Episodes

  • #271 | A New Generation Of Xbox Is HERE...

    #271 | A New Generation Of Xbox Is HERE...
    Mar 15 2026
    As the "Curse of the Dukes" continues, we have another massive reveal that occurred so quickly after our latest episode of the show was produced. In the last week, we've learned a lot about Xbox's direction for their future and, to their credit, they're being incredibly direct about it. Introducing Project Helix: the codename for Xbox's next bit of hardware that is capable of playing your PC and console games. Following the announcement, they revealed a chockful of information on their plans at this year's Game Developer Conference. "Xbox Full Screen Experience" has evolved into "Xbox Mode" and that arrives on PC in April. After months of testing on the Xbox Ally, Xbox deems this feature ready for the big leagues. As for the next Xbox itself, alpha versions of the hardware will be out by early 2027 for developers. Is it possible we also see a retail release by holiday 2027? Best of all, there is a tease of more to come with Xbox's backwards compatibility program which has lied dormant for years. Is it possible they have additions in store or maybe (just maybe) achievements being added to classic games? Will these classic games be native to the platform or just streamed? Indeed, there are many questions surrounding the brand, but the wind is blowing in a positive direction for them and that's mostly due to seemingly having their ducks in a row on just how they wanted to communicate what their plans actually are. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:08:31 - What We’re Playing0:39:55 - Xbox reveals Project Helix1:13:45 - Satya Nadella renews his vows with Xbox1:34:41 - Opening platform to game developers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 1 min
  • #270 | PlayStation Exclusivity Is BACK - Does Xbox Follow Suit?

    #270 | PlayStation Exclusivity Is BACK - Does Xbox Follow Suit?
    Mar 8 2026
    Many have said that you can't put the genie back in the lamp, but PlayStation begs to differ. After years of flirting with PC releases (many of which were delayed after the game's initial launch), Sony's gaming group is erecting the walled garden. Naturally, some Xbox fans are looking over at these moves and wondering if the new leadership regime at Xbox can pull off a similar feat. Have these platform holders been running from their fate all along? Can Xbox even dream of undoing all their years of work on damaging their brand? The Dukes sound off on a topic that we imagine will cycle around for a while yet. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:07:52 - What are we excited about in video games?0:16:32 - We came so close to a Fallout remaster0:22:06 - Highguard is officially shutting down0:34:34 - Nacon is in trouble0:38:44 - What is happening to WB Games?0:48:05 - DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC is like a sequel0:52:38 - Halo MCC gets a surprise update0:56:13 - A look into Assassin’s Creed’s future1:03:44 - Bloodborne Remake was almost real1:22:35 - Pokemon Winds & Waves revealed1:33:20 - AI game reviews are trickling in1:51:09 - What We’re Playing2:56:09 - PlayStation is mostly walking away from PC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 48 mins
  • #269 | Phil Spencer & Sarah Bond LEAVE Xbox - What's Next?!

    #269 | Phil Spencer & Sarah Bond LEAVE Xbox - What's Next?!
    Mar 1 2026
    The winds of change are blowing through Xbox! Two of their three leaders that have guided the entire Series generation in Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond are out. Staying is Matt Booty, who was also promoted (!), and joining as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming is Asha Sharma. Despite Sarah Bond seemingly being groomed as Phil's successor, Asha steps in with a background that touts her as President of Microsoft's CoreAI alongside time spent at Instacart and Meta as an executive leader. Similarly to when Phil inherited the mess from Don Mattrick, Asha has her work cut out for her. Joining the Dukes is none other than the man to blame for all this nonsense, Brad Ellis. Together, the trio comb through the initial Microsoft blog post that broke the news. From there, we dig into an article by Tom Warren of The Verge who lays the blame of many of Xbox's shortcomings at the feet of Sarah Bond. Like many in our audience asked, we discuss if this is a hit piece, the truth, or somewhere in between. Lastly, Asha Sharma and Matt Booty sat down to chat with Jez Corden about the new lay of the land for Xbox. There are some answers and many questionable non-answers that lead to conversations of their own. Together, let's unpack what is a seismic change for Xbox as the brand continues to feel like it's hanging on by a thread. Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/DEFININGDUKE and use code DEFININGDUKE and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro
0:06:36 - What We’re Playing0:35:06 Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond depart from Xbox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 43 mins
  • #268 | Todd Howard Finally Opens Up On Elder Scrolls VI...

