Amidst Xbox's multiplatform publishing strategy, Sony is reiterating its commitment to prioritizing the PlayStation 5. During a recent Sony business meeting and "fireside chat," PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst stated the company is taking a "very measured, very deliberate approach" when it comes to deciding if and when a first-party title appears on other platforms like PC.

Sony has been porting many of its marquee titles to PC for years. Some of its more recent live-service titles, like Helldivers 2 and the short-lived Concord, released day-and-date on console and PC, while tentpole single-player games like God of War: Ragnarok or Ghost of Tsushima typically release on PS5 first and arrive at least a year later on PC.

When asked about the industry's move towards multiplatform titles and how Sony is looking to protect the "value" of the PS5 console, Hulst indicated that Sony isn't looking to change its current strategy.

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Switch 2 is so hot right now. So much so that Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Hideaki Nishino was asked if the PlayStation team is worried about the system's increased performance and third-party support, possibly leading to tougher competition for PS5. The answer boiled down to: Not really.

Nishino discussed the Switch 2 during a Sony business presentation, where he even touched on PS6 (but not in name) and cloud gaming. Switch 2 set a new record for fastest-selling system of all time, with Nintendo stating it sold 3.5 million consoles in four days. Nishino said successful launches like this can be a boon for everybody. He noted that "catalysts in the market are great for the industry as a whole, as they invigorate the excitement and demand more broadly," per VGC.

The PlayStation executive also conveyed confidence in the PS5 as a whole, especially when it comes to gaming on a TV. "PlayStation 5 is designed for an immersive gaming experience, and this includes the innovative DualSense controller features as well. We believe PS5-level performance is required to achieve a great experience on big screens. And in this way, we have provided a unique offering for players and creators in this current console generation."

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Microsoft is shaking things up with its new strategy of launching its own games on rival platforms, and now Sony has reacted to Microsoft's latest moves. As part of an investor fireside chat, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino was asked to respond to speculation from investors that Microsoft is "moving away from the console."

To be clear, Microsoft has made no announcements about moving away from building hardware, and in fact, the company has already said it's working on its next console. In any event, Nishino responded by saying Microsoft trying something new and creating an additional competitive element in the gaming landscape by launching more of its games on rival systems is "healthy and pushes us to innovate."

"There are multiple participants who together drive the overall game industry, and while there are new engagement models being explored, we ultimately think this is a good thing," he said. "However, as I mentioned earlier, we are confident and committed on our current strategy, and there isn't an urgent need for us to pivot. We will continue to monitor play patterns and invest appropriately as required."

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While it's always a good idea to save some cash toward the end of the month, Valve's quarterly Steam sales make it very tempting to dip into those rainy day funds. Fortunately, knowing when these sales will occur has gotten easier over time, as Valve no longer keeps people guessing about the dates.

The company regularly posts the dates far in advance for its sales and promotional events, and for the upcoming Steam Summer Sale 2025, this will kick off on June 26 and runs through July 10.

Beyond that, Valve has also dated several other events for the rest of the year, ranging from a fresh batch of demos being dropped in the October Next Fest to a winter sale starting in December. There'll also be promotions with specific focuses throughout the year, highlighting racing, political simulator, and horror games. Here's the full list of everything on the way.

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Sony's PS5 console will turn five years old in November, and with an eye on the future, the company recently revealed its thoughts on what's next for PlayStation. During a business presentation hosted by several top Sony executives, president and CEO Hideaki Nishino responded to a query about future PlayStation hardware and if a next-gen PS6 console was even necessary when cloud gaming has improved over the years.

According to Nishino, while cloud gaming is "progressing well from a technical standpoint," certain challenging aspects like end-to-end network stability remain out of Sony's control. Nishino added that cloud-based gameplay is still a viable option for gamers and allows them to access more content, but the "local execution" of games--via physical media or content downloaded directly to console hardware--remains in high demand by the majority of PlayStation gamers.

"Cloud gaming is increasingly providing an additional option for players to access content, but our belief is that the majority of players continue to want to play and experience gaming through local execution without dependency on network conditions," Nishino said. "PS5 and PS5 Pro have validated this thesis, I believe."

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Earlier this month, the team behind Halo Infinite embraced nostalgia for the franchise's past by bringing back Grifball, the popular 4 vs. 4 football-like game. Now, Halo Infinite is taking an even deeper dive into the past by revisiting fan-favorite maps from Halo 3. As seen in the launch trailer below, it's like a party from 2007.

Halo Studios has unveiled Infinite's Delta Arena: Halo 3 Legacy Playlist, which should look very familiar to players who experienced the locations the first time. The complete list of Halo 3-inspired maps is below.

• Isolation
• Snowbound
• Guardian
• Narrows
• Construct
• Ghost Town
• Bookmark
• Cold Storage
• Foundry
• The Pit
• High Ground

Additionally, Halo 2's Ivory Tower has been remade for the Halo Infinite Forge. And to recreate the throwback conditions of these maps, sprint and clamber have been disabled, friendly player collision has been restored, jump height has been increased, and all players start with either an MA5K Avenger or BR75 Battle Rifle.

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It looks like GTA 6 could carry forward a feature from GTA 5 with famous real-world artists getting their own in-game radio stations. Rapper Jermaine Dupri said in a new interview with Rory and Mal (via Dexerto) that he's heard that hugely popular rapper Drake "got his own radio station in Grand Theft Auto."

Dupri didn't mention GTA 6 by name, but Drake has never had a radio station in the GTA series before, so it's assumed he was talking about the new game due out next year. Dupri himself said he was asked as well to "do Grand Theft Auto," but he didn't elaborate on if he signed on or not.

Dupri went on to say that GTA 6's Drake radio station will give Drake the ability to upload music that no one has ever heard before, suggesting artists might debut new music inside GTA 6. In addition to Drake, it's been reported that DJ Khaled will have his own in-game radio station in GTA 6 as well.

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The Switch 2 is a hot commodity, including in Japan, where the only way to officially get one of the new consoles is via a lottery, so resellers are having a field day. Some users on Japan's third-party marketplaces have decided to have fun with the situation, putting up parody listings that are probably not the kind of Switch 2 you were looking for.

One recurring joke on marketplaces like Mercari Japan include a play on words in Japanese, IGN reports. Sellers have been listing dual light switches with the description Switch 2-ko, which can be translated to "two switches" in Japanese.

One popular gag listing features a dual light switch made from cardboard, which is nevertheless listed as a Japanese language edition Nintendo Switch 2 at 67,000 yen, around the price that some resellers are listing legitimate Switch 2 consoles. The description repeats the Switch 2-ko wording, with the seller adding that they don't understand how it's meant to be played. Other users in the comments are playing along with the two switches joke, asking the seller to reduce the price on what is supposedly an in-demand console, and even requesting a Switch 3.

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Earlier this year, Hideo Kojima admitted that he felt conflicted about the positive reception that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach received from game testers. At the time, Kojima said that he doesn't want to make blockbusters that "need an 80% approval rating" and preferred to remain controversial. Now, Kojima has revisited his comments and explained why he wants a divisive response from players.

While speaking through his interpreter, Kojima Productions' Aki Saito, Kojima told Game Informer that the reason he doesn't want a blockbuster is because those are the kind of games that are easily forgotten. Instead, he wants Death Stranding 2 to withstand the test of time over the next few decades.

"Recently, all the entertainment things are like easy to chew, easy to digest," explained Kojima. "But with Death Stranding, I thought it needs people who love it, and people who don't love it because it's a new thing. It's the same as Metal Gear. It took 10 years until Metal Gear was recognized as a good game. For Death Stranding 2, when I tested it, it wasn't like that. Everyone liked it. That's why I said, 'Maybe this is a problem.' It was more [liked] than my prediction."

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Metroidvania titles are as popular as ever, and if you're looking for one to play right now, you've got a free option on Steam for a limited time. Paradox Soul made its debut in 2018, and it's yours for the taking if you grab it fast.

Paradox Soul was developed by Ritual Games and published on Steam by GrabTheGames. The story is set in Iceland in 1987 and it places players in control of Dr. Alli Rose, a research scientist who is exploring a test facility filled with secrets and deadly robot enemies to fight. Much like many of the older video game titles, Paradox Soul's game art doesn't closely resemble the graphics used in the actual gameplay.

Physically, Alli is an ordinary woman, but she can collect suits in the game that upgrade her offensive capabilities, including a Samus Aran-like ball form that Alli can use to attack her foes. The game's description also teases "terrifyingly epic boss fights" and a "hand-crafted labyrinth of evil."

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Sony's live-service game releases haven't all been as successful as Helldivers 2, but despite the failure of Concord and reported struggles with Fairgame$, Sony is pushing ahead and committing to make more live-service games.

PlayStation boss Hermen Hulst said this recently during a Sony business presentation in which he also commented on the company's next big live-service game, Bungie's Marathon, saying he feels optimistic that it won't suffer the same fate as Concord.

As reported by IGN, Hulst said feedback from Marathon's latest alpha test was "varied," but he maintains that the live-service category remains a "great opportunity" for the company. Concord, Hulst said, was "insufficiently differentiated" in a "hyper competitive segment" of gaming, referring to live-service multiplayer games.

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How to Train Your Dragon: Toothless (784 pieces)

$70 | Releases July 1

Preorder at The Lego Store

The live-action adaptation of Dreamwork's How To Train Your Dragon film premiered in theaters this week, and if you're looking to bring some of that fantasy universe to your home, Lego has just the set for you. The company recently revealed a new kit based on Hiccup's best friend Toothless launching July 1, and you can preorder this little replica of the Night-Fury dragon for $70 exclusively through The Lego Store.

How to Train Your Dragon: Toothless (784 pieces) $70 | Releases July 1

This adorable 784-piece Toothless replica stands seven inches tall when completed and features big, expressive eyes and movable head, mouth, tail, and wings. The kit also includes several extra parts and accessories, such as a replacement tail fin, effect parts to simulate his breath attack, and a fishy treat.

Preorder at The Lego Store

This is Lego's only How to Train Your Dragon set announced so far, but if you're looking for more ways to enjoy the fantasy universe, you can always check out the original books and animated films and TV series, too.

If you're looking for other Lego sets, the ever-popular Optimus Prime Lego set has been restocked at multiple major retailers and it has been discounted by 20%. The Autobot leader normally retails for $180, but you can grab him for just $144 right now. You can also pair him with a Lego version of everyone's favorite Cybertronian scout, Bumblebee, which is available for $88.55 at Amazon. Be sure to also check the list below for even more Lego deals available now.

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Former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista has made a name for himself as an actor over the last decade, but now he's moving into the video game space as a producer. Bautista and Titan1Studios have agreed to partner up to bring Cat Assassin to life as a new media franchise including an upcoming video game.

As announced on GameRant, Cat Assassin was created by Steve Lerner, the writer of the critically acclaimed indie game Stray. While that title put players in control of an adorable cat in a city of robots, Cat Assassin's lead character, Hugh, is considerably less cuddly. He's described as "a skilled assassin navigating a chaotic world of warring cartels and corrupt power players." Presumably that's a role that Bautista may be interested in playing, but the announcement doesn't specify his involvement as an actor.

Cat Assassin takes place in a "neo-noir city populated by anthropomorphic felines." The video game is being planned as a stealth-action game with dark humor. The announcement notes that the Cat Assassin game is inspired by Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, and Sifu.

