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Yu-Gi-Oh! is rolling out a bold new format aimed at making the game easier for returning players and newcomers alike. Genesys, officially developed by Konami, strips back some of the complexity that has made modern Yu-Gi-Oh! feel intimidating and overly fast-paced, offering a fresh way to duel with your favourite cards.

Unlike fan-created formats, Genesys is a fully sanctioned tournament format with its own rules. The key changes are simple but significant: Pendulum and Link Monsters are banned, and there’s no Forbidden or Limited list in play. That means players can unleash powerful cards from across the game’s history, including classics like Pot of Greed and Graceful Charity, while still balancing deck power with a new Point System.

How Genesys Works
The Genesys Point System acts like a deck-building salary cap. Most cards carry no cost, but powerful staples are assigned point values to keep them in check. For example, Pot of Greed costs 30 points, while other high-impact cards like Abyss Dweller or True King of All Calamities sit at 100 points. Standard tournament decks use a 100-point cap, though event organisers can tweak this for different power levels. Players must use Konami’s official deck-building tool to calculate points and print legal decklists for competitions.

This system lets duelists customise strategies and encourages experimentation. Konami likens it to being the general manager of your own deck. Powerful cards aren’t off-limits—they just take up more of your point budget, forcing smart trade-offs and thoughtful deck construction.

Where to Play Genesys
Official Tournament Stores (OTS) can run Genesys events starting September 23, 2025. Konami is also introducing Genesys Invitationals at Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series events, with winners taking home rare prizes like the 2009 SJC Dark End Dragon and oversized Pot of Greed promo cards. Early Invitationals include:

  • Oct 4–5: Anaheim, USA
  • Oct 11–12: São Paulo, Brazil
  • Nov 8–9: Pittsburgh, USA
  • Nov 22–23: Bologna, Italy
  • Nov 29–30: Merida, Mexico

Genesys will eventually headline its own YCS event in 2026, further cementing the format in competitive play.

Digital Possibilities
While Genesys launches exclusively in the TCG, it could eventually come to Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. Konami has gradually added previously forbidden cards into the digital client, so the groundwork exists, but implementing the point system and the format’s rules digitally will take time.

A Format for Everyone
Genesys is designed to appeal to old-school duelists who miss simpler gameplay, as well as new players looking for an accessible entry point. By removing the most complex summoning mechanics and introducing a flexible point-based deck-building system, Konami hopes to create a format that’s both nostalgic and strategic, giving duelists more ways to enjoy their favourite cards without the overwhelm of modern meta pressures.

For anyone who’s ever felt left behind by Pendulum or Link Monsters, Genesys might just be the perfect reason to return to the duelling field.