State Champ Radio PHOTO OPS
Page: 4
Rockstar Games / Grand Theft Auto
Rockstar Games, the developer of the highly anticipated game Grand Theft Auto 6, is being called out following the firing of 30 employees at its UK and Canadian offices.
Bloomberg reports that after Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, stood behind the firings, claiming the former employees were “for gross misconduct,” the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is singing a different tune, accusing the game developer of “union busting.”
According to Bloomberg’s report, the fired employees were all either current union members or working to organize at Rockstar, and were also members of the same private Discord group.
IWGB is calling CAP on Take-Two’s Claims
The IWGB reacted to the latest developments, writing on X:
“This is the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry. Yesterday, @RockstarGames fired over 30 employees for union activity. We won’t back down, and we’re not scared – we will fight for every member to be reinstated.”
In a statement sent to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreirer, IWGB president Alex Marshall categorizes described Rockstar’s firings as “flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry.”
Take-Two Fully Supports Rockstar Games’ Decision
Take-Two company spokesperson Alan Lewis issued a statement on the matter:
“We strive to make the world’s best entertainment properties by giving our best-in-class creative teams positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities. Our culture is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness. Rockstar Games terminated a small number of individuals for gross misconduct, and for no other reason. As always, we fully support Rockstar’s ambitions and approach.”
Well, the news isn’t sitting well with the gamer social media. We don’t expect this to kill the hype surrounding GTA 6. However, people are still not feeling that Rockstar Games can allegedly fire employees who are trying to unionize during some trying times in the gaming industry.
You can see those reactions below.
Brad Vest / JD Vance / Erika Kirk
Social media thinks something weird is going on between JD Vance and Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.
Vice President JD Vance took time out of his “busy schedule” to speak at Turning Point USA’s event held at the University of Mississippi, honoring its deceased founder, Charlie Kirk.
Before Vance opened his mouth to say something that surely would come off strange, it was Erika Kirk’s weird introduction that had gone viral.
“I am tremendously blessed and honored tonight to be able to introduce to you a very, very dear friend and his wife. They are incredible,” Kirk began.
“No one will ever replace my husband, no, but I do see some similarities of my husband in JD,” she continued, which also had a lot of folks saying Huh?
After calling him an “amazing man,” Kirk left the stage to let a montage of Vance play before returning to the stage for a very interesting, to say the least, embrace.
Rocking leather pants and a white t-shirt, the two friends hugged, but it’s Kirk’s hands on Vance’s head that is garnering a lot of attention on social media.
“This man made the worst move of his life. I tried to excuse it for pure denial but if I was married to him he would be walking the golden streets with Charlie,” one post read.
Another post read, “If a broad hugs my man like this whilst gingerly cupping the back of his head with her hand, she’s getting TOUCHED.”
As we mentioned above, all of this happened before Vance opened his mouth and said he wished his wife would convert to Christianity.
Yikes.
You can see more reactions below.
Derek White / 50 Cent / Lil Meech / BMF
BMF’s run at Starz will end after four seasons, and of course, 50 Cent couldn’t resist trolling the drama series’s star Lil Meech.
The crime drama, which premiered in 2021 and tells the story of real-life drug dealers and Detroit street gang, Black Mafia Family, founders Demetrius and Terry Flenory, will not continue on Starz following season four’s finale.
BMF was one of several shows executive-produced by 50 Cent under his G-Unit Films and Television banner, which was also set to get multiple spinoffs, according to the Queens rapper and actor, following the same formula as the Power franchise.
Variety reports that, according to sources, those series are still in development.
The cast of the show featured Demetrius Flenory Jr. — son of BMF co-founder Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory, Da’Vinchi, Russell Hornsby, Michole Briana White, Michole Briana White, Steve Harris, La La Anthony, Sydney Mitchell, Laila D. Pruitt, Myles Truitt, and Eric Kofi-Abrefa.
It also had a plethora of high-profile guest appearances from Hip-Hop artists like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 2 Chainz, Yung Miami, and Saweetie. Other notable guest appearances included Wood Harris and Mo’Nique.
The logline for the fourth season read:
“As Meech (Flenory) and Terry (Da’Vinchi) fight to keep their American Dream alive, staying ahead of their rivals and law enforcement takes a toll on their relationship. The brothers occasionally put aside their differences for their common goals, but the events of what happened in Mexico will change them forever.”
Following the news, 50 Cent, a legendary troll who was feuding with the show’s star, Lil Meech, didn’t waste any time clowning Big Meech’s seed.
50 Cent Has Been Trolling Lil Meech For Months
50 Cent has been threatening to fire Lil Meech from the show and revealed he was allegedly high on drugs while on set.
All the drama stemmed from Lil Meech defending his father for taking money from 50 Cent’s longtime nemesis, Rick Ross.
We know this won’t be the last time 50 Cent takes a shot at Lil Meech. Until then, you can see more reactions below.
Play By Play Studios / NBA The Run
Gamers have been screaming for the return of NBA Street. Now, former developers of the long-dormant video game franchise look to answer those cries with NBA The Run.
Play By Play Studios, which is comprised of former EA Sports developers, has secured both official NBA and NBPA licenses for its new game, NBA The Run.
NBA The Run will serve as a spiritual successor to EA Sports Big’s iconic 3v3 basketball game, NBA Street, and its equally, if not more popular, sequel, NBA Street Vol . 2.
Before the game landed NBA and NBPA licenses, it was known simply as The Run: Got Next in 2024 and was only going to feature original characters. Now players can look forward to playing street-style basketball using their favorite pro hoopers like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, and even Cooper Flag.
Speaking with Brian Shea of Game Informer, studio founder and CEO Scott Probst touched on learning that he and his team were not alone in their love and appreciation for arcade-style streetball basketball games.
“We didn’t know; we were working in the shadows,” Probst told Game Informer. “We were making The Run: Got Next before it was licensed, and we didn’t really know. We had this sense that players would love this and players would still want it, and I think the reaction that we got was bigger and better than we actually thought it was going to be.”
NBA The Run Will Utilize Rollback Netcode
What made NBA Street so popular among gamers was its coop couch play, sparking many a battle between friends.
NBA The Run hopes to recapture that same energy, but with online crossplay, while using rollback netcode, which fighting games use to reduce the impact of ping differences in multiplayer sessions and level the playing field.
Bobbito Garcia, who handled the play-by-play in NBA Street, is in talks to return to NBA The Run when it launches on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2026.
The reception to the game has been lukewarm, with many asking why not just bring NBA Street back?
We’re gonna hold judgment until we get hands-on with the game. Who knows, NBA The Run could be a banger.
Peep more reactions below.
NICHOLAS KAMM / Microsoft / Donald Trump
Well, this isn’t surprising. Microsoft is biting its tongue following Donald Trump’s latest AI-generated slop featuring himself as Master Chiefand DHS using Halo to promote ICE.
While the country faces a wave of uncertainty amid the government shutdown that is now in day 28, the Trump administration showed how unserious it is after White House officials shared an AI-generated photo of Trump as Halo’s main protagonist, Master Chief, standing in front of the White House while saluting an American flag with only 40 stars.
Trump’s ridiculous AI-generated image managed to steal Halo Studios’ thunder, which just announced Halo: Campaign Evolved, a complete remake of the 2001 game Halo: Combat Evolved that will also mark Master Chief’s arrival on the PlayStation 5.
But that wasn’t the only disgusting post. The Department of Homeland Security also got in on the act, sharing a Halo-themed photo with the “DESTROY THE FLOOD JOIN. ICE. GOV.”
Microsoft’s silence shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. The company’s CEO, Satya Nadella, has already kissed Trump’s ring, attended his inauguration, and Microsoft has donated to the construction of the ugly White House ballroom, plus has many federal contracts.
You know who’s not staying silent, the White House, and they responded to journalist Alyssa Mercante when she reached out for comment on the matter.
Like we said in our previous post on the image, Trump would probably take credit for ending the “console wars,” and that’s precisely what happened in the statement.
“Yet another war ended under President Trump’s watch—only one leader is fully committed to giving power to the players, and that leader is Donald J. Trump. That’s why he’s hugely popular with the American people and American Gamers.”
This administration is definitely the worst.
People Who Used To Be Involved With Halo Are Speaking Out
But some individuals who were involved with Halo at one point have expressed their displeasure with DHS/ICE’s recent posts.
Marcus Lehto, co-creator of Halo and lead designer of Master Chief, spoke with Game File’s Stephen Totilo, calling the DHS’s post “absolutely abhorrent.”
He continued, “It really makes me sick seeing Halo co-opted like this.”
Jaime Griesemer, a chief designer on several of the early games, told Game File that he found Trump’s Master Chief post funny but opposed the ICE post.
“Using Halo imagery in a call to ‘destroy’ people because of their immigration status goes way too far, and ought to offend every Halo fan, regardless of political orientation,” Griesemer said. “I personally find it despicable. The Flood are evil space zombie parasites and are not an allegory to any group of people.”
You can see more reactions below.
Peter Dazeley / Tylenol
RFK Jr. and Donald Trump’s headassery claiming Tylenol can be linked to autism in children is beginning to bear dumb fruit in the form of a lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Philanderer Ken Paxton is doing whatever he can to keep the focus off his problems, and is now suing the makers of Tylenol on Tuesday, alleging the companies hid the risks of the commonly used drug to the brains of children.
The lawsuit is a direct result of Donald Trump’s baseless claims last month that Tylenol usage during pregnancy can lead to autism.
Per The New York Times:
Mr. Paxton filed the suit against Johnson & Johnson, which sold Tylenol for decades, and Kenvue, a spinoff company that has sold the drug since 2023.
The Texas lawsuit claims that the companies knowingly withheld evidence from consumers about Tylenol’s links to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The suit also claims that Kenvue was created to shield Johnson & Johnson from liability over Tylenol.
The Texas lawsuit marks the first time a state has taken legal action based on Trump’s claims that acetomenaphin, a word he can’t even pronounce, is the cause of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
Kenvue has defended the safety of Tylenol and has rebuked Trump’s claims that using it during pregnancy leads to autism in children.
“We will defend ourselves against these baseless claims and will respond per the legal process,” Melissa Witt, a spokeswoman for Kenvue, said on Tuesday. “We stand firmly with the global medical community that acknowledges the safety of acetaminophen and believe we will continue to be successful in litigation as these claims lack legal merit and scientific support.”
This Lawsuit Has Only One Goal: Curry Favor With Donald Trump & His Base
The unproven claim has been a longstanding concern among followers of our current head of HHS, and there have been many lawsuits brought by families in state and federal courts claiming the drug has led to their children being diagnosed with autism or ADHD after using the drug.
A U.S. judge in New York dismissed lawsuits making claims about Tylenol, citing the lack of evidence proving the drug’s direct link to autism. The plaintiffs appealed the decision and will participate in a hearing before an appellate panel scheduled for Nov. 17.
As for Paxton, his move can easily be chalked up to a decision to please his orange lord and savior, Donald Trump, and comes as he seeks to unseat the incumbent, Senator John Cornyn.
Paxton has been very pro-Trump, doing ridiculous things like challenging the results of the 2020 election, suing nonprofits that protect immigrants’ rights, and trying to remove Democrats who dared fight for Black and Brown people during partisan redistricting efforts to ensure Republicans stay in control during Trump’s term.
Social media has thoughts on Paxton’s lawsuit; you can see them below.
Getty Images / Donald Trump / Halo: Campaign Evolved
Donald Trump and his extremely corrupt administration continue to use video games to push his divisive agenda.
Halo Studios is coming off the announcement of Halo: Campaign Evolved, the remake of the iconic first game, Halo: Combat Evolved, that will bring Master Chief to the PlayStation for the first time, and now the studio is probably big mad that Donald Trump and his administration are using their game to promote divisiveness within the country.
In what has become “I can’t believe this is really a moment,” the official White House account on social media shared more AI-generated slop of Donald Trump wearing Master Chief’s Spartan armor while saluting an American flag with a pronounced and egregious error.
The White House’s headscratching post was a response to GameStop’s latest cringeworthy post announcing the end of console wars, and finally, the announcement of Halo coming to the PlayStation 5.
Clearly, the White House intern in charge of posting on the account knows a bit about gaming, as the post’s caption read “Power To The Players,” which is GameStop’s slogan.
We have no idea why the White House would comment on this, but we assume it has to do with Trump’s unproven claims that he has “ended eight wars,” so now he thinks he can add this one to that list.
Don’t be shocked if Trump moronicaly mentions this as a war he brought to an end.
DHS Also Used A Halo-Themed Meme
But that wasn’t the only Halo-themed meme shared by this disastrous administration.
DHS (Department of Homeland Security) also got in on the act and shared a photo from Halo featuring Master Chief in a Warthog with “Destroy The Flood, Jone. ICE. GOV” written across the picture, referring not to the symbiotic alien species from the game but to undocumented immigrants.
This latest video game-themed post follows the distasteful Pokémon video putting detained undocumented immigrants’ faces on Pokémon cards, and another video using DaBaby’s music to show its new vehicles to harass law-abiding immigrants.
It remains to be seen if this tactic is actually helping with recruitment, as ICE is currently struggling to grow the numbers, and some ICE recruits are showing up without being properly vetted.
We wished we could hit reset on this trash video game immediately. All you folks had to do was vote for Kamala Harris.
Just saying.
Also, we can’t count on Microsoft to handle this because ceo Satya Nadella is one of the many who have already kissed Trump’s ring.
You can see more reactions below.
James Manning – PA Images / Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris isn’t done with politics and hints at wanting another crack at becoming President of the United States, even though the United States let her down.
First reported by the BBC, Kamala Harris’ promo tour for her memoir, 107 Days, has officially reached the UK, and she said it’s “possible” she could be POTUS one day. Even though it doesn’t look that way, she feels that her grandnieces will see a woman sitting in the Oval Office “in their lifetime, for sure.”
Sunday, Harris spoke with Laura Kuenssberg and gave folks the strongest vibes yet that she wants to run again, while shutting down polls claiming that she isn’t the favorite to earn the Democratic nomination for president.
Harris also took shots at the current wannabe dictator in the White House, Donald Trump, calling him a “tyrant” while not missing the opportunity to hit us with a well-deserved “I told you so” letting the audience know that everything she warned US voters about Trump, and what a second term under his “leadership” would look like has come to fruition.
Some People Want Kamala Harris To Run Again
Of course, Harris’ latest comments are sparking reactions with some folks already on board with the former VP taking another swing at the White House.
“Let me clarify a point: Kamala Harris must and would be our nominee for the next election. She gained 75 MILLION votes in just 3 f*cking months. NOBODY did that before. Give her time to run a real campaign and we will win,” one person wrote on social media.
If she decides to run again, it might be a rematch with the Orange Menace, who is flirting with the idea of an unconstitutional third term.
Lord help us all.
You can see more reactions, for and against her running again, below.
Leon Bennett / Ari Fletcher
Ari Fletcher found herself fending off folks on social media after hitting send on another ridiculous thought that should have stayed inside her head.
Saturday, Fletcher hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to express her confusion about “grown folks” going to homecoming, since she thought it was only for the kids who attended the school.
“Why are grown adults at college homecoming? Is that normal? I’m genuinely asking because I didn’t go to a big college that did stuff like that. But it seems so off. I thought that was for the kids in school event,” she wrote.
It didn’t take long for the schooling to begin, with people explaining to her that homecoming was an event where alumni came back to the school to celebrate their alma mater.
“noooo it’s for alumni to come back too and show love, cook, and some alumni even give scholarships during this week to students and give back to the school in general,” one person wrote in response to Fletcher’s post.
Another person hit her with a strong “this you?” moment, reminding Fletcher that her “grown a**” went to FAMU’s homecoming a few years ago.
Instead of just accepting she was wrong about what she asked, Fletcher tried to tweet through the moment and clap back at folks who corrected her.
“Yall offended cause I made y’all feel old. I was just asking. Big and mad, literally,” she wrote.
Oh sis.
Ignorance is definitely bliss.
You can see more reactions below.
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
$599 for a pair of gaming headphones is an astronomical ask, especially in Donald Trump’s economy. But if you got the coins, are serious about your video games, and how you immerse yourself in the world during your gaming sessions, then you definitely need the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite headset.
