Unlocked

We recorded Unlocked immediately after Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct presentation this week. These are our in-the-moment reactions to the excellent presentation, from the deep-dive on Redfall (including a May 2 release date to look forward to) to another look at the gorgeous Forza Motorsport (though it came without any release date attached) to the surprise new game from Tango Gameworks, Hi-Fi Rush, that's available right now! And in our final segment, we spent some time discussing the current uncertain state of Halo in the wake of the layoffs at 343 Industries.00:00:00 - Intro & Redfall Reactions!00:14:33 - Hi-Fi Rush is Out NOW00:24:38 - Forza Motorsport Looks So Good!00:37:29 - The State of 343 Industries & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spawn on Me host/creator Kahlief Adams returns to Unlocked to tell us all about Spawn on Me's upcoming awards show, The Spawnies. He then sticks around as we all make our predictions for next week's big Xbox Developer_Direct event. We predict release dates and a whole lot more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Kahlief Adams for The Spawnies!00:26:29 - Xbox Developer Direct Predictions!00:47:29 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft has finally confirmed a Developer Direct event that will showcase Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, and Elder Scrolls Online with a separate standalone event for Starfield coming at a later date. This will be a deep dive into the games with much less presentation and more gameplay according to the team at Xbox. As the titles listed are promised for the first half of 2023 we can't wait to see more. 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:01:39 - New Xbox Developer Direct is on the Way!00:18:03 - Ubisoft Delays Skull & Bones for the 6th Time00:33:34 - 5 Forza Horizon Devs Form a New Studio00:40:31 - Xbox Implements New Power Saving Settings & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:06:04 - Xbox Predictions for 202300:35:24 - QA Workers at Zenimax form a union00:41:20 Xbox Games With Gold00:48:32 Trivia!00:52:32 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our last episode of 2022 focuses on our personal favorite Xbox games of the year. From the biggest AAA blockbusters to the smallest under-the-radar indies, these are the 10 games we enjoyed the most on our Xboxes in 2022. Plus: Microsoft's latest salvo in the ongoing battle against the regulators AND Sony in the quest to get the Activision-Blizzard acquisition approved manages to make Sony look bad...but also doesn't make Microsoft look so hot either. We're off next week but back for 2023 starting on Wednesday, January 4. Happy holidays! 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:04:09 - Our Personal Xbox Favorite Games of 202200:33:30 - More on the Microsoft/Activision Story & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High on Life has arrived, and it closes out Xbox Game Pass's 2022 on a high note! We rave about Justin Roiland's comedy-FPS and discuss what we love about it. Plus: we share our frustration about Xbox's no-show at The Game Awards last week, and why we feel like it was the straw that broke the camel's back for many Xbox fans. 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:07:29 - High On Life Impressions00:21:00 - Xbox’s No-Show at The Game Awards00:44:30 - Who Wins Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xbox has decided to increase the prices of their next-gen games created specifically for the Xbox Series X|S hardware to $70. This is after being priced at $60 for the last 16 years. Phil Spencer had teased a price increase for either the console, Xbox Game Pass, or their games shortly before this announcement. This week the Unlocked crew reacts to the news and also the surprising agreement Xbox and Nintendo made to keep Call of Duty on Nintendo gaming platforms for the next 10 years.00:00:00 Intro00:02:10 Xbox first-party games price hike00:17:25 Microsoft commits Call of Duty on Nintendo systems for 10 years00:32:16 Halo Infinite winter update00:38:15 Elden Ring DLC available for free00:41:00 Remedy is working on Control 200:45:30 What we expect from The Game Awards 202200:50:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marvel's Midnight Suns creative director Jake Solomon joins us to discuss Firaxis' new superhero strategy-RPG -- including a couple of Easter eggs that big Marvel fans should look out for. Plus: Todd Howard gives a vague hint about what to expect from MachineGames' Indiana Jones game, we've got ideas for how to reinvigorate Xbox Games With Gold, and more!00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping00:03:00 - Indiana Jones Game Is a 'Unique' Mash-Up of Different Genres00:11:20 - The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station Podcast Ep. 4 Preview00:14:13 - Xbox Games With Gold for December00:24:41 - Will We Ever See a Ninja Gaiden Revival?00:28:03 - Marvel’s Midnight Suns Interview w/ Creative Director Jake Solomon00:49:40 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Ubisoft Toronto developers discuss their design philosophy behind the Splinter Cell Remake and show off a bit of concept art, we react to their plans for Sam Fisher's long-awaited return. Plus: Dead Island 2 gets delayed again, Sonic the Hedgehog's co-creator gets arrested, Phil Spencer's "Call of Duty on PlayStation" press tour continues, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro00:03:39 - More Splinter Cell Concept Art Surfaces!00:22:32 - The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station Podcast Ep. 4 Preview00:25:19 - What’s the Deal with Dead Island 2?00:31:44 - Phil Spencer Says CoD Will Stay on PlayStation (for the 100th time)00:44:05 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew mourns the passing of legendary longtime Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, discussing how his presence and performance in the Batman: Arkham games helped elevate not just those games but the entire superhero game genre. Plus: our impressions of this week's new Xbox-exclusive releases Somerville and Pentiment, CD Projekt Red shares notable news on both Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3's next-gen update, and more!00:00:00 - Intro00:03:58 - Halo Infinite Forge Impressions00:07:18 - Somerville and Pentiment Are Here!00:17:13 - The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station Podcast Preview00:20:10 - Remembering Kevin Conroy00:34:45 - Rockstar Turns Down Eminem-led GTA Movie00:45:11 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices