Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

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

The world of gaming sure didn't slow down for turkey week as the Dukes has plenty to dive into! It begins with the handheld wars. Steam, ASUS, Logitech, and many others have thrown their hat into the ring, but most await what Xbox and PlayStation will do. Recently, it was confirmed that an Xbox handheld is in development, but now Bloomberg has suggested that PlayStation is working on their own too. With the rise of PS Plus and streaming, PlayStation is slimming down the gap between them and Xbox on many features. What will Xbox need to do beyond timing its release well to compete with a company as synonymous with handhelds as Nintendo? More importantly, will Xbox and PlayStation find any success in a market that has seen very little handhelds sold in the scheme of things. We're far removed from the days of the Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation Portable. So, what gives? The Dukes sink their teeth into this juicy rumor. Naturally, we discuss the evolving situation including Avowed and its art director. Has the situation gone too far and what action can be taken on both sides to mitigate this disaster? The talk is complicated and so we peel it back layer-by-layer as we get into the thick of another fantasy game caught in chaos. Plus, more on Xbox's new Game Studios lead, Call Of Duty's 4 year development cycle, 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 0:25:01 - Avowed director Carrie Patel spoke to Gamesradar on Obsidian's next game versus the competition 0:34:59 - 4 year dev cycles for Call Of Duty are the new norm? 0:42:37 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has already sold 1 million copies 0:48:27 - Square Enix wants Final Fantasy VII Remake on Xbox 0:57:51 - Craig Duncan is officially the new head of Xbox Game Studios 1:00:09 - Black Myth Wukong getting “surprises” later in the year 1:02:03 - The Witcher 4 has entered full production, Cyberpunk 2077 has sold 30 million copies, and a new animated Cyberpunk show is on the way 1:08:09 - Casey Hudson's studio, Humanoid Origin, has shut down 1:23:03 - Baldur's Gate 3 profits insight 1:28:48 - Balatro made a looooot of money 1:32:29 - Top 20 best selling games for October in US 1:37:31 - What We're Playing 2:09:08 - PlayStation's handheld has leaked 2:35:24 - Avowed drama recap 3:05:18 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Contrary to their usual behavior, Xbox's communication has left no room for guessing as of late. In a recent marketing campaign titled "This Is An Xbox," the team showed a plethora of devices that you can access the Xbox ecosystem from. Following our conversation about Phil Spencer's interview with Bloomberg, the message already seemed clear that multi-platform is the future. Now, that message is crystal clear and there is no going back. The Dukes dive into the meaning behind this ad and, of course, what caveats may lie within their messaging as Phil was quick to assure console users that there would be more hardware. With plummeting hardware sales, why would Xbox seemingly abandon an install base of over 30 million users and risk damaging the start of their next generation? This becomes an even bigger question when their push on mobile is in its early beginnings and its PC app desperately needs work. The Xbox experience is best on the console, so what gives? Naturally, we have a lot to say on that, but we also have much to say on GAMES! The Dukes had a chance to go hands-on with Avowed in a digital preview event and things are shaping up quite nicely for Obsidian's next RPG. We get into the thick of our builds, choices, exploration, and even some bugs. We also dive into the hotly anticipated S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 which has faced much adversity in its lead up to launch. Now it's here and Matty has some thoughts after over 15 hours with the game so far. Plus more on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's disastrous launch, The Game Awards GOTY nominee kerfuffle, Starfield's November update, and plenty more in an episode with seemingly endless subjects to dive into! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:11:51 - Game Awards GOTY nominees 0:29:02 - Starfield's November Update 0:30:42 - Todd Howard's takeaway on Shattered Space 0:42:48 - Microsoft Flight Sim 2024's chaotic launch 0:50:55 - Atomfall gets a release date 0:53:52 - Assassin's Creed Syndicate gets a next generation patch 0:59:48 - Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess failed to hit its sales targets 1:03:52 - Remedy's shocking sales and budget transparency 1:07:55 - Embracer Group continues to plummet 01:13:21 - Dynasty Warriors Origins gets demo on November 22 1:13:52 - What We're Playing 2:10:24 - This is an Xbox advertisements 2:33:56 - Sony is looking into purchasing the Kadokawa Corporation 2:56:22 - Avowed is coming to Battle Net and has 5 days of early access 3:11:19 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 3:14:20 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's main topic would have set the internet on fire earlier this year. Xbox's complete