Welcome back to the WIRED Games newsletter, friends! I've been heads-down in games I can't talk about just yet, but suffice it to say that if you're gearing up for the fall release season, you have a lot to look forward to. That means I'll keep this brief so I can get back to it. One thing I can talk about, though, by the time you read this: How about that Destiny 2 showcase, huh?

First, please read Saniya Ahmed on Venba, a short, narrative-driven cooking game that tells the story of the titular character and her family's journey to the United States, along with their struggles and triumphs acclimating to American society while maintaining their connection to their roots and culture. It's a story that Saniya understands intimately, as her own journey mirrors that of Venba's in a way. Her essay elaborates on that journey and explains how much the game meant to her.

Immortals of Aveum just launched yesterday, and Reid McCarter has a look at it, since he got some time with the game leading up to launch. The short version is that it's a lot of fun, even though it's a little uneven. But then again, it's a debut game from a new studio, and even though that studio is staffed with veterans, cut the game some slack: It's doing something fresh and new with the shooter genre, and seems to pull it off pretty well.

Next, Megan Farokhmanesh sits down to chat about Baby Steps with the team behind the game. It's coming out in 2024 and could accurately be described as a "walking simulator," but it's so much more than that. Part existential experience and part hilarious comedy, Baby Steps is becoming the perfect game for us to hold a mirror up to, well, our collective late-capitalist existence. Megan's excited for it, and after you read her piece, you probably will be too.

Celia Ford over on our Science desk takes a look at some new research suggesting that for some people (emphasis on the "some"), video games and therapeutic gaming can be applied to help alleviate the ongoing Adderall shortage here in the United States. That's not to say gaming can replace Adderall, don't get it twisted: just that there's research implying that gaming may be able to help some people with ADHD, when applied in specific ways. And considering the Adderall shortage has been going on for about a year now, that's good news.

Matt Jancer on our Gear team just updated our list of the best webcams, so if you're looking for an upgrade from your laptop's webcam, we have some picks for you. I, for one, use and love my Razer Kiyo X, which just so happens to be our pick for the best webcam for most people. I also love the runner-up, the Logitech C920 HD, which I also happen to have. You know, as a backup.

Finally, while they're not strictly gaming-related, here's a story that you all may love. If you're looking for better Wi-Fi, it might not be your router that you have to replace; Matt Jancer has some tips on how to upgrade your laptop or desktop computer's Wi-Fi. So you never know, it might be time for a new Wi-Fi card, not necessarily a new whole-house mesh network. We'll see you back here next week.