Gaming Gets Sensitive | Meet the Next Big Celebrity Chef

www.ozy.com [OZY.COM]( [VIEW ONLINE]( 10 MUST READS TODAY [Daily Dose]( Friday Jun 28, 2019 1 [Fast Forward]( [Fast Forward]( [From Macho to Sensitive: Gaming Shows a Bit of Heart]( Games are slowly dumping deep-seated themes of masculinity to touch upon softer emotions — often with key female characters. Since the halcyon days of Italian plumbers rescuing princesses from evil gorillas, narratives in video games have been pretty straightforward. Players control a hero (almost always a man) and are tasked with jumping on unambiguously bad guys until the princess is rescued or the world is saved. But when Sony’s Santa Monica Studio announced a sequel to the popular PlayStation franchise God of War last year, fans were presented with a game radically different from the previous half-dozen games in the series. Until then, the mythological action-adventure games had been defined by their penchant for extreme violence and gratuitous sex, where the hero, Kratos — an immortal demigod — never had to worry about pesky things like collateral damage or excessive force. However, 2018’s PlayStation 4 entry presented a tale of the same character consumed by not just revenge but also regret: His wife dies, and he has to grapple with the challenges of being a single dad with a violent legacy. That shift in Kratos is part of a larger real-world change in an industry that at $152 billion is more than three times the size of Hollywood ($43 billion). Gamers are growing up, and games are trying to keep pace by finally beginning to abandon long-held tropes. [READ MORE]( 2 [Opinion]( [Opinion]( [Sorry, Straight White Men: You're Just Not Electable Enough]( The Democratic debate winners — from Julián Castro to Kamala Harris — don’t look like our usual presidents. That’s a good thing. The first debate is over, and one thing is clear: We need to rethink our definition of electability and what electable looks like. Debates don’t determine the outcome, but they do offer a clear comparison of the candidates. And they do give a glimpse into who is ready to not only take on Donald Trump, but also to present their vision for the future of the country. For the first time in American history, there were three women on the debate stage. And that was the case on both nights. [READ MORE]( 3 [The Huddle]( [The Huddle]( [How US Women's Soccer Can Survive Its Biggest Test in Years]( Coach Jill Ellis will need to get creative against France, because the global talent gap has closed. What do two penalty-kick goals and a narrow win get you? If you’re U.S. women’s national team star winger Megan Rapinoe, a war of tweets with the leader of the free world. And some on-pitch skepticism. Team USA underwhelmed in its 2-1 Round of 16 win against Spain on Monday. Between sloppy execution and coach Jill Ellis’ failure to rest obviously fatigued stars Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz, the game was ugly. Spain’s plodding pace and physicality nearly broke the Americans. If not for a chintzy penalty in the 75th minute, the plan may have worked. [READ MORE]( [Sponsored by Bonobos]( [Guys, Your Search for the Perfect Fit Ends Here]( If you’re struggling with pants that are either way too tight or too boxy — then you probably haven’t tried Bonobos yet. Bonobos makes menswear with more fits, sizes, colors and styles than just about everyone else. However you fit, Bonobos fits you. Here’s 20% off your first order with code: WELCOME. [GET OFFER]( 4 [Rising Stars]( [The Next Big Celebrity Chef? This Former Gang Member]( These days, Fernando Ruiz sells steaks rather than smack. 5 [Need to Know]( [OZY Fest Is Back! Get Your Tickets Now]( Welcome to New York’s most eclectic festival of music, comedy and ideas. 6 [Fast Forward]( [Why China Fell Out of Love With New York Property]( After a crackdown on foreign deals by Beijing, Chinese investors have all but disappeared from the market. 7 [Flashback]( [The Gayest and Greatest Beach Bar Ever]( The CDC gave AIDS a name in 1981, officially signaling the party was over. Before then? At the Sandpiper, on New York’s Fire Island, it raged on. 8 [The Huddle]( [This Boxer's Olympic Dreams Began in a Forest Hut]( Pint-size fighter Nutlai Lalbiakkima has come from humble beginnings to be a medal contender for India in 2020. 9 [Flashback]( [How Chevrolet Ruled Uzbekistan]( Monopolistic policies ensured that Chevys were expensive, unwanted … and that absolutely everyone needed one. 10 [Fast Forward]( [Is a Truly Free Press Emerging in the Wake of the Arab Spring?]( For decades, oligarchs and tyrants have controlled the media of the Middle East. Now, a growing band of independents is breaking free. You Should Know This [Take the OZY News Quiz]( OZY Media Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Read Online](