Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

The news has slowed that considerably compared to weeks prior, but that's fine because it gives more room to get in touch with what the audience is thinking. Our collective focus is on the future of Xbox Game Pass where many of your chimed in about a variety of paths that the brand can take. What devices or consoles could it appear on? What regions may it thrive in? Should DLC also arrive for free alongside Day One games? Will Xbox craft their own native handheld and submerge themselves in that market? Indeed, the options Xbox has with this service are quite tantalizing, and so with that we dive straight in. In the lighter news load, we speak on God Of War: Ragnarok filling the void Starfield left behind. Is this a shot from PlayStation? We break it down. Alongside that, it appears any hope of Xbox 360 support is canned as Xbox reaches an inflection point with the strong yet fading Games With Gold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's trouble on the homefront. We have collectively report after report roll in describing the struggles of Xbox's first party studios. Whether it be 343 and their mismanagement of Halo, Bethesda and their troubled Fallout 76 development, half of The Initiative leaving, or toxic conditions seeping into Undead Labs; there are now many examples in the ether for us to dissect. All of them combined bring us to one painful question that must be asked: Is Xbox's hands off approach backfiring on them as their teams spiral themselves into the ground? With this week's news, there's no better time to tackle such a tough topic. In lighter news, Mega Man Battle Network is back, Starfield has a pretty exciting leak, and the fork-spoon wars may be set off again thanks to disgruntled pie consumers. With our most write ins to date, it's time to tackle our juiciest episode yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With some space between us and the showcase, news has slowed down and the dust has settled. It's now that we can take our best look at the road ahead and answer a crucial question: is there enough for Xbox in 2022? Between their new "console launch exclusive" strategy and the investment in Game Pass for Day 1 releases, there are many questions for us to answer. One such question is could Xbox potentially deploying a tactic from the Nintendo playbook in 2023 to stagger the staggering amount of games in the pipeline so they don't cannibalize one another? The Dukes sound off, but there's much more to talk about in an otherwise relatively quiet week. The Activision Blizzard chopping block claims another victim in the name of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake and Forza Motorsport is (begrudgingly) spoken about in a positive light! Plus more on the "Piss Gate," Final Fantasy 7's eluding of Xbox, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're days removed from the Xbox & Bethesda showcase as well as the extended one on Tuesday meaning all the announcements, trailers, and news are out in the wild. With that, there is much to sift through such as new Starfield details, a Fallout 5 confirmation by the Toddfather himself, and some possibly worrying Redfall news on its multiplayer component. Couple that in with some insightful questions from the audience about the parameters Xbox has set for themselves during the show with only showcasing content throughout the next 12 months and we have much to discuss on the future of this platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The big day has finally arrived. After months of rumors, speculation, and bold predictions, we have now seen everything the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase for 2022 has to offer. As Cog has to aptly put it, it's a journey through many peaks and valleys. For it is here that we see Starfield for the first time ever, Persona arriving to Xbox, Kojima in the flesh, and many other surprises. That being said, this showcase also placed a clear spotlight on the vacancy of this fall where a majority of the first party content has been punted to 2023. Now the Dukes gather and to breakdown every single trailer, announcement, or reveal that dropped. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The situation has changed for Xbox entering this year's showcase. With the delay of both Starfield and Redfall, 2022 is looking mighty empty and they need answers. However, the slate for 2023 is quite the opposite as it appears to be chockful of games. Joining the Dukes are the fine gentlemen of Xbox Two - Rand Al Thor 19 and Jez Corden. Together, we comb through each and every Xbox first party studio, rumored third party project, Game Pass candidates, acquisition targets, and some of the most bold, outlandish predictions you may ever hear. This is our longest episode yet, so please do enjoy and we will see you on the other side for our showcase reactions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Cog would say, "the Twitter streets are getting hot!" We have seen the conversation surrounding Xbox turn up to 11 as cooler heads refuse to prevail. Now, many are announcing their exit of Xbox's crown jewel: Game Pass. To make matters more interesting, Xbox Game Pass fanned the flames with a "dunk" on Kotaku bringing to light a potential weakness in their offering. So, joining the zeitgeist, is it truly time to cancel your subscription? The Duke have some thoughts on the matter. To make matters worse for some, it has been confirmed that Xbox turned down an exclusive deal with Marvel to work on their IP. As we know, PlayStation took that ball, ran with it, and now it is a major piece of the pie they offer fans. Is this a decision that Phil and his team regret? Matty and Cog parse through the timeline and get into what transpired here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the delay of both Starfield and Redfall, discussions have only heated up since we all last spoke. People are calling for Phil Spencer's job and console war toxicity is reaching an all time high. Joining us is Windows Central Gaming's own Miles Dompier to talk on our most requested subject: Can Xbox save their 2022? The pressure is on from fans who are expecting answers with the June showcase and the Dukes have united with Miles to talk about what exactly Xbox can do to quell concerns. Beyond that, PlayStation has struck at a perfect time with details about their PS Plus overhaul. Xbox fans must now take a hard look at Game Pass and see if it can answer the bell (Spoilers: It does). