Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast Last Stand Media

The Xbox Games Showcase 2024 is soon upon us meaning it's time to unite with Xbox Two for our annual predictions show! Joining us is Rand Al Thor 19 to dissect what feels like another "must win" situation for Xbox. As per usual, we run down the multitude of first party studios, now including Activision, and debate heavily what will make the cut. Will they renew their vows with hardware? Can Xbox manage to massage concerns surrounding some of their lingering games like Perfect Dark and State Of Decay 3? What surprises can they bring to the table?
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The next major release in Xbox's first party family has arrived! Senua's Saga: Hellblade II has seen an increased amount of pressure placed upon it as concern for the platform holder as ramped up. Stripping ourselves from the heightened emotionality of that situation, how does over five years of development, a team size four times bigger than the original, and a big Microsoft check benefit the newest entry in the Hellblade series? The Dukes are joined by Gene Park where all three were able to play through the game a week ahead of its launch and let their thoughts marinate. Sitting at an 82 on OpenCritic, Hellblade 2 is off to a solid start, but where do the Dukes sit? Well, it's time to dig deep and find out!

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

Timestamps: 
0:00:00 - Intro
0:06:00 - Ninja Theory's next game greenlit
0:15:57 - Xbox games to PS5
0:20:38 - Xbox 360 JRPGs
0:26:39 - Lies of P DLC confirmed for second half of 2024
0:30:34 - GTA 6 launches Fall 2025
0:35:53 - Star Wars Total War game coming from Creative Assembly
0:39:47 - Assassin’s Creed Shadows revealed
0:56:09 - Valve’s Deadlock leaked
1:00:15 - Larian opens up new studio
1:03:39 - Kingdom Hearts comes to Steam on June 13th
1:11:55 - IGN acquires a ton of gaming news outlets
1:20:19 - What We’re Playing
3:11:03 - Activision opens studio called Elsewhere
3:20:16 - Call Of Duty to Game Pass is all but confirmed
3:33:36 - Final updates for Redfall and Hi Fi Rush
3:37:53 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week

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The dust has settled since Xbox closed four different Bethesda studios. Many expected the team to go into hiding as there is no good answer for this outcome, but they did the opposite. Xbox President Sarah Bond showed up to a Bloomberg interview and gave a mind boggling non-answer that has sent this already wounded fanbase into another outrage. Naturally, the Dukes dive into this as well as your many questions about how the optics have shifted for the Xbox business moving forward. We also dive deep into the dramatic changes that Square Enix has undergone wher they have now moved into a multi-platform approach. What Square Enix games are headed to Xbox and when? The Dukes dig into to find out. Plus more on Perfect Dark and State Of Decay 3's status, Assassin's Creed Shadows, SEGA's plans for Persona, and so much more!

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

Timestamps: 
0:00:00 - Intro
0:14:59 - Jeff Grubb's report on Perfect Dark, Gears 6, and Dragon Age
0:25:00 - Square Enix reveals multiplatform strategy
0:44:40 - Hi Fi Rush update from Limited Run Games
0:45:01 - Jez Corden has heard that State Of Decay 3 is looking very good
0:47:10 - SEGA is annualizing Persona, Yakuza, and Sonic
0:54:13 - Assassins Creed Shadows revealed
1:00:01 - Activision appears to be working on a new IP
1:01:44 - EA is considering putting ads in games
1:06:44 - ROG Ally X announced
1:12:41 - Suicide Squad was more costly than we thought
1:14:38 - Jake Solomon (XCOM, Midnight Suns) opens new studio
1:20:00 - Xbox is adding the ability to pre download updates
1:23:16 - Fallout 4's update gets a patch
1:25:34 - What We’re Playing
1:38:12 - Hellblade 2 gutcheck
2:01:46 - Cog on Xbox Leadership
2:18:34 - Selective outrage with studio closures
2:30:50 - The Dukes thoughts on the importance of "Xbox engagement"
2:46:12 - Sarah Bond’s interview with Bloomberg
3:23:18 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass…
3:26:24 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week
03:30:40 - Wrap up
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A nightmare year for Xbox continues. The latest chapter in this story is Xbox's shuttering of four Bethesda studios in Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, Roundhouse Studios, and Alpha Dog Games. The message is clear that the experimenting days of Xbox are done as the strategy deployed by its leaders continues to fail. The focus is Call Of Duty, Fallout, DOOM, and other high profile titles while the future of surrounding creative studios like Obsidian, Compulsion, Ninja Theory, and others have uncertainty beginning to cloud them. It serves as yet another powder keg moment for the brand where fan patience has run out. Is it time for the Phil Spencer era to end? How is Hi Fi Rush considered a hit yet its studio is shutdown? Why is the leash so short for teams like Arkane Austin while 343 and The Initiative can afford to waste precious resources? Is it even possible for Xbox to restore the faith at this point? You have many questions, so do we, and one thing is for sure: Xbox is still finding out the answers to all of them.

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

Timestamps: 
0:00:00 - Intro
0:03:47 - What We’re Playing
0:32:09 - Xbox shuts down four Bethesda Studios
2:40:49 - Game Pass Pick of the Week
2:43:03 - Looking ahead to the Xbox Showcase
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Following the Fallout TV show's massive success, the clamoring for a new game has never been louder. This isn't Bethesda's first rodeo with such demands. However, with a new owner and the most eyes ever on the product, Todd Howard has finally said that they are investigating ways to deliver more Fallout games. What would a roadmap for Fallout look like in the near, mid, and long term? The Dukes aim to break down what looks to be a busy few years for Bethesda. That's because it's not just Fallout, but Starfield that is also gaining traction! Almost eight months after its launch and things were admittedly starting to look bleak after few content additions have been made. With the May update, it finally is gaining momentum with peeks at land vehicles, Shattered Space, and more! Plus more on Xbox's summer showcase being announced, what the mysterious Developer Direct game will be, Xbox's plummeting hardware sales, and so much more in a jam packed week!

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

Timestamps: 
0:00:00 - Intro
0:10:49 - Starfield's Insane May Update
0:32:56 - Fallout is collaborating with Call Of Duty
0:35:38 - Xbox's Hardware Plummets
0:46:41 - Id@Xbox x IGN showcase recap
1:03:00 - Watch Dogs is dead and buried
1:07:33 - Updates on Remedy
1:12:49 - Square Enix undergoes major business shifts
1:20:04 - Tekken Season 1 update
1:26:33 - Hasbro’s leap into AAA
1:35:18 - What We’re Playing
2:07:37 - Xbox Games Showcase
2:41:09 - Todd Howard interview
3:00:24 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass
3:02:03 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week
3:04:58 - Dealing with game criticism
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ATLUS has shown out once again in what has been a phenomenal roll for the company. With a 20+ minute showcase under our belts, Metaphor: ReFantazio is looking absolutely fantastic. More importantly, it's not just fantasy Persona, but aims to be much more and potentially far more complicated. The Dukes dissect this incredible looking JRPG, mull over what it means for Persona 6, as well as overstate the importance of Xbox having the marketing for this will be. Naturally, we continue to talk about Fallout as we see the franchise continue to hit unbelievable metrics. Perhaps more shocking is that Fallout 76 has seen a tremendous bounceback unto itself with positivity beginning to surround the game for the first time since its Steam launch in 2020. Plus more on Starfield updates, game preservation, Kena: Bridge Of Spirits coming to Xbox, and much more!

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

Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Intro
0:14:01 - Fallout Season 2
0:19:18 - Fallout games are thriving
0:39:27 - Game publishers won’t support libraries for preserving online games
0:49:24 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 announced for 2024
0:56:16 - An update for World of Warcraft on consoles
0:58:31 - Sonic Frontiers 2 leaked from Midori
1:07:15 - IGN x iD @ Xbox Showcase
1:12:04 - Kena: Bridge Of Spirits rated for Xbox
1:13:36 - Meta is making a limited edition Xbox inspired quest headset
1:22:05 - Embracer Group is splitting into three companies
1:27:23 - Jedi Survivor is available on Game Pass
1:30:02 - What We’re Playing
2:02:48 - Metaphor Re: Fantazio showcase
2:34:24 - Todd Howard says “really good updates for Starfield are on the way”
2:48:31 - Coming soon to Game Pass Core
2:49:20 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week
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