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Source: Cooper Neill / Getty / Patrick Mahomes
If you had Patrick Mahomes joining Madden NFL 24’s 99 overall rating club, pat yourself on the back because you were absolutely correct.
Friday, EA announced that Patrick Mahomes is the final NFL superstar joining the 99 overall rating club in Madden NFL 24. This selection will be Mahomes third, tying him with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Shockingly Mahomes is the only quarterback joining the club, with Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow with a 95 rating.
Mahomes joins Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin, and his teammate’s favorite target Travis Kelce.
EA also released the full list of the top-rated Quarterbacks and Linebackers in the game.
Quarterbacks Linebackers
Patrick Mahomes 99 1. Fred Warner 96
Joe Burrow 95 2. Roquan Smith 92
Josh Allen 94 3. Lavonte David 91
Lamar Jackson 91 4. Haason Reddick 90
Jalen Hurts 88 5. Demario Davis 90
Justin Herbert 87 6. Bobby Wagner 89
Dak Prescott 87 7. Matt Milano 88
Aaron Rodgers 86 8. Nick Bolton 87
Kirk Cousins 84 9. Tremaine Edmunds 87
Tua Tagovailoa 83 10. Shaquille Leonard 86
Jalen Hurts Should Be Very Upset
We’re shocked to see Jalen Hurts come in with an 88 rating, at Aaron Rodgers sitting at an 86 overall rating, falling out of the 90s club.
We won’t be surprised if actual NFL players look at these ratings in disgust and are mad that they did not get a 99 overall rating in Madden NFL 24.
Welp.
Madden NFL 24 arrives on August 15. ESPN and Madden NFL are releasing the full ratings in an hour-long special this Sunday, July 23, at 1 p.m. ET, hosted by Field Yates, Dan Orlovksy, Mina Kimes, and Louis Riddick.
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Photo: Cooper Neill / Getty
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Source: Christian Petersen / Getty / Travis Kelce
We called it, Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce is back in the Madden 99 Overall Rating club.
EA continues to roll out Madden NFL 24 ratings highlighting the highest-rated superstars by their dominant positions.
Travis Kelce is the latest player to have the honor of being in the Madden 99 Overall rating club, joining Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Rams All-Pro defensive lineman plus current record hold Aaron Donald and Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin, the first guard in the 99 club since Cowboys’ Larry Allen made in Madden 2003.
For Kelce, this is his fourth selection to the Madden 99 Club, and he currently holds the record for tight ends. Along with the Kelce news, EA also dropped the top 10 lists for highest-rated tight ends, including Kelce and cornerbacks in the game.
Cornerbacks Tight Ends
Jalen Ramsey 97 1. Travis Kelce 99
Jaire Alexander 95 2. George Kittle 96
Patrick Surtain II 94 3. Mark Andrews 95
Sauce Gardner 93 4. T.J. Hockenson 90
Marlon Humphrey 93 5. Dallas Goedert 89
Darius Slay 92 6. Kyle Pitts 87
Stephon Gilmore 91 7. Darren Waller 86
Marshon Lattimore 90 8. Pat Freiermuth 85
Tre’Davious White 90 9. David Njoku 84
Denzel Ward 88 10. Evan Engram 84
The Top 10 Running Backs & Offensive Linemen
Yesterday, the company did the same with guards and running backs who surprisingly won’t have a representative in the Madden 99 Club, which adds to the current disrespect of the NFL running back. Browns running back Nick Chubb comes the closest with a 97 overall rating.
Running Backs Offensive Linemen
Nick Chubb 97 1. Zack Martin 99
Christian McCaffrey 96 2. Trent Williams 98
Josh Jacobs 95 3. Lane Johnson 98
Derrick Henry 94 4. Laremy Tunsil 95
Saquon Barkley 93 5. Chris Lindstrom 93
Dalvin Cook 91 6. Joel Bitonio 92
Austin Ekeler 89 7. Tristan Wirfs 92
Jonathan Taylor 89 8. Quenton Nelson 92
Tony Pollard 88 9. Jason Kelce 92
Aaron Jones 88 10. Andrew Thomas 92
Which Quarterbacks Will Land In Madden NFL 24’s 99 Club?
We believe EA is saving the best for last, which is quarterbacks, and again we think there is a good chance we might see two or maybe three QBs in the Madden 99 Overall club in Madden NFL 24.
Will Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes make it again, will Madden NFL 24’s cover athlete Josh Allen or Eagles phenom Jalen Hurts earn their first 99 overall rating?
We shall see in the coming days.
Madden NFL 24 arrives on August 15.
