🎮 Don't sleep on it

How sleep affects gaming, a little league for esports, and more.

Andrew Nusca

Eric Alt

, and

Marques Edge

Jul 10, 2023

Mornin’. Now that we’re well into summer and temperatures in most parts of the hemisphere are toasty, I can’t stop thinking about this list of best vanilla ice creams by the New York Times’ Wirecutter brand.

Their pick for No. 1 among the 16 they tested? Ben and Jerry’s, with Van Leeuwen as a backup.

Now I love me a pint of B&J or VL, but 16 just didn’t feel comprehensive enough for one of the most popular ice cream flavors on earth. What about Bassetts? Handel’s? Humphry Slocombe? Jeni’s? Jude’s? McConnell’s?

I won’t rest until we put at least 50 to the test. Who’s with me?

—Andrew Nusca, Eric Alt, Marques Edge

Buffed/Nerfed

What’s up and down in the world rn.

Buffed: Last survivors of Krypton. The Man of Steel is back in the Adult Swim animated series My Adventures with Superman, and early reviews suggest it’s refreshingly different. (We still stan Smallville, tho.)

Nerfed: Twitter. Meta’s Instagram’s Threads, the Ruth’s Chris Steak House of social media apps, has already captured the attention of tens of millions of people, thanks to its built-in social graph. Here’s a guide if you need to catch up.

Buffed: ‘90s nostalgia. Remember when people used to say that playing video games would rot your brain? Studies have long since debunked that line of thinking, but it hasn’t stopped one elected official from reviving an old bogeyman.

Nerfed: White hot American greed. The trailer for Martin Scorcese’s Killers of the Flower Moon has arrived and the math goes like this: 1920s Oklahoma + murder + DiCaprio and De Niro = one heck of a ride through a dark chapter in U.S. history.

Buffed: Role models. Speaking of rides: The late Sally Ride, the first American woman in space (and the youngest U.S. astronaut to make the trip), gets the statue treatment near her hometown of Los Angeles. That sound you hear is Janelle Monáe cheering. —AN

Cheat Code: 5 easy ways to level up your (gaming) life with sleep

Change the game.

Photo by Colorblind Images via Getty Images

Sleep is an undervalued part of everyone’s daily health, but it can be especially tough for gamers. It’s easy to get sucked in, lose track of time, and push yourself to get to that next level or checkpoint.

But real talk? Giving your body time to recover will have enormous benefits in your ability to think fast and react quickly—thus improving your performance.

A few key lifestyle changes can ensure you wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated—“respawned,” if you will.

Executive editor Eric Alt shares five easy ways you can help rewire your body to see sleep as a necessity, not a hurdle.

Plug in here.

Extractor: An esports league of their own

Investigations of interest.

Get this: At just three years old, XP League is already the largest youth esports franchise league in North America.

The organization was founded to bridge the gap between conventional youth athletics and competitive esports. It’s positive, it’s coach-led, it’s inclusive, and it’s poised to be an accelerator for elementary, middle, and high school aged players who might want to go pro.

Would you believe it all started with a father’s desire to connect with his kids?

Contributing writer JD Carrere has the story after the jump.

Mixtape Monday

It’s been a minute since we shared a fresh batch of records to recommend.

The good news: This week’s quintet is greater than one led by midcentury Miles Davis, you dig?

Let’s get it:

Nine Inch Nails, “The Day the World Went Away.” Trent Reznor’s beautifully damaged late ‘90s opus is back in vogue thanks to The Bear, and we’re not mad about it. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Andrew Nusca, editor in chief, Activision Blizzard King)
Tainy and Bad Bunny, “Mojabi Ghost.” If you’re into reggaeton, 1980s synths, and a bumping bass drum, this tune is for you. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Eden Bovi, customer service specialist, Blizzard)
KARD, “Ring the Alarm.” This exuberant k-pop track is a strong candidate for your next karaoke duet with your bestie. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Aninditya Kusumah, marketing coordinator, Activision)
Arrested Development, “People Everyday.” Summertime hip hop just couldn’t exist without this landmark group from Atlanta. Make a pitcher of sweet tea and hit play. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Evan Miles, animator, Blizzard)
“Sound of Vondel,” Oliver Heldens. If you thought we wouldn’t bop to a pulsing Call of Duty anthem by the Dutch house pioneer himself, you thought wrong. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube.