.

I like its compact form, adjustable head for easier task / reading light, and that its lights are both tunable white and color-changing, with six built-in sleep / wake routines that create some really beautiful light scenes. Crucially, it suppresses blue light in the nighttime scenes.

The device also features two buttons, one of which activates a Go To Sleep automation that fades in warm hues and turns off after 45 minutes. It’s nice not to have to reach for my phone to activate it. The other button cycles through the six preset scenes. Both buttons can be mapped to custom shortcuts if paired with a Hue Bridge. This also allows me to set wakeup routines to run every morning, plus connect it to Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home for voice control.

$385

An HDMI box, the Hue Sync syncs your Hue lights with whatever’s playing on any HDMI device connected to it. It supports up to 8K at 60Hz, has four inputs, and can sync up to 10 lights. Paired with Hue’s new Wall Washers ($384 for a pair) and a Bridge ($65.59), it makes for an impressive, albeit expensive, home theater lighting setup.

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One of the best uses for color LEDs is syncing them with content on your TV or your PC for an immersive effect. The least expensive ways to do this involve pointing a small camera at your screen to capture the colors, which are relayed via an app to LED light strips attached to the back of your TV. Govee and Nanoleaf offer this kind of TV bias lighting kit, which also sync with their other smart lights.

My TV is flush-mounted, so I can’t use an LED strip. That’s one reason Philips Hue’s solution works best for me. Its Hue 8K Sync Box uses HDMI syncing so no need for a camera, and the new Hue Play Wall Washers project light onto the wall around my TV, similarly to how a light strip behind it would.

The new wall washers cast more and better light than Hue’s other alternative to an LED strip (Play light bars), and use the same smooth, color-changing gradient technology as the Twilight lamp. Their compact size also means they don’t block my TV, unlike other free-standing solutions.

PreviousNext

1/2The Hue Wall Washers work with the Hue Sync Box to cast gradient lighting around a TV, creating a more immersive feel. Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

I like that Hue’s system doesn’t use a camera. Instead, I plug my streaming box and games console directly into the box via HDMI. It then syncs the content digitally instead of visually. The catch: since the Sync Box relies on data from the HDMI connection for its color information, it can’t sync with content played directly from the TV itself. But since I always use a streaming box, that’s fine for me. If you have a recent Samsung or LG TV, you can download the Hue Sync app and get the same functionality (for a fee).

The downside of the Hue option is that it’s expensive: you need the Hue Bridge, the Sync Box, and Hue lights — a setup that can run close to $1,000. If you can attach LED strips to the back of your TV and you don’t mind a camera in your living room, Govee or Nanoleaf are a better value.

$330

A huge, 8-foot-tall, 2,000-lumen RGBIC smart outdoor lamp, the Govee has six color zones and dedicated white lighting. It features built-in motion and light sensors, works with Matter, is IP66 rated, and includes a nice long power cord for easy installation.

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Outdoor smart lighting adds ambiance and nighttime usability to porches, patios, and gardens. I use string lights around mine, and it makes it much nicer to sit outside in the evening or have dinner on the porch.

I also have smart solar path lights from Ring and Linkind, and recently started testing Govee’s new outdoor lamp post — a huge, 2,000-lumen fixture that lights up my whole garden in anything from white to playful color themes.

Nanoleaf and Lifx string lights lighting up my patio and porch. Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Outdoors is where I find I use color-changing lighting the most. I set the Nanoleaf outdoor string lights around my patio to change colors with the seasons, and their crystal-like design acts as a decorative feature even when off. On my porch, I have a string of tunable white string lights from Govee over my dining table that create cozy dinner ambiance or brighter task lighting.

My favorite features for outdoor lighting are voice control and scheduling. I have an Amazon Alexa routine where I say, “Alexa, glow up the garden,” and all the lights come on. It’s also simple to shut them all off with a voice command, plus I have them on a schedule to turn on at sunset and off later in the evening.

