Xbox is celebrating Pride Month with free games and special gaming features

Microsoft announced that it is donating $150,000 to nonprofits around the world to help in the fight for LGBTQI+ equity.

Xbox is celebrating Pride month with special merchandise. (Xbox)

Microsoft Xbox today shared a number of ways it is celebrating the LGBTQI+ community. The list includes free games, new in-game features and Pride-themed merchandise among other things.

The company said that as a part of Pride-month celebrations, Tell Me Why, the game which has a playable transgender character, will be available for free on Xbox gaming consoles, Microsoft Store and Steam for the month of June. In addition to this, the gaming service will also be highlighting games that include LGBTQI+ relationship options, playable characters, and customizable character choices. Some of these games include Tell Me Why, Undertale, Ikenfell and 2064 Read Only Memories.

Microsoft has also introduced a new Pride collection merchandise from Xbox, Halo, and other projects. This merchandise is available for purchase in the Xbox Store. Additionally, the company said that select games will unveil new Pride-themed features and activities throughout the month. This includes a rainbow livery in Forza, a “Unity” nameplate in Halo, and a Gears 5-based punch card where players can raise funds for a social good organization of their choice by completing in-game tasks.

Apart from introducing new features and merchandise, Microsoft announced that it is donating $150,000 to nonprofits around the world to help in the fight for LGBTQI+ equity. The list includes ACLU Foundation, The Trevor Project, Act to Change, OutRight Action International, BEAM, and Mermaids. The company is also giving gamers an option to support the LGBTQIA+ community. The company said that gamers in the US can also support LGBTQIA+ organisations through Microsoft Rewards by earning and donating points to organizations including The Trevor Project, OutRight Action International, and the Transgender Law Center.

Lastly, the company said that the Xbox Twitch channel will host takeovers all month-long featuring creators and game developers from the LGBTQIA+ community.

That said, Xbox is not the only company celebrating Pride month. Instagram has teamed up with The Queer Muslim Project to host the second edition of the Digital Pride Festival. The festival will begin on June 11 and will go on till June 27. During the course of this festival, the social media company will host five segments, which includes creator panels, performances, panels on online safety, mental health, and a masterclass on new tools of expression such as Reels. You can check all the details here.