I’m not a serious audiophile, but I do appreciate a good gaming headset, and no one right now is making better headsets than SteelSeries. I’ve been a fan of the brand since I got my hands on the Arctis Nova Pro; it’s been my go-to head ever since, but that all changed once I got my hands on the Arctis Nova Elite.
With the arrival of the $599 Nova Elite headset, SteelSeries introduces a new category of luxury gaming headsets that could change the game. SteelSeries is hoping that the allure of the headset’s premium design, introduction of hi-res wireless audio, carbon fiber speaker drivers, a metal frame, and the ability to stream audio simultaneously from your PC, Xbox, PS5, and smartphone will convince you to swipe your card for the gaming headset that costs as much as a gaming console.
Based on my time with the headset, I believe they have accomplished that goal.
Premium Comfort & Design
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
While the Arctis Nova Pro ($290.99) and Arctis Nova Elite headsets share some similarities, the latter definitely sets itself apart from its predecessor in a number of ways.
The Nova Elite ditches the plastic, now featuring a metal frame and control wheel, and a fantastic sage-and-gold finish that helps the headset pull off a $599 look.
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
The memory foam cups on the Nova Pro were already comfy. Still, somehow SteelSeries made them even more comfortable on the Nova Elite, allowing me to remain cool and comfortable during extended gaming sessions.
I have pretty large ears, and wearing headsets can become cumbersome after a while, so that’s why I’m a buds person. But the Arctis Nova Pro fit perfectly over my ears, and I never felt the need to take them off to give my head and ears a break.
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
The fit on the Nova Elite is also improved thanks to SteelSeries’s use of aluminum and stainless steel, which give the headset a sturdier feel.
First Gaming Headset To Offer Hi-Res Wireless Audio
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
What really puts the Arctis Nova Elite headset in a class all by itself is that it’s the first gaming headset to offer hi-res wireless audio, allowing the wearer to stream 96kHz/24-bit audio over 2.4GHz via the GameHub DAC or the headset’s impressive Bluetooth with LC3+.
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
Ahead of my review, SteelSeries told me that Hi-Res audio is something I can only experience on the latest Google smartphone, the Pixel 10, or on PC, with consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X capped at 48k/16bit.
Still, the sound quality while playing games with rich audio, like Alien: Rogue Incursion, Silent Hill, or Call of Duty, was vastly improved while wearing the Nova Elite headset.
Through the Arctis smartphone companion app or Sonar on the PC, you can quickly change the sound profiles with any of the preloaded EQ Presets. For example, there is a preset designed explicitly for Armored Core IV: Fires of Rubicon, and one already loaded for Battlefield 6.
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
I did most of my tweaking through the Arctis app because dealing with Windows and Sonar wasn’t seamless for me, but I’ll stop short of saying it was a headache.
Omniplay Is Something I Didn’t Know I Needed
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
Another game-changing feature that the Nova Elite boasts that I didn’t know I needed until I experienced it is Ominplay.
What is Omniplay, you ask? Well, it allows the wearer to connect to four audio sources simultaneously. So I can be connected to my smartphone via Bluetooth, while still being connected to my PS5 and Xbox Series X via USB-C at the same time.
Unlike the previous GameHub DAC model, the one that comes with the Nova Elite features three line-in inputs instead of just two.
Omniplay lets you mix audio from four sources, so you can be in a Discord chat on your phone or PC and mix in audio from whatever console you’re playing on.
Final Verdict
Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
I’m not going to hop on here and tell you to run out and buy a pair of $599 headphones, but I will say these bad boys are worth every single penny if you do intend to swipe the card on them.
SteelSeries has cemented its position in the luxury gaming headset space, and we won’t be surprised if other companies follow suit.
The Arctis Nova Elite checks all the boxes and then some, offering a sturdy headset built from premium materials that provide comfort, superior ANC (active noise cancellation), fully customizable and superb sound, hi-res wireless audio, and the ability to sync with up to 4 devices at once.
They can also serve as your everyday headset because they make the transition from your gaming station to the streets easy, thanks to they unique design.
SteelSeries has delivered, dare I say, the best gaming headset on the market right now. Whether you can afford a pair is another question.
If you can’t you can always scoop up a pair of Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 which are only $199 or the very much still relevant Arctis Nova Pro which are currently on sale.
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Source: Bernards Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez / SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
