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I've said it a ton over the last few weeks, but interest in Magic: The Gathering is at what feels like an all-time high. With the recently released Final Fantasy Universes Beyond crossover set, new players that may have never picked up a card are now inching ever so slowly towards one of the most addicting and time-consuming hobbies around. If you're one of these people, or someone looking to dip your toes into the wonderful world of hundred-dollar cardboard, IGN has you covered with our Magic: The Gathering beginner's guide. Where to Start Playing in Person For newcomers, the best place to start playing in person is with what we call "kitchen table" Magic. No formats, no banlist, no meta, just good old fashioned vibes. Find a starter kit you like, grab a friend, sleeve them up, and jump in. These starter decks are great ways to learn the rules. I'd also highly recommend picking up MTG Foundations, as this set is specifically designed with brand new players in mind. Now that you've learned the rules, found the colors you like, and learned a strategy that suits you, you probably want to move up to playing at a local game store (LGS) in your area. Your mileage will vary, as some stores' player bases favor certain formats over others. But for the most part, many LGSs will run the Standard format as their primary Friday Night Magic (FNM) event. To find an LGS near you, use the Wizards Event Locator to enter your address and distance you want to check. MTG Formats Every store is different, and not everybody enjoys playing the same formats all the time. Here's a quick breakdown of some of the most popular formats: Standard: This is the most entry-level 60-card, best-of-three format in Magic. You can use cards from the last two years, and cards will rotate out every Fall.Limited: Limited formats are 40-card events where you don't show up with your own preconstructed decks. The two options are Booster Draft, where pods of eight players will open booster packs and pick a card one by one, passing their pack to the next player until three packs have been drafted. Sealed is where you get six booster packs, open them, and build your deck from this pool. Pioneer: Pioneer is the next step up in terms of power level from Standard. This format is non-rotating, and only cards from Return to Ravnica to current sets are legal. No supplementary sets are allowed, like Commander decks or sets like Modern Horizons.Modern: Easily the most popular format among competitive players, Modern allows you to use cards from Mirrodin onward, save for Commander deck cards. Direct-to-Modern sets like Modern Horizons are legal, and are big contributors to the format's current meta.Legacy: Every Magic set is legal in Legacy, including Commander decks. This means it has some of the most powerful decks in the game, the most expensive, and is the most difficult to learn. If you're starting out, you likely will not touch Legacy any time soon, if ever. Pauper: One of my personal favorite formats, Pauper is essentially Legacy Lite. Every set is fair game, but you can only use common rarity cards. Many of Legacy's strongest cards are common, like Brainstorm and Ponder, so Pauper is a great format to learn when you're curious about these interactions. Commander: Commander is the format most new and casual players are familiar with. Commander is a format where up to four players battle it out with 100-card decks, where each deck is built around their Commander (a Legendary creature of their choice). You can only build your deck using your Commander's colors. TCGPlayer Is a Great Place to Buy Cards All Constructed formats have a list of banned cards to help balance out the meta and remove insane combos from their respective formats. For the best place to pick up singles to round out your decks or find sealed product, I recommend Card Kingdom and TCGPlayer. These are the two biggest and most-trusted TCG vendors in the world. Where to Start Playing Magic OnlineMTG: Online Magic: The Gathering Online has been around for years, and is a pretty good translation of in-person play to this online client. You can play every format available in paper, buy, sell, and trade cards with other players, and it's the best way to grind out games to practice or learn different strategies. MTG: Arena MTG: Arena is the most recent online Magic client, launching in 2019. Taking visual cues from games like Hearthstone, Arena is my preferred way to play the Standard and Pioneer formats - Modern, Legacy, and other older non-rotating formats aren't present on Arena. You can still do booster draft and sealed, however. Arena also has a handful of its own bespoke, digital-only formats. Aside from Standard, Pioneer, and Limited, here's what's exclusive to Arena: Alchemy: This is essentially standard. It has the same rotation schedule and relatively the same card pool. However, Alchemy versions of preexisting cards have digital-only mechanics that wouldn't be possible in paper, like Conjuring cards into your deck. Historic: This is a non-rotating format, similar to Pioneer, that leans way harder into the client's digital only mechanics. Conjure, Seek, and giving cards perpetual buffs or debuffs are the main draw. Historic Brawl: Brawl is a less popular Standard variant of Commander, and Historic Brawl is exactly what you'd expect: Digital-only cards are available to build your Brawl deck with.Where To Go From Here There you have it! Everything you need to know to start playing Magic: The Gathering both in-person and online. Whether you're the next best Pro Tour grinder or run the Commander tables at your LGS, there are countless ways to play and enjoy the most popular trading card game in the world. There are countless sealed products to buy and build your collection, and new sets are released every few months. For hardcore collectors, we've even helped track some of the most valuable cards to chase in the Final Fantasy Through the Ages collection. And if you're looking for great gifts for that special Planeswalker in your life or interested in some of the best MTG accessories and supplies, check we've got a guide breaking down dozens of my personal recommendations. Magic: The Gathering Accessories and Supplies Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social. View the full article

