Podcast Unlocked

Marvel's Midnight Suns creative director Jake Solomon joins us to discuss Firaxis' new superhero strategy-RPG -- including a couple of Easter eggs that big Marvel fans should look out for. Plus: Todd Howard gives a vague hint about what to expect from MachineGames' Indiana Jones game, we've got ideas for how to reinvigorate Xbox Games With Gold, and more!00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:03:00 - Indiana Jones Game Is a 'Unique' Mash-Up of Different Genres00:11:20 - The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station Podcast Ep. 4 Preview00:14:13 - Xbox Games With Gold for December00:24:41 - Will We Ever See a Ninja Gaiden Revival?00:28:03 - Marvel's Midnight Suns Interview w/ Creative Director Jake Solomon00:49:40 - Outro

As Ubisoft Toronto developers discuss their design philosophy behind the Splinter Cell Remake and show off a bit of concept art, we react to their plans for Sam Fisher's long-awaited return. Plus: Dead Island 2 gets delayed again, Sonic the Hedgehog's co-creator gets arrested, Phil Spencer's "Call of Duty on PlayStation" press tour continues, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro00:03:39 - More Splinter Cell Concept Art Surfaces!00:22:32 - The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station Podcast Ep. 4 Preview00:25:19 - What's the Deal with Dead Island 2?00:31:44 - Phil Spencer Says CoD Will Stay on PlayStation (for the 100th time)00:44:05 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

Our Xbox crew mourns the passing of legendary longtime Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, discussing how his presence and performance in the Batman: Arkham games helped elevate not just those games but the entire superhero game genre. Plus: our impressions of this week's new Xbox-exclusive releases Somerville and Pentiment, CD Projekt Red shares notable news on both Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3's next-gen update, and more!00:00:00 - Intro00:03:58 - Halo Infinite Forge Impressions00:07:18 - Somerville and Pentiment Are Here!00:17:13 - The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station Podcast Preview00:20:10 - Remembering Kevin Conroy00:34:45 - Rockstar Turns Down Eminem-led GTA Movie00:45:11 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

Join Stella Chung, Parris Lilly, Gary Whitta, and Destin Legarie on covering the big news that Netflix announced a Gears of war movie and adult animated show in partnership with The Coalition, talking about the Halo Infinite Winter Update, and Take-Two Interactive's new milestone with Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTAV. 00:00:00 - Intro & Our Thoughts on a Gears of War Movie/Series from Netflix00:21:25 - The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station Podcast!00:24:20 - Halo Infinite Winter Update Discussion00:43:37 - GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 Hit New Milestones & Outro

Subscribe to the horror series set in the universe of “The Callisto Protocol,” the hotly anticipated game from Striking Distance Studios.  Helix Station was once the jewel of the Jovian system, but it's been a decaying ghost ship ever since its Carpenter drive went supercritical. When a dangerous escaped criminal seeks refuge there, officers of the Black Iron Prison force a pair of veteran skip tracers to help recover him. But once on Helix, they discover murderous alien life forms, as well as unspeakable horrors from their past.Starring Gwendoline Christie and Michael Ironside. IGN is publishing and distributing Helix Station in partnership with Striking Distance Studios, creator of the game The Callisto Protocol. The first two episodes of The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station are available now, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts. Listen & Subscribe here!

Phil Spencer went on quite a press tour this week, leaving us with a lot to discuss, including: a definitive end to the Call-of-Duty-on-PlayStation debate (or is it?), the ongoing Xbox first-party exclusive game drought, the prospect of price increases on Xbox hardware and/or software and/or services, and more!00:00:00 - Intro00:02:42 - Phil Spencer & Call of Duty's Future on PlayStation00:12:20 - Will Elder Scrolls VI Be Xbox Exclusive?00:21:05 - Where Are the First Party Exclusives?00:48:17 - Outro

Fallout 4 is getting a next-gen update for Xbox Series X|S, but is it going to be the only Fallout we get on this generation of Xbox consoles? We lament just how far away Fallout 5 probably is. Plus: Xbox sales figures continue to impress, we're concerned about the departures of the Rocksteady co-founders, and more!00:00:00 - Intro & Fallout 4 Next Gen News!00:17:10 - Xbox Sales & Game Pass are on Fire00:29:04 - Silent Hill is Coming Back in a Big Way00:37:03 - More News!00:47:28 - Outro

The Microsoft-vs.-Sony drama over Xbox's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard took another turn for the weird this week. We examine each company's latest effort to hilariously downplay themselves and talk up the other guy. Plus: our quick impressions of the just-released Xbox exclusive Scorn and the next-gen only, Game-Pass-day-one stealth adventure A Plague Tale: Requiem; Obsidian's future with Fallout, and more!00:00:00 - Intro & Scorn Impressions!00:12:20 - The Microsoft/Sony Soap Opera00:39:11 - Microsoft Lays Off Close to 1000 Employees00:41:26 - Obsidian's Fallout Future & Outro

We finally get some real numbers from Xbox Game Pass, including how much revenue it generated last year and how much Xbox is paying for the Ark games on Game Pass. Plus: one of the developers of Scorn joins us to discuss the imminent new body-horror adventure game, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:03:28 - Xbox Game Pass Generates Billions00:13:38 - Ark 2 on Game Pass00:22:42 - Deathloop Takes Place in the Dishonored Universe?00:29:20 - Scorn Dev Interview with Lazar Mesaros00:49:25 - Outro

We kick off this week's show with our hands-on impressions of Gotham Knights. Then, we spend the bulk of the show discussing the 10-year roadmap released by CD Projekt Red -- five Witcher games, a new Cyberpunk, and a new IP. Was it a good idea for them to be THIS transparent? What do we want out of new Cyberpunk and Witcher games? We talk about all that and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:04:10 - Gotham Knights Preview Impressions!00:14:13 - CD Project Red Announces Future Roadmap01:04:48 - Is Legacy of Kain Making a Return?01:11:05 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro 

00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:48 - Our Thoughts on the Modern Warfare II Beta00:11:18 - Grounded v1.0 is here!00:14:44 - Team Ninja is Open to Outsourcing Ninja Gaiden?00:30:14 - Splinter Cell Remake is Getting Rewritten?00:43:24 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

00:00:00 - Intro 00:11:35 - Thoughts on the Rockstar GTA VI Leak00:23:27 - Going Back to Vice City00:42:38 - Over 40 Minutes of Diablo IV Gameplay Leaked00:53:18 - What Does the Rest of 2022 Look Like?00:57:10 - UK Investigates Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision/Blizzard01:15:12 - Deathloop Comes to Xbox Game Pass01:17:12 - Outro

Our Xbox crew discusses a significant management shake-up at the top of 343 Industries, Sony boss Jim Ryan's public airing of Call of Duty-related grievances against Phil Spencer and Microsoft, the biggest news from the weekend's Disney/Marvel and Ubisoft showcases, the new Xbox Elite controller, and more!

Our Xbox crew discusses a significant management shake-up at the top of 343 Industries, Sony boss Jim Ryan's public airing of Call of Duty-related grievances against Phil Spencer and Microsoft, the biggest news from the weekend's Disney/Marvel and Ubisoft showcases, the new Xbox Elite controller, and more!

Halo and 343 Industries was an arranged marriage from the start. After the latest sting of bad news – the cancellation of split-screen co-op – we spend an hour discussing 343's past, present, and future with the franchise. Is the arranged marriage working? Should Halo even be a "live service" game? It's a complex topic with no clear answers, but clearly it's time to have the conversation. Plus: September's Xbox Game Pass games, the Game Pass Friends & Family Plan goes live in a test market, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:41 - Halo Devs Cancel Split-Screen Co-op00:13:10 - What's Happening at 343 Industries?01:00:30 - Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family is Coming!01:13:29 - More Game Pass News & Outro

IGN's Kat Bailey joins Destin and Ryan to discuss the latest leak surrounding Microsoft's seemingly imminent Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family subscription plan. We speculate what it might cost, and how it further adds to Game Pass's already-amazing value proposition. Plus: we talk Madden NFL 23 and sports video games, debate what we want out of the just-announced new Mafia game (including when we want it to be set), and more!

00:00:00 Intro00:01:14 Madden NFL 2300:11:25 Game Pass Friends and Family00:27:25 New Mafia Game00:37:58 Cyberpunk Team Heist Game from Payday Creator00:44:34 Xbox Games With Gold00:51:10 Unlock-Block Trivia

Xbox brought plenty of content to Gamescom, and now we've got a clear picture of what the holiday lineup looks like for Xbox gamers. Plus: Xbox commits to maintaining Xbox prices after Sony raised the price of PS5 in many major territories, Phil Spencer hints at his next acquisition priorities, and more!

00:00:00 Xbox Highlights at Gamescom00:23:04 Xbox's Fall line-up00:37:40 Breaking down Phil Spencer's Bloomberg interview00:47:42 Unlock-Block Trivia

This week, Ryan's back from a long-needed vacation! We catch up on a new Lord of the Rings game coming from Weta Workshop and Private Division as well as talk about games we're looking forward to hearing about at Gamescom next week! We also anticipate Marvel and Disney rolling out a brand new Games Showcase next month! Tons of fun stuff today, so join us in the comments! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:04:50 - Private Division Working on a LOTR Game. Here's what we want. 00:18:39 - Xbox's gamescom Showcase News 00:37:10 - Disney & Marvel's Games Showcase Coming Sept. 9th 00:46:30 - Even More Game Delays! 00:50:16 - Outro

00:00:00 - Intro 00:04:50 - Private Division Working on a LOTR Game?00:18:39 - Xbox's gamescom Showcase News00:37:10 - Disney & Marvel's Games Showcase Coming Sept. 9th00:46:30 - Even More Delays!00:50:16 - Outro

 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:47 - Xbox Series S to Get a Performance Boost00:13:30 - Call of Duty: Next Announced00:30:45 - Xbox Game Pass Tests Out a Family Plan00:37:00 - Marvel's Midnight Suns Delayed 00:43:28 - Even More News!00:53:53 - Outro

With the news that the Xbox Series S Performance Boost benefiting developers after direct feedback, the Podcast Unlocked crew discusses the success of the Series S console and why they like it. In addition Activision Blizzard not only covered off on an upcoming Modern Warfare stream in the coming months, but there were also a few news bits about the merger with Microsoft that we missed last week. There was a hefty bit of news to discuss this week so join us as we discuss each story together this week on IGN's Podcast Unlocked.

00:00:00 - Intro & Discord is Coming to Xbox!00:06:57 - What Other Things Should Xbox Improve?00:15:18 - Halo Infinite Co-op, No Matchmaking?00:27:24 - What is the Xbox Summer Spotlight?00:40:25 - Xbox Game Pass August00:47:55 - What Are We Playing & Outro 

With an official Discord chat integration on the way, the Podcast Unlocked crew discusses other features they'd like to see get an update or overhaul along with Xbox's Summer Spotlight program that's been a little underwhelming, though it did introduce the team to a particularly cool giraffe. Plus, the team discusses some awesome community creations for Halo Infinite and The Simpsons: Hit and Run.

As two more big games get pushed into 2023 (Lord of the Rings: Gollum and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora), we take a look at the crush of major releases coming to Xbox next year and discuss what we're most looking forward to. Plus: a discussion on Ubisoft's latest Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell project cancellations and why we've been a bit disappointed in the major publisher in recent times. TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:08 - Our Thoughts on Ask Dusk Falls & FH5 Hot Wheels DLC 00:08:45 - More Games Delayed to 2023! 00:31:25 - What's Up with Ubisoft? 00:50:53 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:08 - Our Thoughts on Ask Dusk Falls & FH5 Hot Wheels DLC00:08:45 - More Games Delayed to 2023!00:31:25 - What's Up with Ubisoft?00:50:53 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

00:00:00 - Intro & SDCC Info!00:02:18 - Halo Infinite Co-op Campaign Beta is great!00:13:15 - Halo Veteran Devs Start a New AAA Studio00:39:56 - Grounded Gets a TV Adaptation00:47:58 - As Dusk Falls & New Game Pass Games00:55:00 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

Lots of Halo Infinite talk this week! First we discuss our hands-on impressions of the just-released online co-op beta, then we dive into the wave of key staff departures from the Infinite development team and wonder if it's a bad sign for a game that's supposed to be a long-term platform for the future of Halo. Plus: Grounded gets a TV show adaptation, and more! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro & SDCC Info! 00:02:18 - Halo Infinite Co-op Campaign Beta is great! 00:13:15 - Halo Veteran Devs Start a New AAA Studio 00:39:56 - Grounded Gets a TV Adaptation 00:47:58 - As Dusk Falls & New Game Pass Games 00:55:00 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

00:00:00 - Intro 00:08:56 - Halo 2 Earthcity Demo Returning?00:27:00 - Respawn Hiring for an Unannounced Single Player Game00:36:03 - Skull and Bones Finally Gets a Release Date00:45:55 - Games with Gold Removing Xbox 360 Games Soon00:50:25 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

The Halo caretakers and developers at 343 Industries are making a major piece of lost Halo history playable: the infamous Halo 2 E3 2003 campaign demo that never made it into the final game. We react to this fantastic surprise and recall the Halo 2 hype from that time. Plus: a plea for proper, native Xbox Game Pass support on the Steam Deck, our thoughts on the potential Apex Legends Universe single-player game that Respawn might be making (aka Titanfall 3?), our reaction to the long-awaited gameplay reveal of Skull & Bones, and more! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:08:56 - Halo 2 Earthcity Demo Returning? 00:27:00 - Respawn Hiring for an Unannounced Single Player Game 00:36:03 - Skull and Bones Finally Gets a Release Date 00:45:55 - Games with Gold Removing Xbox 360 Games Soon 00:50:25 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

As a talented and decorated game developer joins BioWare to work on the next Mass Effect game, we discuss what the nature of her role means for when we can reasonably expect Mass Effect 5 to get done. Spoiler: it's probably going to be quite a while! Plus: predictions for Ubisoft's just-announced September showcase, your chance to try out Halo Infinite's campaign co-op mode, and more! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro & GotG writer Mary DeMarle joins BioWare 00:24:01 - Ubisoft 'Multi-Game' Showcase Coming in September 00:34:04 - GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption remasters scrapped? 00:41:56 - New Co-op mode for Halo Infinite 00:49:12 - Game Pass Games for July 00:54:40 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

00:00:00 - Intro & GotG writer Mary DeMarle joins BioWare00:24:01 - Ubisoft 'Multi-Game' Showcase Coming in September00:34:04 - GTA IV and Read Dead Redemption remasters scrapped?00:41:56 - New Co-op mode for Halo Infinite00:49:12 - Game Pass Games for July00:54:40 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

Yes, you're reading that right: Xbox Series X and S outsold the PS5 in Japan, of all places, both individually and combined. We discuss this small victory for Xbox in Japan as well as the bigger picture. Plus: we debate the proposed inclusion of microtransactions in Halo: The Master Chief Collection and their effect on the industry at large (including the upcoming Diablo 4), our reaction to Overwatch 2 overwriting the original game, and more! TIMECODES 0:00 - Intro 1:25 - Xbox Outsells PlayStation in Japan 22:57 - Halo Master Chief Collection Gets Microtransactions 43:39 - Will Microsoft Change Blizzard's Microtransaction Tactics? 51:38 - Overwatch 2 Replacing Original Game 59:10 - July Xbox Games With Gold 1:00:11 - DICE Doubling Down on Battlefield 1:06:54 - Tony Hawk 3 and 4 Remasters Cancelled 1:11:31 - Trivia and Outro

0:00 - Intro1:25 - Xbox Outsells PlayStation in Japan22:57 - Halo Master Chief Collection Gets Microtransactions43:39 - Will Microsoft Change Blizzard's Microtransaction Tactics?51:38 - Overwatch 2 Replacing Original Game59:10 - July Xbox Games With Gold1:00:11 - DICE Doubling Down on Battlefield1:06:54 - Tony Hawk 3 and 4 Remasters Cancelled1:11:31 - Trivia and Outro 

We take one last, definitive look back on the Xbox Showcase and the Xbox Showcase Extended now that the dust has settled. We've got some constructive criticism for Microsoft, but we also gush about our favorite games from the event, such as High on Life, Forza Motorsport, Redfall, and Starfield.

If you missed it when it aired live, here's our reaction show immediately following the Xbox Showcase from Sunday, June 12. We discussed the long-awaited gameplay reveal of Starfield, what Xbox's exclusive lineup for the rest of this year looks like, Redfall, Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 reactions, our favorite games of the show, and more!

It's Xbox Hype week! With the Xbox Showcase just days away, we look ahead to Xbox's big event. Both of them, now that we know that an Extended Showcase is happening on Tuesday, June 14. We make more predictions for what we want to see and think we'll see. Plus: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake's rough road, the survival-horror smorgasbord of Callisto Protocol, Dead Space Remake, and Resident Evil 4 Remake this winter, and more! TIMECODES: 00:00:19 - Intro & Housekeeping 00:03:43 - Xbox News Roundup Part 1 00:09:31 - Xbox & Bethesda Showcase Predictions 00:36:44 - Xbox News Roundup Part 2 00:53:12 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the long-known-about sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, has finally been announced. We discuss what we want to see out of Respawn's upcoming next-gen sequel. Plus: lamenting the very serious reason for the latest Xbox exclusive to get delayed, Ryan gushes over Ninja Gaiden as the entire series hits Xbox Game Pass, and more! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping 00:08:52 - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Announced for 2023! 00:25:09 - Replaced Delayed to 2023 00:44:41 - New Game Pass and Games with Gold for June 00:54:22 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

We look back at the Fall of 2007 and discuss: was it the best 90 days of any console ever? From August 21-November 21, 2007 we got Halo 3, Mass Effect, BioShock, The Orange Box, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - all in a 90-day window. There were also a number of other really good games in that same window: Assassin's Creed 1, Project Gotham Racing 4, Blue Dragon, Eternal Sonata, and more! Join us as we look back on one of the greatest stretches in the history of gaming. Plus: spoiler-free Halo TV Series season 1 reactions. TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:04:21 - Halo TV Season 1 Impressions 00:12:39 - The Xbox 360's Greatest 3-Month Stretch 00:45:20 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Next Gen Coming Soon! 00:51:00 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

After Starfield and Redfall both got delayed out of 2022 on the same day, we discuss why Xbox fans are understandably frustrated with the lack of major first-party exclusives this year. Next year does look amazing - and we discuss that in detail - but we also talk about how many fans are tired of being told "Wait until next year." Can the Xbox Showcase provide any immediate answers? Join us! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:39 - Redfall and Starfield Delayed to 2023! 00:10:08 - How Does 2022 Look Like So Far? 00:48:14 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro