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Xbox Game Pass Is Damaging The Industry, According To Devs

At a time when almost every major company in the entertainment industry has its own subscription-based service, Microsoft has been particularly passionate about its own offerings. Over the past few years, Xbox has gone all in on Game Pass, being the only major gaming company to put its first-party releases on a subscription service from launch day at no extra cost. A risky strategy, but one that Xbox has stood by through thick and thin.

However, it looks like third-party developers aren’t as enthusiastic about this business model. In the wake of Xbox’s latest round of devastating lay-offs, two industry figures have shared their opinion that Game Pass has had a detrimental effect on the industry and has a negative impact on game sales.

Arkane Founder And Larian Publishing Head Hit Back At Xbox Game Pass

This was kicked off by Raphael Colantonio, founder of Arkane Studios, and current president of WolfEye Studios. Amidst the discussion about Xbox’s layoffs, Colantonio shared his thoughts on the matter, “Why is no-one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass)”

In the replies, Colantonio is dismissive of the idea that AI is solely to blame, and expands on his concerns with Game Pass.

“I think Gamepass is an unsustainable model that has been increasingly damaging the industry for a decade,” Colantonio writes. “I don’t think GP can co-exist with other models, they’ll either kill everyone else, or give up.” In another response, he says that Xbox’s actions are “throwing a tsunami at the entire ecosystem of the industry.”

Michael Douse, head of publishing at Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian, agrees with this sentiment. “‘What happens when all that money runs out?’ is the most vocal concern in my network, and one of the main economic reasons people I know haven’t shifted to its business model,” he says.

Both also push back against Xbox’s insistence that putting a game on Game Pass won’t cannibalise its sales. Douse does say that there is some value in smaller games going on the platform, but otherwise, neither seem keen on the idea of putting their releases on Game Pass. Instead, they argue that the service ought to host Xbox’s back catalogue, similar to what we see with PlayStation Plus.

Back in 2023, leaked memos gave us an idea of how much publishers are offered to have their titles put on Game Pass. In the memos, we saw that Xbox was willing to offer Larian just $5 million to get Baldur’s Gate 3 on the service, compared to $250 million for Mortal Kombat 1, and $300 million for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Xbox would likely offer Larian much more now, following Baldur’s Gate 3’s success, but the studio has already made it clear that it isn’t interested.

Meanwhile, Xbox faces criticism throughout the gaming industry. This is in response to the layoffs, which saw around 9,000 employees laid off, and multiple games cancelled. This includes the Perfect Dark reboot, an unannounced game from Romero Studios, and an MMO from Zenimax Online.

Number of Devices Concurrently

Five, with Friends & Family (in limited countries)

Number of Accounts

1 Primary Account Holder

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July 5, 2025
Fed Quietly Removes Reputational Risk Rule That Kept Banks Away from Crypto—Industry Insiders Say This Changes Everything
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

The Federal Reserve just made a move that could quietly reshape crypto’s relationship with traditional banking. The Fed announced on June 23 that it will drop reputational risk from its bank examination programs—a change that crypto advocates have been pushing for years and one that could finally open the floodgates for mainstream crypto banking services.

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While the Fed’s announcement sounds like regulatory wonkery, it strikes at the heart of crypto’s biggest problem: banking access. For years, crypto companies have struggled to maintain basic banking relationships, not because they posed financial risks, but because banks feared regulatory blowback over the industry’s controversial reputation.

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“Reputational risk” gave regulators a catch-all tool to pressure banks away from crypto clients. Even legally compliant crypto exchanges, custody providers, and blockchain startups often found themselves cut off from banking services simply because regulators deemed the industry too risky from a PR perspective.

Now, with reputational risk officially removed from examinations, banks will be evaluated purely on measurable financial metrics—not on whether they serve industries that generate negative headlines.

The crypto industry has long argued that regulatory hostility, not actual risk, kept banks at arm’s length. Major crypto companies like Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN), Kraken, and Circle (NYSE:CRCL) have repeatedly highlighted how difficult it is to secure and maintain banking relationships, despite operating as regulated entities.

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This change could fundamentally alter that dynamic. Here’s what might happen:
More Banking Partners: Crypto companies may finally gain access to mainstream banking services for payroll, business operations, and customer funds management. This could reduce costs and increase operational efficiency across the sector.

Stablecoin Infrastructure: The move could accelerate adoption of dollar-backed stablecoins, as banks become more willing to hold reserves for compliant stablecoin issuers without fear of regulatory pressure.

Institutional Adoption: Traditional banks might finally feel comfortable offering crypto custody, trading, or investment services to their wealthy clients and institutional customers.

Payment Rails: We could see more integration between crypto payment systems and traditional banking infrastructure, making it easier to move money between crypto and traditional finance.

If banks start treating crypto like any other legal industry, the implications extend far beyond just business operations. Increased banking access could drive significant changes in crypto valuations and adoption:

Reduced Volatility: Better banking relationships could reduce the operational risks that contribute to crypto’s price swings, potentially leading to more stable valuations.

Institutional Inflows: Easier banking access might accelerate the flow of institutional money into crypto markets, similar to what we saw with Bitcoin ETF approvals.

DeFi Integration: Traditional banks might become more willing to explore decentralized finance protocols, potentially bridging the gap between TradFi and DeFi.

It’s crucial to understand what this policy shift doesn’t mean. Crypto companies still need to comply with all existing financial regulations, including anti-money laundering rules, know-your-customer requirements, and securities laws. The Fed emphasized that banks must still maintain “strong risk management” and legal compliance.

Banks also remain free to choose their clients based on actual business risks. They just can’t be penalized by regulators for serving legal crypto businesses solely based on industry reputation.

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This move comes as the crypto industry prepares for potentially friendlier regulatory treatment under the new administration. Combined with the approval of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, institutional adoption by companies like MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), and growing clarity around crypto regulations, the Fed’s decision removes another significant barrier to mainstream adoption.

The timing isn’t coincidental. As crypto markets have matured and institutional interest has grown, the argument for treating legally compliant crypto businesses differently from other industries has become harder to justify.

For crypto investors, this regulatory shift could be a game-changer, but the effects will likely unfold over months, not days. Key indicators to monitor:
- Announcements from major banks about new crypto services
- Reduced operational costs for crypto companies as banking access improves
- Increased institutional adoption as traditional finance becomes more comfortable with crypto
- More stable crypto prices as operational risks decrease
- Growing integration between crypto and traditional financial systems
While Bitcoin hitting new highs grabs headlines, regulatory changes like this often have more lasting impact on crypto’s long-term trajectory. For an industry that’s spent years fighting for basic banking access, the Fed’s quiet policy shift might be the breakthrough that finally brings crypto fully into the mainstream financial system.

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This article Fed Quietly Removes Reputational Risk Rule That Kept Banks Away from Crypto—Industry Insiders Say This Changes Everything originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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July 5, 2025
New Data Exposes Alarming Trends

Antarctica has seen a drastic environmental shift in recent years, a change that has led to an alarming loss of sea ice. In a landmark discovery, scientists have determined that since 2015, Antarctica has shed as much ice as the entire size of Greenland. This rapid ice loss, however, is only part of a larger, troubling trend. Recent studies published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) highlight an unexpected rise in salinity in the Southern Ocean. This change has triggered a cascade of reactions, with the most notable being the melting of sea ice from below. The consequences of these changes extend far beyond the Antarctic region, with global implications for climate patterns, sea levels, and wildlife habitats.

One of the most alarming findings is the reappearance of the Maud Rise polynya—a massive hole in the sea ice that hadn’t been seen since the 1970s. This phenomenon is a key marker of the current changes underway in the Southern Ocean. The re-emergence of the polynya signifies the growing instability in the ice-ocean system, making the Southern Ocean more susceptible to the warming trends driven by the increasing salinity. As these changes intensify, researchers are warning that Antarctica could permanently reshape the world’s oceans and climate systems.

Sudden Surge in Southern Ocean Salinity

In a surprising twist, the Southern Ocean has experienced a significant increase in surface salinity. For decades, scientists had observed a trend of freshening in the surface waters, which played a crucial role in sustaining sea ice. However, this trend has now reversed. The rise in salinity, detected by European satellites and advanced oceanographic devices, has weakened the stratification of water layers. This change has made it easier for deep, warmer ocean waters to rise to the surface, bringing with them enough heat to melt the sea ice from below.

The shift from freshening to salting has created a dangerous feedback loop: less sea ice leads to more heat absorption, which in turn melts more ice. As this loop intensifies, the effects are being felt globally. The warmer temperatures in the Southern Ocean contribute to stronger storms, more volatile weather patterns, and rising ocean temperatures. These changes not only affect the Antarctic ecosystem but also have far-reaching impacts on marine life across the planet.

The Maud Rise Polynya and Its Global Implications

The return of the Maud Rise polynya after 50 years of absence is one of the most striking indicators of the dramatic changes unfolding in the Southern Ocean. This massive hole in the sea ice is a rare and unusual occurrence, almost four times the size of Wales. Its sudden appearance is linked to the rising salinity levels, which have allowed deeper ocean heat to melt the ice from beneath.

Dr. Alessandro Silvano from the University of Southampton, who led the research, explained, “The return of the Maud Rise polynya signals just how unusual the current conditions are. If this salty, low-ice state continues, it could permanently reshape the Southern Ocean — and with it, the planet.” These changes are already being felt on a global scale. As ice retreats, it alters the albedo effect, reducing the Earth’s natural ability to reflect sunlight and accelerating global warming. This also leads to more extreme weather events, including stronger storms and shifts in ocean currents. Antarctic wildlife, including penguins and other species dependent on the ice, are facing shrinking habitats, pushing them further toward the brink of survival.

Urgency for Monitoring and Predicting Future Shifts

Given the rapid pace of these changes, scientists are calling for more robust monitoring systems to track the evolving conditions in the Southern Ocean. The rise in surface salinity and the loss of sea ice are unexpected developments that challenge previous models of Antarctic climate behavior. Professor Alberto Naveira Garabato, co-author of the study, emphasized the need for continuous observation to better predict and understand these shifts. “The new findings suggest that our current understanding may be insufficient to accurately predict future changes,” he said.

He also pointed out, “It makes the need for continuous satellite and in-situ monitoring all the more pressing, so we can better understand the drivers of recent and future shifts in the ice-ocean system.” Without real-time data and a more accurate model of these changes, scientists will struggle to forecast the long-term effects of these environmental disruptions. More research and monitoring are critical for not only understanding the causes behind the changes in the Southern Ocean but also for developing strategies to mitigate their impact on global ecosystems.

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July 5, 2025
Boy with measles visited Osaka Expo; officials urge caution

A boy from Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo who tested positive for measles visited the World Exposition in Osaka on June 21, local governments said Saturday, urging other visitors to exercise caution due to possible exposure.

The local governments said the boy, identified only as being between the ages of 10 and 19, may have come into contact with an unspecified number of people at the venue. He was there from around 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., visiting at least eight pavilions, including those of the European Union and Cambodia.

Visitors arriving by private car have been encouraged to park at one of three designated lots and take shuttle buses to the venue. The boy boarded a shuttle around 8 a.m. and again for his return trip, traveling to and from Sakai near Osaka.

The boy developed symptoms, including a fever, on the same day. He visited a medical facility and tested positive on Thursday.

As the measles virus is believed to survive in the air for no more than two hours, there is no longer any risk of infection for those using the facilities the boy visited, according to the Osaka prefectural government.

The incubation period for measles is typically 10 to 12 days, but can extend up to 21 days. Authorities advise those who may have been exposed to monitor their health for three weeks after potential contact, the government said.

© KYODO

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July 5, 2025
U.S. Clinch Spot in U19 Gold Medal Game; Take Down New Zealand 120-64 – USA Basketball
1. U.S. Clinch Spot in U19 Gold Medal Game; Take Down New Zealand 120-64 USA Basketball
2. Germany and Team USA to compete for gold in the FIBA U19 World Cup Eurohoops
3. Watch Jasper Johnson and Team USA take on New Zealand in World Cup semifinals On3.com
4. Badgers top commit shines at FIBA U19 World Cup, leads team to Final 4 Bucky’s 5th Quarter
5. Junior Tall Blacks Quest for Gold Falls at the Hands of the USA Basketball New Zealand
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July 5, 2025
4 reasons I use NixOS in WSL instead of Ubuntu or Fedora
When it comes to WSL, most go for Ubuntu or Fedora and there’s a good reason for it. The learning curve is close to zero, whether you’re familiar with Linux or not. Plus there’s enough documentation and community support available to get you out of any mess. But I personally like to experiment with different Linux distros so I also tried NixOS in WSL. If you care more about a reproducible, declarative workspace than about sticking with a familiar apt or dnf workflow, I’d suggest you try it too.

NixOS turns WSL into an environment you can rebuild, clone, and roll back with a single command, yet it still gives you the same GUI, GPU, and USB features that Ubuntu and Fedora get under modern WSL.

Related

How I used NixOS to make my home lab truly immutable

Safety and security are NixOS’s calling cards

4

Declarative approach

Plus cross-platform parity

Everything about a NixOS installation is declared inside a single text file, usually configuration.nix (or a flake.nix that imports it). When you run nixos-rebuild switch, the operating system is built directly from that file’s contents. No part of the system is hidden in interactive history or half-remembered package commands.

There are a lot of advantages to this approach. One is reproducibility. You can reinstall it on another PC or in CI and you get a byte-identical setup. Git history shows when a package was added, who added it, and why. And if you lose the VM image, you can keep the repo, recreate the system with one command and minutes of download time. The same flake can target WSL, a bare-metal server, a cloud VM or macOS via nix-darwin.

Perhaps the most persuasive reason for me is how NixOS in WSL helps unify development environments across all platforms. You can run NixOS on a headless Linux server for deployments, and also use Nix through Home Manager and nix-darwin on a Mac. By using NixOS in WSL on your Windows machine, your Windows dev setup, Linux servers, and macOS laptop can all stay in sync with the exact same versions of software.

3

Atomic updates

Go back if something is messed up

The upgrade process in NixOS makes life much easier. When you tweak your config and run nixos-rebuild switch, Nix builds the new system state in the background. It only switches over once everything is ready, so there are no partial updates that leave your setup in a broken state. If an upgrade introduces a bug, like a driver failure, you can simply reboot into a previous generation to fix it.

Even in WSL, NixOS keeps a full history of your system states. Each rebuild is versioned, letting you roll back easily without debugging or reinstalling anything. This is something you don’t get natively with apt or dnf inside typical WSL distros.

2

Per-project dev shells with nix develop

No containers needed

Another killer feature is how NixOS and the Nix toolchain handle development environments. If you often work on multiple projects with conflicting dependencies, such as different Node versions or Python libraries, you don’t need to juggle Docker containers or clutter your base system. Instead, you can use Nix’s per-project development shells.

The Nix shell tooling lets you spawn an environment with exactly the tools required for that project. Nothing persists once you exit. This is a major shift from how things usually work on Ubuntu or Fedora, where I would typically install and uninstall packages, or rely on tools like virtualenv and nvm to simulate isolation.

1

WSL integration is smooth

You have everything you need

There’s no point in using Linux on WSL if it doesn’t integrate well with Windows. NixOS in WSL works well with all the key features of WSL2. The latest NixOS-WSL release even includes native support for WSL’s built-in systemd, which means I can run background Linux services in WSL without any hacks.

Previously, the lack of PID 1 and systemd in WSL was a major limitation. But now, my NixOS WSL instance boots with systemd just like a regular Linux system. This enables features like timers, socket-activated services, and more, all of which are now supported by Ubuntu and Fedora on WSL as well.

Hardware and UI integration is equally seamless. If you need GPU acceleration for Linux apps, NixOS WSL includes an option to use the Windows host’s OpenGL graphics driver, allowing Linux GUI apps to take advantage of the GPU.

Also, if you want to access your NixOS files via a Windows application, simply point to the file path of:
```
\wsl.localhostNixOS
```
For example, I might want to use VS Code on the Windows side of my system. To point to the code living on my NixOS side, I’d point VS Code to:
```
\wsl.localhostNixOShomeanuragGitmy-repo-name
```
NixOS is fun to use

NixOS is an exciting Linux distro that finally convinced me to give up on Windows. I dual-booted it alongside Windows for the longest time, but I recently started using it as my primary OS. It’s packed with features that are genuinely useful, and it’s one of the few operating systems that can help make your home lab truly immutable. While you’re exploring options, check out these four Linux distros you should consider using instead of upgrading to Windows 11.

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July 5, 2025
Black Ferns Turn On the Heat in Whangārei » allblacks.com

In a vibrant and competitive encounter in Whangārei, the Black Ferns defeated the Black Ferns XV 45-12.

Although the match allowed unlimited substitutions and does not carry first-class status, it served as a significant audition for the Rugby World Cup.

Who stood out individually? Bold proclamations about first impressions can spark healthy debate, suggesting that selectors have plenty of positive decisions to make. Notable performers from the Black Ferns XV included energetic winger Ruby Tui and hardworking locks Laura Bayfield and Sam Taylor. For the reigning world champions, Sylvia Brunt was exceptional, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe thrived in her hometown, and No. 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u played with formidable force.

The opening quarter was ambitious but scoreless, filled with errors. For the Black Ferns, No. 8 Mikaele-Tu’u had the ball knocked from her hands by Sam Taylor just as she was diving over the line. Meanwhile, a powerful run from Hollyrae Mete-Renata of the Black Ferns XV went unconverted after a last-ditch defensive effort.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 23rd minute when fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee scored on the left wing. Woodman-Wickliffe made a damaging run down the right before a swift switch allowed Brazier to free Sorensen-McGee.

The Black Ferns seized the momentum, and a charge-down by Brunt led to a straightforward try in the 28th minute.

Following that, the Black Ferns XV enjoyed their strongest period of the match, with Hannah King creating a try for Tui through a crosskick, an achievement that Renne Holmes would replicate in the second half.

A thrilling moment in the 37th minute helped clarify the outcome. A loose pass was picked up by Sylvia Brunt while the Black Ferns XV were attacking. Brunt sprinted 50 metres but was caught by Jaymie Kolose, who pulled her back by the bottom of her jersey. Another loose ball was collected by Stacey Waaka, and although Brunt trailed behind, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe was on hand to capitalise.

The Black Ferns played a tighter game in the second spell but were willing to chance their arm when space was apparent. Katelyn Vahaakolo and Amy du Plessis hit holes with typical speed and flair. Jorja Miller signposted a stellar sequence that involved multiple forwards and backs.

The Black Ferns host Australia in Wellington in a Laurie O’Reilly Cup Test next Saturday.

Black Ferns: 45 (Braxton Sorensen-McGee 2, Sylvia Brunt, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Amy du Plessis, Jorja Miller tries; Kelly Brazier 3 cons, Renee Holmes 2 cons) Black Ferns XV: 12 (Ruby Tui 2 tries; Keira Su’a-Smith con) HT: 21-5

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July 5, 2025
Royal Family RECAP: Prince Harry ‘whipped’ by Meghan says expert | Royal | News

Prince Harry is “totally whipped” by his wife, Meghan Markle and even his father, King Charles, knows it, a royal expert has claimed. The Duchess of Sussex has been involved in a fresh set of claims about her time within the Royal Family.

Recently, author Sally Bedell Smith published a new post on her Substack newsletter which contained several bombshell claims made about the late Queen Elizabeth and her close confidante Lady Elizabeth Anson, including how she reportedly thought Meghan was “nothing but trouble” when she came into the Royal Family and that the monarch was “not at all content” before the Sussex wedding in 2018. Now, royal commentator Esther Krauke, commenting on these claims, and alleged that the Duchess would most likely dislike her “reduced status” after realising Harry was a millionaire instead of a billionaire.

She told the Sun: “We know that King Charles said something about him being whipped. We keep hearing things consistently coming out from courtiers and people that are close to the Royal Family. The Queen’s opinion of Meghan involved, and it’s much like how the country’s opinion evolved. I think where things went wrong was clearly the cultural clash. I think in some ways Meghan thought she was marrying a billionaire, but was marrying a millionaire with like sort of a reduced status.”

THIS LIVE BLOG IS NOW CLOSED.

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July 5, 2025
Condensed Qualifying: 2025 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio – INDYCAR.com
1. Condensed Qualifying: 2025 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio INDYCAR.com
2. Alex Palou flies to the front in second IndyCar practice from Mid-Ohio Motorsport Week
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4. IndyCar at Mid-Ohio Preview: Schedule, Predictions MSN
5. Palou takes “phenomenal” pole position in Mid-Ohio qualifying Crash.net
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July 5, 2025
Kesha’s ‘Period’ Album Is Here: Listen

Kesha is a free artist at last — period.

After years of working toward this moment, the singer-songwriter has dropped her first-ever independent LP, . (Period), featuring 11 fun-fueled pop tracks. Led by singles “Joyride,” “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” “Delusional,” “The One” and “Boy Crazy,” the project marks her first full-length release under her own Kesha Records.

Leading up to the album’s release on Friday (July 4), Kesha has been open about how emotional and empowering the process of assuming control over her own artistry has been. Prior to . (Period), she was under contract to Kemosabe Records, despite her yearslong legal battle with label owner Dr. Luke, whom she accused of drugging her and raping her at a 2005 party in 2014. The producer has always vehemently denied the allegations, and the two parties reached a settlement in 2023.

In March 2024, Kesha was finally released from her deal with Kemosabe. With her first album since, the artist says she feels like she’s experiencing a “homecoming,” as she told Billboard in a recent interview.

“I really do feel like it’s been a homecoming in a lot of ways — not only legally, to the rights of my voice, but to letting go of that internalized shame, of letting all that go and coming home to my own body, my joy, myself,” Kesha said. “And part of that has been healing my relationship with the records that I’ve put out that were difficult to make — that were perceived in a way that wasn’t the way I intended, that were tied to events that I don’t stand for.”

. (Period) marks Kesha’s sixth studio album, and her first since 2023’s Gag Order. She’s scored four top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 over the course of her career, including No. 1 hits Animal (2010) and Rainbow (2017).

Stream Kesha’s . (Period) below.

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July 5, 2025