Art

Disney, ESPN Lend ‘Toy Story’ Boost to Athletes Unlimited Softball League

• Disney/ESPN use "Toy Story" characters to promote AUSL softball finals.
• Saturday's ABC broadcast is first-ever pro softball game on network TV.
• ESPN takes over production; game two airs Sunday 26 July.

Disney's ABC and ESPN are giving a marketing boost to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) championship series, enlisting "Toy Story" characters Woody and Jessie to lead a pregame parade and take part in the ceremonial first pitch ahead of Saturday's opening broadcast. The game marks the first…

Ford to build Apple Maps and next BlueCruise into upcoming EVs

• Ford will embed Apple Maps in EVs from 2027.
• BlueCruise will use Apple Maps road-level data.
• Ford says it retains control of autonomous-driving development.

Ford will embed Apple Maps in its forthcoming Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, beginning with a $30,000 midsize electric pickup due in 2027. The move matters because it makes Apple’s navigation services a built-in part of Ford’s EV experience without requiring an iPhone, while also supplying mapping data for…

The Kinks are “getting on great” and say “never say never” to potential reunion

• The Kinks' Ray and Dave Davies are launching a portrait exhibition in London featuring reimagined 1968 photographs by artist Christian Furr
• The brothers report their previously fractious relationship has significantly improved, with reunion possibilities remaining open though no formal plans exist

Members of The Kinks have suggested a reunion is not off the table, saying they are "getting on great" and that fans should "never say never" about the influential British rock band getting back together. The comments will excite fans of the group, who were among the most…

Early ’90s animation tools were so primitive that Doom’s lead artist says he pretty much did the whole thing with ‘the undo key’

• Doom's lead artist Adrian Carmack created sprite animations by repeatedly using the undo function in Deluxe Paint, cycling through frames to build motion loops
• Early 1990s digital art tools were so limited that developers had to improvise workarounds rather than rely on purpose-built animation software
• His colleagues at id Software were impressed by this creative technical solution to the constraints of the era

Biennale Chief Slams EU for Withdrawing Funding Over Russia’s Presence at Art Exhibition During Film Festival Press Conference: ‘They Are Abandoning Us’

• Venice Biennale chairman condemns EU's €2 million funding withdrawal, citing interference with artistic autonomy after Russia was permitted to exhibit for the first time since 2022.
• EU maintains that public-funded cultural programmes must uphold democratic values, which it says Russia does not reflect.
• The disputed funds actually support cinema initiatives rather than the visual arts exhibition at the centre of the dispute.

Venice Biennale chairman Pietrangelo Buttafuoco publicly criticised the European Union at a film festival press conference for withdrawing €2 million ($2.3 million) in funding over Russia's return to the Biennale's arts exhibition, its first appearance since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He argued the decision was political rather…

Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden wants to save games by bringing back double-A – and he has a plan

• Shawn Layden is planning a push to revive double-A games
• Triple-A budgets are described as spiralling and unsustainable
• GTA 6 reportedly cost over $1 billion; smaller teams offer an alternative

Former PlayStation worldwide studios chairman Shawn Layden is developing a plan to revive "double-A" games, arguing that ballooning triple-A development budgets have made much of the industry financially unsustainable. He says the games sector has long relied on a publishing model largely unchanged since the early 1990s, which…

Okay, So We Now Know 1 Weapon Coming to Helldivers 2 as Part of the Warhammer 40,000 Warbond, and I Think We Can Guess a Few Others

• Helldivers 2’s Warhammer 40,000 Warbond is revealed fully on 30 July.
• A Bolt Pistol is the first confirmed crossover weapon.
• Other weapons and armour remain speculation.

Sony has confirmed that Helldivers 2’s forthcoming Warhammer 40,000 crossover Warbond will be fully revealed on 30 July, with a Bolt Pistol confirmed as its first new weapon. The collaboration is significant because fans and developer Arrowhead have long viewed Warhammer 40,000’s expendable soldiers and alien warfare as…

How To Use All Phasmophobia Items For Ghost-Hunting

• Phasmophobia equipment helps locate ghosts and collect identifying evidence.
• Evidence tools confirm a ghost’s traits.
• Utility items improve safety during investigations.

GameSpot’s guide explains how to use the equipment available in Phasmophobia to investigate ghosts and identify their type. The items matter because players must gather reliable evidence while managing danger, team co-ordination and limited time in haunted locations. The guide is likely to cover core evidence tools such…