Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

The aggression of Asha Sharma and Xbox's new leadership group continues on! In a leaked town hall, we learned of many of Xbox's plans for the future including a "family" of devices for Helix, incoming changes to Game Pass, and the streamlining to how games reach the platform. One of the more noteworthy comments was Asha's insistence that Xbox has not "earned the right" to avert their gaze beyond the console platform. This is something clearly in staunch opposition to what the prior leadership team stood for as they explored everything from gaming through TV apps to the Cloud. With the focus on the current generation of consoles, what does this mean for games even in the 2030s? The Dukes think you should get very cozy with the idea of still playing games on these devices even up to a decade from now.

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:10:09 - Health Is Wealth0:28:54 - What game are we dropping everything for to obtain the Thic?0:39:53 - A licensed game that could finally get its due0:45:11 - What is next for Xbox Game Studios?0:55:13 - Gaming for spooky season0:59:26 - Fear of layoffs looming at The Coalition1:19:44 - The Forza Bros are getting upset1:30:48 - Rebs Gaming drops new Halo leaks1:49:08 - A used PS5 pro is $1,400 at GameStop2:03:29 - State Of Decay 3 Beta coming soon2:10:03 - Layoffs begin at Ninja Theory2:17:45 - Fan favorite PlayStation series set to make comeback?2:32:16 - Capcom looking to turn RE Engine into an AI Generation Engine2:41:28 - Kena: Scars Of Kosmora delayed to 20272:43:47 - What We’re Playing3:12:22 - Xbox Helix details leak from internal Town Hall
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Happy 300 to all our fellow Dukes! For those of you have stuck by our side through both personal and professional highs and lows, we're eternally grateful that you're here. To the surprise of some of you, the Dukes DO take a lot of time to reflect and celebrate. Beyond that, we get into the main attraction. Xbox's first console exclusive in years is here in Gears Of War: E-Day. Cog and Matty have played the campaign. Did it deliver? There's only one way for you to find out.

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro/Reminiscing on 300 episodes of Duke0:48:44 - Xbox Ally or Steam Deck?0:53:02 - Mythic Achievements are real1:09:00 - Xbox is NOT for sale1:23:21 - What’s happening inside Destiny 2’s unvaulting?1:34:52 - Unpacking the Physint budget drama1:51:07 - Satya Nadella says Xbox’s streamlining is great1:55:08 - Ex Bethesda dev says Starfield 2 is unlikely2:18:16 - Witcher 3 Remaster is setting records2:23:15 - Why Remedy didn’t use yellow paint in Control Resonant2:27:31 - PlayStation reportedly polling about physical games2:37:00 - Looking Ahead At Game Releases - October 20262:50:12 - What We’re Playing3:33:44 - Rebs Gaming’s inside report on Halo’s future
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Round 2 of the Xbox Reset has arrived thanks to none of other than the Green Reaper. Joining us is Gene Park to discuss the fallout of these events. Halo is now officially run by Activision as Xbox finally chopped down 343 aka Halo Studios. It has been a long time coming as 343 managed the franchise for 15 years. Their tenure brought us Halo Anniversary Edition, Halo 4, Halo 5 Guardians, Halo Infinite, Halo Wars 2, and Halo Campaign Evolved. Almost all of these were disasters in their own way and as Asha Sharma's team cleans house, this felt inevitable in the wake of poor sales for the latest Halo remake. So, how can Activision rebuild the franchise? What direction do they take things in? Is it time to rebuild from scratch and ignore literally anything done before? Are sprint, ADS, and mantling returning features? How long will all of this take? It is a seismic undertaking and one thing is clear: another 343 led Halo game that sucks would sting, but another new beginning that results in disaster would drive us all to the point of insanity. Xbox must nail this, but that goes for a number of their IP they're now looking to nurture. Obsidian has joined forces with Bethesda and it's no doubt that these two will be at the hip for a very long time as Fallout continues to peak in popularity. What is Obsidian's creative future? Are they forever attached to Fallout or are more experiments on the way? Plus, will InXile join the fold at Bethesda eventually as the Xbox Game Studios family has become incredibly lean. It's our largest episode ever, so do get comfortable, settle into the conversation, and enjoy!

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:07:02 - Addressing the nuclear Brad strike0:14:02 - Health Is Wealth0:17:02 - Is Trails 2 Remake worth it if you already played the original?0:19:59 - The next chapter for Bungie0:48:49 - Gene Park’s interview with Hideo Kojima1:27:31 - Xbox’s platinum equivalent is here1:37:46 - Why Fable was given a decade1:47:36 - Undead Labs has gone independent1:52:44 - Starcraft won’t be Xbox exclusive1:58:55 - Blood Of Dawnwalker cost just $40 million2:12:44 - Final Fantasy 7’s difficulty controversy2:37:01 - Valor Mortis makes admirable price move2:44:11 - What We’re Playing3:20:16 - Round 2 of the Xbox Reset commences
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XBOX's continued investment in an avalanche of tentpole IP's came full circle at BlizzCon 2026! The Dukes enlist "The Reaper" of Overwatch and all things BLIZZARD to break down the latest ramifications! From World Of Warcraft's roadmap/controller future, Diablo 5, and StarCraft announcements to how far out some of these releases are! We also discuss a plethora of XBOX news, the Kojima and XBOX partnership aftermath, Asha Sharma handling your customer support tickets and more!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/Health is Wealth0:12:09 - Warm Up Questions0:27:14 - Inside report on Kojima and PlayStation’s split0:54:02 - Are Day 1 Game Pass Games done in 2027?1:13:32 - Apparently, Asha Sharma is helping Xbox support herself1:22:02 - The PlayStation Blackout failed1:28:10 - Wonders Of O trademarked by Neowiz1:33:34 - Major updates for Bungie & Marathon1:46:07 - FF7 Remake team is handling Kingdom Hearts 41:57:05 - Injustice 3 inbound?2:00:29 - SEGA is going all in on adaptations2:10:04 - GenAI use is crushing Level 52:12:24 - Capcom Announcements from TGS 20262:16:36 - Sea of Thieves Signs Of Life2:21:36 - What We’re Playing2:49:05 - The Big Blizzcon Blowout
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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 Wealth00:46:26 - Will Metaphor: ReFantazio get a definitive edition?00:49:43 - Cog’s thoughts on GTA 6 gameplay00:55:41 - Nintendo Direct recap01:04:04 - Ocarina Of Time Remake impressions01:30:30 - Developers opt out of Xbox’s disc to digital program?01:37:55 - Every NPC in Fable is handcrafted01:41:42 - Hideki Kamiya once again requests to make Scalebound01:48:31 - Rumors suggest Forza Horizon 6 isn’t coming to PS5 in 202601:50:43 - Blood Of Dawnwalker sequel in the works01:55:54 - More Final Fantasy 7 beyond the remakes01:59:20 - Capcom is focusing on reactivating IP02:02:31 - Witcher 1 Remake is on hold02:05:45 - PlayStation is looking to bring back Killzone02:12:05 - Venom game is still in development02:13:38 - Game Releases for September 202602:21:55 - What We’re Playing03:04:45 - Hideo Kojima jumps ship to Xbox03:54:14 - The catastrophic Steam achievement leak03:18:37 - Xbox’s Cloud Gaming Snafu
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