admission of a mutli-platform push, delayed handheld and mobile plans, as well as a desire to acquire more studios? Team Green is typically in a meltdown state by this point, but this time around, the news was met with indifference. Why is that the case? Well, for one, many who paid close attention to Xbox's actions, or even lack of action, knew that all this was inevitable. Xbox is seemingly abandoning its exclusive games initiative as Phil Spencer has stated there isn't a red line for quite literally any first party game in its stable. The Dukes break down his comments alongside the third party scene to see if there is any vindication for the Xbox leader's words earlier this year. Long anticipated was a Xbox handheld, but with Phil confirming that it's years out, where will this leave Xbox if they are the last to enter the ring as a handheld competitor? Steam, Logitech, Nintendo, PlayStation, ASUS, and so many others have brought their own ideas to the market with varying degrees of reception. Can Xbox succeed in an inevitably saturated market where players have already made their choice by the point they show up? The Dukes hash it out! Plus a deep dive into Indiana Jones's new gameplay, Halo 2's famous E3 demo is now playable, OG voice actors are returning for Gears E-Day, and so much more in one of our biggest episodes of the year! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:57 - Health Is Wealth 0:15:25 - Game Dev Talk 0:20:06 - John Dimaggio and Carlos Ferro are returning for Gears Of Way E-Day to voice Dom and Marcus 0:22:14 - The Halo 2 E3 2003 demo 0:25:32 - Death Stranding is now available on Xbox 0:31:44 - Indiana Jones & The Great Circle gameplay deep dive 0:39:29 - South Of Midnight previews are out 0:46:22 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has gone gold 0:56:20 - Phil Spencer on future Fallout games 1:05:14 - Black Ops 6 is collabing with Halo, Gears, and DOOM? 1:07:04 - Spyro Reignited Trilogy is now available in Xbox Game Pass 1:07:37 - Warner Bros is plummeting 1:15:29 - GOG announces game preservation program 1:21:30 - SEGA is delisting a ton of retro classics 1:27:38 - 2K opens up on future games lineup 1:32:54 - GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition gets a surprise update 1:34:28 - Tom Henderson's report on Ubisoft's Project U 1:39:23 - Sea Of Stars gets a massive free update 1:46:28 - Hideaki Itsuno joins Tencent 1:52:17 - Why exactly did Konami choose MGS3 for a remake? 1:55:24 - A Mass Effect TV series is in development at Amazon 2:05:41 - What We're Playing 2:53:16 - Phil Spencer tells all in an interview with Bloomberg 3:39:05 - Bethesda goes on strike 3:46:14 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a week with minimal major beats, the Dukes are able to sink their teeth into a plethora of smaller topics such as Xbox's recruitment of Insomniac's creative director, the fate of PlayStation's Wolverine project, and what this means for Perfect Dark! Furthermore, we try our hand at some data analysis by breaking down the early numbers for Call Of Duty and what impact this can have on Game Pass as well as its future. Indeed, many including us still believe that Black Ops 6 needs to be an absolute smash hit to justify Xbox's tampering with its golden goose. So, what does the limited data say and how does it fare for Xbox? We discuss that, plus more in Remedy's puzzling financial situation, BioWare's uncertain future, Ubisoft's response to recent criticism, and Monster Hunter Wilds smashing records with its beta. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:06:02 - A new creative director for Perfect Dark 0:13:50 - Xbox showing new hardware in 2025? 0:25:02 - HoYoverse is bringing Zenless Zone Zero to Xbox? 0:26:19 - The future of Gears 0:34:05 - Arkane Studios founder speaks out against Xbox 0:40:37 - Dragon Age: The Veilguard is not getting DLC 0:44:25 - Is Dragon Age getting a Legendary Edition? 0:50:11 - Some updates in the world of Ubisoft 0:59:22 - Monster Hunter Wilds has insane beta numbers 1:01:02 - Remedy's financial situation 1:07:15 - LEGO Horizon Adventures length revealed 1:10:46 - A sequel to HogLeg is in development 1:13:08 - Kingdom Come Deliverance has sold over 8 million units 1:16:24 - Meta's staggering earnings 1:24:53 - Private Division has been sold off by 2K 1:26:07 - SEGA confirms a new Virtua Fighter game 1:28:44 - What We're Playing 1:59:50 - Call Of Duty updates 2:15:59 - Some Undead Labs updates 2:18:57 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass 2:25:19 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The annual Call Of Duty release is here and it's a remarkable improvement from Modern Warfare 3! From the blockbuster campaign crafted by the underrated hands at Raven Software to its multiplayer and zombies that the Dukes have some mild concerns with. It's also the week that, for many, can define a lot of Xbox's big business decisions moving forward as well! With Game Pass subscribers stagnating a bit, many have looked to this Call Of Duty as the shot in the arm it needs to keep its stellar offering going. Keep in mind, the Game Pass tiers saw a major shift ahead of this release with some feeling like day one Game Pass releases may soon be off the table if this bet doesn't pan out. While the numbers aren't in yet, things are looking solid and the Dukes have much to talk about in this area! Plus more with Indiana Jones' framerate, updates on the tone of the next Mass Effect, Concord being shut down, and so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As every October 23rd comes around, Fallout fans are reminded of the missed opportunity for Bethesda to have their own "N7 Day" with the franchise. Well, 2024 is the year they finally took action and put fan demands into motion! What took place is, quite frankly, a whole lot of nothing. The Dukes sift through the fallout (!) of this showcase and what Bethesda can do to make 2025's showing a much better, more worthwhile one. While it's Fallout Day, it also appears to be Digital Day for Xbox! 91% of US players are buying games digitally and half of Xbox's customers have bought into their discless console. Has Xbox's push into cloud gaming and Game Pass been vindicated in light of these statistics? Plus, we have info on 2025's Call Of Duty the very week that Black Ops 6 drops! What does Activision have in store for us? More changes, it seems! We also get into the Banjo Kazooie kerfuffle, Helldivers 2 on Xbox, Cog's love of Metaphor, the surprise that is TMNT: Mutants Unleashed, and plenty more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No, you're not imagining it! We have been getting a LOT of Xbox showcases as of late. Just weeks removed from their Tokyo Game Show panel and they have returned once more with a Partner Preview that ran for almost thirty minutes. Before that was Gamescom and before THAT was their massive summer show. Joining the Dukes are LSM's very own Gene Park and Bradley Ellis to discuss all the announcements and gameplay (or lack thereof) during the Partner Preview. Did it deliver like prior Xbox shows or was it a bit of a nothing burger? Naturally, we get into that. We also discuss Xbox Game Studios' new lead as well as rounding out our latest criticism of Bethesda, Metaphor's impressive sales, Destiny Rising, and the future of Xbox's streaming tech! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following the post launch support of Halo Infinite, 343 Industries has become one of Xbox's more divisive first party studios. The leash for them has been unnaturally long given the ups-and-downs the flagship franchise has seen since they've taken up the Halo mantle beginning with Combat Evolved Anniversary and, now, Xbox is doubling down on the team. Joining us is resident Halo expert, Chris Ray Gun, to discuss the absolutely massive news that broke this week. Not only is 343 Industries rebranding, but all future games will be made on Unreal Engine 5, they're hiring after a massive amount of layoffs, and there are multiple Halo projects in development. One such project beyond the obvious next mainline entry is rumored to be Halo Combat Evolved Remaster. The Dukes plus Chris get into this very familiar path that Halo Studios is now walking plus the daunting challenge that lies before them Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Starfield faced a mighty amount of criticism throughout its 2023 launch. In today's gaming climate, this set the stage for what could be a big comeback for Bethesda Game Studios with the Shattered Space expansion. So, did it deliver? Matty has played 16 hours and finished it with Cog just getting his adventure started, so they both have much to say! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the week of September 22nd, the games industry was blessed with not one, but two showcases! Today, the Dukes dive into both the State Of Play and Xbox's Tokyo Game Show 2024 presentation. With the State Of Play, much was announced for the Xbox platform! As for Tokyo Game Show, Xbox is showing that developers of all sizes are looking to support the "challenger brand." While the presentation was absent of any major reveals, games such as Threads Of Time or the long desired Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster did get us excited! Beyond the minor showcases, we also dive into the latest for Assassin's Creed Shadows where the writing is on the wall here with Ubisoft. It's clearly a do-or-die situation for them and based on their recent statement to investors, this game absolutely must perform. Will the delay help and how deep do Ubisoft's issues run? We get into just that plus a new Yakuza game, Xbox's 25th anniversary, Metaphor Re:Fantazio's demo, and much more! Cancel your unwanted subscriptions at https://www.rocketmoney.com/duke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's episode is quite the unorthodox one! In the spirit of our friends over at the Friends Per Second podcast, we've split this episode between our usual news coverage and a fun interview the Dukes has the opportunity to conduct! Joining us this episode are Gabriela Leskur and Brian Stone. Gariela is the Narrative and Experience Lead at Oxide Games and Brian serves as Product Leader and Head Of Engineering at Xbox Game Studios Publishing. Together, these two answer our burning questions about the upcoming historical turn-based strategy game. Furthermore, we dive into the thick of Starfield's Shattered Space preview which gives us nearly ten minutes of gameplay to understand just what this is. Fortunately, it appears to be a direct response to much of the criticism laid at Bethesda's feet last fall. We also get into what may be going on with Tony Hawk, Marathon possibly being $40, more layoffs at Xbox, their strong dependence on Call Of Duty, and much more! Level up your game and get 10% off @TurtleBeach with code DUKE at https://wwwturtlebeach.com/DUKE! #turtlebeachpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Much has been said about Xbox's lack of desire to do a mid-generation refresh. For some, it symbolizes the platform's lack of care for the future of its own hardware and, for others, a sign that the green team has their eyes on the next generation instead. In a surprise move, it is not Xbox who stepped on the rake this week! PlayStation has sneakily experienced a troublesome year much like Xbox between Concord, the rollercoaster ride that is Helldivers 2, and now the pricing of the PlayStation 5 pro. Of all our write-ins this week, 90% were asking one question: Did Xbox dodge a bullet by not going down this hardware rabbit hole? Naturally, the Dukes debate and discuss the ins-and-outs of this initially innocent announcement from PlayStation. In other news, Xbox will be returning to Japan for their own Tokyo Game Show event in 2024 and State Of Decay 2 support is finally over! We also get into the exclusivity situation surrounding Black Myth Wukong, the return of some classic Transformers games, and plenty more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dukes are off to San Diego and that means we had to get a little crafty compared to our usual episodes! Since we're recording in advance, we forged an episode in the spirit of Defining Duke Ultimate and leaned heavily into one topic: the Series X/S generation thus far. Easily our most asked question is whether or not to dive into a Xbox at this point, so we dedicated an entire episode to the idea! Matty and Cog sift through every first party release and discuss the highs and lows they've brought. Furthermore, we analyze every Day 1 Game Pass drop since the service began introducing third party with Outriders. We also happily indulge in another conversation of where Xbox could stand to improve and even what could be green lit to shift some of the optics around the brand. Indeed, this is the all-encompassing conversation on Xbox's star in 2024 and we hope you do enjoy! Cancel your unwanted subscriptions at https://www.rocketmoney.com/duke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As always, we like to source questions, comments, and concerns from our lovely audience each and every week. Many times, that alone defines the theme of the episode and that's certainly the case here. Following the news of Indiana Jones headed to PS5, plenty of Xbox fans have been left flat-footed. What does this mean for the future of the console's exclusives and will any of their competitors follow suit? Phil Spencer has shared his thoughts on the matter and now it's time for the Dukes to chime in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time ever, the Dukes are gathering in person to record an episode! What a time for it to happen too as we have plenty to discuss. For starters, we're got our hands on a plethora of upcoming Xbox titles. Avowed, Ara History Untold, Towerborne, Atomfall, Metaphor Re Fantazio, and plenty more! As we were on site, we even had a chance to speak with a ton of the devs meaning we have added insight beyond the games themselves. Beyond the scoops, we naturally have to discuss the Indy situation as the game has been announced for PlayStation. We knew multi-platform was Xbox's future, but this was quite an aggressive move. How do the Dukes feel about such a play from the green team? Naturally, we have much to say on top of the announcements at Opening Night Live itself. Go to https://www.takethesis.com to take the free 3-minute quiz to find out what your brain needs and use DUKE to get $60 off your first purchase when you sign up for Thesis. Thanks to Thesis for sponsoring today's video! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a year chockful of layoffs and studio closures, we needed a W like this. What was originally considered one of the biggest losses amidst these changes was Xbox's closure of Tango Gameworks. Originally known for survival horror titles, Tango stormed out the gate last year with the beloved action rhythm game, Hi Fi Rush, to critical acclaim. Krafton seems to have liked the numbers they saw because they've stepped in to take Tango and the Hi Fi Rush IP off Xbox's hands. While The Evil Within and Ghostwire Tokyo remain in the hands of Xbox, the people's champion lives to fight another day. Naturally, the Dukes have plenty of thoughts. It's still a loss of talent for Xbox at the end of the day, so is there more to a partnership here? What happens to the lingering IP from Tango? We dive into the jaw dropping news and an otherwise slower news week. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions at https://www.rocketmoney.com/duke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices