Silent Hill Creature Designer Responds To Madonna Fans After Music Video Inspiration Remarks Spark Backlash

Silent Hill creature designer and illustrator Masahiro Ito is clapping back at Madonna fans after a comment he made about one of her music videos rubbed a vocal group of listeners the wrong way.

Masahiro Ito is the mind behind some of horror’s most iconic monsters. The Bubble Head Nurses from Silent Hill 2, Pyramid Head, and many other creatures from the first three games in the series were born at least in part from his creative vision, birthing monsters that have remained staples in the genre to this day.

In May 2019, Ito opened up about one of his inspirations for the nurses’ movements in the Silent Hill franchise, citing the dancers in Madonna’s 1999 music video for "Nothing Really Matters." In the video, Madonna and her backup dancers used Butoh-style dance movements, a type of Japanese choreography that emerged after World War II characterized by slow, controlled motions, white, full-body makeup, and contorting one’s face and body into absurd and grotesque expressions.

Silent Hill’s nurses move in a similar way, so it’s not hard to see where he drew his influence from. Years later, however, this factoid is getting some flak from Madonna fans after he revealed that he isn’t actually into her music.

In May 2026, a fan credited Madonna for “literally being the inspiration for the atmosphere of Silent Hill 2” — but Ito didn’t necessarily agree.

“I said I [was] inspired by Madonna's Nothing Really Matters video,” he clarified. “But I meant the Butoh-like dances by Asian dancers painted entirely white in the video, not herself / her song. It was one of [the] inspirations for the Lying Figure, Bubblehead Nurses’ etc. animations. That's all. Please don't jump to conclusions.”

I said I inspired by Madonna's Nothing Really Matters video. But I meant the Butoh-like dances by Asian dancers painted entirely white in the video, not herself/her song. It was 1 of inspirations for the Lying Figure, BHNurse's etc anims. That's all. Plz don't jump to conclusions https://t.co/VBgBGiqGSD pic.twitter.com/RRT00G0kQt

— 伊藤暢達/Masahiro Ito (@adsk4) May 21, 2026

Unfortunately for him, Ito unintentionally kicked a hornet’s nest. A vocal segment of Madonna’s fanbase came out of the woodwork to criticize this particular statement, seemingly under the impression that he was hating on the iconic singer and trying to distance his work from her.

“The original post said the music video? So why are you being shady? Madonna’s concept of the video is the reason WHY you were inspired,” one argued at the time.

“So, you were inspired by the video? i don’t understand the difference and big deal and the hate that’s being sent to the original poster for being excited that you said an aspect of Madonna’s video inspired Silent Hill, which u just confirmed it did…,” another wrote.

Still others informed Ito that the original poster was most likely being hyperbolic and humorous, with their post probably getting misinterpreted by him — but either way, Ito said he was still facing fierce backlash due to his clarification on the subject.

It’s been over two months since then, and the criticism hasn’t completely died down. In August 2026, Ito once again posted screenshots from accounts harassing him about his Madonna tweet (though admittedly, some of them seem like simple trolls looking to get a rise out of him, rather than being diehard Madonna fans).

The designer described one of them as a “typical, low-IQ stan who starts a fight and then plays the victim when I just blocked them without replying,” adopting the social media stance of fellow Twitter-savvy game developer Hideki Kamiya, who’s somewhat famous for blocking and insulting rude commenters.

"Commented on purpose" - A typical low IQ stan who starts a fight and then plays the victim when I just blocked them w/o replying. lmao pic.twitter.com/m17lzoaRD0

— 伊藤暢達/Masahiro Ito (@adsk4) August 11, 2026

Despite all this, the situation has sparked a wave of support for Ito and reignited a discussion surrounding the inspiration of art from fellow artists, as well as sparking a renewed interest in learning about Butoh dance.

For more about Silent Hill, check out our review of the Silent Hill 2 remake, as well as our opinion on Silent Hill f and its decidedly different take on the beloved horror franchise.

Image Credit: YouTube - Madonna

Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.

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The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 Console Images Reportedly Leak

Leaked images of a The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 console and Pro Controller appear to be circulating online.

Photos of the unannounced Nintendo hardware were posted to X/Twitter today by Necro Felipe, the owner of well-known Brazilian gaming site Universo Nintendo, who stated that, per his sources, the designs were legitimate. IGN has contacted Nintendo for comment.

The images show a Switch 2 dock with golden Triforce design printed on one side, and a Switch 2 console with black/teal Joy-Con controllers, each also adorned with Triforce patterns.