Free-to-play survival adventure shooter Once Human now has custom, dedicated servers available... Read more.View the full article

When Season 3 of Marvel Rivals releases, there will inevitably be new buffs and nerfs applied to many characters to create a new balance between heroes. While it is impossible to predict which characters will be adjusted, a recent patch on June 19, 2025, has already given new strengths to some heroes. If the buffs from this patch are an indicator, one character might become too strong in Season 3. View the full article

BitLife's Time After Time challenge focuses entirely on romance. As your character ages and meets new people, she'll realize her partners aren't as bad as they seemed, causing a few relationships to rekindle. Either that, or she wants a chaotic life. I won't judge either way. Table of contentsBitLife Time After Time challenge guideBe born a femaleBreak up with someoneGet back together with an exMarry an exHave two children with the ex you marriedBitLife Time After Time challenge guide BitLife's Time After Time challenge has five objectives to complete: Be born a femaleBreak up with someoneGet back together with an ex three or more timesMarry an exHave two children with the ex you married You won't need any special career packs or expansions for this challenge. Instead, you need to be persistent with dating others, leaving them, and getting back together with them later. Be born a female Your first task is to create a character who is born female. Whether you make a new playthrough or use a pre-existing one is up to you, as you don't have to worry about getting locked out of specific objectives. Screenshot by Destructoid You also don't have to worry about your stats for this particular challenge. As long as your character dates at least one person, the rest is up to determination and patience. Break up with someone Your next task is to date and break up with someone. You can start dating someone by heading into Activities, Love, and Date, and then selecting any option you wish. To make things easier, choose someone with high craziness. Screenshot by Destructoid Once you've met someone, head into Relationships, select your partner, and then break up with them. Doing this makes them your character's ex, knocking out this objective and preparing you for future tasks. Get back together with an ex Now that you have your ex, it's time to get back together with them. In almost all break-ups, your relationship stats with the ex will drop to zero percent, requiring you to befriend them again before asking them out a second time. The easiest way to do this is to gift them items such as Bitizenship ($5 in-game cash, not the real-life version,) a few bottles of alcohol, or anything else that is remotely expensive. Screenshot by Destructoid Over time, as you talk to them and give them gifts, their relationship bar will gradually increase. If you're lucky enough to find a Bitizenship option, this will guarantee success, making the process easier overall. Once they're friendly with you again, you can ask them out, break up again, and repeat the process one more time to complete this task. Marry an ex Now that your BitLife character has left and gotten back together with an ex, it's time to get married. Do the same thing you did before to raise their relationship, but this time, don't break up with them again. You'll instead want to propose and marry them. You have two options for this. You can either start dating and wait for them to propose or buy an expensive ring and initiate the proposal yourself. They likely won't accept if you go cheap here, so don't be afraid to spend over $10,000 on a ring to get it done and over with. If your funds are low, there's usually no harm in waiting for them to ask. From here, you just need to have the wedding and decide whether to sign a prenup before getting married. You don't need the prenup for this challenge, but you can sign one if you wish. It's completely up to you. Have two children with the ex you married The last task of BitLife's Time After Time challenge is to have two children with the ex you married. Now that you're married, the process of having children is the same as usual. Head into your Relationships tab, select your partner, and choose to **********. If everything goes well, you'll have a child the following year. Do this once more to have a second child, knocking out the last task of the challenge and rewarding you with a cosmetic item for your BitLife characters. The post How to complete the Time After Time challenge in BitLife appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