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The animated adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon was a huge hit when it first hit the big screen in 2010, and now, 15 years later, Dreamworks is bringing that fantasy adventure back to theaters as a live-action adaptation. However, some may not know that both films are based on the 2003 novel series of the same name, written by author Cressida Cowell. The 12-book series offers a much more fleshed-out version of the story, and if you're looking to explore the source material before the new live-action film premieres on June 13, you're in luck, as the How to Train Your Dragon novels are available at Amazon. This includes a big discount on the How to Train Your Dragon: The Complete Book Collection, which is down to just $59.69 (normally $108). You can also grab the animated film and its sequels and spin-off on Blu-ray, and grab a new Toothless Lego set that's available to preorder. Check out all the How to Train Your Dragon deals below.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Complete Book Collection $59.69 (was $108)

All three versions of How to Train Your Dragon follow Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the son of a Viking chieftain whose clan has been at war with dragons for centuries. However, Hiccup secretly befriends a young dragon, whom he names Toothless, and the two form a bond that challenges the status quo of Viking society.

Since the live-action movie looks like it'll be a faithful remake of the animated film, it might be best to start with the How to Train Your Dragon books. The books are much more detailed and feature entire story arcs that the movies don't include. You can pick up all 12 books with the How To Train Your Dragon: The Complete Collection, which is discounted to just for $59.69 (was $108) at Amazon. The box set includes paperback editions of all 12 books and a slipcase box to store them in.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Complete Book Collection How to Train Your Dragon Hardcover Editions

You can also buy each book on its own, as all 12 are available in standalone hardcover editions at Amazon--although buying all 12 separately will be more expensive than grabbing the discounted box set. That said, if you just want to dip into the literary version of How to Train Your Dragon, you can grab the first novel for just $9.19 (was $16).

How to Train Your Dragon Hardcover Editions

1. How to Train Your Dragon -- $9.19 ($16)
2. How to Be a Pirate -- $26.70
3. How to Speak Dragonese -- $16.89
4. How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse -- $17.82 ($19.80)
5. How to Twist a Dragon's Tale -- $19.80
6. A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons -- $9.50
7. How to Ride a Dragon's Storm -- $13.15 ($15)
8. How to Break a Dragon's Heart -- $19.80
9. How to Steal a Dragon's Sword -- $10.59 ($13)
10. How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel -- $12.74 ($13)
11. How to Betray a Dragon's Hero -- $19.80
12. How to Fight a Dragon's Fury -- $8.38

See all books at Amazon How To Train Your Dragon: The Complete Book of Dragons $18 (was $20)

While not a part of the series, there's also How To Train Your Dragon: The Complete Book of Dragons. This companion guidebook covers all of the dragon species from the How to Train Your Dragon series, plus several brand-new ones created just for this book, all realized with beautiful color illustrations. It's available for $18 at Amazon (normally $20)

See at Amazon How to Train Your Dragon 4K Blu-rays

The animated How to Train Your Dragon movie trilogy makes some big departures from the source material across the films, but they're still fun epics with fantastic animation that still holds up all these years later. These 4K Blu-rays also include the film on standard Blu-ray and digital streaming codes, as well as a selection of bonus materials, such as deleted scenes, documentaries, and commentaries from the cast and crew. There are even extra animated shorts featuring Hiccup and his crew.

1. How to Train Your Dragon -- $18.25 ($23)
2. How to Train Your Dragon 2 -- $15
3. How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World -- $15 ($30)

How to Train Your Dragon How to Train Your Dragon 2 How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World How to Train Your Dragon animated movies on standard Blu-ray

In case you don't have a 4K TV to watch the How to Train Your Dragon, they are available in standard Blu-ray format. They still look great at 1080p, and you can get the entire trilogy in one bundle deal. You'll also get all of the bonus content that you'd find in the 4K editions, although it is worth noting that the How to Train Your Dragon: Ultimate Collection includes two TV specials as well, in case you're looking for a complete experience.

• How to Train Your Dragon Collection -- $12.69 ($30)
• How to Train Your Dragon: Ultimate Collection -- $19 ($38)

How to Train Your Dragon Collection How to Train Your Dragon: Ultimate Collection How to Train Your Dragon TV series

Dreamworks also produced an animated series based on "How to Train Your Dragon," called "Dreamworks Dragons," which takes place between the first two movies. The Show ran for 118 episodes across eight seasons, plus a direct-to-DVD movie called Mystery of the Dragon Eye. While each season saw DVD releases, the first two seasons--known as Dragons: Riders of Berk and Dragons: Defenders of Berk--are out of print. Seasons 3-8, which are titled Dragons: Race of the Edge, are available on DVD at Amazon, as is the Mystery of the Dragon's Eye movie. Additionally, all eight seasons are streaming on Peacock.

Dreamworks followed up the Dragons series with two more How to Train Your Dragon animated spin-off shows--Rescue Riders on Netflix and The Nine Realms on Hulu. They haven't received a DVD or Blu-ray release yet, but are worth seeking out on Netflix and Hulu if you're looking to experience the entire How to Train Your Dragon animated universe.

Dragons: Race to the Edge DVD

• Dragons: Race to the Edge Seasons 1 and 2 (DVD) -- $12.96 ($23)
• Dragons: Race to the Edge Seasons 3 and 4 (DVD) -- $12 ($23)
• Dragons: Race to the Edge Seasons 5 and 6 (DVD) -- $11.79 ($23)
• Dragons: Race to the Edge: Mystery of the Dragon Eye (DVD) -- $9 ($15)

See at Amazon Lego How to Train Your Dragon: Toothless Figure (784 pieces) $70 | Releases July 1

For one last recommendation, Lego recently announced a new building set based on the series' adorable iconic dragon, Toothless. The 784-piece figure stands seven inches tall and features movable head and wings, and comes with a few accessories, including a breath piece and a fish treat. The kit launches on July 1 and is available to preorder at Lego's online store.

Preorder at Lego

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• Amazon BOGO 50% Off Movie Sale Includes Brand-New 4K Steelbooks & Box Sets
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• DualSense Edge PS5 Controller Drops To Best-Ever Price For Days Of Play

The Nintendo Switch 2 feels like a victim of Nintendo's own history, having set decades-long expectations that new hardware will always be, if not always revolutionary, at least deeply strange. The Wii, DS, 3DS, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch each relied on some central gimmick that was new and novel. Nintendo made a name for itself creating not just games but entirely new ways to play. The Switch 2, by comparison, is an iterative step--a more powerful successor to its wildly popular predecessor. While some may lament that this isn't the system to change the game once again, it does feel like Nintendo has found a form factor that fits its design philosophy and development culture like a glove. And so, the Switch is likely the new normal.

It's within that context that I feel the Switch 2 needs to be evaluated: as what it is rather than what it isn't. By that metric, it gets high marks. It's a well-made Switch successor with lots of little thoughtful touches and design improvements to make it feel like a more premium product. That means it's less toy-like than the original Switch, which makes me that much more nervous about handing it off to my kids. But in many ways, it feels like the Switch has grown up.

Now you're playing with power

Of course, the primary upgrade is pure hardware power. The Switch did not launch as a powerhouse system in 2017, and technology has since started to far outpace its capabilities. That made it increasingly unusual to receive third-party games with any kind of parity alongside PlayStation and Xbox, and even Nintendo's own development needs were starting to get more ambitious than the hardware could handle. More on that later.

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A new update has arrived to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone. The June 12 patch notes detail several improvements to Grief mode for Zombies. It also addresses a bug for the recently disabled "Numbers" skin for Woods.

Most of the update focuses on multiplayer and Zombies. However, the patch notes address an issue with Season 4's Essex Model 07 marksman rifle, which previously prevented the rapid fire attachment from working properly in both Black Ops 6 and Warzone.

Recently, the Numbers operator skin for Frank Woods was disabled for a visual bug, but this update addresses the issue. This means players who own this skin should be able to use it again in both games.

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Dune: Awakening's latest patch is now live, and while it doesn't make any major changes, it does continue to improve server stability for Funcom's newly released MMO.

Patch 1.1.0.13 is only five bullet points long. The first states developer Funcom has made "several backend changes to improve client and server stability." For those keeping track, every Dune: Awakening update has so far included some similar language, including the game's launch-day patch.

As for what else the update includes, it temporarily removes the ability to betray the NPC Jocasta Cleo as part of the "Impact of Ecology" contract, as Funcom states it received reports of being unable to retake the contract after betraying her. Funcom also updated the dialogue options for the Advanced Planetologist quest "The Search for Kynes" to reflect a since-fixed issue where players who defected from House Atreides could no longer progress the quest if they had accepted it prior to defecting.

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This week marks the fourth anniversary of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, one of the best games from the early days of PlayStation 5. While players may have found most of its secrets years ago, senior designer Grant Parker has revealed he hid a minigame in Rift Apart that no one ever found until he showed them how this week.

During the Insomniac Live show on Twitch (via VGC), Parker explained that he created a mechanical bull ride minigame at Zurkie's space station in Rivet's dimension, but it wasn't fully completed for the game. Rather than cutting out the content, Parker hid it behind an elaborate process that few would have ever guessed to try.

Here's a never-before-discovered easter egg in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart!
For the four-year anniversary, senior designer Grant Parker uncovered how to access a ✨secret✨ prototype mini game during Insomniac Live - our weekly live show on Twitch!#RatchetPS5 pic.twitter.com/9F8sxXhSAJ

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) June 11, 2025

To access the minigame, players need to be at the entrance of Zurkie's where the two signs on the right and the left read "no weapons." By shooting the left sign five times, the right sign four times, and then another 13 times on the left, the minigame will be unlocked. However, the game doesn't provide any audio confirmation when the code is entered correctly.

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Players have discovered the information Mario Kart World gives about the stats of its character and karts isn't entirely true, as testing certain combinations of characters and vehicles have produced some surprising results.

Just as in Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart World displays basic character and kart information like top speed, acceleration, weight, and handling. These stats are affected by the size of the characters, which are categorized into different unofficial weight classes. Extremely small or light characters, like all of the game's baby characters as well as some others, will have higher acceleration and lower top speeds, while heavy characters like Bowser and Donkey Kong will have higher top speeds but lower acceleration. The game doesn't tell players this outright, but it can be gleaned by selecting the same kart with different characters and seeing how the stat graph changes or stays the same.

However, there are seemingly even more hidden stats that the game doesn't tell players about. As highlighted in a video by svcTyler on YouTube, it appears some character and kart combinations are simply better than others in specific situations, despite the in-game stat graph showing that they should be identical. According to the video, certain characters and karts secretly perform better on certain types of terrain. Wario, for example, goes faster on paved tracks, while characters like Cow go faster on dirt roads. That means even though Wario and Waluigi are in same weight class, and even if they use the same kart, Wario will always be faster when driving on a normal road.

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GameStop is leaning heavily to trading cards as part of it's future strategy, according to CEO Ryan Cohen. The news comes as a part of larger strategy shift to buy and hold a lot of bitcoin.

Cohen has said that continuing to focus on trading cards, including the incredibly popular recent Pokémon card sets, is a "natural extension" of GameStop's business. He added that the collectibles could have potential for high profit margins.

Pokémon cards have a seen a gigantic resurgence recently. Stores regularly sell of sets, including the Destined Rivals set that launched on May 30. Cards have become increasingly hard to find as scalpers buy up supply and sell Pokémon card products--including cards, special boxes, and accessories--at exorbitant prices.

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