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Source: EA Sports / Tiburon / Madden NFL 25/ Tyreek Hill
Next to the release of the NFL schedule, learning who will join Madden NFL’s exclusive 99 club and the ratings of star players in the league have become yearly significant events. Like last year, a receiver is the first player to land in the prestigious club.
The first name announced joining Madden NFL 25’s 99 Club is none other than the Cheetah, Miami Dolphins’ speedy wideout Tyreek Hill.
With the announcement, Hill became the first Dolphins player ever to earn the honor.
Last year, Minnesota Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson got the 99 Club party started this year, so it was only right that Hill got the honor.
Jefferson’s rating took a 1-point hit this year; he is 98, still pretty high, but we are sure he feels he also believes he should still be in the 99 Club.
The Madden NFL official X account shared a video of Hill receiving a briefcase featuring his custom gold chain and custom Xbox Elite controller and a video from Eli Manning welcoming him to the 99 Club.
Also, just like the previous year, EA Sports has launched an official website where you can check the ratings as they are released.
They also revealed the top receivers and safeties in the game.
Wide Receivers Safeties
Tyreek Hill (99 OVR) 1. Jessie Bates III (97 OVR)
Justin Jefferson (98 OVR) 2. Antoine Winfield Jr. (94 OVR)
Ceedee Lamb (96 OVR) 3. Minkah Fitzpatrick (93 OVR)
A.J. Brown (95 OVR) 4. Derwin James Jr. (91 OVR)
Amon-Ra St. Brown (95 OVR) 5. Tyrann Mathieu (91 OVR)
Davante Adams (94 OVR) 6. Budda Baker (90 OVR)
Ja’Marr Chase (93 OVR) 7. Kevin Byard III (89 OVR)
Stefon Diggs (92 OVR) 8. Kyle Hamilton (89 OVR)
Brandon Aiyuk (91 OVR) 9. Talanoa Hufanga (88 OVR)
Mike Evans (91 OVR) 10. Jevon Holland (88 OVR)
EA Sports will team with ESPN to roll out 99 Club members throughout the week and will share that news with you as its announced.
Once Again, It’s Arguing Time
Of course, like every year, there are reactions to these ratings. Some are stunned that Hill is the first Dolphins player to make it in the club.
“First ever is wild seeing that Marino, Jason Taylor, and Zach Thomas,” one person on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
Another user wrote, “Stefon Diggs rated too high (based on age and canyon of a drop off last year), Jamar Chase rated too low. Jefferson probably deserves 99 based on how he dominated consistently even after missing a big chunk of the season last year.”
We only expect the discourse to get louder when other positions are revealed.
If we had to guess who would be in there, we think Patrick Mahomes will end up in the 99 Club.
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You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Lol, now be nice
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Source: Bandai Namco / Tekken 8 / Nike
Tekken 8 and Nike’s new collaboration will allow players to issue fades in style.
Using the EVO 2024 stage in Las Vegas, Nevada, Bandai Namco announced a collaboration between Tekken 8 and Nike. In the game, characters will rock Nike Air Foamposite One sneakers inspired by Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima.
In a surprise announcement, Bandai Namco also revealed that the physical limited-edition Nike Air Foamposite One’ Kazuya Mishima’ was available to EVO attendees.
Tekken Project Director Katsuhiro Harada, Tekken 8 Game Director Kohei Ikeda, and Producer Michael Murray made the big announcement, dropping the trailer and showing off the physical Nike Air Foamposite One’ Kazuya Mishima’ sneakers.
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Attendees could purchase the “shiny black sneakers,” which Bandai says is “a clear, stylish extension of the character who inspired them,” through the Nike SNKR’s geo-targeting feature.
Bandai Namco also notes the sneakers will not be the only product of its collaboration with Nike and promises that more drops will come this fall, and that includes in-game content.
That wasn’t the only Tekken 8 news. The popular fighting video game also celebrated the return of iconic character and villain Heihachi Mishima, Kazuya’s father and Jin’s grandfather.
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Heihachi’s return to the game was met with excitement and hilarity because he always finds a way to return, even after meeting his demise in previous games.
Heihachi is the latest DLC character following Eddy and Lidia, and he will be available to players in August.
You can see more reactions to Heihachi Mishima, aka the OG King of The Iron Fist’s return in Tekken 8 below.
1. It’s a good day to be a final boss
3. The only reaction we wanted to see, lol.
6. Clearly
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Source: Richie Branson / Not Like Us
Are you sick of hearing “Not Like Us?” Well, that’s too damn bad because it just got more legs, thanks to a video game.
Thanks to a black video game designer, Kendrick Lamar’s infectious Drake diss will continue to be the topic of conversations, much to the ire of Champagne Papi.
On Monday, Richie Branson, who describes himself as “just a random brotha who designed games for Bleacher Report and worked for Epic Games as a game designer on a little game called Fortnite,” dropped a free game that turns the moment K.Dot wacks an owl pinata from the song’s visual into a fun video game.
In the web game, players take control of a pixel sprite version of the West Coast rapper and wop wop wop as many owls as they can with a bat.
Branson calls the game a “free love letter to video games and hip-hop,” adding, “I intentionally made the game spike in difficulty above 17, so any score 18 and above should be celebrated.”
This Diss Record Won’t Go Away
To rub more salt in Drake’s still open wound, the song featuring DJ Mustrard’s production is back in the Billboard Hot 100 this week after debuting at No. 1 in May.
Lamar is still riding the high from his “Pop Out” concert, which many have already dubbed one of Hip-Hop’s most culturally significant moments.
Meanwhile, Drake continues to post cryptic messages on Instagram, trying to give his fans and us the impression that he’s fine, but clearly, we think the brother is a bit scarred from his battle with Kendrick Lamar.
Drake, it’s okay to admit you are in the dumps now. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness.
If you want to try the game, you can head here.
2. Another one
3. Well deserved
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Source: Activision / Activision
Bronny James may be in a self-admitted “slump” on the court at NBA Summer League, but his skills on the sticks are still sharp. Lebron James’ firstborn won the Call Of Duty Two Minute Drill, beating out some notable NBA gamers along the way.
Source: Activision / Activision
The Los Angeles Lakers draft pick won the Second Annual Call of Duty Two Minute Drill at the NBA Summer League by finessing a last-second 84-83 victory over Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams. Reportedly, Bronny was playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III he eeked out his win just before the 8pm tournament deadline, defeating Williams and Bobi Klintman of the Detroit Pistons. The latter came in third with 77 points.
With the W, Bronny earned a $10,000 prize and a custom-made Call of Duty Two Minute Drill at the NBA Summer League Championship Belt. Bronny fans shouldn’t be too surprised since he one graced the cover of Sports Illustrated for his e-sports talents as a member of Faze Clan back in 2021.
Held over this past weekend (the first weekend of the NBA Summer League), over 60 NBA players participated in the Call of Duty Two Minute Drill in a winner take all format. Players also got a chance to preview the forthcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Those NBA ballers and gamers included Paul George, now of the Philadelphia 76ers, Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Trey Murphy (Wahoowa!, #iykyk) of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Check out some photos from the event below.
Source: Activision / Activision
Source: Activision / Activision
Source: Activision / Activision
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Source: Arc System Works / Double Dragon Revive
Double Dragon is back but with a very modern twist.
Today, Arc System Works dropped the reveal trailer for Double Dragon Revive, a modern reimagining of the beloved beat’em up game that first graced arcades (remember those?) in 1987.
Double Dragon Revive will bring fans “modern belt-scroll action and exhilarating gameplay.” While the game looks different, fans of the franchise will be happy to see their favorite characters, Billy and Jimmy Lee, back in action and put their hands and feet on Black Warriors’ goons who plague the streets of New York City.
The game will remain true to its roots, but Double Dragon Revive will have the touch of a fighting game thanks to Arc System Works’ involvement in the project.
Players can dish out powerful damage with Billy and Jimmy’s repertoire of martial arts moves, steal weapons, and even use the environment to their advantage, making Double Dragon Revive more than just a button-mashing experience.
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All of the characters from the original game return with fresh, new 3D designs.
The game kicks and punches onto PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam next year, but there is no word on how much it will cost.
If we had to guess, it would probably cost between $29.99 and $39.99.
Double Dragon Revive is the latest game in the franchise following 2023’s Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, which turned the game into a roguelike adventure.
There’s been a renaissance going on in the beat ’em up genre with games like TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, Streets of Rage 4, and the forthcoming G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra.
You can hit the gallery below for more photos.
1. Double Dragon Revive
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3. Double Dragon Revive
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4. Double Dragon Revive
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5. Double Dragon Revive
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6. Double Dragon Revive
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8. Double Dragon Revive
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9. Double Dragon Revive
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11. Double Dragon Revive
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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass is the best value in gaming, but there is an argument that is seemingly no longer the case after word of price hikes coming.
Spotted on The Verge, Microsoft is doing what many people suspected it would do after finally acquiring Activision/Blizzard/King: raising the price of Xbox Game Pass again in September.
The price of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier will increase, and a new “Standard” tier will be launched, but those subscribers will no longer have access to day-one releases.
The new Standard tier will cost $14.99, give subscribers access to the Game Pass library, and allow them to play games online.
Subscribers to Ultimate are beginning to receive emails about the price increase to $19.99 a month beginning September 12, a $3 jump from $16.99.
PC Game Pass subscribers will also see their subscription price increase from $9.99 to $11.99, but they will still have access to the beloved day-one releases.
The proposed price hikes follow Xbox finally adding Call of Duty games, like the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, to the service, a benefit the company now enjoys after acquiring ABK.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Subscribers Bear The Brunt of The Hikes
Once again, Ultimate subscribers, who make up more than most Game Pass subscribers, will bear the brunt of these price hikes. This follows a previous hike that raised subscriptions by $1–$2 per month.
Another victim of this change is the Xbox Game Pass for console plan. Those currently under the plan will see their subscriptions continue, but new subscribers cannot select this option.
Subscription stacking, a hack X Console tier subscribers enjoy, has also been capped at 13 months from September 18. Existing stacks will not be affected.
Of course, the news of the price hikes and Xbox pushing subscribers towards the Ultimate tier is spawning reactions on X, formerly Twitter.
You can see those in the gallery below.
3. Interesting thread
4. This breakdown is worth checking out
6. Hmmmm this is an interesting way of looking at the price hike
8. Howling
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Source: Activision / Activision
The new Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was officially announced by Activision just after the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, June 9, and it’s going back to the 1990’s. While the nostalgia might be in effect right now, the game is dropping October 25.
Source: Activision / Activision
Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign is being touted as a “spy action thriller” and will be set during the Gulf War.
Per Activision:
In true Black Ops fashion, the fictional story builds on the history of the time, thrusting you into a strange and clandestine conspiracy where a shadowy force has infiltrated the U.S. government. Anyone who resists is branded as a traitor, forcing players to go rogue for the first time to fight the very machine that created them. Nothing is what it seems, and the truth may be hard to fathom, drawing you ever deeper into intrigue, distrust, and mind-bending psychological revelations. This is true, signature Black Ops style.
While we’re sure the campaign will be cool, those into COD strictly for the multiplayer action should be pleased. Some of the multiplayer content that will be available at launch includes 16 brand-new Multiplayer maps on and new “innovations” that include Omnimovement (which lets you sprint, slide and dive in any direction) and Intelligent Movement and larger enemy hit zones as well as new HUD optimizations and a plethora of new weapons and accessories. And for those that know, the return of Theater Mode and Classic Prestige.
You can check for more details about the multiplayer in the clip below via Black Ops 6 Direct.
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Watch the reveal trailer, featuring the OG President George Bush, President Bill Clinton, Saddam Hussein and more below. And yes, you can get your early access in order over at the Black Ops 6 pre-order editions and benefits blog.
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Source: Carlo Paloni / Getty / Abubakar Salim / Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Surgent Studios founder and creative director of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Abubakar Salim addressed the constant harassment he and the studio have faced since releasing the game.
The video game industry still has a long way to go regarding diversity and inclusion.
People like Abubakar Salim are working hard to show that Black and Brown people have a place in the game’s business with the release of his game, Tales of Kenzera: Zau. However, there are still issues that must be dealt with, and Salim decided to speak about those challenges he and his studios have had to deal with.
Friday, Salim posted a five-minute video on his personal X/Twitter account to speak on the constant harassment that he admits he didn’t want to address initially.
Salim says he has dealt with claims that he didn’t “deserve the opportunit[ies]” he got at the beginning of his career, adding, “No, it was simply because I’m Black, and I’ve turned my other cheek and just kept doing my thing.”
Before dropping his game, Salim was best known for his acting roles in Assassin’s Creed Origins and roles in MAX’s original series Raised By Wolves and season two of Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon.
Salim states in the video that he could brush off some of the comments, but “when there’s a constant barrage of them, it’s exhausting.”
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The actor/video game developer says the harassment reached a “fever pitch” once his game, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, came to the forefront and became a focal point of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) harassment campaigns.
Per IGN:
“Don’t get me wrong, there’s been so much amazing and beautiful support for this game. The fact that it’s inspired so many people and touched, you know, so many lives, it was one of our goals from the outset — to have this positive impact, right?” Salim says. “But at the same time, we are being faced with constant targeted harassment from people who see diversity as a threat. From people who look across the vast landscape of modern media and decide that anything that doesn’t speak to them or centers around them is unnecessary and inauthentic.”
“And look,” he continues, “there’s always a reason why diverse stories can’t exist. You know, it’s always either we’re doing it the wrong way or it’s just there to tick boxes and it’s just beginning to feel like there is no right way. You know, these exclusionary rules continue to stack up and the goalposts continue to shift until, you know, me, my studio, people who look like us, just sit down, be quiet and just accept the fact that you’re outsiders. But I won’t do that.”
“If there are people who aren’t like you in a game, I want you to know that game is still for you,” Salim continues. “You know, if the characters are a different race or a different gender or you know, a different ideology or different perspective, that doesn’t mean the game isn’t for you. It can still be for you.”
Salim Counters The Harassment By Lowering The Price Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Game On Nintendo Switch
The game dev was determined to make his game accessible to as many people as possible, setting it at an affordable $20 price point across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
To combat the harassment, Salim announced that he lowered the cost of the game to less than $15 on the Nintendo Switch, thanking Nintendo for “acting fast on this.”
“I’m working with the team in bringing this discount to all platforms, and it’s gonna start from now to until the end of June because, you know, it just means so much to me, man,” he says.
Salim continues, “I believe this is just one way that I can show you how serious I am about this,” he says. “Games are for everyone. Diverse games, they’re not about taking something away from you. They’re about adding something new because there’s room for all of us.”
X Rallies Behind Abukar Salim
Following the release of his video, the gaming communities rallied behind Salim, offering him plenty of support and applauding his courage and commitment to pushing diversity in the gaming space.
“This is the message we all need to hear,” Kinda Funny and Gamertag Radio cohost Parris Lilly wrote.
Senior editor Alyssa Mercante added, “So grateful for your work, your vision, and your voice, and to consider you a friend.”
“Black gamers have been playing as non-Black characters in games for so long and enjoy those games, us included. But there is nothing wrong with us also wanting us to be represented fairly and authentically in the medium. What we’re finding here is these detractors don’t want the exact same experience that Black gamers have had to endure for a majority of the history of gaming,” Black Girl Gamers wrote.
We hear at HHW Gaming stand with Abubakar Salim and will continue to ensure we shine a spotlight on Black and Brown game developers like Salim, Xalavier Nelson Jr., and others.
You can see more messages of support sent to Salim in the gallery below.
3. In the face of racism and harassment we continue to have go higher. His decision was admirable.
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Source: PlayStation / State of Play
Everyone owes Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grub an apology. He was absolutely correct — no surprise — that Sony is holding an event this month ahead of Summer Game Fest and the Xbox Games Showcase, but it will be the smaller State of Play.
On Wednesday, Sony confirmed it will have a State of Play presentation on Thursday, May 30.
Immediately, the company tempered expectations, announcing it would be a 30+ minute presentation that would provide “live updates on PS5 and PS VR2 titles, plus a look at PlayStation Studios games arriving later this year.”
Let The Speculation Begin
No one knows precisely what games PlayStation will show or what the company’s announcements will be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate.
The announcement of this upcoming State of Play follows news that a new Astro Bot game is on the way, with sites like IGN speculating that the game could be part of the presentation.
We could also get our first peek at the PS5 Pro console and announcements about God of War: Ragnarok coming to PC, continuing Sony’s campaign to strengthen its presence outside the PS5/PS4 ecosystem.
There is also a tiny chance (we hope) to see more of Insomniac Games’ highly-anticipated Wolverine game, a possible look at the leaked Venom game, or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 DLC.
Oh, the possibilities.
We will still head into this State of Play with the lowest expectations: Sony usually holds onto the more significant announcements for its PlayStation Showcase events.
Still, gamers and PlayStation fans are hoping we will get some significant announcements, even though Sony already told us not to expect any significant releases for the remainder of 2024.
Again, we have to wait and see; until then, you can see reactions to tomorrow’s State of Play in the gallery below.
1. Jeff Grubb was right
2. Immediately
3. Consider us all hyped
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Source: Activision / Treyarch / Raven Software / Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 rollout did not start smoothly, but Xbox hopes to keep the landing when the game releases later this year.Microsoft is having one hell of a year, and this latest booboo is just another moment that Phil Spencer is probably sitting in his gaming chair with his hand on his forehead.
Spotted by The Verge’s Tom Warren, the company that now owns Activision and the COD franchise accidentally revealed the worst-kept secret: the next installment, Black Ops 6, will be on Xbox Game Pass, with a link to a dead Xbox News Wire post.
Whoever accidentally hit send on that push notification is in big trouble because the accidental reveal came before today’s teaser trailer reveal and the official announcement from Xbox, confirming what we all knew was going to happen with Call of Duty games.
There Are Some Famous Faces In The Black Ops 6 Teaser Trailer
The teaser trailer doesn’t show any gameplay—Xbox is definitely saving that for the big June 6 showing at the upcoming Xbox Showcase in Los Angeles— but it didn’t have plenty of famous faces in it.
In typical Black Ops fashion, the trailer features past world leaders like former US President Bill Clinton and the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, allegedly the main antagonist of Black Ops 6.
This isn’t the first time a Black Ops game has featured a prominent political figure; John F. Kennedy was in the first game, and notorious Presidental Op Ronald Reagan was in Black Ops Cold War.
Per Sports Keeda, Black Ops 6 will allegedly center around the Gulf War and will continue to revolve around the franchise’s main protagonists, Frank Woods, Alex Mason, Jason Hudson, and Russell Adler.
We will find out soon enough.
The trailer below shows more reactions to Black Ops 6 coming to Xbox Game Pass.
1. Gamers are happy
2. Xbox fans finally got something to celebrate about
3. Will this really shift the COD player base?
6. Salute to this guy