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Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

Last Stand Media & Studio71

Defining Duke is a weekly podcast dedicated to all things Xbox co-hosted by beloved YouTuber MrMattyPlays and Lord Cognito. Whether you're a fan and player of Xbox Series X|S, still hanging around on Xbox One, or have fond memories of Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, our show is for you. We go over the news, talk about the games we're playing, scour rumors and speculation, and much more. We publish each and every Sunday, and you can get the show three days early and ad-free by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/laststandmedia

We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4

For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com

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#297
Sunday · 4 hr 33 min
#297 | PlayStation Just Lost Hideo Kojima To XBOX...
In the wee hours of the night, an absolute stunner landed. Prolific and beloved game director, Hideo Kojima, has killed off his partnership with PlayStation for his upcoming action-espionage title, PHYSINT, and signed on with Xbox. According to the man himself, PlayStation was ready to cancel his game this June! After three months of searching, he found his partner in XBOX. It's a partnership where Kojima claims that they "share a common vision for the future" which says more than just about anything else within this next. Those who recall the PHYSINT announcement in 2024 will also remember that this was TV/movie deal as well. According to the XBOX Wire, they've got that too! So, what gives? Is this just a money play? Has Sony lost touch with optical wins when it was only last generation that they reaped the massive benefits of saving Kojima from Konami? What is XBOX's end goal in all of this? There is much to discuss! Beyond that, we talk about the Cloud Gaming snafu, the diabolical Steam achievement leak, and so much more! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro (Gamescom and Pax West Debriefing) 00:34:17 - Health Is Wealth 00:46:26 - Will Metaphor: ReFantazio get a definitive edition? 00:49:43 - Cog’s thoughts on GTA 6 gameplay 00:55:41 - Nintendo Direct recap 01:04:04 - Ocarina Of Time Remake impressions 01:30:30 - Developers opt out of Xbox’s disc to digital program? 01:37:55 - Every NPC in Fable is handcrafted 01:41:42 - Hideki Kamiya once again requests to make Scalebound 01:48:31 - Rumors suggest Forza Horizon 6 isn’t coming to PS5 in 2026 01:50:43 - Blood Of Dawnwalker sequel in the works 01:55:54 - More Final Fantasy 7 beyond the remakes 01:59:20 - Capcom is focusing on reactivating IP 02:02:31 - Witcher 1 Remake is on hold 02:05:45 - PlayStation is looking to bring back Killzone 02:12:05 - Venom game is still in development 02:13:38 - Game Releases for September 2026 02:21:55 - What We’re Playing 03:04:45 - Hideo Kojima jumps ship to Xbox 03:54:14 - The catastrophic Steam achievement leak 03:18:37 - Xbox’s Cloud Gaming Snafu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#296
September 6 · 2 hr 54 min
#296 | Will Xbox Go All In On Physical Games?
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for a rare one! Indeed, it is I, Matty, and I shall be tickling your ears across the airwaves in a solo venture here from Paris. Today, I dive into the post-Gamescom fallout in what has been an eventful trip for Xbox. For starters, BBC News briefly spoke with Asha Sharma and managed to snag a few answers from her on everything from Helix's "family of devices" to Halo getting some more focus over time. Most interestingly to me was her approach to physical games versus Sony's recent statement on how "reasonable consumers" know they don't own their digital games. Naturally as a game collector, I'm very interested to see where Xbox's disc-to-digital program goes. If this is the starting point, or "step one" as they've put it, then I can imagine great things arriving down the stretch. The question is: what does this mean for physical releases? Is it possible that Xbox pulls out limited runs of their games following the launch? I discuss that, plus Asha's thoughts on Xbox's approach to exclusivity which say more than I think most are considering! Beyond that, we dive into Fable's story length, Xbox's ambitious movie deal, my experience with State Of Decay 3, and (somehow) a whole lot more. Enjoy! Sign up with code DEFININGDUKE at DraftKings! Spend $5 to get $200 in rewards within 21 days Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:13:58 - State Of Decay 3 release plans 0:30:11 - Double Fine's Game Jam Kickstarter 0:41:00 - Xbox's Ambitious Movie Deal 0:51:59 - DOOM's DLC Crunch Story 0:59:11 - Thoughts on GTA 6's Gameplay Reveal 1:09:43 - Star Wars: Zero Company Devs Furloughed Ahead Of Launch 1:15:39 - A Motive's Iron Man Game Confirmed 1:54:05 - What I'm Playing 2:17:25 - Asha Sharma's comments on Helix, Physical Media, and Halo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#295
August 30 · 2 hr 3 min
#295 | We played Fable and State Of Decay 3 Early... (And In Person!)
IN PERSON DUKE ALERT! The Dukes have united in Germany for Gamescom 2026. This marks a first for the duo! Join us as we recollect on our adventures across Europe from jetlag to McDonalds and, yes, even Fable! Much has been said about the game following its delays, but now we have a clear look at combat. What about it is strong and are the comments about the enemy reactivity overplayed? We dive in. Plus more on State Of Decay 3 from graphics to feel. How is this shaping up as it hails from a former Xbox First Party studio? Naturally, we dive into that, plus all the other things we've seen and played while out here. It's a bit of a structureless conversation, so we appreciate you bearing with us and enjoy what is a rare type of episode for all of us. Due to the episode being in person, there are no timestamps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#294
August 23 · 3 hr 10 min
#294 | Xbox Has A Secret Game Announcement...
It's the week before Gamescom! Around this time, the Dukes never expect much as Xbox has already fired out their reveals for the year thanks to June's annual showcase. A recent rumor changed all of that! Thanks to NateTheHate, we are officially aware of a sequel to an Xbox owned IP being developed by a third party team which would see a release this year. The Dukes crack open the archives of Xbox and sift through all the dreams of what this could be. One thing is for certain: It's not Banjo. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 2:47 - Health is wealth 18:26 - An Xbox first party game you’ve missed 27:38 - You can DoorDash games 30:22 - Harvey Smith is back 43:00 - Sledgehammer was prototyping a Halo game 56:05 - Xbox’s 25th Anniversary Controller details leak 57:46 - Fallout 4’s newest update has some serious lore 1:21:14 - Xbox is partnering with McDonalds 1:30:02 - Kingdom Hearts 4 news galore 1:45:04 - Shuhei Yoshida’s peculiar advice to Sandfall Interactive 1:50:18 - Trails In The Sky gets a unique localization patch 1:56:34 - PlayStation’s live service struggles continue 2:05:35 - Oxenfree studio Night School is shutdown by Netflix 2:11:57 - What We’re Playing 2:29:16 - Xbox has a secret game announcement coming to Gamescom 2:59:08 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#293
August 16 · 3 hr 27 min
#293 | We go down the Elder Scrolls VI Rabbithole...
How hungry are people for Elder Scrolls VI? Apparently, very! All it took was eight asterisks within the game's subtitle to send a flurry of fans into everything from lore wikis to decoding employee identification numbers in Starfield's Developer Direct. With such rampant curiosity, this led the Dukes down the rabbithole. What do these eight characters represent? Indeed, if the theories are true, they tell us more than you'd expect. Beyond that, we settle into a chat about the coming generation of consoles. Will Xbox weaponize Elder Scrolls VI as a lightning rod which can draw people into the ecosystem? Is it worth risking millions upon millions of dollars lost for this? Essentially, is this game going to find itself in a camp with Call Of Duty and Forza or Clockwork and Gears? There are compelling arguments for both sides, so join the very delirious Dukes as they settle into a lengthy conversation about Elder Scrolls! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 11:20 - Health Is Wealth 25:12 - Gears E Day beta sets records for series 38:32 - Currently hired ID Software dev blasts Xbox 1:02:12 - Xbox explains the big server outage 1:05:33 - Update on Halo Campaign Evolved sale’s estimates 1:20:34 - GTA 6 gets a gameplay reveal on Netflix 1:50:45 - Ghost Of Yotei Complete Edition announced 1:54:22 - Lord Of The Rings remasters inbound 2:00:15 - Atlus thinks they have to do Persona 1 & 2 Remakes 2:06:52 - Hog Leg 2 confirmed 2:09:56 - What We’re Playing 2:42:49 - The extremely desperate Elder Scrolls rabbithole 3:11:43 - Blizzard is Microsoft’s top performing studio 3:16:48 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#292
August 9 · 3 hr 20 min
#292 | Xbox's Game Preservation Program LEAKS...
In a time where game preservation feels it matters the least, here comes some much needed news. Leaked via The Verge, we now know Xbox is accelerating a program dedicated to preserving your games dating back to the original Xbox generation. That much has been known thanks to a program greenlit by Sarah Bond during her time at Xbox. However, the new wrinkle is not only that Xbox 360 games are headed to PC, but also that the backwards compatible library stands a chance to expand beyond what we already know. Now, the catch is that other developers would have to play ball, but more from a greenlight standpoint rather than any additional engineering. The icing on the cake? Xbox is finally bringing its platinum trophy equivalent to the platform. After two generations of waiting, they'll finally be getting with the times and you won't have to wait much longer to hear about it thanks to Asha Sharma. Plus: Xbox's "platform" game focus, more absolutely dismal news for Halo, the unaffordability of console gaming, and so much more! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 5:42 - Health Is Wealth 21:54 - In person Duke soon? 23:45 - Shoutout to SS+ 28:31 - A retro gaming solution? 30:00 - Asha Sharma confirms platinum trophy equivalent coming to Xbox later this year 44:18 - Asha Sharma’s leaked memo to staff 58:16 - Halo sales estimates are in 1:32:01 - Xbox console price increase confirmed for EU and UK 1:36:42 - ESO faces a content delay following layoffs 1:41:23 - A crazy Bethesda remaster candidate leaks 1:44:16 - Sony responds to shareholders about physical games 1:57:43 - Steam Machine reservations will be filled by end of year 1:59:18 - Mass layoffs expected at EA 2:02:19 - What We’re Playing 2:31:00 - Xbox’s Game Preservation Program Leaks 3:07:58 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#291
August 2 · 3 hr 48 min
#291 | We played Gears Of War E-Day EARLY...
Ah, like the good ol' days! It's time to talk a lot of Halo and Gears. Interestingly, one franchise has handled the baton pass much better than the other. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 13:03 - Most Anticipated Games for the year 20:52 - Why do people care about Bethesda? 30:25 - The great Xbox outage 1:00:32 - Rebs Gaming on future of Halo 1:27:51 - Xbox optimizing download speeds 1:30:58 - Xbox’s gamescom plans 1:33:40 - The layoffs have begun at Double Fine 1:42:33 - Avatar Legends suddenly delayed on Xbox 1:49:26 - Stalker 2’s first expansion has a date 1:51:25 - Dragon Age Remasters dream is dead 2:03:12 - A new Cyberpunk game has leaked 2:07:03 - Looking Ahead At Game Releases - August 2026 2:13:08 - What We’re Playing 2:32:11 - Gears Of War E-Day 3:04:12 - Xbox’s ad supported game streaming has arrived 3:22:21 - Fable’s release date snag 3:37:09 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#290
July 26 · 4 hr 8 min
#290 | Our Halo Campaign Evolved Review Is HERE - Did It Deliver?!
The latest release by Halo Studios is here! While the run up to this launch has been far from clean, how does this game fare when separated from the noise? The Dukes who have deep ties to this game unpack it from the ‘super fan’ angle before rolling into what this means for those who have never played a Halo game. It’s a strange one, but we’ll do our best as always! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 4:51 - Health Is Wealth 21:06 - Hits Only versus New IP 40:35 - Xbox Reveals Backward Compatibility for PC 53:20 - Xbox’s Messaging on Exclusivity Gets Messy Again 1:03:31 - Xbox Leadership Reportedly Detests Game Pass 1:20:14 - Halo Roadmap Leaks from Rebs Gaming 1:35:07 - Marathon’s Director Bows Out 1:48:29 - Circana’s Dooming News for Physical Game Lovers 2:13:07 - KOTOR Remake in 2028? 2:20:14 - What We’re Playing (Halo) 3:07:26 - Bethesda Lays Out the Roadmap for Their Future 3:56:54 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#289
July 19 · 3 hr 36 min
#289 | The Fallout From The 'Xbox Reset'
A lot can happen in a week's time! Now that the dust is settling and we have a rare quiet moment for Xbox, it's time to fully unpack the immediate results of Xbox's Reset. We've learned that multiple Zenimax owned studios have returned to their smaller sized around the mid 2010s. When you look across the industry at the various indie and AA success stories, one has to wonder if AAA is no longer just borrowing creative ideas from these parts and, instead, emulating their business structure. Is there a lesson to be learned in Expedition 33 reaching 8+ million copies sold with a team of around 30 people and their strategic form of outsourcing? What of the 10+ person team at Mega Crit that works on the indie hit Slay The Spire 2? Does the industry truly need its titanic teams across the board or should there be exceptions to that rule in cases such as Rockstar? The reality is that we won't know for years how any of this pans out, but it's a good thought exercise nonetheless! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 10:51 - Health Is Wealth 25:04 - The Future of Elder Scrolls 33:49 - Leadership Issues at Halo Studios Again 1:02:46 - The Black Ops 1 and 2 PS5 Ports 1:08:59 - Microsoft Deletes a 25 Year Old Account 1:29:51 - The Slow Adoption Rate of PS5 and Series Consoles 1:39:37 - Obsidian Responds to Claims That They're a Different Team Nowadays 1:54:33 - Ryse: Son of Rome Was Supposed to Be Xbox's Assassin's Creed 2:00:52 - Glen Schofield Officially Retires from Making Games 2:10:17 - People Are Truly Backlog Gaming Like Crazy 2:13:41 - What We're Playing 2:34:44 - The Fallout of the "Xbox Reset" 3:25:04 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#288
July 12 · 3 hr 38 min
#288 | The Grand 'Xbox Reset' Is HERE... (it's a LOT)
What has Brad done this time? Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 12:27 - Health Is Wealth 27:44 – Xbox leaning into exclusivity 43:19 – TES 6 is 2–3 years away 52:27 – Obsidian is making a Fallout game 1:33:58 – Spyro devs are interested in Banjo 1:38:47 – Project Fantasy funding pull leads to studio shutdown 1:46:11 – What We’re Playing 2:01:14 – The Grand Xbox Reset is here 3:27:31 – Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#287
July 5 · 3 hr 31 min
#287 | We're Tired, Boss...
The bottom continues to fall out from the games industry. Approximately five impending studio closures was simply not enough. Here comes PlayStation who is shutting down their entire physical game operation. It's never been more clear than right now that many of us who have been gaming since the 90s are now truly considered "the old guard" as we continue to face off against staggering changes at a breakneck speed. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 3:31 - Checking in with the Dukes 22:50 - Xbox announces more console price increases 48:38 - Is Xbox pulling third party deals from Game Pass? 55:26 - PlayStation goes all digital 1:18:37 - The Bungie cuts are official 1:34:27 - Will GTA 6 be 60 FPS? 1:38:57 - Oblivion Remastered gets Switch 2 port details 1:41:07 - What We’re Playing 2:06:09 - Xbox is eyeing Undead Labs for closure 2:29:24 - Xbox debates canceling Blade and shutting down Arkane 2:58:52 - Xbox pulls funding from Project Fantasy 3:12:12 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#286
June 28 · 3 hr 18 min
#286 | Steam Machine Prices and XBOX Helix effect...
The RAM-pocalypse has arrived and Valve has set the tone on hardware pricing! Jimmy Champane of Deck Ready and The Insipid Ghost of The Expansion Pass break down all the Steam Machine news! How does this affect Project Helix launch and pricing? Massive news week for the Dukes and we sift through it all. GTA 6 colossal news impact, Phil Spencer believing in Kojima/OD, Xbox going full Hollywood and so much more! Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 2:38 - Warm Up Questions 5:12 - GTA 6 Price revealed, details & performance 32:23 - Todd Howard likes Blade. XBOX rake inbound? 43:55 - XBOX triples down on HOLLYWOOD 58:28 - Halo’s Project Ekur latest rumors 1:11:21 - Kojima says Phil & Asha understood OD 1:21:58 - Marathon’s new PvE mode 1:38:59 - Sonic and Shinobi failed to meet expectations 1:47:21 - Obsidian sued in class action lawsuit 1:51:13 - EA holds third round of layoffs this year 1:56:24 - Looking ahead at game releases - July 2026 2:04:22 - What We're Playing 2:15:07 - STEAM MACHINE sticker shock & Project Helix effect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#285
June 21 · 3 hr 12 min
#285 | It's Happening AGAIN... - More Xbox Studio Shutdowns Soon
Brad's curse continues on. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 3:30 - An update on the Green Reaper 8:10 - Colin scolds The Dukes 13:09 - A brief reprieve from Xbox depression 24:30 - What We’re Playing 1:02:00 - Xbox Studio Shutdowns 3:01:15 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#284
June 14 · 3 hr 55 min
#284 | The Fallout From Xbox's 2026 Showcase...
Today, we tested the Brad curse. It worked. Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro 02:55 - Our favorite games from this week 15:41 - Is the GTA 6 threat overexaggerated? 24:33 - The great PlayStation vs Xbox Originality debate 43:24 - Asha Sharma vs Phil Spencer 50:33 - The Brad Curse becomes real 1:18:05 - Xbox confirms “reliable pipeline of exclusives” 1:48:42 - The Gears Of War PS5 Fiasco 1:58:37 - Xbox lost millions of Game Pass subs after price hike 2:05:47 - Fable gets 30 minutes of new gameplay 2:24:45 - Halo: Campaign Evolved gets 28 minutes of new gameplay 2:42:01 - Gears Of E-Day is the longest campaign yet 2:44:40 - Premium editions for Halo, Gears, and Fable 2:54:21 - Project Mara is officially canceled 2:59:05 - Blade is still alive 3:01:28 - What We’re Playing 3:28:44 - Is Xbox trying to cut hardware prices? 3:44:03 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#283
June 8 · 3 hr 25 min
#283 | Exclusivity Is BACK - Our Reaction To Xbox's 2026 Showcase...
Xbox's 2026 summer showcase has come and gone! As per usual, it was a relatively strong showing featuring big reveals and welcome surprises, yet it still managed to put up a few big head scratchers. Fortunately, the good outweighed the bad. For starters, the hardcore Xbox community has deeply yearned for the return to exclusivity. After months of lip service, Xbox is taking action by making Gears Of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution console exclusive. Obviously, that leaves us with many questions! Why these two games? What data do they hope to collect from them? Is Xbox appeasing their hardcore community for enough time to help rebuild the base before transitioning to a fully PC ecosystem? Beyond the strategy updates, we have plenty of good games! Halo, State Of Decay, A Plague Tale: Resonance, Persona 6, a new Spryo, Vivarium, and a chockful of other delightful looking games all made their presence felt. Unfortunately, Xbox has decided for what is technically a third year in a row to round out a showcase on a Call Of Duty game. Combined with a predictably lacking performance by Bethesda and the otherwise strong showcase experiences some serious lows. Last, but not least, we got an extended showing for Gears Of War: E-Day. Did Coalition's return to the essence of this franchise go off without a hitch? We discuss! Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:06:45 - General Impressions 0:19:04 - Commitment to Console Exclusivity 0:38:30 -Fable 0:48:31 - Halo Campaign Evolved 0:53:12 - A Plague Tale: Resonance 0:57:10 - Persona 4 Revival 1:06:31 - State of Decay 3 1:12:15 - Sea of Thieves Season 20 1:15:22 - Metro 2039 1:20:36 - Bad Magpie 1:22:31 - Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember 1:25:08 - Join Us 1:26:30 - Senua 1:34:00 - Fallout 76: Infestations 1:44:44 - DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations 1:48:23 - Crazy Taxi World Tour 1:54:04 - 25th Anniversary Hardware 1:57:54 - Age of Empires IV Expansion 1:58:56 - Minecraft Dungeons 2 2:00:38 - Magicians: The Devil's Deal 2:02:07 - Valor Mortis 2:04:26 - ESO – Season One Teaser 2:07:49 - Flight Simulator World Update 22 2:09:12 - Where Winds Meet 2:09:49 - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse 2:11:59 - Vivarium 2:18:34 - Persona 6 2:29:08 - Spyro: A Realm Beyond 2:32:14 - Clockwork Revolution 2:42:10 - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 2:54:30 - Gears of War: E-Day 3:14:22 - Wrap Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#282
May 31 · 3 hr 47 min
#282 | Our Xbox Games Showcase 2026 Predictions...
It's officially showcase season! As tradition dictates, Rand Al Thor 19 of Xbox Two joins the Dukes for a smorgasbord of predictions! This year, we approach things a touch differently. Yes, we get into every (!) first party studio under the Xbox folder as per usual. However, 2026 marks the first Asha Sharma led summer showcase. With many business decisions up in the air ranging from exclusivity to hardware, this feels like a great time for Xbox's new lead to truly put her mark on the brand. With the "This is an Xbox" slogan out the window, will Xbox dare to don the logos of other platforms on their own stage? What of Project Helix? Much of Asha's rallying cry has been around "Return to XBOX." So, is it too early to show what Helix is truly made of during the 25th anniversary year of the brand? Will the shortage on consumer electronics plague what could be a massive announcement for the brand? Indeed, this showcase is a central point for a lot of business decisions that Asha could make in front of a crowd. Given this is her first showcase, the trio discusses what her "Hail Mary" moment can be. Is it time for a new Elder Scrolls VI trailer? Hi Fi Rush 2? Persona 6 or Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3? A sequel to Fallout: New Vegas? There are many avenues for Xbox's new lead to take! Join us as we debate the appearance of over 30 first party studios, dig into third party partnerships, and stew over what could be a monumental showcase for the brand! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:11:18 - Exclusivity 0:43:01 - Hardware 1:06:13 - Activision 1:17:28 - Arkane 1:25:33 - Bethesda Game Studios 1:35:38 - Coalition 1:41:07 - Compulsion 1:42:44 - Double Fine 1:45:13 - Halo Studios 1:59:38 - iD Software 2:03:45 - InXile 2:18:42 - MachineGames 2:27:09 - Mojang 2:29:05 - Ninja Theory 2:32:13 - Obsidian Entertainment 2:38:00 - Playground 2:48:14 - Rare 2:53:22 - Turn 10 2:54:11 - Undead Labs 2:59:27 - World's Edge 3:02:08 - Xbox Game Studios Publishing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#281
May 24 · 4 hr 2 min
#281 | The Great Xbox-PlayStation Exclusivity Debate
The Belgium Beauty joins once more as the Dukes combine to tackle our favorite topic: EXCLUSIVITY! Yes, PlayStation appears dead set on reverting to the ways of old as news has come in via Bloomberg. Moving forward, all PlayStation single player games will be exclusive to the console. With the launch of Xbox Player Voice, fans are louder than ever about exclusivity on the other side and as we approach the June showcase season, the topic has reached a fever pitch. Through a combination of our brains and your write ins, we leave no stone unturned. Is this good for gaming? Are Xbox and PlayStation doing all this to remove any semblance of power from Steam? Can Xbox ever untether themselves from Steam? We dig through it all and much more! Our listeners can buy one prescription pair and get 20% off additional pairs at https://www.warbyParker.com/DUKE —and using our link helps support the show. #WarbyParker #ad Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:34 - Health Is Wealth 0:50:02 - Comment boys 0:55:58 - Quick summer showcase wishlist 1:03:08 - Tough decisions in September 1:18:30 - Xbox is now XBOX 1:24:43 - Forza Horizon 6 surpasses 1 million players in early access 1:27:42 - Warhorse is making a Lord Of The Rings RPG 1:49:40 - The Colin Moriarty PlayStation Hack 2:10:30 - PlayStation is returning to exclusivity 2:54:39 - We almost got Star Wars: The New Republic 3:14:58 - What We’re Playing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#280
May 17 · 3 hr 28 min
#280 | Gears Of War: E-Day's Release Just Leaked...
What's this?! The esteemed 'Belgium Beauty' as part of the Dukes in 2026?! Indeed, it's Lock and Matty here to sprinkle some extra fun in the world of Xbox where the news never stops moving! This week, we have two types of leaks: A fun release window... and an actual game ahead of its launch. Starting with the fun stuff, Gears Of War: E-Day is looking to take a slot in what will, no doubt, be an extremely busy September. How it leaked is the fun part! In the not so fun stuff, Xbox themselves leaked Forza Horizon 6 via Steam. Fortunately, it is very close to the game's launch, but there is more to this story. How did this go down and should there be any panic? Let's dive in! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:42 - Health Is Wealth 0:08:37 - The Xbox-Discord partnership is official 0:21:22 - Forza Horizon 6 leaks online ahead of launch 0:28:22 - Ken Levine on why Judas took a decade to make 0:47:07 - eBay rejects Gamestop’s offer 0:55:40 - Lies Of P sequel in full production 1:10:19 - PlayStation first party is diving into the world of AI tools 1:31:10 - SEGA cancels Super Game 1:38:02 - The Bungie acquisition gets uglier 1:48:57 - 007 First Light claps back at FPS jokes 2:00:38 - Switch 2 price hike is here 2:06:12 - Game sales update 2:09:47 - What We’re Playing 2:57:03 - Gears Of War E-Day appears set for September 3:06:45 - Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#279
May 10 · 4 hr 1 min
#279 | Xbox Overhauls The System... - New Leadership + Copilot Is GONE!
It appears that Xbox got sick of the whole weekly negative news cycle schtick and has decided to go in the other direction. Is this week's news truly all that positive? I sincerely depends on how you look at it and nobody will actually know until much later. Asha Sharma has made new additions to her leadership team. Sarah Bond's former team has been replaced by alumni of Meta, Instacart, and CoreAI which all happen to be people that worked with Asha at the same time she led those respective companies. Is this the invasion of AI into Xbox as we initially feared? We get into that, but there's almost zero doubt that Xbox anticipated this because they pulled out quite the plot twist. Copilot for console and mobile is stopped, effective immediately. So, while there is more AI focused leadership than ever in Xbox, they also just axed one of the worst things the brand started rolling out last year. How do the Dukes feel about all of this? Well, that's why you're here, no? Pull up a chair, relax, and let's talk about Xbox some more before Brad returns and ruins it all. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:09:13 - Health Is Wealth 0:16:28 - Halo 2 & 3 reportedly being remade 0:38:22 - New Xbox boot up screen for the first time in 6 years 0:42:12 - Jez Corden’s latest Xbox exclusivity scoop 1:10:20 - GameStop is trying to acquire eBay 1:17:06 - Steam Machine pre orders soon? 1:21:17 - PS4 and XB1 may finally be on the way out 1:27:54 - Bank Of America wants higher priced games 1:33:03 - NBA: The Run revealed and arrives June 2026 1:38:00 - Are content creators heavily influencing the conversation? 1:56:15 - Marathon has story plans for the next few years 1:59:00 - Looking ahead at May 2026 game releases 2:27:17 - What We’re Playing 3:10:04 - Xbox is giving up Copilot and bringing in a new leadership group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
#278
May 3 · 3 hr 27 min
#278 | Xbox Is Wavering On Exclusivity Again... - Will They Do It?
The Dukes are finally reunited and what a week to do that! In a massive writeup on the Xbox Wire, we are seeing Asha Sharma and Matt Booty practically walk back on everything that the old regime stood for. Exclusivity is back under consideration, the "Microsoft Gaming" label is being ditched, and Xbox is focusing on their console. Just like old times! Perhaps most surprising with this blog post is the clear addressing of pain points for this brand: High prices, lacking PC presence, poor discovery tools, and most notably, disenchanted, frustrated players. The focus now for Xbox is daily active players. What does all of this mean and is this enough word salad to buy into? The globetrotting Dukes have you fine folks covered, so let's dig in. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:42:20 - Xbox Game Pass “Starter Edition” leaks 0:49:16 - Asha Sharma on Xbox Helix timing and pricing 0:54:41 - PS5 DRM drama 1:07:15 - Valve drops updates on Steam Machine, Controller, and Deck 2 1:12:56 - Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced officially revealed 1:22:51 - Far Cry show director says the worst things imaginable 1:27:23 - Assassin’s Creed Hexe loses a ton of key staff 1:32:56 - RPG developer Spiders is shutting down 1:41:30 - New information on Blood Of Dawnwalker 1:50:26 - Alien Isolation 2 teaser 1:51:46 - What We’re Playing 2:30:29 - Xbox shares massive update on the future of the brand Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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