Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

Games are often understood as a form of art, but it appears that many suits are still playing catch-up in that regard! After five years, WB Games has successfully managed to lock down the defining mechanic for their Middle Earth series of games. This isn’t the first we’ve seen of game mechanics being patented, but is a move that only serves to stagnate the industry further as options to innovate become limited. Furthermore, Xbox has teased a new place and way to play for the Halo Master Chief Collection. Could this be the long awaited Switch port or is it something far more simple? We dissect! While next gen consoles are hard to come by, they do sell out upon availability and this month saw the win go to Xbox as they lead the month of January 2021 in console sales. Is this a product of supply constraints loosening or Xbox strategically seizing a region of the world? Also, more on Stubbs The Zombie, E3’s anticipated return, upcoming Microsoft events, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The terms "Xbox" and "Future" tend to be synonymous. While there are great games, the true investment lies in the plethora of exclusive deals and acquisition made by the company. With that in mind, gamers are hungry to learn more on what Xbox plans to do with all the Bethesda studios now under their umbrella and it appears the answer may be arriving next month. Interestingly, Xbox has managed to nab an exclusive from PlayStation as MLB The Show has moved to the multi-plat business meaning you can officially purchase an Xbox game with PlayStation studios on the front. Does this impact the future of other exclusives? We discuss! In other news, Xbox manages to extend their lead in game streaming as Stadia shuts down all first party development and Mass Effect is making a return much bigger than expected. That plus much more rounds out our fifth episode of Defining Duke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was an incredibly busy week for Xbox! The Xbox Live Gold fiasco, their first major Xbox Series X/S exclusive released, and Microsoft shared the company's recent earnings painting a clear picture of where Xbox stands as a division within the company. Even more crazy is that amongst all of this, there are rumors spreading of how one of the original Xbox's RPG exclusives may be making a return. That very RPG is Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic and it is seemingly in development at a studio not owned or dealing with EA in any capacity. What does this mean for the future of this Xbox classic and what scoops do Matty and Karak have from their sources? Topping off this wild week are confirmed monthly updates to Halo Infinite, share/capture changes inbound, and what could've been with a Jade Empire sequel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Description: Today, Defining Duke invites in their very first guest to show, Chris Ray Gun! Chris sits down with Matty and Karak to mull over the 29 confirmed exclusive games dropping in 2021, but it always came back to Halo. Whether it is a flagship IP or not is up for debate, but the reality is that Halo Infinite is currently Xbox's biggest announced game coming soon and that means a lot is riding on it. From the free-to-play multiplayer, to valuable lessons learned by 343, to the campaign, Halo Infinite has all to gain or lose. The boys also sink their teeth into new major additions to Game Pass and Microsoft shopping for big studios to acquire. For a company that just acquired Bethesda, it looks like they're not done yet, but who's next? That along with the future of Ninja Gaiden, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and more squeeze into this week's show! Let's discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a busy holiday season, there is an expected lull for gaming in January, but 2021 seems to be playing by its own ruleset. Xbox's acquiring of Bethesda may already be paying dividends with the announcement of Machine Games' brand new Indiana Jones game. For years Xbox has sought an answer to Uncharted even going to the length of purchasing timed exclusivity for a Tomb Raider game in 2015. After all this time, it appears the very answer may be the series that inspired Uncharted itself. Furthermore, EA and Disney's Star Wars exclusivity is dissolving before our very eyes, a deal that has brought quite a few problems to Disney's doorstep. All of this is happening underneath the rebranded umbrella of LucasFilm Games who looks to repeat the past success of Star Wars games echoing back to the early 2000s. The PC front also received its own significant reveal as Nvidia is bringing the RTX 3000 series to gaming laptops in the coming month. More importantly, what do Matty and Karak think of 5 Guys or certain activities occurring while our show is on in the background? It's a conversation as wild as Microsoft talking to Nintendo about buying them out. Wait, that actually happened! That along with updates on Halo Infinte, Xbox's digital storefront, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order next gen info, and more headline our second episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Game Pass, the popular and successful Xbox subscription service, has a knack for rolling in more without asking for additional money from its users. That trend seems to be continuing after EA Play was packaged in and now Xbox has their eyes set on the next logical step — adding in uPlay. Ubisoft owns a suite of tantalizing franchises and this move could only serve to boost the service to new heights. Also, more on potential Xbox exclusives Elder Scrolls VI and Arkane Studios’ next game plus additional (much needed!) details on The Medium! Hardware issues have plagued the launch of any new tech product due to global circumstances, but Microsoft is swearing more systems are on the way according to Phil Spencer. The question that looms is not if, but rather when? That alongside the future of Xbox controllers, Cloud Gaming, and achievements headline our first episode. Let’s do this thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here at Last Stand, we don't like to encroach on territory unless we think we can provide particular value for our audience. Back in 2018, we launched Sacred Symbols and KnockBack because we felt like there was a demand for high-quality PlayStation and nostalgia podcasts (respectively), but since then, we've halted our expansion. Yet, with a mighty promising 2021 (and beyond) shaping up for Microsoft's Xbox Series X|S -- and with our audience openly and regularly clamoring for expert Xbox coverage -- we felt like another opening has emerged. We thus humbly present Defining Duke, an all-new weekly podcast all about Xbox, by Xbox fans, for Xbox fans. Our co-hosts? None other than popular gaming YouTubers Matthew "MrMattyPlays" Schroeder and Jeremy "ACG" Penter. Defining Duke will go live each and every Thursday on Patreon (Sundays on free feeds) beginning January 7th, but in the meantime, we thought we'd introduce our show with an appropriate episode, one all about our most-anticipated Xbox Series X|S games of 2021. We hope you enjoy. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices