Tag:

world

“It’s kind of a sociological experiment” For Blizzard, World of Warcraft neighbourhoods, Azeroth NIMBYs, and curtain-twitching drama is all part of the plan

by admin October 7, 2025

If you’ve played World of Warcraft at any point during its modern era, after it crossed the threshold from Classic to the MMO monster that is ‘Retail WoW’, you’ll know it’s not the social experience it once was. Better raiding, new lands, vast new adventures, yes, but it’s also a game that has become less collaborative. Many players are an island, separated from their peers.

Enter the upcoming Midnight expansion and this may very well change. You can’t close Pandora’s box, of course, the days of summon stones and server-wide events are long gone. But through housing and neighbourhoods World of Warcraft might teach players how to be social again.

These neighbourhoods are large spaces filled with affordable plots of land where houses can be quickly bought and customised; perhaps World of Warcraft’s most fantastical addition in years. These neighbourhoods can be both private and public, allowing pre-existing Guilds and total strangers to form miniature communities together in a singular digital space.

Watch the World of Warcraft: Midnight gameplay reveal here.Watch on YouTube

“I think we always knew we wanted to have neighbourhoods, or at least from a very early point,” associate game director Paul Kubit told Eurogamer. “We didn’t want you to just be locked in your own house, doing your own stuff all the time. You can hang out there for a long time, for sure, but we wanted the game to nudge you like, ‘hey, if you want some cool rewards, step outside and interact with your neighbours’ and so on.

“I think one of the watershed moments for us is when we said ‘neighbourhoods should be guilds and guilds should be neighbourhoods’. We already have these strong social groups that people enjoy spending time in, and early on I don’t think we made that connection that they should be tied quite closely together. They don’t have to be, of course: you can have a charter neighbourhood, you can live in a public neighbourhood.

“If you are already in a guild of folks who are interacting with one another, this is a cool opportunity to take that relationship that might be focused on raids or PvP or whatever, and you’ll be able to cohabit a space. You’ll be able to see how I decorate my front yard, and it’ll add opportunities to roleplay where our game hasn’t always had lots of open invitations to roleplay. When you’re in a neighbourhood, it makes you want to [do more of that]!”

The question then is, well, what do neighbours actually do with each other? Once they set up their homes, what’s to stop them from teleporting in and out of their abode without so much as a /wave, or a /spit when someone puts up a gaudy fence the estate doesn’t like? The answer, per Blizzard, is Endeavors: monthly events that thrust an entire neighbourhood out into the world to complete events for a chance at that WoW catnip – sweet loot and unique rewards.

Kubit elaborates on the feature and its inspiration: “I think the trading post is a pretty good touchstone for the type of activities endeavours provide, and it’s a wide breadth of activities too. Is it casual, is it hardcore? It’s both!

“You can advance your neighbourhoods by doing simple things like questing, killing, gathering herbs. Most of this will take place in the old world (referring to older zones from previous expansions), or pretty much all of it! That content will scale to your level, and you’ll be able to hang out with NPCs there, kill creatures, hunt rares. Depending on where you go, the gameplay will differ, then you come back and get some cool items for your house.”

This all sounds lovely, but when you bring players together like this, you risk clashes. Like any real neighborhood, gripes bubble up. ‘I don’t like the way Grogmar’s house looks, why would he dye his table that way, gosh.’ How exactly will Blizzard deal with the newfound threat of Azeroth NIMBYs and neighbourhood drama?

“It’s kind of a sociological experiment, right? We do know a lot of folks want to make sure their neighbourhood looks one way or another” Kubit explains. “Ultimately, we’re giving players a lot of control to do what they want to do. This extends not only to how you customise your health, but also the neighbourhood you want to live in. With that power comes… We’ll see how players handle it. Obviously there’s the terms of service, so as long as players aren’t being jerks to each other… We’ll see.”

Source link

October 7, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The World of ‘Dark Crystal’ May Not Be as Finished as We Thought

by admin October 3, 2025

Jim Henson’s incredible fantasy film, The Dark Crystal, is returning to theaters next week, but that may not be the last time audiences see it on the big screen. Speaking to io9 about the Fathom re-release, filmmaker Brian Henson teased that even though Netflix’s prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is unlikely to come back, that isn’t necessarily the end of the franchise.

“I can’t really comment on development, but what I will say is we will continue to create within this universe,” Henson said. “We’ve looked at several potential tracks and a movie might be one of them… You still have a lot of moving parts in the world of Dark Crystal that can create drama and conflict that can generate another story in that world.”

So what exactly does that mean? Could we be getting a new Dark Crystal movie? As Henson said, he wouldn’t comment on development. But that there’s more story to be told in the world of The Dark Crystal is simultaneously obvious and unexpected.

It was back in 2019 when Netflix released its incredible prequel series, Age of Resistance. That series took everything fans knew and loved about the 1982 original and made it bigger, better, and more engrossing. It was clear the world of Thra was ripe for further explanation, especially when the story begged for a second season. Unfortunately, that second season is unlikely to happen, and Henson admitted he wasn’t surprised.

“Netflix [was] really great,” he said. “They allowed the money to be spent that was needed to really do it right, and [Age of Resistance] is a beautiful, beautiful piece. But… they’re a streamer. Their whole point is to get a whole bunch of subscribers that we wouldn’t otherwise get. So they knew by making Age of Resistance that we’re going to get all of the hardcore fantasy fans who weren’t subscribed to subscribe. Season two? It’s the same group. So I was disappointed but not at all surprised that they didn’t want to drop that much money again for another season.”

So who might drop money for more Dark Crystal, if not Netflix? Again, there’s no comment. But clearly, if you look at the rumors surrounding another big Henson fantasy film, Labyrinth, you see that there is certainly interest out there. Fingers crossed we get back to Thra sooner rather than later.

And, as we mentioned, you can go back next week. Fathom Events is rereleasing the film in 4K on October 12 and 13 with a special new introduction by Henson. Get tickets and showtimes here. Then, check back next week for more Dark Crystal.

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.

Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

China Is Leading the World in the Clean Energy Transition. Here’s What That Looks Like

by admin October 3, 2025

Speaking by video at the UN Climate Summit in New York last week, China’s president Xi Jinping laid out his country’s climate ambitions. While the stated goals may not have been aggressive as some environmentalists would like, Xi at least reaffirmed China’s green commitment.

“Despite some countries going against the trend, the international community should stay on the right track, maintain unwavering confidence, unwavering action, and undiminished efforts,” he said. Any reference to Donald Trump and the United States was surely intended (though not explicit).

The march of the energy transition is a long one, but it has to start somewhere. And with this approach, China has already taken quite a few steps.

Beijing Stands (Mostly) Alone

Today, there is no race to be a climate leader. The world is a far fry from the COP26 conference in November 2021, when tackling the threat of climate change seemed like a global priority. A few months later, Russia invaded Ukraine; the ensuing energy crisis and inflation kicked climate off of many political agendas.

While Joe Biden and the United States responded to soaring prices with the Inflation Reduction Act, which prioritized investment in renewable energy, Donald Trump subsequently withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement—an international accord to limit global warming—for the second time. The European Union has also stuttered: Too internally divided, it did not go beyond a drab declaration of intent at the UN Climate Summit. There hasn’t been much movement from India, a country of nearly 1.5 billion people. And other nations’ emissions are simply too small to matter.

Given this background, it becomes easy to understand how, in this scenario, China has become a global leader in the clean energy transition. Xi’s speech did not go into much detail, but it did mention all the main points of China’s strategy.

Cut Emissions Between 7 Percent and 10 Percent by 2035

In New York, Xi acknowledged the importance of the transition, and for the first time, agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rather than simply promise to slow them down. China’s stated goal is between 7 percent and 10 percent reduction by 2035.

How do you evaluate these pledges? While the commitment is vague, it’s still significant; previously the regime had merely promised to reach peak emissions by 2030, tying the cuts to economic growth. In Xi’s speech you can seen China transition from a developing country approach to a role more akin to that of industrialized countries, whose emissions have been declining for decades.

Slow Going?

It should be pointed out that reducing emissions at the pace promised by Beijing means a decline of about 1 percent a year. According to an analysis by William Lamb of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, this is a slower pace than that held by most industrialized nations. Italy, for example, has reduced them by an average of 3.2 percent every 12 months since their peak in 2006; the United Kingdom by an average of 2.8 percent since 2004; France by 2.3 percent.

“China has often promised little and achieved much,” notes Andreas Sieber, associate director for policy and campaigns for the global climate nonprofit 350.org, suggesting that China might overdeliver. The country’s lack of democracy also means its policies are not at risk of reversal every election cycle.

On Renewables

Xi Jinping’s speech included a commitment to reach 3,600 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind and solar capacity by 2035, six times the country’s 2020 figures. This is already the leading country in terms of installed renewable power, and a giant on the technology front as well, with universities churning out environmental and climate tech research at full speed, and attracting scientists from abroad across numerous fields. He also announced a commitment to an energy mix with more than 30 percent renewables.

On Electric Vehicles

Mobility has long been an issue for China, which has moved from bicycles, ubiquitous until the 1990s, to the mass automobile. The images of the 2008 Beijing Olympics are unforgettable: A blanket of smog buried the city. The government has in recent years given a strong boost to electric mobility: At the Climate Summit it announced plans to make EVs “mainstream,” that is, prevalent in sales. It helps that it has ready access to rare earth minerals that are essential for building batteries. And for that matter, the country hosts giant automotive companies like BYD and Catl, which supplies batteries to some 50 global brands including Tesla and Volkswagen.

On the carbon market

Xi has declared his intention to expand the national carbon emission trading market to more emission-intensive sectors than today.

On forests

China made additional commitments on forests, which it says will reach an extent of 34 billion cubic meters.

China has reshaped the market for green technologies.

To skeptics expecting broader measures and the mantle of true global leadership from China, well, that’s not a particularly coveted title these days—especially if the US continues to reverse course on climate science. As senior advisor Bernice Lee of the think tank Chatham House notes, China invested $625 billion in the clean energy transition last year alone; that’s nearly a third of the gobal total.

Not only that: Research and massive adoption of renewable technologies have led to the dramatic drop in prices, and China’s very large domestic market is a formidable driver in this regard. “The rise of Chinese renewables is reshaping the global economy and replacing coal in the domestic market,” Lee says.

The hope is that other countries, reassured by that commitment, will follow China’s example rather than America’s.

Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments

Esports

2025 MLB playoffs: World Series odds, postseason preview

by admin October 3, 2025

The 2025 MLB playoffs are rolling along!

After the wild-card round ended with a trio of Game 3s, the division series matchups are set with all four Game 1s starting Saturday.

Will Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers meet Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees in a World Series rematch? Is this the year the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers finally get to the Fall Classic? Will the Philadelphia Phillies make another deep run after a strong regular season?

MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Jeff Passan and David Schoenfield get you ready with odds for every round, why every team could win it all — or go home early — and a name to watch for on all 12 World Series hopefuls.

Note: World Series and matchup odds come from Doolittle’s formula using power ratings as the basis for 10,000 simulations to determine the most likely outcomes. Team temperatures are based on Bill James’ formula for determining how “hot” or “cold” a team is at any given point; average is 72°.

Series outlooks | Schedule | Bracket | ESPN BET

Jump to a team:
TOR | SEA | NYY | DET
MIL | PHI | LAD | CHC

American League

No. 1 seed | 94-68 | AL East champs

ALDS opponent: Yankees (47.4% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 11.0% | ESPN BET Odds: +650

Team temperature: 91°

Why they can win the World Series: The Blue Jays don’t strike out, and they field as cleanly as any team in the postseason field. Toronto has scuffled lately, yes, and the culprit is a punchless offense. But Toronto has spent much of the season with one of the game’s best units in runs scored as well as wOBA, and although Bo Bichette’s return from a knee injury is questionable, the Blue Jays still have enough to mash their way past teams. They’ll need good pitching, and while there isn’t a clear ace or lockdown bullpen piece, they have droves of arms capable of excellence. There’s a reason the Blue Jays have spent much of the season fighting for the best record in the American League. Excellence isn’t accidental. And not striking out in the postseason is quite the excellent predictor of success. — Passan

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: George Springer. At age 35, Springer was Toronto’s best hitter this season, changing his approach by focusing more on his “A” swing at all times to generate more consistent bat speed and a higher hard-hit percentage. That resulted in nearly doubling his average launch angle while keeping his strikeout rate stable anyway. Oh, and he’s been a great postseason hitter in his career, hitting .268/.346/.529 with 19 home runs in 67 games and winning World Series MVP honors with the Astros in 2017. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because … the offense doesn’t wake up. The Blue Jays’ recipe for scoring runs this season centered around putting the ball in play and not striking out while still featuring some power. But that pop vanished down the stretch before turning it on the final weekend. Their struggles correspond with Bo Bichette going on the injured list with a sprained knee. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Springer were two of the best hitters in the American League this season, but Toronto clearly missed Bichette, who hasn’t been cleared to begin running. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: At some point in these playoffs, the Blue Jays will hold a narrow lead, the ninth inning will arrive, the microscope will zoom in on Jeff Hoffman, and nobody will know what to expect. Hoffman was really bad in May, July and August, pretty good in the other months, and on the whole, has allowed way too many home runs and absorbed way too many blown saves in the first season of a three-year, $33 million deal. How far the Blue Jays advance in this year’s postseason will rest largely on Hoffman’s right arm. A close-up, indeed. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: Three true outcomes baseball got you down? Tune in to some Blue Jays baseball to fulfill all of your balls-in-play needs. Toronto put the ball in play in 81.7% of its plate appearances, first in the majors and the highest percentage by an AL team since the 2017 Astros. There’s a connection here, of course: Springer played for both clubs. If that means anything, it bodes well for Toronto because Houston won the 2017 World Series. We won’t get into what came after. — Doolittle

No. 2 seed | 90-72 | AL West champs

ALDS opponent: Tigers (51.6% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 9.9% | ESPN BET Odds: +500

Team temperature: 88°

Why they can win the World Series: They’ve had the best offense in baseball in September. Their rotation is replete with starting pitchers who, on any given night, can throw seven shutout frames. The back end of their bullpen features two of the nastiest relievers in the game. And they’ve got the Big Dumper. Regardless of his might this year, Cal Raleigh himself can’t carry an entire team, which is why it’s nice to have Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena and Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor and Jorge Polanco and Dom Canzone and J.P. Crawford in the lineup, too. And as long as Bryan Woo remains healthy, the rotation with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Luis Castillo might be the best in the postseason. Finish off with Matt Brash in the eighth and Andres Munoz in the ninth, and you can see why FanGraphs has the Mariners with the best odds to win the World Series of any team in baseball. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: Julio Rodriguez. Wait, not Raleigh? Sure, that’s the more obvious choice, but after his historic power season, it’s possible teams will pitch around Raleigh in October and force other hitters to beat them. That would open the door for J-Rod, who heated up the final two-plus months and bats after Raleigh in the lineup. Throw in some spectacular center-field defense and he could join Springer as the only center fielder to win World Series MVP honors since … well, this is pretty shocking: Springer and Reggie Jackson in 1973 are the only center fielders to win since the award began in 1955. — Schoenfield

The Big Dumper … and some magic?

Seattle has never won a World Series. Or even an American League pennant. Could a little bit of alchemy change that? Alden Gonzalez »

If they go home early it will be because … Woo’s injury is a real issue. The All-Star, who exited his start on Sept. 19 with inflammation in his right pectoral, did not make his scheduled start Thursday. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander told reporters the club did not believe the setback warranted putting Woo on the injured list and he’s responded well from treatment, but Woo will go into the postseason without having pitched in a game in over two weeks. While Seattle’s rotation is one of the deepest in baseball, Woo emerged as the ace this season with a 2.94 ERA over 30 starts. He is critical to their World Series chances. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: Woo didn’t debut until 2023, the year after the Mariners made their last trip to the playoffs. By 2024, he had established himself as one of the game’s best young pitchers. And in 2025, he cemented that by making his first All-Star team, the high point of a regular season in which he won 15 games, posted a 2.94 ERA, compiled 186⅔ innings and was the most consistent starter in a Mariners rotation that didn’t find itself until recently. Woo exited his last start with pectoral tightness. The hope is he’ll be good to go for the playoffs. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: Behold the historic firsts … or at least the possibility of them. Raleigh’s home run ticker rolls back to zero when the playoffs begin, and while he’ll still attract plenty of attention, that number zero looms large over the Mariners’ franchise as a whole. Seattle remains the only franchise with zero World Series appearances. Three of the Mariners’ five playoff trips have ended in the ALCS, culminating in two losses to the Yankees and one to Cleveland — possible obstacles this year as well. — Doolittle

No. 4 seed | 94-68 | AL wild card

Wild-card result: Defeated Red Sox in three games

Wild-card opponent: Blue Jays (52.6% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 13.5% | ESPN BET Odds: +850

Team temperature: 115°

Why they can win the World Series: They hit home runs. And, no, that’s not going to be the only reason. But it’s the most compelling. The Yankees have the best home run hitter in the game today in Aaron Judge, and he’s bound to show up one of these Octobers and unleash the full extent of his power in the postseason. The mere possibility of that makes New York dangerous. The Yankees complement it with a lineup of hitters who, even taking out Judge’s 53, combined for 221 home runs, which would rank seventh in MLB. That disincentivizes pitching around him. Between Max Fried and Carlos Rodon, the Yankees have one of the game’s best starting pairs, and their relief pitching is showing good signs over the past week. Ultimately, the Yankees will go as far as the long ball takes them. If they keep hitting homers, they’ll be tough to stop, regardless of deficiencies elsewhere. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: Look, Judge’s postseason history isn’t great. It’s not even good by his regular-season standards, with a career line of .205/.318/.450 and just .169/.283/.360 over his past three postseasons across 24 games. But he’s the best hitter in baseball, and he’s certainly due for a big October. It helps that, with a team that led the majors in home runs, he has more help around him than some of those other playoff lineups. — Schoenfield

What it’s really like facing Aaron Judge

We asked everyone from MLB aces and former college rivals to a tech salesman for their best tales of squaring off against the Yankees slugger. Facing Judge »

If they go home early it will be because … relievers don’t perform to their track records. The names in New York’s bullpen pop: David Bednar. Devin Williams. Luke Weaver. Camilo Doval. All four have been successful closers at the major league level; Weaver, the only one without an All-Star nod, was the closer for the Yankees’ World Series push last year. But the Yankees’ relief corps has been mercurial since adding Bednar and Doval at the trade deadline. Bednar established himself as the closer, but Doval has been sporadic. The group’s ceiling is high. But the second half proved its floor is surprisingly low. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: Ben Rice carried the Yankees in their last road game of the regular season, collecting four hits, including the 10th-inning grand slam that sent them to victory in Baltimore. The 26-year-old has emerged as a crucial part of the lineup and will find himself in it often in October, whether he’s at first base or behind the plate. This lineup seems deeper than the one the Yankees fielded in last year’s World Series run, and Rice is a key reason. Said manager Aaron Boone: “I think we’re seeing the emergence of a true middle-of-the-order bat with power.” — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: Well, let’s face it, you root for them because you’re already a Yankees fan, but other than that, the fun actually lies in rooting against the Yankees. But it’s hard to root against Judge, and sometimes even great players have a negative postseason narrative that follows them around. If the Yankees win, and it’s because Judge finally goes off in October, it’s just good, solid baseball history that, as a baseball fan, you won’t want to miss. — Doolittle

No. 6 seed | 87-75 | AL wild card

Wild-card result: Defeated Guardians in three games

ALDS opponent: Mariners (48.4% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 7.2% | ESPN BET Odds: +850

Team temperature: 57°

Why they can win the World Series: Because once upon a time this was the best team in the American League. It’s easy to forget after their historic collapse, but the Tigers entered May, June, July, August and, yes, September with the best record in the AL. Recent travails notwithstanding, this is a good baseball team, and even with a number of pitchers and infielder Colt Keith on the injured list, the Tigers have the depth — and in manager A.J. Hinch the acumen — to do damage in October. It starts with Tarik Skubal, the best pitcher in baseball the past two seasons and one hell of an assignment for the Mariners if they have to face him twice in a five-game series. Win that, get the good feeling back, hope the slugging of Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson shows up, find top-level form from Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty and pray the bullpen finds some strikeout elixir. More than anything, remember what it’s like to win after spending too long not knowing the feeling. –– Passan

The extraordinary mystery of Tarik Skubal

“I wasn’t good until I was 26,” the All-Star pitcher says. Here’s how Skubal rose from Little League lore to Cy Young. Tim Keown »

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: Skubal would be the easy answer, but Stephen Strasburg is the only pitcher to win World Series MVP honors in the past 10 years and only he, Madison Bumgarner and Cole Hamels have won the award in the past 20 postseasons. So maybe Greene? He can run hot and cold with the bat and the strikeouts are a concern, but he can also hit some big home runs. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because … the starting rotation around Skubal doesn’t carry its weight. Skubal, the AL Cy Young favorite, recorded a 2.42 ERA in four September starts. And yet the Tigers’ rotation ERA for the month was still a bloated 4.84. That helps explain the team’s near-monumental collapse, though the offense and bullpen didn’t help matters. Flaherty and Mize, the team’s No. 2 and 3 starters, must give the Tigers some effective length to avoid an early exit. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: Mize, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, did not pitch for the Tigers in last year’s wild-card round and was left off their ALDS roster. It marked his first season back from a prolonged recovery from Tommy John surgery, and Mize never truly felt right. This year, he made his first All-Star team and, with help from a solid enough September, established himself as a key member of the postseason rotation. If the Tigers are going to go from nearly blowing a playoff spot to playing deep into October, other starters are going to have to step up beyond Skubal. It’s Mize’s turn to prove he can. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: Want to see how bouncy a baseball team can be? Check out the nosediving Tigers, who squeaked into the playoffs largely because they weren’t the only AL contender in a late-season free fall. Detroit’s .291 September winning percentage doesn’t bode well. In fact, if the Tigers can rebound from here to the heights of a title, it would be an unprecedented reversal.. Only 10 eventual champs have sported a last-month winning percentage under .500. The worst was the .414 mark (12-17) of the 2006 Cardinals — who beat Detroit in that year’s World Series. — Doolittle

National League

No. 1 seed | 97-65 | NL Central champs

NLDS opponent: Cubs (56.2% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 16.5% | ESPN BET Odds: +800

