Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

It's a pretty unique week for Defining Duke listeners. It's practically no news and all games. Oblivion Remaster truly was shadowdropped. That just happens to be the same week that a bonafide GOTY contender in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arrives. Oh, we also have Last Defense Academy and Blue Prince to add to that bunch and that's just the last couple of weeks! Joining us to comb through this week and much more is Ebontis, co-host of The Last Word and a variety based content creator.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:04:03 - Health is Wealth0:23:39 - Oblivion’s impact on Expedition 330:39:09 - Fallout 3’s remaster just got more exciting0:47:45 - Honest talk about leak culture1:00:08 - Oblivion Remaster player count1:09:20 - Outer Worlds 2 new gameplay drops1:16:27 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 Remake will have a career mode1:18:11 - Star Wars Zero Company trailer reveal1:24:02 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 332:12:12 -  KCD 22:23:16 - Split Fiction2:29:21 - Blue Prince2:36:10 - The First Berzerker Khazan2:46:15 - Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy2:58:08 - Oblivion Remake3:26:52 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I was born 87 years ago. For 65 years I ruled as Tamriel’s emperor. For all these years, I’ve never been the ruler of my own dreams. I have seen the Gates of Oblivion, beyond which no waking eye may see. Behold! In darkness, a doom sweeps the land. This is the 27th of Last Seed. The year of Akatosh 433. These are the closing days of the 3rd Era... and the final hours of my life.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:13:27 - Health Is Wealth0:40:48 - Write Ins0:44:48 - Marathon reveal impressions1:13:46 - Star Wars Zero Company officially announced1:17:30 - Mafia: The Old Country release date leaks1:23:51 - Xbox summer showcase rumors are already here1:33:35 - Outer Worlds 2 gets new gameplay1:59:22 - DOOM: The Dark Ages accessories revealed2:04:39 - Cronos: The New Dawn gameplay reveal2:08:49 - Triple I Showcase announcements2:13:04 - Sea Of Thieves heads to Battlenet2:14:00 - Elder Scrolls Online isn’t going anywhere2:21:42 - Zenless Zone Zero is coming to Xbox in June2:22:12 - What We’re Playing2:40:31 - Oblivion Remastered is real3:14:04 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass3:17:20 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following the delay of Fable, it was a coin toss on who would get the nod to follow up Xbox's 2025 summer showcase with a Developer Direct of their own. Now, we have the answer. No, it's not Gears Of War: E-Day and no it's not Halo. It's The Outer Worlds 2! Combined with this reveal, IGN posted over 10 minutes of Outer Worlds 2 gameplay! While it pops the bubble ahead of its full inflation, the Dukes were excited to lay eyes on the game following its December reveal. What has changed? What has improved? Also, what else will we see at this summer's showcase? We're full of guesses, so let's get to speculating!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:05:46 - Health is Wealth0:23:54 - Write Ins0:38:52 - Oblivion Remake is shadow dropping any moment this month0:48:04 - Xbox’s AI generated Quake II demo1:02:53 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 details1:05:38 - Titanfall 3 rumors1:11:21 - Final Fantasy VII Remake is still Xbox bound1:16:24 - Hidetaka Miyazaki addresses multiplayer concerns1:21:48 - Marathon reveal on April 12th1:28:53 - A Deus Ex return is being pitched1:31:37 - Zenless Zone Zero is coming to Xbox soon1:32:23 - What We’re Playing2:13:59 - Xbox summer showcase announced2:54:14 - Switch 2 follow up3:18:04 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The next exclusive from the "Class Of 2018" has arrived! It's South Of Midnight, hailing from Montreal's very own Compulsion Games, and it's another mixed bag. For all the visuals, stop motion, and music do to set the game apart, the Dukes struggled to fall in love with story following its abrupt conclusion. There's a lot to dig about it, but we wonder how the Xbox fandom will react to this after effectively waiting since 2018 for a story that doesn't necessarily wrap it up or make the best use of its gameplay mechanics. Alas, it's another "good, not great" that the Dukes think you should check out at sometime, but can't really justify the 40 bones you'd spend on it outside of Game Pass. In other news, Nintendo has upended the industry with their newly announced game prices which reach as high as $90 on the physical front. How this will have a ripple effect on the industry is easy to guess, but naturally, we dig a little deeper into the conversation than that.