Culture
Smiling Friends Is a Paean to the Internet’s Unruly Past
The Adult Swim show is a reminder of the days of good old-fashioned Flash animation.
The Impending Demise of the Best Streaming Service
HBO Max was a big-swing Emmy machine. Its merger with Discovery+ will mean more casualties of the crap you love.
Bodies Bodies Bodies Is a Slasher Movie for the Extremely Online
Director Halina Reijn says she “tried to really swim in the ocean of that whole generation.”
The Endless Afterlife of The Sandman
Theoretically, Neil Gaiman finished his fantasy comic series in 1996. But studios and publishers keep reviving it—maybe not for the reason you think.
Patton Oswalt on Life, Love, and Catfishing
The actor and comedian breaks down the net-heavy world of his new movie, I Love My Dad.
Comic-Con 2022: The Most Wildly Creative Cosplay Masks
Fans went all-out for the first in-person Comic-Con since Covid-19 hit.
Is This Nier: Automata Church a Hoax or a 5-Year-Old Secret?
A player claims to have found a hidden room. Now a whole community of fans is trying to figure out what it is.
It’s Not Just Loot Boxes: Predatory Monetization Is Everywhere
The UK recently declined to regulate prize draws as a form of gambling, but does it matter? The industry has moved on to more problematic ways to make money.
Give Yourself Permission to Buy That Steam Deck
It’s not a “must-have,” but it sure is nice.
No NFTs in Minecraft? This Crypto Group Will Make Its Own Game
In the battle over digital ownership, both NFT Worlds and Microsoft-owned Mojang claim to be putting players first.
TikTok and Twitch Streamers Are Trading Sleep for Cash
“Interactive sleep streamers" accept donations from folks who want wake them up with lights or loud noises. Is it worth it?
Six-Word Sci-Fi: Stories Written by You
Here's this month's prompt, how to submit, and an illustrated archive of past favorites.
Is Beyoncé’s Renaissance a Sign of the Apocalypse?
Probably not, but tell that to the conspiracy theorists.
How to Support People in States Where Abortion Is Under Threat
Donating to national organizations is great. But these local reproductive health care services—in places under immediate threat—could use your help, too.
This Hardcore Band Is a Product of the Internet—in the Best Way
Turnstile breaks most of the rules of their genre. Their fans, who grew up online and care less about convention, follow them because of it.
Bookstagram Is Fueling an Unnerving Trend
Authors aren't above criticism—but when they're tagged in negative social media reviews of their books, it can stifle the conversation.
Comic-Con Is Back! Will It Live Up to Its Former Hype?
The annual pop culture confab held a series of smaller and/or online events during the pandemic. Here's what to expect from this year's in-person event.
How to Promote Your Music Online
From TikTok to Patreon, here's how musicians can use the internet to cut through the noise.
Story Addict
The Best Podcasts for Everyone
Get your fix of tech, true crime, pop culture, or comedy with these audio adventures.
TV
Alan Tudyk on His Favorite Sci-Fi to Watch Right Now
The Resident Alien star—and science fiction fan—gave WIRED his picks for the best shows on TV, from Severance to Peacemaker.
Movies
Nope Rightly Challenges Our Love of Spectacle
Jordan Peele’s sci-fi western is all about the danger of looking in our image-obsessed culture.
Swoopsie-daisy
A New Time-Travel App, Reviewed
The ChronoSwoop company has appeared out of nowhere and dropped an addictive new app, with “Swoop left/Swoop right” functions.
Video Games
Activision Blizzard Workers Keep Fighting for a Seat at the Table
It’s been one year since the harassment lawsuit that rocked the games industry. Employees say the company hasn't changed enough.
1-Up
For Kids in the Hospital, Video Games Are Part of Recovery
In-house gaming technology specialists play with and support the youngest patients. Plus, research shows that playtime gives literal health points.
Cat's cradle
Stray’s Post-Apocalyptic World Evokes the Walled City of Kowloon
This now-lost city on the outskirts of Hong Kong is perhaps the most influential gaming location you've never heard of.
button mashing
A Father’s Quest for an Accessible Game Controller
After months of writing hardware companies and developers for help, Andreas Karlsson finally found a hero in retro controller maker 8BitDo.
Books
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Shows Games Are a Shared Art
Gabrielle Zevin’s novel makes a case that video games are one of the most empathetic forms of creativity—something the writer and her husband know well.
TV
Ms. Marvel Ended Up Being the Best Thing on Disney+ This Year
It’s an origin story that’s truly original.
Video Games
This Band Wrote the Best Legend of Zelda Song of 2022
Among the Boston slowcore group's inspirations are The Ocarina of Time, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and Mario Party 3.
Download Queue
14 Xbox Game Pass Games Worth Playing
Microsoft’s subscription service includes captivating titles like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and Citizen Sleeper.
Video Games
The Agony and Ecstasy of Playing Out Your School Years in Games
It's a formative, and sometimes traumatic, time in many people's lives. So why do so many video games want to revisit it?
Connive to Survive
F1 22 Perfectly Simulates the Morality Vacuum of Formula 1
The new game is great at capturing the excitement of motor racing. It's even better at mirroring the sport's rampant commercialism.
Angry Nerd
The First—and Last—Time We Rank the Star Wars Movies
All ranked lists are lazy, lousy, and lacking. Except this one.
Books
The Summer's Best Read Is About AI, Surveillance, and Tiny Aliens
Ever wish George Saunders tried his hand at crime fiction? Try David Musgrave’s imaginative debut novel, Lambda.
Line by Line
How to Get Into Voice Acting for Video Games
WIRED spoke with casting director Julia Bianco Schoeffling about breaking into the industry and how it’s more than just voice acting.
Alternate Historian
Humans Have Always Been Wrong About Humans
The Dawn of Everything fundamentally shifted my view of … everything. I had to meet one of the minds behind its world-tilting revelations.
party on, dude
Travel Back in Time With Street View and Map Archives
These free, simple tools for phone or web let you visualize urban sprawl or see what your street looked like before the turn of the millennium.
Groovy
The Quarry and Evil Dead: The Game Lure You Into a Scary Movie
The games take different approaches to the horror game genre, but both are informed by their love for slasher flicks.