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox and Bethesda's partnership was destined to bear fruit in 2022. Now, that has been pushed back as it has been confirmed that Starfield and Redfall are now slated for the first half of 2023. To say this is catastrophic would be an understatement even if it means we receive better games at the end of the road. The showcase, the expectations, the holiday window, the shake-up of releases for 2023, the potential shotgun blast of those, and many more ramifications we likely won't know of until they hit. This marks Bethesda Game Studios' first true delay since Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in 2005 when it was, ironically, pushed back to Spring 2006 for the Xbox 360. Joining us is ColtEastwood to discuss the Xbox Everywhere initiative along with the newly announced Summer Games Fest showcase which presents a problem Xbox is much happier to have. That being, where do they slot in the numerous announcements and big reveals they have planned? If reports are to be believed, the spread has increased to three if you include Gamescom and offers the team the ability to spread the wealth. Problems both good and bad for the green machine have arrived and it's time for us alongside our lovely guest to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a busy week in gaming. Between Square Enix, WB Games, and Ubisoft, the acquisition conversation has never been hotter and now with a move by Embracer yet another piece has been removed from the chess board. Bringing this Embracer Group to a staggering 14,000 employees and 200+ games in development, this move to acquire Square Enix's western division has put the industry on watch. Matty and Cog discuss the future of Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, other abandoned Square Enix IP, as well as the future of both Square and Embracer. More important to the Xbox fandom is the newly announced Summer Showcase for 2022. Xbox and Bethesda are teaming up again on June 12th for what is a show that must be a statement. This has to be where a new era of Xbox begins in earnest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During acquisition season, many of us have been surprised by targets such as Zenimax, ABK, and Bungie. However, there is one company that has been on all of our bingo cards and that's Ubisoft. Reports are arriving which state that the company is preparing to sell off in the face of yet another takeover as their share prices continue to nosedive. While Ubisoft claims they can remain independent, can they truly? Outside of the Ubisoft rumors, Bethesda is trudging through many of their own. A Mandalorian game, Roundhouse's possible comic book game, and updates on Elder Scrolls VI? I (Matty) have spent time rummaging through these leaks to get to the bottom of what is happening here and it's time to spill some tea. Preferably spilled with a spoon, which we also get into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JET SET RADIOOOOOOO! After all this time, it looks like it may be finally back. Even 'crazier,' Crazy Taxi also looks to be in the mix as both series are set to return through SEGA's mysterious "Super Game" as fully developed AAA games. Despite Matty and Cog's optimism, we can't help but feel some ominous energy emanating from this new venture of SEGA's in a world full of microtransactions and NFTs. Furthermore, details for Season 2 of Halo Infinite have arrived and things are looking up for the struggling service game. New modes, maps, and even more details on the leaked Battle Royale mode. What do the boys think of this second wind for Xbox's flagship IP? Plus, more on Star Wars, Marvel, and DC games as all have announcements (or leaks) of their own this week! These are all topics that can bring people together, but what of your utensil of choice for Mac & Cheese? This is what separates the men from the boys and we are about to learn a lot about each other in this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Halo Infinite has struggled mightily out the gate to supply content post launch, but with Certain Affinity joining the crew at 343 in official capacity; things may now finally start heading in the other direction. Certain Affinity has appeared in a multitude of Xbox related reports as they are not only working on Halo, but also chipping away on an exclusive Monster Hunter styled game. Indeed, this 'support studio' is more than what meets the eye. Over in unreality or whatever it is, Kingdom Hearts 4 is announced. There are parallels to Final Fantasy Versus XIII, a more realistic Sora, grappling hooks, Star Wars, and much more. Yes, it's a Tetsuya Nomura game. It's a week worthy of celebration for weebs far and wide as beyond Kingdom Hearts there is renowned Shonen Jump publisher Shueisha who has entered the game space. That plus major legal developments in the case between Activision/California, May's day one Game Pass lineup, the boneless chicken wing saga, and even education on store brand goods make for one of our most varied DDs to date. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long have we anticipated a price increase for Xbox Game Pass and, in some cases, many had requested this. According to Brad Sams, this change is coming and it is possible it lands when the Activision acquisition is complete. It will be a different landscape for the brand then upon the completion of said deal likely to be in 2023 and it is largely expected that is when we will finally see more output from Xbox Game Studios. Before the price increase hits, reports have landed of a potential family plan incoming as well. We spoke at large about the status of Undead Labs and now the expose` has landed. Arriving via 12 sources, some former employees, there is much to discuss on the journalistic integrity of these reports and where other stories lie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After many weeks of reporting, leaking, and speculating, PlayStation's answer to Game Pass is here. Jim Ryan said as much over a year ago that PlayStation was working on that answer to the booming service and it arrives in the form of a three tier subscription that manages to outprice its main competitor. How does it stand on its own and how does it compare to the current dominance of Game Pass? Is PlayStation bowing out of day-and-date releases enough for them to tread water? The Dukes dig in. On Xbox's own home turf, there seems to be trouble brewing. Former Undead Labs studio head Jeff Strain got ahead of a Kotaku piece on him and the studio with his own response to the questions asked by the outlet. It is merely one half of the tale, but is yet another studio going to come under fire? Time shall tell. More importantly then all of this hullabaloo: Chicken wings and game title abbreviations. This is where the really conversation lies in this week's Defining Duke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a mixed bag kind of week. From chicken wing and soda slander all the way down to the latest at CD Projekt Red, this episode covers a lot of ground if I do say so myself. A new Witcher game has been announced, PlayStation gobbles up another studio in a most organic way, and former Microsoft partner Moon Studios is in big trouble. Plus news on a Ubisoft showcase and the latest on the Xbox x Steam Deck integrations. There's plenty of discussion to go around, so get cozy and let's chat about the latest week in the world of video games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Out of all the studios that have been added to their first party stable in the past five years, The Initiative is the only one that Xbox has attempted to build from the ground up. Everything has been brought in with huge acquisitions. This is important for the team to nail and things are looking mighty unsteady at this moment when looking at a recent report detailing almost half of The Initiative's talent leaving the new studio. Leadership issues, bottlenecks in production, and shifts in design seemingly have all led to this moment and now the newly hired Crystal Dynamics have more on their plate than anticipated. That's for the bad news. The good news? Xbox enjoyed an indie showcase, made some great Game Pass announcements, but most of all is the Godd Howard sci-fi RPG that we're all stoked for: Starfield. In it's most significant trailer since the reveal, we learned a lot about this game. The Dukes dive deep on this one plus the disparity of a world without chicken wings, our love for moms, and many more important gaming centric topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All is quiet on the Xbox front as they churn away on their plans for late 2022. In the meantime, fans are beginning to get a tad restless and with the recent update on Halo Infinite, it seems those feelings may persist. Delays, developers leaving, and an unclear road map paint a not so good picture for the service game. Beyond that, Bethesda Game Studios has had a rare leak revolving around a new IP called "SpyTeam." What is this new game and is the team behind Starfield working on it? We investigate! Plus, new State Of Play announcements, Gotham Knights release date, and Matty & Cog's FIRST ever argument... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new Fallout game has long been the request of the Dukes, especially Matty. Finally, we have a nugget of information that suggests this one day might finally become a reality. If reports are to be believed then the talks have begun in earnest at Microsoft to make this a reality. What does this mean for the likes of Fallout 76, potential remasters, and the setting of the next entry? Matty has been patient, so there is much for us to discuss. Beyond that, the release of the Steam Deck has been a mostly positive reception and we have always fantasized about a local version for PC Game Pass. Gabe Newell has put the ball in Microsoft's court, so it's time for us to decide what fate this service shall receive. Otherwise, more reports of a large incoming acquisition, PlatinumGames thirst, and Elden Ring adoration give us more to sink into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After weeks of reports, an SEC filing to the FTC has unveiled the ins-and-outs of the dealing between Xbox and Activision. It is fascinating to learn that a mere day after Phil Spencer sent out an e-mail stating he was deeply disturbed by Activision and revising their relationships that he had made the call one day later to initiate a potential acquisition. With much tea spilt, the Duke certainly have thoughts on this one. What is more shocking is that Call Of Duty is receiving its first delay in two whole decades. The FPS franchise has been annualized for many years and in 2023 that will be coming to a halt. Does Xbox's involvement have anything to do with this? We dissect. The ups and downs of BioWare are well documented here as EA is reportedly doing well with the development of Dragon Age 4 yet doesn't plan to remaster the fantasy RPG trilogy. That report was then flipped on its head when BioWare stepped out and noted yet another major departure. It's a spicy week all in all and the Dukes are ready to fan the flames! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a jumbled mess of news this week. Xbox's messaging continues to puzzle the Dukes as Phil Spencer has claimed he wants games like Starfield to be the most played Todd Howard game yet it has the most walls surrounding it. We see "popular Activision Blizzard titles" are remaining multi-platform, so the situation for Bethesda is different. Will this energy be maintained in future deals? That will be most telling and it's possible that Microsoft has a potential candidate. PlatinumGames can't help but want to work with Xbox as it has been two weeks straight of them making headlines with their desires. Last week, it was a Scalebound revival. Now? It's the desire to be acquired. Furthermore, PlayStation is at the center of another "censorship" discussion. This time, the subject is Martha Is Dead which is modifying content and thus delaying the physical release of the indie developer LKA's game. How far can these platform holders be allowed to go and how often should it actually occur? There is much to discuss, so let's settle in and have a chat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dukes have spoken on multiple accounts about Xbox progress as a brand, but their communication leaves much to be desired. There has been no better public example than the back-and-forth statements on how Xbox plans to handle the games from their newly acquired publisher, Activision. From uncertainty, to delays of when the team will speak on such subjects, an "intent" to honor agreements, and now the latest statement which says that Call Of Duty will remain multiplatform. It leaves the Dukes asking what this means for future deals if Bethesda's acquisition was specifically for exclusives. Are some for Game Pass? Are others to keep Tencent and others away? It's tough to constantly read between the lines. In more digestible news, Scalebound is a potential return target, Halo Infinite is "dying," Nintendo is on another planet, and a man who listens to our show eats a whole onion for lunch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Goodbye, old friend. Bungie, who is directly responsible for putting Xbox on the map in 2001, has gone around quite a bit. From exiting their relationship with Microsoft, to entering a 10 year deal with Activision involving Destiny, breaking off of said deal, receiving an investment from NetEase, and thanks to PlayStation the circle is now complete. For the price of $3.6 billion, PlayStation has purchased Halo developer Bungie. While not a direct response to Xbox's acquisition of Activision, it is a shrewd move that assures their position in the FPS space. The dominos are beginning to fall and there are more acquisitions to be expected. As things heat up, the Dukes analyze the industry's latest blockbuster deal. While not as earth shattering, Xbox enjoyed themselves quite a weekend adding Two Point Campus and Sony developed MLB The Show 22 to Xbox Game Pass on day one. In worse news, the Halo Infinite roadmap is seeing a delay, CD Projekt Red looks to be selling Cyberpunk again, and Battlefield 2042 has one of the most absurd post launch updates we have seen. It's a roller coaster of an industry, that's for sure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A little over a week after the industry's biggest news yet and with some time on our side, the dust is beginning to settle on Xbox latest acquisition. With things beginning to marinate, we now have an opportunity to dissect all of the legal hullabaloo that has been circulating. Sony's response, Phil Spencer's "intent" or "desires," and the revival of dead Activision IP are linger in the aftermath of an earth shattering deal. Joining us are Rand Al Thor and Jez Corden of Xbox Two in an Avengers like crossover to sift through it all. It's not just Activision in the cycle anymore! Gears Of War looks to be set to get the 'Master Chief Collection Treatment' next as rumors have cropped up for the long overdue remaster. There's plenty to be excited about, but it doesn't stop there as we also have a plethora of newly announced Respawn Star Wars games. All isn't well in a galaxy far, far away considering that the newly re-revealed LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga from TT Games has reportedly suffered from crunch. Oh, and other important things like is an onion sandwich legal or what condiment is Xbox? Ya know, the essentials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the long time Defining Duke listeners, we all know you have been waiting for a week like this. A time where a major haymaker is delivered by Microsoft and we can break it all down together. For the staggering price of $68.7 billion, Xbox has acquired publisher Activision and with it come a slew of development teams and IP that we're not quite sure even they know what to do with. Beyond inheriting a plethora of potential exclusive games and bolstering Game Pass, Xbox takes in damaged goods. Activision is far from squeaky clean as they have suffered from toxic workplace conditions for years with a leader at the top willing to purchase two companies with game's media in an effort to steer the narrative away from such a truth. It's ugly and there's a lot of tendrils to this conversation. Games, exclusives, monopoly, mobile gaming, and so much more. It's time to talk about about the industry's most historic acquisition yet in what will be a series of many from the hungry competitor moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2022 continues at its rip-roar pace for Xbox. One of the major pieces in its early year strategy, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, has received a significant