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...

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...

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...

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!...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Avowed is getting moved back to February 18, 2025 out of respect for our backlogs. How kind of Xbox to do such a thing! Avowed was a subject of much debate for the Dukes. While the game looked solid coming out of the January Developer Direct, it clearly needed more time. Come June, Avowed looked to be in much better shape and has now found itself a new date away from the noise of the holiday season. This sets up Xbox for a rare top quarter of the year game, a second for them in this...

The results for Microsoft Gaming's FY24 Q4 is in and it's mighty telling of where the company is at. On one hand, Xbox is making more money than ever before, but it's come at the loss of hardware sales which are down a staggering 42% YOY. Can Xbox afford to keep this trend up in a world not yet ready for digital only? According to Microsoft CFO Amy Hood, this is all well and fine as the company marches toward content and services. The Dukes dive into all the numbers, including Activision's...

AI, layoffs, restructuring, and so on. Indeed, we're in the midst of interesting times for our beloved industry, but the clash between creator and executive has never been greater. Jobs are being lost to AI as we expected, but it's happening now. Not later, but now. Every publishing label is claiming that times are tough, but no adjustments on spending has been made. As the industry continues to bleed talent, who will want to join it? This subject matter is the very heartbeat of this episode...

A rather peaceful July continues on as we dig through the aftermath of Xbox's major changes to Game Pass. For starters, we now have clarity on the wait for Day 1 games in the service at the standard tier and those who remain will be seemingly waiting a long time for their shiny games to arrive. Furthermore, Xbox is potentially pulling out of regions like Europe, Africa, and the Middle East when it comes to their consoles. With all these parts of the business shifting in real time, many are...

After years of conversation on the topic, Xbox has finally made long anticipated adjustments to its popular subscription service. Day one Game Pass games are gone from its standard tier and all have seen a price hike. The conversation naturally navigates itself to the "why" in this situation. All subscription services go up whether it's Netflix, Disney+, or Spotify. Is it because of Black Ops 6 impending? Is Day One Game Pass hurting Xbox? Is $20 enough to stop any form of bleeding with that...

It's finally a slow news week which means we get to settle into some stories that we'd typically breeze over! Leading the charge this week is Avowed which continues to sound amazing! With new details from director Carrie Patel, the Dukes settle into a discuss about character building, choice and consequence, and the oft-debated romance. Alongside that, rumors of Activision games arriving on Game Pass are starting to percolate to the top as the Transformers games have been relisted. At the...

In a relatively slow week, we're able to settle into a major interview conducted by Variety with the one and only, Matt Booty. Sitting as Xbox Game Content and Studios President, Matt Booty was a major factor behind Xbox's decision to shut down four Bethesda studios. In the brand's third attempt to answer the deeper reasoning behind these closures, we get a few more breadcrumbs that leave room for assumption on the matter. Alongside that, Booty speaks on the Xbox exclusive situation with...

Well, this is a first. Matty had the opportunity to sit down with Bethesda Game Studios lead Todd Howard to discuss everything from Starfield and Elder Scrolls VI to Fallout and the company's shifting design philosophies! In an otherwise slow news week, the Dukes sink into all Todd had to share with Matty. What's going on with Fallout ports or New Vegas? How far along is Elder Scrolls VI and what technology is being used to build it? What's going on with Starfield Year 2 and will it be...

If there's one thing that the Xbox Showcase taught us, it's that Xbox has a lot ready to release soon. Perhaps, even, too many! As Cog aptly puts it, Xbox has an abundance of riches and we're keen on seeing how they spread the wealth. Will Xbox go all in with a line up of Shattered Space, Black Ops 6, Avowed, Indy, and Starfield DLC? It's hard to tell as the team seems to be playing a wait and see approach, but there's no denying the sense of corner finally being turned. Plus more on an Xbox...

After months of dooming, Xbos fans needed a big win. In the humble opinion of the Dukes, Xbox absolutely delivered on all levels. Missing games finally received needed updates with Perfect Dark and State Of Decay 3. The Coalition finally gets the spotlight in a shocking Gears announcement: a prequel set during E-Day! Furthermore, tons of third parties showed up in a big way from a new Life Is Strange featuring Max Caufield to a stunning turn-based gem in Expedition 33. Returning games like...