I’m still playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (this backlog is insane), and I’m loving my time with it. While I acknowledge some people’s concerns about it, I’m fine over here.

Now, one game that I touched for 20 minutes and never returned to was Kingdom Hearts 3. I waited so long for that game, just for it to come out and not feel right. One day I’ll get back to it.

And with the (slight) update from Tetsuya Nomura, maybe I’ll try to time it up with the new games.

Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 Are ‘Progressing Smoothly’

Thanks to a translation from Gematsu, we learned that during an anniversary stream for Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, things seem to be going pretty well for the development of both games. Given the state of things, I don’t think that’s a bad update to get. Mainly for two projects, as anticipated. On the topic of the FF7 Remake, he said:

“So yeah, things are moving along really smoothly, and the release timing has already been decided. We’re moving forward according to that schedule right now, so please rest assured and be patient.”

Play video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAJP1uAuiZg

Finding out that the release timing has already been decided is pretty interesting. There are clearly some benchmarks being hit when they’re supposed to if he feels comfortable sharing that info—so, more good news for us.

I’m eager to see what direction they take the remake. What I’ve seen to this point has turned the original on its head enough that going back to play it still feels good. The remake series hasn’t spoiled the OG game for me, and that’s a hard trick to pull off.

He also made a point to say that Kingdom Hearts 4 is also on schedule. It’ll be interesting to see how they pivot off of KH3. That first trailer still looks like something not even in the same universe, and that, at minimum, will get me to take another look at it.

Israel carried out an attack against the Hamas leadership in Doha, an Israeli source told CNN, after an explosion was heard in the Qatari capital.

The source didn’t say who was targeted, but Hamas leaders have used the Qatari capital as a headquarters outside of Gaza for years.

Shortly after the explosion, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement that it had targeted “senior leadership” of Hamas with “a precise strike” in a joint operation with the Shin Bet security agency.

The statement didn’t specify where the operation was carried out, but suggested that it was outside Gaza.

“For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.”

A senior Hamas official confirmed to CNN that the group’s negotiators were targeted in Doha.

On Monday, Hamas’ chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha.

The attack appears to mark the first time Israel has launched an operation in Qatar.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

“SmartLess” is coming to the Hollywood Bowl this fall for what is certain to be one of the most well-attended podcast tapings ever.

Hosts Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes will bring their hit series to the Bowl on Nov. 15, in what counts as the iconic venue’s first presentation of a live podcast recording.

Two guest interview subjects are promised for the occasion, but they will remain surprises up until the show (as they sometimes are to two out of the three co-hosts themselves).

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster. An American Express cardholder presale will take place beginning today at 10.

“We’re beyond honored, and honestly still a little confused, to be the first live podcast ever recorded at the Hollywood Bowl,” said hosts Arnett, Bateman and Hayes in a joint statement. “The Beatles played here… and now, somehow, so are we. Sorry, history.”

It will not be the largest audience for a podcast taping in history. According to Guiness World Records, the record for the most tickets sold for a podcast recording ever belongs to Canadian podcaster Mike Ward, whose “Mike Ward Sous Écoute” sold 20,986 tickets for a show in Montreal in July 2022. A show at the Hollywood Bowl, with a capacity of 17,500, can’t break that record.

However, “SmartLess” — which is up to more than 270 episodes — could draw the largest crowd for a podcast taping in the U.S.

At one point last year, Jason and Travis Kelce’s “and “New Heights” looked like it could draw a record audience, when a taping was set for Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium. However, inclement weather forced the April 2024 show to be moved indoors to Fifth Third Arena, where it played to a capacity crowd of 12,500.

Although the guests are not being announced, it would not be a stretch to imagine one of them could be a musician, given the podcast’s history of hosting such stars, and how well a musical performance would likely go over in the climes of the Hollywood Bowl. Recent guests on the music side have included John Mayer, Jelly Roll, Ariana Grande and the team of Brandi Carlile and Elton John. Other guests just since the beginning of 2025 have included Julia Garner, James Gunn, Marc Maron, Parker Posey, Pete Buttigieg, John Lithgow, Bill Burr, Mark Hamill, Jesse Eisenberg, Maria Shriver, Jason Momoa and Bill Gates.

“SmartLess” launched in July 2020 and is among the top 5 most listened-to podcasts monthly. It is produced by Michael Grant Terry, Bennett Barbakow, and Rob Amjärv. SiriusXM acquired the podcast from Amazon in 2024.