The unconventional sports sim What the Golf is officially coming to PS4 and PS5 consoles later this year. The release is set to include all current updates, which is always nice, and has been optimized for Sony consoles. This includes haptic-based DualSense support so you can really feel the impact of striking a ball, a cat or an entire planet toward a hole (it’s a weird and funny game.)

What the Golf takes the basic notions of a golf sim and upends them entirely. There are plenty of ludicrous golf-adjacent minigames and the rules change on a dime, leading to hilarious multiplayer matchups. Some levels take you to space, while others transform the golf ball into an office chair, among many other objects. The absurdity on display has made the game a hit, even among those who have little interest in golf.

The game originally released on Apple Arcade, but was eventually ported to the Nintendo Switch. To that end, the Switch version is getting a beefy update tomorrow, August 3rd, that features a crossover with murder/snitch simulator Among Us. The update includes a new overworld and 35 new levels. These levels already launched for Apple Arcade back in April, but this is the first time they'll be available on a dedicated gaming console. The PC version is also getting some Among Us love.

Developer Triband has also announced seasonal updates dropping over the course of the next year. These will include new stages and other surprises, coinciding with holidays like Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. All versions of the game will have access to these free updates, including Switch, PC, PS4 and PS5. It all starts with the Halloween-themed Beware of the Bogeyman, which is available from October 23rd until November 5th.

Sad news for fans of billionaires beating the paste out of one another. It looks like the Mark Zuckerberg vs Elon Musk cage match isn’t happening, according to exclusive audio heard by Reuters. In an audio recording exclusively provided to the publication, the surprisingly buff Zuckerberg told Meta employees at a company town hall that he’s “not sure if it’s going to come together.”

Zuckerberg’s comments on the match occurred during a company-wide discussion regarding Meta’s recently-launched Twitter rival, Threads, which has been stuttering a bit in the weeks since blasting onto the scene.

Zuck didn’t actually say the match is off, just that it remains unlikely. So keep that glass half full, fight fans. Musk, who loves the letter “X” more than most people love clean air, hasn’t issued a response, but given Zuckerberg’s recent penchant for jiu jitsu, he could be relieved. 

The cage fight was supposed to be a glitzy Las Vegas affair, with the pair of billionaires dancing around the topics of date and venue for the past month or so. Zuckerberg has seemed pretty serious about the fight from the get-go, and Musk eventually relented, tweeting (x-ing?) that he was “up for a cage match” if the Meta CEO was. Musk also said he has this “great move” called "the walrus" where he lays on top of opponents and does nothing. 

Zuck certainly seemed ready to take on the challenge, according to trainer and MMA legend Alex Volkanovsky. And though he generally treated the whole thing as a joke, Musk did sort of prepare for the fight by accepting a training offer from UFC champ Georges St-Pierre and sparring with podcaster Lex Fridman. Of course, that's when he's taking a break from retweeting (re-xing?) hateful anti-trans content and changing the site's rules to allow for misgendering. Dana White, president of the UFC, has also told reporters that the organization was ready to assist with the event. 

Ahead of the final two races of Season 9 in London, Formula E showed off the "unlocked" potential of its Gen3 electric race car. The EV series has claimed the world record for indoor land speed, clocking in at 135.9 MPH (218.71 KPH) in a GenBeta development car. The run took place on a .176-mile straight on the London E-Prix circuit, a portion of which is inside the ExCeL London arena. The car, piloted by NEOM McLaren Formula E driver Jake Hughes, beat the previous record of 102.7 MPH (165.2 KPH) by 33 MPH. 

Hughes went head-to-head with fellow driver Lucas di Grassi (Mahindra Racing) in a modified version of Formula E's duels format typically used for qualifying. Each one was given a chance to set the fasted speed on the indoor section of track and both bested the former world record on all three of their practice runs before making official attempts. Neither Hughes nor di Grassi had driven the GenBeta car prior to this exhibition. 

Formula E says the GenBeta car has a number of upgrades to make it faster and more powerful than the Gen3 car used in race events. First, it has an enhanced power output of 400kW, up from 350kW in race trim. The added power comes via all-wheel drive for the first time in a Formula E car through "activation of the front powertrain kit" for more traction while accelerating. 

“The GenBeta is the first time that four-wheel drive has been activated in a single-seater race car for both acceleration and braking regeneration," explains Alessandra Ciliberti, Formula E's technical manager. "The GenBeta showcases what will be possible for Formula E racing in the near future.”

The GenBeta car was also running softer Hankook tires which afforded "faster warm-up and better peak grip." The harder race-day tires are currently designed for all conditions and to offer low degradation over the course of an E-Prix. Additionally, 3D-printed wing endplates, wheel fins and a wind deflector were installed for enhanced aerodynamics and peak straight-line speed. Al was also used to analyze the drivers' runs, powered by Google's Vertex platform and McKinsey & Company's QuantumBlack, helping interpret telemetry and fine-tune strategy.

In order to make the record official, the drivers had to start from a standstill and completely stop inside the convention center. This meant taking a 130-degree turn at about 25 MPH before going flat out along the straight. Speeds were captured 16.4 feet before the drivers hit the breaking zone, or the section of the circuit needed for them to stop and remain inside the building. 

The regular Gen3 car is already the fastest and most efficient electric racer ever built. It's capable of over 200 MPH at top speed and generates 40 percent of the power it needs to complete an E-Prix through braking. Formula E describes GenBeta as "an innovation platform" that was created by the racing series, the FIA, Sabic and Hankook. Projects with the vehicle are meant to experiment with new materials and technology in a bid to increase performance, efficiency and sustainability. 

Last year, I asked if we’d ever see an e-cargo bike “for the people,” with powerful electric assist, generous cargo capacity and an affordable price. Soon after, Mycle got in touch to say its own offering, the Mycle Cargo, was exactly the bike I was looking for. It added that the struggles I’d had with heavy loads and steep hills wouldn’t be a problem for its affordable cargo longtail. After spending the better part of three months riding this thing around, I can heartily agree that it ticks many of the boxes I was hoping for. I may not have fallen head-over-heels in love with it in the way I had hoped, or expected to, but I’m sure it could find a place in the homes of many cyclists.

Mycle is a British-built e-bike which fits into the same category as Tern’s GSD, with a step through frame and beefy longtail. Support struts and plastic panels enclose the thick rear wheel, which houses the surprisingly-powerful 250W hub motor. Now, I won’t bang this drum too much, but this thing is less than half the price of some of its competitors in the cargo longtail space. Here in the UK, a Tern GSD or Yuba’s Spicy Curry will set you back around £5,000 before you start picking optional extras. By comparison, the Cargo’s retail price is £1,999, which will get you the standard setup, including integrated front and rear lights.

Daniel Cooper

The model I tested, meanwhile, had a few luxuries added on, including an LCD display which adds £150 to the price. My model also had a front basket (£89) and a caboose to enclose the rear deck to help keep my kids safe (£129). The only other mainstream e-cargo bike in this price bracket is Rad Power'sRadWagon 4, which I’m looking to test in the future to offer a good head-to-head comparison. On paper, the RadWagon has a far lower center of gravity and a bigger payload weight, but a far shorter promised range.

Every issue I could raise about the Mycle Cargo, and I have a few, can likely be answered by its price. These bikes need to be affordable to win over would-be buyers who can quite reasonably say that five grand would get you a decent second-hand car and cover a year’s running costs. And while two thousand pounds is no small investment for a lot of people right now, it may wind up saving them cash if it helps them get around without a car. You can certainly carry at least two kids on the rear deck, and can probably mount a third seat up front should you need.

Daniel Cooper

Mycle Cargo measures in at 187cm (73.6in) long and 73cm (28.7in) wide, with a quoted kerb weight of around 80 pounds. Even in my fairly spacious house, it took up a lot of room, and it requires a decent amount of effort to get it up my front steps. Which is a euphemistic way of saying that if you’re in a small space, or don’t have great upper body strength, you might need to look for an alternative. I found that, the longer I rode it, the easier it became to handle, so I think my time with the bike has contributed to some minor enswolening of my arms.

