PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Graham Platner won the Maine Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, setting up a high-stakes race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Platner, an oyster farmer and combat veteran, has little political experience but has drawn hundreds of people to rallies around the state. He also has faced a string of controversies that have been the focus of attacks from his rivals. Since entering the race, Platner has stressed the importance of believing in redemption for those like him who have made mistakes but are now working to be better people.

“If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change,” Platner said during his acceptance speech in Blue Hill, a rural town where he was born. “And the reason I believe that is because I have lived it.”

Democrats see Maine as a top opportunity to flip a GOP-held seat. It is the only state with a competitive Senate race where voters supported Democrat Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in 2024. Collins is the only Republican senator from New England.

Platner, a progressive who had early support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, has said he plans to focus on economic issues such as housing and healthcare.

“Any of those who feel let down, or disappointed, or disillusioned, it is my job to earn your trust, faith and support, and I will spend every day of this campaign, and if I have the privilege, every day in the United States Senate doing exactly that,” Platner said.

Maine voters also were choosing nominees for governor U.S. House. The Democratic primaries for governor and the 2nd Congressional District will be decided by ranked choice voting, a process that may take more than a week, after no candidate won a majority Tuesday.

Platner blasts Collins as ‘spineless’

After thanking his supporters for helping him secure the Democratic nomination, Platner quickly pivoted to attacking Collins, attracting boos and jeers from the Blue Hill crowd.

Collins was unopposed in the GOP Maine primary on Tuesday. This means the matchup between Platner and Collins will pit a progressive with no experience in high office against one of the most powerful legislators in the Senate, and one of its few remaining moderate Republicans.

“Susan Collins has never met a war she didn’t like, she’s been supporting endless wars since I was a teenager, and I know, I had to fight in two of them,” Platner, a Marine and U.S. Army veteran, said. “You and your friends profited, and my friends died.”

He also criticized Collins for voting alongside Trump, particularly pointing out that she was a key vote in voting in favor of putting conservative judges on the U.S. Supreme Court.

“She has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves,” Platner said, pointing out that Collins once promised to only serve two terms but has been in the position for decades.

First elected in 1996, Collins has said her experience and key position as chair of the powerful appropriations committee are two reasons to send her back to the Senate.

Platner energized Democratic voters

Platner, 41, has focused his campaign on fighting the high costs he says hold down the middle class and said he got in the race to focus on income inequality.

His background has repeatedly generated criticism from both the right and the left.

Old online comments made by Platner in which he appeared to endorse political violence, dismiss rape in the military and criticize police officers and rural America surfaced last year. Platner apologized for the comments and said he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression when he wrote them.

He’s also faced questions about a skull-and-crossbones tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol. Platner said he got the tattoo on his chest during a night of drinking while he was on leave in Croatia. He has maintained that he was unaware until recently that the image had been associated with Nazis, and he has since covered the tattoo with a different design. A former girlfriend told New York Times has since said that he did.

More recently, he went on the defensive amid reports that he previously exchanged sexually explicit text messages with several women while married. Platner hasn’t directly denied the existence of the texts but instead criticized the aide who talked to news outlets and accused the media of running gossip.

The New York Times last week reported about his relationships with previous girlfriends, some of whom viewed him positively and others who described him as volatile and insulting. One woman said Platner twisted her arm during an argument and locked her in a room. Platner’s campaign disputed the allegation.

Annette Babcock, who is from Platner’s hometown of Sullivan, said she’s met him a few times and likes that he’s not an established politician. His recent controversies didn’t dissuade her from supporting him Tuesday.

“The Republicans don’t have much moral high ground to stand on when they’re criticizing him for what he’s done when (President Donald) Trump is a convicted felon,” she said.

Democratic governor and 2nd House District races to be decided by rank choice

In the governor’s race and 2nd Congressional District, no Democratic candidate won the majority of votes Tuesday, so the race will go to a ranked runoff.

Democrats are choosing gubernatorial candidates between Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson; former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Hannah Pingree; energy executive Angus King III; and former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Nirav Shah.

In the 2nd Congressional District, former Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, state Sen. Joe Baldacci, former U.S. Senate candidate Jordan Wood and social worker Paige Loud are on the ballot for the Democrats. The winner will face former Gov. Paul LePage, a Trump ally.

The Republican ballot for governor is even more crowded. Republicans will choose between former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Bobby Charles; healthcare executive Jonathan Bush; former Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason; University of Maine System trustee Owen McCarthy; former Paris, Maine, selectman Robert Wessels; and business owners David Jones and Ben Midgley.

___

Associated Press journalist Rodrique Ngowi contributed from Sullivan, Maine.

Hudgell Solicitors, which represents a growing number of former patients of the Trust and suspended breast surgeon Mr Amir Bhatti, has backed calls for a judge-led inquiry with powers to require witnesses to give evidence under oath.

The demand comes as the scale of harm identified through ongoing patient reviews continues to emerge.

Rachel O’Connor from Hudgells (Image: Neil Holmes)

As of June 3, the Trust said 389 lookback reviews had been completed, with 65 cases of moderate or severe harm identified and one death linked to concerns raised during the investigation.

Independent reviews, which were published last year, have already highlighted what were described as “decade-long systemic failures within the Trust’s breast cancer service, including missed cancers, delays in diagnosis and unnecessary mastectomies.

Rachel O’Connor, a specialist medical negligence solicitor at Hudgell Solicitors, said the current investigations do not go far enough.

“We don’t feel the current investigations are going back far enough, given it has been identified in independent reviews that systemic failures were dating back a decade at least,” she said.

“We’ve been contacted by patients who were treated well before January 2023 who have serious concerns over the care provided to them, and whether it impacted their own outcomes.”

The legal team believes significant questions remain not only about patient care but also around governance, oversight and decision-making within the Trust.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Ms O’Connor said concerns over healthcare failures, governance issues, the establishment and operation of private clinics, the Trust’s decision to prevent Mr Bhatti from carrying out clinical duties, and the ongoing Durham Police investigation all pointed towards the need for a Public Inquiry.

“We believe a Public Inquiry must be called,” she said.

“Women have been left harmed and traumatised when they turned to the NHS at a vulnerable time.

Mr Amir Bhatti (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

“This was not an issue which suddenly arose; it escalated over many years because of a lack of action and accountability.”

The call is being supported by patients and bereaved families, including Amelia Green, whose sister Michaela died from breast cancer in 2009 and who later received treatment through the Trust’s breast cancer service herself.

Ms Green has launched a petition calling for a national inquiry, reform of breast cancer surgery services at the Trust and accountability for those responsible.

Meanwhile, lawyers have also criticised the pace of the ongoing review programme.

At a meeting in March, the Trust reported that 357 reviews had been completed. By early June, that figure had risen to 389, an increase of just 32 cases over more than two months.

“Given the worry and stress this is causing to patients, that is unacceptable,” Ms O’Connor said.

“We need full answers and accountability, and that will only come with the full scrutiny of people being compelled to give evidence under oath, so we fully support the call for the Inquiry.”

Around 1,500 patient records are currently being reviewed as part of the Trust’s investigation into breast cancer services, while Durham Police continues to examine whether any criminal offences may have been committed.

The Trust has apologised to patients and families affected by failures identified within breast services and says a series of improvements have since been introduced, including additional specialist staff, revised clinical pathways and strengthened clinical leadership.

Graham Platner, a 41-year-old oysterman with no prior experience in elected office who has been plagued by scandals since announcing his campaign, won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine on Tuesday.

Platner’s victory comes despite months of damaging headlines over his background, including a Nazi-linked tattoo and accusations of abusive behavior in past romantic relationships, which caused deep division within his own party. Reporters also dug up his past comments on sites such as Reddit, which veered into crude and offensive territory.

His win will be seen as a heartening moment for the progressive left, which rallied behind Platner’s opposition to the Israel lobby, AIPAC, and dark money in politics. He’s also a supporter of Medicare for All, a system that would establish single-payer healthcare in the U.S.

But it raises serious fears for the party’s establishment flank. For months, Platner has been beset by negative press and denunciations from figures within the Washington Democratic establishment over a tattoo he got during his military service of a “Totenkopf,” a death’s head or skull and crossbones design that was used as an insignia by Nazi SS members.

Platner has denied knowing the image’s meaning when he got the ink, but the issue has led to condemnations from fellow Democrats, including Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Sen. John Fetterman, and calls for the party to abandon support for his campaign altogether.

A report in The New York Times last week also detailed a pattern of past alleged behavior with girlfriends that was described at times as “unsettling.” The report’s central figure, who dated Platner for two years, detailed a pattern of behavior including incidents in which he would allegedly grab her hard enough to leave marks or held her in a room during arguments while not letting her leave. She said the incidents left her “shaken” and “afraid”; Platner denied that any instances of violence had occurred.

Coupled with the volume of negative headlines surrounding the tattoo scandal, the issues have led to a sort of “scandal fatigue” that was cited by many supporters of Platner leading up to Tuesday’s election as many voters viewed it as a sustained media smear campaign.

He defeated a handful of lesser-known candidates as well as the state’s Gov. Janet Mills, 78, who was recruited to run by Senate Democratic leadership and spurred on by the D.C. consultant class. Mills effectively ended her campaign in late April as polls showed her being roundly trounced by Platner at every turn.

Democrats who remain supportive of Platner through the onslaught of bad press counter that Senate Democratic leadership were ultimately to blame, as they failed to find a more inspiring candidate for the seat — pointing to the oysterman’s continued popularity and the inability of Mills to gain any traction in the race.

Platner heads now into potentially the most-watched Senate race of the cycle. His showdown with Susan Collins represents a major priority for Senate Democrats as they seek the majority this November; the chamber is currently split 53-47. Platner’s victory in Maine is crucial to the Democratic path to a majority next year, a possibility that didn’t seem real just one year ago.

Democrats are already favored in many polls to win back the House by a small margin this cycle. A victory in the Senate would not just halt the Trump administration’s legislative agenda, but open up the possibilities of serious resistance to the president’s priorities — up to, and including impeachment.

The party needs to gain four seats in the upper chamber to secure a full majority, though persisent defections (like John Fetterman) could still hand Republicans some key victories. Aside from Platner, the party is eyeing seats in Alaska, Texas, Ohio and North Carolina all held by Republicans, two of which are in play as a direct result of Donald Trump picking fights with members of his own party.

Platner leads Collins in recent polling, but the race is expected to tighten significantly as Senate Republicans unload a massive war chest to defend Collins, one of their most reliable purple-state members. A five-term senator with a penchant for winning tough races, Collins is 73 and has been been criticized by Platner for supporting Trump’s war with Iran, which according to polls is now supported by only roughly one third of Americans.

Collins’s value to the Senate GOP’s numbers is so pronounced that she has escaped the brunt of Donald Trump’s wrath, even as she broke with the president on multiple votes including his “One Big, Beautiful Bill” last year. The president did not endorse Collins outright, but she did not face a meaningful primary challenge as a result of maintaining his tacit support. Other senators who did the same, or less, were not so lucky. Trump endorsed against two incumbent GOP senators this cycle who both lost their respective primaries.

He likely would have done the same in North Carolina had Sen. Thom Tillis not elected to retire instead.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday sought to encourage Spain’s young people to persevere in their faith, as he presided over an evening rally that was notable for its frank discussion of depression, domestic violence and “toxic” family relationships.

The U.S.-born pope received a raucous welcome at the Olympic stadium in Barcelona, the second stop of his weeklong visit to Spain that has drawn huge crowds despite the country’s strong secular bent.

The crowd, estimated at 40,000, erupted in cheers when Leo emerged from the stands in his popemobile and looped around the grounds. He thrilled sections of the crowd each time he stopped to bless babies or to do the “6-7” hand gesture that has now become a signature.

The event featured several nods to Catalan culture, including a demonstration of the region’s famed human tower acrobats, known as castellers. The eight-level tower drew an appreciative applause from the pope after the smallest child reached the top, waved, and then quickly shimmied down.

Leo also spoke in Catalan, more than initially foreseen, during the prayer vigil that featured a question-and-answer session with young adults. Such exchanges are scripted in advance and are typical features of papal trips. But Tuesday’s edition was particularly raw given the subject matter Leo covered.

One young woman told Leo of a suicide attempt and the “darkness” she had experienced with bouts of depression. Another spoke about her father’s attempt to kill her mother and a childhood spent in juvenile detention. She asked how she could ever forgive her father.

Leo thanked the youths for their honesty and willingness to share their stories publicly. He blamed the malaise on what he said was a society that demands perfection of its youth and silences “moments of darkness and suffering.”

He compared the “silent illness” of depression among young people to the suffering of Christ on the cross.

“In those dark hours, as he was dying on the cross, Jesus shared our pain and revealed to us the face of a compassionate God, who bears our sorrows, who suffers with us, weeps our tears and remains at our side with his presence full of love and mercy,” Leo said.

But he also identified abusive families where domestic violence is normalized as being behind many problems facing today’s young people.

“So many crime reports, even today, reflect a toxic climate in family relationships marked by abuse and oppression and, in particular, by violence against women, which unfortunately often leads to femicide,” Leo said.

Leo urged young people to find solace in their faith. And he drew applause when he demanded better health services and care for mental health problems and domestic violence.

“We are all called to address this dramatic reality, both personally and as a society, because we are responsible for confronting it in all its dimensions,” he said.

Leo has been emphasizing a message of hope for youths in Spain, a once overwhelmingly Catholic country that experienced a religious crisis after its 20th century dictatorship ended and democracy took root.

Recently, church officials and sociologists alike have pointed to indications that young Spaniards are showing an increasing interest in their spiritual lives, with anecdotal reports of rises in conversions among young adults.

Patricia Garzón, a 25-year-old who attended the prayer vigil with her friend, said her faith helps her every day.

“I believe that it is more difficult (for young people) today because before social media didn’t exist, and today we are constantly comparing ourselves with one another (online),” she said. “And we need someone from above to help us, to help us see that he loves us for who we are, not how others want us to see ourselves.”

The highlight of Leo’s visit to Spain comes Wednesday when he inaugurates the soaring central Tower of Jesus Christ on Barcelona’s famed Sagrada Familia basilica.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has launched its Eurovision Sport channel in the UK.

The brand-new channel is free to stream, and joins the growing number of FAST services (Fast Ad-Supported TV).

It is Eurovision Sport’s first FAST service, and will see millions have access.

Eurovision Sport comes to UK with new free TV channel

Eurovision Sport was first launched in 2024 and offers thousands of hours of live and on-demand free sports coverage.

It shows a range of sports, including football, cycling, athletics, winter sports, Paralympic disciplines and more.

Documentaries and biathlon coverage are also shown on the service.

It was first created to give more people access to sports, athletes and competitions without having to pay extra.

Eurovision Sport’s expansion to FAST in the UK is to extend the discoverability of Olympic and similar emerging sports.

Alan Fagan, managing director, Eurovision Sport, said: “This is about much more than just launching a channel on another platform. FAST distribution allows us to place free sport directly into environments where audiences are already spending their time and increasingly discovering content.

“Eurovision Sport was built to complement the broadcasts of our EBU Members and ensure that free access to sport continues in the digital era.

“Expanding onto FAST is a natural next step in that strategy.”

Eurovision Sport will be available through Free Live Sports (FLS), Plex, Amazon Live and Samsung TV Plus in the UK.

What is a FAST channel?

FAST means Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television, with the channel delivering traditional, scheduled “live” TV programming.

The channel is broadcast over the internet rather than through cable or satellite, and is free to viewers in exchange for watching adverts.

Instead of charging a monthly subscription fee, the channels are funded by advertisers and use dynamic ad-insertion to play commercials during breaks.

Unlike on-demand platforms, where you choose exactly what to watch, FAST channels use a “linear” format, meaning they have a set schedule of movies, news, or TV shows playing 24/7.

How to access FAST channels in the UK

You can find FAST channels by using dedicated streaming apps on smart TVs, media streaming devices, or via native TV guides on modern TVs.

Some free apps, such as Pluto TV, Tubi, Plex, or Rakuten TV, can be downloaded directly to your device.

Recommended reading:

If you own a Samsung TV or an LG TV, you can use built-in, free channel services (like Samsung TV Plus) directly within the TV’s menu interface.

Other devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Google Chromecast have native Live TV guides that include hundreds of free FAST channels alongside their usual apps.

You can also download FAST streaming apps directly from the store on gaming consoles such as PlayStation or Xbox.

Do you watch any FAST channels? Let us know in the comments.

The new DWP Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment trial, affecting 150,000 claimants, allows case managers rather than health professionals to decide award points

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has begun trialling a new method of assessing claimants of Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Under the existing system, medical professionals conduct assessments and award points to claimants, which can entitle individuals to receive up to £194.60 a week.

Under the proposed new system, DWP case managers will determine how many points people with disabilities receive, drawing on assessments carried out by nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals.

A pilot scheme has been launched involving 150,000 claimants and could potentially be extended to the assessment process used to determine eligibility for the health-related element of Universal Credit.

Disability campaigners have raised concerns that the new system will lead to inaccurate outcomes. A DWP whistleblower told Disability Rights UK: “Removing health professionals from the decision-making process will strip out essential medical nuance, leading to poorer quality, less accurate, and less fair outcomes. Many vulnerable claimants will face wrong decisions, increased stress, financial hardship, and unnecessary appeals.”

Fazilet Hadi, Disability Rights UK’s head of policy, said: “Stopping health professionals from making recommendations on the basis of their assessment and requiring them to solely pass information to DWP case managers to make the determination, is a recipe for disaster, which will result in thousands of poorly informed and inaccurate decisions.

“Claiming PIP is intensely personal; we have to talk about the impacts of our impairments and health conditions, in ways many of us find emotionally and practically difficult. At least we have some chance of our individual needs and circumstances being understood, when the recommendations are being made by the people we have actually spoken to.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “Case managers already make all final PIP decisions – that has not changed. This small-scale trial is about re-balancing roles so that assessors focus on what they do best, freeing up capacity by reducing duplication, and empowering case managers to apply their own judgement based on all the evidence.”

The DWP told The Independent that it is overhauling PIP assessments to establish all award reviews at a minimum of three years for new claims, increasing to five years at the subsequent review should the claimant remain eligible

, reports the Mirror.

This will extend the intervals between reviews in the majority of cases. Notably, the change does not apply to claimants aged 24 and under.

The new homes will be close to the former runway at RAF Alconbury

A former RAF base will see 272 more new homes built after plans were approved. Taylor Wimpey East Anglia has announced that it has received planning approval for 272 new homes at Alconbury Weald, just north of Huntingdon.

The new homes will be close to Alconbury Weald’s Runway Park, the former runway of RAF Alconbury. The new homes will include a mix of one to five-bedroom homes including houses, flats, and townhouses.

More than 12 per cent of the homes will be designated to affordable housing, including affordable rent and shared ownership. The planning application was approved by Huntingdonshire District Council in May 2026.

Works are due to begin in late summer 2026 and the first homes are expected to go on sale in March 2027. They will form part of the wider Alconbury Weald masterplan, which is set to deliver up to 6,500 homes, as well as local employment, education, and community facilities.

Andrew Wright, Acting Technical and Planning Director at Taylor Wimpey East Anglia, said: “We’re pleased to have received planning approval for our new homes at Alconbury Weald. The development already has a thriving community of new homes, open green space and community facilities that we’re proud to become a part of.

“Not only will we be building 272 new homes at Alconbury Weald, but we will also be contributing to the 700 acres of open space with our own pocket park. We look forward to work commencing shortly and seeing the Alconbury Weald community continue to grow.”

Mike Jenner, Development Manager for Alconbury Weald master developer Urban&Civic, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Taylor Wimpey to Alconbury Weald. These will be their first homes here, further expanding the choice and diversity of homes available to those looking to join the Alconbury Weald community.

“Alongside new homes, Phase 3 will deliver a range of key amenities including a health centre, community centre and library, shops and services, a sports hub and the future Runway Park, supporting the continued growth of Alconbury Weald as a vibrant and well-connected place to live.”

The difference in time zones between the World Cup hosts – the USA, Canada and Mexico – and the UK means many of England and Scotland’s matches will extend into the late hours or even the early morning. For instance, Scotland’s opening fixture against Haiti on Sunday is not expected to conclude until nearly 4 am.

The victim had been living at her now former friend Donna English’s home in Sunderland.

But, Newcastle Crown Court was told that following a disagreement, English told her to leave.

English contacted the woman on November 20 last year claiming she owed a sum of money for rent, which the victim disputed.

Donna English, jailed for 13 years for suspected ammonia attack on ex-housemate who she blinded in one eye and left partially-sighted in the other (Image: The Northern Echo)

Turning up to her address on Carley Road, Southwick, English then three times squirted a substance from a bottle towards the victim.

It caused injuries to her face, eyes, head, hands and inside her mouth.

The substance was believed to be ammonia.

Following surgery and hospital treatment, the victim, in her 20s, was left completely blind in her right eye and partially sighted in her left.

She now relies on friends, family and carers to support to her with everyday tasks such as cooking and shopping, and she is unable to leave home alone.

The woman named English as the perpetrator to police officers arriving on scene following a 999 call made by her father.

English was found hiding in a nearby garden and the 41-year-old later charged with grievous bodily harm, which she denied.

But, following a five-day trial at the court, she was found unanimously guilty by a jury, earlier this year.

On Monday (June 8) she was jailed for 13 years.

In her personal statement, read to the court, the victim said: “The assault on November 20 has changed my life forever.

“My right eye is now completely blind and my consultant has informed me that the sight loss is permanent.”

She added: “The assault and the injuries I have suffered have had a massive impact on my mental health.

“Since the assault, I often feel hopeless and that I have no future.”

Detective Constable Catherine Jowett, of Northumbria Police, said: “Our thanks go to the victim in this deeply upsetting case.

“She has been through a horrendous ordeal since November 20 last year and has been left with life-changing injuries.

“We also commend her for her immense bravery in having to speak at court as part of the trial and relive the vicious attack with which she was subjected to.

“Hopefully, now that her attacker has been jailed, she can begin to move on with her life, although we appreciate that permanent damage has been caused to her.”

Det Con Jowett added: “Donna English’s actions were reprehensible and completely unacceptable.

“Thankfully, we were able to make quick inquiries and get her into custody before being charged with a serious offence to which a jury found her guilty.

“Let us be clear, there is absolutely no place whatsoever for violence in the communities we serve and, although incidents of this nature are rare, we will always do our utmost to bring offenders to justice.

“English now has a significant period of time behind bars to reflect on the pain and misery she has caused to her victim.”

The Wednesday letters page wishes more had been shown of the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, as a reader thinks there’s too many Xenoblade games.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

The B-Team
That was a pretty strange Nintendo Direct. There was plenty in there and yet so little that seemed new or shocking. It wasn’t even the leaks that did it either, because Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake was the only thing that got leaked and they only showed that for 30 seconds. Xenoblade Genesis didn’t get leaked at all but… is that franchise really that popular? It seems so generic and un-Nintendo.

The third party support was encouraging but it was all Japanese. I don’t know that there was a single Western game in that whole 55 minutes. Maybe some of the indie games and I guess Minecraft?

Nintendo has already admitted they’ve been pandering too much to their Japanese audience, but it was really obvious here. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer Japanese developers nine times out of 10, but at the same time Xenoblade Chronicles, Splatoon, and Fire Emblem is nowhere near the top of my list when it comes to Nintendo games.

It’s been obvious since the start, but for some reason Nintendo is concentrating on its B-list franchises and while I kind of get, in that there’s nowhere to go for a lot of the big ones, it seems mad to me that we could enter year three of the Switch 2 and have not even a hint about a new Mario, Smash Bros., or Animal Crossing. Even Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom is over three years old at this point, so throw us a bone Nintendo.
Cranston

Nintendo-ish Direct
I thought that was a very good Direct with a particularly strong third party showing and a few nice surprises (Pikuniku 2!).

I was a little surprised that there was so little Nintendo in the Direct. I am happy the rumours of the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake were real, but I would have liked some gameplay. No doubt it’ll turn up on Nintendo Today one random afternoon.

I felt like we probably didn’t need quite so long on thumb wars and Splatoon Raiders is getting a Direct and was in Treehouse, so maybe didn’t need as long.

Less reliance on indie titles to pad it out though, just a lot of big name third party ports. The extra power of the Switch is clearly working for Nintendo getting other devs involved.

I think besides actual Zelda gameplay, the only thing I really missed from that Direct was a teaser for a new Mario or something. Otherwise a solid 9/10.
Euclidian Boxes

Japan friendly
Really not good enough for the first Nintendo Direct in nine months. Unacceptable, even, considering this should’ve been the big one, their console is only a year old and we’ve now gone almost that whole time with no new announcements for big first party games. Y’know the very thing that people come to the Nintendo table for. If you don’t care about all the Japanese role-playing sequels, the biggest thing to look forward to is a remake they refuse to show.

How Nintendo can expect to fuel Western interest in the Switch 2 is a mystery when almost the entirety of the biggest news event of their gaming year consists of lower effort entries in legacy handheld series clearly targeting the Japanese market, yet more Japanese role-players, ports of old games, and so little else.

People talk about Nintendo fans unconditionally lapping up whatever is dished out. Well, I’m a Nintendo fan and I’m starting to think it’s the Japanese market that’s to blame, as this felt like little more than contempt for any other market. I remember speculating a few months ago, when seeing the divide in Switch 2 performance per region, that there was a risk that Nintendo would just double down on servicing Japan. It’s hard to see this as anything other than that right now, which is worrying for their direction.

Maybe that’s unfair but the alternative is that this was some sort of conscious crisis management Direct. No Mario Kart DLC, negligible new Donkey Kong-tent, no DuskBloods release date (or gameplay), yet another Xenoblade game next year when the last one isn’t even that old.

None of this is what the Switch 2 needs right now and it seems realistic to expect little more than a proper reveal of the Zelda remake in terms of big news from them until well into 2027 (if Ocarina Of Time even makes it out before then).

The best excuse I can come up with is they must be sitting on stuff like Ocarina Of Time footage and bigger news for 2027 until the Switch 2 price increases kick in, at which time rolling out better news might negate the impact. But I don’t feel like making that excuse for them right now. This should’ve been a bone thrown to patient existing Switch 2 owners and it genuinely feels like it would’ve been better if it hadn’t happened at all.
Panda

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Wrong side of bed
RE: Nintendo Direct I only skimmed most of it but wow that was bad! Games known about already that aren’t really system sellers, ports of old games from the PlayStation 5 (PlayStation 4 with Devil May Cry 5), a really poor looking Wii Sports, and unbelievably only a one minute cut scene of the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake…

Part of me is happy that Nintendo are doing so bad with the Switch 2 at the moment, so I don’t feel the need to max out my credit card and get one. Maybe towards the end of next year when a few more games have come out.
Simon

GC: Nintendo is not doing badly with the Switch 2.

Don’t ask us
What can I say, new Gears Of War going Xbox only, very disappointed but in a way, a minor win for me.

Sure, me and the troops were getting it on PlayStation 5; looking forward to it, only to have it whipped away, it would appear at the last minute.

Plus point though, one month of Game Pass for me on my mothballed Xbox Series X then that’s it done. Nice bit of gaming on the cheap, cracking strategy there Microsoft, appreciated.
RAMBO1STBLOOD (PSN ID)

Caveats and exceptions
Gears Of War E-Day and Clockwork Revolution were probably the biggest first party games at the Xbox showcase that hadn’t already been announced for other consoles. Making Spyro an exclusive would of been a statement but Microsoft seem to be treating the Activision stuff as it’s always been, multiformat. They are legally bound for Call Of Duty to stay multiformat for 10 years, as part of the Activision Blizzard sale.

Barring the obligatory Call Of Duty look, the games also opened and closed the show with the message console exclusives are back.

The two games I would imagine are among the biggest they have ready for release in the next year or so not already announced for PlayStation 5 or Switch to make an exclusive statement with.

They won’t want to renege on the stuff already announced as multiformat, because Sony and Nintendo are now partners to them. Xbox currently can’t go back to being fully exclusive due to the money spent and assets owned in relation to their console install base and Game Pass subscription numbers.

So now they are painfully trying to find a balance between being a third party publisher and console platform that at least maintains where the majority of its last reported 35 million Game Pass customers are. I don’t think the plan is to compete with Sony and Nintendo for dominance in the console space again.

The question is how many future games will be exclusive as just the two announced won’t be enough to appease disgruntled customers or attract new ones. I’m not sure there’s a sweet spot to be found and partial console exclusivity will always feel like an unsatisfying half measure.
Simundo

GC: There’s also no clear logic to it. As you yourself say, Call Of Duty is a completely separate issue to Spyro, or any other games Activision might publish, and there seems even less reason why Senua wouldn’t be an exclusive but Gears Of War and Clockwork Revolution are.

Ganbare Bakeru
Just a quick game recommendation – I recently found a great platformer/action game called Bakeru on the Switch. It’s a real gem and I am really enjoying go through it – fun combat, enjoyable special powers and not too difficult, so is an easy play.

There is a demo on the Switch store so anyone can give it a go.
Simon

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The end of not-E3 season
I am absolutely floored at what an amazing time this is for gaming. It might just be the greatest two weeks in gaming history. Because we’ve had four back-to-back gaming showcases. We’ve been treated to some amazing reveals and just some amazing news, trailers, and announcements.

Wolverine gameplay, Metro 2039, a Saw game by Bloober Team, Gears Of War: E-Day and it’s an exclusive – which is fantastic news for exclusivity for Xbox. Resident Evil Code: Veronica is being remade. Stellar Blade’s sequel has been announced. A State Of Play for Phantom Blade 0, which is very highly anticipated for me personally. State Of Decay 3. Final Fantasy 7 Revelation and as if these announcements weren’t enough, we’ve also seen Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Silent Hill Townfall, Modern Warfare 4, and Halo Campaign: Evolved is releasing in a month’s time.

God Of War Laufey is official and it features Faye. The original trilogy will be remade, presumably for the PlayStation 6. As if that wasn’t even enough. As if that wasn’t enough gaming goodness we’ve had a Nintendo Direct that’s given us Kingdom Hearts 4. The myth that was just a fragment of our imagination, is real indeed. Xenoblade Genesis, which is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, is happening and there’s finally Nintendo Switch 2 versions for the original trilogy releasing.

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is releasing in September. It looks great and it’s another addition to the most stacked month in a very long time. But the one announcement for me that stands above all of them, the one that means the most to me personally, is the reveal of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, which was just announced as the show closer for the Direct.

As a gamer who’s admittedly never played the original, I regret that I never had the chance to as a child. This is everything to me. Not just because Zelda is my favourite franchise but because Ocarina Of Time is an example of the magic of gaming. According to me personally, it’s the single greatest game Nintendo has ever made in their history. Their greatest gaming achievement. I understand that’s a debatable topic of conversation, but to see this remake is truly real, that it’s set for this year and it will revive a legendary title that stands amongst the very best that gaming has to offer. That’s just very heartwarming for this fan.

So I’ll say it right now. This is the best two weeks of gaming I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s such a fantastic time to be a gamer and that’s not even mentioning that dummer will be arriving soon. So that means we’ll be entering the marketing phase of GTA 6 very soon. Yeah, I’m just so excited and so very happy to see this all just giving me a reason to smile and feel giddy inside. That’s not even mentioning the other blessing the gaming gods have bestowed upon us: Persona 6’s announcement. Yeah, we’re so blessed.
Shahzaib Sadiq

Inbox also-rans
It’s great to know that the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake is real but would it have hurt to actually show it? Plus, that voiceover guy was awful.
Orion

I enjoyed the Nintendo Direct but I don’t think it’s going to change the mind of those that aren’t happy with the Switch 2. There was a lot of stuff in there that seems pretty niche. Do we really need that many Xenoblade games?
Colbat86

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