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Asha Sharma of Xbox

There's no other way of putting it: Things are looking grim at Xbox right now.

A couple of different reports paint a bleak picture of the Microsoft-owned video game console manufacturer. Chiefly, The Verge reported that large-scale layoffs and even studio closures could happen around July 6. This could include Arkane Studios, the French developer behind Dishonored, Prey, and the upcoming Marvel Blade game, which still exists only in vague teaser form. The Verge's report suggests Microsoft could cancel Blade, which was set to launch in 2027.

SEE ALSO: Did PlayStation outsell Xbox 8 to 1 with 'GTA VI' pre-orders? Microsoft rebuts claims.

Arkane joins a list of at least four other Xbox subsidiary studios that could either be shut down or, potentially, spun off and sold to someone else. It's unclear how likely the latter possibility is, though. One other studio on that list includes State of Decay developer Undead Labs, per Gamesbeat. The next game in that series, State of Decay 3, has been in development for years and is set to launch in 2027 at the time of this publication.

Compulsion Games, Double Fine, and Ninja Theory round out the list of studios that might cease to exist as soon as next week, per previous reports. One of Xbox's major issues during the last decade or so has been a distinct inability to consistently ship first-party games, and shutting down or spinning off several studios is unlikely to help in that regard. Layoffs in other parts of the Xbox business that are not otherwise shutting down are also likely, per GamesBeat.

All of these developments follow a leadership change at Xbox earlier this year, though the problems go back much farther than that. New Xbox head executive Asha Sharma has made some small symbolic overtures to win hearts and minds, such as confirming the existence of a next-gen Xbox console, Project Helix, in development. However, Xbox's reputation among video game enthusiasts is at a historical low, thanks to rampant layoffs, a lack of compelling software, and Microsoft's very controversial relationship with the Israeli military.



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Love Island USA has become one of the internet's biggest reality TV obsessions over the past couple of summers, and its fans are doing a lot more than watching hot twenty-somethings couple up.

The reality dating show, which airs every night except Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock, gives viewers a near-daily stream of developments to analyze, from bombshell arrivals and public votes to recouplings, shifting loyalties, and the small villa moments that can turn one Islander into a fan favorite or send another into the internet's crosshairs. Fans track, post, and debate every change in the villa like it is a sport (with better swimwear).

So maybe it was only a matter of time before someone tried to put a market around all that forecasting.

Kalshi, the prediction market platform, has been offering Love Island USA contracts this season, giving users a way to trade on outcomes connected to the show, including which couple will win, which Islanders might be eliminated next, and which couples could finish in second or third place. They have also partnered with creators to launch a breadth of TikTok and Instagram ads.

"Because the fandom around Love Island is so popular, we knew our traders would be excited about getting in on the action," Kalshi spokesperson Laura Frank tells Mashable. "Trading on the outcome of shows like Love Island allows fans to feel like they're part of these moments."

According to Kalshi, Love Island USA markets brought in more than $20 million in trading volume across the first two weeks of the season, a major figure for an entertainment market. For comparison, the most recent Oscars race for Best Picture, one of the biggest awards-season betting events, drew about $25 million in volume. Kalshi’s Week 2 elimination market closed with $3.3 million traded, more than the $2.8 million traded on the winning couple market at the time.

The demand was not limited to an early burst of curiosity. Frank said trading has been "exceptionally popular," with total trading volume for Love Island U.S. and UK markets reaching nearly $40 million as of Monday, June 29. She said trades crossed $1 million in cumulative volume within the first week around the premieres and reached a single-day peak of nearly $3 million traded on June 11.

Currently, Kalshi's winning couple market has Trinity Tatum and Bryce Dettloff as heavy favorites, with an 80 percent chance of winning (both Melanie and Sincere and Zach and Kayda have a 33 percent chance of landing in the top three). There are also weekly elimination contracts — Amora and Kenzie were both priced around 56 and 37 percent in the Week 5 market.

Kalshi is not the only prediction market platform turning Love Island USA into something tradable. On Polymarket, users have also been able to trade on Season 8 outcomes, down to even what might be said during a specific episode (for example, the word "red flag"). A spokesperson from Polymarket declined to comment on their Love Island trading platform.