    #268 | Todd Howard Finally Opens Up On Elder Scrolls VI...
    Feb 22 2026
    It's the Todd Howard show this week! In a mega interview, we have plenty of juicy information to pick through. How are things going with Elder Scrolls VI and what's the direction for that game? What's going on with Creation Engine 3? Are there any new Fallout games enroute? How are things hanging after the TV show? The questions are many, but the answers are far more tantalizing! Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:14:22 - A reminder to play Lies Of P0:21:44 - Defining Books0:27:54 - Checking on Matty’s wardrobe0:38:19 - What old game would we give DLC to?0:42:42 - Gabbing about the latest State Of Play1:07:24 - Steam reviews include PC specs now1:09:52 - Highguard was “secretly funded” by Tencent1:20:13 - Do PlayStation exclusives still matter?1:37:00 - PS6 delayed to 2028 and beyond1:51:32 - No MTX in Crimson Desert1:58:22 - Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 dev speaks on multiplatform push2:04:07 - A new .Hack game was announced2:06:14 - What We’re Playing2:36:16 - Todd Howard interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 46 mins
  • #267 | Xbox's 2026 Game Release Schedule Has Leaked...

    #267 | Xbox's 2026 Game Release Schedule Has Leaked...
    Feb 15 2026
    As Grand Theft Auto VI begins to lock in its November 19th release date, we're already started to see publishers scramble with their release plans. A recent report out of The Verge firms up that Xbox, like much of this industry, will be attempting to evade the blast zone. As such, they are moving some games up and there's a chance others fall out of the year. Joining Matty this week is Last Stand's own Brad Ellis to talk about everything from Halo Campaign Evolved to Gears Of War: E-Day as we debate and discuss the respective windows of these games. The main question that lingers in our head is if Xbox is avoiding Grand Theft Auto, does that leave December as an option? If not, can all of their 2026 calendar make it out in the anniversary year or would it be best to delay some games into early 2027 for additional polish and breathing room? Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:02:33 - Health is wealth0:04:58 - Lies Of P reminder0:08:39 - A write in section0:10:40 - Checking in on Brad’s Trails progress0:17:55 - Book check0:21:57 - Greedfall vibe check0:30:17 - Have we played Resident Evil Outbreak?0:36:27 - Valve breaks silence on the Steam Machine0:50:31 - Is it safe to lock in GTA 6 for this fall?0:58:48 - Diablo 2 DLC in 20261:05:48 - The absolutely insane Mindseye drama1:13:59 - Obsidian says it took over 5 years for people to like New Vegas1:23:29 - Yakuza Kiwami 3 is the final Kiwami game1:28:31 - Resident Evil Requiem’s game length1:35:46 - Highguard team suffers layoffs1:42:59 - 2XKO layoffs1:51:57 - What We’re Playing2:21:23 - Xbox’s 2026 release schedule leaked2:45:28 - Next gen Xbox details leaked Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 21 mins
  • #266 | Obsidian Opens Up On Their Future...

    #266 | Obsidian Opens Up On Their Future...
    Feb 8 2026
    Xbox's marketing beat for 2025 was "The Year Of Obsidian Entertainment." Frankly, it made sense. No matter how you feel about the quality of these games, the fact that this team shipped Avowed, Outer Worlds 2, and Grounded 2 all within a calendar year (while many other teams within the first party fold continue to stumble around) was worthy of all the praise. Well, Obsidian has some thoughts on that marketing tagline. Indeed of it being a rallying cry, Obsidian's own Josh Sawyer defined as a "sign that something went wrong." Both Avowed and Outer Worlds 2 were in development for over six years and the result is that both these games failed to meet financial expectations. What lessons can they learn after shipping so many games? What can they do to cut development costs? What games should they make to meet Xbox's new profit margins? Part of the solution to the team at Obsidian is Avowed 2, but it's anyone's guess what lies beyond that. Thanks to a transparent conversation with Obsidian, the Dukes now dig into the company with this new perspective. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/duke Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:06:36 - Reading Recs0:14:58 - Ashes Of Creation is the latest scam in gaming0:28:31 - The suspicious Dispatch censorship situation0:36:02 - Is Nioh finally coming to Xbox?0:45:17 - Tekken Season 3 revealed0:51:03 - Forza Horizon 6 supports cross save0:54:24 - Highguard moves up to Mixed on Steam as it gets 5v5 mode0:57:26 - Ex Bethesda dev talks Morrowind Remaster1:14:06 - The Amazon Fallout countdown ends1:21:29 - Epic Games plans to take on Steam1:26:59 - AI surveys conducted at GDC1:34:33 - Ubisoft says volunteer to get fired or get fired1:39:39 - The Division: Definitive Edition isn’t what we expected1:42:10 - Beyond Good & Evil 2 officially has a pulse1:43:58 - RIP Comcept1:48:04 - Cairn passes 200K copies sold1:50:49 - Nintendo sales update1:56:53 - What We’re Playing2:22:05 - The Year Of Obsidian isn’t quite what we made it out to be2:55:22 - AMD hints at next gen launch plans3:04:39 - Xbox is the least desired console to develop for Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 24 mins
  • #265 | These Xbox Stats Are BRUTAL...

    #265 | These Xbox Stats Are BRUTAL...
    Feb 1 2026
    Well, we've seen our fair share of Xbox earnings reports. As expected, there's a lot of negative discourse around it, but this time there are some more troubling facts resting within these underlying numbers. As we've seen Xbox's hardware has been down for almost two years now. That continues in this quarter, so it is not much of a shocker by this point. That is if you only consider the console and not the recently released Xbox Ally. When it comes to gaming revenue as well as content and services, they're down. This is significant because this is all based on the holiday window where we usually see spending go up. In a window where they had the likes of Call Of Duty, which became the number one selling game of the month in December, they still ended up with losses. The likes of Outer Worlds 2, Keeper, or Ninja Gaiden 4 couldn't do enough, nor should they be fully expected to make up that sort of difference. The sum of it all is despite this being one of Xbox's busier holidays, they couldn't escape a loss and that comes shortly after a Game Pass price hike. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:05:04 - Snowy Dukes0:11:48 - Our workflow0:19:03 - A second Xbox Developer Direct in 2026?0:26:37 - Forza Horizon 6’s pricey premium upgrade0:31:33 - State Of Decay 3 has a pulse0:39:00 - The Coalition opens up on Gears Of War: E-Day0:45:14 - Achievement overhaul inbound?0:50:53 - Xbox Q2 earnings are in1:04:48 - PS6 after 2028?1:18:45 - State Of Play and Nintendo Direct in February?1:22:57 - Beyond Good & Evil 2 has survived the Ubisoft purge1:30:26 - Indie publishers should be avoided1:42:37 - Emberville gets a release window1:45:16 - BioWare is quietly hiring for Mass Effect1:46:34 - Dragon Ball Age 1000 Announced1:56:13 - Resident Evil Requiem will not be open world2:01:17 - Code Veronica Remake is targeting H1 20272:03:31 - What We’re Playing2:50:50 - Xbox realizes the most obvious thing ever3:05:22 - Brian Fargo opens up on Clockwork Revolution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 36 mins
  • #264 | Our Thoughts On Xbox's Developer_Direct 2026... - Did It Deliver?!

    #264 | Our Thoughts On Xbox's Developer_Direct 2026... - Did It Deliver?!
    Jan 25 2026
    Everything from Forza Horizon 6 and Kiln to Beast Of Reincarnation and Fable was shown off here! While the other games made their own noise, the Dukes (including Gene Park) were most captured by Fable. Judging by the noise online, so were many, many other people. For the first time in a long time, it feels like Xbox has a broadly appealing hit on their hands. Playground Games showed off everything from combat and choices to the economic and social simulation elements that always made Fable such a joy to play. With this comes the new introduction of "Living Population" where 1,000 NPCs all have their own hobbies, schedules, voice actors, and conversations. This is all designed to bring to life the replacement for Fable's famous morality system in the form of a reputation system that is similar to what is seen in Fable 3. Are there any snags for the Dukes with these changes? What has us most hyped? It's time to dive into what is now one of the most anticipated games of 2026. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:12:57 - Forza Horizon 60:20:04 - Beast Of Reincarnation0:29:07 - Kiln0:39:05 - Fable1:30:56 - Ubisoft undergoes massive shakeup1:43:10 - Fallout TV show thoughts so far2:22:05 - What We're Playing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 57 mins