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:23:56 - Xbox handheld teased by ASUS0:28:15 - How Xbox games are selling on PlayStation and Steam0:35:09 - Why are Activision games not on Game Pass?0:38:40 - RuneScape Dragonwids announced0:48:29 - First look at Star Wars turn based tactics game0:52:48 - MindsEye is releasing June 10th0:55:32 - Trails Beyond The Horizon confirmed for Fall 20250:59:34 - Atomfall has surpassed 1.5 million players1:02:04 - Powerwash Simulator tops 17 million players1:02:41 - Death Stranding reaches 20 million players1:03:51 - Monster Hunter Wilds sells 10 million units in 1 month1:05:08 - Expedition 33 has gone gold1:06:45 - Assassins Creed Invictus is launching this year1:09:51 - Ubisoft and Tencent’s new partnership1:18:22 - What We’re Playing1:54:31 - Nintendo Switch 2 Direct reactions2:34:56 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A mere UI leak has given birth to many conspiracies on Xbox's potential gameplan to get PlayStation games on their hardware. With the inclusion of Steam tag on the Xbox PC App, it has opened the door for many to wonder if this all inclusive platform is part of Xbox's next generation vision. Naturally, Steam on a next generation Xbox device brings with it a lot of business related questions. How does Xbox make any money at all from Steam games purchased on their hardware? Do they even care about that? Will Xbox's storefront and unified ecosystem be enough to give them an edge when their games are everywhere? The Dukes dive into this plus your many questions on the subject!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:51:39 - Phil Spencer is showing great interest in TV and Film1:02:53 - 5 more years of Sea Of Thieves1:04:59 - Indy finally has a PS5 date1:08:06 - Xbox introduces Game Hubs1:12:19 - South Of Midnight early access1:16:52 - Publishers are avoiding GTA VI1:21:08 - Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 is finished1:25:59 - Trails In The Sky Remake release date1:27:48 - Persona 4 Remake details1:36:59 - Silksong is planned for June 2025?1:39:10 - An update on the Greek God Of War rumors1:43:36 - Assassin’s Creed Shadows hit 2 million players in 2 days1:49:13 - GameInformer is back1:57:09 - What We’re Playing2:32:10 - What Xbox games are coming to Switch 2?2:43:14 - Xbox is turning into a PC3:11:11 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's one more game in April? As Xbox plans to publish games like South Of Midnight, feed Game Pass with Clair Obscur and Towerborne, as well as moving their multiplatform push forward with Indy and Forza Horizon 5 all in the same month, there's more. Indeed, the rumor is that the long discussed Oblivion Remake on Unreal Engine 5 will not only be announced next month, but release then too. "When and where" are the immediate questions that rush to the minds of the Dukes! Also, does Bethesda have something else up their sleeve to move so hastily for a game that will likely do gangbusters? We dive in. Plus, more details on Xbox's partner handheld, Starfield PS5 rumors continue to pick up, KOTOR Remake lives on (again), 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 - Intro0:51:13 - Knights Of The Old Republic Remake lives on0:54:54 - Some updates on ID@Xbox1:01:14 - PlayStation logo appears on Starfield’s official Creations website1:01:57 - Towerborne has a console release date1:07:26 - Atomfall is 25ish hours long1:09:03 - People Can Fly has signed a deal to make a new game for PlayStation1:13:16 - Jez Corden on State Of Decay 31:18:20 - Silent Hill F announced1:22:33 - Space Marine 3 has been confirmed by Saber Interactive1:27:12 - Split Fiction has now sold 2 million copies1:29:21 - Swen Vincke speaks out in defense of single player games1:32:26 - Ubisoft has reportedly implemented an “anti-harassment plan”1:35:04 - Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster has reached 5 million sales1:36:42 - Powerwash Simulator 2 has been announced1:38:22 - Square Enix’s Life Is Strange Double Exposure reportedly bombed1:41:40 - Ubisoft’s unique approach to selling off1:49:48 - What We’re Playing2:27:56 - Oblivion’s Remake is going to shadow drop next month?!2:58:43 - Some additional details on Xbox’s partner handheld3:08:42 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass3:10:18 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a big week for Xbox hardware fans. A report from Jez Corden has injected new, optimistic life into the conversation. In 2025, Xbox will deliver their first ever "partner device" in another team up with ASUS. It will be a handheld and likely symbolize the next step into what Xbox evisions as the future of their platform. That's no mere guesswork as we also have word that come 2027, a new generation of device will be in our hands. One, a powerful console built more like a PC, and another that serves as the "official Xbox handheld." The Dukes dissect Xbox's hardware plans and what they aim to accomplish in a space where they've lost ground. Undoubtedly, AI will be a big part of Xbox's push into next gen and the Dukes got a peak at that. This week, we learned about "Copilot For Gaming." Not much to be said here. Join us for an existential crisis!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:16:52 - Bethesda on future Starfield updates0:33:45 - Activision confirms that BlizzCon will return in 20260:36:51 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 will ditch 4’s original career mode0:42:36 - Ori series has sold more than 15 million copies0:46:36 - Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is headed to PS5 on April 17th0:53:09 - You’ll need a Microsoft Account to play Forza on PS50:59:24 - A Gears Of War 2 remaster was canceled 10 years ago1:01:43 - Atomfall previews1:09:45 - Nacon Connect 20251:15:21 - A ton of news in the world of EA1:33:33 - Death Stranding 2: On The Beach launches June 26th1:42:13 - What We’re Playing2:01:42 - Xbox's next generation hardware plans have leaked2:35:08 - Xbox announces Copilot For Gaming3:10:41 - Is Xbox looking into purchasing Ubisoft IP?3:23:35 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After years of rumors, the Gears Of War Collection has become a bit of a running gag in the Xbox community. If it happens, great. If it doesn't, we never fully believed in it anyway. This week, we have Jez Corden to thank because it made for one of our fastest evolving stories mid-show! Starting off as a discussion of whether or not the Gears Of War Collection would ever happen, we quickly learned it is happening and... it won't have multiplayer. Is this a major dealbreaker for Xbox fans? Naturally, the Dukes debate, but the real question after assessing the early Forza Horizon 5 sales data is if it will matter to those playing on other platforms. Forza Horizon 5 is already beating out hot products with full marketing campaigns that are set to hit the market. Most stunning of all is that despite amassing 40+ million players and being available on multiple platforms for years, Forza Horizon 5's early access edition is the lead seller. It says a lot about how Xbox as a platform is viewed versus their content. So, let's dive in!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:30:09 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater is back0:50:44 - A new Gears Of War rumor1:06:34 - Expedition 33 previews1:14:46 - Hideki Kamiya still wants to make Scalebound1:18:11 - CoD leaker doubles down on new Xbox consoles in 20261:25:03 - Monster Hunter Wilds has sold 8 million copies1:27:35 - Sonic Unleashed has been ported to PC by fans1:34:35 - Turok Dinosaur Hunter suddenly gets released1:36:27 - Terminator 2D: No Fate arrives on September 5th1:38:43 - Jason Schreier reports that a new LEGO game is on the way1:44:48 - Suikoden announcements1:48:42 - Rockstar Games has acquired Video Games Deluxe1:49:26 - Steam reaches 40 Million concurrent online users1:50:12 - La Quimera revealed1:51:30 - Demon Slayer is getting another game1:52:30 - Games publisher Acclaim has returned1:55:35 - Ubisoft’s Far Cry extraction shooter has been rebooted2:05:38 - What We’re Playing2:40:40 - Jez confirms no multiplayer on Gears Collection3:12:17 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass3:17:35 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It