seven month delay. With a new vacancy created and only CrossfireX and Tunic remaining, we believe Xbox needs to make a big move ASAP. This would come in the form of Game Pass, so Matty and Cog shake out the potential options. Separately, E3 2022 has already been canceled while the likes PAX and GDC are continuing on with their set plans. The reasoning? As always, the pandemic. However, there is enough reasonable doubt here to bring about another angle of the conversation. Last, but not least is the latest Phil Spencer interview with New York Times. From politics, to Activision, and the sales of Xbox, he divulges much about their current strategy. That's not to mention the likes of Dying Light 2's length, Final Fantasy's absense from Xbox, and plenty more that is left to be discussed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox has hit the ground running in 2022 with a variety of announcements, news, and leaks. For starters, Ubisoft and Xbox have finally teamed up for a day one drop on Xbox Game Pass. The game? The $40 spin-off 'Rainbow Six: Extraction' or as the Dukes like to call it: Rainbow Six: Experiment. Indeed, it looks as if the seeds are being planted for more deals in the future for the two companies. Otherwise, a classic overdue for both a remaster and return is GoldenEye 007. In 2008, Xbox nearly succeeded in their attempt to revive the game, but it came to nothing due to legal complications. Again, the remaster has leaked, but this one is different. Furthermore, a new piece by Jason Schreier has arrived discussing Ken Levine and his status as an "auteur" in video games. The Duke have many thoughts to share on this that are too large to be simplified. That goes for the rest of the news in a week where Playground Games studio head made his exit, Undead Labs opened up a new studio, and much, much more. This is only the beginning! Let's ride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hot takes ahoy! Matty and Cog have played a lot in a year that has often been referred to as a “down year for video games.” As always there are lists of games to sift through, but the Dukes shed their lists down to the top five of the very best and worst this year had to offer us. We promise these lists will shock, amaze, stun, and disappoint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the holiday season and maybe Santa got some of you a shiny new Xbox! With that Xbox (or PC, we didn't forget!) you might find yourself perusing the catalog of hundreds of Game Pass games. It can be overwhelming to sift through page after page of alluring games especially with how great so many of them are. Matty and Cog are lucky enough to be able to sit down and play many of these games to help guide the audience towards or away from them. Today, we present to you our Top 5 Game Pass games of the year, Game Pass busts of the year, and even xCloud picks. It's a culmination of the must plays, precedent setters, fraud alerts, too-little-too-lates, and streamable games that filled out a busy 2021 calendar for Xbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We'll give it to you straight. Hot off The Game Awards, it hasn't been a great look for "modern gaming." The NFT floodgates have burst wide open, massive delays are inbound, and now those sacred video game discs don't even arrive with the full game on them. Matty and Cog cut through the noise and get to the heart of each of these matters. Such as the highly anticipated reveal of Splinter Cell with a brand new remake. Should a company as creatively and morally bankrupt as Ubisoft be trusted with such a revered series anymore? This could be the cause of more harm than good. Beyond that, a timed Xbox exclusive has rolled out an NFT offering that is widely maligned. Developer GSC Game World has offered paying customers the chance to become an NPC in game through their own NFT program. It has not been pretty, so Matty and Cog offer no mercy on this one. In other news, we dig into the continuous offerings of Game Pass, Bully 2 rumors, and Forza Horizon 5 sales! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an episode chockful of time traveling, we breakdown all that transpired during the bemoaned Game Awards. It was advertisements galore, television, celebrities and movies aplenty, where you had a sneaking suspicion that Joel McHale was going to make a surprise return somewhere throughout. Despite all of this, we at least had games and many promising ones at that! Among those was the highly anticipated reveal of Hellblade 2's gameplay which many thought were pure cinematics. Indeed, Ninja Theory wowed the industry with their Unreal Engine 5 developed exclusive and there was plenty more to feast on beyond this reveal. Matty and Cog also dig into the latest "PlayStation Game Pass" and what a real challenge could mean for Microsoft moving forward in a space that was controlled only by them. That, plus Battlefield restructuring, an XBOX HANDHELD, more Activision shake-ups, and yes, even Halo Infinite updates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Game Awards marketing showcase is soon upon us which means significant game announcements are inbound. Xbox fans in particular should keep a close eye on this show as Microsoft has made important reveals on Geoff Keighley's stage in the past such as with the Xbox Series X and Hellblade II just in 2019. Matty and Cog pick apart both the nominations for the popularity contest and possible announcements to be made in what should be a fun cap to the year. Let it be known that Dragon Age Origins is a good game, but that era of BioWare is long gone. With turnover really damaging what this RPG titan used to be, they're in desperate need of a win. Now with Dragon Age 4 losing its creative director midway through development, another layer of uncertainty envelops this studio. This may not be a