Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

5 hour Duke? Happy days! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:05:17 - Health Is Wealth0:43:37 - Nicknaming The Dukes0:46:23 - Disc to digital benefits0:48:41 - Is Xbox moving too fast?0:54:03 - When are more retro Xbox games getting achievement and PC support?0:56:23 - What is the rest of 2026 gaming schedule looking like?1:01:10 - Fallout Day 20261:06:45 -Xbox hasn’t forgotten physical media1:20:23 - Xbox buyout was explored1:39:32 - Xbox Cloud Gaming prices revealed1:44:58 - AMD FSR 4.1 is coming to Xbox consoles and handhelds1:50:14 - BioWare is shutting down2:40:04 - A new sub franchise is headed to Call Of Duty2:43:04 - Nuance in the AI conversation?3:13:36 - Star Wars Battlefront 3 is on the menu3:31:47 - Another new update is coming to Cyberpunk 20773:35:46 - What We’re Playing4:10:06 - Massive investigation on Xbox reveals next gen pricing, changes to Game Pass, and plenty more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blink and you might miss the new big thing Xbox is doing! Last week, it was XP. This is the home to Xbox's Products, Places, Partnerships, and Productions. Basically, where everything that is beyond the "box" goes. Sure, fine, that's a lot to talk about on its own. However, a wave of recomps, games running on browsers, and AI powered mods have led to yet another initiative to be stood up rather quickly. This time, it's Xbox Labs, and Xbox aims to take hold of the emerging "creator" space where they will sell new products. If that wasn't enough, a new survey leaked online and tells us that Xbox is looking at making literally everything exclusive outside of Call Of Duty. So, the Dukes heads are spinning to say the least. Let's chat through it all as we always do in what has become an incredibly unpredictable time for all of gaming. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:08:32 - Health Is Wealth0:34:05 - Super Mario World slander0:38:36 - The last game mechanic to make you go “huh, that’s neat”0:46:20 - Xbox still wants new IP0:54:41 - Xbox announces the Nano controller1:01:04 - Gears Of War: E-Day sales estimates are in1:32:41 - Destiny 1 Remaster inbound?1:38:54 - Epic is making a full AI game2:17:46 - College Football is in jeopardy and Todd Howard is likely depressed to hear this2:26:34 - Physical games are doing just fine2:35:14 - More Silent Hill games inbound2:38:28 - Great news for Star Wars: Zero Company2:41:26 - What We’re Playing3:00:59 - Xbox Labs is the newest Xbox initiative to be announced3:27:26 - Xbox reveals XP3:53:08 - Major exclusives coming to Xbox? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The aggression of Asha Sharma and Xbox's new leadership group continues on! In a leaked town hall, we learned of many of Xbox's plans for the future including a "family" of devices for Helix, incoming changes to Game Pass, and the streamlining to how games reach the platform. One of the more noteworthy comments was Asha's insistence that Xbox has not "earned the right" to avert their gaze beyond the console platform. This is something clearly in staunch opposition to what the prior leadership team stood for as they explored everything from gaming through TV apps to the Cloud. With the focus on the current generation of consoles, what does this mean for games even in the 2030s? The Dukes think you should get very cozy with the idea of still playing games on these devices even up to a decade from now. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:10:09 - Health Is Wealth0:28:54 - What game are we dropping everything for to obtain the Thic?0:39:53 - A licensed game that could finally get its due0:45:11 - What is next for Xbox Game Studios?0:55:13 - Gaming for spooky season0:59:26 - Fear of layoffs looming at The Coalition1:19:44 - The Forza Bros are getting upset1:30:48 - Rebs Gaming drops new Halo leaks1:49:08 - A used PS5 pro is $1,400 at GameStop2:03:29 - State Of Decay 3 Beta coming soon2:10:03 - Layoffs begin at Ninja Theory2:17:45 - Fan favorite PlayStation series set to make comeback?2:32:16 - Capcom looking to turn RE Engine into an AI Generation Engine2:41:28 - Kena: Scars Of Kosmora delayed to 20272:43:47 - What We’re Playing3:12:22 - Xbox Helix details leak from internal Town Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy 300 to all our fellow Dukes! For those of you have stuck by our side through both personal and professional highs and lows, we're eternally grateful that you're here. To the surprise of some of you, the Dukes DO take a lot of time to reflect and celebrate. Beyond that, we get into the main attraction. Xbox's first console exclusive in years is here in Gears Of War: E-Day. Cog and Matty have played the campaign. Did it deliver? There's only one way for you to find out. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro/Reminiscing on 300 episodes of Duke0:48:44 - Xbox Ally or Steam Deck?0:53:02 - Mythic Achievements are real1:09:00 - Xbox is NOT for sale1:23:21 - What’s happening inside Destiny 2’s unvaulting?1:34:52 - Unpacking the Physint budget drama1:51:07 - Satya Nadella says Xbox’s streamlining is great1:55:08 - Ex Bethesda dev says Starfield 2 is unlikely2:18:16 - Witcher 3 Remaster is setting records2:23:15 - Why Remedy didn’t use yellow paint in Control Resonant2:27:31 - PlayStation reportedly polling about physical games2:37:00 - Looking Ahead At Game Releases - October 20262:50:12 - What We’re Playing3:33:44 - Rebs Gaming’s inside report on Halo’s future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 Round 2 of the Xbox Reset has arrived thanks to none of other than the Green Reaper. Joining us is Gene Park to discuss the fallout of these events. Halo is now officially run by Activision as Xbox finally chopped down 343 aka Halo Studios. It has been a long time coming as 343 managed the franchise for 15 years. Their tenure brought us Halo Anniversary Edition, Halo 4, Halo 5 Guardians, Halo Infinite, Halo Wars 2, and Halo Campaign Evolved. Almost all of these were disasters in their own way and as Asha Sharma's team cleans house, this felt inevitable in the wake of poor sales for the latest Halo remake. So, how can Activision rebuild the franchise? What direction do they take things in? Is it time to rebuild from scratch and ignore literally anything done before? Are sprint, ADS, and mantling returning features? How long will all of this take? It is a seismic undertaking and one thing is clear: another 343 led Halo game that sucks would sting, but another new beginning that results in disaster would drive us all to the point of insanity. Xbox must nail this, but that goes for a number of their IP they're now looking to nurture. Obsidian has joined forces with Bethesda and it's no doubt that these two will be at the hip for a very long time as Fallout continues to peak in popularity. What is Obsidian's creative future? Are they forever attached to Fallout or are more experiments on the way? Plus, will InXile join the fold at Bethesda eventually as the Xbox Game Studios family has become incredibly lean. It's our largest episode ever, so do get comfortable, settle into the conversation, and enjoy! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:07:02 - Addressing the nuclear Brad strike0:14:02 - Health Is Wealth0:17:02 - Is Trails 2 Remake worth it if you already played the original?0:19:59 - The next chapter for Bungie0:48:49 - Gene Park’s interview with Hideo Kojima1:27:31 - Xbox’s platinum equivalent is here1:37:46 - Why Fable was given a decade1:47:36 - Undead Labs has gone independent1:52:44 - Starcraft won’t be Xbox exclusive1:58:55 - Blood Of Dawnwalker cost just $40 million2:12:44 - Final Fantasy 7’s difficulty controversy2:37:01 - Valor Mortis makes admirable price move2:44:11 - What We’re Playing3:20:16 - Round 2 of the Xbox Reset commences Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

XBOX's continued investment in an avalanche of tentpole IP's came full circle at BlizzCon 2026! The Dukes enlist "The Reaper" of Overwatch and all things BLIZZARD to break down the latest ramifications! From World Of Warcraft's roadmap/controller future, Diablo 5, and StarCraft announcements to how far out some of these releases are! We also discuss a plethora of XBOX news, the Kojima and XBOX partnership aftermath, Asha Sharma handling your customer support tickets and more!Timestamps:Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro/Health is Wealth0:12:09 - Warm Up Questions0:27:14 - Inside report on Kojima and PlayStation’s split0:54:02 - Are Day 1 Game Pass Games done in 2027?1:13:32 - Apparently, Asha Sharma is helping Xbox support herself1:22:02 -  The PlayStation Blackout failed1:28:10 - Wonders Of O trademarked by Neowiz1:33:34 - Major updates for Bungie & Marathon1:46:07 - FF7 Remake team is handling Kingdom Hearts 41:57:05 - Injustice 3 inbound?2:00:29 - SEGA is going all in on adaptations2:10:04 - GenAI use is crushing Level 52:12:24 - Capcom Announcements from TGS 20262:16:36 - Sea of Thieves Signs Of Life2:21:36 - What We’re Playing2:49:05 - The Big Blizzcon Blowout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the wee hours of the night, an absolute stunner landed. Prolific and beloved game director, Hideo Kojima, has killed off his partnership with PlayStation for his upcoming action-espionage title, PHYSINT, and signed on with Xbox. According to the man himself, PlayStation was ready to cancel his game this June! After three months of searching, he found his partner in XBOX. It's a partnership where Kojima claims that they "share a common vision for the future" which says more than just about anything else within this next. Those who recall the PHYSINT announcement in 2024 will also remember that this was TV/movie deal as well. According to the XBOX Wire, they've got that too! So, what gives? Is this just a money play? Has Sony lost touch with optical wins when it was only last generation that they reaped the massive benefits of saving Kojima from Konami? What is XBOX's end goal in all of this? There is much to discuss! Beyond that, we talk about the Cloud Gaming snafu, the diabolical Steam achievement leak, and so much more!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro (Gamescom and Pax West Debriefing)00:34:17 - Health Is Wealth00:46:26 - Will Metaphor: ReFantazio get a definitive edition?00:49:43 - Cog’s thoughts on GTA 6 gameplay00:55:41 - Nintendo Direct recap01:04:04 - Ocarina Of Time Remake impressions01:30:30 - Developers opt out of Xbox’s disc to digital program?01:37:55 - Every NPC in Fable is handcrafted01:41:42 - Hideki Kamiya once again requests to make Scalebound01:48:31 - Rumors suggest Forza Horizon 6 isn’t coming to PS5 in 202601:50:43 - Blood Of Dawnwalker sequel in the works01:55:54 - More Final Fantasy 7 beyond the remakes01:59:20 - Capcom is focusing on reactivating IP02:02:31 - Witcher 1 Remake is on hold02:05:45 - PlayStation is looking to bring back Killzone02:12:05 - Venom game is still in development02:13:38 - Game Releases for September 202602:21:55 - What We’re Playing03:04:45 - Hideo Kojima jumps ship to Xbox03:54:14 - The catastrophic Steam achievement leak03:18:37 - Xbox’s Cloud Gaming Snafu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for a rare one! Indeed, it is I, Matty, and I shall be tickling your ears across the airwaves in a solo venture here from Paris. Today, I dive into the post-Gamescom fallout in what has been an eventful trip for Xbox. For starters, BBC News briefly spoke with Asha Sharma and managed to snag a few answers from her on everything from Helix's "family of devices" to Halo getting some more focus over time. Most interestingly to me was her approach to physical games versus Sony's recent statement on how "reasonable consumers" know they don't own their digital games. Naturally as a game collector, I'm very interested to see where Xbox's disc-to-digital program goes. If this is the starting point, or "step one" as they've put it, then I can imagine great things arriving down the stretch. The question is: what does this mean for physical releases? Is it possible that Xbox pulls out limited runs of their games following the launch? I discuss that, plus Asha's thoughts on Xbox's approach to exclusivity which say more than I think most are considering! Beyond that, we dive into Fable's story length, Xbox's ambitious movie deal, my experience with State Of Decay 3, and (somehow) a whole lot more. Enjoy! Sign up with code DEFININGDUKE at DraftKings! Spend $5 to get $200 in rewards within 21 days Timestamps:Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:13:58 - State Of Decay 3 release plans0:30:11 - Double Fine's Game Jam Kickstarter0:41:00 - Xbox's Ambitious Movie Deal0:51:59 - DOOM's DLC Crunch Story0:59:11 - Thoughts on GTA 6's Gameplay Reveal1:09:43 - Star Wars: Zero Company Devs Furloughed Ahead Of Launch1:15:39 - A Motive's Iron Man Game Confirmed1:54:05 - What I'm Playing2:17:25 - Asha Sharma's comments on Helix, Physical Media, and Halo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

IN PERSON DUKE ALERT! The Dukes have united in Germany for Gamescom 2026. This marks a first for the duo! Join us as we recollect on our adventures across Europe from jetlag to McDonalds and, yes, even Fable! Much has been said about the game following its delays, but now we have a clear look at combat. What about it is strong and are the comments about the enemy reactivity overplayed? We dive in. Plus more on State Of Decay 3 from graphics to feel. How is this shaping up as it hails from a former Xbox First Party studio? Naturally, we dive into that, plus all the other things we've seen and played while out here. It's a bit of a structureless conversation, so we appreciate you bearing with us and enjoy what is a rare type of episode for all of us. Due to the episode being in person, there are no timestamps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the week before Gamescom! Around this time, the Dukes never expect much as Xbox has already fired out their reveals for the year thanks to June's annual showcase. A recent rumor changed all of that! Thanks to NateTheHate, we are officially aware of a sequel to an Xbox owned IP being developed by a third party team which would see a release this year. The Dukes crack open the archives of Xbox and sift through all the dreams of what this could be. One thing is for certain: It's not Banjo. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro2:47 - Health is wealth18:26 - An Xbox first party game you’ve missed27:38 - You can DoorDash games30:22 - Harvey Smith is back43:00 - Sledgehammer was prototyping a Halo game56:05 - Xbox’s 25th Anniversary Controller details leak57:46 - Fallout 4’s newest update has some serious lore1:21:14 - Xbox is partnering with McDonalds1:30:02 - Kingdom Hearts 4 news galore1:45:04 - Shuhei Yoshida’s peculiar advice to Sandfall Interactive1:50:18 - Trails In The Sky gets a unique localization patch1:56:34 - PlayStation’s live service struggles continue2:05:35 - Oxenfree studio Night School is shutdown by Netflix2:11:57 - What We’re Playing2:29:16 - Xbox has a secret game announcement coming to Gamescom2:59:08 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How hungry are people for Elder Scrolls VI? Apparently, very! All it took was eight asterisks within the game's subtitle to send a flurry of fans into everything from lore wikis to decoding employee identification numbers in Starfield's Developer Direct. With such rampant curiosity, this led the Dukes down the rabbithole. What do these eight characters represent? Indeed, if the theories are true, they tell us more than you'd expect. Beyond that, we settle into a chat about the coming generation of consoles. Will Xbox weaponize Elder Scrolls VI as a lightning rod which can draw people into the ecosystem? Is it worth risking millions upon millions of dollars lost for this? Essentially, is this game going to find itself in a camp with Call Of Duty and Forza or Clockwork and Gears? There are compelling arguments for both sides, so join the very delirious Dukes as they settle into a lengthy conversation about Elder Scrolls! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro11:20 - Health Is Wealth25:12 - Gears E Day beta sets records for series38:32 - Currently hired ID Software dev blasts Xbox1:02:12 - Xbox explains the big server outage1:05:33 - Update on Halo Campaign Evolved sale’s estimates1:20:34 - GTA 6 gets a gameplay reveal on Netflix1:50:45 - Ghost Of Yotei Complete Edition announced1:54:22 - Lord Of The Rings remasters inbound2:00:15 - Atlus thinks they have to do Persona 1 & 2 Remakes2:06:52 - Hog Leg 2 confirmed2:09:56 - What We’re Playing2:42:49 - The extremely desperate Elder Scrolls rabbithole3:11:43 - Blizzard is Microsoft’s top performing studio3:16:48 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a time where game preservation feels it matters the least, here comes some much needed news. Leaked via The Verge, we now know Xbox is accelerating a program dedicated to preserving your games dating back to the original Xbox generation. That much has been known thanks to a program greenlit by Sarah Bond during her time at Xbox. However, the new wrinkle is not only that Xbox 360 games are headed to PC, but also that the backwards compatible library stands a chance to expand beyond what we already know. Now, the catch is that other developers would have to play ball, but more from a greenlight standpoint rather than any additional engineering. The icing on the cake? Xbox is finally bringing its platinum trophy equivalent to the platform. After two generations of waiting, they'll finally be getting with the times and you won't have to wait much longer to hear about it thanks to Asha Sharma. Plus: Xbox's "platform" game focus, more absolutely dismal news for Halo, the unaffordability of console gaming, and so much more! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro5:42 - Health Is Wealth21:54 - In person Duke soon?23:45 - Shoutout to SS+28:31 - A retro gaming solution?30:00 - Asha Sharma confirms platinum trophy equivalent coming to Xbox later this year44:18 - Asha Sharma’s leaked memo to staff58:16 - Halo sales estimates are in1:32:01 - Xbox console price increase confirmed for EU and UK1:36:42 - ESO faces a content delay following layoffs1:41:23 - A crazy Bethesda remaster candidate leaks1:44:16 - Sony responds to shareholders about physical games1:57:43 - Steam Machine reservations will be filled by end of year1:59:18 - Mass layoffs expected at EA2:02:19 - What We’re Playing2:31:00 - Xbox’s Game Preservation Program Leaks3:07:58 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ah, like the good ol' days! It's time to talk a lot of Halo and Gears. Interestingly, one franchise has handled the baton pass much better than the other. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00 - Intro13:03 - Most Anticipated Games for the year20:52 - Why do people care about Bethesda?30:25 - The great Xbox outage1:00:32 - Rebs Gaming on future of Halo1:27:51 - Xbox optimizing download speeds1:30:58 - Xbox’s gamescom plans1:33:40 - The layoffs have begun at Double Fine1:42:33 - Avatar Legends suddenly delayed on Xbox1:49:26 - Stalker 2’s first expansion has a date1:51:25 - Dragon Age Remasters dream is dead2:03:12 - A new Cyberpunk game has leaked2:07:03 - Looking Ahead At Game Releases - August 20262:13:08 - What We’re Playing2:32:11 - Gears Of War E-Day3:04:12 - Xbox’s ad supported game streaming has arrived3:22:21 - Fable’s release date snag3:37:09 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The latest release by Halo Studios is here! While the run up to this launch has been far from clean, how does this game fare when separated from the noise? The Dukes who have deep ties to this game unpack it from the ‘super fan’ angle before rolling into what this means for those who have never played a Halo game. It’s a strange one, but we’ll do our best as always! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro4:51 - Health Is Wealth21:06 - Hits Only versus New IP40:35 - Xbox Reveals Backward Compatibility for PC53:20 - Xbox’s Messaging on Exclusivity Gets Messy Again1:03:31 - Xbox Leadership Reportedly Detests Game Pass1:20:14 - Halo Roadmap Leaks from Rebs Gaming1:35:07 - Marathon’s Director Bows Out1:48:29 - Circana’s Dooming News for Physical Game Lovers2:13:07 - KOTOR Remake in 2028?2:20:14 - What We’re Playing (Halo)3:07:26 - Bethesda Lays Out the Roadmap for Their Future3:56:54 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot can happen in a week's time! Now that the dust is settling and we have a rare quiet moment for Xbox, it's time to fully unpack the immediate results of Xbox's Reset. We've learned that multiple Zenimax owned studios have returned to their smaller sized around the mid 2010s. When you look across the industry at the various indie and AA success stories, one has to wonder if AAA is no longer just borrowing creative ideas from these parts and, instead, emulating their business structure. Is there a lesson to be learned in Expedition 33 reaching 8+ million copies sold with a team of around 30 people and their strategic form of outsourcing? What of the 10+ person team at Mega Crit that works on the indie hit Slay The Spire 2? Does the industry truly need its titanic teams across the board or should there be exceptions to that rule in cases such as Rockstar? The reality is that we won't know for years how any of this pans out, but it's a good thought exercise nonetheless! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro10:51 - Health Is Wealth25:04 - The Future of Elder Scrolls33:49 - Leadership Issues at Halo Studios Again1:02:46 - The Black Ops 1 and 2 PS5 Ports1:08:59 - Microsoft Deletes a 25 Year Old Account1:29:51 - The Slow Adoption Rate of PS5 and Series Consoles1:39:37 - Obsidian Responds to Claims That They're a Different Team Nowadays1:54:33 - Ryse: Son of Rome Was Supposed to Be Xbox's Assassin's Creed2:00:52 - Glen Schofield Officially Retires from Making Games2:10:17 - People Are Truly Backlog Gaming Like Crazy2:13:41 - What We're Playing2:34:44 - The Fallout of the "Xbox Reset"3:25:04 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What has Brad done this time? Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro12:27 - Health Is Wealth27:44 – Xbox leaning into exclusivity43:19 – TES 6 is 2–3 years away52:27 – Obsidian is making a Fallout game1:33:58 – Spyro devs are interested in Banjo1:38:47 – Project Fantasy funding pull leads to studio shutdown1:46:11 – What We’re Playing2:01:14 – The Grand Xbox Reset is here3:27:31 – Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The bottom continues to fall out from the games industry. Approximately five impending studio closures was simply not enough. Here comes PlayStation who is shutting down their entire physical game operation. It's never been more clear than right now that many of us who have been gaming since the 90s are now truly considered "the old guard" as we continue to face off against staggering changes at a breakneck speed. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro3:31 - Checking in with the Dukes22:50 - Xbox announces more console price increases48:38 - Is Xbox pulling third party deals from Game Pass?55:26 - PlayStation goes all digital1:18:37 - The Bungie cuts are official1:34:27 - Will GTA 6 be 60 FPS?1:38:57 - Oblivion Remastered gets Switch 2 port details1:41:07 - What We’re Playing2:06:09 - Xbox is eyeing Undead Labs for closure2:29:24 - Xbox debates canceling Blade and shutting down Arkane2:58:52 - Xbox pulls funding from Project Fantasy3:12:12 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The RAM-pocalypse has arrived and Valve has set the tone on hardware pricing! Jimmy Champane of Deck Ready and The Insipid Ghost of The Expansion Pass break down all the Steam Machine news! How does this affect Project Helix launch and pricing? Massive news week for the Dukes and we sift through it all. GTA 6 colossal news impact, Phil Spencer believing in Kojima/OD, Xbox going full Hollywood and so much more! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro2:38 - Warm Up Questions5:12 - GTA 6 Price revealed, details & performance32:23 - Todd Howard likes Blade. XBOX rake inbound?43:55 - XBOX triples down on HOLLYWOOD58:28 - Halo’s Project Ekur latest rumors1:11:21 - Kojima says Phil & Asha understood OD1:21:58 - Marathon’s new PvE mode1:38:59 - Sonic and Shinobi failed to meet expectations1:47:21 - Obsidian sued in class action lawsuit1:51:13 - EA holds third round of layoffs this year1:56:24 - Looking ahead at game releases - July 20262:04:22 - What We're Playing2:15:07 - STEAM MACHINE sticker shock & Project Helix effect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brad's curse continues on. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00 - Intro3:30 - An update on the Green Reaper8:10 - Colin scolds The Dukes13:09 - A brief reprieve from Xbox depression24:30 - What We’re Playing1:02:00 - Xbox Studio Shutdowns3:01:15 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, we tested the Brad curse. It worked. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro02:55 - Our favorite games from this week15:41 - Is the GTA 6 threat overexaggerated?24:33 - The great PlayStation vs Xbox Originality debate43:24 - Asha Sharma vs Phil Spencer50:33 - The Brad Curse becomes real1:18:05 - Xbox confirms “reliable pipeline of exclusives”1:48:42 - The Gears Of War PS5 Fiasco1:58:37 - Xbox lost millions of Game Pass subs after price hike2:05:47 - Fable gets 30 minutes of new gameplay2:24:45 - Halo: Campaign Evolved gets 28 minutes of new gameplay2:42:01 - Gears Of E-Day is the longest campaign yet2:44:40 - Premium editions for Halo, Gears, and Fable2:54:21 - Project Mara is officially canceled2:59:05 - Blade is still alive3:01:28 - What We’re Playing3:28:44 - Is Xbox trying to cut hardware prices?3:44:03 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox's 2026 summer showcase has come and gone! As per usual, it was a relatively strong showing featuring big reveals and welcome surprises, yet it still managed to put up a few big head scratchers. Fortunately, the good outweighed the bad. For starters, the hardcore Xbox community has deeply yearned for the return to exclusivity. After months of lip service, Xbox is taking action by making Gears Of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution console exclusive. Obviously, that leaves us with many questions! Why these two games? What data do they hope to collect from them? Is Xbox appeasing their hardcore community for enough time to help rebuild the base before transitioning to a fully PC ecosystem? Beyond the strategy updates, we have plenty of good games! Halo, State Of Decay, A Plague Tale: Resonance, Persona 6, a new Spryo, Vivarium, and a chockful of other delightful looking games all made their presence felt. Unfortunately, Xbox has decided for what is technically a third year in a row to round out a showcase on a Call Of Duty game. Combined with a predictably lacking performance by Bethesda and the otherwise strong showcase experiences some serious lows. Last, but not least, we got an extended showing for Gears Of War: E-Day. Did Coalition's return to the essence of this franchise go off without a hitch? We discuss! Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:06:45 - General Impressions0:19:04 - Commitment to Console Exclusivity0:38:30 -Fable0:48:31 - Halo Campaign Evolved0:53:12 - A Plague Tale: Resonance0:57:10 - Persona 4 Revival1:06:31 - State of Decay 31:12:15 - Sea of Thieves Season 201:15:22 - Metro 20391:20:36 - Bad Magpie1:22:31 - Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember1:25:08 - Join Us1:26:30 - Senua1:34:00 - Fallout 76: Infestations1:44:44 - DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations1:48:23 - Crazy Taxi World Tour1:54:04 - 25th Anniversary Hardware1:57:54 - Age of Empires IV Expansion1:58:56 - Minecraft Dungeons 22:00:38 - Magicians: The Devil's Deal2:02:07 - Valor Mortis2:04:26 - ESO – Season One Teaser2:07:49 - Flight Simulator World Update 222:09:12 - Where Winds Meet2:09:49 - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse2:11:59 - Vivarium2:18:34 - Persona 62:29:08  - Spyro: A Realm Beyond2:32:14 - Clockwork Revolution2:42:10 - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 42:54:30 - Gears of War: E-Day3:14:22 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's officially showcase season! As tradition dictates, Rand Al Thor 19 of Xbox Two joins the Dukes for a smorgasbord of predictions! This year, we approach things a touch differently. Yes, we get into every (!) first party studio under the Xbox folder as per usual. However, 2026 marks the first Asha Sharma led summer showcase. With many business decisions up in the air ranging from exclusivity to hardware, this feels like a great time for Xbox's new lead to truly put her mark on the brand. With the "This is an Xbox" slogan out the window, will Xbox dare to don the logos of other platforms on their own stage? What of Project Helix? Much of Asha's rallying cry has been around "Return to XBOX." So, is it too early to show what Helix is truly made of during the 25th anniversary year of the brand? Will the shortage on consumer electronics plague what could be a massive announcement for the brand? Indeed, this showcase is a central point for a lot of business decisions that Asha could make in front of a crowd. Given this is her first showcase, the trio discusses what her "Hail Mary" moment can be. Is it time for a new Elder Scrolls VI trailer? Hi Fi Rush 2? Persona 6 or Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3? A sequel to Fallout: New Vegas? There are many avenues for Xbox's new lead to take! Join us as we debate the appearance of over 30 first party studios, dig into third party partnerships, and stew over what could be a monumental showcase for the brand! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:11:18 - Exclusivity0:43:01 - Hardware1:06:13 - Activision1:17:28 - Arkane1:25:33 - Bethesda Game Studios1:35:38 - Coalition1:41:07 - Compulsion1:42:44 - Double Fine1:45:13 - Halo Studios1:59:38 - iD Software2:03:45 - InXile2:18:42 - MachineGames2:27:09 - Mojang2:29:05 - Ninja Theory2:32:13 - Obsidian Entertainment2:38:00 - Playground2:48:14 - Rare2:53:22 - Turn 102:54:11 - Undead Labs2:59:27 - World's Edge3:02:08 - Xbox Game Studios Publishing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Belgium Beauty joins once more as the Dukes combine to tackle our favorite topic: EXCLUSIVITY! Yes, PlayStation appears dead set on reverting to the ways of old as news has come in via Bloomberg. Moving forward, all PlayStation single player games will be exclusive to the console. With the launch of Xbox Player Voice, fans are louder than ever about exclusivity on the other side and as we approach the June showcase season, the topic has reached a fever pitch. Through a combination of our brains and your write ins, we leave no stone unturned. Is this good for gaming? Are Xbox and PlayStation doing all this to remove any semblance of power from Steam? Can Xbox ever untether themselves from Steam? We dig through it all and much more! Our listeners can buy one prescription pair and get 20% off additional pairs at https://www.warbyParker.com/DUKE —and using our link helps support the show. #WarbyParker #ad Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:03:34 - Health Is Wealth0:50:02 - Comment boys0:55:58 - Quick summer showcase wishlist1:03:08 - Tough decisions in September1:18:30 - Xbox is now XBOX1:24:43 - Forza Horizon 6 surpasses 1 million players in early access1:27:42 - Warhorse is making a Lord Of The Rings RPG1:49:40 - The Colin Moriarty PlayStation Hack2:10:30 - PlayStation is returning to exclusivity2:54:39 - We almost got Star Wars: The New Republic3:14:58 - What We’re Playing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's this?! The esteemed 'Belgium Beauty' as part of the Dukes in 2026?! Indeed, it's Lock and Matty here to sprinkle some extra fun in the world of Xbox where the news never stops moving! This week, we have two types of leaks: A fun release window... and an actual game ahead of its launch. Starting with the fun stuff, Gears Of War: E-Day is looking to take a slot in what will, no doubt, be an extremely busy September. How it leaked is the fun part! In the not so fun stuff, Xbox themselves leaked Forza Horizon 6 via Steam. Fortunately, it is very close to the game's launch, but there is more to this story. How did this go down and should there be any panic? Let's dive in!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:03:42 - Health Is Wealth0:08:37 - The Xbox-Discord partnership is official0:21:22 - Forza Horizon 6 leaks online ahead of launch0:28:22 - Ken Levine on why Judas took a decade to make0:47:07 - eBay rejects Gamestop’s offer0:55:40 - Lies Of P sequel in full production1:10:19 - PlayStation first party is diving into the world of AI tools1:31:10 - SEGA cancels Super Game1:38:02 - The Bungie acquisition gets uglier1:48:57 - 007 First Light claps back at FPS jokes2:00:38 - Switch 2 price hike is here2:06:12 - Game sales update2:09:47 - What We’re Playing2:57:03 - Gears Of War E-Day appears set for September3:06:45 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It appears that Xbox got sick of the whole weekly negative news cycle schtick and has decided to go in the other direction. Is this week's news truly all that positive? I sincerely depends on how you look at it and nobody will actually know until much later. Asha Sharma has made new additions to her leadership team. Sarah Bond's former team has been replaced by alumni of Meta, Instacart, and CoreAI which all happen to be people that worked with Asha at the same time she led those respective companies. Is this the invasion of AI into Xbox as we initially feared? We get into that, but there's almost zero doubt that Xbox anticipated this because they pulled out quite the plot twist. Copilot for console and mobile is stopped, effective immediately. So, while there is more AI focused leadership than ever in Xbox, they also just axed one of the worst things the brand started rolling out last year. How do the Dukes feel about all of this? Well, that's why you're here, no? Pull up a chair, relax, and let's talk about Xbox some more before Brad returns and ruins it all.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:09:13 - Health Is Wealth0:16:28 - Halo 2 & 3 reportedly being remade0:38:22 - New Xbox boot up screen for the first time in 6 years0:42:12 - Jez Corden’s latest Xbox exclusivity scoop1:10:20 - GameStop is trying to acquire eBay1:17:06 - Steam Machine pre orders soon?1:21:17 - PS4 and XB1 may finally be on the way out1:27:54 - Bank Of America wants higher priced games1:33:03 - NBA: The Run revealed and arrives June 20261:38:00 - Are content creators heavily influencing the conversation?1:56:15 - Marathon has story plans for the next few years1:59:00 - Looking ahead at May 2026 game releases2:27:17 - What We’re Playing3:10:04 - Xbox is giving up Copilot and bringing in a new leadership group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dukes are finally reunited and what a week to do that! In a massive writeup on the Xbox Wire, we are seeing Asha Sharma and Matt Booty practically walk back on everything that the old regime stood for. Exclusivity is back under consideration, the "Microsoft Gaming" label is being ditched, and Xbox is focusing on their console. Just like old times! Perhaps most surprising with this blog post is the clear addressing of pain points for this brand: High prices, lacking PC presence, poor discovery tools, and most notably, disenchanted, frustrated players. The focus now for Xbox is daily active players. What does all of this mean and is this enough word salad to buy into? The globetrotting Dukes have you fine folks covered, so let's dig in. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:42:20 - Xbox Game Pass “Starter Edition” leaks0:49:16 - Asha Sharma on Xbox Helix timing and pricing0:54:41 - PS5 DRM drama1:07:15 - Valve drops updates on Steam Machine, Controller, and Deck 21:12:56 - Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced officially revealed1:22:51 - Far Cry show director says the worst things imaginable1:27:23 - Assassin’s Creed Hexe loses a ton of key staff1:32:56 - RPG developer Spiders is shutting down1:41:30 - New information on Blood Of Dawnwalker1:50:26 - Alien Isolation 2 teaser1:51:46 - What We’re Playing2:30:29 - Xbox shares massive update on the future of the brand Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first 60 Days of Asha Sharma's tenure has been MORE than eventful! News of an Xbox Game Pass price drop and removal of Day One Call Of Duty from the service has reverberated throughout the games industry. What does this unprecedented price drop mean for Game Pass, future tier integrations, and COD moving forward? Cog enlists the unique perspective of Ebontis to break down all these ramifications. Beyond that, a fun Asha Sharma vs Shawn Layden interaction "debate", bold statements from Jason Ronald on Project Helix, and a huge week of Xbox news! Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/DEFININGDUKE and use code DEFININGDUKE and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Go to PrizePicks.com/DoItLiveSweepstakes or check out PrizePicks social pages for more info. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:05:18 - Health Is Wealth0:15:56 - warmups0:21:38 - Jason Ronald shuts down 3rd-party Helix console rumors0:30:37 - Starfield’s PS5 numbers are in0:42:54 - Asha Sharma wants to chat with Shawn Layden0:58:19 - Does Major Nelson want to go back to Xbox?1:03:23 - Shuhei Yoshida reveals that Jim Ryan fired him1:16:15 - Metro 2039 revealed1:20:19 - Mass Effect showrunner denies rewrite reports1:29:38 - Pragmata sells 1 million copies in 2 days1:34:22 - Gears Of War movie update1:39:05 - Former Halo executive and Xbox Film/TV lead has left Microsoft1:42:38 - Elden Ring movie gets release window and casting details1:45:55 - Xbox Unveils Forza Horizon 6 Controller And Headset1:49:39 - What We’re Playing2:46:40 - Xbox drops Game Pass price and Day 1 Call Of Duty from the service3:19:41 - Halo Studios reportedly abandons battle royale? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Asha Sharma regime begins to take shape, rumors of ending Day One Call Of Duty On Xbox Game Pass are heating up! In addition to Game Pass price drops, are exclusive Xbox games also back on the table? Thanks to recent discussions on The Xbox Two Podcast regarding these topics, Cog enlists Jez Corden and Rand Al Thor 19 to break these down further. Beyond that, another busy week of more Xbox Game Showcases, more Halo Studio drama, and how the release year of Xbox in 2026 is taking shape! Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:05:12 - Warmup Up Questions0:24:59 - Matt Booty Official Xbox Podcast Interview0:35:51 - Xbox First Look: Metro 2039: New show format0:55:19 - Halo Studios drama continues1:23:13 - Playground Confirms Fable Delay Rumor Is False1:35:50 - Diablo 4 Could Be Coming to Switch 21:43:51 - WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers Dev Team Dissolved1:50:32 - What We’re Playing2:26:31 - Xbox Having 'Very Big Discussions' About Exclusivity3:18:11 - Xbox Considering Ending Day One Call of Duty on Game Pass & Lowering Price Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember the 2020 trailer for State Of Decay 3? Turns out, that trailer was greenlit when the game was just a Microsoft Word document. Indeed, the team was barely above a handful of people and yet it got a full on trailer! That's only the start of today's story which leads us into the start of a private alpha playtest for the game. Indeed, it appears that this game truly began its work sometime in 2023 at best. The Dukes have thoughts, but much of it leans into the 'glass half full mentality' thanks to an interview by Sunny Games. In this, we learn about State Of Decay 3's direction for its co-op mode, combat, base building, choice and consequence, and plenty more. Beyond that, it was a busy week for Xbox as we finally are seeing movement on the achievements from. Naturally, there's also Halo drama to get into because when isn't that a thing? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:20:31 - Game Pass refunds are dead?0:21:41 - Xbox theme parks0:25:12 - Halo Campaign Evolved release date leaks0:41:20 - Xbox is finally updating achievements0:56:29 - Mass Effect show being made for non-gamers1:12:36 - Xbox continues to tinker with back compat1:17:12 - Steam Deck 2 release date news1:23:44 - What We’re Playing2:19:49 - State Of Decay 3 has a pulse2:55:35 - Halo Studios has more drama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once more, Xbox's summer showcase finds itself on the Sunday of Summer Games Fest weekend! It's there that they'll pull the lid off their 25th anniversary celebration with a deep dive on Gears Of War: E-Day alongside what will no doubt feature the likes of Fable, Halo, and plenty of other games. The Dukes find themselves mighty curious what Coalition has planned for Gears Of War this time around. Much like Halo, Gears Of War is known for its suite of modes that made it so dominant during the 360 days. Seeing how Halo Infinite struggled to ship with campaign, forge, and multiplayer attached, can Gears have a similar issue with its campaign, horde more, and multiplayer? Speaking of multiplayer, will this latest rendition appeal to the wall bouncers or the casuals? Furthermore, how far will the gameplay be taken from an innovation standpoint when this is the youngest we've ever seen Marcus and Dom? The questions are many, but the outcome is tantalizing as Developer Directs during the summer have established themselves as games where there is far more than usual to be shown off. All of our answers arrive on June 7th, but why not listen to the Dukes gab about this and much more until then, right? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:11:17 - A new segment?0:13:52 - Leak culture in video games0:23:45 - Xbox Partner Preview recap0:35:43 - Why Xbox killed their “This Is An Xbox” campaign0:38:43 - Updates and rumors on Halo Campaign Evolved0:49:54 - Bethesda shuts down Elder Scrolls Blades0:54:50 - Crystal Dynamics is making a Lord Of The Rings game1:07:31 - Eidos Montreal layoffs1:19:15 - Disney interested in buying Epic Games1:26:07 - Shift Up acquires Shinji Mikami’s studio1:33:42 - Nintendo's 2026 schedule leaks1:45:53 - What We're Playing2:17:53 - Xbox Summer Showcase revealed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As tradition dictates, we recorded a roughly four hour show during a relatively light news week. Turns out that there was much to be said about those select topics. The Dukes revisit the hotly debated DLSS 5 topic with fresh information from a new interview with Nvidia as well as comments from their own CEO. The AI rabbithole admittedly runs deep this week as we also get into the closure of Sora as well as Capcom's plans for generative AI. From one hot button topic to another, we discuss the recent layoffs happening at Epic Games. When an industry's top selling game in Battlefield and most popular live service in Fortnite can't avoid layoffs, who can? The dynamic duo dive into the sustainability of game development and why indie just seems like the place to be now. Top of the Dukes' list is the recent report on Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma. It is said that she is assessing how to make Game Pass more attractive and is considering a price reduction. She is also investigating package deals, such as one with Netflix, as a way to bolster the service. Can this be enough to help the service grow? Is it even worth chasing when the 100 million subscriber dream is dead? As the episode's length suggests, we have plenty to say, so stop reading and get to listening! Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:14:53 - What games are we looking forward to?0:24:42 - How can Copilot For Gaming navigate paying creators?0:33:29 - Marathon sales update0:52:49 - DLSS 5 updates1:24:15 - OpenAI shuts down Sora1:32:34 - Capcom on how they plan to use AI1:44:06 - Epic Games layoffs1:59:18 - Forza Horizon 6 PC requirements2:02:19 - Minecraft Dungeons is getting a sequel2:03:58 - Is Final Fantasy for old heads?2:15:51 - Sony shuts down another studio2:19:30 - Nintendo’s interesting digital pricing changes2:22:49 - Dragon’s Dogma 2 DLC inbound?2:36:40 - Sonic Frontiers Definitive Edition leaks2:41:14 - What We’re Playing3:20:51 - Xbox Game Pass price cuts incoming?3:37:52 - Chris Charla interview on Xbox Helix SKUs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After over a year of silence, Starfield's newest wave of content is here. The Dukes got to see things running behind the scenes and get a feel for Bethesda's new vision for the sci-fi RPG. It appears they're gearing up for more incremental updates rather than swinging in with a massive expansion pack each year. Between the Free Lanes update, Terran Armada, and the PlayStation 5 version, there's much for us to go over. Perhaps more of the hot button topic is what is transpiring within AI. This time, it arrives in the form of DLSS 5 and to say there was backlash would be an understatement. The sizzle reel that showed off this new technology on the likes of Starfield, Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil Requiem, and the like was openly mocked, reaching beyond the games industry. In fairness, some are hopeful that this technology could lead to better looking, cheaper games. Can it? Well, pull up a chair, friend. We have much to discuss. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:09:41 - Remembering Camelworks0:25:13 - What will happen to Series X/S versions of games?0:29:19 - Jeff Kaplan tells you to shut up if you haven’t played a game0:43:22 - TMNT x Magic The Gathering0:49:04 - Xbox backwards compatibility rumors swirling0:54:07 - This is an Xbox campaign being retired1:02:11 - Gaming Copilot is coming to Xbox1:17:57 - PC revenue will overtake consoles by 2028?1:30:37 - LEGO Batman’s release date has moved up1:36:01 - Cyberpunk 2077 has no plans for new DLC1:38:50 - Exodus gameplay first look1:42:48 - Resident Evil Requiem sales update1:45:19 - Bravely Default shadow drops on Xbox1:49:27 - Marvel Maximum Collection gets a release date1:51:36 - PSSR 2.0 update1:57:54 - PlayStation Portal update2:02:48 - Switch 2 gets shocking upgrade2:06:13 - What We’re Playing2:24:45 - DLSS 5.0 revealed3:24:06 - Starfield DLC & PS5 Release Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the "Curse of the Dukes" continues, we have another massive reveal that occurred so quickly after our latest episode of the show was produced. In the last week, we've learned a lot about Xbox's direction for their future and, to their credit, they're being incredibly direct about it. Introducing Project Helix: the codename for Xbox's next bit of hardware that is capable of playing your PC and console games. Following the announcement, they revealed a chockful of information on their plans at this year's Game Developer Conference. "Xbox Full Screen Experience" has evolved into "Xbox Mode" and that arrives on PC in April. After months of testing on the Xbox Ally, Xbox deems this feature ready for the big leagues. As for the next Xbox itself, alpha versions of the hardware will be out by early 2027 for developers. Is it possible we also see a retail release by holiday 2027? Best of all, there is a tease of more to come with Xbox's backwards compatibility program which has lied dormant for years. Is it possible they have additions in store or maybe (just maybe) achievements being added to classic games? Will these classic games be native to the platform or just streamed? Indeed, there are many questions surrounding the brand, but the wind is blowing in a positive direction for them and that's mostly due to seemingly having their ducks in a row on just how they wanted to communicate what their plans actually are. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:08:31 - What We’re Playing0:39:55 - Xbox reveals Project Helix1:13:45 - Satya Nadella renews his vows with Xbox1:34:41 - Opening platform to game developers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many have said that you can't put the genie back in the lamp, but PlayStation begs to differ. After years of flirting with PC releases (many of which were delayed after the game's initial launch), Sony's gaming group is erecting the walled garden. Naturally, some Xbox fans are looking over at these moves and wondering if the new leadership regime at Xbox can pull off a similar feat. Have these platform holders been running from their fate all along? Can Xbox even dream of undoing all their years of work on damaging their brand? The Dukes sound off on a topic that we imagine will cycle around for a while yet. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:07:52 - What are we excited about in video games?0:16:32 - We came so close to a Fallout remaster0:22:06 - Highguard is officially shutting down0:34:34 - Nacon is in trouble0:38:44 - What is happening to WB Games?0:48:05 - DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC is like a sequel0:52:38 - Halo MCC gets a surprise update0:56:13 - A look into Assassin’s Creed’s future1:03:44 - Bloodborne Remake was almost real1:22:35 - Pokemon Winds & Waves revealed1:33:20 - AI game reviews are trickling in1:51:09 - What We’re Playing2:56:09 - PlayStation is mostly walking away from PC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The winds of change are blowing through Xbox! Two of their three leaders that have guided the entire Series generation in Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond are out. Staying is Matt Booty, who was also promoted (!), and joining as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming is Asha Sharma. Despite Sarah Bond seemingly being groomed as Phil's successor, Asha steps in with a background that touts her as President of Microsoft's CoreAI alongside time spent at Instacart and Meta as an executive leader. Similarly to when Phil inherited the mess from Don Mattrick, Asha has her work cut out for her. Joining the Dukes is none other than the man to blame for all this nonsense, Brad Ellis. Together, the trio comb through the initial Microsoft blog post that broke the news. From there, we dig into an article by Tom Warren of The Verge who lays the blame of many of Xbox's shortcomings at the feet of Sarah Bond. Like many in our audience asked, we discuss if this is a hit piece, the truth, or somewhere in between. Lastly, Asha Sharma and Matt Booty sat down to chat with Jez Corden about the new lay of the land for Xbox. There are some answers and many questionable non-answers that lead to conversations of their own. Together, let's unpack what is a seismic change for Xbox as the brand continues to feel like it's hanging on by a thread. Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/DEFININGDUKE and use code DEFININGDUKE and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:06:36 - What We’re Playing0:35:06  Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond depart from Xbox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the Todd Howard show this week! In a mega interview, we have plenty of juicy information to pick through. How are things going with Elder Scrolls VI and what's the direction for that game? What's going on with Creation Engine 3? Are there any new Fallout games enroute? How are things hanging after the TV show? The questions are many, but the answers are far more tantalizing! Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:14:22 - A reminder to play Lies Of P0:21:44 - Defining Books0:27:54 - Checking on Matty’s wardrobe0:38:19 - What old game would we give DLC to?0:42:42 - Gabbing about the latest State Of Play1:07:24 - Steam reviews include PC specs now1:09:52 - Highguard was “secretly funded” by Tencent1:20:13 - Do PlayStation exclusives still matter?1:37:00 - PS6 delayed to 2028 and beyond1:51:32 - No MTX in Crimson Desert1:58:22 - Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 dev speaks on multiplatform push2:04:07 - A new .Hack game was announced2:06:14 - What We’re Playing2:36:16 - Todd Howard interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Grand Theft Auto VI begins to lock in its November 19th release date, we're already started to see publishers scramble with their release plans. A recent report out of The Verge firms up that Xbox, like much of this industry, will be attempting to evade the blast zone. As such, they are moving some games up and there's a chance others fall out of the year. Joining Matty this week is Last Stand's own Brad Ellis to talk about everything from Halo Campaign Evolved to Gears Of War: E-Day as we debate and discuss the respective windows of these games. The main question that lingers in our head is if Xbox is avoiding Grand Theft Auto, does that leave December as an option? If not, can all of their 2026 calendar make it out in the anniversary year or would it be best to delay some games into early 2027 for additional polish and breathing room? Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:02:33 - Health is wealth0:04:58 - Lies Of P reminder0:08:39 - A write in section0:10:40 - Checking in on Brad’s Trails progress0:17:55 - Book check0:21:57 - Greedfall vibe check0:30:17 - Have we played Resident Evil Outbreak?0:36:27 - Valve breaks silence on the Steam Machine0:50:31 - Is it safe to lock in GTA 6 for this fall?0:58:48 - Diablo 2 DLC in 20261:05:48 - The absolutely insane Mindseye drama1:13:59 - Obsidian says it took over 5 years for people to like New Vegas1:23:29 - Yakuza Kiwami 3 is the final Kiwami game1:28:31 - Resident Evil Requiem’s game length1:35:46 - Highguard team suffers layoffs1:42:59 - 2XKO layoffs1:51:57 - What We’re Playing2:21:23 - Xbox’s 2026 release schedule leaked2:45:28 - Next gen Xbox details leaked Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox's marketing beat for 2025 was "The Year Of Obsidian Entertainment." Frankly, it made sense. No matter how you feel about the quality of these games, the fact that this team shipped Avowed, Outer Worlds 2, and Grounded 2 all within a calendar year (while many other teams within the first party fold continue to stumble around) was worthy of all the praise. Well, Obsidian has some thoughts on that marketing tagline. Indeed of it being a rallying cry, Obsidian's own Josh Sawyer defined as a "sign that something went wrong." Both Avowed and Outer Worlds 2 were in development for over six years and the result is that both these games failed to meet financial expectations. What lessons can they learn after shipping so many games? What can they do to cut development costs? What games should they make to meet Xbox's new profit margins? Part of the solution to the team at Obsidian is Avowed 2, but it's anyone's guess what lies beyond that. Thanks to a transparent conversation with Obsidian, the Dukes now dig into the company with this new perspective. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:06:36 - Reading Recs0:14:58 - Ashes Of Creation is the latest scam in gaming0:28:31 - The suspicious Dispatch censorship situation0:36:02 - Is Nioh finally coming to Xbox?0:45:17 - Tekken Season 3 revealed0:51:03 - Forza Horizon 6 supports cross save0:54:24 - Highguard moves up to Mixed on Steam as it gets 5v5 mode0:57:26 - Ex Bethesda dev talks Morrowind Remaster1:14:06 - The Amazon Fallout countdown ends1:21:29 - Epic Games plans to take on Steam1:26:59 - AI surveys conducted at GDC1:34:33 - Ubisoft says volunteer to get fired or get fired1:39:39 - The Division: Definitive Edition isn’t what we expected1:42:10 - Beyond Good & Evil 2 officially has a pulse1:43:58 - RIP Comcept1:48:04 - Cairn passes 200K copies sold1:50:49 - Nintendo sales update1:56:53 - What We’re Playing2:22:05 - The Year Of Obsidian isn’t quite what we made it out to be2:55:22 - AMD hints at next gen launch plans3:04:39 - Xbox is the least desired console to develop for Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well, we've seen our fair share of Xbox earnings reports. As expected, there's a lot of negative discourse around it, but this time there are some more troubling facts resting within these underlying numbers. As we've seen Xbox's hardware has been down for almost two years now. That continues in this quarter, so it is not much of a shocker by this point. That is if you only consider the console and not the recently released Xbox Ally. When it comes to gaming revenue as well as content and services, they're down. This is significant because this is all based on the holiday window where we usually see spending go up. In a window where they had the likes of Call Of Duty, which became the number one selling game of the month in December, they still ended up with losses. The likes of Outer Worlds 2, Keeper, or Ninja Gaiden 4 couldn't do enough, nor should they be fully expected to make up that sort of difference. The sum of it all is despite this being one of Xbox's busier holidays, they couldn't escape a loss and that comes shortly after a Game Pass price hike. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:05:04 - Snowy Dukes0:11:48 - Our workflow0:19:03 - A second Xbox Developer Direct in 2026?0:26:37 - Forza Horizon 6’s pricey premium upgrade0:31:33 - State Of Decay 3 has a pulse0:39:00 - The Coalition opens up on Gears Of War: E-Day0:45:14 - Achievement overhaul inbound?0:50:53 - Xbox Q2 earnings are in1:04:48 - PS6 after 2028?1:18:45 - State Of Play and Nintendo Direct in February?1:22:57 - Beyond Good & Evil 2 has survived the Ubisoft purge1:30:26 - Indie publishers should be avoided1:42:37 - Emberville gets a release window1:45:16 - BioWare is quietly hiring for Mass Effect1:46:34 - Dragon Ball Age 1000 Announced1:56:13 - Resident Evil Requiem will not be open world2:01:17 - Code Veronica Remake is targeting H1 20272:03:31 - What We’re Playing2:50:50 - Xbox realizes the most obvious thing ever3:05:22 - Brian Fargo opens up on Clockwork Revolution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everything from Forza Horizon 6 and Kiln to Beast Of Reincarnation and Fable was shown off here! While the other games made their own noise, the Dukes (including Gene Park) were most captured by Fable. Judging by the noise online, so were many, many other people. For the first time in a long time, it feels like Xbox has a broadly appealing hit on their hands. Playground Games showed off everything from combat and choices to the economic and social simulation elements that always made Fable such a joy to play. With this comes the new introduction of "Living Population" where 1,000 NPCs all have their own hobbies, schedules, voice actors, and conversations. This is all designed to bring to life the replacement for Fable's famous morality system in the form of a reputation system that is similar to what is seen in Fable 3. Are there any snags for the Dukes with these changes? What has us most hyped? It's time to dive into what is now one of the most anticipated games of 2026. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:12:57 - Forza Horizon 60:20:04 - Beast Of Reincarnation0:29:07 - Kiln0:39:05 - Fable1:30:56 - Ubisoft undergoes massive shakeup1:43:10 - Fallout TV show thoughts so far2:22:05 - What We're Playing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After years of secrecy and many delays, Xbox is set to pull the lid off one of its most anticipated RPGs at the upcoming Developer Direct. First rumored in 2017 and announced in 2020, Fable has been baking at Playground Games, the prolific racing game studio, for a long, long time. Now, Xbox promises a deep dive on everything from combat and choice to British humor and chickens. Is it do or die time for Fable? How does its early year showing shake up the already packed summer showcase? Will we finally get a release date? Perhaps just a release year? Indeed, there are so many questions, but most of these will be announced very shortly! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:06:26 - A time games did play for us0:12:04 - The Rook speaks0:14:41 - Baby Dukes on the way0:18:04 - Motivating ourselves after work0:24:22 - Would Matty interview Todd Howard again?0:36:29 - Avowed is headed to PS5 with its biggest update yet0:50:54 - Forza Bros collect their biggest win yet0:59:50 - Hellblade 3 is the focus1:10:16 - Towerborne releases February 26 for $251:16:55 - Masters Of Albion releases on April 22nd, 20261:21:39 - Crimson Desert’s map size debate1:26:07 - Is ATLUS finally revealing Persona 6 this year?1:32:43 - Division 3 will have as big an impact as Division 11:38:19 - Details on the secret Witcher 3 expansion1:42:54 - Stellar Blade Boss speaks out on AI use case1:47:59 - Meta closes several VR studios1:58:44 - Everything we learned about Divinity in Larian AMA2:19:46 - What We’re Playing2:42:16 - Developer Direct confirmed for January 22nd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox didn't miss a beat to kick off the new year. In a scratch pad by Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, he spoke to how we need to accept AI as slop versus sophistication. As one would imagine, this had the adverse effect as "Microslop" began trending all over social media. The timing could be better as the rise of AI datacenters have caused a massive spikes in hardware prices. So much so that there are now reports that both Xbox and PlayStation may delay their upcoming hardware as a result. The question now becomes if a delayed Xbox system ever sees the light of day since it feels like 2027's new hardware was to be an offramp and the benefit of plans already being in motion. Time would tell, but for now, let's eat some "slop." Sign up for your $1 per month trial at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro00:05:37 - Holiday break updates00:17:29 - Fallout season 2 thoughts00:28:03 - The state of the Health Is Wealth grind00:33:16 - Vince Zampella passes away at 5500:49:02 - Bethesda wants to make a 600 hour Fallout game00:58:11 - Xbox console sales are downright terrible01:04:04 - A New Witcher 3 expansion in 2025?01:11:44 - Clair Obscur dev on what’s next01:18:39 - Sony patents AI playing games for you01:26:32 - The Ubisoft Holiday Hack01:29:41 - Update on Exodus leadership changes01:39:46 - What We’re Playing02:17:49 - What to expect from Xbox in 202602:43:21 - Next gen consoles are delayed?02:55:51 - Satya Nadella says to stop calling AI “slop”03:17:58 - Zenimax Lead Departs After Xbox Cancellation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After 2025, it's safe to say the years of saying "next year is their year" are over for Xbox. When it comes to the prior 24 months, it has not gone according to the Duke's plans whatsoever. With that in mind, we have dared to look ahead in spite of all of that. The games, the unimaginable business decisions, and yes, even hardware. What is in store for this brand next year? Tons of surprises, no doubt, but just how many? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox has seen a lot of changes in the last two years and that's putting it lightly. Everything from a disconnect with their own base to price hikes galore has led to a near complete disenfranchisement with the brand. Today, the Dukes gather and do their best to scrounge up the positives in a relatively down year. What shined so brightly in 2025 for Xbox? Well, I'm glad you asked... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Lord Cognito long predicted, the AI conversation reached a breaking point online when people saw one of the industry's golden children announced that they'll be using generative AI for their game's development. That team is Larian Studios who is responsible for the Divinity franchise alongside the incredible Baldur's Gate 3. The CEO of Larian, Swen Vincke, said that it will be used for mostly pre-production stuff along the lines of whiteboxing or even company e-mails. However, he also let it slip that concept art ideation will be part of that process as an optional tool. Well, social media did not like this at all. It has turned into one of the most split topics to round out 2025. So, where do the Dukes stand? Matty, a longtime critic of AI's usage in development beyond a tool, happens to be a massive Larian fan. Does he bend the knee? What of Lord Cognito who always expected this? Does he blink at such a revelation? Perhaps, it's all overblown. There is a reality where we're years down the line and Larian is on a long list of developers who are all doing the same thing. Time shall tell, but let's chat about what we know for now. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:06:25 - Health Is Wealth0:26:41 - The Xbox Bowl0:30:12 - Backlog games we want to play in 20260:35:09 - Games we missed during The Game Awards0:38:23 - It’s actually Mega Man 120:43:23 - Clearing up some Warhammer nonsense0:47:26 - Katsuhiro Harada leaves Bandai0:55:58 - Elder Scrolls VI update1:12:30 - John Romero’s Xbox game survived cancellation1:14:55 - New Call Of Duty sub series inbound?1:23:30 - Exodus gets new leadership1:33:34 - Expedition 33 gets a new update1:35:37 - Marathon gets a March 2026 release window1:44:30 - Phantom Blade 0 is a timed PS5 exclusive1:45:16 - Dead Island 3 is a long, long ways away1:46:00 - Star Wars: Fate Of The Old Republic arrives before 20301:59:58 - Mega Man Star Force Collections arrives early 20262:00:41 - Resident Evil is about to be stacked for a few years2:01:47 - Updates on Persona 62:06:24 - What We’re Playing2:27:04 - Larian Studios is using generative AI3:19:35 - Forza Motorsport is done3:23:10 - Xbox teases Developer Direct Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Star Wars: Fate Of The Old Republic. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:01:35 - Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic0:15:50 - Pragmata Release Date0:17:26 - New Divinity Game0:23:50 - Coven of the Chicken Foot0:25:26 - Ontos0:27:00 - 4:LOOP0:29:23 - Order Of The Sinking Star0:30:52 - South of Midnight gets PS5 and Switch 2 reveal0:33:50 - Exodus0:39:34 - Control Resonant0:41:42 - Lego Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight0:43:48 - Tomb Raider0:47:37 - Saros Delayed0:49:42 - Star Wars: Galactic Racer0:52:04 - Award winners1:08:25 - Resident Evil Requiem1:12:03 - Gang of Dragon1:20:02 - Invincible VS Release Date1:22:17 - Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred1:23:59 - Total War: Warhammer 40,0001:27:37 - Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve1:32:31 - Phantom Blade Zero Release Date1:35:41 - Mega Man Dual Override1:42:48 - Highguard1:56:29 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite any gripes with Xbox this year, there's no denying that 2026 presents a fun challenge for them. Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Halo, and Gears Of War E-Day are all slated to drop next year. However, a new wrinkle has been introduced in the ambitious RPG, Clockwork Revolution, which hails from inXile Entertainment. After a seven minute trailer from this summer's showcase, we felt this thing had to be ready to go soon. Sadly, the RPG titan tempered our expectations when the trailer ended with the familiar statement from its initial reveal: "Coming in due time." Well, if a LinkedIn profile is to be believed, Clockwork Revolution may join the fray of a busy year for the "biggest publisher in gaming." Naturally, we hone in on GTA 6 which creates a splash radius so large that every publisher will be avoiding them for the fall. How Xbox navigates this will be interesting as we have yet to consider overdue titles like State Of Decay 3 and third party deals. Buckle up, friends! It's going to be a wild ride. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:06:49 - Health Is Wealth0:11:42 - Birthday video games0:24:49 - Holiday gaming plans0:30:43 - Our reveal predictions for The Game Awards0:37:07 - What is that Game Awards statue?0:41:43 - Avowed roadmap updated0:50:38 - Microsoft might want to add AI to Game Pass1:00:04 - Xbox Game Pass is done for the year1:05:04 - CD Projekt Red wants the new Witcher trilogy done in 6 years1:28:49 - Make or Break moment for Yacht Club Games1:38:21 - The art controversy with Marathon has been settled1:43:00 - There will be a Hitman 41:45:49 - Ubisoft cuts plans for Assassin’s Creed Shadows DLC1:51:10 - Splinter Cell director returns1:54:35 - Bloodlines 2 sales flop1:58:23 - Is Shadow The Hedgehog getting his own movie?2:01:41 - What’s next for Metal Gear Solid?2:08:11 - Control 2 reveal at The Game Awards?2:09:19 - Some sales updates2:10:42 - What We’re Playing3:01:50 - Xbox’s 2026 release rumors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanks to the likes of OpenAI, hardware manufacturers are scrambling to adjust prices amidst a shortage of RAM. As a result, things are about to become more expensive again! Unlike companies like Lenovo or PlayStation who seemingly bought stock in advance to help avoid price shock, Xbox appears to be ready to pass this one onto the consumer. Naturally, the "Xbox refugees" have turned their attention toward the Steam Machine which could fill a void in our gamer hearts. However, the Dukes find it hard to imagine a hero in this stock shortage story. Just how much will the Steam Machine be after Valve admits they will not be subsidizing and are just looking to make the device competitive? Will it look good beside a PlayStation 6 or next gen Xbox? We have a lot of questions, little answers, and even less money. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:04:41 - Health Is Wealth0:14:29 - Let’s chat some more about Charlie ‘4 Hours’ Cox0:22:50 - Xbox’s November 2025 update0:31:40 - Default Game Profiles come to the Xbox Ally0:35:06 - The Xcrocs are (sadly) real0:41:13 - Battlefield 6 versus Black Ops 71:04:07 - Destiny 3 is in the works?1:09:10 - A crazy week in the world of Ubisoft1:31:50 - TMNT is getting the Sonic treatment1:43:28 - Leaked messages of what got Rockstar employees fired1:46:03 - Intergalatic: The Heretic Prophet is years away1:50:00 - Stellar Blade 2 will be multiplatform1:50:59 - Death Stranding 2 coming to PC soon?1:52:57 - Exodus trailer confirmed for The Game Awards1:56:57 - Cyberpunk’s sequel is ramping up1:59:42 - SEGA admits their definitive versions could hurt sales2:13:12 - What We’re Playing2:44:17 - Valve talks Steam Machine value as Xbox is expected to jump their prices again Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As was originally reported, Xbox brought out a Partner Preview in November. It was chockful of everything strange like a co-op alien shop simulator or a thuggish rabbit beating up baddies to more traditional first person horror titles. The catch was that every game we saw throughout was a Play Anywhere title, a program that many of Xbox's players still yearn for the platform to leverage more. All in all, the Dukes enjoyed the show, especially given it dropped ahead of the biggest show of the year in the Game Awards where announcements are typically prioritized. Beyond that, we dive deep into the Valve rumor mill. Half Life 3 is everywhere! Is it finally happening and are the Dukes believers? We get into that plus updated thoughts on the Steam Machine now that we've had some time to digest the triple-whammy Valve hit us with last week. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:13:32 - Discussing The Game Awards nominees0:31:43 - The myriad of Half Life 3 rumors0:36:54 - Valve’s focus for the Steam Machine0:51:16 - Xbox Ally is exceeding expectations0:55:09 - Xbox releases game publishing documentation to the public0:59:26 - Obsidian has yet to use generative AI1:03:17 - Activision caught using AI generated assets in Black Ops 71:12:01 - Bethesda responds to Fallout 4’s anniversary issues1:28:04 - Krafton is now the publisher of Hi Fi Rush, but there’s a catch1:31:37 - New comments by Sarah Bond on Xbox’s future1:37:18 - PlayStation was indifferent to market shrinking in Japan1:46:07 - Where is Yoko Taro?1:48:58 - A new Ratchet & Clank game got revealed1:56:42 - Don’t call it a Concord comeback2:00:35 - Silent Hill Townfall’s release date leaked2:02:15 - Ubisoft canceled Splinter Cell for xDefiant2:10:02 - Red Dead Redemption 1 gets next gen update2:10:56 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 reaches 4 million sales figure2:13:38 - First look at Zelda movie2:14:27 - Death Stranding is getting an original anime on Disney+2:17:16 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass2:19:42 - What We’ve Been Playing3:11:50 - Xbox Partner Preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox's big bet for bringing PCs to the living room has officially been undercut. This week, Valve announced three (!) different pieces of hardware. First, there is the Steam Machine, which serves as the strongest competitor to consoles. While still very much a PC, the Steam Machine packs a lot of punch for a small device and could be a force if priced well. Second, a brand new VR headset in the Steam Frame. Despite Meta having massive first-party support, Valve has decided to challenge a space that many of us thought was finished growing. Third, and finally, is a Steam Controller. It's horrendous looking and makes the Duke look ergonomic. How does Valve's aggressive hardware plans disrupt Xbox and does any lingering appeal for the PC in the living room by Xbox remain? The Dukes unite and dive straight in. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:08:49 - The Hair Crisis0:13:57 - Halo Infinite support is ending0:21:59 - Former Nintendo President opens up on Xbox and Switch 20:31:59 - State Of Play Japan reactions0:47:15  Arc Raiders is a smash hit0:57:04 - GTA 6 has been delayed1:09:02 - Take Two proves great narrative games sell well1:13:02 - Borderlands 4 sales are soft1:18:58 - Dispatch sells over 1 million copies1:20:47 - Ghost Of Yotei sells over 3 million copies1:23:00 - BioWare and EA recommit to Mass Effect1:42:28 - Marvel 1943: Rise Of Hydra has been delayed1:44:35 - Silent Hill 2’s Xbox release date leaks1:48:42 - Nintendo first party are using game key cards1:51:07 - Square Enix undergoes layoffs and drops new roadmap2:03:02 - Trails In The Sky Remake 2 confirmed for 20262:05:54 - What We’re Playing3:00:07 - Valve announces Steam Machine, Frame, and Controller3:28:55 - Todd Howard interview3:42:30 - Avowed 2 is in the cards, but not Outer Worlds 3? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been quite the year for Obsidian Entertainment. Following three major releases in one year with Avowed, Grounded 2 (Early Access), and The Outer Worlds 2. Obsidian finds itself discussing their future and relevance in a world where "Microsoft Gaming" exists. Cog and Hoeg discuss the significance of revisiting the Pillars of Eternity universe with their latest turn based announcement. What does the future also hold for this studio? In addition to all the latest news in the world of Xbox! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:02:50 - Health Is Wealth0:05:01 - Does Cog Really Hate Exclusives?0:17:14 - Xbox Hybrid Future?0:33:59 - Cancelling Game Pass Ultimate?0:40:32 - Destiny 2 New Renegades expansion0:49:39 - Nintendo’s Patent in Palworld Dispute is Being Re-examined1:03:54 - Devs believe Steam has a monopoly on PC games?1:14:03 - Consumers spend more on remakes than remasters1:22:42 - Battlefield 6 Has Reportedly Sold Over 10 Million Copies1:31:21 - Arc Raiders early success & roadmap1:40:33 - Black Ops 7 ROG Xbox Ally X Support1:44:22 - Expedition 33 & Final Fantasy VII Remake event1:52:52 - What We Are Playing2:11:36 - Obsidian announces Pillars of Eternity Turn-Based Mode & talks future2:42:41 - Xbox Q1 hardware sales down2:54:20 - Xbox - Ex-Boxer commercial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following months of swirling rumors, Halo Combat Evolved has its remake. It's called Halo Campaign Evolved and you can play it next year on Xbox, PC, and yes, even PlayStation! It has everything from sprinting to aiming down sights, but more surprising is the new content found within. Cutscenes have been entirely reshot, new prequel missions are being added to the game, new weapons are getting thrown in there, and even the warthog saw an expansion to it. Cog and Gene had the opportunity to go hands-on with a demo of this remake and the takeaways are what you'd expect from a Halo Studios led project. Indeed, it's the familiar cocktail of optimism for what's in front of you and lingering skepticism from the thing you just got. Go to https://www.quince.com/duke for free shipping and 365-day returns Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:02:53 - Sarah Bond says exclusive games are antiquated0:16:09 - Matt Booty says Xbox’s competition is TikTok and movies0:29:43 - Phil Spencer says Forza Motorsport isn’t dead0:38:25 - Phil Spencer on Xbox’s AI push0:45:09 - Xbox has a Partner Preview coming in November0:52:55 - Fallout Day 2025 was terrible1:18:40 - ID@Xbox showcase reveals 12 indie Game Pass titles1:20:43 - Canceled multiplayer God of War game leaks1:24:12 - Ghost of Yotei sales analysis1:31:00 - Loulan: The Cursed Sands revealed1:33:23 - Masters of Albion will be Peter Molyneux’s final game1:41:31 - Mouse: P.I. for Hire releases on March 19th, 20261:42:45 - Battlefield REDSEC shadow dropped by EA1:45:07 - FemShep wants to go back to Mass Effect1:46:40 - Crash Bandicoot is getting a Netflix series1:47:51 - What We’re Playing (Xbox Ally X)2:26:55 - Halo Campaign Evolved discussion3:01:40 - Cog's thoughts on Ninja Gaiden 43:09:11 - Outer Worlds 23:35:17 - Massive details on the next Xbox3:59:25 - Xbox’s 30% profit margin to blame for price hikes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's much to be said about how The Outer Worlds 2 was handled prior to its release. Everything from a lacking preview and Avowed's underwhelming launch to Xbox attempting to force a $80 price point put this game on the uphill climb. All of that is out the window now. Cog and Matty have it in hand and have logged their many hours! Is the Black Rock ready to deliver on the RPG pedigree that they're known for or are they best off focusing on their new strength in games like Grounded or Pentiment? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:02:57 - Final future of the Dukes update0:08:31 - Xbox Ally impressions0:28:08 - The pace of Xbox releases0:35:29 - The most positive Xbox experience this generation0:43:07 - What We’re Playing1:02:44 - Outer Worlds 22:13:25 - Improvements coming to the Xbox Ally2:15:49 - ID@Xbox showcase coming October 28th2:17:16 - Starfield’s PS5 announcement will come in 20262:18:31 - Warner Bros Discovery is up for sale again2:27:26 - Assassin’s Creed franchise lead was forced out2:35:11 - Glen Schofield is trying to get Dead Space back2:54:25 - Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 updates3:00:34 - The Resident Evil Remake rumors are heating up3:04:24 - A new Dragon Ball game coming in 20263:08:11 - Marvel Cosmic Invasion releases December 1st3:10:33 - Quantic Dream’s strange new multiplayer game3:16:16 -  What’s next for Arrowhead?3:18:28 - Silent Hill sales update3:21:18 - Kirby Air Riders gets ANOTHER direct3:25:41- Sarah Bond clarifies Xbox next gen details3:49:04 - Xbox has plans to move its product manufacturing out of China Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite the ongoing hardware "crisis," plenty of next generation hardware news continues to leak out of Xbox. This time, we have Project Magnus courtesy of Moore's Law Is Dead! Set to release in 2027, this console will (as expected) feature some Windows elements and go head-to-head with the pre-built PC market. To help break all of this down, Jimmy Champane of Deck Ready is here. Beyond Project Magnus, we get into a newly released piece of Xbox hardware in the Xbox Ally. Is it worth your money and what does it tell us about the future of Xbox's unified Windows approach? A lot, it seems! Beyond that, we tackle a new-ish structure for the show, covering everything from Xbox to PlayStation and Nintendo. Much of our show is shaped by you, so we hope you enjoy the inclusion and look forward to reading your thoughts. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:20:42 - Where did the former Zenimax Online devs go?0:30:06 - Call Of Duty is dropping SBMM0:42:23 - Halo art director delivers ominous message1:04:51 - Indiana Jones gets anniversary update1:10:17 - Everwild screenshots have leaked1:12:44 - Sucker Punch’s future after Ghost Of Yotei1:27:46 - What is Bluepoint up to?1:31:34 - More Expedition 33 content on the way1:36:39 - Japan responds to rise of Sora AI1:44:05 - Assassin’s Creed director quits over Tencent2:04:02 - Massive Pokémon leak2:18:14 - Switch 2 console sales update2:21:34 - Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game revealed2:24:59 - The Mindseye Aftermath2:30:18 - What We’re Playing3:18:10 - Xbox’s Project Magnus and PlayStation 6 are rumored to release in 20273:55:17 - Another week of Xbox hardware drama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following such erratic changes to Game Pass and a ton of wild weekend rumors, many are wondering if Xbox will be out of the console business altogether by 2027. Despite marketing for the next generation being expected to begin next year, some insiders are suggesting this is now up in the air for Team Green. Joining us to discuss the current state of Xbox is the man with a million, Rand Al Thor 19. While Xbox addressed the uncertainty surrounding their hardware and have a public agreement with AMD, many continue to doubt this is the path forward. The truth is that Xbox hardware has seen a steep decline in sales for almost two years. Now, major retailers are pulling their stock. Like much of you have written in about this subject, we are left with the same question: Can we even believe Xbox at this point? If you can't then can we continue to build our digital libraries on Xbox with the way Xbox is trending? Is the path truly to become a third party publisher? If so, should Xbox rip off the bandaid and go all in now? It's a jam packed episode and we sift through every layer of it to try and get to the root of it all. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 03:08 - The future of the Dukes0:21:28 - Cog’s trip to Japan0:35:50 - Where is Phil Spencer?1:00:32 - Outer Worlds 2 caught in the crossfire again1:15:57 - Can Xbox and PlayStation team up now?1:20:09 - What even is Xbox Play Anywhere?1:30:07 - What is going on with Keeper?1:40:18 - Lina Khan’s victory lap1:47:58 - Xbox’s response to the Game Pass price hike1:56:24 - Game Pass DLC discounts are done2:02:17 - Halo Combat Evolved Remake rumors2:16:46 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass2:20:29 - What We’re Playing2:59:26 - Is Xbox hardware coming to an end?3:35:43 - The reason Game Pass hiked its prices3:56:22 - Xbox is reportedly adding a free tier for Cloud Gaming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox happened. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:03:14 - Health Is Wealth0:10:02 - Are we still Xbox fans?0:26:22 - What’s happening with Forza Horizon 6?0:36:23 - Xbox Ally preorders are live0:48:50 - EA is going private in a $55 Billion deal1:05:47 - Ken Levine interview recap1:19:18 - Fallout 76 Burning Springs update1:20:14 - Prototype is coming back?1:27:07 - Ubisoft forms Vantage Studios1:30:23 - AAA Lord Of The Rings game in development1:38:49 - What We’re Playing2:25:25 - Xbox Game Pass gets a major price hike3:14:00 - Do we keep doing Game Pass Pick Of The Week? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forza bros, rejoice! After plenty of speculation, rumors, and eventual leaks, Forza Horizon 6 has finally been announced at Tokyo Game Show 2025. Joining me is honorary Duke, Sir Bradley Ellis, to discuss all things Forza and more in the world of gaming! It has been long anticipated that Playground would take the franchise to Japan and now that it's finally happening, we have a lot to go over. Landing in 2026, this will be hitting Xbox and PC first, which already lands a little out of the realm of our expectations. When is the inevitable PlayStation port? We dive into just that. Moreover, Playground may end up being the 2026 darling for Xbox if Fable and Forza hit in the same year. Matty and Brad dig into their expectations for 2026 where no doubt there will be a double feature including these two. Beyond that, we dive into the recent State Of Play, the new OD gameplay, more leaked details on Perfect Dark's episodic format, and much more! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:09:03 - Health Is Wealth0:23:29 - Danganronpa theories0:29:14 - Hideo Kojima shows off OD0:41:49 - 2025 is Xbox’s biggest investment in Game Pass0:49:23 - More leaked details on Perfect Dark1:01:42 - Black Ops 7 multiplayer reveal on September 30th1:08:15 - Xbox’s handheld UI is out now1:14:23 - Borderlands 4 has reached 2.5 million players1:17:36 - Cyberpunk 2077 sequel to include multiplayer1:20:39 - Aspyr removes AI replicated voice from Tomb Raider1:24:29 - What We’re Playing2:09:34 - New price increases for Xbox2:23:33 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week2:25:20 - Xbox TGS 2025 Showcase2:48:58 - State Of Play Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cronos: The New Dawn, Hell Is Us, Hollow Knight Silksong, Borderlands 4, Silent Hill F, Trails In The Sky Remake, and the list goes on. It's an overload of games right now and the Dukes are doing their best to keep up! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:05:29 - Health Is Wealth0:45:32 - Dragon Quest 7 info0:50:36 - Is RE5 remake different from what we thought?0:55:30 - Does Bethesda still have it?1:16:25 - Nintendo Direct reaction1:35:26 - Randy Pitchford’s Borderlands 4 meltdown1:50:40 - The Initiative studio head breaks his silence2:05:07 - The Scalebound Saga continues on2:14:03 - Zenimax Online Studios wants to make new stuff2:20:18 - Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Part 3 is going multi-plat2:33:04 - The Series S helped Battlefield 62:39:22 - GTA 6 is getting delayed… again?2:45:22 - Nintendo’s dangerous new patent2:55:58 - Black Flag Remake might be more RPG-heavy3:00:50 - State Of Play next week3:10:34 - Far Cry is leaning into multiplayer3:15:22 - What We’re Playing3:36:48 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass…3:39:23 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Much of the conversation surrounding Game Pass and its sustainability has been about whether or not it can turn a profit. The Dukes themselves have pondered on this very subject for dozens of episodes. At this point, Game Pass is here to stay. The conversation has evolved from how much money the service makes to whether or not it dramatically impacts how games are made. At first, PlayStation alumni Shawn Layden brought attention to this subject. While well respected and incredibly knowledgable, many believed that Shawn bled a bit too much blue for their taste and that his points may be biased. That's fair to say, but what happens when many of Xbox's own start to say the same? Much of our conversation is about what Pete Hines, the former SVP of Communication and Marketing at Bethesda, had to say on Xbox's premier service. However, it's really about the fallout from it. Shannon Loftis, a Xbox lifer who spent 20+ years at the company, sang a similar tune to that of Pete and Shawn. Even MachineGames currnet studio head had thoughts on how Game Pass players dip very quickly. Even recently, Larian's own Swen Vincke had his concerns about Game Pass. Raphael Colantonio, formerly of Arkane and now at WolfEye, shared a similar sentiment. While indie and even AA have found a pocket from which they very much benefit from Game Pass, AAA is speaking out. The question remains: Are players willing to listen in the face of such value? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:17:57 - Health Is Wealth0:22:02 - Bethesda finally teases Starfield DLC0:30:16 - Wolfenstein lives on0:38:37 - Hollow Knight Silksong breaks records0:51:10 - Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth due out on Xbox in 20260:53:27 - Physical games live on for another generation?1:05:37 - Dead Island 3 on the way1:12:19 - Helldivers 3 basically confirmed1:16:05 - Resident Evil 5 Remake isn’t happening1:22:44 - Old KOTOR Remake concept art leaks1:24:35 - Metal Gear Delta sells 1 million copies in 2 days1:25:22 - 2K is making a “college basketball experience” while EA bails1:34:37 - Batman Arkham Shadow is getting a sequel1:39:35 - IO Interactive finally talks about Mindseye launch1:44:20 - What We’re Playing2:23:54 - Pete Hines opens up on Xbox & Bethesda3:12:04 - Xbox’s Tokyo Game Show plans3:20:02 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today in news that we wish we never knew about: Xbox's reboot of Perfect Dark was nearly saved! Their dance partner? Take Two Interactive who serves as publisher of Rockstar. Yes, indeed, a recent report states that these two were working out a deal similar to Xbox selling off Tango Gameworks alongside the Hi Fi Rush IP to Krafton in order to help the company. Unfortunately, a falling out between both sides occurred over an IP ownership dispute. Now, Perfect Dark is doomed to sit in "IP Jail" with many of Xbox's other abandoned properties. At least Banjo has some company now. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:02:40 - Health Is Wealth0:23:57 - Our preview philosophy0:35:17 - Is The Outer Worlds 2 hate overblown?0:50:30 - What games should you play soon?0:54:23 - Call Of Duty is entering the movie business1:00:49 - Gears Of War Reloaded numbers are in1:12:16 - Helldivers 2 is the #1 paid game on the Xbox store1:23:23 - Grounded 2 seems to be doing very well1:28:52 - 007 First Light impressions1:36:14 - PlayStation 6 will be a handheld?1:48:20 - Epic responds to Unreal Engine 5 concerns2:02:20 - Ubisoft’s 2026 and 2027 games2:10:54 - What's going on with Cyberpunk 2077?2:14:25 - Kojima event may show off OD2:17:05 - What We’re Playing3:10:24 - Perfect Dark was nearly revived3:28:05 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass3:40:56 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a bit of a rough go for Obsidian as of late. Compared to their usual RPG triumphs, Avowed felt quite a bit less than that. However, not all of it was entirely their fault. At one point, Xbox chose to make this the $80 game that would lead the charge in a new era of high prices. After considerable pushback, they chose to drop the price to $70. While a welcome sight, some have debated if even that is a fair price point for what appears to be a AA RPG. Now, marketing has kicked the hornet's nest with the latest companion trailer. So, here we are. Cog and Matty played the prologue section of the game and our thoughts are mixed. There certainly wasn't a "sound the alarm" moment, but it read to the Dukes like a less confident showing. Much of what makes an Obsidian RPG great is here. However, after the preview failed to show how that would be executed, both Dukes were left feeling like there is more that could've been done. Now, the tough decision falls to Xbox. Do you risk another preview and overexpose the game to try and correct things? Do you ride into launch and hope for the best? Time will tell, but we only have to wait until October to learn just how worth it Outer Worlds 2 will be. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:15:07 - Write Ins0:37:33 - Pete Parsons is leaving Bungie0:51:25 - Tim Schafer on Double Fine’s future games0:55:32 - Hollow Knight Silksong finally has a release date1:11:32 - Xbox Ally preorder date leaks1:12:39 - The reason that Switch 2 ports of Xbox games are delayed?1:23:00 - Xbox Cloud Gaming is coming to Game Pass subscribers1:29:48 - New Starfield updates detailed1:35:13 - High On Life 2 will include 5 playable games1:37:14 - Replaced is set to release Spring 20261:38:59 - Activision responds to Call of Duty concerns1:50:34 - More Clair Obscur is on the way2:04:51 - Atari has acquired 5 Ubisoft games2:09:26 - Ken Levine opens up on Judas2:16:53 - Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2’s Wild DLC situation2:23:20 - Naoki Yoshida says there’s no need for new consoles2:26:52 - Herman Hulst on Concord’s failure2:31:46 - Skate enters early access on September 16th2:40:02 - What We’re Playing3:48:09 - Forza Horizon 6 will be set in Japan3:59:05 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass4:00:22 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gamescom took place this week! On top of Opening Night Live which was home to many reveals, Xbox held their own show the day after. It's there that we finally got information on the Xbox Ally. Everything from its official release date to features, specs, capabilities, and so on. With the rumored price tag floating at $549.99 and $899.99 respectively, is this handheld doing enough to justify its enthusiast status? Despite everything being an Xbox, it seems like the Xbox Ally will only function as such if a title supports "Play Anywhere." While not a concern for future games as we've seen many releases support the future, what this means for your established Xbox library isn't great news. We parse through it all... and a lot of Lego Batman. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:07:28 -  Health Is Wealth0:31:52 - Xbox is safe from Tyson... for now0:33:26 - Grounded 2 is outpacing the first0:38:08 - Ex-PlayStation Exec Shawn Layden on Game Pass0:57:15 - Details on the Helldivers x ODST collab1:01:21 - Rod Fergusson is the new Head of the BioShock Franchise1:08:28 - High On Life 2 is releasing February 13th, 20261:11:31 - Triangle Strategy shadow drops on Xbox1:15:35 - Mafia: The Old Country sales thus far1:17:34 - Shenmue 3 Enhanced Edition announced by ININ1:36:41 - What We’re Playing2:02:23 - Gamescom recap2:45:29 - Updates on Xbox Ally3:01:30 - PlayStation hikes console price3:08:56 - Leaving Xbox Game Pass3:10:21 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Contraband was announced back in 2021. Since then, we've seen just about nothing from the game. No messaging beats, no trailers, and even the Xbox executives didn't yap about this one! After four years of development, this collaboration between Xbox and Avalanche has come to a close. Adding it to the list of canceled Xbox titles, this one feels different to Dependable Cog and Choco Matty. Part of it is apathy, but it's also a new angle from the previous shutdowns where we really don't know much about what was lost. It's a valuable lesson in why Xbox shouldn't announce things early. Beyond our headline, we get into Xbox's president offering her talents to Tyson Foods (?!), Halo coming to PlayStation, a legend leaving Xbox, and diving deep into Matty's recent interview with ex-BioWare vet, Mark Darrah. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:10:29 - Cog wears diapers & Matty goes viral for cleaning0:40:34 - Health Is Wealth0:48:38 - Mafia: The Old Country "Controversy"0:58:16 - Are games giving what the fans want?1:04:19 - Ex BioWare dev on Dragon Age remasters1:25:35 - PlayStation is moving away from hardware?1:43:25 - Rod Ferguson is leaving Blizzard1:51:15 - Sarah Bond joins… Tyson Foods2:00:50 - An update on the future of Forza2:05:48 - The release date for the Xbox Ally has leaked2:07:58 - Heretic + Hexen re-release shadowdropped2:12:09 - A Halo game is coming to PlayStation2:17:13 - Halo ODST is coming to Helldivers 22:21:52 - Bungie’s leash tightens with Marathon2:28:48 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is getting a massive roadmap2:34:14 - LEGO Batman is getting the Skywalker Saga treatment?2:44:11 - Crimson Desert has been delayed to Q1 20262:45:40 - What We’re Playing3:25:42 - Contraband has been canceled3:33:39 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The year of the Ninja rages on! Fresh off Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, we have more ninjas to talk about thanks to the new Shinobi demo alongside Ninja Gaiden 4. In a seemingly impossible move, Xbox brought together two legendary Japanese developers to reactivate a franchise that had laid dormant since 2012. There were still question marks even after a strong showing at this years Developer Direct. At the top of everyone's list following a ton of layoffs was simply: Does PlatinumGames still have it? Well, it appears that despite the winds of change blowing through the studio, the new wave of talent at Platinum is more than up to the task. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:07:28 - Health Is Wealth0:20:25 - Starfield’s PS5 port and Expansion 2 won’t be out until 20260:42:12 - Xbox financials update0:50:54 - Pouring one out for BioShock fans1:03:17 - Battlefield 6 multiplayer reveal reactions1:16:12 - Nintendo Direct announces new Xbox games1:23:55 - THQ Nordic 2025 showcase breakdown1:31:25 - Kojima on OD when speaking to SSense about his career1:34:15 - EA is working on more games with Disney1:40:31 - So, uh, Ubisoft threatened to sue Edward Kenway’s actor?1:45:37 - Ninja Gaiden 4 / What We’re Playing2:39:34 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass2:44:01 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new job listing over at PlayStation shows that more games are headed to Xbox. Naturally, the internet did its thing and we saw some crazy titles get tossed out as ideas for ports: The Last Of Us, Uncharted, Spider-Man, God Of War, and so on. Others have suggested that PlayStation is folding just as Xbox has. Have they? Joining me is Sir Bradley Ellis to dive into what ends up being a semi-painful reminder of the current state of Xbox as we shift from topic-to-topic. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:04:50 - Xbox's game price landmine0:21:12 - Satya’s statement lol0:28:31 - More Xbox games to PlayStation0:34:31 - Holy cow, Xbox is getting more physical games?!0:44:20 - Fallout 76 is going to Ohio?0:53:08 - Oblivion Remastered reaches 9 million players0:56:31 - Xbox falls in like with UK’s age verification process1:01:37 - Video game subscription spending is at an all time high1:04:18 - Wolfenstein is getting a TV series1:07:42 - Dead Space director Glen Schofield may have directed his final game1:23:15 - Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection had its release date leaked1:27:34 - Dying Light: The Beast has been delayed by 4 weeks1:32:16 - Silent Hill 1 Remake is closer than we thought?1:35:45 - A new Spongebob game has LEAKED1:48:20 - Can The Witcher 3 even be beat? CDPR doesn’t know1:53:20 - Mafia: The Old Country is longer than expected?1:58:28 - A Star Wars Outlaws sequel has been canceled2:03:45 - What We’re Playing2:33:41 - More PlayStation games coming to Xbox according to a job post2:48:22 - Xbox will have a significant presence at Gamescom2:56:58 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hell has frozen over! Xbox has moved the price of The Outer Worlds 2 down to $70 after fan backlash. What does this mean for the future of Xbox's lineup and the games industry as a whole? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:21:27 - Health Is Wealth0:35:02 - Clarifying the Fable rumor0:39:57 - MachineGames has multiple projects in development0:42:09 - Contraband lives on0:47:26 - Xbox is working on next gen cloud gaming0:49:54 - Starfield ACTUALLY gets an update1:02:37 - Xbox is adding a play history tab1:05:18 - Oblivion Remaster's Virtuous Studio sees layoffs1:17:08 - From Software has ANOTHER game on the way1:21:14 - Ubisoft on why Star Wars Outlaws failed1:31:53 - Saber Interactive reveals Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival1:35:17 - Battlefield 6 reveal happening this week1:37:39 - Splitgate 2 unlaunches1:42:50 - What We’re Playing2:23:39 - The Outer Worlds is $702:51:39 - No Rest For The Wicked is skipping Xbox3:05:24 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox saw Matty was slipping, so in a bold strategy to reel the Dukes back in, they have opted to greenlight Fallout 5. Despite what many will try and say to downplay this, there is a strong chance that Fallout 5 goes beyond the borders of Bethesda for the first time since 2010. Considering it's a mainline entry, this is a massive shakeup. It gets even more dicey when Obsidian Entertainment gets taken off the board. So, who makes a new Fallout game? The 76 team? InXile? Larian? Dare we say, a new studio? Oh, boy. Each choice outside of the obvious like Larian or InXile has their caveats. So, let's get into the thick of the future of the Bethesda's valuable post-apocalyptic IP. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro/ Health Is Wealth1:08:15 - Arkane Lyon is safe for now1:10:18 - Zenimax hasn't seen layoffs yet1:13:52 - Rare has commented on the layoffs for the first time1:18:24 - Guitar Hero easter egg in Tony Hawk1:22:10 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 is fully on the disc1:23:51 - Forza Horizon 5 sold 2 million copies on PlayStation 51:25:52 - Fallout 76 is getting TV show content1:28:16 - Oblivion Remastered gets a crucial patch… and a physical edition?!1:32:24 - Jez Corden on Starfield’s next DLC1:37:00 - The Alters has sold 280K copies1:38:49 - Ken Levine on Judas1:40:35 - Xbox is paying how much for Game Pass deals?!1:43:49 - Halo 1 Remake rumors1:54:05 - What We’re Playing2:20:40 - Fallout 5 has been greenlit2:52:08 - The Xbox Ally will be $1,000?3:01:19 - King is replacing workers with AI3:12:49 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass3:18:01 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A conversation involving such dramatic shifts in the brand requires as much nuance as we can gather! Summoned to the realm of the Dukes are none other than Last Stand Media's own Gene Park and Rick Hoeg to help us sift through the fallout of last week's Xbox layoffs. Any single one of these stories could be our lead for the week, but let's get it started with Microsoft's $80 billion investment in their AI infrastructure. Sadly, it has been reported that this is the root cause of the layoffs. Naturally, an investment to the tune of almost $12 billion more than Activision doesn't sneak up on you. The question we're left asking in wake of these claims is how leadership was able to blindside staff within Xbox despite likely knowing about these impending changes for months. Why meet with teams like Zenimax Online Studios and Romero Games, prepare hardware investments, create long term production plans only to axe them by the following weekend? A fired up Rick Hoeg will certainly let us know how he feels on the matter (IYKYK). Speaking of Zenimax Online Studios, we now have details on the canceled Project Blackbird to parse through thanks to multiple insider reports. Blackbird was an online, open world RPG focusing on shooting and traversal mechanics with a planned release window of 2028. With the pedigree of this studio being clear and the risk being low compared to most live service initiatives out there, why shut down something with such great potential? Well, perhaps that's because in a "hits only" business, you need to go with the guarantee. There's no greater guarantee for money than the Fallout IP and, finally, it appears Xbox has come to their senses. Multiple Fallout games are in production! Reason for celebration, no? We'll get to that. Plus, our thoughts on Helldivers 2 coming to Xbox, a Halo project potentially in trouble, and returning once more to the "Great Game Pass Profitability Debate." Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:07:15 - Write Ins1:02:59 - What We’re Playing1:46:33 - Microsoft's $80 billion investment led to last week's layoffs2:40:54 - Details on Project Blackbird3:21:40 - Multiple Fallout games in development3:39:53 - The next Halo game is in trouble?3:50:59 - Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox on August 26th4:11:14 - The great Game Pass profitability debate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To be apathetic to something is to experience a lack of feeling or emotion in response to an event. For the Dukes, it's the word of the show. Xbox has been mismanaged for an entire generation and it has come at the cost of losing world class talents alongside studios. It was just in 2024 that we lost Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, Roundhouse Studios, and Alpha Dog Games. There was also the formidable Toys For Bob that went independent. That alone was more than enough to last us a generation, but today we learned that Xbox has closed down the studio they started back in 2018: The Initiative. Alongside that, Rare's Everwild has been canceled on top of a new IP from Zenimax Online Studios. There's no other way to slice it. For Xbox to improve, leadership must be held accountable. The question is if they ever will and given how situations at teams like Bungie have gone down, we expect a meek, weak willed level of accountability to the bloodbath at Microsoft this week. Indeed, much of the frustration is built off the back of constant, mind-numbing, inconsistent messaging. It was only in February that CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, said Everwild was really shaping up. It was canceled today. With such wishy-washy messaging to their fans, the brand is at a point where no one can believe anything they say. Sure, a partnership with AMD to do next-generation consoles was announced within the last month. How can we trust that? It's the lowest level of trust asked of a consumer that you can believe an announcement when you see it. Instead, the only message we're left with is that if you're not a mega-hit in the making, Xbox wants to have no part of you. What does this say to teams like Compulsion and Ninja Theory or larger developers like Obsidian that like to split off in pursuit of smaller titles? It's amusing that Xbox has done this in the name of creating a sustainable business yet their methods and approach to making games is arguably the least sustainable thing we've seen. They're all in on a subscription service while putting tens of millions of dollars into making games. How it'll all shake up will be interesting to watch, but many of us know how this story will end. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:02:40 - Health is Wealth 0:20:27 - Xbox layoffs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was supposed to be a slow news week, so naturally we talked for almost four hours on the latest in gaming. Heading up our show is a recurrent subject: layoffs at Xbox. Despite Phil's claims about a sustainable business, the cuts keep coming. Of course, that leaves us in a bit of a pickle. What parts of Xbox business are faltering? We're about a year removed from last year where Xbox began shutting down multiple teams, so it's not a far cry to say we may be approaching that point. We haven't seen Game Pass numbers in a hot minute, titles like South Of Midnight and Hellblade 2 have questionable sales at best, and the green team is all but officially confirmed to be out on physical games. So, which is it, if any? We gab quite a bit before leaving it to next week where we'll get official confirmation. Plus, Xbox integrating other PC storefronts into their app, righting the record on Final Fantasy XVI, diving into Lies Of P sales figures, and so much more in what was an unexpectedly meaty (oh!) episode of Defining Duke. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:16:24 - Health Is Wealth0:32:22 - Correcting FF16 information from last week0:41:52 - A new Halo game is releasing… kinda0:54:16 - Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition announced1:01:46 - SEGA sales data leaks1:14:08 - Persona 4 Revival & Stranger Than Heaven release info1:17:35 - Blood Of Dawnwalker Gameplay deep dive1:22:58 - Cyberpunk 2077 update 2.3 has been delayed1:27:54 - Layoffs headed for Mindseye developer1:40:01 - Blood Message reveal reaction1:43:03 - Rematch devs respond to crossplay issues1:48:34 - Third party Switch 2 sales below estimates1:59:03 - Splitgate 2 devs face layoffs2:12:25 - Lies Of P difficulty settings2:23:24 - What We’re Playing3:08:15 - Major Xbox layoffs inbound3:33:13 - Steam library comes to Xbox PC App3:45:03 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The green team is sticking with making hardware. Consoles, handhelds, maybe even more. They're in! In a push to put their games in more places than ever alongside a massive decline in Series console sales, the understanding was Xbox has no place in the hardware business and may as well bow out. With today's news, it appears to be quite the opposite. Alongside this news presented by Xbox President, Sarah Bond, we also learned there will be more storefronts and games will continue to go everywhere. The moves made by Xbox have even extracted comments out of PlayStation execs during a fireside chat about their financials. As they continue to turn heads, we'll do our best to unpack how this even makes sense for Xbox. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:03:16 - Health Is Wealth0:24:50 - Xbox's video capture issue0:30:22 - Will Xbox deliver a GOTY winner?0:44:22 - Marathon has been indefinitely delayed1:02:47 - Borderlands 4 will cost $701:11:27 - Final Fantasy 16 is flopping on Xbox?1:26:06 - PlayStation comments on Xbox’s hardware direction1:37:45 - Outer Worlds 2 director responds to the $80 concerns1:47:58 - Crash Team Racing reaches 10 million sales1:51:51 - Silent Hill 1 Remake confirmed1:56:19 - Expedition 33 “improvements” are on the way1:59:48 - What We’re Playing2:25:10 - Xbox details their next generation consoles3:01:24 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass3:05:17 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The fallout of any Xbox showcase is always our favorite episodes to record as a duo! It gets us all involved and allows to pick with greater detail at whatever is on the community's mind as consuming so many trailers. Well, there's mostly one thing on Xbox fan's minds at the moment and it's if Outer Worlds 2 should be the second ever $80 game. There's no doubt about it that there are more to come, but should Call Of Duty have taken the fall? Is this price tag going to prevent The Outer Worlds 2 from reaching its peak popularity? We have many thoughts on this touchy subject, but also on the future of Windows combining itself with Xbox. With Xbox Play Anywhere, things are changing. However, many fans are noticing that most of their library CAN'T play anywhere. Will Xbox ameliorate this and, if so, how quickly? Plus more on Cog's incredible Shinobi story, MindsEye first impressions, the future of Halo's story as a multi-platform title, when we'll get Persona 6, and plenty more! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:06:58 - Health Is Wealth0:20:43 - Persona 6?0:31:42 - Should Xbox go full Nintendo?0:50:20 - Xbox console games on PC1:13:05 - What is in the water at Obsidian?1:22:25 - The future of Halo’s story1:28:56 - Does Matty truly hate Forza Horizon?1:33:53 - Phil on Xbox & Windows team1:35:14 - Why does Grounded 2 exist?1:43:29 - Oblivion Remaster gets its first update1:45:32 - What We’re Playing3:14:39 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox has been the gold standard for showcases these last two years. Whether it be their summer showcases or Developer Direct, they just seem to have a death grip on the rhythm needed to put on a good show along with well timed announcements. Well, no one stays hot forever, so it was inevitable that Xbox would come down to earth at some point. The question is, when they do, where would they end up? Fortunately, it wasn't terrible! We got a deep look at The Outer Worlds 2 while Double Fine finally came out of hiding with their atmospheric adventure game, Keeper. Clockwork Revolution stole the show with a 5+ minute trailer and, naturally, Call Of Duty is coming back again this year. Perhaps most noteworthy was the reveal of the ROG Xbox Ally X. As long reported, this partnership with ASUS will be the beginning of Xbox's handheld journey. Cog went hands-on, so we have to-the-minute thoughts on the user experience, UI updates, and performance testing! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:03:24 - General Impressions0:12:28 – Outer Worlds 20:30:16 – High On Life 20:33:49 – Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy0:37:45 – Rog Xbox Ally X0:56:10 – Blood Of The Dawnwalker0:58:08 – Super Meat Boy 3D0:59:35 – Ninja Gaiden 41:04:54 – Indiana Jones: The Order Of Giants1:11:02 – Beast Of Reincarnation1:13:48 – Clockwork Revolution1:24:52 – Grounded 21:31:37 – Chronos: The New Dawn1:36:19 – Aphelion1:40:05 – There Are No Ghosts At The Grand1:43:03 – Mudang Two Hearts1:45:50 – Planet Of Lana 21:51:37 – Animo1:55:51 – Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 41:57:00 – At Fate's End1:59:06 – Gears Of War Reloaded2:01:58 – Persona 4 Revival2:11:06 – Invincible VS2:16:00 – Final Fantasy has come to Xbox2:27:17 – Keeper2:34:19 – Phil's 2026 Teases2:54:51 – Black Ops 7 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Xbox Games Showcase 2025 is soon upon us and you know the tradition! It's Defining Duke. It's Xbox Two. It's showcase season! Compared to prior years, the pressure on Xbox feels a little lessened. The games are in full swing and mostly delivering, Project Latitude is far less controversial, and many are just hoping the company maintains the status quo for once. So, for the games: Is it time for Elder Scrolls VI? Does Halo make its return to the big stage? Does Final Fantasy VII Remake finally hit the platform? What of Persona 4 Remake? Can Playground Games announce Forza Horizon 6 this year? With speculitis flowing through our veins, we heavily debate the "yays" and "nays" of Xbox's next summer showcase for five whole hours. Enjoy!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:05:21 - Health Is Wealth0:17:22 - Write Ins0:26:16 - What We're Playing1:33:39 - Bethesda Predictions2:16:17 - Activision Predictions2:42:05 - Halo Studios2:59:49 - The Coalition3:01:45 - Compulsion Games3:06:05 - Double Fine3:12:34 - Inxile Entertainment3:19:01 - Mojang3:21:47 - Ninja Theory3:29:17 - Obsidian Entertainment3:45:44 - Playground Games3:59:18 - Rare4:06:29 - The Initiative4:10:50 - Turn 104:16:46 - Undead Labs4:22:42 - World’s Edge4:24:50 - Audience inquiries & random predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Much has been said about Xbox's multiplatform shift, but Xbox finally has games AND they're selling. It's truly a momentous occasion! The Dukes bend the knee as they assess a strong month for Xbox bringing four of the five best selling games to other platforms. What does this mean for the Switch 2 ports and Xbox's brand identity? Naturally, we unpack that. We also get into the thick of Bungie's latest plagiarism scandal. Just how damning are the accusations and is Marathon on the brink of cancellation? If it were to get to its release, what does it need to keep the studio alive? Indeed, things look incredibly grim for Bungie and many exit strategies are likely being planned.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:08:19 - Health Is Wealth0:17:35 - Write Ins0:20:35 - Xbox handheld leaks0:25:48 - Xbox is dominating on PlayStation0:38:06 - Microsoft cuts 3% of its overall workforce0:40:04 - Xbox announces “Retro Classics”0:46:30 - Xbox is talking to Steam for its next console0:52:51 - DOOM: The Dark Ages has reached 3 million players0:59:41 - Gears Of War movie has its director1:05:27 - Oblivion Remastered’s completion rate is concerning?1:09:20 - Jade Raymond leaves Haven Studio1:20:18 - Arrowhead’s next game might come to Xbox1:25:03 - Atomfall is getting a sequel or spin-off1:27:33 - Randy Pitchford on $80 for Borderlands 41:37:53 - New Kingdom Hearts 4 screenshots1:44:59 - Red Dead Redemption 2 is getting a current gen update1:45:46 - Cyberpunk Orion details1:47:56 - What We’re Playing2:04:10 - Bungie is caught stealing art… again2:41:23 - Hellblade 2 to PS5 this summer2:50:26 - Avowed director leaves Obsidian3:10:19 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass3:17:39 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dukes get ready to rip and tear through another set of video games news and releases! Joining us is honorary Duke, Gene Park, to talk about the latest game out of iD Software in DOOM: The Dark Ages. It's the third entry in iD's modern reboot of the franchise and, as always, they've taken a new approach to things. DOOM: The Dark Ages places a shield in your hands and asks you to "stand and fight." How does this feel in comparison to DOOM Eternal's lightning fast combat or the more deliberate nature of DOOM 2016? It finds itself in the middle as all three Dukes have different takes on this one. Its combat, story, enemy variety, pacing, traversal, level design. All of them speak to us (or not) in ways that really highlight this isn't iD's best DOOM, but it's not their worst. It finds itself in the middle and, by the finale, feels like the series has run out of gas. So, what does this team of talented FPS developers do next? Is it time for Quake? Naturally, we discuss all of that and much more.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:16:50 - Health is Wealth0:31:02 - GTA 6 Update0:34:38 - Should Xbox have held the Gears announcement?0:48:15 - Fallout Season 2 drops in December1:00:06 - DOOM: The Dark Ages physical copy debacle1:10:28 - Oblivion Remastered’s continuous issues1:23:26 - Xbox returning to back compat focus?1:37:54 - GTA IV Remaster inbound?1:46:43 - Mafia: The Old Country release date and pricing1:54:21 - Will Borderlands 4 jump for $80?2:07:47 - Marvel 1943: Rise Of Hydra has been delayed to 20262:11:09 -  Capcom is doing better than we understand2:21:09 - Square Enix’s rough financials2:30:39 - Warner Bros Games revenue is in the tubes2:32:13 - Doom: The Dark Ages3:33:16 - What We’re Playing4:00:05 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well, it finally happened... Dogs and cats are finally sleeping together. Xbox has announced one of its iconic franchises with Gears of War Reloaded coming to PlayStation Day and Date! The Dukes break down the magnitude and ramifications of this major inflection point in Xbox console gaming identity. Meanwhile GTA6 casually reveals an explosive second trailer, Expedition 33 continues to dominate the news cycle, and Xbox Handhelds are leaking all over the place. Joining Cog this week is Brad, to dive into all the latest Xbox News and more!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:03:06 - Health is Wealth0:11:46 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Three Million Sold0:13:48 - Split Fiction Surpasses 4 Million Sales0:17:08 - PS5's top 3 selling games in April 2025 were all from Xbox0:23:13 - Compulsion Games Role Not to make Blockbusters like COD0:29:47 - Expedition 33 Magical Development Story0:41:43 - Expedition 330:52:16 - Destiny 2 YEAR OF PROPHECY (Star Wars)1:04:35 - GTA Release Date & Trailer 21:24:12 - Expedition 33 Says “Oblivion Remaster Didn't Harm Us"1:36:47 - Gears of War Reloaded On Playstation2:02:44 - Xbox ROG ALLY2 Leaked2:12:56 - Game Pass Pick of the Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well, we were ready to have a very positive episode, but here we are! Xbox has gone all the way ahead of most of the competition and confirmed the following. Console and accessories prices are jumping immediately. Xbox game prices will reach $80 by the end of the year. In a world where the first party is mostly producing divisive titles sitting in the ~80 open critic range, you have to imagine Xbox’s financial situation can’t be in a brilliant stop to step on a rake ahead of its competition. Yet, that’s where things get even more interesting. Xbox’s Q3 2025 results saw them at the industry’s top publisher while also being the leader in games sold on PlayStation with at least four of their titles in the top 10. Xbox wants their money and the Dukes have plenty of thoughts on this. Is this going to push even more people into Game Pass? Will this give birth to a free tier of Game Pass? What of Cloud Streaming’s growth when consoles are becoming extremely pricey. Meanwhile, it's already May and it feels as if we have enough fantastic games to begin our voting on Game Of The Year! Expedition 33 is the talk of the town alongside Oblivion and rightfully so, but it's fascinating just how many incredible experiences surround them. Unlikely heroes in Last Defense Academy, sleeper indie hits in Towerborne, and much more are around every corner. Who has time for all of this? Hell if we know, but we're just happy to be on the ride 2025 is taking us on.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:06:28 - Health Is Wealth0:36:44 - Oblivion reaches 4 million players0:41:49 - Expedition 33 has sold 1 million copies0:56:38 - People Can Fly’s Project Maverick revealed1:02:58 - Borderlands 4 gets new release date1:08:47 - Wuchang Fallen Feather launches on July 24th, 20251:10:56 - Robocop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business launches on July 17th, 20251:12:37 - FBC: Firebreak launches on June 17th, 20251:16:41 - Tainted Grail: Fall Of Avalon leaves early access on May 23rd1:19:53 - Baldur’s Gate 3 director on AI1:29:16 - TMNT Splintered Fate is coming to Xbox and PlayStation1:37:31 - Kevin Eastman on the TMNT Last Ronin video game1:41:19 - Capcom teases Resident Evil 91:44:18 - Splinter Cell: Blacklist randomly gets Steam achievements1:47:50 - Elden Ring passes 30 million sales1:50:11 - Microsoft Q3 Results1:57:06 - Expedition 332:34:24 - Marathon2:54:19 - Oblivion Remaster3:16:26 - Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy3:22:29 - Xbox price increase4:04:00 - Respawn suffers more layoffs and cancellations4:19:08 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a pretty unique week for Defining Duke listeners. It's practically no news and all games. Oblivion Remaster truly was shadowdropped. That just happens to be the same week that a bonafide GOTY contender in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arrives. Oh, we also have Last Defense Academy and Blue Prince to add to that bunch and that's just the last couple of weeks! Joining us to comb through this week and much more is Ebontis, co-host of The Last Word and a variety based content creator.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:04:03 - Health is Wealth0:23:39 - Oblivion’s impact on Expedition 330:39:09 - Fallout 3’s remaster just got more exciting0:47:45 - Honest talk about leak culture1:00:08 - Oblivion Remaster player count1:09:20 - Outer Worlds 2 new gameplay drops1:16:27 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 Remake will have a career mode1:18:11 - Star Wars Zero Company trailer reveal1:24:02 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 332:12:12 -  KCD 22:23:16 - Split Fiction2:29:21 - Blue Prince2:36:10 - The First Berzerker Khazan2:46:15 - Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy2:58:08 - Oblivion Remake3:26:52 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I was born 87 years ago. For 65 years I ruled as Tamriel’s emperor. For all these years, I’ve never been the ruler of my own dreams. I have seen the Gates of Oblivion, beyond which no waking eye may see. Behold! In darkness, a doom sweeps the land. This is the 27th of Last Seed. The year of Akatosh 433. These are the closing days of the 3rd Era... and the final hours of my life. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:13:27 - Health Is Wealth 0:40:48 - Write Ins 0:44:48 - Marathon reveal impressions 1:13:46 - Star Wars Zero Company officially announced 1:17:30 - Mafia: The Old Country release date leaks 1:23:51 - Xbox summer showcase rumors are already here 1:33:35 - Outer Worlds 2 gets new gameplay 1:59:22 - DOOM: The Dark Ages accessories revealed 2:04:39 - Cronos: The New Dawn gameplay reveal 2:08:49 - Triple I Showcase announcements 2:13:04 - Sea Of Thieves heads to Battlenet 2:14:00 - Elder Scrolls Online isn’t going anywhere 2:21:42 - Zenless Zone Zero is coming to Xbox in June 2:22:12 - What We’re Playing 2:40:31 - Oblivion Remastered is real 3:14:04 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 3:17:20 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following the delay of Fable, it was a coin toss on who would get the nod to follow up Xbox's 2025 summer showcase with a Developer Direct of their own. Now, we have the answer. No, it's not Gears Of War: E-Day and no it's not Halo. It's The Outer Worlds 2! Combined with this reveal, IGN posted over 10 minutes of Outer Worlds 2 gameplay! While it pops the bubble ahead of its full inflation, the Dukes were excited to lay eyes on the game following its December reveal. What has changed? What has improved? Also, what else will we see at this summer's showcase? We're full of guesses, so let's get to speculating! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:05:46 - Health is Wealth 0:23:54 - Write Ins 0:38:52 - Oblivion Remake is shadow dropping any moment this month 0:48:04 - Xbox’s AI generated Quake II demo 1:02:53 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 details 1:05:38 - Titanfall 3 rumors 1:11:21 - Final Fantasy VII Remake is still Xbox bound 1:16:24 - Hidetaka Miyazaki addresses multiplayer concerns 1:21:48 - Marathon reveal on April 12th 1:28:53 - A Deus Ex return is being pitched 1:31:37 - Zenless Zone Zero is coming to Xbox soon 1:32:23 - What We’re Playing 2:13:59 - Xbox summer showcase announced 2:54:14 - Switch 2 follow up 3:18:04 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The next exclusive from the "Class Of 2018" has arrived! It's South Of Midnight, hailing from Montreal's very own Compulsion Games, and it's another mixed bag. For all the visuals, stop motion, and music do to set the game apart, the Dukes struggled to fall in love with story following its abrupt conclusion. There's a lot to dig about it, but we wonder how the Xbox fandom will react to this after effectively waiting since 2018 for a story that doesn't necessarily wrap it up or make the best use of its gameplay mechanics. Alas, it's another "good, not great" that the Dukes think you should check out at sometime, but can't really justify the 40 bones you'd spend on it outside of Game Pass. In other news, Nintendo has upended the industry with their newly announced game prices which reach as high as $90 on the physical front. How this will have a ripple effect on the industry is easy to guess, but naturally, we dig a little deeper into the conversation than that. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:23:56 - Xbox handheld teased by ASUS 0:28:15 - How Xbox games are selling on PlayStation and Steam 0:35:09 - Why are Activision games not on Game Pass? 0:38:40 - RuneScape Dragonwids announced 0:48:29 - First look at Star Wars turn based tactics game 0:52:48 - MindsEye is releasing June 10th 0:55:32 - Trails Beyond The Horizon confirmed for Fall 2025 0:59:34 - Atomfall has surpassed 1.5 million players 1:02:04 - Powerwash Simulator tops 17 million players 1:02:41 - Death Stranding reaches 20 million players 1:03:51 - Monster Hunter Wilds sells 10 million units in 1 month 1:05:08 - Expedition 33 has gone gold 1:06:45 - Assassins Creed Invictus is launching this year 1:09:51 - Ubisoft and Tencent’s new partnership 1:18:22 - What We’re Playing 1:54:31 - Nintendo Switch 2 Direct reactions 2:34:56 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A mere UI leak has given birth to many conspiracies on Xbox's potential gameplan to get PlayStation games on their hardware. With the inclusion of Steam tag on the Xbox PC App, it has opened the door for many to wonder if this all inclusive platform is part of Xbox's next generation vision. Naturally, Steam on a next generation Xbox device brings with it a lot of business related questions. How does Xbox make any money at all from Steam games purchased on their hardware? Do they even care about that? Will Xbox's storefront and unified ecosystem be enough to give them an edge when their games are everywhere? The Dukes dive into this plus your many questions on the subject! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:51:39 - Phil Spencer is showing great interest in TV and Film 1:02:53 - 5 more years of Sea Of Thieves 1:04:59 - Indy finally has a PS5 date 1:08:06 - Xbox introduces Game Hubs 1:12:19 - South Of Midnight early access 1:16:52 - Publishers are avoiding GTA VI 1:21:08 - Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 is finished 1:25:59 - Trails In The Sky Remake release date 1:27:48 - Persona 4 Remake details 1:36:59 - Silksong is planned for June 2025? 1:39:10 - An update on the Greek God Of War rumors 1:43:36 - Assassin’s Creed Shadows hit 2 million players in 2 days 1:49:13 - GameInformer is back 1:57:09 - What We’re Playing 2:32:10 - What Xbox games are coming to Switch 2? 2:43:14 - Xbox is turning into a PC 3:11:11 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's one more game in April? As Xbox plans to publish games like South Of Midnight, feed Game Pass with Clair Obscur and Towerborne, as well as moving their multiplatform push forward with Indy and Forza Horizon 5 all in the same month, there's more. Indeed, the rumor is that the long discussed Oblivion Remake on Unreal Engine 5 will not only be announced next month, but release then too. "When and where" are the immediate questions that rush to the minds of the Dukes! Also, does Bethesda have something else up their sleeve to move so hastily for a game that will likely do gangbusters? We dive in. Plus, more details on Xbox's partner handheld, Starfield PS5 rumors continue to pick up, KOTOR Remake lives on (again), and so much more! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:51:13 - Knights Of The Old Republic Remake lives on 0:54:54 - Some updates on ID@Xbox 1:01:14 - PlayStation logo appears on Starfield’s official Creations website 1:01:57 - Towerborne has a console release date 1:07:26 - Atomfall is 25ish hours long 1:09:03 - People Can Fly has signed a deal to make a new game for PlayStation 1:13:16 - Jez Corden on State Of Decay 3 1:18:20 - Silent Hill F announced 1:22:33 - Space Marine 3 has been confirmed by Saber Interactive 1:27:12 - Split Fiction has now sold 2 million copies 1:29:21 - Swen Vincke speaks out in defense of single player games 1:32:26 - Ubisoft has reportedly implemented an “anti-harassment plan” 1:35:04 - Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster has reached 5 million sales 1:36:42 - Powerwash Simulator 2 has been announced 1:38:22 - Square Enix’s Life Is Strange Double Exposure reportedly bombed 1:41:40 - Ubisoft’s unique approach to selling off 1:49:48 - What We’re Playing 2:27:56 - Oblivion’s Remake is going to shadow drop next month?! 2:58:43 - Some additional details on Xbox’s partner handheld 3:08:42 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 3:10:18 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a big week for Xbox hardware fans. A report from Jez Corden has injected new, optimistic life into the conversation. In 2025, Xbox will deliver their first ever "partner device" in another team up with ASUS. It will be a handheld and likely symbolize the next step into what Xbox evisions as the future of their platform. That's no mere guesswork as we also have word that come 2027, a new generation of device will be in our hands. One, a powerful console built more like a PC, and another that serves as the "official Xbox handheld." The Dukes dissect Xbox's hardware plans and what they aim to accomplish in a space where they've lost ground. Undoubtedly, AI will be a big part of Xbox's push into next gen and the Dukes got a peak at that. This week, we learned about "Copilot For Gaming." Not much to be said here. Join us for an existential crisis! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:16:52 - Bethesda on future Starfield updates 0:33:45 - Activision confirms that BlizzCon will return in 2026 0:36:51 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 will ditch 4’s original career mode 0:42:36 - Ori series has sold more than 15 million copies 0:46:36 - Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is headed to PS5 on April 17th 0:53:09 - You’ll need a Microsoft Account to play Forza on PS5 0:59:24 - A Gears Of War 2 remaster was canceled 10 years ago 1:01:43 - Atomfall previews 1:09:45 - Nacon Connect 2025 1:15:21 - A ton of news in the world of EA 1:33:33 - Death Stranding 2: On The Beach launches June 26th 1:42:13 - What We’re Playing 2:01:42 - Xbox's next generation hardware plans have leaked 2:35:08 - Xbox announces Copilot For Gaming 3:10:41 - Is Xbox looking into purchasing Ubisoft IP? 3:23:35 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After years of rumors, the Gears Of War Collection has become a bit of a running gag in the Xbox community. If it happens, great. If it doesn't, we never fully believed in it anyway. This week, we have Jez Corden to thank because it made for one of our fastest evolving stories mid-show! Starting off as a discussion of whether or not the Gears Of War Collection would ever happen, we quickly learned it is happening and... it won't have multiplayer. Is this a major dealbreaker for Xbox fans? Naturally, the Dukes debate, but the real question after assessing the early Forza Horizon 5 sales data is if it will matter to those playing on other platforms. Forza Horizon 5 is already beating out hot products with full marketing campaigns that are set to hit the market. Most stunning of all is that despite amassing 40+ million players and being available on multiple platforms for years, Forza Horizon 5's early access edition is the lead seller. It says a lot about how Xbox as a platform is viewed versus their content. So, let's dive in! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:30:09 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater is back 0:50:44 - A new Gears Of War rumor 1:06:34 - Expedition 33 previews 1:14:46 - Hideki Kamiya still wants to make Scalebound 1:18:11 - CoD leaker doubles down on new Xbox consoles in 2026 1:25:03 - Monster Hunter Wilds has sold 8 million copies 1:27:35 - Sonic Unleashed has been ported to PC by fans 1:34:35 - Turok Dinosaur Hunter suddenly gets released 1:36:27 - Terminator 2D: No Fate arrives on September 5th 1:38:43 - Jason Schreier reports that a new LEGO game is on the way 1:44:48 - Suikoden announcements 1:48:42 - Rockstar Games has acquired Video Games Deluxe 1:49:26 - Steam reaches 40 Million concurrent online users 1:50:12 - La Quimera revealed 1:51:30 - Demon Slayer is getting another game 1:52:30 - Games publisher Acclaim has returned 1:55:35 - Ubisoft’s Far Cry extraction shooter has been rebooted 2:05:38 - What We’re Playing 2:40:40 - Jez confirms no multiplayer on Gears Collection 3:12:17 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 3:17:35 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It has been a whirlwind of a week for the games industry. Massive studio closures continue at a rapid pace and now we have Fable delay for the cherry on top! Where to begin? Well, for the Xbox faithful, let's sink into Fable first. It was given a 2025 release window at Xbox's 2024 Summer Showcase, but Playground Games has pulled the plug early on that happening. Announced by new head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan, we also got a glimpse at some pre-alpha gameplay for Fable. The game looks great, at least visually, but has left many wondering what's taking so long? Rumors of this game started kicking around in 2018 only for the game to be fully announced in 2020. By summer 2026, we're looking at six full years of building this game up. So, what gives? Is it a PS5 port, the looming release of GTA VI, or something much deeper? The Dukes discuss in Cog's return! Naturally, we dive deep into the mismanagement of WB Games as we have for weeks. To put an exclamation point on things, they have shut down Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego. As their game's division continues its tailspin, the Dukes sift through the wreckage to see if there's any hope in saving what remains of WB Games. We also tackle the conversation around MUSE once more following new comments by Satya Nadella, how NetEase is hitting a speed bump despite the rocketing success of Marvel Rivals, and much more! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:33:55 - Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 has been rated 0:39:50 - 11 games announced at ID@Xbox showcase 0:43:33 - The truth behind Avowed's development revealed 0:53:23 - Satya Nadella speaks on MUSE 1:08:09 - Bloober Team and Konami announce a deal together 1:09:52 - Some updates on the January hardware performance 1:12:45 - What's going on with NetEase? 1:22:18 - Tekken 8 has reached 3 million copies sold 1:27:16 - Exodus is targeting a 2026 release window 1:29:45 - Persona 4 Remake on the way? 1:32:11 - God Of War remasters soon? 1:33:43 - Dragon Age The Veilguard is already on PS Plus 1:38:27 - What We’re Playing 2:14:16 - Xbox delays Fable to 2026 2:44:16 - WB Games shuts down three studios 3:15:06 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Xbox unveiled MUSE, a generative AI model aimed at boosting creativity and possibilities for gameplay. Published in the journal Nature as well as announced by Microsoft Research, the Xbox team shared findings alongside Ninja Theory on what this new AI model that was trained on Bleeding Edge could accomplish. In the extensive write-ups, we learn about the principles of this AI model, what Xbox's mandate is for it across their first party studios, and even get teased a bit on what it could mean for backwards compatibility. However, is it all sunshine and roses here for Xbox's new approach to game development? The push for AI is on more than ever and it's no longer a matter of "if" but rather "when." Like any tool, its public perception will be dictated by how responsibly it is handled. Joining Matty this week is Brad, to clean up the AI mess, and dive into a whole bunch of other Xbox news. We follow up our last episode's conversation on Avowed, dig into the future of Obsidian, mull over yet another Phil Spencer interview, and plenty more in what is bound to be divisive subject for many listeners. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro/Avowed follow-up 0:22:33 - How will Obsidian scale after Avowed? 0:27:42 - Bobby Kotick interview 0:37:53 - Another Tony Hawk Pro Skater on the way? 0:45:09 - Jez Corden on Xbox’s next console 0:56:28 - Machine Games grows 0:59:35 - Updates on the leaked Final Fantasy remakes 1:09:14 - Stalker 2 is getting its biggest update yet 1:11:49 - Lost Soul Aside is getting a physical copy! 1:12:44 - Fairgame$ has been pushed to 2026 1:15:07 - System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is getting a release date soon 1:18:47 - Kingdom Come Deliverance passes 2 million copies sold 1:19:57 - Funko Fusion developer 10:10 has reportedly been hit with layoffs 1:22:22 - Visionary art director Viktor Antonov passed away at age 52 1:24:39 - What We’re Playing 2:00:13 - Xbox introduces MUSE 2:35:24 - Phil Spencer interview 2:41:28 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 2:43:30 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a long build up, the boys have played and finished Avowed! Joining the Dukes is Gene Park where we discuss everything from our combined experience with Avowed, to a preview with South Of Midnight, and even Sony's recent State Of Play. While there are few subjects to tackle, each of them have a lot of meat on their bones. So, let's not delay any further. Is Obsidian's latest RPG worth the dive? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 00:07:31 - State of Play 01:53:21 - WB Games continues to plummet 02:17:48 - Warhorse Studios updates 02:27:40 - Elden Ring Nightreign launch date 02:31:05 - GTA6 is still on for 2025 02:36:11 - What We’re Playing (Avowed) 04:02:43 - Game Pass Pick of the Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining this episode is Obsidian's very own Carrie Patel to tell us all we need to know going into Avowed! Everything from framerate and role-playing mechanics to the future of the Pillars franchise is covered in our deep dive with the game's director. Also, we get a bit into what's behind the secret sauce that allows a team like Obsidian to release so many games in a short period of time while the rest of the industry toils away on one-and-done projects. That's not the only news to come out of Obsidian as the lead writer of Fallout's most loved entry in New Vegas just returned to the studio. John Gonzalez is known for not only his work on the Horizon series, but also his iconic characters created such as Mr. House, the Strip families, Caesar, and so on. Could Obsidian be cooking on Fallout? Well, not according to John, but we theorize nonetheless. Naturally, we get into the plethora of PS5 ports announced this week in Forza Horizon 5 as well as the Age Of Empires series plus plenty more in a girthy week of Defining Duke! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:12:02 - John Gonzalez, lead creative designer on Fallout: New Vegas is back 0:21:33 - It’s raining PS5 ports! 0:31:31 - Gears Of War Trilogy Collection leaks? 0:36:09 - Breaking down Xbox’s Q2 2025 stats 0:59:05 - The Sleeping Dogs saga 1:04:05 - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth had a strong launch on Steam 1:08:48 - Devil May Cry 1 Remake possibly in development 1:13:51 - EA suggests that Dragon Age would’ve done better as a live service game 1:28:39 - First look at the new Battlefield 1:34:40 - Hideki Kamiya confirms that Platinum lost a ton of talent 1:41:24 - Some Capcom announcements 1:43:42 - Multiversus is going offline 1:47:19 - Fun economic updates for ya 1:52:49 - What We’re Playing 2:33:58 - Interview with Carrie Patel 3:17:16 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 3:22:02 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a strong financial performance in December 2024 and a non-disastrous Phil Spencer interview, gamers are seemingly starting to bite on Xbox's vision a bit. After managing to fund games like Kunitsu-Gami, Ninja Gaiden 4, and reportedly picking up the phone to talk about Ori 3, Xbox appears to be driving all of their capital into making the unlikely games actually exist. If Xbox's future as a third party publisher is looking like this, it means that excellent games are enroute and that is a win for everyone. Do the Dukes agree?! Perhaps. You're going to have to listen to find out, obviously. Nerd. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:18:21 - Sony Interactive Entertainment announces that they are appointing Hideaki Nishino as President and CEO 0:34:57 - Ninja Gaiden 4 was in talks 6-7 years ago 0:42:35 - Gears Of War E-Day in 2025? 0:50:39 - The Gears Of War Judgment developer is back on Gears! 0:57:36 - Ori 3 is happening? 1:10:27 - DOOM: The Dark Ages is strictly single player 1:12:47 - Some updates on future Halo projects 1:25:42 - MLB The Show 25 is not coming to Xbox Game Pass 1:31:38 - BioWare is dramatically shrinking down 1:48:14 - Ubisoft is making cuts 1:49:18 - Split Fiction has officially gone gold 1:49:57 - Warner Bros Gaming division will have a new president 1:53:48 - What We’re Playing 2:22:26 - Xbox’s bold risk from 2024 is finally paying off 2:27:48 - Destin Legarie’s Phil Spencer interview 2:54:56 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The January Developer Direct has come and gone! With it, Xbox has finally achieved what many fans have desperately sought out for them to do since this generation started back in 2020: Have consistent releases in the front half of the year. Indeed, you'll be getting three major games from them between April 8th and May 15th on Game Pass. Those titles are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, South Of Midnight, and DOOM: The Dark Ages. That's not all as the mysterious fourth (fifth?) showing is a strong return for Ninja Gaiden. A fourth entry is real and inbound for Fall of this year. Today, you can play Ninja Gaiden 2 Black which aims to straighten out problems over a decade old. With the return of 2D and 3D Ninja Gaiden, it truly is "The Year Of The Ninja" and the Dukes couldn't be happier about it. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:23:52 - Xbox Financials 0:36:25 - PlayStation’s live service initiative is a failure 1:18:07 - Extas1s has shared more games leaving Xbox 1:25:41 - Respawn’s upcoming Star Wars RTS game reveal soon 1:30:23 - Dragon Age Veilguard director leaves BioWare 1:39:25 - Hollow Knight Silksong is still real 1:41:40 - EA Origin is shutting down 1:42:34 - Some new sales numbers 1:43:55 - What We’re Playing 2:01:28 - Xbox Developer Direct 2:59:33 - BioWare Sales Update 3:12:19 - Indiana Jones sales 3:19:12 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 3:24:11 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As expected, the Xbox Developer_Direct is set to arrive soon and it will boast four games. Those titles are South Of Midnight, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and a mysterious fourth game that's rumored to be from a "legendary Japanese IP." Naturally, the Dukes have many guesses about that, but also if there will the be usual fifth game that shows up like it has since Developer Direct became a thing. We won't have to wait long to find out. What we'll need to wait a while for is if Xbox will survive beyond 2030. No, that's not hyperbole. Outlet The Information reports that the Xbox business was set to shutdown in 2021 unless Game Pass subscriptions went up. What the rest of the write-up depicts are spooky times for the Green Team as it seems more and more like these moves by Xbox are more for survivability. Oblivion Remake continues to be a horribly kept secret, so we get into some new gameplay details on that, and also into what's going on with Ubisoft as Assassin's Creed Shadows sees another delay. You can get all of that, plus your weekly throat coat, all here on Defining Duke! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:26:02 - Bombshell report on Xbox’s financials 0:53:47 - Final Fantasy 7 to Xbox 0:55:34 - Marvel Rivals revenue on Xbox 0:58:50 - Unannounced Bethesda game listed on a French retailer 1:08:20 - Why Starfield did not have gore and dismemberment 1:11:10 - Assassin’s Creed: Shadows delayed to March 20th 1:21:52 - Larian Studios goes dark 1:22:29 - Blood Of Dawnwalker reveal 1:24:08 - Godfall developer Counterplay has reportedly shut down 1:26:32 - Smite 2 goes free to play 1:31:33 - What We’re Playing 1:56:00 - Avowed gut-check 2:04:06 - Game reveal nerves 2:25:32 - Xbox Developer Direct 2:50:48 - Xbox shipping games on PlayStation and Switch 3:10:49 - Oblivion Remake gameplay details 3:37:01 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After two weeks of R&R, the Duke boys are back! Plenty happened while we were away. Everything from Oblivion Remake leaking (again) to a supposed Xbox console dropping in 2026 circulated, so we have much to pick up at the start of the new year. For starters, a Developer Direct looms and the lineup could be stacked if it's to include The Outer Worlds 2, Fable, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and South Of Midnight as expected. The question on the tip of everyone's tongue is simply this: "What is the mystery fifth game appearance?" In year one, it was Hi Fi Rush. Year two gave it to a rare third party appearance in Square Enix for Visions Of Mana. The Duke debate what could show up! We also dive into Xbox's sudden competition with Valve as they've lept headfirst into challenging Windows with their own OS. How has this accelerated Microsoft's plans without a handheld ready? Plus, grim estimates of Xbox's current console sales and, even worse, Xbox's sales hits to Game Pass titles! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:35:13 - Dispelling the Black Myth Wukong… myth? 0:44:29 - Series X & S sales estimates are bleak 1:03:08 - 80% of sales lost on Game Pass titles 1:11:44 - Xbox Cloud Gaming is headed to LG Smart TVs 1:12:38 - Kojima's OD sees a setback 1:16:40 - Xbox rejected a Halo/DOOM crossover for Secret Level 1:21:22 - Jez Corden on more Indiana Jones games 1:24:19 - Season 1 of Marvel Rivals revealed 1:30:54 - Splash Damage cancels Transformers: Reactivate 1:33:52 - SEGA considering its own subscription service 1:37:24 - First look at Virtua Fighter 6 1:41:31 - PlatinumGames says they’re planning some things.. 1:44:22 - Will Shen, former lead quest designer at BGS, on massive games 1:52:33 - So, this is where the former Annapurna Interactive team went 1:55:46 - SteamOS is available for third party devices 2:04:14 - Destiny 2 has lost 90% of its Steam players in seven months 2:13:37 - What We’re Playing 2:51:47 - Matty's 74 Hours on Xbox 3:06:31 - Xbox Developer Direct soon? 3:30:03 - Oblivion Remake rumors 3:48:17 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 3:51:00 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Games are releasing at a ridiculous, potentially unsustainable pace. It's no longer a question of money, but rather time. Game Pass is always putting out good stuff, but there's so much to sift through that it makes the service a bit overwhelming. Well, the Dukes have arrived, and they have lists that they've checked twice. It's time to go over the naughty and nice for Xbox's prestige service in 2024. What games hit for Matty and Cog and which deserve a lump of coal in their stocking? Let's find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To say 2024 resembled a year of change for Xbox would be a bit of an understatement. Heading into a new year, the brand had all the momentum they had finally been seeking. They just delivered great, high profile exclusives in 2023 with the likes of a new Forza Motorsport, Starfield, and Hi Fi Rush, Game Pass delivered GOTY level experiences, and the Activision deal was finally done. Now, it was time to get down to business for the rest of the generation and Xbox did just that, only not in the way we expected. The reality is that the aforementioned momentum we all thought Xbox has ended up meaning very little. Their gaming brand barely generated profits in the final quarter of the year despite a highly anticipated Bethesda Game Studios game leading the charge. It was time for change and they made plenty. At the end of 2024, Xbox is now a multi-platform publisher, their dedication to future hardware is in question, and the social commentary surrounding their games has started to get messy. Combined with low quality deliveries in Shattered Space and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 as well as how divisive the long sought after Hellblade 2 ended up being and you have quite a lot to sift through. In a year full of negatives, can the Dukes find the positives, if any? How does 2025 shape up for Xbox with these changes now solidified? There's quite a bit to parse through, so let's get into one of the busiest years for Xbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s never a slow week on the Green Team, is it? Here are the Dukes thinking our final episode of the year will be a nice, steady, and quiet exit into the new year, but Xbox had different plans! This week, Satya Nadella addressed investors and claimed that Microsoft’s newest “This Is An Xbox” campaign is specifically defined to, well, redefine what it means to be an Xbox fan. So, what is an Xbox fan now? What is one by the new generation? Will there even be a shiny new box with that new generation at this rate? Every time the Dukes think this conversation is laid to rest, Xbox manages to twist the knife one more time. We also get into Xbox’s Project Rainway, a cross platform Xbox guide system, as well as why The Outer Worlds 2 is PS5 bound! We also sink our teeth into SEGA’s renaissance, what dormant IP Capcom may tackle next, why Starfield has so many loading screens, a boatload of “health is wealth” write-ins, and plenty more in a strong finish to a mighty interesting year for Xbox! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:47:23 - Big Xbox Game delayed in 2026? 0:52:26 - Call Of Duty to Game Pass soon? 0:54:08 - LEGO Horizon Adventures to Xbox 1:01:30 - Ex BGS developer Nate Purkeypile on Starfield’s loading screens 1:06:59 - Zenimax Online Studios workers have unionized 1:07:49 - Capcom is going back dormant IP 1:22:20 - Borderlands 4 might actually be serious 1:28:36 - New Far Cry leaks 1:37:58 - Dark Alliance is going offline on February 24, 2025 1:39:28 - What We’re Playing 2:10:15 - Xbox is "redefining what it means to be an Xbox fan" 3:00:36 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week 3:07:18 - What games are we playing during our holiday break? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a disastrous showing in 2023, Geoff Keighley and his team put together arguably their best show for the 10th anniversary of The Game Awards! While not perfect, major issues with pacing, presenters, and speech time seemed to be ironed out. It also doesn't hurt that the show was chockful of insane announcements. Of course, we get into The Black Rock who is delivering not just one, but two massive RPGs in a single year thanks to The Outer Worlds 2, but also a staggering list of other games. An Okami sequel is real as is Naughty Dog's new sci-fi IP. Onimusha is back as is a new IP for Yakuza developer, RGG. They're not just working on Project Century at RGG, but also reviving Virtua Fighter. Borderlands 4 and Mafia: The Old Country, massive showing in their own right, end up as footnotes due to the seismic amount of announcements packed into this show. The list goes on much longer than that, but we'll leave you a little something to listen to now. Enjoy! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:43:25 - What We’re Playing 1:17:26 - General thoughts on The Game Awards 1:28:51 - Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound 1:31:39 - Thick As Thieves 1:32:38 - Shadow Labryrinth 1:33:48 - Steel Paws 1:38:14 - Rematch 1:41:16 - Solasta 2 1:44:38 - The Witcher 4 1:50:00 - Elden Ring Nightrein 1:54:20 - Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth goes to PC 1:55:22 - Untitled Project from Ico, Shadow Of Colossus, Last Guardian devs 1:57:11 - The Outer Worlds 2 2:12:25 - Split Fiction 2:14:36 - Killing Floor 3 2:15:30 - The Long Dark 2 2:16:38 - Borderlands 4 2:23:42 - Clive Rosfield to Tekken 8 2:26:29 - Splitgate 2 2:26:49 - Virtua Fighter announcement 2:29:04 - Project Century by RGG 2:31:38 - Turok Origins 2:32:54 - Helldivers 2 2:33:14 - Warframe 1999 2:34:04 - Palworld Feybreak 2:36:11 - Onimusha Way Of The Sword 2:38:05 - The First Berserker 2:39:54 - Arad: Dungeon & Fighter 2:43:15 - Dying Light: The Beast 2:45:55 - Fortnite Ballistic 2:46:25 - Squid Game Unleashed 2:48:47 - Stage Fright 2:49:37 - Game Of Thrones Kingsroad 2:52:29 - Double Dragon Revive 2:54:21 - The Last Of Us 2 on PC 2:54:43 - Den Of Wolves 2:56:04 - Sonic Racing Crossworld 2:58:04 - Mafia: The Old Country 3:00:45 - Dispatch 3:02:48 - Okami Sequel announced by Capcom and Hideki Kamiya 3:05:48 - Crimson Desert 3:08:24 - Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the industry prepares for 2024's final and massive news week in The Game Awards, we sink our teeth into Indiana Jones & The Great Circle! This is the final massive (and temporary) Xbox exclusive for 2024, but more importantly, this is Machine Games's first release since the disastrous Wolfenstein Youngblood. What has the team been cooking in the time they've been away? The results just may surprise you if your expectations were in the company of Uncharted and Tomb Raider. We also dive deep into Kingdom Come Deliverance 2's aggressive release date move and what that means for its direct competitor in Avowed plus rumors of Forza Horizon 5 dropping on PlayStation, Game Awards predictions, and plenty more! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:29:26 - Forza Horizon 5 coming to PlayStation? 0:35:11 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 releases February 4th 0:53:10 - A new Stalker 2 patch is out with over 650 fixes 0:55:18 - Ubisoft is shutting down XDefiant 1:06:21 - BioWare’s Corinne Busche on future choices within Dragon Age 1:11:46 - News on Lies Of P developer next game 1:20:47 - FromSoftware is not doing Elden Ring 2 1:28:25 - Visions of Mana director Ryosuke Yoshida is leaving Netease 1:29:57 - Hironobu Sakaguchi on returning to Xbox 1:36:45 - Marvel Rivals monetization revealed 1:43:59 - What We’re Playing 2:39:10 - The final Game Pass drops of 2024… 2:43:12 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices