TMZ Games

"Jeopardy!" will look different for Season 37 ... new set, new talent, but worry not, because Alex is back!!!

Ken Jennings, the all-time, winningest contestant, will put his mug in front of the camera, challenging new contestants by reading answers from various categories.  He'll also be a consulting producer and he'll help develop new projects.

There will also be a COVID-safe new set for the Sept. 14 rollout.

As for Alex, it's great news. He's responding well to his cancer treatments and is approaching the 2-year survival mark.

Alex feels good enough that he may be going stir-crazy cooped up at home, saying, “I believe we are the first quiz show to come back on the air in the COVID-19 era. On a personal level, I’m excited because it gets me out of the house. It gives me something to do on a regular basis, and I was missing that.”

It may be the offseason for Ben Simmons, but the NBA superstar is getting right back into competition mode ... taking part in a HUGE Call of Duty tournament backed by FaZe Clan.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Simmons -- who recently invested in FaZe Clan -- is part of a celeb-packed lineup for the "Twitch Rivals: FaZe Face-Off Ft. Warzone" event going down on September 17.

Simmons -- AKA "FaZe Simmo" will join big names like Marshmello, Slim Jxmmi, Carnage, Lil Durk, Bulls star Zach LaVine and USWNT Allie Long in the Call of Duty competition, which is the first event from FaZe Clan's new series with the Twitch Rivals streaming service.

The competition will also feature FaZe Clan regulars like FaZe Apex, FaZe Rug, NICKMERCS, FaZe Temperrr, and FaZe SWAGG ... as well as a bunch of other well-known streamers.

The event will consist of up to 20 teams of 4 players ... who will compete for a prize pool of $75,000!

It's been a big year for FaZe Clan ... the org. just wrapped up tournament for the game Valorant -- which was viewed online more than 5.2 MILLION times!

Oh yeah, and Bronny James just joined the squad!!!

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are breaking into the digital space like never before ... infiltrating Animal Crossing to reach a younger demographic, which is kinda genius.

The Biden-Harris campaign linked up with Nintendo to make some virtual merch available for the first time on their uber-popular game Tuesday, which 'New Horizons' users can now cop. IYKYK ... frankly, AC folks are always looking for new ways to spruce up their islands.

Among some of the items you can now swoop up -- via specific QR codes -- are three different Joe Biden campaign signs, which you can throw out onto your in-game lawn, PLUS ... an American flag-themed aviator glasses sign, which is another signature Biden token.

Of course, you can customize your character's look -- and some folks have recreated Kamala and Joe in the game itself. So yeah, your island can now feature some political ideologies ... something Animal Crossing hadn't broached before.

A rep for the campaign says they wanted to take advantage of a platform that literally reaches millions and which facilitates community. They add, "As we enter the final campaign stretch towards November, this is one way we are finding new creative and innovative ways to meet voters where they are and bring our supporters together."

Bronny James is taking his talents to the sticks by joining the world-famous FaZe Clan ... and his superstar father is giving his stamp of approval!!

The move was announced Sunday ... with the 15-year-old H.S. hoops prodigy getting a big introduction from the pro Esports group.

"He's got n̶e̶x̶t̶ now.⁣ Join us in welcoming @bronny to FaZe Clan 👑⁣" the post said on IG ... featuring a pic of James decked out in FaZe gear and a chain of the team's logo.

The Sierra Canyon star is an avid gamer off the court, playing games like Fortnite and Call of Duty.

But, don't get it twisted -- Bronny made his intentions clear shortly after the news broke, saying he's still focused on the bigger picture.

"Me joining faze don't change anything," Bronny said. "I'm still locked, coming for heads."

LeBron echoed his son's message, saying, "Straight Up Simba!"

Of course, the Lakers superstar has always talked about his dream of playing alongside his oldest in the NBA ... and it seems he's not worried about video games taking away from that possibility.

The Bronny news comes one week after superstar Ben Simmons also joined forces with FaZe as an investor ... adding to a list of celeb-backers like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Offset and Swae Lee.

The Kobe Bryant tributes continue to roll in for the newest edition of NBA 2K ... with the late Lakers legend receiving the mural treatment in the game's "neighborhood."

As we previously reported, the Black Mamba's presence will be heavy in NBA 2K21, which drops next week ... with a "Mamba Forever" edition featuring Bryant on two different covers for the current and next-gen consoles.

Fellow cover athlete Damian Lillard also teamed up with Snoop Dogg and Derrick Milano to make a song about Kobe for the game's soundtrack.

2K Sports revealed yet another tribute for Bryant in a new teaser Friday ... displaying a mural in his honor while showing off the game's new Neighborhood -- "2K Beach," a play off Venice Beach.

For those who aren't hip to the game, the Neighborhood is where players can go to play against other gamers, improve their avatar and participate in other events.

Of course, Bryant was a big part of 2K's success for years ... and was featured on the cover numerous times.

Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner is putting his fat, new contract to good use ... by investing in a major Esports company!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... 23-year-old Marner -- who just inked a 6-year, $65 million deal -- is following The Weeknd's lead in becoming a part-owner of OverActive Media, a company that has pro Overwatch and Call of Duty teams based in the 6.

The Leafs winger is an avid gamer when he's not on the ice ... making it a business move he's really passionate about.

"Over the past few months, I’ve live-streamed with several Toronto Ultra players and built some great friendships with the team at OverActive," Marner says. "As a gamer, my investment is an opportunity to join one of the best global esports organizations and to help bridge the gap between hockey fans and esports."

"I’m looking forward to working with the players and the front office to introduce the Toronto Ultra and Toronto Defiant to a young audience of traditional sport fans."

OverActive CEO Chris Overholt added ... "With roots in the city of Toronto, our entire organization is thrilled to welcome a hometown hero and hockey superstar like Mitch Marner to our investor family,"

"Mitch's authenticity within the Call of Duty scene and his interest in growing the esports industry will be such great additions to our fan base and to each of our franchises."

Karma -- the pro gamer who was struck by lightning while streaming on Twitch -- says she's no longer in physical pain ... but admits she's suffering a little "PTSD" after the crazy incident.

27-year-old Jaime Bickford was INSIDE her Boston-area home Sunday night commenting on a game of "Rocket League" when lightning struck ... and somehow, she got hit.

You can watch the live stream and HEAR the moment of impact -- it's really scary stuff.

Bickford tells TMZ Sports she's still not 100% sure how she got hit -- saying, "It all happened really fast."

"I was just commenting over this game and then a huge flash came out of my controller, like really bright," Bickford says.

"I just remember my hands burning and my body just automatically dropped the controller."

Bickford says her hands were sore for the next 2 days. But there was also mental trauma.

"I definitely had PTSD about it the day after -- just loud noises scared me. There was still thunderstorms the next day so I didn't want to touch the game just 'cause it freaked me out."

Don't get it twisted ... Bickford says she's definitely NOT walking away from gaming -- telling TMZ Sports she's worked too damn hard to quit.

As for the controller she had been using -- that's toast.

Terrifying moment from a pro gamer -- who was struck by ACTUAL LIGHTNING while streaming on Twitch ... and the video is intense.

27-year-old Jaime Bickford -- AKA Karma -- was commenting on a game of "Rocket League" on Sunday night when somehow she was hit by lightning during a storm in her area.

According to Bickford's bio, she lives in the Boston area.

During the stream, you can hear the storm rumbling, followed by Jaime shrieking in pain.

You can hear Jaime drop her controller and she begins to cry in pain.

A short time later ... she got back on the stream and provided an update.

"Sorry guys, I am a little bit upset right now. Lightning, apparently we’re having really bad thunderstorms here."

"Apparently, my house got hit or something and it went through my controller and shocked my hand. I’m completely fine. I’m just kinda ... I got scared and also my hand burns hurt a little bit."

Bickford even posted a photo of the melted controller.

She posted an update the following morning -- saying, "Hands healed up after being iced all last night and were very minor burns, controller is melted near USB connection where I got flashbanged or w/e ."

She added, "And I am COMPLETELY FINE. Thanks for the outpouring of love."

CALLING ALL CARS ... HELLO?! ANYONE? ANY CARS?

NO?

Oh, that's because there are NO MORE COP CARS in Fortnite -- and it seems to be the video game's way of acknowledging the real-life protests against police brutality.

All traces of police vehicles -- including SWAT vans -- have been removed from the game ... leaving many players wondering, why?

The Wall Street Journal cites a source at Epic Games -- the company behind the game -- who says it wasn't intended to be a political statement.

"I think it’s just us being sensitive about the issues many people in our audience are dealing with,” the source told WSJ.

The move has little to no impact on the actual gameplay -- you can't drive the cars around or anything like that ... they're basically decorative.

Epic Games hasn't spoken publicly about the issue -- but earlier this month, they posted a blog addressing the Black Lives Matter movement and the outrage over the killing of George Floyd ... and how it delayed the release of the Fortnite Season 3 launch.

"Recent events are a heavy reminder of ongoing injustices in society, from the denial of basic human rights to the impact of racism both overt and subtle against people of color," Epic Games said.

Wanna add the Holy Grail of Pokemon cards to your childhood collection?

Hope you've got the cash ... TMZ Sports has learned a SUPER rare Trainer card is hitting the auction block -- but it could fetch over $100,000!!!

We're told the No. 1 Trainer promo card is one of the rarest pieces in the history of Pokemon ... with only seven known in existence.

According to the guys over at Heritage Auctions ... the card was handed out to winners of regional Pokemon tournaments as a sort of entry ticket into an exclusive tourney in Tokyo in 1999.

The piece -- graded out as a perfect Gem MT 10 -- features art of Mewtwo and we're told it reads, "The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament's champion is recognized here, and this honor is praised."

"By presenting this card, you may gain preferential entry into the Secret Super Battle.”

With only seven copies ever created ... we're told the card is even rarer than the legendary Pikachu Illustrator card -- which has sold for over $50K in the past.

How's MLB stud Jedd Gyorko passing the time during quarantine??

INSANE CORNHOLE TRICK SHOTS, BABY!!!

The Milwaukee Brewers infielder has been crushing it with the bags while staying safe at home ... and we gotta say, these are some of the most impressive trick shots we've ever seen.

Check out some of the clips of Gyorko's bag game so far ... there's a double cornhole, a behind-the-backer and even a celebratory beer chug as well!!

But, the best shot Jedd's hit during the MLB's postponed play? That came just a few days ago when the 31-year-old holed a ridiculous shot in his West Virginia living room.

Gyorko, standing by the front door, tossed a bag some 20 feet OVER the mezzanine ... and landed it without even hitting the rim.

Yeah, INSANE, RIGHT?!?!

Of course, some called him out for the clips -- wondering how long it took him to actually hit the shots -- but Jedd proved he was the real deal in a Zoom match with ex-Cardinals teammate Kolten Wong last week.

Gyorko crushed the dude in three games ... hitting insane shots there as well -- and then he bodied his good buddy on social media for good measure afterward.

"Thanks @thewongone808 for the entertainment and competition tonight," Gyorko wrote underneath a picture of Wong faceplanting. "I appreciate ya!! Who’s next?"

Austin Rogers is freaking out over the stunning abilities of Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer ... the "Jeopardy!" sensation says these G.O.A.T.s are the LeBron's of trivia.

We got Austin -- who captivated America back in 2017 with an impressive 12-game winning streak on Alex Trebek's show -- in Harlem, and he couldn't stop gushing over the trio duking it out for a million-dollar prize.

Austin took home a whopping $411,000 during his run at the top, but he says he's been blown away watching Ken, Brad and James make some extremely difficult questions look like child's play ... and he's putting them on par with the greatest athletes on Earth.

The "Jeopardy!" boys facing off for G.O.A.T. status already have tons of cash to their names -- and with even more up for grabs ... we noticed they have very different spending habits.

TMZ did some digging, and it turns out Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer have chosen to splurge (or not splurge) on unique causes -- and you'd be surprised at who's done what with their dough. BTW, this new 3-day tourney's got a million-dollar cash prize.

That said ... let's get into the numbers a bit.

Starting with Ken, the guy's racked up a grand total of about $3.5 million in "Jeopardy!" winnings over the years between his regular 74-game streak in '04 and other tournaments he's competed in since. Looks like KJ's an investor type -- he's got quite the portfolio.

Ken's got a crib with an estimated value of $2.1 million in Seattle. He's also pledged 10% of his OG $2.52 mil haul to the Mormon church and has announced a couple other donations. Other monies are tied up in stocks and bonds.

James seems a bit more charitable, at least publicly. He's pulled in around $2.7 mil from "Jeopardy!" and a good amount has gone to charities like Project 150, Communities in Schools of Nevada, Vegas-Clark County Library District Foundation and the Lustgarten Foundation.

Super Bowl champ Jay Ajayi is taking his talents to video games ... 'cause the NFL running back is becoming a professional FIFA 20 player!!

The 26-year-old Pro Bowler and current free agent is staying competitive in a different sport by officially signing with the Philadelphia Union for the 2020 eMLS Cup campaign.

Ajayi addressed the move in a statement, saying, "Philadelphia will always hold a special place in my heart. I am blessed to be able to represent the city through e-sports and to be one of the first pro athletes to become a professional gamer."

"Representing the Philadelphia Union for eMLS combines two of my greatest passions outside of football, soccer and gaming. I’m a competitor, so you’re going to see me give my all for the Union at every eMLS event this year."

Tons of traditional mainstream athletes are becoming serious gamers -- with NBA stars like Gordon Hayward, Karl-Anthony Towns and De'Aaron Fox showing off REAL skills on the sticks.

And, with legends like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Alex Rodriguez and other guys INVESTING in Esports, you might see other pro stars making the jump, too!

As for Ajayi, he's not giving up his NFL career just yet -- he briefly played with the Philadelphia Eagles at the beginning of the 2019 season before getting cut.

Just 'cause pro gamers compete from comfy chairs doesn't mean they can't get hurt ... so says the FaZe Clan co-owner, Apex, who tells TMZ Sports video game injuries are a real thing!!

"I've heard of career-ending hand surgeries, for sure," Apex told us out in Hollywood on Monday.

"People get carpal tunnel. I don't get that into it, thankfully. But, some people legit stretch their hands, they do a whole thing of warm-ups to make sure they don't."

Apex even says one of his gamers had to sit out several months due to injury and couldn't play!!

And, just like other pro sports leagues, Apex says teams are hiring psychologists to help with the pressure of competing ... and FaZe Clan may follow suit.