surprise, but what may catch fans off guard is Xbox putting FPS boost down along with their backwards compatible initiative. All this plus more video game fight stories, Halo band-aids, and Christmas games tie together our first December episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The festivities are beginning to heat up as turkey day is soon upon us! With that, news is slowing down a bit and gives us a lot of room for more audience interactions. As always, you are the stars of our show (besides Cog) and we think that's quite apparent in this episode. Beyond the love shared between us and the audience, we tackle Halo Infinite's master copy being sent to the production line. With the release date being stamped in ink, Matty and Cog gutcheck the hype levels. SEGA and Xbox recently announced an alliance together to work on a "super game" of sorts. As the two parties grew closer, more exclusives were safely expected from many. SEGA has got ahead of that line of thinking and shuts down the notion of this collaboration leading to more significant releases for Xbox. Is this just a step in Xbox buttering up SEGA or is there truly nothing to this deal? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox's 20th anniversary was one to remember! After a lot of damage done to Halo by 343, they made a positive imprint on the franchise with one of its most memorable moments. The multiplayer component is available now and despite the worrying Battle Pass, the game is great. Joining us is Rand Al Thor to discuss that on top of new backwards compatible additions to the library. Matty brought his candle to commemorate those that sadly did not make the cut. Additionally, Phil Spencer voices his thoughts on pressing topics such as the sustainability of Xbox Game Pass and the exclusivity in Elder Scrolls VI! Some shocking and some not so much... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know things are changing amongst the ecosystem when Xbox actually shares data about the performance of their games. Beyond Game Pass, the team typically keeps the numbers close to their chest however that's not the case with Forza Horizon 5 which is the biggest Xbox Game Studios title to date. At a staggering 4.5 million players and one of those millions coming from those willing to pay for early access, the tremendous success of this open world racer brings about many questions for the rest of the first party family's upcoming releases. On top of that, the OG Checker Ryan McCaffrey conducted an interview with Lord and Savior Godd Howard. It's there in a transparent conversation that we get a close look at how Todd feels about the long gap between Skyrim and the next mainline entry for Elder Scrolls. Furthermore we hear some thoughts on the possibility of handing off the Fallout license and even an affirmation on Starfield's release date. It's jam packed from top to bottom with further insight on the next acquisition via Phil Spencer and how the team at Xbox wants tempered expectations for nearly all their events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the following weekend, a seemingly PR loaded announcement came out of SEGA in regards to them teaming up with Xbox. However, after the Dukes did some digging, there is much more than what meets the eye here. The last year and change has been decorated by under-the-radar dealing between the two and now they have revealed their most significant partnership to date. Is an acquisition happening in the coming years? If not, what are the bare minimum expectations from such a partnership? With Sarah Bond spearheading this teaming of the brands, we can certainly say it's gaming focused. In other notable Xbox news, Halo Infinite had a peculiar listing that eagle eyed outlets spotted. Going by the name of "early access" bundle, it appears to be self-explanatory that Xbox is taking the same route with Halo that they did with Forza. Otherwise, Xbox loses a notable indie exclusive after short window, Blizzard's woes continue in spectacular fashion, and Oculus makes some long overdue changes to the VR space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Finally! After a year and change, Halo Infinite's campaign has been shown off again. We see a familiar open world structure and with that comes the fear that Ubisoft has placed in many of us. What do Matty & Cog feel about all that has changed between August 2020 and now? As of late, it isn't an episode of Defining Duke without a noteworthy leak and, again, we have both Jez Corden and Jeff Grubb to thank for that. It comes in the forms of details on both Project Shaolin and Project Belfry. It appears the codenames are indeed subtle giveaways on the core of each game. That's great and all, but it pales in comparison to the Defining Dueces. Arguably our most important segment yet finally gets a worthy spotlight! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a stacked week for the Dukes! Getting right into it, Xbox has announced an event to celebrate their 20th anniversary. While there won't be new game announcements, there are many alternative routes to be taken. Beyond familiar backwards compatible speculation is a chance to spotlight Halo Infinite's campaign yet again. Outside of this, there are many guesses as to what can be shown to us in November. While there is much good news to celebrate, on the surface it may seem like some bad news has arrived. Xbox Game Pass did not meet its target growth! Is this a bad thing? Taking a look at the numbers tells a much, much different tale. Fable fans continue to suffer greatly, PlayStation brings God Of War to PC, Splinter Cell is back in action, and so much more in a loaded episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a big week for the Dukes! One of Xbox's most significant acquisitions in the last half decade is Obsidian Entertainment. They are