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Last week, analyst Daniel Ahmad compared the end of physical PlayStation games to the end of disc drives in Apple laptops, noting that nobody these days really seems to care about PC games having gone all-digital . The full post was lengthy and nuanced, but the internet tends not to read that far (congrats on making it over 50 words into this article, by the way), so now he's further clarifying what he meant on social media.

"When I compared Sony stopping disc production to CD drives being removed from computers, I'm talking in the context of games shipping on disc," Ahmad says on Bluesky . "Obviously you can buy an external drive for a PC, but virtually no modern PC game. This isn't me saying 'Wow I love Sony and they are great for doing this', it's to say that PC is essentially 100% digital and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone pining for the days of physical PC games."

Look, I like old-school, big box PC games and collect them here and there, but even as I cling to physical console games I'm willing to admit that the ship has long since sailed for physical computer games. There are all kinds of things making physical versions of modern PC games impractical, from the lack of disc drives on most retail computers to the inordinate amount of discs a modern PC install would require.

Ahmad reiterates the central point from his original post: "Regardless of whether it's bringing physical back, or embracing digital, the conversation needs to shift to consumer rights and what a license should enable. Stop Killing Games was one part of it, but gifting, family sharing, refunds, and other aspects are just as important."

That gets to the key difference separating digital games on console from those on PC. Steam dominates computer game distribution, with easy ways to gift games, solid refund policies, and built-in family sharing options. Valve is pressed into offering those kinds of features because it faces competition from other digital storefronts and the convenience of pirated games, but it would be a lot better for consumers if those kinds of features were required on digital stores by law.

We don't know what the PlayStation Store will look like when physical disc production ends, but none of the three console manufacturers have offered digital storefronts on par with those on PC, never mind something in line with what groups like Stop Killing Games are dreaming of. While I'd love for physical games to exist forever, I'm not confident they will. That's why, as Ahmad suggests, we need to be pushing for stronger ownership rights for our digital goods.

These are the best physical games to grab while you still can.

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Matt Kamlet, an employee at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, sits atop the virtual reality passenger ride quality simulator during a study of air taxi motion Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. NASA recently completed a multi-year study to understand how large, sudden air taxi motion affects ride comfort.

NASA/Christopher LC Clark

No one wants to get into an uncomfortable aircraft. NASA research could help the emerging industry of air taxis —small, vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft meant for short trips — understand the relationship between comfort and willingness to fly.

That’s where NASA comes in, with data that can help identify how to plan air taxi rides that can keep travelers feeling good.

NASA was able to gather that data by putting its own employees through some rough virtual flights. At the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, volunteers have been strapping into a virtual reality motion simulator to experience the sudden shifts and tilts that tomorrow’s air taxis could encounter, showing researchers those moments feel from a passenger’s point of view.

Their reactions are giving NASA new insight into how aircraft motion influences comfort and confidence in flight — for instance, that certain kinds of large, sudden motions can be especially bothersome. Using that data, the team developed new models linking those sudden motions to passengers’ willingness to fly. The models can help guide future aircraft design and flight operations, letting producers know what maneuvers will be too jarring for future air taxi riders.

Large, sudden movements can also come from gusting winds or landings. The NASA data allows researchers to estimate when passengers may begin to feel uncomfortable as motion increases, giving them the ability to shape aircraft designs and operations to minimize the impact of those situations.

“Through this study and others, we are starting to identify passenger comfort thresholds for aggressive flight motion,” said Curtis Hanson, NASA Armstrong lead researcher for this effort. “We can begin to make predictions about how air taxis should fly so that most passengers will find the experience enjoyable and want to ride again, which will benefit the public and the industry.”

In the simulator, each participant experienced four levels of their aircraft pitching up and down, tilting from side-to-side, rotating, or accelerating quickly into a climb or a dive during flights from downtown San Francisco to Alcatraz Island in California. Even moderate changes in these motions reduced comfort for some participants, while others remained comfortable at higher levels. Participants rated each flight on a five-point scale and identified which motions felt uncomfortable.

Participants were asked whether they would take a real air taxi flight with motion they find uncomfortable. Their answers suggested that today’s travelers may be less tolerant of rough motion than airline passengers 50 years ago, based on comparisons with earlier NASA ride-quality research.

This latest feedback builds on a multiyear NASA study to better understand air taxi passenger comfort. The overall research effort found clear relationships between specific aircraft motions and how comfortable people feel during flight.

This work is currently led under the Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools project in NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate and contributes to the agency’s advanced air mobility research.

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Jul 13, 2026

Editor

Dede Dinius

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Teresa Whiting

teresa.whiting@nasa.gov

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Armstrong Flight Research Center

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Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 4. House of the Dragon has never been afraid to change the source material, much to the frustration of some fans and the book's author, George R. R. Martin . In part, this is due to Fire & Blood 's format as a collection of historical records that occasionally contradict each other. However, that isn't always the case, as seen in the HBO series' treatment of Maelor , the youngest son of Helaena ( Phia Saban ) and Aegon ( Tom Glynn-Carney ), who has not appeared in the show, at least not yet . Since Season 2, fans have been asking where Maelor is because, although he's a child throughout the series' events, he has a notable role, especially when Blood ( Sam C. Wilson ) and Cheese ( Mark Stobbart ) attack the royal children.

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The Volkswagen Group could kill at least ten models to save money.

A number of crossover coupes could die including the Q5 Sportback.

Porsche might drop the Taycan as well as plans for ICE-powered 718s.

Volkswagen is going on a killing spree as part of a larger effort to cut costs and become more competitive. While the company has been tight-lipped about what models will get the axe, a new report claims a handful of slow-sellers could be dropped.

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Starting with Volkswagen, Bild suggests the Jetta and Taos won’t live to see another generation. The death of the Jetta wouldn’t be terribly surprising as sedans have fallen by the wayside as consumers have embraced crossovers. This shift has already resulted in the brand killing the Passat in America.

More: VW Group Is Killing Half Its Cars By 2030, And Some Big Names Are At Risk

Through the first half of the year, Volkswagen only sold 15,949 Jettas in the United States. That’s an increase of 9.7%, but it pales in comparison to the 132,440 Civics, 131,403 Corollas, 79,839 Elantras, and 73,579 K4s sold in the same period.

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While crossovers are generally hot, the Taos is not. That might come as a bit of a surprise considering it’s the brand’s entry-level crossover in America, but first-half sales only totaled 7,794 units. That was a 43.9% drop from a year ago, and even then, sales weren’t very impressive.

The report also claims the Fabia is living on borrowed time. That’s interesting as the model is relatively popular and found 119,139 buyers last year. This put it well ahead of the Scala and Superb.

The Cupra Raval is also rumored to be a one and done, which is surprising as the model just debuted a few months ago. However, the Volkswagen Group has an assortment of similar EVs from other brands.

On the luxury side of the equation, Audi could kill off a number of crossover coupes. In particular, the Q5 Sportback and Q6 E-tron Sportback could have a date with the undertaker. The four-ring brand doesn’t break down sales by variant, but it’s believed the coupes are far less popular than their more traditional counterparts.

Similar cuts are rumored at Porsche, where the gas-powered Cayenne Coupe could soon become a distant memory. Speaking of petrol-power, Porsche could flip-flop once again and kill plans for ICE versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman.

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The models were intended to be electric-only, but the company got cold feet and announced there would be a handful of gas variants . However, those might not live to see the light of day.

Lastly, the Taycan could also be toast. Sales dropped 22% last year to 16,339 units and the company blamed a “slowdown in the adoption of electromobility.”

Bild suggests axing these models could save the automaker as much as €6.5 ($7.4) billion by 2031. However, the list is said to be preliminary and we wouldn’t be surprised if additional models – such as the Audi e-tron GT – also get the axe. That being said, Volkswagen’s Product Communications Director Stefan Voswinkel wouldn’t confirm anything and told Motor1 , “We do not comment on speculation regarding future models or decisions regarding the product cycle plan.”

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