The Morning After newsletter rounds up the year’s gaming triumphs just in time for holiday downtime, spotlighting titles that defined 2025 with innovation, storytelling, and sheer playability. Long-awaited releases like Hollow Knight: Silksong finally emerged from development shadows, delivering the metroidvania mastery fans craved after over a decade of anticipation. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 swept awards with its sumptuous visuals and gripping narrative, blending turn-based combat with artistic flair in a world that captivated critics and players alike. These standouts join a roster including the quirky Baby Steps, whose bizarre mechanics and humor offered refreshing escapism amid blockbuster fatigue.
Nintendo’s Switch 2 bolstered its launch library with exclusives like Metroid Prime 4, revitalizing Samus Aran’s adventures in stunning 4K detail, and Donkey Kong Bananza, a vibrant platformer infusing classic barrel-blasting action with modern twists. Personal favorites like Dispatch thrilled with tactical depth, while Blue Prince’s puzzle-laden mansion—complete with its elusive secret elevator—kept explorers hooked for hours. Mobile gaming shone too, from Spooky Express’s haunting rails to Is This Seat Taken’s social satire, and the improbably addictive Umamusume: Pretty Derby, where anime horse girls race in a fever dream of strategy and fandom.
Key Headlines Reshaping Tech and Entertainment
Media mergers heat up as Paramount refines its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, signaling consolidation in streaming wars amid cord-cutting trends. Last-minute shoppers rejoice with curated Christmas gifts guaranteed by December 24, from gadgets to stocking stuffers blending utility and whimsy. Nintendo’s eShop holiday sale slashes prices on Switch 2 hits, making prime titles accessible for festive unboxings and family game nights.
Regulatory Shifts in Drones and Piracy
The US FCC bans new imports of foreign-made drones and components over national security risks, sparing existing DJI models but disrupting supply chains for hobbyists and pros. Chinese giant DJI decries the move, citing lack of transparency in executive branch assessments. Meanwhile, shadow library Anna’s Archive boasts scraping Spotify’s vast catalog—256 million tracks, 86 million files totaling 300TB—for “preservation,” prompting Spotify’s crackdown on rogue accounts and new anti-scraping defenses in a clash of access versus copyright.
Foldables Evolve, Prices Stagnate
Foldable phones near perfection: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 matches the S25 Ultra’s footprint while ironing out creases, durability woes, and battery life. Google and others iterated relentlessly, yet launch prices climb—Z Fold 7 at $2,000 exceeds predecessors—keeping premium slabs from mass adoption despite solved hinges and screens. OnePlus’s budget bids falter, underscoring luxury pricing as the final frontier for mainstream foldable dominance.
Amazon’s Alexa Home Theater Immerses
Amazon elevates Echo ecosystems with Alexa Home Theater, syncing up to five speakers plus subwoofers for wireless spatial audio rivaling traditional setups. Auto-calibration adapts to rooms effortlessly, though full Studio arrays demand investment and EQ tweaks lag competitors. Ideal for multi-Echo households craving cinematic sound without cables, it cements Alexa as a smart home entertainment contender bridging voice commands and surround immersion.