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Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty
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Source: EA/ Cliffhanger Games / Black Panther
It’s official, de Bleck Pantha is getting his own standalone video game.
Wakanda Forever!
On the heels of the 57th anniversary of the Black Panther’s Marvel Comics’ debut, Monday, July 10, Cliffhanger Games, a new studio, is working on a third-person video game for the iconic superhero.
Reports of T’Challa’s standalone video game adventure first hit the internet in July 2022. Now we know the new triple-A development studio based in Seattle is up to delivering a Black Panther video game that will hopefully be up in the ranks with other Marvel video games like Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and criminally slept on Guardians of The Galaxy.
Per Marvel, the studio’s mission “is to build an expansive and reactive world that empowers players to experience what it is like to take on the mantle of Wakanda’s protector, the Black Panther.”
Development on the game will be led by Kevin Stephens (Monolith Productions), with a team full of talent who worked on popular titles like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Halo Infinite, God of War, Call of Duty, and others.
“We’re dedicated to delivering fans a definitive and authentic Black Panther experience, giving them more agency and control over their narrative than they have ever experienced in a story-driven video game. Wakanda is a rich Super Hero sandbox, and our mission is to develop an epic world for players who love Black Panther and want to explore the world of Wakanda as much as we do,” said Stephens.
Cliffhanger Games & Marvel Are Working Closely Together On Black Panther
When it comes to comic book IP, fans are demanding to please because they expect either the movies, original series, or games to meet the standards of the comics.
Smith ensures they will hit that mark, confirming Cliffhanger Games and Marvel have been working closely together on the game, stating “to ensure that we craft every aspect of Wakanda, its technology, its heroes, and our own original story with the attention to detail and authenticity that the world of Black Panther deserves.”
He continues, “It’s an incredibly rare opportunity to build a new team around the values of diversity, collaboration, and empowerment,” said Kevin. “We want our game to enable players to feel what it’s like to be worthy of the Black Panther mantle in unique, story-driven ways, and we want Cliffhanger Games to empower everyone on our team as we collaborate to bring this amazing world to life.”
Reception To The News
Unsurprisingly, fans are happy to hear about Black Panther officially getting a video game. Take that superhero fatigue. We got a taste of what it’s like to control King T’Challa in Crystal Dynamic’s disappointing Marvel’s Avengers in a well-received War For Wakanda expansion.
There is also the news of the mysterious Captain America and Black Panther video game.
If we have any concerns, we want to see all of the Black and Brown video game development talent working on this title, and it’s only fitting. Now when it comes to that, the pickings are slim. We know that we are not naive, but they are out there, and to see concerted effort would be very much appreciated.
So far, it looks like Cliffhanger Games is on the right track. Jercye Dianingana, a 3D Senior Environment Artist II at Cliffhanger Games, was happy to reveal he was working on the Black Panther game.
We love to see it because we are rooting for everyone Black. ALWAYS!
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: EA/ Cliffhanger Games / Black Panther
2. Let’s gooooo
4. The deets
5. This better not be the case
6. We all are.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Oreos and Nintendo are powering up a sweet collaboration slated to hit shelves next month. Announced Monday (June 26), the limited-edition […]
They didn’t just f–k things up, if you noticed, for the “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem).” In fact, Halsey sounds pretty satisfied about her collaboration with BTS‘ Suga to promote the latest installment of the Blizzard Entertainment game.
“Collaborating with Suga on a project that revolves around our mutual admiration for dark mythology has been a longstanding dream of mine. ‘SUGA’s Interlude,’ our previous collaboration, while introspective, is pretty whimsical in tone,” the Grammy nominee tells Billboard of their new take on the song — which dropped June 5 — off her critically acclaimed 2021 album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. “Together, we were able to infuse the anthem with intricate narratives that encompass a wider range of emotions I wouldn’t have been able to tell without him. He added a whole new perspective to the song. Plus, it was just honestly really cool to do something so badass with my friend.”
The reworking of “Lilith” — which Halsey calls “an exciting challenge” to capture the “essence” of the game’s character of the same name — includes not only “actual sounds from gameplay throughout,” but a new verse by the BTS rapper. Midway through the song, Suga rhymes, “Step out of the moment that’s been trapping you in/ All this negativity of hatred and insanity/ Don’t dwell on the past/ It’s time to make a change/ Look around believe in what you see/ I have returned to hell.”
Halsey, who says they were “beyond excited” when Blizzard reached out to her to collaborate on the Diablo IV anthem and music video — which arrived alongside the revamped track — tells Billboard she “wanted to capture the game’s dark and immersive” tone. The visual for “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” — which also features Suga — was filmed at the Chapelle des Jésuites in Cambrai, France, a setting that beautifully captures the gothic feel of the game. The musician added to that tone by using their line of about-face makeup to create the look for Blessed Mother Lilith, whom she portrays in the music video.
“Every visual aspect of this collaboration — including my outfit and makeup — was carefully crafted to be in tune with the character Lilith,” explains Halsey, who looks every bit the fierce warrior in her leather outfit and sword. “The web around my eyes simulates a placenta, which is part of the Lilith lore in its origin, but also the web of viscera that descends from in her character intro for the game.”
And while it was Suga whom Halsey collaborated with this time, the star is down for working with any and all members of BTS. “I would never say no to working with any of them, ever,” says the artist, who previously collaborated with the group on 2019’s “Boy With Luv,” which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. “They are always so dedicated and committed, and they bring singular talent to everything they do. We’re all so busy working all the time, it’s always one of my favorite parts of the year when we have something collaborative going on, because then we actually get to hang out!”
Revisit Halsey’s revamp of “Lilith” featuring Suga below:
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Xbox wants to take your gaming experience to the next level with an Xbox Series X mini fridge, which is back […]
Don’t dwell on the past, because a behind-the-scenes video of the making of Halsey and Suga‘s collab of “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” is about to drop, and Billboard has an exclusive first look at the BTS rapper’s time filming the visual.
During an interview taped while making the music video, Suga shares what a big fan he is of the Diablo video games, and how Diablo IV — which arrived June 6 — will play into his downtime while he’s on his first solo world tour. “I played Diablo 1, 2 and 3,” he tells the camera. “Back then, I spent a lot of time in the Cow Level.” (According to PC Gamer, Cow Level in Diablo 3 is a secret level event that honored artist Kevin Kanai Griffith, who died in October 2014 from a rare form of cancer. In that level, players battle against a horde of — yup, you guessed it — armed cow warriors.)
“I am preparing to play [Diablo IV] once it releases and I am touring,” continues the K-pop star, who is currently on the road supporting his solo album, D-DAY. “I bought a new laptop and I am just waiting. Once it releases, I will be playing, even as I am touring.”
The music video featuring the BTS member originally dropped on June 5, and since then, has already raked in more than 8 million views on YouTube. The moody visual — which was done in collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment, the video game developer behind the popular Diablo series — features Halsey walking through the Chapelle des Jésuites in Cambrai, France, while draped in dark hooded cloak before dropping it to reveal her fierce warrior garb and eventually becoming the game’s Blessed Mother Lilith. The reworked, darker version of “Lilith” — originally from her critically acclaimed 2021 album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power — has Suga joining Halsey for the chorus and rhyming a new verse about mid-song.
“Step out of the moment that’s been trapping you in/ All this negativity of hatred and insanity/ Don’t dwell on the past/ It’s time to make a change/ Look around believe in what you see/ I have returned to hell,” he raps before duetting with Halsey.
“I’m thrilled that I got to collab with SUGA of BTS on a reimagined version of ‘Lilith; for the Diablo IV anthem!” Halsey previously said in a statement of working with the K-pop star. “Having spent countless hours in Sanctuary with my family, I’m here as both a fan and a collaborator. Plus, I’ve always wanted to do a concept with SUGA with this type of dark mythology. Hopefully, fans of Diablo, SUGA, and myself will love Lilith’s embrace.”
Watch Billboard‘s exclusive clip of Suga talking about his love for the game above, and check out the full behind-the-scenes video of the making of his and Halsey’s “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” when it arrives later today.
In the meantime, revisit Halsey and Suga’s full music video for “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” below:
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Source: Visual Concepts / NBA 2K
The NFL is the most popular professional sports league in the United States, but according to a new poll, it can’t claim the crown in the video game space.
Spotted on Variety, Madden NFL has been sacked. It is no longer the pinnacle in sports video games, Visual Concepts NBA 2K is king in the U.S., according to new research conducted by OHgamblers.
Analyzing Google searches and search terms related to the basketball video game, sports gaming experts determined that NBA 2K was the most searched game in 31 states over the past 12 months. Massachusetts, New York, and California top the list for the most NBA 2K-related searches.
This shouldn’t come as no surprise, being how popular NBA 2K has become since arriving in 1999. It quickly became the dominant basketball video game franchise thanks to its stellar presentation, superb gameplay, and realistic graphics, helping it dunk on its direct rival, the NBA Live franchise.
That game hasn’t been seen since the legendary NBA Elite 11 Andrum Bynum glitch.
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It’s Not Easy Being At The Top
It hasn’t been an easy transition dunk for NBA 2K, either. Literally being the only basketball video game on the market and there is no direct competitor to keep the game’s developers on the toes, the product got stale with its passionate community ripping the game that became a cash grab due to microtransactions.
But, as of late, with the arrival of the PS5, and Xbox Series X, developers were able to bring new energy to the game thanks to better technology, making the experience look and feel even better than previous iterations.
We loved NBA 2K23, and in our review, we called the game a marginal improvement from NBA 2K22, which wins by celebrating the NBA’s past, specifically the Jordan years.
Madden NFL has also fallen victim to the curse of offering the “same game” every year, just in shiny new packing with a different cover athlete.
So maybe that contributed to the game losing its popularity. Hell, actual NFL players were on Twitter ripping Madden NFL 23, so hopefully, Madden NFL 24 will be a significant improvement next year.
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Photo: Visual Concepts / NBA 2K
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Source: Activision / Call of Duty / Nickmercs
FaZe Clan member Nickmercs learned swiftly that spewing anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric will cost you.
Spotted on PC Gamer, Nickmercs got his Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone skin pulled by Activision after he posted a headass anti-LGBTQ+ tweet.
In response to a tweet from CharlieIntel, a Call of Duty-focused website, which speculated that that was why Nickmerc’s skin was suddenly missing because of his comments, the Call of Duty Twitter account did confirm his skin is no longer available.
“Due to recent events, we have removed the ‘NICKMERCS Operator’ bundle from the Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone store,” the tweet begins.
The tweet in question from the FaZe Clan member, who has 6.7 million followers on Twitch and 2 million on Twitter, was a reply to a tweet from eSports broadcaster Chris Puckett highlighting a clash between anti and pro-LGBTQ+ demonstrators at a school that was voting to decide if it should recognize June as Pride Month.
“They should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue,” Nickmercs said in his problematic tweet.
Outrage quickly followed after Nickmerc’s tweet, with Puckett himself responding, “Who is this ‘they’ and what terrible act is everyone afraid of?” he inquired. “I think/hope the goal of most of ‘them’ is to reduce child suicides. This is done through acceptance and removing the stigma of feeling/being different.”
Per the website, Nickmercs said he would not delete the tweet or apologize in a stream, claiming he does not resent the LGBTQ+ community.
Riiiiggghhht.
Bigots Are Big Mad
As expected, Actvision’s decision garnered plenty of reactions from gamers. You got the usual suspects who claim they will now be boycotting the company and popular video for taking the right stance.
Welp, it looks like they will have to stay mad because Nickmercs skin is no longer available, and there are no signs it is coming back.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Activision / Call of Duty
1. LOL, you won’t be missed on the COD battlefield
2. Another hater
3. Another loser who claims to be an ally
6. Y’all know what he meant
7. The lack of comprehension
9. Are y’all okay?
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Source: LEON NEAL / Getty / Grand Theft Auto V
We can’t think of any other game that has been able to live such a long life than Grand Theft Auto V, and it will reportedly get more content to keep it going.
Spotted on Gaming Bible, Grand Theft Auto V is getting a San Andreas story expansion furthering Rockstar Games’ commitment to squeeze out as much green out of its cash cow, GTA Online, while they continue to work on Grand Theft Auto 6.
Per Gaming Bible:
Coming this month, on June 13, fans can expect GTA Online: San Andreas Mercenaries to launch. This free expansion will see players working together to fight Merryweather Security as part of the Los Santos Angels.
Players will take part in missions involving “stealing sensitive data from server farms, conducting raids, and dropping explosive payloads on high-value targets across the state.” Heavy stuff.
Rockstar also promises “spontaneous opportunities” to make money and earn new items in the world by taking down moving targets and completing random events.
The website also reports that GTA Online players can expect a bevy of fixes and quality-of-life improvements to the game, including:
When calling Mors Mutual Insurance, you’ll be able to claim all destroyed vehicles at once.
An alternate sprint control option (hold to sprint) will be added to the Settings Menu.
Custom description tags for garages to help quickly locate your favorite rides.
The Willard Eudora and Albany Classique Broadway will become eligible for Taxi Work when using Taxi Liveries.
Updates to the Creator to incorporate additional props and weather options, including snow.
Are We Close To Seeing Grand Theft Auto 6?
The news of this GTA Online update comes on the heels of reports Rockstar Games is very close to giving us our first look at Grand Theft Auto 6.
The highly-anticipated game was already the victim of a massive leak that confirmed earlier reports that the game would feature a female playable character, have a Bonnie and Clyde influence, and will take us back to Vice City.
We might catch our first look at Summer Game Fest or the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase, so stay tuned.
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Photo: LEON NEAL / Getty / Grand Theft Auto V
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