VAZA encarte do Nintendo Switch 2 temático de Zelda (40 Anos) pic.twitter.com/4cmTceyxeb

— 'Necro' Felipe #UnivNintendo (@necrolipe) August 11, 2026

A matching Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller: The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition mirrors the black/teal coloring for its base, with a golden central Triforce design and gold shoulder buttons and triggers.

Mais ângulos (e encartes) do encarte para o Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition https://t.co/nRJmlPwxWw pic.twitter.com/RiCOSEiZto

— 'Necro' Felipe #UnivNintendo (@necrolipe) August 11, 2026

An unrevealed Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary logo can be seen on packaging for both items, featuring a small NES-era Link icon. It'll be interesting to see where else this logo pops up, and how Nintendo markets its big Zelda anniversary.

To date, Nintendo has not marked Zelda's 40th anniversary year — and the actual date that the first Zelda game launched on NES has now come and gone. But there are still several months of 2026 left, and the company has now confirmed it will release its The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake before the year ends.

Nintendo fans expect a big Zelda 40th anniversary push soon, with more details of that Ocarina remake, the official reveal of this hardware, and a first trailer for the franchise's live-action movie that's set to debut on April 30, 2027. Perhaps we'll see all of this revealed in an upcoming Nintendo Direct?

Last week, various pieces of casting information also leaked, adding to the sense that leaks are happening now as Nintendo begins readying a big reveal. The late, great Sam Neil was reported to be part of the film's cast, alongside the previously leaked Dichen Lachen (Succession) as Impa, Uli Latukefu as Ganondorf, plus Yvonne Strahovski and Lydia Peckham in unknown roles.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, the young House of the Dragon star set to play Link, has recently offered his first thoughts on playing the Nintendo legend, meanwhile.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Hideki Kamiya Gives Fans Hope That He Will Direct Another Devil May Cry Game

It’s been over twenty years since Hideki Kamiya directed the very first Devil May Cry game, and his latest tweets are hinting that he might make a long-awaited return to the franchise.

Kamiya’s X/Twitter account is a goldmine. When he’s not clapping back at trolls or blocking fans for tweeting at him in English, he’s gushing about Gunpla and occasionally providing insights on his projects, both past and present.

While he normally blocks fans who ask him questions about franchises he’s no longer involved with (Resident Evil, Devil May Cry), he actually opened up about his work with DMC in a rare moment of goodwill — and it’s sending players into a frenzy.

On August 9, 2026, a fan asked him a lore-specific question regarding the final boss in the first Devil May Cry game, innocently tagging Kamiya and tempting fate that the director would make his usual liberal use of the block button.

“I'm playing through DMC1 right now and always wondered: What is the lore behind the DT dragon in the fight against Mundus? Is it the same as Vergil creating swords with his aura, or is it a familiar? Something else? Can you elaborate on this, please?” the fan asked.

Surprisingly, Kamiya gave them a legitimate answer — one that shed some long-awaited light on the potential future of the franchise.

僕が再びDMCシリーズを作る時に明らかになるでしょう… https://t.co/H3cu0bgqWf

— 神谷英樹🍀 Hideki Kamiya🍀 (@HidekiKamiya_X) August 9, 2026

“It will become clear when I make the DMC series again…” he said, simply and mysteriously. He hasn’t offered any substantial follow-ups to this comment (only hitting back at a critic for explaining his own game to him), leaving the door wide open for speculation that he might return to Devil May Cry in the near future.

Of course, fans have wasted no time taking his post and running with it, sparking an endless flood of memes and excited, all-caps quote-retweets. (My personal favorite has to be the meme of Dante getting injected with a giant syringe full of Hopium, but the one of Kratos pleading with Ares is also pretty good.)

https://t.co/hz0qK7n29y pic.twitter.com/VIC21B84hD

— 🐮 yutaliban 🐮 (@nappingbitch) August 9, 2026

https://t.co/M0h3oR0ULs pic.twitter.com/sK3kLku8ST

— SRM | Le’Mon (@EJ_The_Lemon) August 9, 2026

“He said, ‘When I return to doing DMC,’ instead of, ‘If I return to doing DMC,’’ one fan speculated. “Kamiya knows something, but I can't prove it… As long as he comes back for nothing more than a purely hypothetical Remake of DMC1, there's no problem.”

“Kamiya is really talking about DMC1!? So he hasn't completely forgotten about his license after all,” another wrote.

“Bro did not say ‘If,’ he said ‘When!’” another pointed out.

As previously mentioned, Kamiya is generally combative when fans ask him questions about his previous works that are no longer under his purview. Resident Evil and Devil May Cry belong to Capcom, after all, a company he hasn’t worked for in over a decade. However, he has struck up a partnership with them again for the forthcoming Okami sequel, as told in our exclusive interview with him in February 2025.

For now, the future of Devil May Cry is looking just a little bit brighter. This, combined with the Netflix show getting renewed for a third and final season (resulting in a significant boost in game sales), fans are more hopeful than ever that the long DMC drought will soon be over.

Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.

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Why a Warhammer 40,000 Book Just Sold for $3,150 on eBay

A Warhammer 40,000 book just sold on eBay for an eye-watering $3,150 — leaving fans stunned.

A signed and numbered limited edition of Dan Abnett’s Warhammer 40,000 novel, Hive, went for the huge sum on the auction site on Sunday after over 50 bids pushed up the eventual sale price to an astronomical level.

But why would a Warhammer 40,000 book command such a fee in the first place? There’s a unique backstory to this particular version of Hive, which released in standard formats in May.

Games Workshop, which owns and operates the hugely popular grimdark far future setting primarily for tabletop wargames, had announced a limited run of signed and numbered premium editions of Hive for sale only in Warhammer stores. This sparked an uproar within the community, with some saying it was unfair of Games Workshop to release this coveted limited edition in Warhammer stores only when not all fans have a store within reaching distance. In response, Games Workshop caved to the FOMO pressure, canceling the release of the limited edition and launching a non-limited, print-on-demand version without the signature online instead.

Some thought that Games Workshop had destroyed these limited editions of Hive out of fear they would end up going for huge sums on auction sites. Well, that’s exactly what happened, with what is thought to be the only copy made available to buy publicly since the drama back in May.

Photos of the book show it to be number 12 of 2,000. “This would be a very awesome copy to have for any Warhammer collector, unique and one of a kind maybe no others out there, all the original were canceled and the new print will not have author signed or limited in quantity,” reads the description. "Let the best Black Library enthusiast win this auction, and take ownership of a piece of Warhammer Black Library history." The listing worked, with a confirmed sale of $3,150 on Sunday, August 9.

It’s unclear how this copy of Hive escaped containment, but the bidding shows the huge interest from fans in this particular version of Hive. That’s perhaps not a surprise, given the FOMO pressure from hobbyists sparked a rare rapid U-turn from Games Workshop itself. Still, fans can’t quite believe how much it’s gone for. The sale was called “absurdity,” “insanity,” and “next level delusional,” on a Black Library subreddit thread full of scorn for the winning bidder.

“Paying so much more than what the POD will cost in a few months just for a signed and numbered page that was glued in... bonkers,” another added. “I can take a flight to England to Dan Abnett's next public appearance and have mine signed and it would still be less than half the price this person just paid,” another fan said. “Hey Dan, can you write 69/420 on mine besides signature?” another joked.

The sale sparks a number of questions. How did this copy come into the possession of the seller? (We’ve asked.) Did it originate from a Warhammer store or elsewhere? Were store managers told to destroy their copies as fans believe, or were they kept in a warehouse somewhere, gathering dust? Are there other copies out in the wild?

What we do know is this version of Hive is now one of the most expensive Warhammer 40,000 books of all time — perhaps even the most expensive ever (who knows what goes on with private sales?).

There is huge interest in all things Warhammer 40,000 right now — and this interest extends far beyond the confines of the tabletop game. A significant portion of the Warhammer 40,000 community is primarily interested in the stories that underpin its universe. Stories like Hive, which delves deep into the ground level response of the rank and file humans of a sprawling hive world to... certain things that happen to it that are really not very good for anyone, give fans a closer look at the Warhammer 40,000 universe away from the galaxy-shaking exploits of the Space Marines. But then there are blockbuster video games such as Space Marine 2, Amazon animated anthologies, and of course the upcoming Henry Cavill cinematic universe to contend with. In short, if there ever was a time for a Warhammer 40,000 book to sell for thousands of dollars, it’s now.

Speaking of Dan Abnett, fans are still waiting for the celebrated Black Library author to finish his beloved Bequin trilogy. He’s indicated that Pandaemonium won’t be released until Games Workshop itself catches up lore wise. Fingers crossed that happens sooner rather than later.

We’ve got plenty more on the world of Warhammer 40,000, including first details on Henry Cavill’s Amazon TV series, our best theory for who Cavill will play in the show, and the announcement of the new Deathwatch animated series.

Image credit: eBay.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

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Marvel Tokon PC Launch Is So Bad That Famed FGC Content Creator Maximilian Dood Uninstalled the Game on Stream

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' launch weekend has been filled with so many PC issues that even famed fighting game community (FGC) content creator Maximilian Christiansen (a.k.a. Maximilian Dood) couldn't help but uninstall the game on stream.

If publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Arc System Works weren't already sounding alarm bells, they should be now. Maximilian Dood, who has earned his place as one of the go-to creators for fighting game content, uninstalled Marvel Tokon after spending just two days with the 4v4 superhero tag fighter, saying its PC port was "really s**t."

"This is bad, chat. I don't think I can play this anymore," he said during an August 7 livestream titled "Last day with PC version, sheesh." "It's making me like the game significantly less. The game is un-fun when we have to deal with all this. It's un-fun. It's fun coming up with solutions and stuff like that to issues, to combat, but you can't do anything. You just have to watch it stutter like crazy."

Marvel Tokon launched for PC and PlayStation 5 last week, August 6, and while those on PS5 don't seem to be running into any trouble, those on PC have reported nothing but. Most have taken their concerns to its Steam page, where it quickly plummeted to just 44% positive reviews in all languages, granting it a "Mixed" rating. Now, after Arc System Works promised to investigate some of those issues, the situation is even more dire, with 41% in all languages and a "Mostly Negative" 39% in English.

Maximilian Dood's very public issues with the PC port bring the trouble to the front of the conversation. As the weekend comes to an end without any proper fixes, it looks like Marvel Tokon will have to put in the work to bring back fans on that platform.

"I've pretty much come to the conclusion I have to, probably, abandon the PC version," he said before navigating to his Steam library and uninstalling the game. "The next time we stream, I'm going to exclusively be playing the PlayStation 5 version – that's it. It's too frustrating.

"I'll have to just unlock everything all over again. There's no cross-progression, so I'll have to figure that out, but the PC version is too frustrating. It's too frustrating running a gambit of this even working, to being really frustrating, to knowing that the PlayStation version, you can only play PlayStation people and be completely fine."

While Marvel Tokon is pummeled on PC, the console version seems to be working just fine. Maximilian Dood reported as much himself, going on to host a separate stream titled "PS5 version works, thank god." How long it will take for Arc System Works to fix up the PC version or if it will ever be up to snuff for those who have already turned away from it remains to be seen.

"Tried Tokon on PS5 against only PS5 players and had a wonderful time," Maximilian Dood said in a follow-up post on X/Twitter. "Even with 3 bar, 100+ ms, matches were smooth. Just going to stay away from the PC version completely until things get figured out."

While we wait, you can read IGN's Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls review so far. You can also check out our breakdown for the evolution of Marvel fighting games, and you can see how Maximilian Dood played a part in the new Street Fighter movie.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

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The Best Deals Today: Civilization VII, AirPods Pro 3, Spider-Man: Brand New Day Steelbook, and More

A new weekend has arrived, and today, you can save on Civilization VII, select LEGO sets, AirPods Pro 3, Saros, Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection, and more. Check out our top picks for Sunday, August 9, below.

Civilization VII for $19.99

Amazon has Civilization VII on sale for $19.99 this weekend, saving you $20 off a physical copy. In our 7/10 review, we wrote, "Civilization 7's improved warfare and added bits of narrative flair give me reasons to keep clicking one more turn late into the night, but the desire to streamline and simplify this legendary 4X series feels like it has also gone a bit too far, particularly when it comes to the interface."

AirPods Pro 3 for $189

AirPods Pro 3 are a fantastic upgrade over the 2nd generation, bringing a built-in heart rate sensor, redesigned eartips for better noise cancellation, and improved sound quality. Right now, you can score a pair for only $189 at Amazon. I've had a pair since launch and have been incredibly happy with them, especially coming from the original AirPods Pro.

Back to the Future LEGO Set for $159.99

Back to the Future is one of the best sci-fi films ever, and the iconic DeLorean time machine is a huge part of the film's legacy today. If you're a fan of the BTTF trilogy, look no further than this LEGO Icons Time Machine set, featuring the DeLorean with parts for each movie, minifigures for Doc Brown and Marty McFly, and accessories like the hoverboard. You can save $40 this weekend on this set, which saves you 20% off MSRP.

Pre-Order Spider-Man: Brand New Day on 4K Blu-ray

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the most popular movie of the Summer, with the film on track to easily become the highest grossing of the year so far. Pre-orders for the physical copies, including Steelbooks, have already gone live at retailers like Walmart, so now is the time to lock in your copy before they are sold out.

Fate Return to Avalon: Takashi Takeuchi Art Works for $40.42

Takashi Takeuchi has one of the most recongnizable art styles for good reason. The legendary artist pioneered Type-Moon's art for franchises like Fate and Tsukihime. Right now, you can pick up this fantastic hardcover collection of Takeuchi's Fate artwork for $40.42 at Amazon. Almost 300 pages are included, featuring art from games, promotional material, limited events, and much more. It's perfect for any Fate fan.

Lego Batman Forever Set for $74.99

The classic Batmobile from Batman Forever is here in Lego form, with a Lego DC Batman minifugure starring the suit used in the move. This weekend, you can save 25% off this 909-piece set, which is a great addition to any comic book fan's collection. The cockpit on the Batmobile opens up to reveal seats and a detailed interior, and you can easily put this vehicle on any shelf or table.

Weapons 4K Blu-ray for $14.99

Weapons was one of the most beloved horror films of 2025, featuring a unique and gripping story with plenty of horror. If you're excited for the upcoming Resident Evil film and haven't yet checked out the latest from Zach Cregger, this is a great time to do so.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection for $29.99

Amazon has PS5 copies of Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection on sale for $29.99 today, which saves you $10 off this collection of seven games. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "The Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is the best way to play as the most underrated version of the Blue Bomber."

LEGO Marvel Iron Spider-Man Bust for $47.99

This weekend, you can save 20% off the LEGO Marvel Iron Spider-Man Bust set at Walmart. This set features both a buildable bust for the Iron Spider and a minifig, so you can use the web-slinging hero in any set you'd like.

Saros for $49.99

Saros is on sale for $49.99 today at Amazon, which matches the lowest price we've seen so far. As one of the biggest PS5 exclusives in 2026, now is a great time to check out Housemarque's latest if you haven't. In our review, we wrote, "With Saros, Housemarque once again proved that its bullet-hell sensibilities mesh incredibly well with fluid and super-challenging action. This is primarily a test of skill that's as much a rhythmic dance as it is a fireworks show with a punch-packing sci-fi arsenal."

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

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Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Opening Permanent Location Featuring Animatronic Stage Shows in 2027

Freddy Fazbear's Pizza is coming to life thanks to a new collaboration between Five Nights at Freddy's and entertainment and retail center American Dream.

The all-encompassing New Jersey mall announced it would be collaborating with Five Nights at Freddy's and its creator, Scott Cawthon, with a social media post today. It came with a brief teaser that set the mood with the promise of a grand opening in 2027.

"The world of Five Nights at Freddy’s is arriving at American Dream," a short teaser description on the American Dream website said. "Step into an immersive experience inspired by the iconic horror franchise and be among the first to discover what awaits behind the doors."

Fantasy and Fun Come to Life in 2027 - Only at American Dream @FNAF_ScottGames pic.twitter.com/HcH3o0IpfR

— American Dream (@americandream) August 8, 2026

Five Nights at Freddy's fans have dreamed of visiting a real-life, Chuck E. Cheese-style Freddy Fazbear's Pizza location since the franchise began in 2014. American Dream may finally have the answer for the request, though what exactly will be included in its collaboration remains to be seen.

However, the company did pull back the curtain with a follow-up post on Facebook. It explained the attraction will be a "permanent immersive restaurant experience." The New Jersey location will be set up to be a "a functional reimagining of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, designed to immerse guests in the world of the iconic franchise."

That means food to eat, arcade games to play, and even animatronic stage shows featuring Freddy and the Fazbear Band. Foxy's Pirate Cove and "immersive multiplayer survival-horror experiences" will also be available.

If you turn off the red and green channels, you can see what looks like a map (?) image overlaid on the blue channel.@GiBi_Devon also noticed the words "coming soon" in the middle to the left.

Dunno if someone else can photoshop trickery their way to making it clearer. pic.twitter.com/XUfvKTcxDA

— The Unwithered Truth (@unwitheredtruth) August 8, 2026

It may not be a total surprise considering American Dream offers a variety of activities that include dining experiences, shops, and a Nickelodeon theme park, but yes, it looks like you will, in fact, be able to eat a real slice of Freddy Fazbear's pizza there. Another ScottGames teaser from earlier today, which seems to be linked to the American Dream announcement, featured an unnecessarily mysterious pizza. Some of the more creative fans said they were able to make out the words "coming soon" hidden within the image, too. IGN was able to spot the hidden message for the most part, as well, by tweaking the image's colors and brightness.

Five Nights at Freddy's has really only gotten bigger since it first sliced its way into the horror scene in the 2010s. Most recently, fans have been treated to the movies, of which there are currently two. Universal Pictures attempted to animate its iconic animatronics with Halloween Horror Nights festivities in 2025, and even more recently, Spirit Halloween unveiled a life-sized Freddy Fazbear prop of its own.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

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