Out of all the studios that have been added to their first party stable in the past five years, The Initiative is the only one that Xbox has attempted to build from the ground up. Everything has been brought in with huge acquisitions. This is important for the team to nail and things are looking mighty unsteady at this moment when looking at a recent report detailing almost half of The Initiative's talent leaving the new studio. Leadership issues, bottlenecks in production, and shifts in design ...
Mar 20, 2022•3 hr 6 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast All is quiet on the Xbox front as they churn away on their plans for late 2022. In the meantime, fans are beginning to get a tad restless and with the recent update on Halo Infinite, it seems those feelings may persist. Delays, developers leaving, and an unclear road map paint a not so good picture for the service game. Beyond that, Bethesda Game Studios has had a rare leak revolving around a new IP called "SpyTeam." What is this new game and is the team behind Starfield working on it? We invest...
Mar 13, 2022•3 hr 20 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast A new Fallout game has long been the request of the Dukes, especially Matty. Finally, we have a nugget of information that suggests this one day might finally become a reality. If reports are to be believed then the talks have begun in earnest at Microsoft to make this a reality. What does this mean for the likes of Fallout 76, potential remasters, and the setting of the next entry? Matty has been patient, so there is much for us to discuss. Beyond that, the release of the Steam Deck has been a ...
Mar 06, 2022•3 hr 19 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast After weeks of reports, an SEC filing to the FTC has unveiled the ins-and-outs of the dealing between Xbox and Activision. It is fascinating to learn that a mere day after Phil Spencer sent out an e-mail stating he was deeply disturbed by Activision and revising their relationships that he had made the call one day later to initiate a potential acquisition. With much tea spilt, the Duke certainly have thoughts on this one. What is more shocking is that Call Of Duty is receiving its first delay i...
Feb 27, 2022•3 hr 8 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast It's a jumbled mess of news this week. Xbox's messaging continues to puzzle the Dukes as Phil Spencer has claimed he wants games like Starfield to be the most played Todd Howard game yet it has the most walls surrounding it. We see "popular Activision Blizzard titles" are remaining multi-platform, so the situation for Bethesda is different. Will this energy be maintained in future deals? That will be most telling and it's possible that Microsoft has a potential candidate. PlatinumGames can't hel...
Feb 20, 2022•3 hr 1 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast The Dukes have spoken on multiple accounts about Xbox progress as a brand, but their communication leaves much to be desired. There has been no better public example than the back-and-forth statements on how Xbox plans to handle the games from their newly acquired publisher, Activision. From uncertainty, to delays of when the team will speak on such subjects, an "intent" to honor agreements, and now the latest statement which says that Call Of Duty will remain multiplatform. It leaves the Dukes ...
Feb 13, 2022•3 hr 48 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast Goodbye, old friend. Bungie, who is directly responsible for putting Xbox on the map in 2001, has gone around quite a bit. From exiting their relationship with Microsoft, to entering a 10 year deal with Activision involving Destiny, breaking off of said deal, receiving an investment from NetEase, and thanks to PlayStation the circle is now complete. For the price of $3.6 billion, PlayStation has purchased Halo developer Bungie. While not a direct response to Xbox's acquisition of Activision, it ...
Feb 06, 2022•3 hr 9 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast A little over a week after the industry's biggest news yet and with some time on our side, the dust is beginning to settle on Xbox latest acquisition. With things beginning to marinate, we now have an opportunity to dissect all of the legal hullabaloo that has been circulating. Sony's response, Phil Spencer's "intent" or "desires," and the revival of dead Activision IP are linger in the aftermath of an earth shattering deal. Joining us are Rand Al Thor and Jez Corden of Xbox Two in an Avengers l...
Jan 30, 2022•4 hr 50 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast For the long time Defining Duke listeners, we all know you have been waiting for a week like this. A time where a major haymaker is delivered by Microsoft and we can break it all down together. For the staggering price of $68.7 billion, Xbox has acquired publisher Activision and with it come a slew of development teams and IP that we're not quite sure even they know what to do with. Beyond inheriting a plethora of potential exclusive games and bolstering Game Pass, Xbox takes in damaged goods. A...
Jan 23, 2022•3 hr 22 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast 2022 continues at its rip-roar pace for Xbox. One of the major pieces in its early year strategy, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, has received a significant seven month delay. With a new vacancy created and only CrossfireX and Tunic remaining, we believe Xbox needs to make a big move ASAP. This would come in the form of Game Pass, so Matty and Cog shake out the potential options. Separately, E3 2022 has already been canceled while the likes PAX and GDC are continuing on with their set plans. The reasoning? As...
Jan 16, 2022•3 hr 8 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast Xbox has hit the ground running in 2022 with a variety of announcements, news, and leaks. For starters, Ubisoft and Xbox have finally teamed up for a day one drop on Xbox Game Pass. The game? The $40 spin-off 'Rainbow Six: Extraction' or as the Dukes like to call it: Rainbow Six: Experiment. Indeed, it looks as if the seeds are being planted for more deals in the future for the two companies. Otherwise, a classic overdue for both a remaster and return is GoldenEye 007. In 2008, Xbox nearly succe...
Jan 09, 2022•3 hr 5 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast Hot takes ahoy! Matty and Cog have played a lot in a year that has often been referred to as a “down year for video games.” As always there are lists of games to sift through, but the Dukes shed their lists down to the top five of the very best and worst this year had to offer us. We promise these lists will shock, amaze, stun, and disappoint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jan 02, 2022•2 hr 59 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast It's the holiday season and maybe Santa got some of you a shiny new Xbox! With that Xbox (or PC, we didn't forget!) you might find yourself perusing the catalog of hundreds of Game Pass games. It can be overwhelming to sift through page after page of alluring games especially with how great so many of them are. Matty and Cog are lucky enough to be able to sit down and play many of these games to help guide the audience towards or away from them. Today, we present to you our Top 5 Game Pass games...
Dec 26, 2021•2 hr 50 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast We'll give it to you straight. Hot off The Game Awards, it hasn't been a great look for "modern gaming." The NFT floodgates have burst wide open, massive delays are inbound, and now those sacred video game discs don't even arrive with the full game on them. Matty and Cog cut through the noise and get to the heart of each of these matters. Such as the highly anticipated reveal of Splinter Cell with a brand new remake. Should a company as creatively and morally bankrupt as Ubisoft be trusted with ...
Dec 19, 2021•3 hr 57 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast In an episode chockful of time traveling, we breakdown all that transpired during the bemoaned Game Awards. It was advertisements galore, television, celebrities and movies aplenty, where you had a sneaking suspicion that Joel McHale was going to make a surprise return somewhere throughout. Despite all of this, we at least had games and many promising ones at that! Among those was the highly anticipated reveal of Hellblade 2's gameplay which many thought were pure cinematics. Indeed, Ninja Theor...
Dec 12, 2021•4 hr 58 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast The Game Awards marketing showcase is soon upon us which means significant game announcements are inbound. Xbox fans in particular should keep a close eye on this show as Microsoft has made important reveals on Geoff Keighley's stage in the past such as with the Xbox Series X and Hellblade II just in 2019. Matty and Cog pick apart both the nominations for the popularity contest and possible announcements to be made in what should be a fun cap to the year. Let it be known that Dragon Age Origins ...
Dec 05, 2021•3 hr 16 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast The festivities are beginning to heat up as turkey day is soon upon us! With that, news is slowing down a bit and gives us a lot of room for more audience interactions. As always, you are the stars of our show (besides Cog) and we think that's quite apparent in this episode. Beyond the love shared between us and the audience, we tackle Halo Infinite's master copy being sent to the production line. With the release date being stamped in ink, Matty and Cog gutcheck the hype levels. SEGA and Xbox r...
Nov 28, 2021•3 hr 44 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast Xbox's 20th anniversary was one to remember! After a lot of damage done to Halo by 343, they made a positive imprint on the franchise with one of its most memorable moments. The multiplayer component is available now and despite the worrying Battle Pass, the game is great. Joining us is Rand Al Thor to discuss that on top of new backwards compatible additions to the library. Matty brought his candle to commemorate those that sadly did not make the cut. Additionally, Phil Spencer voices his thoug...
Nov 21, 2021•4 hr 56 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast You know things are changing amongst the ecosystem when Xbox actually shares data about the performance of their games. Beyond Game Pass, the team typically keeps the numbers close to their chest however that's not the case with Forza Horizon 5 which is the biggest Xbox Game Studios title to date. At a staggering 4.5 million players and one of those millions coming from those willing to pay for early access, the tremendous success of this open world racer brings about many questions for the rest...
Nov 14, 2021•3 hr 14 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast Over the following weekend, a seemingly PR loaded announcement came out of SEGA in regards to them teaming up with Xbox. However, after the Dukes did some digging, there is much more than what meets the eye here. The last year and change has been decorated by under-the-radar dealing between the two and now they have revealed their most significant partnership to date. Is an acquisition happening in the coming years? If not, what are the bare minimum expectations from such a partnership? With Sar...
Nov 07, 2021•3 hr 40 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Finally! After a year and change, Halo Infinite's campaign has been shown off again. We see a familiar open world structure and with that comes the fear that Ubisoft has placed in many of us. What do Matty & Cog feel about all that has changed between August 2020 and now? As of late, it isn't an episode of Defining Duke without a noteworthy leak and, again, we have both Jez Corden and Jeff Grubb to thank for that. It comes in the forms of details on both Project Shaolin and Project Belfry. It ap...
Oct 31, 2021•3 hr 56 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast It's a stacked week for the Dukes! Getting right into it, Xbox has announced an event to celebrate their 20th anniversary. While there won't be new game announcements, there are many alternative routes to be taken. Beyond familiar backwards compatible speculation is a chance to spotlight Halo Infinite's campaign yet again. Outside of this, there are many guesses as to what can be shown to us in November. While there is much good news to celebrate, on the surface it may seem like some bad news ha...
Oct 24, 2021•3 hr 14 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast It's a big week for the Dukes! One of Xbox's most significant acquisitions in the last half decade is Obsidian Entertainment. They are a extremely talented studio who has been consistently worked over by every publisher they have worked alongside in some way, shape, or form and they now with Microsoft's pockets backing them up they will aim to make a big splash with Avowed. While it has long been described as "Obsidian's Skyrim," we were never 100% sure... until now. Joining us to discuss a rece...
Oct 17, 2021•3 hr 49 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast At the Tokyo Game Show, Xbox unveiled quite a bit ranging from exciting additions to Game Pass in the form of AI: The Somnium Files and Scarlet Nexus to Cloud Gaming finally being available in many more areas around the world. The question we're left with is, is this enough? Has Xbox ceased its half measures in Japan and are finally taking it seriously? Cog and Matty debate. There has also been much movement on the PC front from Capcom's public commitment to Epic taking a page out of the PlaySta...
Oct 10, 2021•3 hr 35 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Defining Duke we are joined by Jeff Grubb to go over the latest in gaming! Before we get into anything, someone should call Tostitos because there are a ton of scoops this week. The biggest headline circling the Xbox camps is what is happening with Crystal Dynamics? Recently, they were brought into the fold to work on Perfect Dark, but now that partnership has expanded to a Game Pass deal for Avengers that seemed long overdue. Excellent timing or something brewing? We scoop! B...
Oct 03, 2021•3 hr 34 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast This week, the leaky faucets of the games industry were at work! For starters, Dad Of Xbox Jez Corden went to work providing details on Project Indus & Project Cobalt which were discussed during last week's Defining Duke. Through this report, we learn a lot of secrets on what developer Oxide Games and inXile are up to. Beyond that, a new Star Wars game is reportedly in development if multiple sources are to be trusted. The team behind it? Quantic Dream who recently split off from PlayStation. Th...
Sep 26, 2021•2 hr 25 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast In this week's Defining Duke, we are joined by none other than "The Mayor" Ben Smith who serves as Last Stand Media's associate producer. No, nothing happened to Sea Of Thieves! However, it appears there is a leak in a ship at sea known as GeForce Now. It is on this cloud based streaming service that recently we saw the likes of Resident Evil 4 Remake, Injustice 3, a new Lord Of The Rings game, Kingdom Hearts 4, and plenty more leak. Now, Nvidia is attempting to do damage control, but the boys h...
Sep 19, 2021•3 hr 45 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast In a lighter news week, we shift our attention to PlayStation who was making the most noise. Thanks to next-gen upgrade backlash surrounding Horizon Forbidden West, the pitchforks were pulled out and raised high by fans of the platform. With that, Matty & Cog dip into PlayStation's incidental marketing of Smart Delivery and how the service is being pushed without Xbox doing much of anything. Scoping out the lay of the land, it appears that a $10 upgrade could be questionable depending on how lon...
Sep 12, 2021•2 hr 26 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Hideo Kojima is a name that continues to be tossed around on a partnership for Xbox, but it appears his work with PlayStation isn't finished if reports of a Death Stranding 2 are to be trusted. Is this a case of a mistranslated quote from actor Norman Reedus or will Kojima play both sides of the fence? Knowing the optics of the situation, you would have to assume that Xbox would like to isolate the legendary director. In other news, Xbox has announced a showcase of sorts for Tokyo Game Show. Aft...
Sep 05, 2021•2 hr 20 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast It's another juicy episode and there's no one better to have alongside us to break everything down then Jez Corden of Windows Central Gaming. After a week of announcements across QuakeCon and Gamescom, we gather to break it all down. From Halo Infinite's long anticipated release date all the way to updates on titles such as Forza Horizon 5, Age Of Empires IV, The Gunk, and major new Game Pass editions. Bethesda also had a loud week as they are planning to sell us Skyrim again along with a host o...
Aug 29, 2021•4 hr 35 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast 