Team temperature: 67°

Why they can win the World Series: They’ve been the best team in baseball over six months. In the modern game, that takes a blend of depth, player development and fidelity to an ethos that runs through the organization expecting excellence. If the deck is stacked against you, unstack it and restack it to better suit you. It’s easy to say, but how the Brewers play — disciplined and smart and fully bought-in — is an enviable brand of baseball. They’re a fun team to watch because they were better than everyone, sure. But really fun because they bully without the home run, which is something of a novel concept in today’s game. Milwaukee embraced it as it embraces any impediment. There’s always the chance that a consistently winning team never makes the World Series. But the cavalry of live arms, the nine hitters with OPS+ over 111 (and two more over 100), the NL-best 164 steals, the glovework that’s among the best in MLB by every publicly available defensive metric — it makes sense. They’re the best for a reason. So why would that change? — Passan

How the Brewers built a $115 million power

As small-market Milwaukee rolls along with MLB’s best record, everyone wants to know the Brew Crew’s secret formula. Jesse Rogers »

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: Brice Turang is no longer just a slick-fielding second baseman with speed. He has added power this season, especially in the second half — during which he’s slugged over .500. He hits righties and lefties, does a good job of not chasing out of the zone and can pound fastballs. Oh, and he hit .364 with runners in scoring position. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because … their lack of power catches up with them. Runs are often scarce in October when teams maximize deploying their best pitchers. And while manufacturing them by any means necessary is the goal, hitting home runs is an indicator of October success. The only team to finish outside the top nine in home runs for a season and reach the World Series over the past five years was the 2023 Diamondbacks. The Brewers, meanwhile, finished this season tied for 21st in home runs with Christian Yelich’s 29 leading the way. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: The hype that surrounded Jacob Misiorowski at midseason, prompting a surprising All-Star appearance despite fewer than 30 career major league innings, has since faded. In nine starts since then, his ERA is 5.45. He’s no longer good enough to crack the Brewers’ postseason rotation. Not yet, anyway. The team, though, is considering using him out of the bullpen, and that’s when things could get really interesting. Misiorowski captivated the nation because he possessed some of the sport’s most devastating stuff despite taking on the workload of a starting pitcher. Out of the bullpen, that triple-digit fastball and wipeout slider would certainly play, especially in October. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: The Brewers are one of the three teams in this year’s field — along with the Mariners and Padres — hunting for their first title. But this was the best regular season in Milwaukee’s history, and for the first time since 1982, the Brewers will enter the playoffs with the best record in MLB. Intangibly, this is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing team to watch, featuring flashy defenders, a number of high-volume base stealers and a lot of balls in play. In other words, the reasons to watch and root for the Brew Crew are many. It would be much harder to identify reasons you would not want to root for them. — Doolittle

No. 2 seed | 96-66 | NL East champs

NLDS opponent: Dodgers (49.8% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 13.1% | ESPN BET Odds: +450

Team temperature: 90°

Why they can win the World Series: Kyle Schwarber is made for October, and he will hold court, along with Bryce Harper, Cristopher Sanchez, Jhoan Duran and the rest of the cavalcade, in front of the most raucous crowd in baseball at Citizens Bank Park. Those are the featured players, but the Phillies’ run could hinge on their four starters’ capacity to go deep into games. The bullpen is top-heavy, and the top is good, but if they aren’t scared off by the third time through the order like so many others, the Phillies can ride their rotation far. Schwarber and Harper have combined for 38 home runs in 510 career postseason plate appearances and are two of the best playoff performers of their generation. If the Phillies can hit some timely home runs — eight others on the roster reached double-digit homers — their case, already perhaps the most compelling in baseball, gets that much stronger. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: We have two logical choices here: Schwarber and Harper. Both have been outstanding in the playoffs. Schwarber has a .906 OPS and 21 home runs in 69 games, and Harper has a 1.016 OPS and 17 home runs in 53 games. Schwarber, of course, had a monster regular season. Let’s go with Harper, though. He knows how to lock in for October better than any other active hitter, and with time possibly running out on this aging Phillies team, it might be now or never for Harper to win a World Series. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because … Trea Turner doesn’t quickly find his rhythm. Turner was placed on the injured list because of a Grade 1 hamstring strain Sept. 8. He was activated Friday and played in Sunday’s season finale. The Phillies’ offense hummed without Turner behind Schwarber’s continued dominance of opposing pitchers, but October is a different beast, and Turner is an elite talent who could change Philadelphia’s playoff fortunes. The shortstop won the NL batting title, led the league with 179 hits and stole 36 bases. A healthy Turner adds another dimension. — Castillo

MLB most exciting player bracket

Ohtani or De La Cruz? We narrow the field — with a rep from every team — to one true must-watch player. Bracket »

Ready for his October close-up: Jhoan Duran got a taste of postseason baseball with the Twins in 2023, but he has never experienced it quite like at “The Bank,” with his walkout song blaring through what is widely considered the loudest, most boisterous ballpark this time of year. The Phillies’ front office beat out a bevy of suitors for Duran at the trade deadline, and he has been everything the team could have imagined, locking down the back end of a leaky bullpen and looking very much like the final player of a title quest. Soon, the ninth inning will come, and “El Incomprendido” will play. Philly will be ready. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: Tired of the bullpen parade? The Phillies are your team. Philadelphia far and away paced the majors in innings from starters. It wasn’t just volume either, as Philly logged baseball’s third-best rotation ERA (3.57). And it wasn’t because the Phillies preached pitch to contact: Philadelphia led all of baseball in strikeout rate from starting pitchers, and strikeout-minus-walks percentage. Sure, the loss of Zack Wheeler is a bummer, but the Sanchez-led rotation remains the foundation of the Phillies and their greatest hopes to traverse the bullpen-heavy staffs of the rest of the bracket en route to the World Series. — Doolittle

No. 3 seed | 93-69 | NL West champs

Wild-card result: Defeated Reds in two games

NLDS opponent: Phillies (50.2 chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 16.5% | ESPN BET Odds: +425

Team temperature: 113°

Why they can win the World Series: They did it last year and pretty much everyone who contributed to that team is back — plus a few more. This time, they’ve got to get through the wild-card series, which is no fun, but their starting pitching depth is truly daunting. No matter how they deploy Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, any permutation works. The bullpen is … a work in progress. But if you’re seeking a functional relief corps on the fly, there are worse places to start than with a group of 10 who have thrown out of the bullpen this month, seven at 95-plus (including Roki Sasaki), with Emmet Sheehan and Clayton Kershaw likewise at the ready. As for the hitters: Ohtani will win his second straight NL MVP, Mookie Betts is right again, Freddie Freeman in October is automatic and even if Will Smith is out, what the Dodgers manage better than anyone is depth, and despite the disappointment of the regular season, there exists this truth: If every team plays its best, the Dodgers are better than all of them. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: How about Freeman in a repeat performance? Hey, Corey Seager won in 2020 and 2023 (for two different teams), although no player has won MVP in back-to-back World Series. Freeman has played 11 World Series games — and reached via a hit in all 11 with an OPS of 1.171. He never lets the moment get too big, and another big World Series would cement his status as one of the all-time great clutch postseason performers. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because … the bullpen sinks this behemoth. Six different Dodgers relievers finished September with an ERA north of 5.00. Their team bullpen ERA for the month that ranked 26th in baseball. Only three teams blew more saves. Tanner Scott’s first season in Los Angeles was a colossal disappointment. Kirby Yates, their other major free agent bullpen addition, landed on the injured list again during the final week of the regular season. Brock Stewart, the only reliever acquired at the trade deadline, pitched in four games before going on the IL. As a result, the Dodgers will supplement the bullpen with starters; Kershaw, Sasaki and Sheehan all figure to play significant relief roles in October. — Castillo

Sign my jersey, Kersh!

Everyone wants a Clayton Kershaw souvenir — including his opponents. Alden Gonzalez »

Ready for his October close-up: Baseball fans were delighted to see Ohtani grace the postseason stage last October, but that was only half of him. This year, Ohtani will be fully unlocked. He’ll pitch — in Game 1 of the division series against the Phillies — and he’ll hit, with few, if any, limitations. The Dodgers were very careful in how they handled Ohtani’s pitching return, all with the thought of making sure he was at his best going into October. That goal was accomplished. Ohtani has once again proven he can be as dominant on the mound as he is in the batter’s box. Now, he’ll show it when it really counts. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: You like dynasties? Another Dodgers title would further cement L.A.’s dominance over the rest of baseball. The Dodgers looked far more vulnerable than predicted during the season, and their struggles continued into the latter stages of the regular season. But Ohtani will unleash his two-way act in the playoffs for the first time, Betts has turned around his down season, and everyone wants to send Kershaw into retirement on a high note. Dynasties are dynasties because they win even when their plans haven’t unfolded exactly as they foresaw. — Doolittle

No. 4 seed | 92-70 | NL wild card

Wild-card result: Defeated Padres in three games

NLDS opponent: Brewers (43.8% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 11.9% | ESPN BET Odds: +800

Team temperature: 87°

Why they can win the World Series: They’re a magnificent defensive team, they’ve got Kyle Tucker back to charge an offense that has been a bottom-quarter run-scoring team in the second half, and Daniel Palencia has also returned with his velocity. Maybe their flashes of excellence when they were healthy get rekindled. The Cubs might not be as talented as the NL elite, but their lineup is filled with hitters willing to take walks and not striking out exorbitantly. That kind of approach — and home run hitting — win in October, and the Cubs have both. Keep the steady performances from Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller to lengthen the bullpen and hope for a mid-postseason return by Cade Horton, who would immediately make their chances that much better. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be: Ian Happ. Tucker has battled multiple injuries in the second half, including a calf injury that sidelined him most of September. Pete Crow-Armstrong has dropped off significantly in the second half. Seiya Suzuki has likewise slumped. Happ is the overlooked member of the Cubs’ lineup, but he’s a switch-hitter with power, he gets on base, controls his strikeouts reasonably well, has hit well in the second half and usually bats second or third, giving him plenty of RBI and run-scoring opportunities. — Schoenfield

‘You know that’s not normal, right?’

Inside the rise of Pete Crow-Armstrong, MLB’s next superstar. Jesse Rogers »

If they go home early it will be because … the late injuries pushed them off track. The Cubs’ best every-day player (Tucker), top starting pitcher (Horton) and closer (Palencia) dealt with injuries down the stretch. Though Tucker (calf) and Palencia (shoulder) returned from the injured list during the regular season’s final week, Horton was pulled from his start last Tuesday because of back tightnesss and placed on the injured list Saturday because of a rib fracture, the team announced. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: Here’s one thing we know about the Cubs going into these playoffs: they’re going to have to score runs, especially with Horton out for at least the first round. Kyle Tucker missed most of September and Pete Crow-Armstrong had the majors’ lowest OPS among qualified hitters after the start of August, which only heightens the pressure on someone like Michael Busch. There’s plenty of reason for hope. The Cubs’ offense hasn’t been clicking on all cylinders lately, but Busch, 27, has been at his best over these last couple weeks and led the team with 34 home runs this season. He’ll be at the top of the lineup against righties and his production will be critical. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: An eight-year title drought is small potatoes in Chicago, but 2016 is starting to feel like a long time ago. This version of the Cubs, led by first-title-seeker Craig Counsell, has a chance to carve out its place in the hearts of North Side fans with a deep run this October. When the Cubs have been at their best, they’ve featured an electric offense led by Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki and current fan favorite (P-C-A! P-C-A!) Pete Crow-Armstrong. With Tucker headed for free agency, this might be the Cubs’ best shot at matching their 2016 heights with this group. — Doolittle

Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

World of Warcraft is getting player housing in December, ahead of Midnight expansion launch

by admin October 3, 2025

Blizzard has announced that player housing will be coming to World of Warcraft starting 2nd December, ahead of the Midnight expansion launch.