a extremely talented studio who has been consistently worked over by every publisher they have worked alongside in some way, shape, or form and they now with Microsoft's pockets backing them up they will aim to make a big splash with Avowed. While it has long been described as "Obsidian's Skyrim," we were never 100% sure... until now. Joining us to discuss a recent huge leak about Avowed is IGN's Ryan McCaffrey and the timing couldn't be better. Beyond that, we dive into PlayStation's recent insistence on reaching tens and hundreds of millions of gamers. Will they take Xbox's pathway to reach that number or is there something else they have in mind? That plus 20th Anniversary predictions, the pressing discussion on how long a $60 should be, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the Tokyo Game Show, Xbox unveiled quite a bit ranging from exciting additions to Game Pass in the form of AI: The Somnium Files and Scarlet Nexus to Cloud Gaming finally being available in many more areas around the world. The question we're left with is, is this enough? Has Xbox ceased its half measures in Japan and are finally taking it seriously? Cog and Matty debate. There has also been much movement on the PC front from Capcom's public commitment to Epic taking a page out of the PlayStation playbook for their own achievements. It's not all good news as a leaked memo has stated that China plans on implementing more restrictions on gaming. That plus your Patron write-ins! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Defining Duke we are joined by Jeff Grubb to go over the latest in gaming! Before we get into anything, someone should call Tostitos because there are a ton of scoops this week. The biggest headline circling the Xbox camps is what is happening with Crystal Dynamics? Recently, they were brought into the fold to work on Perfect Dark, but now that partnership has expanded to a Game Pass deal for Avengers that seemed long overdue. Excellent timing or something brewing? We scoop! Beyond that, Netflix has joined what is a big time for spending across game companies. Welcoming in Night School Studio to their game development program, we are left asking one question. Is there a particular reason for these studios getting gobbled up? Diving into the nature of the industry plus the economy is required! That plus behind-the-scenes on scoops, why Matty likes Quantum Break, and much more decorate a very fun episode Defining Duke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the leaky faucets of the games industry were at work! For starters, Dad Of Xbox Jez Corden went to work providing details on Project Indus & Project Cobalt which were discussed during last week's Defining Duke. Through this report, we learn a lot of secrets on what developer Oxide Games and inXile are up to. Beyond that, a new Star Wars game is reportedly in development if multiple sources are to be trusted. The team behind it? Quantic Dream who recently split off from PlayStation. The crazier aspect? It's supposedly open world! The Dukes discuss this big change of pace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's Defining Duke, we are joined by none other than "The Mayor" Ben Smith who serves as Last Stand Media's associate producer. No, nothing happened to Sea Of Thieves! However, it appears there is a leak in a ship at sea known as GeForce Now. It is on this cloud based streaming service that recently we saw the likes of Resident Evil 4 Remake, Injustice 3, a new Lord Of The Rings game, Kingdom Hearts 4, and plenty more leak. Now, Nvidia is attempting to do damage control, but the boys have thoughts on leaks beyond familiar names. Within this are codenames for upcoming Xbox exclusives! In other news, Knights Of The Old Republic is leaving Xbox behind (for a limited time) and you know that Matty just couldn't help himself with this one. Beyond the Marvel and Star Wars discourse is a conversation on important subjects like Cog's grunting, Matty's priority of cigars instead of city keys, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a lighter news week, we shift our attention to PlayStation who was making the most noise. Thanks to next-gen upgrade backlash surrounding Horizon Forbidden West, the pitchforks were pulled out and raised high by fans of the platform. With that, Matty & Cog dip into PlayStation's incidental marketing of Smart Delivery and how the service is being pushed without Xbox doing much of anything. Scoping out the lay of the land, it appears that a $10 upgrade could be questionable depending on how long last generation titles hang around. In other headlines, Alan Wake is back! Formerly an Xbox exclusive, fans beyond that ecosystem can finally experience its wacky and zany nature this fall. What does this mean for the future of the series? We discuss! Perhaps more discussed than any of this is the situation over at Tripwire where CEO John Gibson was removed after comments made about a new bill passed in Texas. After revealing his thoughts on the situation, John is out, and with that we have a important topic to mull over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hideo Kojima is a name that continues to be tossed around on a partnership for Xbox, but it appears his work with PlayStation isn't finished if reports of a Death Stranding 2 are to be trusted. Is this a case of a mistranslated quote from actor Norman Reedus or will Kojima play both sides of the fence? Knowing the optics of the situation, you would have to assume that Xbox would like to isolate the legendary director. In other news, Xbox has announced a showcase of sorts for Tokyo Game Show. After Gamescom, the industry learned their lesson that the term "showcase" doesn't mean information galore and you may not even be able to trust that its biggest games are there. With expectations firmly in check, Matty and Cog dive into how Xbox needs to make strong moves to become a global brand. From localization to establishing new talent, it has been a consistent weak spot for the brand. The most important question asked in our show's history has also been answered: would we rather watch our parents do it everyday for the rest of our lives or join in once? It's an Xbox gaming show, what did you expect? A clever third answer just may raise its head... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's another juicy episode and there's no one better to have alongside us to break everything down then Jez Corden of Windows Central Gaming. After a week of announcements across QuakeCon and Gamescom, we gather to break it all down. From Halo Infinite's long anticipated release date all the way to updates on titles such as Forza Horizon 5, Age Of Empires IV, The Gunk, and major new Game Pass editions. Bethesda also had a loud week as they are planning to sell us Skyrim again along with a host of new content on top of Fallout Worlds showing up in September. Beyond that, they dipped further into the nostalgia bag with Quake Remastered! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Phil answered one of the most pressing questions since the reveal of the Steam Deck. Can it play Xbox games via the cloud? Now, we finally have our answer. Carrying it beyond that, Matty and Cognito dive into if this is enough or could Xbox go make their own handheld with Nintendo and Valve successfully entering the space? Beyond that, the head of Xbox took an interview with GamesRadar where they honed in on the fine craft of PlayStation and their excellent open world titles. His reply to the status of those games was telling of where the company is heading and the diverse portfolio they aim to bring. Drumming up more Xbox drama, Outriders developer People Can Fly listed quite the revelation on their investor website. It appears the game is not profitable! The question is, as a day one Xbox Game Pass game, is this the cause of the failure? The boys sink into the controversy which goes beyond Xbox! Such as with Boyfriend Dungeon, a game who's artistic interpretation of dark subject matter has been met with demands of censorship and opt-outs. A topic that has arguably brought more players to the game rather than pushing them away as intended. Rounding it, Matty and Cognito dive into Remedy's recent success, Rockstar's remasters, and the latest coming to Xbox Game Pass! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining us this week in one of our longest episodes to date is the Man With A Million, Rand Al Thor! Matty, Cognito, and Rand team up for the perfect week as Xbox blew the lid off all their plans for upcoming content. For starters, three different showcases arrived for the company this month. One has already passed which is ID @ Xbox's Twitch indie showcase. What Game Pass additions and indie gems caught the boys' eyes? Later in August is the headliner, Xbox's Gamescom show. It aims to provide updates to titles coming THIS YEAR. Is it finally time for a Halo Infinite release date? Will the illusive titles such as The Gunk and Runic show up? Plenty of questions that we hope to have answered. Also in August is QuakeCon, a Bethesda focused event which will provide updates on their very own games. The pressing question being how slim are the chances of exclusives like Starfield and Redfall appearing? We can only hope for updates! Speaking of, plenty of updates come to current and upcoming titles. Stalker 2, Hellblade, Atomic Heart, and plenty more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alongside a fantastic technical preview for Halo Infinite's multiplayer came some scary news for fans who have been waiting years for Infinite to finally drop. For starters, story spoilers are spreading throughout the web thanks to campaign files which were data mined from that very technical preview. That's not all as the very fitting battle royale mode may have also been discovered thanks to some voice lines uncovered by Jeff Steitzer! What do all these leaks make for the future of this make-or-break title for Xbox? The Duke discuss! Furthermore, Forza Motorsport 7 has been curiously delisted from all Xbox digital marketplaces. It's still playable and available, but the racing sim sized hole is now being filled with questions. With other Game Pass games tangled with licenses suffer a similar fate? The Ascent launched this past week on Xbox, PC, and Game Pass! It's yet another important exclusive as Xbox finds its legs. Matty and Cog dig in on what works and doesn't for this beautiful twin stick shooting action RPG. In other news, the Activision Blizzard situation continues to develop with a new page being added to the sorrowful storybook day by day. We finally delve into the ugly situation and all it has to offer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lots happening in the Xbox world this week! For starters, eager fans can finally sink their teeth into Halo Infinite flight testing as it goes live this weekend. Only one of the two hosts made it in... can you guess who? That aside, it is a test boasting bot matches, but more than anything we will finally be able to get a true feel of the game! On the other end of the spectrum, Forza Horizon 5 displayed even more impressive visuals throughout three new biomes. The game is staggering on multiple levels and we comb through the details on this highly anticipated exclusive. Beyond that, we dip our toes into The Coalition pool where the talented team showed off some tech demos using Unreal Engine 5. Gears Of War 6 is confirmed to look beautiful! Between major drops on Game Pass with Microsoft Flight Simulator and The Ascent along with big fall games sneaking up, Xbox looks to be finally hitting their stride for the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices