IBuyPower is offering a discount on its Y70 R16 gaming PC that includes an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, priced at $5,699 after applying a $100 coupon and includes free shipping and a three-year warranty. The RTX 5090, described by Nvidia as the most powerful consumer graphics card, provides up to a 30% performance increase over the RTX 4090, while the Ryzen 9 9950X3D features 16 cores and a boost clock of 5.7 GHz, making it suitable for high‑end gaming and productivity tasks. The system ships in a Hyte Y70 chassis equipped with 360 mm liquid cooling, seven system fans, and a glass panel that showcases internal components, and includes 32 GB of DDR5‑6000 memory and a 4 TB solid‑state drive. The three‑year warranty exceeds the typical one‑year coverage found on many prebuilt gaming machines. The promotion is scheduled to remain active through August 2026, and the availability of the discount may influence purchasing decisions for high‑performance gaming and content‑creation workstations.

Disney’s recent slate includes five science‑fiction films that failed to recoup their production and marketing costs at the box office. The studio has a track record of investing heavily in sci‑fi concepts, often leveraging established franchises or aiming to create new intellectual property. Lightyear (2022), directed by Angus MacLane and voiced by Chris Evans, had a reported budget of about $200 million and earned $226.4 million worldwide; according to Deadline, the film resulted in a loss of roughly $106 million. Mars Needs Moms (2011), directed by Simon Wells and produced by Robert Zemeckis, cost about $150 million and grossed $39.2 million worldwide, leading Disney to record a roughly $70 million write‑down and to shut down ImageMovers Digital. Tomorrowland (2015), directed by Brad Bird and written by Damon Lindelof, was made on a $190 million budget and earned $209 million worldwide; The Hollywood Reporter estimated a loss of $120‑$140 million, noting that secretive marketing limited audience awareness. Strange World (2022), directed by Don Hall, was produced on an $180 million budget and grossed $73.6 million worldwide; Deadline reported total expenses of $317.4 million and a loss of about $197 million, citing pandemic‑era audience hesitation toward theatrical releases. John Carter (2012), directed by Andrew Stanton, required a $250 million production budget plus $100 million in marketing and earned $284.1 million worldwide, with the studio expecting an operating loss of approximately $200 million and abandoning plans for a franchise. Disney continues to assess the viability of original science‑fiction projects amid mixed audience reception and distribution challenges.

The Pokémon Company announced that it will provide free content across several Pokémon titles to celebrate the Pokémon Worlds competitive event scheduled for late August 2026.

The Worlds event, a yearly esports tournament, overlaps with the Pokémon XP convention and features multiple in‑game and physical rewards.

Players of Pokémon Champions can redeem a Mystery Gift code W0R1DCHAMP10NS26 to receive 5,000 Victory Points.

Viewers who watch the Worlds broadcast between August 28 and 30 can obtain a special red hat and shirt using a password revealed during the event, and daily rewards are offered for extended viewing times.

Twitch watchers receive quick coupons, Trainer tickets, or a character after watching for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or one hour respectively.

In the Trading Card Game, watching the stream for 30 minutes grants six Pitch Black Booster packs; 45 minutes adds a Mega Zeraora ex play set, and one hour provides a Pikachu‑themed deck box, sleeves, coin, avatar items and more.

Pokémon TCG Pocket rewards include 24 Pack Hourglasses for a 30‑minute viewing period, with an additional six booster packs and a Build and Battle token for a half‑hour watch on August 28.

Pokémon Go viewers receive a Great League Bonus Timed Research for 30 minutes, featuring Lickitung, Paldean Wooper and Totodile, and a World Champion’s Timed Research with Tinkaton and an Elite Charged TM for a full hour.

A special Astronaut Pikachu will be available to anyone watching the Pokémon Go 10‑year anniversary panel on August 29.

Pokémon Unite viewers can claim a Worlds Costumed Pikachu license after 30 minutes, and a 2025 World Champions’ Unite License Selection Box containing Leafeon, Psyduck, Zacian, Inteleon and Crustle after 45 minutes.

To redeem the rewards, users must visit rewards.pokemon.com, log in with their Trainer Central account, and link their Twitch account.

The promotions are intended to engage fans ahead of the Worlds competition and coincide with the broader Pokémon XP convention.

Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is on sale for $679, down from its $999 list price, with free shipping.

The soundbar measures 41 inches in length and houses a 5.1.2‑channel array with nine drivers, including two upward‑firing speakers that support Dolby Atmos.

Bose TrueSpace technology simulates a three‑dimensional soundscape despite the compact driver layout.

An A.I. Dialogue Mode automatically balances voice and surround audio to reduce the need for high volume.

The unit supports Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi, and includes a microphone for voice command control.

Setup is handled via the Bose mobile app, and the retailer offers a one‑year warranty.

The discounted price is listed through August 2026, after which the soundbar may return to its regular price.

Disney released its official watchlist for Avengers: Doomsday on December 18, listing a range of Marvel Cinematic Universe films and several pre‑MCU titles. The list includes X‑Men, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Loki, Shang‑Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider‑Man: No Way Home, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Captain America: Brave New World, Deadpool & Wolverine, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thunderbolts, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Captain America: Civil War, released in 2016, depicts the fracture of the Avengers and explains the divergent positions of Captain America and Iron Man leading up to Infinity War. Its omission means the watchlist skips a film that directly influences the team’s composition in later movies.

The Marvels, released in 2023, earned $207 million worldwide against a $374 million production budget and is regarded as the MCU’s biggest financial disappointment to date. The film’s post‑credit scene shows Monica Rambeau entering a dimension that features Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, a character slated to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Disney has not confirmed whether the film will be included, and speculation suggests the omission may avoid spoilers or limit the number of titles on the list.

X‑Men: The Last Stand, released in 2006, introduces Beast and depicts the deaths of Cyclops and Professor X and the de‑powering of Magneto. These events conflict with the status of those characters in Doomsday, leading to speculation that the film was left off to avoid confusing viewers or to exclude a less‑favored entry.

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for theatrical release on December 18. Disney has not provided official reasons for the selected titles or the excluded movies.

HBO Max has ordered an eight‑episode, half‑hour comedy series titled The People v. Gorilla Grodd. The mockumentary follows Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen as he reopens a murder case in which Gorilla Grodd, an intelligent ape, is accused of killing his father, the King of Gorilla City. The series is written and directed by Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the creators of American Vandal, with Yacenda directing all episodes. Skyler Gisondo returns as Olsen, alongside Jimmy Tatro as Grodd. The cast also includes Beck Bennett, Mikaela Hoover, Wendell Pierce, Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds and Tim Baltz. James Gunn and Peter Safran serve as executive producers. In a statement, Gunn and Safran said they want to explore the DCU through Olsen’s perspective and to work with Perrault and Yacenda. Yacenda and Perrault added that the series aims to feel like a Daily Planet documentary and will appeal to fans of comics, comedy and true‑crime. Gorilla Grodd first appeared in The Flash #106 in 1959 and has appeared in comics, animated series, video games and live‑action Arrowverse episodes. The project is part of the DC Studios slate that includes the 2025 reboot of Superman and upcoming Man of Tomorrow.

Nintendo removed more than 400 GitHub repositories that host code for Switch emulators, including the projects Suyu, Skyline and Yuzu, after filing DMCA takedown notices in August 2026. TorrentFreak reported that the notices were issued following Nintendo’s claim that the emulators circumvent the company’s technological protection measures (TPMs). In 2024, Nintendo settled with Tropic Haze, the developer of Yuzu, for $2.4 million and obtained an injunction that halted further development of the emulator. Because Yuzu’s source code was open‑source, community members forked it, leading to the creation of Suyu. The Skyline emulator for Android was discontinued in 2023 after Nintendo applied pressure. Nintendo’s legal actions also targeted a content creator known as Jesse “EveryGameGuru” Keighin, who streamed pirated games before release; the case was resolved by default after he stopped responding to the company. A separate out‑of‑court agreement prompted the shutdown of the Switch emulator Ryujinx. Nintendo argues that the emulators enable piracy by using unauthorized copies of cryptographic keys to decrypt game files. The takedown notices cite the earlier Tropic Haze settlement and the Keighin case, though neither legal challenge was decided in court. The company has not disclosed the full list of repositories removed.

Nintendo issued more than 400 DMCA takedown notices for Switch emulator repositories on GitHub in early August. The actions removed 401 repositories, including those for Suyu, Skyline, and other forks.

Nintendo sent seven notices on August 21, stating that the repositories provide, link to, or otherwise facilitate access to Switch emulators, which it says violate Technological Protection Measures.

The notices allege that the emulators use unauthorized copies of cryptographic keys to decrypt game files, enabling piracy of Nintendo Switch titles.

The enforcement follows a February 2024 lawsuit against Yuzu creator Tropic Haze, which coincided with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and a reported one‑million‑plus piracy incident before the game's launch.

Nintendo's statements attribute the takedowns to the need to protect its intellectual property, while the broader effect on emulator development remains unclear.

Noomi Rapace stars in the sci‑fi thriller "Hot Spot," directed by Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Smoczynska, which opened in limited U.S. theaters on August 21, 2026.

The film presents a dystopian world that includes cyber witches, blood‑transfusion worms, retro‑futurist aesthetics, ancient Greek ruins and an omnipresent AI known as "The Head," following a detective‑style narrative centered on a rebel character played by Rapace who resists system integration.

Writer Robert Bolesto, Smoczynska's longtime collaborator, originated the concept as a story about a witch in a refugee camp, reflecting concerns about misinformation, deepfakes and artificial intelligence that predate recent AI hype. Smoczynska says she seeks a poetic, metaphorical experience rather than a plot‑driven story, emphasizing themes of AI, climate change, war and personal fear for loved ones, and describes the film as "vivid and occasionally grotesque" while noting that understanding the plot is not the primary goal.

Production used locations in Greece, notably the abandoned Elinikon airport that previously served as a refugee camp, to create a post‑civilization atmosphere. The director worked with animator Tomek Popakul on character design, and the movie is now playing in select U.S. theaters.

Omoi announced on Friday at Anime NYC that it has licensed Momoshiro and Tomoko Mitsuki’s Love Is the Sweetest Journey manga for English release beginning in 2027, and will add 45 titles from Titan Manga in the coming weeks. Omoi, which launched in June 2021 under the name Azuki and rebranded in November 2025, provides simulpub manga chapters worldwide except Japan and partners with publishers for its catalog. The manga follows Suzune, a 30‑year‑old woman who, after her boyfriend of three years ends their relationship and admits to cheating, travels to Miyazaki Prefecture to film travel videos and meets novelist Yuujin. After a drunken night, Yuujin asks Suzune if she will travel with him, and the story depicts their romantic journey across real Japanese locations. Momoshiro wrote the story and Mitsuki illustrated the series; it launched on Bungeishunju’s Seasons website in 2023, concluded on February 20, and its final compiled volume was released on April 16. Scholastic’s Graphix imprint will release Tawa Akeno’s A Snow Fox at the Northern Fort in black‑and‑white print editions in fall 2027. Omoi secured rights to four titles—The Sanda, Record Journey, The Elegant Courtly Life of the Tea Witch, and others—from Titan Manga, with some volumes available immediately and the full catalog later. The Banjo Saitou manga Vegetable Sandwich will be offered to Omoi Premium subscribers on September 29. Premium subscribers can access the licensed titles, while individual purchases remain possible. The company previously partnered with Kodansha USA for launch titles before Kodansha ended simulpub distribution in January 2023. Omoi’s platform offers chapters shortly after Japanese release and maintains a library of additional manga titles. Further catalog expansion is planned throughout 2027.

Blizzard’s Diablo 4 Season 14, called Death’s Awakening, ends the Mephisto storyline and hints at a possible return of Malthael through references in the Pandemonium Fortress and a dialogue with a mysterious character. After defeating Mephisto, players confront a death cult that seeks to end Sanctuary’s suffering, leading them to the Pandemonium Fortress where they defeat the corrupted angel Seraziel. Seraziel’s final warning, “He is coming,” suggests the reappearance of Malthael, who was previously killed in the Reaper of Souls expansion. The season’s narrative is new for Diablo 4, which previously featured self-contained storylines. In the final quest, players meet a stranger who says, “I am no one, brave child. And for all your might, neither are you.” Speaking with questgiver Dannica, players can select a dialogue option noting that the stranger’s voice sounded familiar. Blizzard design director Dan Tanguay explained that the season was designed to involve players who focus on lore rather than power progression. He said, “We know there’s a group of players who are really invested in the lore, probably more so than resetting power chases. They don’t tend to play seasons as much. Here, we said ‘Well, they’ve gotten a really good conclusion to the Mephisto arc, and now it’s an opportunity to see if we can take them along on this ride with us.’ Following speculation that Blizzard might bring back villains such as Baal or Diablo, the current tease centers on Malthael, though Blizzard has not confirmed any specific antagonist for future content. BlizzCon will be held on September 12‑13, where additional details about Season 15, including the ability to reuse characters across seasons and the return of iconic items, are expected. A possible Switch 2 version of Diablo 4 may also be announced.

Samsung is offering the 57‑inch Odyssey Neo G9 Dual 4K gaming monitor for $1,160, down from its $2,500 launch price, with free shipping through August 21. The monitor features a 57‑inch screen with a 7680×2160 resolution, 140 ppi pixel density, Mini‑LED backlight with quantum dot, 1000R curvature, 240 Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time, HDR1000 certification, and FreeSync Premium Pro with G‑Sync compatibility. To obtain the discounted price, buyers must add a $50 upgrade credit, apply the coupon code “L8AS4HAL4O” for a 10 % discount, and reload the product page several times to reveal the lower listed price of $1,349.99 before the discount. Woot also lists a similar price of $1,152.79 with the coupon “SUPERSAVING” and includes a one‑year Samsung warranty; that offer expires on August 21. The manufacturer recommends a graphics card of at least an RTX 5070 Ti or Radeon RX 9070 XT for suitable performance, and not all games support the resolution or aspect ratio, with some titles showing letterboxing. The promotion ends on August 21, after which the monitor will return to its regular price.

Robin Atkin Downes announced on social media that he will appear in Naughty Dog’s upcoming game Intergalactic. The game is planned for PlayStation 5 and is set thousands of years in the future on the planet Sempira. Downes is known for his roles as Robert in The Last of Us and multiple characters in the Uncharted series, as well as voice work in Team Fortress 2, No More Heroes, Destiny 2, Apex Legends and other titles. Intergalactic follows bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun, portrayed by Tati Gabrielle, who becomes stranded on Sempira. The project began development in 2020 and features a soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Additional confirmed cast members include Kumail Nanjiani, Tony Dalton, Troy Baker and Merle Dandridge. The release date has not been announced.