While some may worry about the commodification of Pride Month and the blatant tokenism on display by some companies who make a fuss during June but otherwise do nothing to support the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the rest of the year, it’s still great to see such prominent companies like Microsoft supporting queer individuals so visibly. This year, Xbox has stepped up its support with several initiatives to bring LGBTQIA+ concerns to the forefront, and hopefully, other companies will follow suit throughout June and beyond.

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Controllers, Gaming Gear, And Charity Donations

While adding rainbows to merchandise has long been the purview of corporations to show a minimal recognition of LGBTQIA+ issues, Xbox has put a little more effort into its representation of queer communities during this year’s Pride Month. Xbox Design Lab will have a brand-new Xbox controller design inspired by Pride Month available from June 9 and will be upping the ante from last year’s Pride-focused controller by making this year’s completely customizable. The top case design will also unite thirty-four community flags to reflect a wide range of LGBTQIA+ identities alongside the more recognizable rainbow as an important symbol of diversity and intersectionality.

The Xbox Gear Shop similarly has some Pride-themed merch available, with limited-edition t-shirts, bags, shorts, and other gear that has apparently been designed by LGBTQIA+ communities. While some might see this type of celebration as very commercial-focused and not necessarily in the right spirit, visibility is always important for communities so that representation is as ubiquitous and wide-ranging as it is for more “normalized” identities across all gaming spaces.

Microsoft will also be donating a total of $170,000 to a number of LGBTQIA+ charities, showing its commitment to actionable change. These charities include OutRight Action International, African Rainbow Family, National Center for Transgender Equality, Mermaids, Lavender Rights Project, and Fulcrum UA – organizations and non-profits that help to tackle hate, support LGBTQIA+ individuals, and promote equality.

Queer-focused Titles

Dontnod Entertainment’s award-winning and boundary-breaking Tell Me Why will be free across the whole of June on Xbox consoles, the Microsoft Store, and Steam. Tell Me Why, an episodic narrative adventure game with supernatural elements, is the first AAA game to feature a transgender main character and was praised for its authentic and nuanced representation. Xbox Publishing will also be hosting a Tell My Why livestream for the charity Trans Lifeline on Thursday, June 23.

Franchises like Forza and Halo will also be showing their support, with a Pride-themed emblem and nameplate for Halo Infinite for any players logging in during June, and exclusive Forza rainbow vehicle livery for players of Forza Horizon 5, Forza Horizon 4, and Forza Motorsport 7. In addition to these one-off events and themed cosmetics, Xbox will be promoting LGBTQIA+ friendly titles across its storefronts and subscription services. These titles will include the likes of the hack and slash Unsighted and Dead by Daylight, which features the first openly gay character in survival horror, encouraging players to experience more diverse narratives.

There may be mixed feelings about large corporations getting involved in celebrations like Pride Month, but most gamers will probably agree that the rise of queer and trans-phobic behavior needs to be addressed. With influential names like Microsoft getting onboard and so clearly showing support for LGBTQIA+ communities, this can only be a step in the right direction for visibility and representation. For gamers wanting to check out titles that reflect more diverse backgrounds and LGBTQIA+ identities, there are thankfully more games than ever like Life is Strange: True Colors, If Found, and The Last of Us 2, showing how the video game industry is evolving and improving.

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