The bike arrives half-assembled, and you’ll need to get a hex key to screw in the footplates, caboose, front basket and fit the handlebars. This requires a decent amount of patience, since there’s so much engineering going on that your fingers won’t have much room to maneuver. If you can, get a bike store to do the finishing off for you, especially if you’ve got chunky hands and a tendency to swear in frustration after the screw falls out three times in a row.

Daniel Cooper

The bike is fitted with a wonderfully comfortable seat, and is equipped with a modest, but solid, set of components. There’s Tektro mechanical disc brakes and a 7-speed Shimano Altus set, which might provoke a sniff or two from higher-minded cycling types. Both are what I’d call modestly priced, and aside from the odd stiff gear change, neither felt out of place, with good braking even on steep hills. It’s also clear that cost savings in this area help get the overall price down without causing too much pain for the rider on a daily basis. One nitpick I do have is that the built-in double-sided kickstand is sturdy, it still feels a little weak and I wish it was a bit thicker.

Now, from here on out, we’ll be talking about my experience of riding Mycle Cargo, and I’d say that I’m a general-purpose cyclist at best. Certainly, I’m open about my deficiencies, and hope that I can offer a better perspective for would-be riders than a road-hardened professional. If you’re a novice rider looking for a cargo bike, then these are the issues you’ll probably want to be mindful of, whereas more experienced riders can probably just look at the price, what you get for that chunk of cash, and head to the Mycle website to pre-order one.

Daniel Cooper

The issue with weight, for instance, is going to be harder for novices to deal with compared to people who already own more than one pair of waterproof trousers. Mycle Cargo is heavy and, in my early rides, proved to be more than I could handle in terms of its balance issues. Even with fat tyres, which are designed to improve balance, I found it very easy to lose control of this thing at lower speeds. I tried to take the kids to school in rush-hour traffic, and pushed off in a quiet moment, only to find the bike started to wobble. I tried to correct it, but in doing so nearly pitched sideways into a van coming the other way.

Fortunately, this problem did eventually go away, but it took me a lot of (solo) trial-and-error and some counterintuitive tyre-deflating before I put the kids back on it again. Once I’d got the Mycle set up the way I did, riding became a lot easier and I had some fairly glorious runs around the local area. But don’t expect to climb on this in the first hour or two and expect to be zooming around your town without a care in the world. The learning curve is there, and it is steep, and I found the damped steering – designed to prevent you making risky, aggressive turns – was a bit of a pain in my early trips.

Daniel Cooper

Once you get past the slow-speed wobbles, however, do you find Mycle Cargo’s comfort zone, which is unleashing its vast reserves of power. Accelerate a bit, and you’ll find riding the bike is easy and comfortable, but if you only run it on flat ground, you’ll miss out on its party piece. My kids’ school is at the top of a hill that measures around 11 degrees (or more) at its gentlest point. And I’ve ridden a few 250W hub motor bikes up there with varying levels of comfort, and even a light single-seater can sometimes struggle.

This thing? With all the added weight in its frame and two kids in the back? I have never seen a bike move this fast. It shot up the hill faster than the car I was passing, and I very quickly had to dial down the assistance level to stop feeling uncomfortable. When that pedal assist kicks in after a second or so’s delay, you feel as if you’re being towed by a car. It ships with a throttle but I don’t think I was ever compelled to use it outside of trying to intentionally test it, because one full turn of the pedal and this thing moves like a rocket.

Daniel Cooper

I cannot overstate how much power Mycle has managed to wring out of this motor, to the point where I’d almost want to joke that it’s really a 500W motor with the wrong label. I cannot imagine anyone riding this thing and thinking that it’ll do anything but conquer any terrain you put in front of it. If I had infinite time and money, I’d take this to France and irritate everyone doing a mountain cycle climb as I lap them while lazily pedaling my way to lunch. The downside is the lack of refinement; dial down the electric assist and you’ll very quickly feel a lurch as the motor steps down a notch.

That’s really where your money isn’t going with a bike like this – into the refinements that would see it go from a two grand bike to a five grand one. I can think of plenty of tweaks I’d like to see, including a lighter weight, lower center of gravity and better handling. But if the choice is this bike or one that’ll cost more than twice the price, I’d rather keep my cash in the bank.

You can pre-order the Mycle Cargo now, with deliveries slated for some point in August. That will come with a few tweaks, including upgraded brakes – hydraulic, rather than mechanical – and fittings for a new rear-caboose. The new model will also be able to use a new clubhouse-style weather tent to keep your kids dry on windier days, but there’s no word on how much that’ll cost you at present.

It’s a sporting spectacle that only happens once every four years. The FIFA Women’s World Cup returns this week as the United States Women’s National Team seeks a historic third-straight title. Will the US be able to repeat the magic it unlocked in 2015 and 2019? Is it finally “coming home” for the Lionesses of England? Will an unexpected contender shock the world? We’ve got all the information you need to know about when and how to stream the entire tournament, starting with the first matches early tomorrow morning Eastern Time (Thursday, July 20th).

When does the Women’s World Cup start?

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup begins Thursday, July 20th at 3AM ET. Why so early? The tournament is being hosted by Australia and New Zealand, which will certainly put a strain on fans in the US wanting to watch the action live. As is tradition, the host plays on the first day and that means there will be two games instead of the typical one since there are two hosts. New Zealand plays Norway first and Australia follows against Ireland at 6AM ET. The US Women’s National Team kicks off its group play schedule Friday, July 21st at 9PM ET versus Vietnam and England steps on the pitch for the first time Saturday, July 22nd with Haiti at 5:30AM ET.

The group stage consists of three matches for each team and continues through Thursday, August 3rd. The Round of 16 begins Saturday, August 5th and ends on Tuesday, August 8th. Quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, August 10th-12th with the two semi-final matches taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 15th and 16th. The third-place game is Saturday, August 19th while the championship final is Sunday, August 20th.

How to stream the 2023 Women’s World Cup

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Fox Sports is the broadcaster for the Women’s World Cup in the US and all games will air on either FOX or FS1. The company says the entire tournament will be available for streaming on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, but you’ll need to sign in with your TV provider to watch in those places. Full replays will be available in those two spots as well, which will come in handy if you plan to skip a 3:30AM ET kickoff.

Any live television streaming service that carries FOX networks – like Hulu, Sling or YouTube TV – will also show all of the games as they happen. Most of those services offer cloud-based DVR, so you can record any games you want to sleep through.

Unlike what Turner does for select games of March Madness, there’s no free streaming option for any of the scheduled matches during the Women’s World Cup. In order to watch some of the games without paying, you’ll need an old-fashioned antenna that picks up the main FOX channel in your area. For US fans, all of the United States’ group-stage matches are scheduled to air on FOX and all of the knockout rounds (quarterfinals through the final) will be there as well. Of course, taking this route means you’ll miss a lot of the action that will be broadcast on FS1 (35 games).

For fans in the UK, the BBC is the broadcaster for the Women’s World Cup. It plans to show 33 live games across BBC TV and iPlayer with audio coverage for some matches on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds. In terms of streaming, all of those games will be available live on iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. The BBC will offer highlights of all 64 matches in the tournament which will be available to watch when each one concludes. The other 31 games will be shown on ITV.

Amid the pending takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, the former has laid off around 50 employees from its esports division. The company is also preparing for some potential huge changes to the Overwatch League (OWL), which may bring an end to its city-based franchise format.

Employees were informed of the layoffs on Tuesday, according to The Verge. One now-former member of the team told the publication that the layoffs came out of nowhere and suggested that a skeleton crew could close out the OWL and World Series of Warzone seasons. However, they added that "in my eyes, they are completely unequipped to internally support anything esports after that.” Activision Blizzard also laid off around 50 people from its esports teams in March 2021.

The company noted in an earnings report released today that it modified its agreements with Overwatch League team owners last quarter. "According to the amended terms, following the conclusion of the current Overwatch League season, the teams will vote on an updated operating agreement," the report reads. "If the teams do not vote to continue under an updated operating agreement, a termination fee of $6 million will be payable to each participating team entity." The company added that OWL's total revenue accounts for under one percent of its consolidated net revenues. 

Reports recently suggested that the Overwatch League waived its remaining franchise fees, with teams still owning between $6 million and $7.5 million after payments were deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A spot in the league was originally said to cost $20 million, and that reportedly jumped to over $30 million for expansion teams that joined in the second season in 2019.

Hunter Martin via Getty Images

Although it got off to a strong start, OWL has been on shaky ground for some time. In its first two seasons, many matches aired on ESPN and other networks and the season-ending Grand Finals were shown on ABC. After two seasons of OWL hosting almost every match from a television studio, the third season was supposed to be when the ambitious grand vision of OWL came together, with players competing in each team's city every week.

However, that was in 2020 and the format only lasted a few weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. The forced change to an online-only format in 2020 closed off a key and long-promised revenue stream to OWL team owners, as they were unable to generate income from live events. Live events gradually started returning in 2021.

There have been many other hiccups. When OWL moved from Twitch to YouTube in 2020, viewership dropped substantially. While there have been some significant peaks in viewership over the last few years, the league still appears to be struggling to attract eyeballs. Sponsors such as Coca-Cola, T-Mobile and Kellogg's fled the ship in 2021 following a lawsuit that included allegations of widespread sexual harassment and discrimination at Activision Blizzard.

China has been one of the strongest markets for OWL viewership over the last few years. However, Overwatch 2 and most other Blizzard games are not currently available in the country after a partnership with NetEase, which published the games there, came to an end. That could have impacted interest in the Overwatch ecosystem in the country overall. (In its earnings statement, Activision Blizzard noted that "engagement and player investment in Overwatch 2 declined sequentially" in the second quarter of the year, but hopes a soft relaunch with a major update next month will bring players back.)

Blizzard tried to bolster excitement around OWL this year by opening a pathway for teams from the second-tier Contenders division to compete in the highest level of Overwatch esports for the first time. In June, after failing to field a team in the first half of the season, it emerged that the Chengdu Hunters became the first franchise to leave the Overwatch League for good.

OWL team owners have long claimed that they're not making enough money from the league. Earlier this year, esports journalist Jacob Wolf reported that OWL teams brought in a law firm to negotiate with Activision Blizzard for some kind of economic relief "after years of high operating costs and continually missed promises on revenue." Sports Business Journalnoted that teams receive around $1 million from OWL but it costs between $3 million and $5 million a year to run a competitive team, meaning that most are running at a loss.

Given the financial implications, it would not be surprising if OWL teams vote to end their agreement with the league. While that would certainly end the Overwatch League in its current format, Activision Blizzard is still planning to support Overwatch esports.

“I want to be clear on one thing in particular, that Overwatch remains committed to a competitive ecosystem in 2024 and beyond,” OWL commissioner Sean Miller told The Verge. “And we’re building toward a revitalized global scene that prioritizes players and fans.” Miller noted that Blizzard was looking at various options for the future of Overwatch esports and added he was very optimistic: "We are doing all we can to make the player experience and the fan experience one that people want to return to, want to be a part of and get excited about to turn on.”

All the same, the Overwatch esports ecosystem could look very different next year. This year's Grand Finals in Toronto could be the end of OWL as we know it.

Streaming service Peacock is raising the prices of its subscription plans, if you have an inclination to rewatch The Office for the hundredth time. The ad-supported Premium subscription goes up by a buck, to $6 per month, while the ad-free Premium Plus option shoots up two bucks to $12 per month. An annual Premium subscription is going up $10, so $60 per year, while the Premium Plus subscription increases $20, making it $120 per year. This all goes into effect on August 17th, according to an email sent to current subscribers.

This is actually the first price hike for the NBCUniversal-owned streaming service since launching back in 2020. The increase impacts both current and incoming subscribers. The streamer nixed its free tier earlier this year, so you have to pay up to learn if Jim and Pam ever share that paper-drenched kiss.

Why the price hike? Peacock is hemorrhaging money, despite a rapidly-increasing subscriber base. As of April, the streamer boasted 22 million paying subscribers, but increased programming costs led to a loss of more than $700 million. NBC’s golden child was the last holdout, as every other major streaming platform already slapped subscribers with price bumps. Paramount+ prices shot up in February and the same goes for Max, Disney+, Apple+ and all the rest.

This could all be moot if those dual Hollywood strikes aren’t resolved in the short-term, as the streamers will run out of content quicker than you can say “go outside and touch grass.” Shows premiering now were filmed last year, thereabouts, so expect a serious dry spell next year around this time.

As for Peacock, there’s a reason it reached over 20 million subscribers in just a couple of years. It’s not just home for The Office and other beloved, though ancient, sitcoms. The service streams tons of live sports, including NFL football, Premier League soccer and WWE wrestling. It’s also gotten itself a stable of decent original programming, from the absolute lunacy of Mrs. Davis to the critically-acclaimed old-school sleuthing of Poker Face.

It's the dawn of a new era for EA's flagship soccer series and the company has revealed when the first installment of the rebranded franchise will arrive. EA Sports FC 24 will hit PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on September 29th. EA's long-standing partnership with FIFA ended after FIFA 23, prompting the name change. 

Rumors suggested the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions would cost $80, but those were not true. The game still costs $70 on those platforms. However, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players will need to pay that much as well. EA is selling it as a "dual entitlement" cross-generation title. EA Sports FC 24 also costs $70 on PC, while it's $60 on Switch.

The $100 Ultimate Edition includes Ultimate Team perks, 4,600 FC points and up to seven days of early access. Notably, those who opt for the standard version won't have access to an Ultimate Team Campaign mode, though they'll still be able to play the regular version of Ultimate Team — EA won't want to lock any players out of one of its biggest cash cows. Meanwhile, EA is adding women to Ultimate Team for the first time, meaning men and women will be playing with and against each other on the same virtual pitch.

The release date and pricing details emerged as EA showed off the game proper for the first time and announced some of the new features. The series formerly known as FIFA is gaining two new women's leagues: Spain's Liga F and Frauen-Bundesliga, the highest level of competition in Spain and Germany, respectively.

EA has been securing agreements with various leagues and organizations in the aim of keeping the series as true to life as possible. More than 19,000 authentic players, 30-plus leagues and more than 100 stadiums will be represented in EA Sports FC 24. The company has also secured exclusive deals with the English Premier League and UEFA to use their branding and to retain access to competitions like the Champions League.

The Frostbite engine is still in play this time around, though EA says it's using an enhanced version. This is also the first installment of the series to use Frostbite on Switch, according to its eShop listing.

EA has upgraded its HyperMotion tech as well. HyperMotionV (which will be available on the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC versions) taps into volumetric data from more than 180 high-level men's and women's professional games. "This unlocks authentic full-team movement as well as 1,200 signature run styles so fans can experience the unique ways that top players move," EA says. It added that this tech can help it create new animations for EA Sports FC within just a few days.

Another new feature called PlayStyles taps into real-world data from Opta and other sources to make players more unique. EA says this will impact gameplay and give players distinct capabilities. In Ultimate Team, "PlayStyles+ enhance those signature abilities to world-class standard — think [Erling] Haaland’s Power Shot — reflecting elite players’ abilities to play at a level that few others can reach," the company added.

Crossplay will be available between PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, as well as between PS4 and Xbox One. The Clubs, Co-Op Season, Volta Football and Ultimate Team Co-Op modes will support crossplay for the first time. However, the Switch version of FC24 won't include crossplay.

2K announced today that NBA 2K24 will arrive on September 8th. The 25th-anniversary installment in the long-running basketball sim adds crossplay between PS5 and Xbox Series X/S — a first for the series — while celebrating one of the league’s greatest all-time shooting guards.

The game focuses heavily on the likeness of Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, who died tragically in a helicopter crash in 2020 at age 41. Not only does Bryant appear on the upcoming game’s cover, but 2K added a “Mamba Moments” mode that’s a Kobe-fied version of NBA 2K23’s Jordan Challenge. Similar to the previous installment’s MJ mode, you’ll “recreate some of Kobe’s most captivating performances and progress through his transcendent journey from a young phenom to one of the greatest players of all time,” according to the developer.

NBA 2K24 also adds a new technical feature called ProPlay for current-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles that translates real-world NBA footage into the game engine. It “delivers animations and movements via on-court NBA action for a generational leap in authenticity on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S,” the description reads. 2K says it will tell us more about ProPlay and Mamba Moments “later this summer.”

The title will ship in three variants: the Kobe Bryant Edition (the standard version), the Black Mamba Edition and a 25th Anniversary Edition. The Kobe Bryant Edition will cost $70 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S and $60 for Switch, PC, PS4 and Xbox One. The Black Mamba Edition adds virtual currency and a long list of digital collectibles for $100. Meanwhile, the $150 25th Anniversary Edition (only available through September 10th) adds everything from the Black Mamba Edition along with a 12-month subscription to NBA League Pass and other in-game collectibles and boosts.

Sports Interactive said back in 2021 that it would bring women's soccer to Football Manager, its long-running simulation franchise. Now, we have a clearer idea of when that will happen. In a blog post that looks at the franchise's future, SI says it will introduce women's teams in Football Manager 2025, which is next year's edition.

The studio initially said it would take a while to bring women's soccer into the fold as it wanted to offer the same level of depth that it does for the men's game. Football Manager has an enormous database of tens of thousands of players, each with individual stats, bios, injury history and so on. Not only that, SI had to account for changes to the attribute systems, gender considerations for translations and different league rules when it comes to women's football.

"The facts are that we’ve made really good progress in many areas, including research, the match engine and translation," SI studio manager Miles Jacobson wrote. "But there are other areas that haven’t made enough advancements, a lot of which are legal issues. The women's game deserves to be the best it possibly can be when it is released."

Alongside the addition of women's teams, Football Manager 2025 will herald a fundamental shift for the series as SI is moving to the Unity game engine. Jacobson says this will "give us a lot more power graphically, across all formats, alongside powerful user interface tools." There will be an entirely new UI and "a significantly better looking matchday experience," while animations are making "a big jump" forward. It'll take a little longer to transition to Unity on mobile, however.

A project to overhaul the underlying tech of Football Manager has been in the works for several years. The initial aim was to revamp the series with Football Manager 2022, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced SI to take a step back and focus on making sure it could release a new version each year.

Elsewhere, Jacobson acknowledged that while FM23 has reached more than 5 million players (by far the most in the series' history after SI introduced Apple Arcade and PS5 versions), some of its features weren't up to scratch. Some of those who play each year's edition may have also been disappointed by having "fewer new features than normal," the studio head noted.

However, SI has expanded its team and it's on track to fully implement FM24's new features faster than usual, leaving more time for polish and bug fixes. One of those updates is well overdue: the option to transfer your progress from FM23 and continue where you left off while benefiting from FM24's upgrades. Even though SI will move to a new game engine next year, the studio plans to let players take their FM24 saves into FM25 as well.

"This is especially good for those playing via Game Pass and Apple Arcade who, by subscribing to those platforms, would lose access to their career shortly after the new game is released," Jacobson wrote. "This has been unavoidable to date due to the expiry of our licenses which require us to remove titles from platforms upon conclusion. We’re still working out the finer details with the platform holders, but the idea is that you’ll be able to seamlessly move from FM23 to FM24 on those platforms and continue your save or start a new one."