Former Cleveland Indians outfielder and the sports world’s heartthrob Grady Sizemore will be MLB The Show 21’s first 3rd Inning boss. Each Inning program gives players a chance to score rewards through packs by playing the game, rewarding them with more ballplayers for their Diamond Dynasty team as well as other goodies across the game’s modes.
In order to acquire a boss, you have to hit an XP threshold and win them via a special card pack. The bosses represent the characters at the very peak of their abilities, which for Grady Sizemore was his 2008 season. During this season, he was a member of the 30-30 club, hitting 33 home runs and stealing 38 bases. He subsequently dealt with lingering injuries that caused him to miss a significant amount of playing time. Also, he once shattered a light with a foul ball when I saw him play the Pirates in Pittsburgh.
Prime-era Grady Sizemore will certainly add some pep to the top of your lineup, and he also won a Gold Glove for his fielding work in 2008, so you’ll have the gaps locked down.
Diamond Dynasty is essentially the MLB The Show series’ take on the Ultimate Team modes found in EA Sports games, having you collect cards that you can also spend real money to acquire more quickly. However, cards are also used for other modes, including the RPG-like Road to the Show, in order to equip stat-boosting perks and gear. Extra Stubs currency is available for real money and is occasionally awarded during regular play, allowing you to choose which type of pack you want next.
MLB The Show 21 is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, and it’s free via Xbox Game Pass.
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron has revealed some of his inspirations for the upcoming sequel, and they might not be what you’d expect.
He told Vanity Fair that the late chef and traveller Anthony Bourdain and the fictional adventurer Indiana Jones were two of his inspirations for the sequel. Stephen Strange and Bourdain are obviously very different in a lot of ways, but Bourdain had an “intense intellect” not unlike Strange, Waldron said.
“I gravitated toward Anthony Bourdain,” Waldron said. “Strange is an elitist as a neurosurgeon and a sorcerer. Anthony Bourdain was a man of the people, but there was that intense intellect. You always felt like he could eviscerate anybody with his words at any time. But yet, Anthony Bourdain never really punched down. That was the first ingredient in the stew for Doctor Strange.
“Anthony Bourdain had been everywhere, seen everything,” he added. “What surprises you at this point? I think for all of the heroes in the MCU, in a post-Endgame world, how do you rally yourself to fight the stand-alone movie villains after you fought Thanos?”
Waldron was also inspired by Indiana Jones. For Waldron’s money, Doctor Strange is basically “Indiana Jones in a cloak.”
“He’s a hero who can take a punch,” Waldron said. “That’s what made those Harrison Ford heroes so great. Those guys get their asses kicked. Look at Stephen Strange in the first movie. He’s really getting beat up but he’s very capable and everything.”
Waldron’s friend, Rick and Morty’s Jeff Loveness, remarked that Waldron wanted to write a “really great Indiana Jones-esque blockbuster,” and that’s what he said he achieved with In the Multiverse of Madness.
What’s more, Waldron spoke about the pressure he feels to give Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff a good story in the Doctor Strange sequel. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t gonna let my friend down,” he said of WandaVision creator Jac Schaeffer. “I can’t sh** the bed because she did such a great job. So we had a lot of conversations. Getting to continue Wanda’s story was amazing.”
In other news, Waldron also recently said that In the Multiverse of Madness is “visually thrilling” and will be “unlike anything you’ve seen in the MCU before.”
In the Multiverse of Madness comes to theaters in 2022. It’s directed by Spider-Man’s Sam Raimi, who took over for Scott Derrickson after he dropped out due to creative differences.
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For the last two decades, some of the biggest gaming news and reveals have come during the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3. the yearly video game industry trade show, where the newest titles and products are on full display. Many for the first time. But even though the show has drawn 10s of thousands of people to its convention centers every summer, the show itself has gone through a whole lot of changes during this 27 year-long run… well, 26 if you exclude the canceled one last year. So let’s take a look back at the history of E3 and maybe laugh at all the dorky 90s outfits.
The world of Critical Role is coming to the real world in miniature form thanks to WizKids, which can help elevate your Dungeons & Dragons games. Recently hitting store shelves, there are plenty of beasts and characters you may want to add to your collection, including a 10-inch tall one.
The Udaak is quite the large and in charge beast and barely qualifies as a “mini” as it comes in at 10 inches tall, towering over your characters. It has a clear base, so you can see what’s going on in the battlefield as well. One of the more vicious beasts of Wildemount, it has the ability to swallow your adventurers whole, and you’ll have to fight your way out in order to make it puke.
In the second box of monsters, you can get your hands on seven beasts you may fight during your Wildemount journey.
Sahuagin Warlock of Uk’otoa
Sea Fury
Gearkeeper Construct
Gloomstalker
Merrow Shallowpriest
Moorbounder
Swavain Basilisk
For more information on all these beasts–like hit points, AC, etc–you can get all their stats in Dungeons & Dragons: Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount. All the info is in there, and it’s currently on sale on Amazon for $23. It’s a solid addition to your D&D gaming if you want to run a Critical Role campaign.
Additionally, you can get a closer look at some of the monsters of Wildemount below, one of which gives you a better idea as to the scale of Udaak–it’s huge.
EA and DICE will formally announce the new Battlefield game on June 9, but ahead of that, what appears to be some screenshots from the military shooter have emerged.
The images were posted to Imgur. They show off what may be the first look at gameplay, and perhaps most notably, the images seem to suggest that the game is set in the modern day or near future, as had been rumored. One of the images contains a disclaimer about pre-alpha footage, so even if these images are real, they may not be representative of the final product. One particularly dramatic image shows what looks like a sandstorm overtaking a city; another screen shows a player in a tank moving through a city at night.
EA has begun to tease the new Battlefield game by sending a viral message to influencers that says, “War is the only way home.”
The new Battlefield game, whatever it’s called, will be formally announced on June 9. It remains to be seen if it will show up at E3 2021 days later, however. Electronic Arts is not formally attending the show, instead opting to host its own EA Play Live event in July.
A rumor has suggested that the new Battlefield game could come to Xbox Game Pass. In that case, and if it’s at E3, it could potentially show up at the Xbox briefing–but this is only speculation.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson recently hyped the game, saying, “I think it’s going to be huge. Battlefield is such a great franchise. It’s been a number of years since we’ve been in the market with that game.”
Avengers Campus is finally open at the Disneyland Resort’s Disney California Adventure. With a new ride, plenty of character experiences, and a long list of foods to try, it should keep anyone visiting pretty busy for the duration of their stay. For eagle-eyed Marvel fans, though, there’s a whole other layer of immersion thanks to a surprising amount of Easter eggs hidden throughout the land.
Obviously, when it comes to Marvel, you expect hidden references to various corners of the universe. At Avengers Campus, though, everywhere you look there is probably a secret nod to something–and not even just other Marvel characters.
The land is filled with a variety of Easter eggs referencing MCU movies, but also Pixar and Disney movies, as well as retired Disney theme park rides and experiences. There are so many, in fact, that it would be nearly impossible to catalog them all unless you had the land to yourself for months on and to go over every inch with a microscope.
GameSpot sadly didn’t have months. However, we did get the chance to visit the expansion during a media preview and were able to find a number of well-hidden and very fun Easter eggs. Take a look at the 15 best we could find below. Then, when you visit Avengers Campus yourself, let us know in the comments what your favorites are.
Avengers Campus is open now at Disney California Adventure.
1. An Avengers-sized snack
The Shawarma cart in Avengers Campus is an Easter egg unto itself, nodding back to the post-credits meal the heroes enjoyed in the first Avengers film. However, the cart is also covered in newspaper clippings, notes, and photos referencing a number of things in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so study it carefully.
2. Damage Control
Spread around Avengers Campus are crates marked “Damage Control.” That, of course, is a group referenced in both Agents of SHIELD and Spider-Man: Homecoming–they’re the government operatives that arrive to clear up the alien wreckage at the beginning of the movie.
3. Miles Morales
Though he’s yet to appear in the MCU, Miles Morales is one of the most popular Marvel characters around these days (thanks to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). And he’s also a student at the Worldwide Engineering Brigade (WEB), which is home to the new Spider-Man ride, it turns out. On the side of the WEB Slingers building is a massive piece of graffiti with Miles’ tag on it.
4. Remnants of SSR
There is a story behind Avengers Campus. In the land’s canon, the location was originally a Stark Industries complex that also happened to serve as a base of operations for the Strategic Scientific Reserve. The SSR was a precursor to SHIELD that was created to battle HYDRA and included members like Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and Edwin Jarvis. While the SSR is long gone, you’ll still see some of their markings left on buildings if you’re paying close enough attention.
5. The parking spots
There are a few places around the campus still marked from the compound’s SSR days, including parking spaces for Peggy, Howard, and Jarvis. You’ll have to go out of your way to find them, though.
6. A claw machine stuffed with Easter eggs
In the pre-show area for WEB Slingers, there’s a claw machine on the left side of the room. In it are a number of Easter eggs, including a Captain Marvel Funko Pop, a Big Hero Six Baymax toy, a tiny green alien from Toy Story, and a pair of 3D glasses from It’s Tough to Be a Bug, the primary attraction from A Bug’s Land–which was closed in 2018 to make room for Avengers Campus.
7. The LEGO Death Star
Also in the pre-show, you may notice a LEGO Death Star on a shelf. In theory, that’s the same one Peter and Ned were building in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
8. These WEB kids look familiar
You may also recognize some of the WEB kids working on WEB Slingers. Obviously, Peter Parker is involved. However, you can also see that Harley Keener (the kid from Iron Man 3) is there, along with some new (but very familiar) characters. In the comics, Lunella Lafayette is Moon Girl, Doreen Green is Squirrel Girl, and Onome is a child prodigy from Wakanda who became a member of the Future Foundation. All of the characters also appear in the ride’s pre-show.
9. Squirrel Girl’s bike
Since they are students there, it should come as no surprise that their belongings are also laying around. One of the more notable touches is Squirrel Girl’s bike–complete with an acorn-shaped bag–in the bike rack.
10. Harley’s potato gun shenanigans
In Iron Man 3, Harley showed Tony a super-powered potato gun he built. Evidently, he hasn’t given up on his favorite invention and it’s dangerous enough to warrant a sign in the WEB Slingers line queue.
11. Very colorful lockers
Elsewhere in the queue, you’ll see a collection of WEB student lockers–many of which belong to a variety of Marvel characters. Among the kids at WEB are the aforementioned Miles Morales, America Chavez (Miss America), Harley Keener, and so many more.
12. Some clever cleaning supplies
Even the cleaning supplies in WEB Slingers are Easter eggs. There are nods to characters Monkey Joe, Wal Rus, and Goom. Our favorite, though, is the can that says WDI 1401. This is a reference to Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), with 1401 representing the group’s office address, 1401 Flower Street, Glendale, Ca.
13. A Hawkeye Easter egg
Hawkeye hasn’t even premiered yet, but there is a nod to the series. As you leave WEB Slingers, check out the sticker above the exit door. Lucky Dog’s Pizza is a reference to Clint Barton’s dog Lucky, who will be seen in the series.
14. A nod to California Adventure’s past
When getting your condiments at Pym test Kitchen, don’t forget to look up at the giant-sized ketchup and mustard bottles hanging from the ceiling. They are labeled Bountiful Valley Farms, which is a reference to a farming area in the original iteration of Disney California Adventure. It was closed to make way for A Bug’s Land, which itself was demolished to build Avengers Campus.
15. The Incredible Hulk Tree
We saved the best for last. This particular Easter egg was actually pointed out to GameSpot by a member of Walt Disney Imagineering. The Incredible Hulk tree is on the side of the WEB Slingers building. It’s a massive tree compared to those around it and if you look behind it, you’ll see why. There are gamma radiation pipes on the side of the WEB building, seemingly dumping the substance into the soil. While the young geniuses polluting the soil in Avengers Campus is probably not the best idea, it has resulted in one gigantic tree.
A new piece of official art from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been revealed, which features the main cast drawn in the classic style of old-school Marvel comics.
Reportedly given to cast and crew as a gift, the faux comic cover art features Wanda Maximoff in her new Scarlet Witch costume, plus Doctor Strange and his companion in the mystic arts, Wong. And then, on the right of the image, we have what is our first-ish look at the MCU’s America Chavez.
Played by Xochitl Gomez in the upcoming movie, it looks like the MCU’s America will retain the iconic jacket with stars-and-stripes motif. Chavez is often drawn about to throw a punch in Marvel art, too, and that’s captured here.
To say that finding a new RTX 30 series video card at retail price is difficult is a sore understatement. To be honest, the hunt for an RTX 30 series card makes finding a PS5 or Xbox Series X a cakewalk. Instead, getting a prebuilt PC equipped with an RTX 30 series card might be a bit easier, but you usually still have to wait 8 weeks or longer to receive it.
Today, though, there’s a glimmer of hope. Adorama has listed a number of name brand prebuilt PCs with RTX 3060, RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3070, and RTX 3090 graphics cards that are “in stock and ready to ship” right now. It is very likely that Adorama only has a single digit amount of each unit in stock. There’s even a chance that the stock tracker might not be up to date. But for those of you who need or want instant gratification, it’s worth a shot.
Eric Song is IGN’s deal curator and spends roughly 1/4 of his income on stuff he posts. Check out the IGN Deals articles and subscribe to the IGN Deals Twitter page.
Muschietti threw up the proverbial Bat-Signal and summoned fans to his Instagram page on Friday when he posted a new photo to his grid, featured right alongside a bunch of previous set photos from The Flash, which officially entered production in April. The latest snap offers a glimpse of Keaton’s classic Batman suit, with a few drops of blood splashed across the iconic black and yellow chest symbol.
Muschietti shared the image without a caption, so details of Keaton’s role in The Flash remain sparse for now. He is, however, one of two Batmen scheduled to appear in the movie, with Ben Affleck also set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne. Muschietti previously said Affleck would be responsible for delivering “a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie.”
Alongside Keaton and Affleck, the cast also includes Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, Maribel Verdú as Allen’s mother Nora, and, reportedly, Ron Livingston as Allen’s father, replacing Billy Cudrup who played Allen’s dad in Justice League. Sasha Calle is also set to bring the Girl of Steel back to the big screen, as she’s been cast to play Supergirl in The Flash.
Touted as a version of the classic DC Flashpoint story, the story will apparently “restart everything” in the DC cinematic universe. “It’s going to be fun and exciting and there are a lot of DC characters in it,” said producer Barbara Muschietti. “Flash is the superhero of this film because he is the bridge between all of these characters and timelines. And in a way, it restarts everything and doesn’t forget anything.”
Meanwhile, Matt Reeves has been working on the next Batman solo film, which is said to start from scratch, with a story set in the second year of the caped crusader’s career. The movie is expected to form part of a trilogy, with the first installment starring Pattinson in the lead role alongside Jeffrey Wright’s Commissioner Gordon, Zoë Kravitz’ Catwoman, Paul Dano’s Riddler, and Colin Farrell’s Penguin.
Hasbro’s G.I. Joe Classified line of 6-inch figures is getting an updated take on its Snake Eyes figure, by way of a Snake Eyes and Timber: Alpha Commandos two-pack coming July 1.
Snake Eyes, if you’re unaware, is generally agreed upon as the coolest G.I. Joe member, with his ninjitsu training and super-secret commando background. Timber is Snake Eyes’ loyal pet wolf, which adds another facet of amazingness to this already legendary Joe.
Check out the slideshow below to see Timber and Snake Eyes in their latest forms:
This isn’t Snake Eyes’ first appearance in the G.I. Joe Classified line, nor is it his first special-edition. The original Classified series line-up featured a special-edition Snake Eyes with weapons rack and other assorted goodness. Best believe I bought that one when it was available.
The new Snake Eyes and Timber G.I. Joe Classified collector’s pack can be preordered for $39.99 beginning June 10 at 1 PM ET, and will be available “July 1, 2021 at select toy retailers,” according to Hasbro.
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Seth Macy is IGN’s Executive Editor, IGN Commerce, and just wants to be your friend. You canfollow him on Twitter.