Love Island is different from a traditional awards show or sporting event, though, because fans are not only watching from the outside. Sometimes, they shape what happens next.

Often, the producers prompt fans to vote for their favorite (or least favorite) cast members on the Love Island app, and each time, the fandom certainly mobilizes: The Love Island USA app crashed during both a June 9 and June 16 vote and later climbed to the top of the App Store.

When asked about the ethics and integrity of markets where users can influence outcomes through public voting, Frank says, "We draw a hard line against insider trading — it's prohibited on Kalshi."

She also says it has safeguards in place to detect suspicious activity on its platform. Kalshi uses Know Your Customer checks for everyone who trades on the platform, which Frank describes as "very similar (and more extensive) than signing up for a bank."

"When people trade, we use advanced AI surveillance technology that tracks for any irregular trading and investigates suspicious trading activity," Frank adds. "We go beyond looking at individual households and look at people’s social connections as well."

Prediction markets are expanding just as sports betting has become a massive part of American digital life. Americans legally wagered nearly $167 billion on sports in 2025, according to the American Gaming Association, and online betting has transformed how many fans experience games. Some states — like Illinois, Nevada, and most recently Michigan (as of June 29) — have placed bans or taxes on prediction markets as state governments debate whether to classify them as financial exchanges, gambling platforms, or something in between.

The sports gambling world has been built, for the most part, around men. Men are nearly twice as likely as women to report gambling-related problems, and sports betting has become one of the clearest examples of how quickly gambling products can move from occasional entertainment to an everyday phone habit.

So when prediction market companies start using pop culture, influencers, and reality TV to reach more women, it raises a question: Is this just another way for fans to engage with the shows they love, or is it opening a new pathway to betting addiction for an untapped market?

According to Frank, there are "3x more female traders" in Love Island markets compared with other Kalshi markets, and "2/3 of new Love Island traders are women."

Kalshi and Polymarket have both experimented with pop-culture contracts and social media strategies that look different from a sportsbook ad during a football game, setting wagers on — for example — Taylor Swift's wedding venue, Dancing with the Stars cast members, or the Bachelor drama.

It doesn't mean every fan trading on these outcomes is treating Kalshi and Polymarket like a sportsbook. Prediction markets differ from betting platforms; their contracts are described as "event-based trading," where users buy and sell positions against each other rather than placing bets against the house. In that framing, a Love Island contract is less like a traditional sportsbook wager and more like a stock price fluctuating around a future event.

But for users, the actual experience can still feel familiar, potentially hooking a new prediction-market audience one recoupling at a time.



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Serena Williams of the United States during practice on Court Twelve as she prepares for the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on June 27th, 2026

A first-round match at Wimbledon is not usually treated like the main event. Serena Williams’ return is one of the exceptions.

Williams, 44, is set to play 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint on Tuesday, June 30, in her first Wimbledon singles match since 2022, and tennis fans are abuzz with anticipation.

Williams has not played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open, where she "evolved away" from professional tennis after a third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic. In the years since, she has had a second child, expanded her business life, and moved into the kind of post-tennis chapter most fans assumed was permanent.

SEE ALSO: Serena Williams dances in Kendrick Lamar's halftime show. Yes, there's an alleged Drake connection.

The comeback did not come out of nowhere. Williams has been inching back onto the court since 2025. But the singles decision, according to Williams, was not automatic. At her pre-tournament press conference, she said Wimbledon had held a wild card for her and that she was still unsure until the final days before the draw.

Part of the hesitation, Williams said, came from what returning to professional tennis required off the court. To compete again, she had to re-enter tennis’ anti-doping testing pool and make herself available under the sport’s whereabouts rules, which require players to provide a daily one-hour testing window and keep officials updated on where they can be found.

Williams told reporters that the process has been "grueling," especially as someone balancing tennis with children, travel, and running multiple businesses. She said she understands why testing is necessary, but argued that parts of the system feel unreasonable for players whose lives do not fit neatly into one location or one schedule.

Ultimately, though, "I thought I should really take this opportunity,” Williams said. “Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again? This could be it.”

Williams has won seven Wimbledon singles titles and 23 Grand Slam singles titles overall. This time, though, Williams has said her expectations are different. She has talked less about chasing history and more about enjoying the chance to compete again.

Tennis players have spoken about the comeback as a major moment for the sport. Novak Djokovic called it "inspirational" and "epic," while Aryna Sabalenka said Williams' return is bringing more eyes to tennis. Online, fans have followed her practice sessions, press conference quotes, wild-card news, and even prediction-market movement around whether she would actually take the court.

But the reaction has not been entirely celebratory.

Williams’ wild card has also reopened a debate about access and fairness at Grand Slam tournaments. Wild cards are discretionary entries, meaning tournaments can award them to players who do not qualify strictly through ranking. In Williams’ case, Wimbledon left its final women’s singles wild-card spot open before giving it to her.

That decision has frustrated some fans, who argue that a player active on tour could have used that spot, and Williams should remain retired.

On the other hand, Williams' draw is also bringing eyes to her opponent, Maya Joint. Joint was born after Williams had already won several Grand Slam titles, and she has spoken about Williams with nothing but respect.

“It’s an honor,” Joint told the WTA. “I always dreamed about playing Serena Williams, and if you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d be playing her first round at Wimbledon, that’s just crazy.”

Nevertheless, a win over Williams at Wimbledon would be career-cementing for her.

The result could become a Serena comeback moment, a Maya Joint breakout, or simply an early look at what this version of Williams can still bring to the court. Either way, it has already become bigger than a normal first-round match, and us at Mashable will be tuning in.



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A man sits in a dark jail cell.

Warning: Contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 2.

It's always nice to see a familiar face in House of the Dragon, even if said face is rolling across the floor of the Great Hall minutes after reappearing on our screens.

We're talking, of course, about Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), the former Hand of the King who's had quite the spectacular fall from grace since Season 1.

But what exactly happened to him, and where has he been all this time? It's been a while since we last saw him, so let's recap.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How the Targaryens, Velaryons, and Hightowers connect

What happens with Otto Hightower in Season 3, episode 2?

After Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Daemon (Matt Smith) stroll into King's Landing to seize control, the latter pays a visit to the dungeons.

"If you would, my prince," says a man holding a torch. "A gift for you, if you ever returned, from Lord Larys Strong."

Daemon follows him deep into the bowls of the Red Keep, then reappears in the Great Hall with a familiar face: Otto Hightower, looking very much the worse for wear.

Otto is brought to kneel before Rhaenyra, and Daemon advises her to behead him in the place of on-the-run Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney).

"If your father could see what it's come to," mutters Otto. "He would never have imagined it."

Otto's final words, before Rhaenyra starts hacking away at his neck? "I did my best..."

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'House of the Dragon': Everything you need to remember about Season 2 in 60 seconds

When did we last see Otto Hightower?

It's been a while, but we did briefly see Otto in the Season 2 finale. Back then, he was already in his jail cell, although at the time we didn't know where he was being held or why.

Prior to last season's finale, we last saw a very different Otto all the way back in Season 2, episode 2. After being fired as Hand by Aegon, Otto told his daughter Alicent (Olivia Cooke) that he planned to leave King's Landing to return to Oldtown. Alicent advised him to go to Highgarden instead so he could stop the Tyrells from "wavering" in their support for Team Green, but it looks like he was waylaid before he could get very far at all.

And finally, now, we know what happened to him: He was captured at the request of Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), who clearly planned to use him in order to buy favor with Team Black, should they ever reclaim power. Sneaky.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.



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A smartphone displays a folder of social media applications, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat, and YouTube

Australia's teen social media ban has been in effect since December, and the government's verdict on how it's going is pretty clear: not well enough.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced this week that Australia will double the maximum penalty for violating its social media minimum age law, raising the fine ceiling from $AUD49.5 million ($US33 million) to $AUD99 million ($US68.2 million). The government is also moving to expand the eSafety Commissioner's powers to compel platforms to hand over evidence of what they're actually doing to keep under-16s off their services.

SEE ALSO: The next social media ban? Austria looks to block kids under 14 from social media

The news comes roughly six months after Australia's Online Safety Amendment Act took effect, banning platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and YouTube from allowing users under 16 to hold accounts, as Mashable previously reported. More than five million accounts have been removed, deactivated, or restricted since Dec. 10 — but according to Albanese, that's not good enough.

"It is clear that social media platforms are adopting tricks straight out of the big tech playbook and doing the bare minimum to get by," said Minister for Communications Anika Wells in the government's statement.

The eSafety Commissioner is currently investigating potential non-compliance across five platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.

The new legislation would also extend the Commissioner's reach to third parties like age-verification and app-store providers — closing a loophole that let platforms point fingers elsewhere when their enforcement fell short.



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Wordle game on a smartphone

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to get the party started.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 28, 2026

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for June 28, 2026

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Host.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears three times.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter E.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

EMCEE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.



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Todd Beaupré, Rene Ritchie, and Katarina Mogus at VidCon 2026's panel

Much of the talk at VidCon 2026 focused on how long-form horizontal content is at the forefront of rewiring the traditional Hollywood model. On a panel about convergence, Pocketwatch CEO Chris H. Williams declared, "If it works on YouTube, it'll work anywhere," pointing to The Besties' crossover success on Hulu and, soon, Amazon Fire TV Stick.

A recurring topic across panels was how streamers like Hulu, Amazon, and Tubi are recruiting creators, acquiring their YouTube libraries, or funding original content. But what does it take to make a video go viral on YouTube in 2026?

That was the question Vidcon attendees had in mind as they sat down for the panel titled Decoding the Algorithm: What Your Audience Actually Wants on YouTube. Presented by YouTube, this three-person panel featured YouTube Creator Liaison and Head of Editorial Rene Ritchie, YouTuber Katarina Mogus, and YouTube Senior Director of Growth and Discovery Todd Beaupré.

SEE ALSO: VidCon 2026: Live updates from the internet's biggest weekend

However, rather than offering a guideline on how to make the algorithm work for you, Beaupré rebuffed assumptions that creators have about it. Chief among them, Beaupré dismissed the idea that YouTube's algorithm punishes users for infrequent posting and says creators are not punished for trying new things.

"It really depends on what you come back with, and whether it's interesting or not." Beaupré said of gaps in posting, "We did a really deep study of millions of channels and looked at the time spent between uploads to see if there was a correlation at all between how long it was between your uploads and what the difference in views was before and after the break. We found virtually no relationship. And if anything, the longer the break, the more likely it was that somebody could come back with even more views."

No slides and few figures were presented at the panel. But Beaupré did present a provocative notion.

'Your core audience maybe isn't as important as you thought.'

Opening slide atDecoding the Algorithm: What Your Audience Actually Wants on YouTube panel - which is the title of the panel with a thumbs up emoji.
Credit: Kristy Puchko / Mashable

"Almost every channel has a click-through rate of less than 10% in their subscriptions. These are people who hit the red button when you ask them to subscribe," Beaupré said. "And yet, 90% of the time, they see your video, they're not going to click on [it]. This is normal."

He went on, "Some of your subscribers are going to see your video in the first few hours, and 90% of them aren't going to watch it. YouTube understands that. That's the same for many channels. So if you're thinking, like, 'Oh, my first 100 people, if they're not the right people that see it, is my video gonna die?' No, because we know that even among your biggest fans, it may not be the right time."

Beaupré's advice was ultimately that creators should worry more about appealing to their audience than to YouTube's algorithm. He said, "When you have a question about the algorithm, I encourage you to replace the word 'algorithm' in your question with 'audience.' How that's relevant here is that if you take a break, the algorithm isn't going to punish you. But the audience may have different feelings when you come back. If you've been gone for six months, maybe they've moved on to discover some new channels, right? They're still on YouTube. And so you may not be as top-of-mind for them as you were before. So, audience reactions do influence your distribution."

Mashable is reporting live from VidCon 2026 in Anaheim. Follow our coverage for creator interviews, panel highlights, and the biggest moments from the convention floor.



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