This initial rollout for housing will not be feature-complete, with the full suite of mechanics arriving when it enters the game proper at Midnight’s launch sometime in 2026. With the housing release in December, players will be able to buy a plot of land, establish a neighbourhood with other players, and begin designing your home with a selection of decor items.

Future updates to housing will include hundreds of decorations, including some furnishings that come from older achievements and content from prior expansions such as World of Warcraft: Legion Order Hall completion.

Here’s the full developer Q&A for World of Warcraft: Midnight, that came out alongside the alpha.Watch on YouTube

In addition, players will be able to level up their houses over time, which provides increased interior and exterior decor placement budget, fixture budget, and room placement budget. Neighbourhoods can be both private and public, allowing those from the same guild to build up an estate of sorts together within a variety of biomes.

Not only that, but neighbourhoods will be able to participate in endeavors. These are monthly neighbourhood events that provide exclusive decor to use on participants’ homes. As such, some level of community collaboration is intended for the housing system.

World of Warcraft: Midnight is the second part of a three-part trilogy, which started with The War Within last year. It’ll take players back to Silvermoon city, where the Blood Elves are having a rough time fending off void ne’er-do-wells. In addition players will be able to play as the Haranir as an allied race, a faction of note throughout The War Within’s narrative.

When Blizzard first announced housing it did so with a subtle jab at Final Fantasy 14, another popular MMO with its own housing system and housing-related problems. It’s worth noting that unlike Final Fantasy 14, housing isn’t limited in World of Warcraft, so players won’t be unable to get a house come December, which is good!

Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

World Liberty Financial’s (WLFI) Roadmap: A Debit Card And Tokenized Assets On The Horizon

by admin October 2, 2025

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

The Trump family’s decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), is poised to introduce two new products aimed at investors, capitalizing on the fast-growing sector of tokenization and a new debit card solution.

World Liberty Financial To Launch Debit Card Pilot Program

During a presentation at the Token 2049 conference in Singapore, World Liberty Financial’s CEO, Zach Witkoff, shared these developments alongside co-founder Donald Trump Jr., highlighting the company’s commitment to bridging cryptocurrency with everyday transactions.

Witkoff revealed that the forthcoming debit card, designed to facilitate crypto asset spending in daily life, is set to enter a pilot program in the next quarter, with a launch anticipated either in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2026.

This announcement follows previous hints from Zak Folkman, World Liberty Financial’s co-founder, about a debit card and retail application during Korea Blockchain Week 2025, although the details of the consumer app remain under wraps for now.

In addition to the debit card, Witkoff emphasized the company’s focus on the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). “We’ve not only thought about it, we’re actively working on it,” he stated, noting that assets such as oil, gas, cotton, and timber could benefit from being traded on-chain.

As part of its roadmap, the firm also introduced a stablecoin called USD1. Since its launch, USD1 has rapidly ascended to become the fifth-largest stablecoin globally, boasting a market capitalization of approximately $2.7 billion.

USD1’s Role Amid Political Scrutiny

In response to President Donald Trump being scrutinized by Democratic lawmakers in the US, Donald Trump Jr. emphasized the venture and USD1’s role in supporting US treasuries and maintaining the dollar’s global dominance. He stated:

We’re flying to every single corner of this globe, convincing people to onboard to USD1, which, in effect, convinces those people to go buy US Treasuries, and it’s great for the US dollar.

WLFI also announced plans to expand the USD1 stablecoin onto the Aptos (APT) blockchain. Despite facing challenges, including subdued demand on centralized exchanges (CEXs), the stablecoin has gained traction on decentralized platforms, although concerns remain regarding liquidity concentration among a few major wallets.

In August of this year, World Liberty Financial revealed a partnership with the technology firm ALT5 Sigma. As part of a treasury strategy, ALT5 Sigma will acquire substantial amounts of WLFI tokens, following Strategy’s (formerly MicroStrategy) acquisition of Bitcoin.

The 1-hour chart shows WLFI’s struggle to surpass the $0.20 resistance wall. Source: WLFIUSDT on TradingView.com

On Wednesday, WLFI posted gains of 2%, reaching the $0.200 mark, which has proven to be a major obstacle for the token’s price, as it has been unable to surpass this level for several days.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

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

October 2, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Halo Studios revealing more on next projects (yes, plural) at next month’s World Championship event

by admin September 30, 2025

Halo Studios will be giving a “deep dive” presentation on its next projects at the Halo World Championship next month.

The event takes place from 24th – 26th October in Seattle, and will feature a Community Stage holding a number of panels, including one with voice actors Steve Downes (Master Chief) and Jen Taylor (Cortana).

Further details on the studio’s next projects will be shown on the Main Stage, but there will also be a further “deep dive” panel on the Community Stage.

A New Dawn | Halo StudiosWatch on YouTube

Last year, developer 343 Industries announced it was rebranding as Halo Studios and is working on multiple new games for the franchise. It shared a video titled A New Dawn, which included a look at Project Foundry: an experiment into how Halo games will look using Unreal Engine 5.

“It’s fair to say that our intent is that the majority of what we showcased in Foundry is expected to be in projects which we are building, or future projects,” Halo Studios boss Pierre Hintze said at the time.

Until now, the studio has been using its own Slipspace engine. Digital Foundry stated the change to UE5 could provide “a seismic shift in presentation and development”.

The latest HaloWC blog post on Halo Waypoint doesn’t specify anything on these new projects, but Halo fans won’t want to miss the announcements.

The blog reads: “Back in June we let the community know that we’d be continuing the conversation from last year’s HaloWC and the ‘A New Dawn’ video and sharing more about what we’ve been working on. Like last year we’ll be on the Main Stage to talk about it but this year we’ve also got a ‘deep dive’ panel planned for the Community Stage that you won’t want to miss.”

