Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

It's a mixed bag kind of week. From chicken wing and soda slander all the way down to the latest at CD Projekt Red, this episode covers a lot of ground if I do say so myself. A new Witcher game has been announced, PlayStation gobbles up another studio in a most organic way, and former Microsoft partner Moon Studios is in big trouble. Plus news on a Ubisoft showcase and the latest on the Xbox x Steam Deck integrations. There's plenty of discussion to go around, so get cozy and let's chat about the latest week in the world of video games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Out of all the studios that have been added to their first party stable in the past five years, The Initiative is the only one that Xbox has attempted to build from the ground up. Everything has been brought in with huge acquisitions. This is important for the team to nail and things are looking mighty unsteady at this moment when looking at a recent report detailing almost half of The Initiative's talent leaving the new studio. Leadership issues, bottlenecks in production, and shifts in design seemingly have all led to this moment and now the newly hired Crystal Dynamics have more on their plate than anticipated. That's for the bad news. The good news? Xbox enjoyed an indie showcase, made some great Game Pass announcements, but most of all is the Godd Howard sci-fi RPG that we're all stoked for: Starfield. In it's most significant trailer since the reveal, we learned a lot about this game. The Dukes dive deep on this one plus the disparity of a world without chicken wings, our love for moms, and many more important gaming centric topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All is quiet on the Xbox front as they churn away on their plans for late 2022. In the meantime, fans are beginning to get a tad restless and with the recent update on Halo Infinite, it seems those feelings may persist. Delays, developers leaving, and an unclear road map paint a not so good picture for the service game. Beyond that, Bethesda Game Studios has had a rare leak revolving around a new IP called "SpyTeam." What is this new game and is the team behind Starfield working on it? We investigate! Plus, new State Of Play announcements, Gotham Knights release date, and Matty & Cog's FIRST ever argument... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new Fallout game has long been the request of the Dukes, especially Matty. Finally, we have a nugget of information that suggests this one day might finally become a reality. If reports are to be believed then the talks have begun in earnest at Microsoft to make this a reality. What does this mean for the likes of Fallout 76, potential remasters, and the setting of the next entry? Matty has been patient, so there is much for us to discuss. Beyond that, the release of the Steam Deck has been a mostly positive reception and we have always fantasized about a local version for PC Game Pass. Gabe Newell has put the ball in Microsoft's court, so it's time for us to decide what fate this service shall receive. Otherwise, more reports of a large incoming acquisition, PlatinumGames thirst, and Elden Ring adoration give us more to sink into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After weeks of reports, an SEC filing to the FTC has unveiled the ins-and-outs of the dealing between Xbox and Activision. It is fascinating to learn that a mere day after Phil Spencer sent out an e-mail stating he was deeply disturbed by Activision and revising their relationships that he had made the call one day later to initiate a potential acquisition. With much tea spilt, the Duke certainly have thoughts on this one. What is more shocking is that Call Of Duty is receiving its first delay in two whole decades. The FPS franchise has been annualized for many years and in 2023 that will be coming to a halt. Does Xbox's involvement have anything to do with this? We dissect. The ups and downs of BioWare are well documented here as EA is reportedly doing well with the development of Dragon Age 4 yet doesn't plan to remaster the fantasy RPG trilogy. That report was then flipped on its head when BioWare stepped out and noted yet another major departure. It's a spicy week all in all and the Dukes are ready to fan the flames! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a jumbled mess of news this week. Xbox's messaging continues to puzzle the Dukes as Phil Spencer has claimed he wants games like Starfield to be the most played Todd Howard game yet it has the most walls surrounding it. We see "popular Activision Blizzard titles" are remaining multi-platform, so the situation for Bethesda is different. Will this energy be maintained in future deals? That will be most telling and it's possible that Microsoft has a potential candidate. PlatinumGames can't help but want to work with Xbox as it has been two weeks straight of them making headlines with their desires. Last week, it was a Scalebound revival. Now? It's the desire to be acquired. Furthermore, PlayStation is at the center of another "censorship" discussion. This time, the subject is Martha Is Dead which is modifying content and thus delaying the physical release of the indie developer LKA's game. How far can these platform holders be allowed to go and how often should it actually occur? There is much to discuss, so let's settle in and have a chat.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dukes have spoken on multiple accounts about Xbox progress as a brand, but their communication leaves much to be desired. There has been no better public example than the back-and-forth statements on how Xbox plans to handle the games from their newly acquired publisher, Activision. From uncertainty, to delays of when the team will speak on such subjects, an "intent" to honor agreements, and now the latest statement which says that Call Of Duty will remain multiplatform. It leaves the Dukes asking what this means for future deals if Bethesda's acquisition was specifically for exclusives. Are some for Game Pass? Are others to keep Tencent and others away? It's tough to constantly read between the lines. In more digestible news, Scalebound is a potential return target, Halo Infinite is "dying," Nintendo is on another planet, and a man who listens to our show eats a whole onion for lunch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Goodbye, old friend. Bungie, who is directly responsible for putting Xbox on the map in 2001, has gone around quite a bit. From exiting their relationship with Microsoft, to entering a 10 year deal with Activision involving Destiny, breaking off of said deal, receiving an investment from NetEase, and thanks to PlayStation the circle is now complete. For the price of $3.6 billion, PlayStation has purchased Halo developer Bungie. While not a direct response to Xbox's acquisition of Activision, it is a shrewd move that assures their position in the FPS space. The dominos are beginning to fall and there are more acquisitions to be expected. As things heat up, the Dukes analyze the industry's latest blockbuster deal. While not as earth shattering, Xbox enjoyed themselves quite a weekend adding Two Point Campus and Sony developed MLB The Show 22 to Xbox Game Pass on day one. In worse news, the Halo Infinite roadmap is seeing a delay, CD Projekt Red looks to be selling Cyberpunk again, and Battlefield 2042 has one of the most absurd post launch updates we have seen. It's a roller coaster of an industry, that's for sure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A little over a week after the industry's biggest news yet and with some time on our side, the dust is beginning to settle on Xbox latest acquisition. With things beginning to marinate, we now have an opportunity to dissect all of the legal hullabaloo that has been circulating. Sony's response, Phil Spencer's "intent" or "desires," and the revival of dead Activision IP are linger in the aftermath of an earth shattering deal. Joining us are Rand Al Thor and Jez Corden of Xbox Two in an Avengers like crossover to sift through it all. It's not just Activision in the cycle anymore! Gears Of War looks to be set to get the 'Master Chief Collection Treatment' next as rumors have cropped up for the long overdue remaster. There's plenty to be excited about, but it doesn't stop there as we also have a plethora of newly announced Respawn Star Wars games. All isn't well in a galaxy far, far away considering that the newly re-revealed LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga from TT Games has reportedly suffered from crunch. Oh, and other important things like is an onion sandwich legal or what condiment is Xbox? Ya know, the essentials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the long time Defining Duke listeners, we all know you have been waiting for a week like this. A time where a major haymaker is delivered by Microsoft and we can break it all down together. For the staggering price of $68.7 billion, Xbox has acquired publisher Activision and with it come a slew of development teams and IP that we're not quite sure even they know what to do with. Beyond inheriting a plethora of potential exclusive games and bolstering Game Pass, Xbox takes in damaged goods. Activision is far from squeaky clean as they have suffered from toxic workplace conditions for years with a leader at the top willing to purchase two companies with game's media in an effort to steer the narrative away from such a truth. It's ugly and there's a lot of tendrils to this conversation. Games, exclusives, monopoly, mobile gaming, and so much more. It's time to talk about about the industry's most historic acquisition yet in what will be a series of many from the hungry competitor moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices