Media & Entertainment

Morton Grove – – September 7, 2026 -- U.S. spending on new physical video games fell to $1.5 billion in calendar year 2025, the lowest annual total since tracking firm Circana began measuring the category in 1995, according to data shared by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella and cited by The Old School Game Vault.

The figure marks a steep drop from the category's peak of $11.6 billion in 2008. A separate rolling 12-month measurement from Circana, covering the period ending May 2026, put spending at approximately $1.6 billion -- down from a peak of roughly $11.5 billion for the 12 months ending May 2009.

September 07, 2026 – Mainz -- German broadcaster ZDF has revised its programming for the week of September 6 to 11, with the biggest shift coming on Sunday, September 6, when live coverage of the Saxony-Anhalt state election takes over the 7:25 p.m. slot. The change bumps the documentary series "Terra X: Weltstädte" from that evening's lineup, though the rest of the night's schedule from 8:20 p.m. onward proceeds as planned.

A cast credit gets corrected in a 9/11 documentary

ZDF also flagged a casting correction for "9/11 - Die Geiseln des Terrors," airing Tuesday, September 8 at 8:15 p.m. The actress previously listed as "Kathrin Jelinek" is credited under the correct spelling, Katrin Jelinek. The fix carries over to the program's repeat broadcast early Wednesday, September 9 at 1:45 a.m.

New York – September 07, 2026 -- Emmy-winning conservationist Jeff Corwin returns to national television with "Jeff Corwin's Southern Wild," premiering Saturday, October 3, on ABC stations nationwide as part of the Weekend Adventure educational programming block, with air times varying by local market.

The series, produced by Hearst Media Production Group in partnership with Lees-McRae College, was filmed across North Carolina, following Corwin from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic coast.

Corwin Tracks Bears, Alligators and Sea Turtles Across the State

Episodes show Corwin searching for bats and salamanders, encountering black bears, alligators and sea turtles, and snorkeling native waterways to study fish populations. The show also documents wildlife rescue and conservation work as it happens in real time.

Los Angeles – September 04, 2026 -- Akatsuki Games has released Main Story Part 2 Chapter 1, titled "A New Threat," for Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME, marking a new phase in the mobile and PC title's first anniversary celebration.

A new villain emerges from the remains of a defeated kaiju

The chapter picks up after Kafka Hibino and his allies survive a battle with Dimensional Identified Kaiju A. Data pulled from the creature's remains reveals the existence of "Dimensional Identified Kaiju D," a more powerful entity that previously hunted Kaiju A and now targets the power source behind Kaiju No. 8 itself. To respond, Kafka, Iharu Furuhashi, and the character Suited pass through an Artificial Dimensional Gate developed by Suited, launching a multiverse mission that opens Main Story Part 2.

Munich – September 04, 2026 -- A new episode of "Hartz und herzlich - Tag für Tag Rostock" airs September 1, 2026 at 8:15 PM on RTLZWEI, with the episode available seven days early on RTL+.

Jasmin and Maik juggle housing search with benefits renewal

The couple currently lives temporarily with Maik's mother Bärbel while searching for their own apartment. They face a Jobcenter appointment to renew their social benefits applications. Maik has also interviewed in person at a landscaping company, with the conversation opening up the possibility of a mini-job as a starting point.

Hamburg – September 04, 2026 -- German public broadcaster NDR is celebrating 20 years of its documentary series "Die Nordreportage" with a free cinema tour across northern Germany and a two-week television special starting September 28.

Four cities host premiere screenings between September 28 and October 2

The tour stops at Kino Center Husum on September 28, Ozeaneum Stralsund on September 29, Filmpalast Lüneburg on October 1, and ASTOR Film Lounge HafenCity in Hamburg on October 2. Each evening pairs a classic episode with an unreleased new production, followed by a chance for audiences to meet the filmmakers and the people featured on screen.

Premieres include "Notruf auf Fehmarn" in Husum, "110 hautnah" in Stralsund, a new installment of "Rollys Trucker-Imbiss" in Lüneburg, and a feature on Hamburg's Davidwache police station in the HafenCity screening.

Mainz – September 03, 2026 -- German broadcaster ZDF is marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with a lineup of specials, a two-part docudrama, and a science-focused segment airing across ZDF, ZDFinfo, and 3sat in early September 2026.

A live special airs from New York on the anniversary itself

On Friday, September 11, 2026, at 7:25 p.m., "ZDF spezial: 11. September – Der Tag, der die Welt veränderte" broadcasts live from a set above Ground Zero in New York. Host Shakuntala Banerjee speaks with eyewitnesses and experts about the lasting impact of the attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, and about how the anniversary is being marked amid shifting U.S.-NATO relations under President Donald Trump.

Unterföhring – September 03, 2026 -- German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 has extended its exclusive partnership with journalist Jenke von Wilmsdorff for several more years, launching a dedicated "JENKE." Thursday programming block starting in October 2026.

Von Wilmsdorff has been ProSieben's face for in-depth documentaries and reportages since 2020, producing 29 films covering topics from everyday drugs to shopping addiction, organized crime and immortality. His programs have drawn market shares of up to 18.1 percent among viewers aged 14 to 49, the broadcaster's key demographic.

Seven new prime-time films air this fall on the new Thursday slot

ProSieben will broadcast seven new "JENKE." prime-time films this autumn, kicking off with "JENKE. Experiment. Schlaflos -- Wie uns schlechter Schlaf krank macht" on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 8:15 p.m.

LOS ANGELES – September 03, 2026 -- Bandai Namco Entertainment announced a major camera overhaul for DRAGON BALL GEKISHIN SQUADRA during a "SQUADRA Talk" livestream, shifting the free-to-play team fighter from a top-down view to a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective by year's end.

The change, dubbed the Year-End Overhaul, aims to bring players closer to the action while simplifying win conditions. Chief Producer TOSHI and Producer KEN said the redesign builds on player feedback collected since launch, with strategic teamwork remaining central to the 4v4 battles.

Cologne, Germany -- September 01, 2026 -- Huawei closed out five days of hands-on gaming at Gamescom 2026, drawing players from around the world to its AppGallery and GameCenter booth in Hall 7, Stand B.031, from August 26 to 30. Visitors tried titles including World of Tanks Blitz, Asphalt Legends and MapleStory R: Evolution, took on stage challenges, and collected stamps around the booth for a raffle. The event capped a week built around live gameplay, community contests and giveaways tied to Huawei's game ecosystem.