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 w...
Feb 02, 2025•3 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 r...
Jan 26, 2025•4 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jan 19, 2025•4 hr 53 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jan 12, 2025•4 hr 15 min•Ep 210•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jan 05, 2025•2 hr 15 min•Ep 209•Transcript available on Metacast 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 wa...
Dec 29, 2024•2 hr 3 min•Ep 208•Transcript available on Metacast 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 generati...
Dec 22, 2024•4 hr 48 min•Ep 207•Transcript available on Metacast 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. A...
Dec 15, 2024•4 hr 50 min•Ep 206•Transcript available on Metacast 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 in...
Dec 08, 2024•3 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Dec 01, 2024•4 hr 30 min•Ep 204•Transcript available on Metacast 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 cou...
Nov 24, 2024•4 hr 32 min•Ep 203•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 17, 2024•4 hr 8 min•Ep 202•Transcript available on Metacast 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 absolu...
Nov 10, 2024•3 hr 41 min•Ep 201•Transcript available on Metacast 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 off...
Nov 03, 2024•3 hr 34 min•Ep 200•Transcript available on Metacast 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% ...
Oct 27, 2024•3 hr 10 min•Ep 199•Transcript available on Metacast 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 w...
Oct 20, 2024•3 hr 23 min•Ep 198•Transcript available on Metacast 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 rebrand...
Oct 13, 2024•3 hr 54 min•Ep 197•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 06, 2024•3 hr 52 min•Ep 196•Transcript available on Metacast 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 R...
Sep 29, 2024•3 hr 12 min•Ep 195•Transcript available on Metacast 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 a...
Sep 22, 2024•3 hr 9 min•Ep 194•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Sep 15, 2024•3 hr 56 min•Ep 193•Transcript available on Metacast 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 bro...
Sep 08, 2024•3 hr 55 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast 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 chim...
Sep 01, 2024•4 hr 30 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast 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 situa...
Aug 25, 2024•2 hr 21 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Aug 18, 2024•2 hr 25 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast 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 generation. ...
Aug 11, 2024•3 hr 13 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast 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 abili...
Aug 04, 2024•3 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 as ...
Jul 28, 2024•3 hr 23 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast 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 tryin...
Jul 21, 2024•3 hr 26 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast 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 in ...
Jul 14, 2024•4 hr 32 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast 