has been a whirlwind of a week for the games industry. Massive studio closures continue at a rapid pace and now we have Fable delay for the cherry on top! Where to begin? Well, for the Xbox faithful, let's sink into Fable first. It was given a 2025 release window at Xbox's 2024 Summer Showcase, but Playground Games has pulled the plug early on that happening. Announced by new head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan, we also got a glimpse at some pre-alpha gameplay for Fable. The game looks great, at least visually, but has left many wondering what's taking so long? Rumors of this game started kicking around in 2018 only for the game to be fully announced in 2020. By summer 2026, we're looking at six full years of building this game up. So, what gives? Is it a PS5 port, the looming release of GTA VI, or something much deeper? The Dukes discuss in Cog's return! Naturally, we dive deep into the mismanagement of WB Games as we have for weeks. To put an exclamation point on things, they have shut down Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego. As their game's division continues its tailspin, the Dukes sift through the wreckage to see if there's any hope in saving what remains of WB Games. We also tackle the conversation around MUSE once more following new comments by Satya Nadella, how NetEase is hitting a speed bump despite the rocketing success of Marvel Rivals, and 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 - Intro0:33:55 - Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 has been rated0:39:50 - 11 games announced at ID@Xbox showcase0:43:33 - The truth behind Avowed's development revealed0:53:23 - Satya Nadella speaks on MUSE1:08:09 - Bloober Team and Konami announce a deal together1:09:52 - Some updates on the January hardware performance1:12:45 - What's going on with NetEase?1:22:18 - Tekken 8 has reached 3 million copies sold1:27:16 - Exodus is targeting a 2026 release window1:29:45 - Persona 4 Remake on the way?1:32:11 - God Of War remasters soon?1:33:43 - Dragon Age The Veilguard is already on PS Plus1:38:27 - What We’re Playing2:14:16 - Xbox delays Fable to 20262:44:16 - WB Games shuts down three studios3:15:06 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Xbox unveiled MUSE, a generative AI model aimed at boosting creativity and possibilities for gameplay. Published in the journal Nature as well as announced by Microsoft Research, the Xbox team shared findings alongside Ninja Theory on what this new AI model that was trained on Bleeding Edge could accomplish. In the extensive write-ups, we learn about the principles of this AI model, what Xbox's mandate is for it across their first party studios, and even get teased a bit on what it could mean for backwards compatibility. However, is it all sunshine and roses here for Xbox's new approach to game development? The push for AI is on more than ever and it's no longer a matter of "if" but rather "when." Like any tool, its public perception will be dictated by how responsibly it is handled. Joining Matty this week is Brad, to clean up the AI mess, and dive into a whole bunch of other Xbox news. We follow up our last episode's conversation on Avowed, dig into the future of Obsidian, mull over yet another Phil Spencer interview, and plenty more in what is bound to be divisive subject for many listeners.Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro/Avowed follow-up0:22:33 - How will Obsidian scale after Avowed?0:27:42 - Bobby Kotick interview0:37:53 - Another Tony Hawk Pro Skater on the way?0:45:09 - Jez Corden on Xbox’s next console0:56:28 - Machine Games grows0:59:35 - Updates on the leaked Final Fantasy remakes1:09:14 - Stalker 2 is getting its biggest update yet1:11:49 - Lost Soul Aside is getting a physical copy!1:12:44 - Fairgame$ has been pushed to 20261:15:07 - System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is getting a release date soon1:18:47 - Kingdom Come Deliverance passes 2 million copies sold1:19:57 - Funko Fusion developer 10:10 has reportedly been hit with layoffs1:22:22 - Visionary art director Viktor Antonov passed away at age 521:24:39 - What We’re Playing2:00:13 - Xbox introduces MUSE2:35:24 - Phil Spencer interview2:41:28 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass2:43:30 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices