🎮 Ding, ding, ding

Pop music game references, D&D group therapy, and more.

Mornin’. It’s tough times out there: The economy is cooling, the geopolitics are warming, and the temps are still too damn high.

So here’s a heartwarming story about 4,000 beagles thriving a year after their rescue.

“They roll on the grass, enjoy long walks and lick birthday cake to celebrate the anniversary of their rescue.”

D’awwww. We feel better already.

—Andrew “Two Frenchies” Nusca, Marques “She’s Part Coyote” Edge, Tim “Don’t Call Her Pugly” Leong, Eric “My Cat Acts Like a Dog” Alt

Buffed/Nerfed

What’s up and down in the world rn.

Buffed: The Chicken Man. Rest in power actor Mark Margolis, best known as the bell-ringing cartel chief Hector “Tio” Salamanca in Breaking Bad. He was 83.

Nerfed: Misogynists. Authorities in the Mexican city of Chihuahua will fine performers of songs that promote violence, discrimination, marginalization, or exclusion of women up to the equivalent of $74,000. Call it a mic drop.

Buffed: Kate McKinnon. Mattel has unveiled a new doll based on the talented comedian’s Weird Barbie role from the hit movie. To channel a different McKinnon character, we say only: Wow.

Nerfed: Cheaters. Call of Duty’s Ricochet Anti-Cheat system will now notify players in real time when frauds have been removed from the game. To quote many a movie: So long…well, you know the rest.

Buffed: Quadragenarian athletes. The all-star Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi logs a WNBA record 10,000 points with a swish from way downtown. How dominant is DT? The next active player is almost 3,300 points behind her. —AN

Roll Call: 5 video game references in pop music

Line ‘em up.

Photo by Eric Nopanen via Unsplash

Sure, sure. We know all about music in games.

But what about the other way around?

Though consumer video games as we know them rose in the 1970s, it took some time for them to work their way into many homes…and therefore the lyrics of popular music.

A generation of “Space Age Whiz Kids,” as Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh put it in 1983, grew up to be pioneering artists in their own right—and they didn’t shy away from making referencing to their favorite games in their lyrics.

We asked contributing writer Joey Held to round up five great game lines in contemporary songs.

Here’s who made the cut.

Shameless plug: Get ready for ‘Overwatch 2: Invasion’

Look, we’re more than a little excited for Aug. 10, when Overwatch 2 expands to the Steam platform.

That debut brings with it a new season—dubbed “Invasion”—of Blizzard’s free-to-play, team-based hero action game.

In the mix is a first-ever set of PvE (player versus environment) story missions, a new PvP (player versus player) mode with two new maps, and a new hero.

To paraphrase support hero Brigitte: We won’t be disappointed.

Lock and load here.

Extractor: D&D for group therapy

Investigations of interest.

Photo by Javier Zayas Photography via Getty Images

Dungeons & Dragons as a group therapeutic tool?

It’s a relatively novel concept, but some psychologists see it as a medium that can help patients manage depression, combat social anxiety and isolation, make friends and sustain relationships—even process trauma.

Contributing writer Evan Lewis explores how D&D has grown in popularity as a therapeutic tool in the wake of the pandemic.

Roll for initiative.

Your moment of meme

Mixtape Monday

To quote Jigga: Turn the music up in the headphones.

Here’s what we’re listening to this week:

Joywave, “Destruction.” Entrance music for your favorite wrestler (if that wrestler lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn). Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Ann Pham, Activision)

The Impossibles, “The Week of August First.” Do you have a history of asymmetrical haircuts? Did we just conclude the week of Aug. 1? Well then. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Jordan Blitzstein, Blizzard)

Jungle, “Back on 74.” Summery, happy, soulful harmonies with a whole lotta cowbell. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Eric Ottery, Activision)

Aphex Twin, “Blackbox Life Recorder 21f.” Electronic pioneer Richard James, subversive influencer to a generation, is back with more breakbeats. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Calvin Hatcher, Activision)

Small Leaks Sink Ships, “Psychotic Opera.” The progressive indie band layers on the vocals for a tune that’s part Modest Mouse, part “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Edward Elliott, Activision)

Wormhole

Click the following image and…well, we don’t want to ruin the surprise.

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