Recently, Phil Spencer joined the Kinda Funny XCast to discuss everything from Redfall's disappointment and the Xbox Games Showcase to their stagnant pipeline and even their goals as a game publishing platform. This transparent look provided little for Xbox fans to feel confident about as the pressure continues to mount between Starfield needing to be an "11/10" experience and PlayStation's rumored showcase lingering just days ahead of Xbox. Indeed, there's no denying that if Xbox doesn't absolu...
May 14, 2023•4 hr 42 min•Ep 123•Transcript available on Metacast E3 2021 concluded with the "one more announcement" moment and that game was Redfall. Since then, Xbox has closely tied itself to the game as one of its big, AAA, premium exclusives. Following the vacancy of 2022, Xbox fans hoped to have their patience rewarded when the delay for Redfall released on May 2, 2023. Well, it's here and it has arrived unspectacular fashion. Redfall currently sits at a 62 on OpenCritic across 77 critic reviews and the brand has suffered yet another brutal, embarrassing...
May 07, 2023•3 hr 21 min•Ep 122•Transcript available on Metacast As the bad news snowballed for Xbox in recent weeks, it felt like fans could at least hang their hat on the Activision deal seemingly trending in the proper direction. Well, that seems to have gone south too. The UK regulatory body known as the CMA has moved to block the merger of Xbox and Activision due to cloud based concerns. With the FTC and CMA collectively against Microsoft, their sliver of hope rests on the impending decision of the EU regulatory body. Xbox certainly wasn't in a position ...
Apr 30, 2023•4 hr 40 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast Following the Redfall 30 FPS surprise and the Square Enix debate, Xbox fans are certainly on edge now. With "check-to-check energy" in their veins, another game has skipped the platform while reaching literally every single other. That game is Oxenfree II which follows in the footsteps of Capcom's Mega Man Battle Network Collection, Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3, as well as the abundance of Square Enix games. With hardware sales falling for Series consoles in the EU as PlayStation 5 is up an i...
Apr 23, 2023•3 hr 25 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast Xbox fans, we have reached an impasse. It's Team Delay versus Team "Get Your Game OUT!" Arkane has confirmed that Redfall, an Xbox first party exclusive, will launch at 30 FPS on consoles with 60 frames down the line. It's clear that this generation has tested the patience of fans and, naturally, this news has led to a big blow up. The optics for this situation are clearly bad, but would things be worse if Redfall were to receive a second delay? Some fans feel that it's time for Xbox to finally ...
Apr 16, 2023•4 hr 40 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast Live A Live, Octopath Traveler 2, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 14, Final Fantasy 16, Babylon's Fall (lol), Forspoken, Theaterhythm: Final Bar Line, and many, many more games out of Square Enix have skipped Xbox. Some to people's dismay while others leave us thankful it never graced our piece of plastic in the first place. The fact remains: There's an astonishing amount of titles skipping the platform and Xbox fans want to know why. The Dukes tackle this topic following the announcement ...
Apr 09, 2023•4 hr 44 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast There's no denying the Dukes have tried to rally behind E3, but doubt began to seep in following Xbox's exit from the show floor. This week, we learned of three major players pulling out of E3. Those being SEGA, Ubisoft, and Tencent. With reports from IGN stating that there has been next to zero communication from the ESA and ReedPop as well as no one else attending, it very well may be curtains for E3. What comes next to fill E3 shoes and what led to the fate of a once prestigious and celebrate...
Apr 02, 2023•4 hr 44 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast Xbox and PlayStation may have their differences, but they admittedly stay at the same pace when it comes to the release of new hardware. Outlet Insider Gaming has reported a "PS5 Pro" of sorts is inbound by the end of 2024 and naturally our audience has inquired if Xbox can expect much of the same. The report also says that the next generation involving the PlayStation 6 aims to begin in 2028. With Cloud Gaming being such a vital part of their plan moving, is Xbox thinking the same thing? The Du...
Mar 26, 2023•3 hr 41 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast We recently learned of a Starfield Developer_Direct that will be taking place around the same time as Xbox's very own summer showcase which is undoubtedly chockful of content. Now, Xbox has pulled back the curtains on some of their plans and the Dukes has some disagreements to iron out. Xbox will not be on the show floor at E3 and plans on holding their Starfield Direct right after their own summer showcase. One Duke is in favor of this plan while another is not. Who will take the L? We'll learn...
Mar 19, 2023•3 hr 51 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast After much anxiety and anticipation among Xbox fans, Bethesda has finally broken their silence on Starfield and revealed that the game will be releasing September 6th, 2023 with a showcase arriving on June 11th. There is much to be said about another "delay" for the game that puts Starfield near a holiday window for a second time. Fortunately, there is an equal amount to be said about the glimpses we've seen of notable improvements thanks to said delay. Its Xbox's biggest game of the generation ...
Mar 12, 2023•3 hr 15 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast There's much to go over as Xbox fans wait with bated breath for information on Starfield's Developer Direct. With the Activision deal pending, the media is claiming that if it is to fail that Microsoft is ready to shut down Xbox. Just how much validity is there to such a claim? The Dukes dig into the facts and find out. We also have updates from Phil Spencer in a new interview on upcoming game announcements, Obsidian clamoring for a New Vegas remaster, Shinji Mikami leaving Tango Gameworks, conf...
Mar 05, 2023•3 hr 28 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast Xbox and Nintendo have seemingly grown close during this generation and there's not a stronger sign of that than the latest agreement between the two. We already knew about bringing Call Of Duty to Switch, but if the words of Xbox Vice Chair/President Brad Smith are anything to go by then there are more Xbox games headed to Nintendo platforms. This is deal was struck as Xbox set to swing big as regulators began to put pressure on them with suggestions of divesting parts of the business. Nvidia a...
Feb 26, 2023•3 hr 7 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast Much as been said about gaming's most popular subscription service. While many have detracted its boons to the game development scene, Game Pass has stormed on to surpassed 25 million subscribers. At the same time, it seems Xbox has been caught talking about both sides of their mouth. In an admission to the CMA, Microsoft has stated that game sales do fall off across 12 months titles in Game Pass. While some see this as a mark of defeat, it only seems to highlight the lack of knowledge many of u...
Feb 19, 2023•3 hr 50 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast We haven't heavily discussed the Xbox-Activision deal in months following many of us being fatigued from constantly revising it. Since December, we said it would take something truly noteworthy to move it into our headline and given the current scuttlebutt across the community -- it appears now is that time. The CMA has made its stance clear that Xbox will have to relinquish plenty to get the deal done, but how much is too much for the two seeking to make a deal? With calls for divestiture and e...
Feb 12, 2023•3 hr 54 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast With E3's return to an in-person event, you wouldn't be foolish to assume Xbox would have a presence given the endless vocal support the brand has for the convention. Following financial complications and maybe even Developer_Direct's success, it appears Xbox is heading in a different direction. IGN reports the all of the "Big 3" including Xbox will not have a presence at E3. While Xbox will have a showcase as they confirmed last week, this opens up a slew of possibilities for what Xbox could lo...
Feb 05, 2023•3 hr 9 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast With the first ever Developer_Direct in the rear view for us, it's time to pick apart all the games (and surprises) shown off! We saw Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, Elder Scrolls Online, and even a surprise drop from Tokyo Gameworks with Hi-Fi Rush. With these games, Xbox has a healthy and full first half of 2023 - a strange sight for fans of the ecosystem. Is this the format for the future of Xbox and how can it be improved? Did Xbox show enough gameplay and did they get the pace...
Jan 26, 2023•3 hr 21 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced this week that Microsoft would see 10,000 layoffs by the end of March 2023. Among those affected are those working within Xbox and Bethesda. According to various reports, the teams impacted within the gaming division are both 343 Industries and Bethesda Game Studios. However, one person has chosen to leave and was Halo Infinite's last standing beacon of hope: Joseph Staten. Joe is the one responsible for getting the team in order at 343 to help "land the pla...
Jan 22, 2023•3 hr 35 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast Fans of the platform have long been accustomed to Xbox's lack of communication. To many, it seemed like the first half of the year flat out didn't exist for the company when it came to major showings or releases of games. With the announcement of Developer_Direct, it is the start of a new chapter as Xbox has two planned out. The first will feature heavy hitters such as Redfall, Minecraft Legends, Forza Motorsport, and Elder Scrolls Online. The second Developer_Direct will be a standalone show fu...
Jan 15, 2023•4 hr 35 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast It has been said by many far and wide that 2023 is the year Xbox must deliver. With the rumor mill churning out some interesting nuggets in the form of an early 2023 Xbox showcase, release date candidates for Starfield and Redfall, and even hints of what's to come later in the year; there is much to be excited about. Both official outlets and reports are suggesting that a Starfield-Redfall duo for May/June can soon be upon us. With that in mind, Xbox fans must adjust to a new reality. A reality ...
Jan 08, 2023•3 hr 49 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast Our holiday tradition continues as Matty and Cog gather to discuss the very best and worst that Xbox's most popular service, Game Pass, had to offer. It was a year that saw strong improvement in the terms of quality as last year featured technical Day 1 duds such as Dark Alliance, Back 4 Blood, and even Outriders that painted a bleak picture of weak titles taking the bag. 2022 restored the confidence which left the Dukes with many good pickings, but even then we still had some stinkers. Indeed, ...
Jan 01, 2023•2 hr 33 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast Fallout is a series that is near and dear to our Duke hearts and undoubtedly one of the lead reasons behind Xbox's purchase of Zenimax Media. While Fallout 76 lives on, many wonder where the next mainline entry lies and with whom. You see, Xbox has a unique talent issue when it comes to this particular franchise as they happen to own all the teams with members that are responsible for what Fallout is today. Brian Fargo, Feargus Urquhart, Josh Sawyer, and Todd Howard all have left their mark on t...
Dec 25, 2022•2 hr 33 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast Capping off Xbox's tragic 2022 and our final episode ahead of the holiday break is a glimmer of hope for us to at least conclude that year on a somewhat positive note. Many fans are now left searching for answers following the absence of Xbox at The Game Awards despite apparently having three first party, AAA games arriving in the next six months. Following a tweet from Aaron Greenberg saying that we won't have to wait long to hear more, we can't help but wonder what this may mean. Follow up rep...
Dec 18, 2022•3 hr 47 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast Xbox's conclusion to 2022 is rather thematic as it matches the vibe of the overall year: Disappointing. While we began on the high of the Activision Blizzard deal, swift delays of Starfield and Redfall as well as a vacant first half of the year painted an all too familiar picture. With the windows closing for Starfield, Redfall, and Forza Motorsport respectively to be dated for the first half of 2023, it was stunning to see Xbox not only skip out on showing anything from those games, but not sho...
Dec 11, 2022•4 hr 31 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast What better way to celebrate 100 episodes than to hear from Godd Howard himself? Many fans are clamoring for new Starfield information, but what we didn't expect was Todd Howard to appear on a podcast for three hours and talk about things beyond Starfield. Those topics range from Elder Scrolls 6, to Amazon's Fallout TV show, and even MachineGames' Indiana Jones! Todd even dives deep into his relationship with Xbox with how things have changed for the better and, in some ways, not at all. Outside...
Dec 04, 2022•3 hr 19 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast Thanks to our sponsors: Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/DUKE - Enter promo code DUKE for 83% off and 3 extra months FREE Shop Tommy John's Cyber Monday to get 33% off everything, plus free shipping at https://tommyjohn.com/duke Bethesda seemed to be an answer to a prayer when it came to Xbox fans in 2022. With Starfield and Redfall, they were set to deliver new AAA exclusives that the platform is hungry for. While that obviously got pushed back, Bethesda may have a surprise reveal u...
Nov 27, 2022•3 hr 58 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast Thanks to our sponsors: Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/DUKE - Enter promo code DUKE for 83% off and 3 extra months FREE Cancel your unnecessary subscriptions right now at https://www.rocketmoney.com/duke The Game Awards, or as some may call them, The Lame Awards, are the subject of ire year in and year out. 2022 has proven to be much of the same as the Game Of The Year list is out with contentious picks aplenty. While it may be the home of things like nepotism and recency bias, man...
Nov 20, 2022•3 hr 51 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast Thanks to our sponsors: Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/DUKE - Enter promo code DUKE for 83% off and 3 extra months FREE The relationship between Game Developer and Game Composer is a subject we rarely get a lot of insight on within the games industry. As the news of Doom Eternal's composer controversy comes to the public eye, Cog is joined by LSM family Ben to analyze the extremely fascinating implications. Maty Booty interviews, N7 Day and some fun slander await! Learn more about ...
Nov 13, 2022•3 hr 32 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast Thanks to our sponsors: Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/DUKE - Enter promo code DUKE for 83% off and 3 extra months FREE Phil Spencer has heard the frustration of Xbox fans regarding the absence of first party games in 2022 loud and clear. The question is..can he actually keep his promises to a frustrated base? Cog is joined by the Man with the million Gamerscore Rand Al Thor 19 to discuss this and the interesting relationship between Embracer Group and Xbox. Is there more than meet...
Nov 06, 2022•3 hr 3 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast Xbox fans have made many declarations to bring Persona to their beloved box and, finally, it has arrived. This week sees the re-launch of Persona 5 Royal, but for many; it's the first time they are arriving in Shujin Academy. Xbox fans have responded in kind as Persona 5 Royal has reached the top 10 for played games on consoles. Does this signify a major turning point for Xbox's battle in Japan? Could other Japanese developers be taking note of such a surge on the platform and be willing to play...
Oct 30, 2022•3 hr 2 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast Fallout is arguably the most lucrative IP that Xbox earned from its acquisition of Zenimax Media. Since the ink on that deal dried, the possibilities for that series seem endless. With brilliant Fallout minds underneath the Xbox umbrella such as Todd Howard, Brian Fargo, Feargus Urquhart, Tim Cain, and Leonard Boyarsky, it feels like we're primed for a special era in the franchise's lifecycle. While it sounds great, it looks like we're a ways out from any meaningful collaboration. A recent inter...
Oct 23, 2022•3 hr 55 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast 
