Mario Kart’s Update Sparks Outrage, Capcom’s Spotlight and Riot’s Risky Bet

This week, we discuss the controversial update for Mario Kart World, share our thoughts on the ethics of gambling in esports, and take a quick dive into Capcom’s June Spotlight, where Jared gets a little carried away talking about Monster Hunter.

Sources Used:

• Reynolds, O. (2025, June 26). Fans reckon Nintendo has “Killed” Mario Kart World with its latest update. Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/06/fans-reckon-nintendo-has-killed-mario-kart-world-with-its-latest-update
• Reddit’s Thoughts on Mario Kart World’s Update: https://www.reddit.com/r/MarioKartWorld/comments/1lkvngb/heartbroken_by_this_update/
• Cripe, M. (2025, June 26). Capcom Spotlight June 2025: Everything revealed - IGN. IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/capcom-spotlight-june-2025-everything-revealed
• Kuhnke, O. (2025, June 26). Monster Hunter Wilds second title update is adding in Lagiacrus from Monster Hunter 3 when it arrives next week. Rock Paper Shotgun. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/monster-hunter-wilds-second-title-update-is-adding-in-lagiacrus-from-monster-hunter-3-when-it-arrives-next-week
• Makar, C. (2025, June 27). Riot Games opens the door to betting sponsorships in professional League of Legends and Valorant. Eurogamer.net. https://www.eurogamer.net/riot-games-opens-the-door-to-betting-sponsorships-in-professional-league-of-legends-and-valorant
• Riot Games Statement: https://x.com/riotgames/status/1938282007148253261
• Blake, V. (2025a, June 28). New Battlefield leak confirms return of fan-favourite mode. Eurogamer.net. https://www.eurogamer.net/new-battlefield-leak-confirms-return-of-fan-favourite-mode
• Listen to the new Minecraft disc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChEkbiBzILc
• Blake, V. (2025b, June 29). Fans slam The Alters after discovering evidence of undisclosed gen AI in images, text, and translation. Eurogamer.net. https://www.eurogamer.net/fans-slam-the-alters-after-discovering-evidence-of-undisclosed-gen-ai-in-images-text-and-translation
• Bluesky post from 11 Bit Studios: https://bsky.app/profile/11bitstudios.bsky.social/post/3lstiwaoxcc2i
• Makuch, E. (2025, June 25). Taco Bell-Themed Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 DLC Is Coming, And We Hope You're Hungry. GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/taco-bell-themed-tony-hawks-pro-skater-3-4-dlc-is-coming-and-we-hope-youre-hungry/1100-6532708/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f
• Kennedy, V. P. (2025, July 1). Nintendo confirms Donkey Kong Bananza is being made by the Mario Odyssey team. Eurogamer.net. https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-confirms-donkey-kong-bananza-is-being-made-by-the-mario-odyssey-team
• Marnell, B. (2025, July 1). Marvel Rivals Season 3 Adds Phoenix And Blade, Introduces New Villain. GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/marvel-rivals-season-3-adds-phoenix-and-blade-introduces-new-villain/1100-6532891/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f