The last Halo game released was Halo Infinite in 2021, which saw the Xbox’s flagship shooter move to a semi-open world. While it was received positively, player numbers for its multiplayer mode have since plummeted.

What are you hoping to see? Let us know in the comments.

Source link

September 30, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Messenger is an absurdly slick, perfectly lovely free pocket world exploration game you can play in a browser

by admin September 30, 2025

Based on time of day and year, global fertility rates, and our own secret, illegal research into RPS supporter breeding patterns, I calculate that there’s a 12% chance you are reading this while carrying or cradling a small child. If that’s the case, then: what on Earth are you doing here? We post all kinds of awful grown-up things on RPS. Mark is threatening to do another salacious mod article and just this very morning, I posted a picture of a xenomorph covered in blood.

This piece should be safe for kids, however, as long as you don’t explain what a xenomorph is or what “salacious” means. It’s about Messenger, a free browser-based game in which you run around a very small 3D watercolour planet, delivering post. I suspect you and your child will enjoy it, unless we’ve already corrupted them and you’re now playing Aliens: Fireteam Elite.

Created using WebGL, Messenger is from the Short Hike school of vibes-driven pocket worlds with gentle to-do lists. The controls consist of moving with WASD and jumping – more of a lazy hop, really – with space bar. You’ve got a few deliveries to make off the bat, and you can take on more assignments by chatting to people.

Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Team Cherry

The dialogue writing is quite spry. I delivered a letter to a bald man which turned out to be from his past self. “Take care of your hair,” it read. Sad trombone. You don’t really need an objective, mind: it’s enough just to amble down the road and watch the horizon unroll. There’s also the option of customising your outfit, and an emoji system for communicating with the other players – yes, those are other players! – who pop into your session at random.

Find Messenger here. Try not to get it confused with The Messenger, an upsettingly hard game about ninjas. It’s ridiculous that this sort of game now hums along in a browser, isn’t it? Imagine that it’s 2000 and you found this on AOL – your head would asplode. Your modem would probably asplode, as well. “Asplode” is a reference to noted early noughties comedy website Homestar Runner, by the way – your kid likely isn’t old enough for Strongbad yet, but it’s the kind of thing they’ll love when they start school. Better than the rest of the junk you find on those modern videophones, anyway.

Among the mysteries of Messenger is who exactly made it. The creators are Abeto, who “craft interactive realtime experiences”, and have a picturesque, tastefully information-free website where you can wave away the petals that fall from a perpetually unfurling flower. Please don’t let this be a front for a seedy cryptocurrency joint, or a terrible data-harvesting exercise. Please let it just be a nice game about roaming a pleasant spherical suburb.

Source link

September 30, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Wall World 2 Digs Into Steam Next Fest with New Demo

by admin September 30, 2025

[September 29th, 2025] – Alawar is excited to announce that a brand-new Wall World 2 demo is now available on Steam as part of Steam Next Fest, giving players an early look at the next evolution of the hit roguelite tower defense adventure. Following a successful closed playtest earlier this year, this demo marks the first public chance to experience what’s new, what’s deadly, and what’s waiting deep within the Wall ahead of the game’s full release in November.Wall World 2 expands on the breakout success of the original, merging fast-paced turret defense and tense mining exploration with an ambitious new scale. The sequel introduces players to dangerous new biomes, revamped robospider mobility options, and the first glimpses of the strange anomalies spreading across the Wall.Players can dig deep into procedurally generated mines, test new enemy encounters, and begin shaping their ideal robospider through a revamped upgrade system. This is just a taste of what’s to come when the full game launches later this year.

Key Features Include:

Mining & Exploration – Unearth rare resources and ancient relics in unpredictable mines that shift with every run.
Tower Defense with a Twist – Defend your robospider from surface attacks while managing deep excavation beneath.
Expanded Roguelite Progression – Upgrade weapons, systems, and your pilot across runs with persistent gear and tech.
Environmental Hazards & Anomalies – Encounter deadly new tile types, chain reactions, and biome effects that keep every expedition fresh.
Robospider Customization – Test different traversal modes like legs or treads and mod your spider to suit your strategy.

Whether you're a returning miner or a fresh recruit, the Wall World 2 demo is your invitation to explore the Wall like never before. Try it now through Steam Next Fest until October 20th, wishlist the game, and join the community shaping its future. Wall World 2 launches in November 2025.

Source link

September 30, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Mental health charity Safe in Our World to run two free awareness sessions for community managers

by admin September 30, 2025

Safe in Our World, the mental health charity aiming to create and foster worldwide mental health awareness throughout the video game industry, is rolling out free mental health awareness workshops for community managers or any developer supporting the wellbeing of their communities.

The free, bespoke three-hour mental health awareness workshops — supported by Humble and facilitated by Mind Fitness — aim to increase online safety and wellbeing, increase knowledge of mental ill health, boost confidence in signposting to mental health resources, and provide participants with tools to identify and manage stress, including establishing healthy boundaries online.

“The role of the Community Manager can seem limitless,” explains Mind Fitness’ Andy Barker. “Without clear frameworks and established expectations, the internal and external demands can be overwhelming.

“We must provide CMs with the tools to look after their own wellbeing, by giving them the knowledge and confidence to signpost players to resources, and switch off when they’re off the clock.”

Prospective participants can sign up on Eventbrite for one of two sessions, one running on October 9 and the other on November 6, 2025.

“It’s wild to think I started my mental health awareness journey doing this training with Mind Fitness and Safe In Our World back in 2021, when I was a fledgling community manager,” added communications and events manager, Em Aspinall.

“I’d recommend this workshop to any CM or anyone in a player-facing role. Or just anyone in games, really.”

Source link

September 30, 2025 0 comments