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Source: Visual Concepts / 2K / NBA 2K25 / Angel Reese
It’s almost time for NBA 2K25, but right now, we are in the prime of WNBA season, and the folks at Visual Concepts and 2K Sports are giving us our first good look at this year’s top rookies, Chicago Sky’s walking double-double Angel Reese, and Indiana Fever’s phenom Caitlin Clark.
Ahead of 2K revealing the top 5 rated players in the W in NBA 2K25, 2K dropped the first look photos of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark in the game.
Source: Visual Concepts / 2K / NBA 2K25
According to 2K, the studio went to great lengths to ensure true-to-life realism by bringing in the WNBA rookie class to enter a high-tech scanning trailer with thousands of cameras to accurately capture their likeness, facial expressions, and more in NBA 2K25.
2K has already hit the court running and gunning, dropping the first courtside report, which discussed the MyGM game mode, NBA Commissioner’s Cup integration, and the new Steph Curry Era feature.
The NBA 2K25 Ratings Are Already Rolling Out
Speaking of Steph Curry, they have also rolled out the ratings for the Top 5 3pt shooters in the league, with Curry taking the top spot with a 99 rating.
We also got the best handles, with Kyrie Irving taking the No. 1 spot with a 99 rating. Steph Curry, Trae Young, James Harden, and Luka Doncic round out the top 5.
The best defender in the steals category sees the Portland Trail Blazers Matisse Thybulle, who has a 98 rating, followed by Alex Caruso, Marcus Smart, Delon Wright, and Dyson Daniels.
Of course, we expect much discourse from the players and fans about these virtual statistics.
We already know there will be much debate when the WNBA player rankings drop tomorrow, and we will report on it when it happens.
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Source: Game Informer / Game Informer
For decades gamers heads would rely on Game Informer for all news and information video game related, but over the weekend it was announced that the iconic video game magazine would be no more and interestingly enough GameStop is to blame.
According to Kotaku, Game Informer is officially shutting down effective immediately and the announcement not only caught staffers off guard, but also fans as they’ve grown fond of the publication that began in 1991 (feel old yet?). Game Informer was ultimately purchased by GameStop in 2000, but with the declining sales of physical games over recent years, GameStop has been struggling and in a move to save some money the higher ups decided to shutdown the popular magazine.
Per Kotaku:
Staff at the magazine, which also publishes a website, weekly podcast, and online video documentaries about game studios and developers, were all called into a meeting on Friday with parent company GameStop’s VP of HR. In it they were told the publication was closing immediately, they were all laid off, and would begin receiving severance terms. At least one staffer was in the middle of a work trip when the team was told.
The sudden closure of Game Informer means that issue number 367, the outlet’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard cover story, will be its last. The entire website has been taken offline as well. The Game Informer Twitter account posted the following statement online today, but sources tell Kotaku it was not written by anyone on the team, which was still in the process of making sure everyone on staff was informed about the news.
And just like that, it was done. Note, even the official @gameinformer account on X has been deleted.
It certainly didn’t help that the GameStop CEO was a dedicated Trump supporter who seems to bare similar characteristics to the failed businessman/Insurrectionist-In-Chief.
Game Informer’s closure comes as GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen continues shit-posting about the 2024 election. In an email to staff last year, the executive called for “extreme frugality” and criticized “money wasters” who didn’t contribute to the company or its success. He’s currently being sued by the former company behind Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $47 million in insider trading profits.
RIP Game Informer. Thank you for the decades of video game news and info. You will be missed.
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Nintendo fans, rejoice! Lego has a new Super Mario World set available that would make just about any Nintendo fan, gaming enthusiast or Lego lover very happy.
Available for pre-order at Target, the Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi (item No. 71438) is a replica of a pixelated Mario riding Yoshi from the popular Super Nintendo title, which was originally released in 1990. It’s priced at $129.99 and drops on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
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And if you’re a Target Circle member, you can order now and get the Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set delivered straight to your home in two days (with orders over $35) after it’s released.
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Not a member? Sign up for a free membership to take advantage of all that Target Circle has to offer, including access to “deal of the day” products, instant savings on select items, three months of Apple TV+ to watch hit originals, access to exclusive shopping events — such as Target’s Deal Days and early Black Friday deals — and other perks.
If you want to take it a step further, you can sign up for the Target Circle Card (with no annual fee), which offers an extra 5% discount on all purchases, two-day free shipping with no order minimums and more. Learn more about the Target Circle Card here.
The Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set is also available for pre-order at Lego.com.
Lego
Lego, ‘Super Mario World’ Mario & Yoshi
The Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set is an impressive set at 15.5 inches tall, 10 inches wide and 4 inches deep. It comes with 1,215 Lego pieces that make up big Mario wearing a yellow Magic Cape riding Yoshi. There’s a handle at its rear that makes Yoshi’s leg move like its running, while there’s also a dial around back that makes the dino’s tongue pop in and out.
Available on Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set, which is made for builders ages 18 and up, goes for $129.99 and is ready for pre-order at Target and Lego.com.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Source: 2K Sports / Visual Concepts / NBA 2K25
It’s a new season, and 2K Sports promises that NBA 2K25 will deliver the “biggest changes” to the game’s engine in years.
Visual Concepts, the studio behind the NBA 2K basketball video game franchise, is all-in on its ProPlay technology, which it introduced in NBA 2K24 and will use to introduce tons of new animations into the game.
The studio is promising “the biggest change to our gameplay engine in many years,” plus an all-new dribbling system that will give players even more control than before and the ability to take ankles.
Using ProPlay, 2K says that “stops are higher, launches are more explosive,” bringing more lifelike movement to every inch of the court.
Offense On The Court Levels Up
What you can do offense in NBA 2K25 is taken to another level, thanks to many new mechanics. New tools like shot canceling, signature go-to shots, shot-timing profiles, Pro Stick rhythm shooting, and more make putting the ball in the basket even more fun and exciting.
ProPlay gives players a new weapon: signature go-to shots. Per 2K, this new feature allows players to pull off new dribble-into-shot combos directly copied from actual NBA footage. The moves can be executed by simply holding up on the Pro Stick.
Shot canceling will allow players to quickly transition from one shooting animation to the next, giving players another tool to elevate their offensive game.
Last year’s shooting mechanics were not a hit with players, but 2K is hoping to rectify that with shot-timing profiles. The new profiles allow players to customize their shot-timing windows.
Source: 2K Sports / Visual Concepts / NBA 2K25
New options allow players to customize their ideal jump shot by using shot-taking visual cues in an expansion of the Shot Creator suite.
It will allow players to customize where they release the ball in their custom animation, allowing them to get comfortable and in tune with the timing window and hit more shots in the green.
Utilizing the Pro Stick allows players to take advantage of rhythm shooting by pointing the Pro Stick down to start the shot and then up when the animation reaches its set point.
According to Visual Concepts, many people on the team found the new mechanic to be difficult before later appreciating it after using it for some time. They now have a hard time going back to the previous Pro Stick shooting mechanic.
Defense Is Also Improving
You can’t improve the offense in the game without ensuring the defense can keep up. NBA 2K25 introduces a new movement system that will give defenders movements similar to offensive players using the right stick.
Players can now make faster, tighter defensive cutoffs, allowing them to stay in front of Pro Stick all-star players.
To improve shot contention, a dynamic weighing system replaces the fixed one. Shot contests are now determined by defense coverage at the beginning of the shot.
Also, perimeter and interior defense and height play pivotal roles and determine the outcomes of the shots.
Visual Concepts is also trying to reduce your screaming at your AI teammates thanks to improvements that will provide better in-game mimicking of real-word spacing.
What that means is that your AI teammates should be where they are supposed to be while on the court based on what the offense is running.
New Tutorial System & Playbook Sharing
Source: 2K Sports / Visual Concepts / NBA 2K25
NBA 2K25 will also feature playbook sharing, which will allow players to create and share their custom playbooks with the community.
Learn 2K, a new tutorial mode, will help players acclimate to all the new features and older gameplay mechanics.
Ahead of NBA 2K25’s launch, 2K has laid out a roadmap that details the game’s features and modes.
Week of August 5: MyPlayer and MyCareer
Week of August 12: MyNBA and The W
Week of August 19: MyTeam
Week of August 26: The City
Week of September 2: Season 1 preview and 2KBeats soundtrack reveal
September 4: Early access period begins
September 6: Global launch of NBA 2K25
NBA 2K25 sounds like a refreshed experience, and we look forward to picking up the sticks when this game drops.
You can watch the official gameplay trailer below.
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Source: EA Sports / Tiburon / Madden NFL 25/ Travis Kelce
No surprise, but Travis Kelce is back in the Madden NFL 99 Club.
Travis Kelce continues to keep winning. The Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro tight end is coming off his third Super Bowl championship and is in one of the most high-profile relationships in the world thanks to hooking up with Taylor Swift.
Now, Kelce can add being the only NFL tight end to earn a spot in the Madden NFL 99 Club three times. Kelce joins former teammate Tyreek Hill, Madden NFL 25 cover athlete Christian McCaffrey, and offensive line Trent Williams.
Along with the announcement that Williams was making the club, EA also dropped the ratings for edge rushers and other offensive linemen.
Edge Rushers Offensive Linemen
Myles Garrett (98 OVR) 1. Trent Williams (99 OVR)
Micah Parsons (98 OVR) 2. Zack Martin (97 OVR)
T.J. Watt (97 OVR) 3. Penei Sewell (96 OVR)
Maxx Crosby (97 OVR) 4. Lane Johnson (95 OVR)
Nick Bosa (96 OVR) 5. Tyron Smith (95 OVR)
Josh Hines-Allen (91 OVR) 6. Tristan Wirfs (94 OVR)
DeMarcus Lawrence (91 OVR) 7. Chris Lindstrom (94 OVR)
Khalil Mack (90 OVR) 8. Laremy Tunsil (94 OVR)
Alex Highsmith (89 OVR) 9. Frank Ragnow (93 OVR)
Trey Hendrickson (89 OVR) 10. Creed Humphrey (92 OVR
Travis Kelce’s Briefcase Had Some Different Swag In It
Like his fellow NFL brethren before him, Kelce was gifted with a briefcase, a golden Xbox controller, and a custom greeting from retired New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
The only thing that made his 99 Club care package different was that he was given a custom podcast microphone instead of the gold chains the other players received.
Here is the complete list of highly-rated tight ends and cornerbacks.
Tight Ends Cornerbacks
Travis Kelce (99 OVR) 1. Sauce Gardner (97 OVR)
George Kittle (97 OVR) 2. Jalen Ramsey (96 OVR)
Mark Andrews (94 OVR) 3. Patrick Surtain II (95 OVR)
T.J. Hockenson (91 OVR) 4. Jaire Alexander (93 OVR)
David Njoku (90 OVR) 5. L’Jarius Sneed (92 OVR)
Evan Engram (88 OVR) 6. Charvarius Ward (91 OVR)
Sam LaPorta (86 OVR) 7. Marlon Humphrey (91 OVR)
Dallas Goedert (85 OVR) 8. Denzel Ward (90 OVR)
Dalton Schultz (84 OVR) 9. Trent McDuffie (90 OVR)
Cole Kmet (83 OVR) 10. Marhson Lattimore (90 OVR)
Trent Williams and McCaffrey are the first two 49ers to have joined the club at the same time. But we are optimistic they won’t be the only teammates because Kelce’s favorite quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, will also make the list.
Along with today’s latest 99 Club announcements, EA Sports released another deep dive video for Madden NFL 25 and revealed the new kickoff rules will be in the game.
Below are the reactions from the latest Madden NFL 99 Club members. Click here for the complete list of ratings.
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Source: EA Sports / Tiburon / Madden NFL 25/ Christian McCaffrey
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is back in the 99 Club.
Following the announcement of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill joining the 99 Club in Madden NFL 25, EA Sports revealed that the game’s cover athlete, Christian McCaffrey, will be joining him.
Like Hill, McCaffrey was surprised with a briefcase featuring a custom gold chain, Xbox Elite controller, custom trading card, and video announcement from Super Bowl Champion quarterback Eli Manning welcoming him into the prestigious club.
For McCaffrey, this isn’t a new experience. He was in the 99 overall rating club in Madden NFL 20 as an in-season addition and earned a spot back in the club in Madden NFL 21.
McCaffrey continues to show the world how elite he is. Last season, McCaffrey was named Offensive Player of The Year, leading the league with a career-high 1,459 rushing yards and 2,023 total yards from scrimmage.
He scored 21 total touchdowns, 14 on the ground and seven through the air.
His stellar play got him paid. The 49ers blessed him with a $38 million two-year contract extension, adding $8 million to his salary for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, plus an additional $24 million in guaranteed money.
The contract also reset the running back market.
NFL Fans Have Thoughts
Like Tyreek Hill’s announcement of joining the 99 Club, NFL fans share their opinions on McCaffrey returning to the prestigious club.
“It’s great seeing him stay healthy and show why he’s the most versatile back in the league,” one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
Another user wasn’t so high on McCaffrey’s selection, writing, “Don’t deserve it !!! @KingHenry_2 deserved it more !!!”
EA will continue to announce the ratings via ESPN’s morning show, Get Up, and on the dedicated website.
More announcements are coming; until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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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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EA Sports College Football 25 is out now! The newest entry in the game franchise is the biggest yet with more than 130 schools — such as Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, USC Trojans and more — over multiple conferences, including the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC and others.
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Priced at $69.99, EA Sports College Football 25 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X is available for purchase at Target.
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And if you’re a Target Circle member, you can order now and get EA Sports 25 delivered straight to your home in two days with orders over $35.
Not a member? Sign up for a free membership to take advantage of all that Target Circle has to offer, including access to “deal of the day” products, instant savings on select items, three months of Apple TV+ to watch hit originals, access to exclusive shopping events — such as Target’s Deal Days and early Black Friday deals — and other perks.
If you want to take it a step further, you can sign up for the Target Circle Card (with no annual fee), which offers an extra 5% discount on all purchases, two-day free shipping with no order minimums and more. Learn more about the Target Circle Card here.
Additionally, EA Sports College Football 25 is available at Amazon and Walmart.
Electronic Arts
EA SPORTS College Football 25 (PS5)
Electronic Arts
EA SPORTS College Football 25 (Xbox)
For 2024, the game has true-to-life gameplay with a number of game modes to grow in the ranks to win the Heisman Trophy, or the College Football Playoff National Championship, a new “CampusIQ” feature that gives you more options to build your own team with various play calls and styles, and a realistic “Iconic Atmospheres” feature that recreates true stadium soundscapes with mascots and fan chants.
Available at Target, Amazon and Walmart for $69.99, EA Sports College Football 25 is out now for PS5 and Xbox. In the meantime, watch a first-look video for the game below:
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Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Authorities revealed that the gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump left a message on a gaming platform, which was later found to be a fake.
According to reports, law enforcement officials investigating the assailant who shot at former President Donald Trump at his campaign rally revealed that he left a message on a board on the popular gaming platform, Steam. “July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds,” was the message that investigators found in their search of personal records belonging to Thomas Matthew Crooks.
The investigators also revealed that they found Internet searches for both Trump and President Joe Biden on a phone belonging to Crooks. Specifically, they found searches for the rally in Butler as well as information on the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago as well as images of both men. Authorities also confirmed that Crooks visited the rally site in Butler twice.
But officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation later determined that the Steam message wasn’t attributed to an account that belonged to Crooks, as initially believed. They stress that the investigation is still in its early stages and that they are combing through several other devices that belonged to Crooks. It was confirmed that there was no information found on his phone that could point them to any ideological ties to Trump or Biden as an explanation for his actions. Investigators also didn’t find any ties to domestic or international terror groups.
The 20-year-old was shot and killed after firing six to eight shots at Trump as he was addressing the crowd at the rally held in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday (July 13). The former president sustained an injury to his right ear. A firefighter, Corey Comperatore, was killed and two bystanders were injured. Law enforcement officials also confirmed that 20 minutes elapsed between Secret Service snipers first spotting Crooks at his rooftop position and the time that the first shots had been fired.
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Photo: Anna Moneymaker / Getty