Take control of holiday lighting

$540

With three LEDs in each bulb under a prism lens, these permanent outdoor lights can pull off bigger, fancier lighting effects. These full-color and tunable white lights can go from elegant white to jolly holidays in a flash. Featuring a IP67 weather rating and a single power cord for 100 feet of lights, they’re designed to be permanently installed on your home.

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Every year, my husband climbs precariously up a very large ladder to hang holiday lights on our house. And every year, I stand below watching, stressing out. This year, we switched to permanent outdoor lights — a trend that’s exploded recently.

Instead of hanging temporary holiday string lights, you install durable weatherproof fixtures along rooflines and trim. Mostly hidden when off, they can cast elegant white light or colorful holiday displays when on. They mount with brackets and nails or 3M tape and connect to an app for control.

The Govee Prism permanent outdoor lights create a really nice effect on the facade of my house. Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

We just installed the new Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism lights, which start at $539.99 for 100 feet, and so far, I’m very impressed. With three lights in every bulb along the strip, they cast a softer, fuller glow than an individual light would. Plus, the prism lens above them lets me choose from three distinct colors or a more blended beam of light.

They were also relatively easy to install. Yes, a ladder was still involved, but theoretically for the last time! We used the provided tape to secure everything in place, then went back and used screws for a more permanent installation. With IP68 water- and dust-resistance, they should also be able to handle everything the elements can throw at them. However, how “permanent” they will actually be is something I’ll need to test over the long term.

The Govee Prism lights are Govee’s top-of-the-line option, but you can find cheaper models starting at $300. There are also offerings from Eufy, Lifx, Hampton Bay, and Nanoleaf, and Philips Hue just launched its first line of permanent outdoor string lights.

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Gaming Gear

Disney’s Mandalorian and Grogu trailer shows the fall of a lumbering giant

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Disney, a company that definitely isn’t dealing with a major crisis right now, has released a trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu. The movie follows on from the events of Disney+ series The Mandalorian — a show that director Jon Favreau created — and the fall of the Empire in Return of the Jedi. It’s set to hit theaters on May 22, 2026.

The 94-second clip doesn’t offer much in the way of plot details, though it does show Sigourney Weaver as a fighter pilot and Jabba the Hutt’s son Rotta (Jeremy Allen White). Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu battle against bots and beasts, and the pair blows up an AT-AT. I’m sure there’s nothing to be read into seeing a lumbering giant attempting to traverse a precarious path only to fail spectacularly at this specific moment in Disney’s history.

The trailer does make it seem like the movie will retain the adventurous spirit and humor of The Mandalorian, with Grogu getting to be as cute as ever. In a fun beat, the diminutive creature uses the Force to try to steal a snack from Weaver’s character, only to be denied.

The Mandalorian and Grogu will be the first Star Wars movie to hit theaters in over six years. Star Wars: Starfighter is slated to arrive a year later.



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IGN Fan Fest 2025: Fall Edition features new looks at Anno 117: Pax Romana and Dispatch
Esports

IGN Fan Fest 2025: Fall Edition features new looks at Anno 117: Pax Romana and Dispatch

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IGN Fan Fest is returning this October for its Fall Edition.

Featuring over 75 content partners across games, movies, and streaming, viewers can expect new game announcements alongside trailers and exclusive clips.

These include new looks at Ubisoft’s Anno 117: Pax Romana, AdHoc Studio’s Dispatch, and 2K’s WWE 2K25, as well as Netflix’s Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Deathwatch animated series.

The Fall Edition will also feature celebrity interviews for upcoming films and shows, including Keanu Reeves and Aziz Ansari for Good Fortune.

Further details will be revealed over the coming weeks.

IGN Fan Fest 2025: Fall Edition starts on October 15 at 9am PDT/12pm EDT/5pm BST with a one-hour broadcast of gameplay, trailers, and first looks.

This will be followed by the main event, starting at 10am PDT/1pm EDT/6pm BST on IGN.com, YouTube, Steam, Facebook, Twitch, and X.

More information on IGN Fan Fest can be found here.

GamesIndustry.biz is part of IGN Entertainment, the division of Ziff Davis that includes Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and VG247.



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XRP Supply's Fall on Coinbase Extends to 90%, New Data Confirms
NFT Gaming

XRP Supply’s Fall on Coinbase Extends to 90%, New Data Confirms

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Coinbase’s XRP has fallen almost 90% in just three months, according to new information from XRPWallets. At the beginning of the summer, the leading U.S. crypto exchange held around 970 million XRP in 52 cold wallets. Ten of these held 26.8 million coins each, and the rest held another 16.8 million combined. This made Coinbase one of the largest visible holders of XRP in the market.

But then something switched, and now, by the middle of September, only six cold wallets are still active, each with about 16.5 million XRP, leaving the total close to 99 million, a level not seen in years.

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This is an 89.79% drop from June, which happened against the background of consistent transfers between Coinbase and unknown wallets all summer.

One of those, like the 16.5 million XRP worth $51.4 million that moved into Coinbase, happened just this weekend, sparking further debate among traders.

Where XRP going?

Some may think that big companies and institutions like BlackRock might be buying XRP through Coinbase for their own customers, but nothing is known for sure.

The on-chain data only shows balances leaving the exchange, not where the coins go after they leave cold storage or how they might be used later.

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Amid all this, XRP remains the third largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin and Ethereum, with a market value of around $183 billion.

This makes it even more surprising that Coinbase’s role in storing XRP becomes much smaller, as it raises questions about whether coins are being moved into new custody solutions, private vaults, or alternative trading routes.



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Four Legendary John Woo Action Movies Release On 4K Blu-Ray This Fall
Game Updates

Four Legendary John Woo Action Movies Release On 4K Blu-Ray This Fall

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When it comes to action, the golden age of Hong Kong cinema is hard to beat. During the ’80s and ’90s, some of the best movies in the genre were made here, and at long last, all three movies in the A Better Tomorrow saga are headed to 4K Blu-ray as a box set with tons of new special features. Restored by Shout Factory, A Better Tomorrow Trilogy is available to preorder for $100 ahead of its November 18 release. Shout Factory is also releasing a 4K Blu-ray edition of Hard Boiled on November 4. This Deluxe Edition looks promising as well, but it’s worth noting the price has jumped from $40 to $65 at Amazon and Walmart. It’s unlikely to launch at this price, and you won’t be charged for preorder until it ships.

$100 | Releases November 18

Directed by renowned filmmakers John Woo and Tsui Hark, all three A Better Tomorrow movies have been remastered in 4K from the original camera negatives. Each one is presented in Dolby Vision–and are HDR-10 compatible and viewers can choose between the original Cantonese language track or the English dub, in DTS-HD Master Audio mono and English DTS-HD Master Audio mono. If you choose to go with the original Cantonese audio, each film features newly translated English subtitles. You’ll also get an exclusive poster in this box set, based on the newly commissioned art.

Each film is accompanied by dozens of brand-new extras, which are mostly audio commentary tracks and interviews with established film critics, members of the cast and crew, and even notable directors like Gareth Evans (The Raid). The real jewel of this collection is the sought-after workprint of A Better Tomorrow 2, which was thought to be lost for years. This version of Woo’s sequel was originally re-edited producer Tsui Hark, and it features an extra 30 minutes of footage. While Woo considers it to be the black sheep of the trilogy–the third film was in turn directed by Hark–he has still spoken fondly about its climatic gunfight as some of his best work in cinema.

You’ll also find the Taiwanese cut of A Better Tomorrow 3 here, which adds around 10 extra minutes of content, resulting in several extended scenes. The seven-disc collection includes 4K UHD and 1080p Blu-ray editions of each film.

You can check out the full list of features on each disc below.

Disc 1: A Better Tomorrow (4K)

  • Audio commentary with James Mudge, Hong Kong film critic at EasternKicks (New)

Disc 2: A Better Tomorrow (Blu-ray)

  • Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release (New)
  • Audio commentary with James Mudge, Hong Kong film critic at EasternKicks (New)
  • Better Than the Best – an interview with director John Woo (New)
  • Between Friends – an interview with producer Terence Chang (New)
  • When Tomorrow Comes – an interview with screenwriter Chan Hing-ka (New)
  • Thoughts on the Future – an interview with filmmaker Gordon Chan (New)
  • Better and Bombastic – an interview with filmmaker Gareth Evans (New)
  • Trailers
  • Image gallery

Disc 3: A Better Tomorrow 2 (4K)

  • Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release (New)
  • Audio commentary with James Mudge, Hong Kong film critic at EasternKicks (New)

Disc 4: A Better Tomorrow 2 (Blu-ray)

  • Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release (New)
  • Audio commentary with James Mudge, Hong Kong film critic at EasternKicks (New)
  • A Tumultuous Tomorrow – an interview with director John Woo (New)
  • Better Than Ever – an interview with film historian Frank Djeng (New)
  • Trailers
  • Image gallery

Disc 5: A Better Tomorrow 3 (4K)

  • Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release (New)
  • Audio commentary with critic and author David West (New)

Disc 6: A Better Tomorrow 3 (Blu-ray)

  • Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release (New)
  • Audio commentary with critic and author David West (New)
  • Third Time Lucky – an interview with screenwriters Yiu-Ming Leung and Foo Ho Tai (New)
  • All Our Tomorrows – an interview with Hong Kong filmmaker and academic Gilbert Po (New)
  • Nam Flashbacks – an interview with Vietnam War researcher Dr. Aurélie Basha i Novosejt (New)
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Image gallery

Disc 7 A Better Tomorrow 2 and 3 (Blu-ray)

  • Long-lost A Better Tomorrow 2 workprint featuring over 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage
  • A Better Tomorrow 3 – Taiwanese cut

A Better Tomorrow starred Chow Yun-fat as conflicted police officer Mark Lee, trapped between duty and honor when senior Triad gangster Sung Tse-Ho–who Lee has close ties to–asks him to help avenge the murder of a family member. Released in 1986, the film was a big critical hit and it set the stage for director John Woo and Chow Yun-fat’s eventual journey to Hollywood.

In 1987, A Better Tomorrow 2 was released, and it featured a wild plot twist to justify its existence–for reasons we won’t spoil here in case you never saw the first movie. Like its predecessor, the film featured over-the-top action, explosions, and a ludicrous bodycount once characters finally ran out of bullets.

A Better Tomorrow 3: Love and Death in Saigon brought the series to a close in 1989 and it’s a prequel to the first movie. Set during the final days of the Vietnam War, the story isn’t the best, but it does boast incredible action sequences throughout. Interestingly, Woo’s original vision for the film was different and led to him exiting the director’s chair after he and Hark experienced creative differences. Woo’s script would eventually evolve into 1990’s Bullet in the Head.

As mentioned, the other big new release in the Hong Kong Cinema Classics collection is Hard Boiled. Released in 1992, Hard Boiled is one of the best action movies of all time–and the best collaboration between John Woo and Chow Yun-fat. Over-the-top and incredibly fun, Hard Boiled as a straightforward plot centered around a cop seeking revenge against a gang of criminals. Mayhem ensues, the action is extreme, and Chow Yun-fat is effortlessly cool in every scene, including that iconic shootout in a hospital.

$65 | Releases November 4

Shout Factory’s Deluxe Edition resurrects the cult-classic with a brand-new 4K scan from the original camera negatives, adding in Dolby Vision and HDR 10 support along with the Cantonese and English dub in DTS-HD Master Audio Mono. Like the A Better Tomorrow trilogy, there are also new English subtitles in this release as well and the box set includes an exclusive 52-page collectible booklet.

The three-disc set also includes a standard Blu-ray copy of the film and it contains plenty of bonus materials, like several newly filmed interviews with Woo and other key members of the crew. Topping it all off is a collection of new audio commentary tracks with film critics and historians–as well as the audio commentary from John Woo and several more people that the Criterion Collection recorded–deleted scenes, trailers, and an image gallery.

We included a list of features on each disc below.

Disc 1 (4K)

  • Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release (new)
  • Audio commentary with director John Woo and film journalist Drew Tayler (new)
  • Audio commentary with film historian Frank Djeng (new)
  • Audio commentary with director John Woo, producer Terence Chang, filmmaker Roger Avary, and critic Dave Kehr (recorded by the Criterion Collection)

Disc 2 (Blu-ray)

  • Audio commentary with director John Woo and film journalist Drew Tayler (new)
  • Audio commentary with film historian Frank Djeng (new)
  • Audio commentary with director John Woo, producer Terence Chang, filmmaker Roger Avary, and critic Dave Kehr (recorded by the Criterion Collection)

Disc 3 (Bonus Blu-ray)

  • Violent Night – an interview with director John Woo (new)
  • Boiling Over – an interview with actor Anthony Wong (new)
  • No Time for Failure – an interview with producer Terence Chang (new)
  • Hard to Resist – an interview with screenwriter Gordon Chan (new)
  • Boiled to Perfection – an interview with screenwriter Chung Hang Ku (new)
  • Body Count Blues – an interview with composer Michael Gibbs (new)
  • Hong Kong Confidential – inside Hard Boiled with author Grady Hendrix (new)
  • Gun-Fu Fever – an interview with author Leon Hunt (new)
  • Chewing the Fat – an interview with academic Lin Feng (new)
  • Deleted and extended scenes
  • Trailers
  • Image gallery

While you’ll have to wait a few months for these Blu-rays, you can grab some classic action movies starring Jet Li. The Jet Li Collection was released in July, and it offers five of his best movies–Fist of Legend, Tai Chi Master, The Legend 1 + 2, and The Bodyguard from Beijing–in 4K and 1080p. Each movie also comes with a selection of bonus features, and the price has dropped to $107 (was $130). In August, Ringo Lam’s acclaimed 1987 action movie City on Fire joined Shout Factory’s collection on 4K Blu-ray, and you can snag a copy for $29 (was $40).

Looking ahead, Shout Factory will be releasing a lot more movies over the next couple of years, as the film distributor recently secured the worldwide rights to the Golden Princess film library, a collection of 156 movies in total. Here’s a list of a few other movies and box sets in the Hong Kong Cinema Classics collection that you can buy or preorder now:

Hong Kong Cinema Classics

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Digimon Story Time Stranger shows the main cast.
Game Reviews

Time Stranger Is Now My Most Anticipated JRPG Of The Fall

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Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth was sneakily one of the best RPGs of 2016. Almost a decade later, its long-awaited successor is mounting another lowkey coup in a genre that’s only gotten more competitive in the years since. Digimon Story: Time Stranger plays like a very traditional turn-based role-playing game in all of my favorite ways while bringing multiple generational leaps’ worth of technical upgrades to a spin-off series whose last entries were built for PS Vita. It feels like the Persona-style glow-up many Pokémon fans have been waiting for.

At PAX West last week I had the chance to play over 90 minutes of Digimon Story: Time Stranger, which comes to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 3, and the latest Bandai Namco-published creature fighter from veteran RPG maker Media Vision did not disappoint. Things already seemed good coming out of a Summer Game Fest demo earlier this summer and a deeper dive only firmed up the sense that the game, first announced eight years ago, can meet the increasing expectations surrounding Digimon Story‘s return.

The latest session let me play the start of the game before later shifting to a much more advanced segment over a dozen hours into the adventure. You play as a secret agent working for the ADAMAS organization investigating ominous anomalies in Tokyo that seem to be linked to social upheaval. The Digimon Story games have always had an emphasis on compelling conversations and background intrigue, which Cyber Sleuth took to the next level with a narrative that felt like more than just a means to an end of raising virtual pets.

Bandai Namco

What I played of Time Stranger continues that with English voice acting and more polished cinematic animations, coupled with an unusually stellar soundtrack. Are there extremely goofy moments too? Absolutely. I’ve already witnessed half a dozen snippets that I can’t wait to send to folks in the group chat who have not interacted with Digimon since it debuted in the West on Fox Kids back in 1999. Watching familiar RPG tropes reenacted by absurd-looking creatures that speak like humans is an acquired taste, but Time Stranger does an admirable job.

Eerie anime vibes established, my early tutorial section eventually transitioned to a later stretch set in the Digimon world’s colorful seaside Abyss Area which felt oddly reminiscent of Chrono Cross‘ tropical archipelago. Here, Time Stranger‘s bread and butter took center stage: fighting, collecting, and growing your Digimon. There’s the combat triangle between Data, Virus, and Vaccine type Digimon, elemental weaknesses, and a swapping system that lets you use different Digimon on the fly if your current team doesn’t have the right build.

Building meter during battle also lets you unleash an ultimate attack to deal extra damage or buff your team. It’s a nimble set of mechanics that helps turn-based battles shine, forcing you to think about what you’re doing and adapt on the fly without getting bogged down in too much minutiae. It’s definitely old-school but more satisfying than just mashing the same set of attacks over and over again. If things do start to get repetitive, a fast-forward button helps bypass the boring bits. Defeat a Digimon enough times and you get a 100 percent scan rate to create your own, or you can wait for a 200 percent scan rate to get an even stronger version of it.

Bandai Namco

Outside of combat, the main focus remains on Digivolving and De-Digivolving your pals. The first makes them more powerful while the second makes them weaker again in the short term to raise their long-term potential. Aiding this convoluted process is the DigiFarm system which lets you tweak the new personalities of your Digimon to change which stats grow the fastest. Certain personalities are also required to Digivolve or De-Digivolve specific Digimon along with player rank and relationship status. Consumable items and training sessions let you speed up this process too.

There’s also an entire character skill tree full of perks that provide extra bonuses to your team depending on a Digimon’s specific relationship with you and their personality type, though I didn’t get to see how these systems feel over the long haul. Do they feel balanced? Do they get tedious? Is it too streamlined or too convoluted? But I certainly came away with the impression that Time Stranger has a great foundation to work with.

Will it hold up over a 40-50 hour adventure? Is it well paced? Does the story end up going somewhere cool even if you’re not a dyed-in-the-wool Digimon sicko? Only the full, finished game can answer those questions. So far, however, the successor to Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth continues to look like it’s making smart choices and pushing the series forward. It could easily be overshadowed next month by Pokémon Legends: Z-A but it doesn’t deserve to be. Digimon Story: Time Stranger should be on every RPG fan’s radar, whether they’ve been keeping up with the franchise or not.



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Metaplanet stock is in a free fall; Bitcoin pivot a dud
NFT Gaming

Metaplanet stock is in a free fall; Bitcoin pivot a dud

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Metaplanet stock price is in a free fall, erasing some of the gains made after its pivot to Bitcoin accumulation. 

Summary

  • Metaplanet share price has slumped by 63% from the year-to-date high.
  • Bitcoin treasury stocks have plunged in the past few months.
  • Technical analysis points to more downside in the coming weeks.

Metaplanet shares have plunged to ¥709, their lowest level since May 19, and 63% from their highest point this year. This performance makes it one of the worst-performing Bitcoin treasury companies in the industry.

Have Bitcoin treasury firms fallen out of favor?

Metaplanet, a Japanese hotel operator, has become one of the top Bitcoin accumulators. It has bought 20,000 coins, making it the sixth-biggest public holders of Bitcoin (BTC).

The company aims to emulate Michael Saylor’s Strategy (holder of 636,505 coins) by buying 210,000 coins over time. Its shareholders gave it the nod to raise $3.8 billion for further acquisitions. 

The Metaplanet stock price has plunged in the past few months as investors have soured on the industry. A closer look shows that most companies with Bitcoin in their holdings have all slumped. 

MSTR stock price has plunged by over 20% from its all-time high. Similarly, companies such as American Bitcoin, MicroCloud Hologram, and Bullish have all experienced a slump.

The stock has also dropped because of concerns about it valuation in relation to its Bitcoin holdings. Its current Bitcoin holdings are worth $2.2 billion, much lower than the enterprise value of $5 billion. As such, investors may be getting concerned about the $2.79 billion gap in its valuation.

Metaplanet share price may be plunging because of profit-taking among investors. Despite its recent crash, it is one of the best-performing Japanese stocks, having jumped by over 3,980% from its lowest level in 2024. 

Metaplanet stock price technical analysis

Metaplanet stock chart | Source: TradingView

The daily timeframe chart shows that the Metaplanet share price has been in a freefall in the past few months. It has moved from a high of ¥1,930 to ¥709 today. 

This freefall may continue as it crossed the critical support level at ¥723, its highest swing in February this year. It is about to form a death cross pattern as the 50-day and 200-day Weighted Moving Averages near their crossover. 

The Average Directional Index has moved to 32, a sign that the trend is strengthening. Therefore, the stock will likely continue plunging as sellers target the key support at ¥500. This sell-off will accelerate if Bitcoin price continues moving sideways.



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10 Indie Genre Films We're Excited for This Fall
Gaming Gear

10 Indie Genre Films We’re Excited for This Fall

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You’d be hard-pressed to be a movie fan if you didn’t find a big Hollywood release to be excited about this fall. Maybe it’s the return of the Avatar, Predator, or Tron franchises. Maybe it’s a new film from an iconic filmmaker like Edgar Wright, Guillermo del Toro, or Yorgos Lanthimos. Or, maybe you can’t wait to be scared by new films in the Conjuring, Black Phone, or Five Nights at Freddy’s franchises. Whatever the case, as usual, Hollywood tries to have something for everyone. But there’s always more.

Below, we’ve got 10 genre films that aren’t from major studios and often don’t have big-name stars, but we’re still excited to see them. There’s some horror, there’s some romance, there’s some animation, and more. But all could potentially be flying under your radar.

Rabbit Trap (September 12)

Dev Patel stars in this Sundance film about a couple who move to the woods only to discover a mysterious, otherworldly sound.

Night of the Reaper (September 19 on Shudder)

We love a good period slasher film, and Night of the Reaper, about a babysitter haunted by the titular slasher, sounds like it’s going to deliver exactly that.

Xeno (September 19)

Kevin Hart produced, but doesn’t star in, this story of a young girl and a mysterious creature who go off on an adventure.

Good Boy (October 3)

An adorable dog witnesses his owner encounter an escalating series of paranormal activities. No, not the movies.

V/H/S/Halloween (October 3 on Shudder)

In what’s basically become an annual tradition, the VHS franchise is back with another series of spooky anthologies, all themed around everyone’s favorite holiday.

Shelby Oaks (October 3)

A woman believes a new discovery may be the key to finding her long-lost sister and the demon potentially behind it all.

Deathstalker (October 10)

The latest film from director Steven Kostanski (The Void, PG: Psycho Goreman) is an epic fantasy horror adventure. Just the way we like them.

The poster for Queens of the Dead – IFC

Queens of the Dead (October 24)

Katy O’Brian stars in this neon-infused horror comedy about what happens when a group of people in a club realizes a zombie apocalypse is happening outside.

Eternity (November 26)

The Scarlet Witch, aka Elizabeth Olsen, returns. Only this time, she’s dead. And in the afterlife, she has to choose between her two husbands.

Scarlet (December)

A new anime from director Mamoru Hosoda, Scarlet follows a sword-fighting princess on an adventure through the afterlife. Originally set for wide release this year, it was recently pushed into next year, but it will get a small, awards-qualifying run sometime in December.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.



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