Unlocked

It's all about dollars and cents (sense?) on this week's episode of IGN's weekly Xbox show, as we're discussing Microsoft's massive price hike on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, along with the final tough-to-stomach price of the Xbox ROG Ally X, and EA's record-breaking $55 billion go-private deal. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:53 - Xbox ROG Ally X Price Revealed 00:12:58 - Game Pass Price Hike 00:54:08 - EA's record-breaking $55 billion go-private deal 01:17:58 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our main topic is one we'd rather not have to discuss, but unfortunately, here we go again with Xbox console price hikes. We talk about our thoughts on the bigger picture of these higher-than-ever prices five years into this console generation. Plus: we've got fun stuff to talk about too, such as Forza Horizon 6's reveal and Japan setting, plus Hideo Kojima's creepy Xbox exclusive OD, which appears to be a spiritual successor to the infamous PT. 00:00:00 - Intro & Xbox ROG Ally X Price Watch 2025 00:05:06 - Xbox Price Hikes in the USA 00:25:10 - Ex-Blizzard President Mike Ybarra criticizes the Xbox price Hike 00:41 :40 - Forza Horizon 6 Revealed 01:02:05 - O.D. Trailer Reaction 01:10:12 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We begin IGN's Xbox show this week by discussing the alleged (but still unconfirmed as of recording) pricing of the Xbox ROG Ally X handheld gaming PC, including what the huge apparent gap in price between the base model and the top-end model means for each one. And then our main topic is around GTA 6: a new Rockstar job listing makes a big but fair claim, and we debate just how far and wide its pop-culture reach and impact will be when it finally drops. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:15:08 - LEGO Voyagers Review & Lost Skies 00:17:52 - BioShock Movie is 'Definitely' Based on the First Game 00:31:16 - GTA 6 'Will Be The Largest Game Launch in History 00:58:22 - IGN Fan Fest Returns! 01:01:21 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With rumors swirling and Microsoft confirming a Tokyo Game Show livestream, we discuss whether or not we might be about to get a reveal of Forza Horizon 6. Plus: Hollow Knight: Silksong and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle DLC impressions, former Xbox and industry execs weigh in on Xbox Game Pass, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Humble Bundle 00:03:42 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC 00:12:02 - Borderlands 4 out this week too! 00:14:18 - Hollow Knight: Silksong 00:16:10 - ROG Ally X 00:18:02 - Forza Horizon 6 & Xbox's TGS Livestream 00:42:02 - Xbox Game Pass is coming under fire 01:17:15 - Double Fine & Keeper + Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The long-anticipated Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally out the day this episode publishes, and so we brought in Logan Plant from our Nintendo Voice chat to discuss his thoughts so far after he played it at a recent Xbox event and PAX West. Plus: our reactions to the first gameplay deep-dive of IO Interactive's 007: First Light, a discussion around the near-resurrection of The Initiative's and Crystal Dynamics's Perfect Dark, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Humble Bundle Choice 00:05:21 - Hollow Knight: Silksong Impressions 00:23:07 - 007: First Light Gameplay Impressions 00:31:09 - The near-resurrection of Perfect Dark 00:49:00 - Call of Duty Movie 01:01:57 - Gamepass Games & Outro This episode of Unlocked is sponsored by 5-hour ENERGY. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're drowning in a sea of awesome games this week! Between the three of us, we've been playing a couple of big new releases (Gears of War Reloaded and Metal Gear Solid Delta) and a few hot upcoming games we want to tell you about (Replaced, The Outer Worlds 2, and LEGO Voyagers). Join us! 00:00 - Intro 02:02 - A Bioshock Update 12:15 - Gears of War Reloaded 25:39 - Keep Replaced on your Radars 32:19 - Metal Gear Solid Delta 42:51 - The Outer Worlds 2 53:26 - LEGO Voyagers This weeks epsiode is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, MIranda Sanchez, and is produced by Nick Maillet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We react to a new since-confirmed report that 2K's new BioShock game continues to find its footing. We discuss where the project is and what the BioShock IP still means to gamers. Plus: Helldivers 2's upcoming Xbox release looks to be extra special thanks to an apparent Halo: ODST crossover, another Xbox exclusive appears to be canceled, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unlocked, we dive into the finer details of Battlefield 6 after a hands-on preview and find a return to form for EA’s long-running shooter franchise. But we also dig into Grounded 2’s early access to see how Obsidian keeps cooking up good games for 2025. We also look at the latest Game Pass revenue numbers in contrast to the recent layoffs across Xbox’s game studios. And we couldn’t have done this without our esteemed guest Niki Grayson who you can find on podcasts such as If You’re Driving, Close Your Eyes and VGBees. #Xbox #GamePass #Grounded2 #Battlefield6 #IGN #gaming  00:00:00 – Intro and August’s Humble Bundle 00:10:17 – Battlefield 6 hands-on preview 00:50:01 – Grounded 2 early access impressions 01:02:14 – Game Pass revenue hits $5 billion 01:14:21 – Outro and where to find us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots to talk about this week! We start by discussing the latest releases and games we're previewing, including Grounded 2, Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. Then we hit on Helldivers 2 making a surprise jump to Xbox, chat about the rumored pricing for the Xbox ROG Ally handheld, celebrate Hollow Knight: Silksong being playable at Gamescom in a few weeks, express relief at Xbox backing down from its $80 first-party game pricing plan, and then go through a few Bethesda/Elder Scrolls-related stories. 00:00:00 - Intro & July Humble Bundle 00:05:15 - Grounded 2, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Helldivers 2 00:17:24 - Xbox ROG Ally Price Update 00:28:28 - Hollow Knight: Silksong will be playable at gamescom! 00:35:16 - Xbox games at gamescom 00:41:27 -The Outer Worlds 2 will not be 80 dollars 00:48:14 - Does Microsoft have two unnanounced Xbox games in the pipeline? & Oblivion Remastered 01:01:42 - Future of Starfield 01:11:13:59 - A Farewell to Julian LeFay 01:16:17 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Xbox executive Greg Canessa – creator of Xbox Live Arcade – joins us for our 700th episode to share some awesome inside-baseball stories from his days at Xbox. He also talks about his perspective on Xbox today from the business side of things (including his thoughts on the Activision-Blizzard acquisition), as well as how he feels about Xbox's future. You're not gonna want to miss this one! This weeks episode is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, Greg Canessa, Parris Lilly, and is Produced by Nick Maillet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices