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Last Stand Media & Studio71

Defining Duke is a weekly podcast dedicated to all things Xbox co-hosted by beloved YouTuber MrMattyPlays and Lord Cognito. Whether you're a fan and player of Xbox Series X|S, still hanging around on Xbox One, or have fond memories of Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, our show is for you. We go over the news, talk about the games we're playing, scour rumors and speculation, and much more. We publish each and every Sunday, and you can get the show three days early and ad-free by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/laststandmedia
We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4 
For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com 
Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/us/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy

Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast

A lot can happen in a week's time! Now that the dust is settling and we have a rare quiet moment for Xbox, it's time to fully unpack the immediate results of Xbox's Reset. We've learned that multiple Zenimax owned studios have returned to their smaller sized around the mid 2010s. When you look across the industry at the various indie and AA success stories, one has to wonder if AAA is no longer just borrowing creative ideas from these parts and, instead, emulating their business structure. Is there a lesson to be learned in Expedition 33 reaching 8+ million copies sold with a team of around 30 people and their strategic form of outsourcing? What of the 10+ person team at Mega Crit that works on the indie hit Slay The Spire 2? Does the industry truly need its titanic teams across the board or should there be exceptions to that rule in cases such as Rockstar? The reality is that we won't know for years how any of this pans out, but it's a good thought exercise nonetheless!

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro10:51 - Health Is Wealth25:04 - The Future of Elder Scrolls33:49 - Leadership Issues at Halo Studios Again1:02:46 - The Black Ops 1 and 2 PS5 Ports1:08:59 - Microsoft Deletes a 25 Year Old Account1:29:51 - The Slow Adoption Rate of PS5 and Series Consoles1:39:37 - Obsidian Responds to Claims That They're a Different Team Nowadays1:54:33 - Ryse: Son of Rome Was Supposed to Be Xbox's Assassin's Creed2:00:52 - Glen Schofield Officially Retires from Making Games2:10:17 - People Are Truly Backlog Gaming Like Crazy2:13:41 - What We're Playing2:34:44 - The Fallout of the "Xbox Reset"3:25:04 - Wrap Up
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#289 | The Fallout From The 'Xbox Reset'

What has Brad done this time?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro12:27 - Health Is Wealth27:44 – Xbox leaning into exclusivity43:19 – TES 6 is 2–3 years away52:27 – Obsidian is making a Fallout game1:33:58 – Spyro devs are interested in Banjo1:38:47 – Project Fantasy funding pull leads to studio shutdown1:46:11 – What We’re Playing2:01:14 – The Grand Xbox Reset is here3:27:31 – Wrap Up
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#288 | The Grand 'Xbox Reset' Is HERE... (it's a LOT)

The bottom continues to fall out from the games industry. Approximately five impending studio closures was simply not enough. Here comes PlayStation who is shutting down their entire physical game operation. It's never been more clear than right now that many of us who have been gaming since the 90s are now truly considered "the old guard" as we continue to face off against staggering changes at a breakneck speed.

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro3:31 - Checking in with the Dukes22:50 - Xbox announces more console price increases48:38 - Is Xbox pulling third party deals from Game Pass?55:26 - PlayStation goes all digital1:18:37 - The Bungie cuts are official1:34:27 - Will GTA 6 be 60 FPS?1:38:57 - Oblivion Remastered gets Switch 2 port details1:41:07 - What We’re Playing2:06:09 - Xbox is eyeing Undead Labs for closure2:29:24 - Xbox debates canceling Blade and shutting down Arkane2:58:52 - Xbox pulls funding from Project Fantasy3:12:12 - Wrap up
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#287 | We're Tired, Boss...

The RAM-pocalypse has arrived and Valve has set the tone on hardware pricing! Jimmy Champane of Deck Ready and The Insipid Ghost of The Expansion Pass break down all the Steam Machine news! How does this affect Project Helix launch and pricing? Massive news week for the Dukes and we sift through it all. GTA 6 colossal news impact, Phil Spencer believing in Kojima/OD, Xbox going full Hollywood and so much more!

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro2:38 - Warm Up Questions5:12 - GTA 6 Price revealed, details & performance32:23 - Todd Howard likes Blade. XBOX rake inbound?43:55 - XBOX triples down on HOLLYWOOD58:28 - Halo’s Project Ekur latest rumors1:11:21 - Kojima says Phil & Asha understood OD1:21:58 - Marathon’s new PvE mode1:38:59 - Sonic and Shinobi failed to meet expectations1:47:21 - Obsidian sued in class action lawsuit1:51:13 - EA holds third round of layoffs this year1:56:24 - Looking ahead at game releases - July 20262:04:22 - What We're Playing2:15:07 - STEAM MACHINE sticker shock & Project Helix effect
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#286 | Steam Machine Prices and XBOX Helix effect...

Brad's curse continues on.

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Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00 - Intro3:30 - An update on the Green Reaper8:10 - Colin scolds The Dukes13:09 - A brief reprieve from Xbox depression24:30 - What We’re Playing1:02:00 - Xbox Studio Shutdowns3:01:15 - Wrap Up
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#285 | It's Happening AGAIN... - More Xbox Studio Shutdowns Soon

Today, we tested the Brad curse. It worked.

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro02:55 - Our favorite games from this week15:41 - Is the GTA 6 threat overexaggerated?24:33 - The great PlayStation vs Xbox Originality debate43:24 - Asha Sharma vs Phil Spencer50:33 - The Brad Curse becomes real1:18:05 - Xbox confirms “reliable pipeline of exclusives”1:48:42 - The Gears Of War PS5 Fiasco1:58:37 - Xbox lost millions of Game Pass subs after price hike2:05:47 - Fable gets 30 minutes of new gameplay2:24:45 - Halo: Campaign Evolved gets 28 minutes of new gameplay2:42:01 - Gears Of E-Day is the longest campaign yet2:44:40 - Premium editions for Halo, Gears, and Fable2:54:21 - Project Mara is officially canceled2:59:05 - Blade is still alive3:01:28 - What We’re Playing3:28:44 - Is Xbox trying to cut hardware prices?3:44:03 - Wrap Up
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#284 | The Fallout From Xbox's 2026 Showcase...

Xbox's 2026 summer showcase has come and gone! As per usual, it was a relatively strong showing featuring big reveals and welcome surprises, yet it still managed to put up a few big head scratchers. Fortunately, the good outweighed the bad. For starters, the hardcore Xbox community has deeply yearned for the return to exclusivity. After months of lip service, Xbox is taking action by making Gears Of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution console exclusive. Obviously, that leaves us with many questions! Why these two games? What data do they hope to collect from them? Is Xbox appeasing their hardcore community for enough time to help rebuild the base before transitioning to a fully PC ecosystem? Beyond the strategy updates, we have plenty of good games! Halo, State Of Decay, A Plague Tale: Resonance, Persona 6, a new Spryo, Vivarium, and a chockful of other delightful looking games all made their presence felt. Unfortunately, Xbox has decided for what is technically a third year in a row to round out a showcase on a Call Of Duty game. Combined with a predictably lacking performance by Bethesda and the otherwise strong showcase experiences some serious lows. Last, but not least, we got an extended showing for Gears Of War: E-Day. Did Coalition's return to the essence of this franchise go off without a hitch? We discuss!

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Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:06:45 - General Impressions0:19:04 - Commitment to Console Exclusivity0:38:30 -Fable0:48:31 - Halo Campaign Evolved0:53:12 - A Plague Tale: Resonance0:57:10 - Persona 4 Revival1:06:31 - State of Decay 31:12:15 - Sea of Thieves Season 201:15:22 - Metro 20391:20:36 - Bad Magpie1:22:31 - Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember1:25:08 - Join Us1:26:30 - Senua1:34:00 - Fallout 76: Infestations1:44:44 - DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations1:48:23 - Crazy Taxi World Tour1:54:04 - 25th Anniversary Hardware1:57:54 - Age of Empires IV Expansion1:58:56 - Minecraft Dungeons 22:00:38 - Magicians: The Devil's Deal2:02:07 - Valor Mortis2:04:26 - ESO – Season One Teaser2:07:49 - Flight Simulator World Update 222:09:12 - Where Winds Meet2:09:49 - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse2:11:59 - Vivarium2:18:34 - Persona 62:29:08 - Spyro: A Realm Beyond2:32:14 - Clockwork Revolution2:42:10 - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 42:54:30 - Gears of War: E-Day3:14:22 - Wrap Up
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#283 | Exclusivity Is BACK - Our Reaction To Xbox's 2026 Showcase...

It's officially showcase season! As tradition dictates, Rand Al Thor 19 of Xbox Two joins the Dukes for a smorgasbord of predictions! This year, we approach things a touch differently. Yes, we get into every (!) first party studio under the Xbox folder as per usual. However, 2026 marks the first Asha Sharma led summer showcase. With many business decisions up in the air ranging from exclusivity to hardware, this feels like a great time for Xbox's new lead to truly put her mark on the brand. With the "This is an Xbox" slogan out the window, will Xbox dare to don the logos of other platforms on their own stage? What of Project Helix? Much of Asha's rallying cry has been around "Return to XBOX." So, is it too early to show what Helix is truly made of during the 25th anniversary year of the brand? Will the shortage on consumer electronics plague what could be a massive announcement for the brand? Indeed, this showcase is a central point for a lot of business decisions that Asha could make in front of a crowd. Given this is her first showcase, the trio discusses what her "Hail Mary" moment can be. Is it time for a new Elder Scrolls VI trailer? Hi Fi Rush 2? Persona 6 or Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3? A sequel to Fallout: New Vegas? There are many avenues for Xbox's new lead to take! Join us as we debate the appearance of over 30 first party studios, dig into third party partnerships, and stew over what could be a monumental showcase for the brand!

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:11:18 - Exclusivity0:43:01 - Hardware1:06:13 - Activision1:17:28 - Arkane1:25:33 - Bethesda Game Studios1:35:38 - Coalition1:41:07 - Compulsion1:42:44 - Double Fine1:45:13 - Halo Studios1:59:38 - iD Software2:03:45 - InXile2:18:42 - MachineGames2:27:09 - Mojang2:29:05 - Ninja Theory2:32:13 - Obsidian Entertainment2:38:00 - Playground2:48:14 - Rare2:53:22 - Turn 102:54:11 - Undead Labs2:59:27 - World's Edge3:02:08 - Xbox Game Studios Publishing
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#282 | Our Xbox Games Showcase 2026 Predictions...

The Belgium Beauty joins once more as the Dukes combine to tackle our favorite topic: EXCLUSIVITY! Yes, PlayStation appears dead set on reverting to the ways of old as news has come in via Bloomberg. Moving forward, all PlayStation single player games will be exclusive to the console. With the launch of Xbox Player Voice, fans are louder than ever about exclusivity on the other side and as we approach the June showcase season, the topic has reached a fever pitch. Through a combination of our brains and your write ins, we leave no stone unturned. Is this good for gaming? Are Xbox and PlayStation doing all this to remove any semblance of power from Steam? Can Xbox ever untether themselves from Steam? We dig through it all and much more!

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Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:03:34 - Health Is Wealth0:50:02 - Comment boys0:55:58 - Quick summer showcase wishlist1:03:08 - Tough decisions in September1:18:30 - Xbox is now XBOX1:24:43 - Forza Horizon 6 surpasses 1 million players in early access1:27:42 - Warhorse is making a Lord Of The Rings RPG1:49:40 - The Colin Moriarty PlayStation Hack2:10:30 - PlayStation is returning to exclusivity2:54:39 - We almost got Star Wars: The New Republic3:14:58 - What We’re Playing
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#281 | The Great Xbox-PlayStation Exclusivity Debate

What's this?! The esteemed 'Belgium Beauty' as part of the Dukes in 2026?! Indeed, it's Lock and Matty here to sprinkle some extra fun in the world of Xbox where the news never stops moving! This week, we have two types of leaks: A fun release window... and an actual game ahead of its launch. Starting with the fun stuff, Gears Of War: E-Day is looking to take a slot in what will, no doubt, be an extremely busy September. How it leaked is the fun part! In the not so fun stuff, Xbox themselves leaked Forza Horizon 6 via Steam. Fortunately, it is very close to the game's launch, but there is more to this story. How did this go down and should there be any panic? 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 - Intro0:03:42 - Health Is Wealth0:08:37 - The Xbox-Discord partnership is official0:21:22 - Forza Horizon 6 leaks online ahead of launch0:28:22 - Ken Levine on why Judas took a decade to make0:47:07 - eBay rejects Gamestop’s offer0:55:40 - Lies Of P sequel in full production1:10:19 - PlayStation first party is diving into the world of AI tools1:31:10 - SEGA cancels Super Game1:38:02 - The Bungie acquisition gets uglier1:48:57 - 007 First Light claps back at FPS jokes2:00:38 - Switch 2 price hike is here2:06:12 - Game sales update2:09:47 - What We’re Playing2:57:03 - Gears Of War E-Day appears set for September3:06:45 - Wrap up
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#288 | The Grand 'Xbox Reset' Is HERE... (it's a LOT)

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