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Morning Brew

Apple Arcade

Good morning. Looks like Twitter is finally getting a new CEO. Current boss Elon Musk tweeted yesterday that he found his replacement to lead Twitter and that she’ll be starting as CEO in six weeks, while he’ll move aside to oversee product.

So, who could it be? Well, it’d have to be someone with a strong business background who has experience staring down trolls and working in a tumultuous environment: Shoshanna Shapiro from Girls.

Molly Liebergall, Cassandra Cassidy, Matty Merritt, Neal Freyman

MARKETS

Nasdaq

12,328.51

S&P

4,130.62

Dow

33,309.51

10-Year

3.391%

Bitcoin

$26,994.60

Disney

$92.31

*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 3:00am ET. Here's what these numbers mean.

  • Markets: The Dow is going in reverse, closing in the red for the fourth straight day. Regional lender PacWest fell 23%—showing that the midsize bank jitters aren’t over—while Disney tumbled after posting a loss of 4 million Disney+ subscribers last quarter. Most subscriber losses came from India, where Disney lost the rights to stream Indian Premier League cricket.
 

GAMING

Zelda is back and bigger than ever

Scene from Zelda Nintendo

If your gamer friends go MIA this weekend, they’re probably answering the call to take up arms as the Hero of Hyrule in the most anticipated video game release of the year: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, out today.

It’s a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017), the flagship Nintendo Switch game that gave a jolt to the slumping video game console market. Nintendo said Breath of the Wild sold almost 30 million copies—more than all of the previous 3D installments in the franchise’s four-decade history combined, Wired reports.

It looks like Tears of the Kingdom could surpass its predecessor. The game is about two gigabytes bigger than Breath of the Wild and $10 more expensive in its digital edition, making it the Switch’s largest and priciest Nintendo game, per GameSpot.

What’s all the hype?

The Zelda hive is BIG. The Reddit group devoted to the world of Zelda has 2.1 million members compared to just 147,000 in r/Mario, and it far outstrips r/CallOfDuty and r/gtaonline, two powerhouse video game franchises.

With such a rabid fanbase, Zelda has pushed beyond the borders of its land, Hyrule, and into broader pop culture.

  • Its characters have been referenced in mainstream media like The Simpsons, How I Met Your Mother, My Little Pony, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
  • ASAP Mob, Rejjie Snow, and Chance the Rapper have all sampled sound effects specific to the Zelda games in songs.
  • Fun fact: Zelda was Robin Williams’s favorite video game franchise, so much so that he named his only daughter Zelda.

Big picture: While gamers have adored The Legend of Zelda since the original 8-bit Link slashed moblins on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, Breath of the Wild revolutionized open-world gaming and invited a wave of new and younger players to join the die-hards.

Tears of the Kingdom is expected to capitalize on the last installment’s momentum by picking up where its predecessor left off, but with a bigger map, more creative gameplay, and a brand-new campaign to beat.—ML

+ More on Zelda: Molly went way deeper into what this game release means for Zelda, Nintendo, and all of you. Read it here.

WORLD

Tour de headlines

In an aerial view, immigrants seeking asylum in the United States wait in line near the border fence to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents Mario Tama/Getty Images

All eyes on the southern border as Title 42 ends. The Covid-era policy that allowed US authorities to quickly deport migrants expired at 11:59pm last night, and it’s expected to result in a spike in border crossings that the US is likely not prepared to handle. Sixty thousand people were waiting near the border to enter the US yesterday, though Border Patrol is already far beyond capacity with 25,000 migrants in custody, the BBC reported. The Biden administration has replaced Title 42 with other policies intended to stem illegal crossings.

Peloton recalls 2.2 million of its bikes. If you bought a Peloton bike in the US between January 2018 and May 2023, you should stop using it and contact Peloton for a free repair, the company said yesterday. Peloton found that the bike’s seat post can break while you’re riding, which can lead to injury. This recall—the fourth Peloton has issued for its exercise products in the past several years—weighed down its already flailing stock. Shares sank to their lowest level yesterday since Peloton’s 2019 IPO.

The NFL released its schedule for the upcoming season…and it was a social media spectacle. The San Diego Chargers again turned their schedule into a mesmerizing anime, the Titans embraced a TikTok trend, while the NY Jets enlisted GeoGuessr dude. With its new schedule, the NFL has cemented itself as the only thing you’ll watch on holidays. There will be a game on Black Friday, a full slate on Christmas Eve, games on Christmas Day, and a game on New Year’s Eve, per Front Office Sports.

SPONSORED BY APPLE ARCADE

Get in on the game(s)

Apple Arcade

Play is just as important as work. And you can keep a balance between the two—wherever you are—with Apple Arcade.

There’s a flavor for every gaming mood on Apple Arcade. Their catalog is constantly updated with over 200 fun games, from brain teasers to sports games and more. Plus, you can enjoy them all with no interruptions because there are no ads or in-app purchases.

What’s better? The family can get in on the fun, too. When you turn on Family Sharing, you can share one subscription with 5 other family members at no additional cost.

Try Apple Arcade for free.

WORK

Surprise: People like their jobs

Graph showing share of people who are satisfied in their jobs from 1987-2023

The Conference Board released new data showing that 62.3% of US workers are satisfied with their job, the highest share since the business research organization started the survey in 1987.

What’s behind the newfound satisfaction? It’s not kombucha on tap, yoga wellness retreats, or because next Friday is Hawaiian shirt day. Instead, resurgent employee happiness is mainly attributed to hybrid work arrangements, job flexibility, and the tight labor market that has allowed people to leave jobs they hate for jobs they like (or at least hate less).

  • Note: The survey was conducted last November before tech companies started mass layoffs. Still, the jobs market has remained strong since then.

But even worker satisfaction has a gender gap. Women were less satisfied overall than men in the 26 categories surveyed, including leave policies, promotions, and culture. The biggest gap was in job security: 68.7% of men felt satisfied with job security, compared to 61.8% of women.

It’s unclear how the potential economic downturn would affect worker satisfaction. If the labor market cools off significantly, employees will be less able to ditch jobs they’re unhappy with as companies clamp down on hiring.—CC

     

SPONSORED BY SMARTASSET

SmartAsset

The save-up startup: If you’re one of the 110m Americans over age 50—or just a wise millennial looking to get ahead—SmartAsset’s no-cost tool can match you with vetted financial advisors in your area. See how this Princeton grad’s startup raised $161m to help people plan for retirement and try it today.

ENTERTAINMENT

Could Beyoncé make more than T. Swift on her tour?

Beyonce performing in Sweden Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

This week in Sweden, Beyoncé returned to the stage solo for the first time in seven years for the start of her 56-stop Renaissance World Tour. Don’t worry, we’re not about to spoil the set list.

Stressed-out pop fans have shelled out a lot of money in the last six months for tickets to two mega stadium tours: Bey’s and Taylor Swift’s. Tickets for each tour average $700, professor and VC Peter Cohan estimates. But with Beyoncé now joining Swift on the road, the race to earn $1 billion on a single tour has begun in earnest.

No tour has ever brought in $1 billion

Elton John’s nine-legged (and still counting) Yellow Brick Road farewell tour is the best-selling tour ever, grossing $800 million as of February. But if anyone can hit nine zeroes, it’s the two queens of pop.

  • Cohan estimates the Renaissance Tour could bring in anywhere from $275 million to $2.4 billion in gross ticket sales based on venues, contract terms, and Bey’s previous concert income.
  • On the top end of that range, that’d be far more than Taylor Swift’s expected $500–$600 million haul, per Bloomberg’s estimates—but that’s before any overseas T. Swift shows have been announced.

Bottom line: With Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, and Drake packing stadiums along with T. Swift and Beyoncé, this year could be the biggest ever for live music, according to Bloomberg.—MM

     

GRAB BAG

Key performance indicators

dozens of Empire State Buildings Francis Scialabba

Stat: How much empty office space does New York City have right now? Enough to fill more than 26 Empire State Buildings (about 74.6 million square feet, if you want to be specific). Researchers Edward Glaeser and Carlo Ratti made the comparison to emphasize how NYC and other large American cities need to make drastic changes to their zoning laws to adapt to the WFH era. The ultimate goal should be to become a “Playground City” where people live, work, and play all in the same neighborhood.

Quote: “I absolutely, unequivocally believe America was served very well by what we did last night.”

On an editorial call, CNN Chairman Chris Licht defended his decision to broadcast a town hall with former President Trump on Wednesday night. Following the interview, in which Trump repeated false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, CNN was roasted by people both outside and inside the network for giving Trump a platform to air obvious lies. Licht countered that the town hall highlighted the importance of the 2024 election: “People woke up, and they know what the stakes are in this election in a way that they didn’t the day before,” he said.

Read: Microsoft employees are hooked on the company’s training videos. (Wall Street Journal)

QUIZ

It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this quiz.

New Friday quiz image

The feeling of getting a 5/5 on the Brew’s Weekly News Quiz has been compared to watching your childhood bully live a perfectly bland and uneventful life while you live a rich and fulfilling one.

It’s that satisfying. Ace the quiz.

NEWS

What else is brewing

  • The former US Marine who put Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a New York City subway car will turn himself in today to face a manslaughter charge, Manhattan prosecutors said.
  • Maybe it’s not going to be Shoshanna. The WSJ reported that NBCUniversal’s advertising head, Linda Yaccarino, is in talks to replace Elon Musk as CEO of Twitter.
  • JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon criticized former President Trump for suggesting that a default was acceptable in Wednesday night’s CNN town hall. Dimon said, “Anyone who’s anyone knows that is potentially catastrophic.”
  • The FDA updated its guidelines to allow more gay and bisexual men to donate blood.
  • Lyft said it will stop offering shared rides.

RECS

Friday to-do list

Get in the Zelda mood: Nearly three hours of pure Zelda zen to help you work or study today. (YouTube)

Can’t remember that one movie scene? This website will help you find audio and video clips by word or phrase.

Super useful: Here’s how to find and choose the best images for your project.

What makes for good conversation? Lots of doorknobs.

Elevate with your new faves: These potent and relaxing Delta 9 THC gummies from Binoid are delicious and legal to ship in all states. Use code BREW25 for 25% off + free shipping.*

Get in shape: No, not with pushups—we’re talking about building mental and emotional strength. Check out this calendar of 28 daily tips we created in partnership with think! and start committing to yourself.*

*This is sponsored advertising content.

FROM THE CREW

Difficult conversations made easy

Does asking for a raise feel harder than breaking up with a partner? It shouldn’t.

Enter: Difficult Conversations at Work. Our one-week online master class is designed to help you navigate dreaded workplace conversations (often the most important). Gain the skills, experience, and confidence to develop your communication skills.

Kickoff is Monday, May 15, so reserve your spot today.

GAMES

The puzzle section

Jigsaw: Take a (meteor) shower by completing today’s Jigsaw.

Friday puzzle

Think of a fruit that is spelled in one word with 11 letters. Remove the last two letters of its name. When you anagram the remaining nine letters, you can find the names of two other fruits: one with four letters and the other with five. What are the three fruits?

AROUND THE BREW

Doc-fluencers

Leonardo Dicaprio saying Catch Me If You Can/DreamWorks Pictures via Giphy

🩺 Seeing more doctors on TikTok? Healthcare Brew explores how hospitals and healthcare systems are finding new ways to reach patients.

Learn how to be a boss who makes an impact with our Leadership Accelerator beginning on May 29. We’ll teach you how to align your team, set a strategy, and execute brilliantly. Apply now.

Agricultural machinery company John Deere has set its sights on outer space. Find out why.

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ANSWER

The 11-letter fruit is “pomegranate,” and the other two are “mango” and “pear.”

         

Written by Neal Freyman, Molly Liebergall, Cassandra Cassidy, and Matty Merritt

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