Meta has just wrapped its latest Quest Gaming Showcase, where it previewed a bunch of virtual reality games coming to its Quest headsets. This year could prove to be an important one for Meta in gaming: it just announced the Quest 3, and with Sony’s recent launch of the PSVR 2 and Apple’s rumored headset likely having some major games of its own, there’s growing competition for VR gamers. But for players invested in Meta’s VR platform, it seems like there will be some good games to look forward to.
Below are some of the most notable announcements from the show. If you want to see the full list of what was revealed, check out Meta’s blog post.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 looks like a massive RPG adventure
“I’m not a grown man — I’m a growing man,” Alexander says. His new memoir started as a book of love poems, but ended up being a collection of essays and poems about love, divorce and raising children.
It won’t be long before U.S. men’s national team fans get their first look at Folarin Balogun in the stars and stripes, with the Reims striker set to appear in his first training camp next week.
Just two weeks after switching allegiance from England, a move that was considered a massive coup for the U.S., Balogun was named in the USMNT’s 24-man training camp roster ahead of this month’s Concacaf Nations League Final Four (23 of the 24 players will make the semifinal roster). It is widely anticipated he will make his official debut against Mexico in the semifinals June 15.
The U.S. named one of its strongest rosters in recent memory, even stronger than December’s World Cup squad given the absences of Miles Robinson, Chris Richards and Ricardo Pepi in Qatar. However, the USMNT will be without its captain in Tyler Adams due to a lingering injury suffered during the Premier League season with Leeds while defender Tim Ream is also out with injury.
The 21-year-old Balogun excelled with 20 Ligue 1 goals for Reims this season.
“In addition to having big-game experience and top-level talent, what’s great about this group overall is the familiarity and understanding that’s been built together these last four years about our style and our culture,” Callaghan said in a statement.. “We’re excited to integrate some of the newer faces as we set out to achieve our first goal of the summer in defending the Concacaf Nations League title.”
The winner of the Nations League semifinals will take on Canada or Panama in the final June 18. The U.S. is the current holder of the inaugural Nations League title.
USMNT Training Camp Roster
GOALKEEPERS: Drake Callender (Inter Miami), Josh Cohen (Maccabi Haifa), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC), Matt Turner (Arsenal)
DEFENDERS: Sergiño Dest (AC Milan), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
MIDFIELDERS: Johnny Cardoso (Internacional), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Leeds United), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez),
FORWARDS: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Folarin Balogun (Stade Reims), Taylor Booth (Utrecht), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Tim Weah (Lille), Alex Zendejas (Club América)
“Relieved,” Brady told ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap when asked about how he’d feel as he watches the new NFL season instead of playing. “I won’t have Aaron Donald trying to chase me down and knock me out. I won’t have these guys that would have gotten paid a lot of money to hit me and knock me on the ground.
“I do have a record for being sacked more than any other quarterback in NFL history which, maybe somebody will break that record someday, but I’ve got a lot of bumps and bruises to show for 23 great seasons. But, you know, I certainly won’t miss that. But that’s OK. I’ve had an amazing experience, and it’s time. …
“The game’s in great hands. … It’s time for other guys to do it. And you know, I saw Peyton [Manning] retire. I saw all these guys that I looked up to … Brett Favre retire … and now I’m just a retired NFL player who is looking forward to watching these young guys continue to be great representatives of their teams, their communities and of their families as they move forward in their career.”
Tom Brady expects to feel “relieved” that he’s not playing when the NFL season kicks off pic.twitter.com/EXGFUdBy0n
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 1, 2023
Brady’s comments to Sports Illustrated and ESPN come on the heels of rampant speculation regarding whether or not the 15-time Pro Bowler would unretire for a second time. Brady briefly walked away from the game last offseason before announcing his return to play one last season with the Buccaneers, and speculation grew after his latest retirement announcement.
Brady has been linked to the Dolphins, as well as the Raiders, with whom he has entered into an agreement to become a minority owner alongside Mark Davis. That agreement has been finalized between Brady and Davis and is awaiting NFL approval.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off tonight in Denver. Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets are listed as 8-and-a-half point favorites over Jimmy Butler and the Heat. The Heat are coming off a grueling 7 game series and are traveling to Denver with 1 day of rest. Watch along as Nick Wright determines if the Heat will draw dead in Game 1 of the series due to limited rest and the high altitude.
ESPN’s First Take produced a viral moment Thursday when Jay Williams said that Heat star Jimmy Butler was harder to guard this year than Kevin Durant and LeBron James.
The question was based on an Aaron Gordon quote in which he said Butler “is a difficult cover for different reasons” than the challenges Durant and James present. The take was sure to raise some eyebrows even with Butler’s dominance this postseason, and Smith’s immediate reaction was priceless. Williams did, however, make a fairly compelling case, arguing that Durant had been thrust into a new system with the Suns and was coming off an injury, while LeBron was facing taxing defensive responsibilities.
“Jimmy Butler, a guy who can get to different spots, a guy who actually has attention to detail in the conditioning, is different than the other two,” Williams said. He later called him one of the best in the NBA at using ball fakes, shot fakes and “unorthodox moves” around the rim.
As you can see, Williams’s impassioned argument did little to move Smith, whose facial expressions throughout WIlliams’s pitch are sure to be used again and again in memes.
“It’s asinine stuff like this that drives me crazy because the man knows basketball,” Smith said. “[Williams] says stuff just to rile me up. This was a shot at Stephen A. He knew that he was going to get on my nerves with this answer. … He lives to do this, ladies and gentlemen.”
As for Stephen A’s take, he gave Butler credit and called him “top five” when the postseason comes around, but had a simple message for those who call him harder to guard than LeBron or Durant.
