Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel’s annual World Championship is fast approaching, which means the Road to Worlds campaign is underway. There are free log-in rewards, and you can compete in qualifying events for the opportunity to represent your region at the World Championship in Paris.
If you don’t know about Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, we can give you a quick rundown. It’s a free-to-play digital version of the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, with more than 10,000 cards and including the evolutions the game has made over its more than 25 years of existence. It’s available across nearly all platforms — iOS, Android, PC, PS4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S — and has cross-platform play, letting you Duel players of varying skill levels from all over the world.
If that sounds intimidating, don’t worry. If you’re a new player or haven’t played in a while and need a refresher, there are in-game tutorials that teach you the basics of the game. Once you finish those tutorials, you get a base Deck to get started and can collect new cards as you progress through the game. The game also provides visual cues to let you know when you can execute combos and chain effects or respond to your opponent’s effects, helping make sure you don’t miss anything while you’re learning the game.
You can continue practicing and getting better through Solo Mode, where you play through storylines and learn more about the lore behind the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. As you probably already know, the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise extends across several pieces of media and is a big reason for the international popularity of the TCG. That combined with the competitive nature of the game has also made it popular with professional athletes, which you can see NBA player Grant Williams and professional football players Kris Jenkins and Ryan Hunter discuss in the videos below.
Once you’ve gotten more comfortable with the game, you can move on to face your fellow Duelists. And now’s the time to jump in, since there will be free log-in rewards during the Road to Worlds event that can help you build up your Deck before taking on the qualifying events
From now until July 3, you can get a series of daily rewards for a total of 1,000 gems, a profile icon, and a Red Supernova Dragon Card. You can get additional gems and rewards if you take part in the World Championship Qualifiers, which anyone can enter starting June 3.
The initial qualifying round will last until June 12, with Duelists beginning at a different level depending on what rank they reached in May’s Season 41. But don’t worry, even if you didn’t take part in Season 41, you can still compete in the qualifiers, you’ll just start from Duel Level 1. Winning Duels will see you rise through the ranks, to a max of Duel Level 20. Anyone who reaches Duel Level 20 will then move on to Regionals between June 12–15, where the goal is simply to get as many points as possible by defeating other qualifying Duelists.
The top performers in each region earn an invite to the World Championship in Paris, where they’ll compete for the grand prize. While the qualifying rounds and Championship are all single-player matches, the players who win and move on to Paris will also get the chance to team up with two other Duelists to take on the defending champions from the United States.
There will be hundreds of thousands of Duelists of all skill levels from around the world competing during the Road to Worlds events. With so many active players and easily attainable in-game rewards, there won’t be a better time to start your journey in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. The game is free-to-play and there’s no entrance fee for the qualifying events, so there’s nothing stopping you from building a Deck and giving it a shot.
For more information about Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, including several tutorial videos to help you understand card types and strategies, you can visit the official website. For more details about all the events leading up to the World Championship, you can check out the Road to Worlds page. To keep up with news and updates, you can follow Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel on Twitter and Instagram.
Hitman developer Io Interactive’s James Bond game has been reannounced with a proper title, 007 First Light. It also has some new key art, which confirms some important Facts: unlike Hitman’s depthless master mimic Agent 47, James Bond has hair, formed into a neat side-parting by the passage of a narrowly escaped bullet. He also has ears, a high-collared leather jacket, and a gun.
Or what looks like a gun. He could be just doing a finger pistol to fake us out. I do not trust this particular James Bond. He is, after all, a cousin of Agent 47, that barcode-blazoned Fury peering out of every mirror. Io Interactive’s James Bond doesn’t even have a face right now. The face is hopefully forthcoming in the world premiere later this week during Summer Game Fest 2025, along with James Bond’s legs and feet.
Steam-Heart’s is a most curious Saturn Tribute release, for two significant reasons: Firstly, it was conceived many moons ago as hardcore hentai erotica; and secondly, it was never particularly great.
It first appeared in all its grammatically incorrect glory on the NEC PC-98 home computer in 1994. Compared to the console market, there were almost no content restrictions for PC software, giving rise to a vast catalogue of pornographic titles. Most were sold on the promise of a few titillating stills wedged between rough coding, while a few notable exceptions, like the visual novel Yu-No, soared beyond their eroge roots.
We Have Each Other: Celebrating Pride Through Play
Team Xbox
Summary
Celebrating Pride Through Play: This Pride Month, Xbox honors the LGBTQIA+ community by highlighting the power of games to foster connection, support, and chosen family.
Spotlighting LGBTQIA+ Voices: Featuring a curated selection of games by LGBTQIA+ creators.
Commitment to a Welcoming Community: Xbox continues to champion gaming for everyone by supporting LGBTQIA+ creators and creating spaces where everyone can feel seen and celebrated.
Xbox believes in the power of connection — and during Pride Month, we honor LGBTQIA+ people who have long shown the world what it means to build a community that transcends borders and expectations.
LGBTQIA+ individuals have formed networks of support and deep friendships rooted in love, resilience, and care. They remind us of the importance of community, connection and chosen family that encourages, uplifts, and cares for one another. Xbox celebrates exactly that: affection, support, and a shared belief that everyone deserves to be seen and celebrated by their communities.
In many ways, gaming offers new ways to connect with the community.
Whether you’re teaming up online, voice chatting in a cozy co-op farming sim, or building entire worlds together, games create spaces where connection thrives. For LGBTQIA+ players, these experiences often go beyond fun — they can help fill the need to find belonging.
This Pride Month, Xbox is proud to highlight a collection of games from LGBTQIA+ creators — stories that explore identity, celebrate self-expression, and reflect the beautiful complexity of the LGBTQIA+ experience. These creators are helping us see the world through different perspectives — telling stories where everyone can feel at home.
We’re committed to making gaming for everyone, which includes supporting LGBTQIA+ creators and communities — not just during Pride, but all year long. For more than 30 years, Microsoft and our employees have stood alongside LGBTQIA+ communities, contributing over $17 million to organizations advancing equity, dignity, and human rights. Last year, we gave more than $1.3 million to support this work globally, and this year we’re deepening that commitment with an additional $100,000 donation to organizations doing critical work for the community.
From the games we feature to the programs we support, our goal is to continue fostering a platform where everyone can play, create, and connect authentically. That’s the heart of what we’re celebrating this Pride: the power of community, built by choice and strengthened by care.
We have each other.
PLAY
Show Your Pride in Overwatch 2
Pride returns to Overwatch 2 with more meaningful ways to celebrate and connect! From free rewards and a festive fan-favorite map, to a charity tournament with Twitch drops, plus community artwork and new narratives, Pride 2025 is a moment to reflect, express, and commemorate everyone who makes our world—and the game—stronger. Whether you’re rocking the Resilient Soldier: 76 skin, skipping through Midtown celebrating after a parade, or simply showing up as your authentic self, this event is about standing proud and honoring our diverse community.
So, we’re celebrating our heroes, players, and stories with heartfelt touches, creative moments, and a space to be exactly who you are. You belong here, and we’re proud to compete by your side.
Show Your Pride: Log in during the Pride event to instantly unlock the Resilient Soldier: 76 skin and matching emote as thanks for helping to build this amazing community.
Midtown Parade: Step into the Pride Festival Midtown map, back in rotation and looking more joyful than ever. Celebrate after the Pride parade with whimsical rainbow crosswalks, confetti-covered sidewalks, and love in the air.
Pride Ahoy! A Celebration Fer All Crews in Sea of Thieves
During Pride Month, pirates sailing in Sea of Thieves can pick up the Progress Pride Flag from the ever-reliable Larinna outside the tavern! Proud pirates in participating territories will now be able to attach this fabulous fabric to their flagpole forevermore. While introduced as part of Pride Month 2025 activities, this beautiful banner is a permanent addition to Sea of Thieves and will be available to claim from the shipwright at any Outpost after June has passed.
Sowin’ Seeds of Pride in Farm Heroes Saga
Farm Heroes Saga is celebrating Pride Month with a vibrant Pride Season that sows the seeds of community, visibility, and joyful self-expression. Now in its third year, this celebration brings a fresh crop of Pride-themed events and mini-games to players around the world. From nurturing a magical Rainbow Superfruit in 1-2-3 Grow, to collecting cropsies in the Farmer’s Market and unlocking special rewards in the colorful Choo Choo’s Challenge; there’s something for every hero on the Farm.
With the Pride-themed Farm Pass and the premium Golden Pass, players can earn even more farmtastic rewards. Whether you’re digging through the Hidden Garden, playing Amelia’s Arcade, or making wishes at the Wishing Well, this month is all about growing love, celebrating identity, and having a fabulously good time.
Tell Me Why – Free This Month
Tell Me Why, the award-winning narrative adventure from Don’t Nod Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios Publishing, will be available for free on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and Steam for the entire month of June 2025. As in past years, the Tell Me Why team encourages players to give what they would have spent on the game to an independent trans creator or a trans-inclusive charity in their community.
Discover Games Shaped by the LGBTQIA+ Community
This June, immerse yourself in a curated collection of games that highlight the incredible creativity and storytelling from LGBTQIA+ developers and creators. These games offer a window into the diverse experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community, showcasing how their unique perspectives continue to shape and enrich the world of gaming.
Check out a few highlights from our full Xbox Game Collections celebrating Pride Month:
Tell Me Why – This celebrated narrative adventure game comes from Don’t Nod, the studio behind the beloved franchise, Life is Strange. In this intimate mystery, reunited twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan use their supernatural bond to unravel the memories of their loving but troubled childhood. Set in beautiful small-town Alaska, Tell Me Why features true-to-life characters, mature themes and gripping choices. As you conjure up memories of the past, your choices will affect the twins’ relationship, determine the strength of their bond, and shape the course of their lives.
Overwatch 2 – An always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40 distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.
Thirsty Suitors – From Outerloop Games, Thirsty Suitors is a stylish, story-driven adventure that unfolds through turn-based battles, skateboarding, and cooking. Help Jala confront her mistakes, make up with her exes, reconcile cultural differences, and become the person she was meant to be. Easy, right?
Dragon Age: The Veilguard–Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world. Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
Spirit Swap: LoFi Beats to Match-3 To – Samar is a young witch working the spirit-swapping night shift in the eastern outskirts of Demashq. A recent spike in spirits crossing over from another dimension breaks the chill atmosphere of their night shift, so with her trusty FamiliarZ by her side, she sets off into the city to find out what’s happened. With a popular band scheduled to kick off their big comeback tour in Demashq, Samar needs to work quickly before the city is overrun with stans and spirits alike!
Psychroma – A psychological horror side-scroller set in a haunted cyberpunk house. Collect cards and explore the memories stored on them to piece together your past. But the deeper you go, the more you expose yourself to the brightest heat, the warmest color… Discover the hidden corridors and uncover the sordid past of a house out of time and place within a futuristic cyberpunk city. Collect the memory cards of three main characters, An underground cultist, an ambitious philanthropist, and a drifter.
The Xbox Gear Shop is celebrating Pride 2025 by bringing back our most popular designs for a limited time! These classic designs were made by and with the LGBTQIA+ community, and will be available through Pride month only, and only in the Xbox Gear Shop!
Blizzard Gear Shop
Celebrate Pride month with the new Blizzard 2025 Pride Collection exclusively on the Blizzard Gear Store!
Led by the Blizzard LGBT+ Employee Network, this year’s Pride Collection features all-new logo designs for each of our games, available on t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and hoodies—all benefitting* GLAAD from June 2 through June 30, 2025.
*From June 2, 2025, to June 30, 2025, Blizzard Entertainment will donate 100% of the amount Blizzard receives from Blizzard’s e-commerce store operator from the sale of each of the products from the 2025 Blizzard Pride Collection to GLAAD. This represents approximately 25% of the purchase price (less any chargebacks, refunds, and Value Added Taxes (VAT), or similar taxes paid.)
GIVE
Gaming with Impact
Rewards members in the United States can earn and donate points to organizations supporting LGBTQIA+ communities with Xbox. The organizations below will be available on the Rewards hub:
GLAAD: Founded in 1985, GLAAD – the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization – works with television, film, video games, Spanish-language media, journalists, and social media to tell stories and consult on LGBTQ media representation. GLAAD tackles tough issues and provokes dialogue that leads to cultural change through increased media accountability, public campaigns, corporate engagement initiatives, and advocacy programs that help to ensure 100% inclusion and acceptance of the LGBTQ community. (US)
Outright International: Outright International is dedicated to working with partners around the globe to strengthen the capacity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) human rights movement, document and amplify human rights violations against LGBTIQ people, and advocate for inclusion and equality. (US)
Advocates for Trans Equality Education Fund:Advocates for Trans Equality fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in America. Leveraging decades of experience on the frontlines of power, we shift government and society towards a future where we are no less than equal. A4TE was founded in 2024 as the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), two long-time champions for the trans community, merged together as one organization. A4TE builds on their successes to boldly imagine a world where trans people live our lives joyfully and without barriers. In a time of increased extremism against trans people and our allies, protecting and expanding our freedom to be who we are has never been more important.
Xbox players 18 and older can earn Rewards points in various ways, such as playing games, completing Game Pass Quests (terms apply), and purchasing games and other eligible items at the Microsoft Store (exclusions apply). Start earning for impact today and redeem your points for great rewards. Donate your points on the Rewards hub or on the Rewards redeem page.
Wallpapers and Dynamic Backgrounds
The Xbox Pride Month design is available today as an Xbox wallpaper and dynamic background on console – follow these steps to apply the dynamic background:
Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
Select Profile & system > Settings > General > Personalization > My background > Dynamic backgrounds.
You can choose between Games, Xbox, or Abstract dynamic backgrounds. Choose the background art that you want with the A button.
A new, single-player Dungeons & Dragons action adventure is on the way from Stig Asmussen, the director behind Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and God of War 3.
The currently-untitled D&D project was announced today by Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, and is set to launch on PC and unannounced consoles “at a later date.”
Asmussen’s new studio Giant Skull is on development duties for the upcoming D&D project. Founded last year following Asmussen’s departure from Respawn Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based Giant Skull was previously announced as making a new AAA single-player game built using Unreal Engine 5.
“Our talented and experienced team at Giant Skull is built on creativity and curiosity,” Asmussen said in a statement today. “Our goal is to craft a rich new Dungeons & Dragons universe filled with immersive storytelling, heroic combat and exhilarating traversal that players will fully embrace.”
The announcement of Giant Skull’s project adds to a portfolio of games set to be published by Wizards of the Coast over the coming years, after the hugely-successful Baldur’s Gate 3 from Larian, another D&D game, helped raised the profile of the franchise globally.
Another D&D action adventure game is already in development at Invoke Studios, the team behind Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. Wizards of the Coast is also set to publish Exodus, the promising-looking sci-fi RPG from Archetype Entertainment, a developer founded by a collection of former Mass Effect veterans.
“We’re kind of working out our plans for the future and what we’re going to be doing with that,” Hasbro gaming boss Dan Ayoub told IGN back in March this year. “And actually, in pretty short order, we’re going to have some stuff to talk about around that.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
With Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian now off doing their own thing and making multiple games that aren’t Baldur’s Gate 4, BG IP owners Wizards of the Coast have just revealed something that might help fill that void. They’ve agreed to a publishing deal that’ll see relatively new studio Giant Skull create a new game set in the D&D universe.
Fallout: London might have launched buggier than a holiday at a nature reserve dedicated to cockroaches and coders, but since that point Team FOLON’s put a lot of effort into making sure people can enjoy the pretty damn good game it’s created. While you’ll have to wait a bit longer for some Londony DLC, you can now play some of the mod in VR.
Hard to believe it’s already June. But a new month means a new batch of PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2(!), PC, and even VR games is heading our way. This month sees the release of the next iteration of Nintendo’s incredibly popular hardware, plus a bunch of games (and ports) for launch. And if you’re not into the new hybrid console, you can pick up Death Stranding 2: On the Beach for PS5, plus a bunch of other games. Read on to see release dates for all the biggest games and expansions coming out in May and beyond. Let’s have a look.
If you’re someone who likes to preorder your games, you can click the links on the platform of your choice to make sure it arrives on launch day.
June 2025 – Video Game Release Dates
The big release in June is obviously the Nintendo Switch 2, the Mario company’s first new hardware in seven years. It’s getting a new Mario Kart installment at launch, plus a ton of ports of big games like Cyberpunk, Hitman, Hogwarts, and more. Anyone not planning on spending $450+ on a new console this month can pick up a new Five Nights at Freddy’s, a new Death Stranding, and more.
Deltarune Ch 1-4 – June 4 – (PS5, Switch, PC) (Switch 2 on June 5)
Konami and Unity are teaming up to bring Survival Kids back as a Switch 2 launch title on 5th June 2025. But besides the trailer during the Nintendo Switch 2-focused Direct back in April, we haven’t heard much else about the game.
However, in an interview with Stephen Totilo over at Game File (paid), the game’s producer — Andy Dennison at Unity Games — has revealed that you’ll be able to play this co-op adventure with two other friends via GameShare locally at 30fps. Yep. No need to buy multiple copies of the game.
This Sunday, June 8, it’s time for another huge double feature. The Xbox Games Showcase 2025 kicks off at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK, immediately followed by The Outer Worlds 2 Direct – a deep-dive into the upcoming sequel to Obsidian Entertainment’s award-winning sci-fi RPG.
These shows are always an exciting moment for all of us at Xbox, offering a look at brand-new games and updates from across our first-party studios and our incredible partners across the globe. We hope you can join us to watch live. With that in mind, here are all the details you need to know ahead of Sunday:
What time does Xbox Games Showcase begin? The Showcase will take place on Sunday, June 8, beginning at:
PDT: June 8, 10am
EDT: June 8, 1pm
BST: June 8, 6pm
CEST: June 8, 7pm
JST: June 9, 2am
AEST: June 9, 3am
What time does The Outer Worlds 2 Direct begin? Immediately following the Xbox Games Showcase.
How do I watch the Xbox Games Showcase and The Outer Worlds 2 Direct? The Xbox Games Showcase and The Outer Worlds 2 Direct will be streamed live on official channels, including the below:
We’re giving you even more ways to watch this year’s Xbox Games Showcase by streaming the entire event live on TikTok starting at 1 PM EDT / 10 AM PDT / 6PM BST on June 8. Ethan Rothamel returns to lead the livestream with his signature mix of sharp Xbox insight and fan-favorite commentary. This year, he’s joined by TikTok creator Senpapi Gabe, whose passion for video games and community driven commentary has made him a standout voice on the platform. The duo will guide viewers through every reveal, surprise and moment as it happens – all in real time.
The show will also be streamed simultaneously on regional Xbox and Bethesda channels around the globe, as well as on Steam. It will also air on China’s Bilibili platform.
Please note the /Xbox, /Bethesda and /ObsidianEnt streams on YouTube will be in 4K at 60fps, while all other channels will be 1080p / 60fps.
Is the event available in languages other than English? The Xbox Games Showcase and The Outer Worlds 2 Direct will be streamed live on YouTube.com/Xbox with English captions, and our other live languages will be available via regional Xbox channels.
The languages we will support live on our Xbox channels are: English, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, Mexican Spanish and Turkish. Following the broadcast, we will add additional languages including Afrikaans, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Filipino, Finnish, Canadian French, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Persian (Farsi), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. The easiest way to find your preferred language is to go to your region’s Xbox page, or by viewing on the official Xbox YouTube channel at YouTube.com/Xbox and clicking the gear icon in the lower right corner.
Is Xbox Games Showcase and The Outer Worlds 2 Direct going to be Accessible to those with low/no hearing or low/no vision? There will be a version of the show with Audio Descriptions (AD) in English on the Xbox YouTube channel, American Sign Language (ASL) on Xbox’s YouTube channel and the /XboxASL Twitch channel, and British Sign Language (BSL) on Xbox On’s YouTube channel at YouTube.com/XboxOn.
I’m not going to be able to watch, where can I find out what was announced? As the broadcast runs, we’ll be publishing detailed blog posts for key announcements right here on Xbox Wire (with localized versions in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, LATAM Spanish, and Japanese to follow).
A full show recap will be published on Xbox Wire immediately following the end of Xbox Games Showcase, and a separate recap for The Outer Worlds 2 Direct will go live after the double feature ends. Plus, stay tuned to Xbox Wire in the days following the show for more exclusive articles about games from the show.
Will Xbox be releasing post-show content? Starting from Sunday, June 8, the Official Xbox Podcast will be airing a series of special episodes offering updates and deeper dives into announcements featured during Xbox Games Showcase. These shows will be published on Xbox’s YouTube channel and podcast services. Stay tuned for more exciting post-show content on the Xbox YouTube channel and our social media platforms, where we’ll dive-deep into some of your favorite games.
Notes for co-streamers and creators: We at Xbox greatly appreciate any co-stream efforts and aim to ensure you have a smooth experience if you choose to do so. However, due to forces beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that glitches or disruptions by bots and other automated software won’t interfere with your co-stream.
For those planning to create full post-show breakdowns of the Xbox Games Showcase and/or The Outer Worlds 2 Direct in the form of video-on-demand coverage, we recommend you do not use any audio containing copyrighted music to avoid any action by automated bots, and to also consult the terms of service for your service provider.
We can’t wait for you to join us for the Xbox Games Showcase, followed by The Outer Worlds 2 Direct on Sunday, June 8.
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