The Pandora's Lunchbox, just like its name, is a confusing item in PEAK, as it comes with random effects. It's one of those items that you can never be sure what it does until you've opened it. Understanding how the item works is important, as you can't control the random outcomes. How does the Pandora's Lunchbox work in PEAK? The effects of Pandora's Lunchbox are completely random. Upon further inspection, I found more details about it from this detailed guide by pharmacomaniac on Steam forums. Image via Aggro Crab and Landfall While the original guide has plenty of details based on simulation runs, here's an easy explainer of what to expect. Clear all existing negative status effects on your character.A value that will act as the budget for the effect will be rolled. Simply put, the value rolled will decide the pool of status points that will be applied to your character. Mostly, the value will be somewhere down the middle.About 41% of your status bar can be filled with random effects. Usual values will range somewhere between 20% and 60%.On average, players will get around two random effects, with the complete range between zero and five.The effects can be both positive and negative.It's the only known way to remove the Curse affliction you inherit after a revival.An effect should take about 21% of the status bar. You can read the full guide (as linked above) for more details about the underlying simulation. Simply put, Pandora's Lunchbox can remove all kinds of effects on your character and inflict new ones in PEAK. The degree and nature of the new effect(s) will vary based on your luck. I feel the best time to open it is to remove Curse, because what do you have to lose at that point? The post What does Pandora’s Lunchbox do in PEAK? appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Reaching Perfection in Stardew Valley is no easy task, and anyone who manages to do so will get some well-deserved bragging rights in addition to some unique endgame content that most players will never see. Perfection is difficult to reach in Stardew because of the various tasks involved that can take players years to complete - both in-game years and real-life years for slow players like me who have clocked over 250 hours and still aren't even close to Perfection. This rare achievement is a worthwhile challenge for truly committed Stardew players. View the full article

Farm Together 2 is off to a strong startView the full article

Ever since Gravity Rush 2 came out eight years ago (let's not focus too hard on how much time that actually is for my mental health), I have, unfortunately, not been able to stop thinking about it. It is a game with a world full of whimsy, video game **** mechanics, and, most interestingly of all, a plot that quite directly deals with topics like class. What more can you want! And yet a sequel has never materialised. Lucky for me, just yesterday a new gravity shifting game entered the scene: Metro Gravity. Read more View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The concept of movie-tie-in video games has existed for several decades, beginning with Raiders of the Lost Arkfor the Atari 2600 in 1982. There have been countless movie tie-in games over the years that have ranged significantly in quality; there are more than a few hidden gems among the countless adaptations. Although the concept of adapting films into games has massively decreased over the years in favor of creating original stories within popular franchises, there's still a massive library of legendary gaming experiences that are worth replaying. View the full article

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to receive the much-anticipated Title Update 2 on June 30, according to leaked information on the PlayStation Store. This particular update will be the second major content refresh for Monster Hunter Wilds since its release in February. View the full article

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes: In-Game Overlay Added support for top-center and bottom-center positioning of Performance Overlay Fixed an overlay UI restart when trying to type via IME for users in old 32bit games Fixed an overlay UI restart when switching detail modes between showing GPU utilization and just showing FPS on some older AMD GPU systems Allow Performance Monitor contrast/saturation slider to have more impact on graph line colors, these are never fully desaturated to keep readable at low levels despite being 1px lines. Shortcuts Fixed a ****** related to the controller configurator Fixed a case where shortcuts could fail to load until client restart View the full article

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel. Shortcuts Fixed a ****** with the controller configurator Fixed a case where shortcuts could fail to load until client restart Steam Input Fixed templates not showing up in the template tab of the choose binding dialog for Legion Go S devices View the full article

With Disney Dreamlight Valley's Mysteries of Skull Rock update in full swing, players are finally getting the opportunity to spend some time with the valley's newest resident, Peter Pan. Unfortunately, not everyone found Peter Pan's presence to be as delightful as others, as several players have voiced their displeasure concerning his creepy appearance. View the full article

I know this is a PC games focused outlet, but I'd like to present to you the most PS3 coded game I've seen in a long while: Chains of Lukomoyre. Now, to be clear I mean this in the most loving of ways possible. That era of video games obviously set the foundations for the rinse and repeat we see in a lot of triple-A games these days, but there was still the occasional oddity out there that just had the right vibe. And I think Chains of Lukomoyre fits that vibe quite well. Read more View the full article

According to a newly revealed chart, Genshin Impact players will be able to obtain around 78 Intertwined Wishes throughout Version 5.8 – a massive jump when compared to the previous two updates. With the Natlan era coming to a close, Genshin Impact players can share their farewells via the annual Summer Event. In 2025, the Summer Event will take place on Tenochitzotoc, the island where Natlan's war against the Abyss began, and also the location of the Mare Jivari itself. View the full article

Monster Hunter Wilds has lost over 98% of its user base on Steam. While some players are expected to return with the game's next major update, the trend remains concerning, especially when paired with the fact that Monster Hunter Wilds has lately been subject to review-bombing on Valve's storefront. View the full article

Batman: Arkham Knight turns ten this week. The fourth in the Arkham series and third of Rocksteady's trilogy, it's a mighty action game that delivers a worthy finale to the arc. I still remember my first playthrough; back in 2015, the PC port was plagued by performance problems and crashes, though I was lucky enough to avoid the worst of it. Nowadays, however, it's probably the best way to play the beloved superhero saga, and it's about to get a major upgrade with a wealth of new features, albeit from an unofficial source. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Best superhero games 2025 Get Batman Arkham Knight, one of the most improved PC ports, for $2 Rocksteady adds The Batman batsuit to Arkham Knight, then deletes it View the full article

The Cursed Skull is one of the most useful items to find in PEAK, and timing its use could be the difference between your team's win or loss. The Cursed Skull is best used when one or more of your allies have fallen in the race to the top. Let's look at what the item does exactly and when to use it. Table of contentsHow does the Cursed Skull work in PEAK?When should you use the Cursed Skull in PEAK?How does the Cursed Skull work in PEAK? The Cursed Skull's main use is to revive all your allies who are dead in PEAK, as long as you're near them. Once revived, all your allies will have full health, and all negative effects on them will be removed. The revived players will also get full stamina. However, true to its name, this item should be used precisely. While your teammates will be revived, you'll be dead. Simply put, you will sacrifice yourself to have a ******* team. Statistically, this increases your chances of survival, assuming you're reviving more than one ally with the item. However, you'll be sitting out for the remainder of the round. Screenshot via Landcrab When should you use the Cursed Skull in PEAK? Let's consider a situation where you're the last person on your team. Chances are that you alone won't be able to scale the summit (you can, but the statistical odds won't be in your favor). Having more of your allies, theoretically, should work better. The location of your lost allies also falls under consideration since the goal is to reach the center. To scale the mountain, you'll also need allies (at least, I haven't figured out how you can go solo entirely). Using the Cursed Skull to revive all your teammates is the smarter decision in such situations. The post What does the Cursed Skull do in PEAK? appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

The Right Back to Basics Evolution is now live in EA FC 25, and it can offer some excellent upgrades to a card of your choice. The latest evolution might seem like a weak one at first, but it's more than that. For starters, availing the upgrades is free. Secondly, the card you choose will be rated 95 after the evolution is complete. You can apply a fourth playstyle+ of your choice if you have an extra one in Ultimate Team. Table of contentsEA FC 25 Right Back to Basics Evolution requirementsEA FC 25 Right Back to Basics Evolution upgradesBest players to use in Right Back to Basics EvolutionEA FC 25 Right Back to Basics Evolution requirements Here are the requirements of the Right Back to Basics Evolution in EA FC 25. Max Pos. 3Overall Max. 92Position RWMax PS 10Max PS+ 3Shooting Max. 91Dribbling Max. 98EA FC 25 Right Back to Basics Evolution upgrades There are four levels of upgrades, and here are the requirements. Level 1 upgrades Rarity In-Progress EvolutionSM +3 ★ (^4)PlayStyle Jockey (^9)Overall +2Pace +2 (^96)Passing +5 (^91)Dribbling +5 (^93)Jumping +7 (^93) Level 2 upgrades WF +3 ★PlayStyle Whipped Pass (^9)PlayStyle Slide Tackle (^9)Overall +3 (^95)Pace +3 (^96)Stamina +8 (^90)Defending +25 (^92) Level 3 upgrades New Pos. RBPlayStyle+ Long Ball Pass (^3)PlayStyle+ Rapid (^3)Strength +5 (^90)Aggression +5 (^89)Defending +25 (^92) Level 4 upgrades Rarity Shapeshifters EvolutionRole++ RB Fullback++Role++ RB Falseback++Role++ RB Wingback++Role++ RB Attacking Wingback++PlayStyle+ Jockey (^3) Level 1 upgrade conditions Play two matches in any mode using your active EVO player in game. Level 2 upgrade conditions Play two matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game. Level 3 upgrade conditions Play two matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game. Level 4 upgrade conditions Win three matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game.Best players to use in Right Back to Basics Evolution Here are some of the best players to use in this evolution. Nicolo Zaniolo Fantasy FCNdoye TOTS HMGabriel Pec TOTSLucas Vazquez DreamchasersLaura Perez TOTS HMPedro DreamchasersLeon Bailey DreamchasersKubo Dreamchasers Your club’s evo chain candidates can provide unique solutions exclusive to your Ultimate Team squad. The post Best players to use in EA FC 25 Right Back to Basics Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will bring its classic story and gameplay to a new generation of players this fall, but it may not be the only strategy RPG that Square Enix fans will see over the next few years. There has been no confirmed follow-up to Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles just yet, but director Kazutoyo Maehiro has hinted that more might be coming before too long. View the full article

Unfortunately, it's that time of the month again. Yesterday, Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games shared a post on LinkedIn announcing that layoffs had taken place at the company. It was described as a "small group of valued 1047 Games team members," but as is par for the course for games industry layoffs, there was no mention of how many have been laid off - though of course the usual spiel about "redirecting resources" to make the game better. You know, classic corporation speak. Read more View the full article

1047 Games, the developer of Splitgate 2, has announced layoffs affecting an undisclosed number of its employees. The move comes just a couple of weeks after the official launch of Splitgate 2 on June 6 across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. View the full article

Grounded 2 is set two years after the events of the first game, Obsidian Entertainment has confirmed. This detail was revealed in a recent interview that also provided additional insight into the game’s story and the developer’s post-launch content plans for Grounded 2. View the full article

Total War: Warhammer 3 has released a big update for June 2025, bringing plenty of new content and important improvements to the game. Among the headline changes are significant updates to Magic Items, bringing more variety and strategic options to Total War: Warhammer 3 players’ arsenals. View the full article

Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army includes a few DLC packs for demons, items, grinding, skill books, and more and our guide and our guide covers everything you need to know about accessing it and when it unlocks. View the full article