Unlocked

New Xbox CEO Kills Copilot AI – Unlocked 740

Thu, 07 May 2026 23:35:00 -0000

It's another busy week of Xbox news as new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma continues to make moves, shaking up the Xbox leadership team and killing Xbox's Copilot AI program in the process. Plus: we geek out over Yakuza developer RGG Studio's new showcase – presented by Microsoft – for its new game Stranger Than Heaven. Plus: Mixtape is a 10 out of 10 and on Game Pass right now, the rest of what's hitting Game Pass over the next week, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Stranger Than Heaven Showcase

00:16:17 - Mixtape Review Discussion

00:18:44 - New On Game Pass (Outbound, Wuchang, Mixtape & More) 00:23:08 - Xbox's Copilot AI program is Dead

00:38:36 - Xbox Game Dev Update & Outro

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New Xbox Logo and Attitude: Is Xbox Back to Being Green and Mean? – Unlocked 739

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0000

After Michael tells us about the fun time he had at this year's Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival, we spend the rest of the episode discussing Xbox's logo refresh and its new "We Are Xbox" mission statement. There's a LOT to get into here, from affordability to exclusivity to mergers and acquisitions and a whole lot more. Enjoy!

#xbox #gaming #unlocked

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Xbox Game Pass Gets a Price…Decrease! – Unlocked 738

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0000

Microsoft has walked back its wild 50% Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price increase from six months ago...mostly. We discuss the bold change and what it means moving forward. Plus: our favorite games from this week's ID@Xbox Showcase, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Game Pass Price Decrease 00:18:19 - PC Game Pass & The Future of Game Pass Exclusives 00:42:53 - ID@Xbox 2026 ( Tears of Metal & Crashout Crew) 00:46:56 - RV There Yet? & Escape Academy 2 00:49:49 - Vampire Crawlers & Echo Generations 2 00:52:15 - Deep Dish Dungeon & inKONBINI 00:57:12 - Beastro & LOFSONG & Outro

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Replaced Director Shares Insights, Origins, and What's Next After Xbox Debut – Unlocked 737

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0000

Replaced game director Yura Zhdanovich joins us to discuss his just-released Xbox exclusive. He shares insights into the project's origin, getting offered an exclusivity deal from Microsoft, what's next for Sad Cat Studios, and much more! Plus: Pragmata impressions amidst a huge week of awesome new game releases!

00:00:00 - Intro & Replaced Director Interview

00:57:13 - Pragmata Review Discussion

#xbox #replaced #pragmata #gaming

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State of Decay 3 Is Back from the (Un)Dead – Unlocked 736

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0000

After we brought it up on last week's podcast, State of Decay 3 has awoken from its slumber and announced an upcoming community playtest! We talk all about what we want from the upcoming zombie survival/RPG. Plus: our hands-on impressions of the preview version of Forza Horizon 6, Xbox Achievements are getting some welcome improvements, Game Pass has a ton to offer in April, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Forza Horizon 6 Talk

00:14:24 - Kiln Beta this weekend

00:16:02 - Starfield DLC + Free Lanes Update is out

00:20:58 - State of Decay 3 is alive

00:40:10 - Xbox Achievements are getting a nice update!

00:50:08 - April Game Pass, Wave 1

00:57:40 - Brian Raffel retires & Outro

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What Xbox’s Showcase Announcement Tells Us About its 2026 Lineup – Unlocked 735

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0000

After talking about our favorite games from PAX East, we discuss Microsoft's Xbox Showcase announcement – which included news that Gears of War: E-Day will get the coveted "Direct" slot immediately following the event. We dig deep into what that means for the Gears prequel, why Fable might end up being the game that gets bumped to 2027 out of Xbox's stacked 2026 lineup, which studios we might and might not hear from at the Xbox Showcase, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro & What We Played At PAX (Kiln and 4 Penny Coffins

00:02:34 - Rain98

00:05:30 - Lunarium & Cat Secretary

00:10:07 - Xbox Games Showcase & Gears of War: E-Day

00:22:34 - Too Many Xbox Games?

00:24:19 - Will Fable be at the showcase?

00:36:44 - Double Fine: Kiln

00:38:51 - Halo Studios: Campaign Evolved

00:39:31 - inXile: Clockwork Revolution

00:42:27 - Mojang & Ninja Theory

00:46:49 - Playground Games & Rare

00:52:30 - Undead Labs & State of Decay 3

00:58:45 - Arkane, Marvel's Blade, & Blizzard

01:04:09 - This is An Xbox & Outro

#gaming #xbox #gearsofwar

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Xbox Showcase Goes Crazy and We Find Hidden Gems Live at PAX East 2026 – Unlocked 734

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:51:00 -0000

In episode 734 of Podcast Unlocked, the crew takes the stage to react to the incredibly packed Xbox Partner Showcase. We discuss the biggest reveals, including the new STALKER 2: Cost of Hope DLC, Hades 2 dropping next month, Wuthering Waves finally coming to Xbox, the Yakuza-inspired Stranger than Heaven, and the surprise drop of Super Meat Boy 3D!

Plus, we share our favorite hidden indie gems that we went hands-on with on the PAX East show floor, and wrap things up with a live audience AMA discussing what we all want to see from the next-generation Xbox console.

Terms & Conditions:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 US & DC, 18+ yrs of age. Ends 4/26/26. Void where prohibited. See Official Rules at https://www.ign.com/rewards/enter-to-win-a-rog-xbox-ally-handheld-gaming-device for full details.

https://www.Trolli.com/xbox

#Xbox #PAXEast2026 #XboxShowcase

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Our Favorite New Games You Might Not Have Heard of Yet – Unlocked 733

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:30:00 -0000

We all played cool games at the Game Developers' Conference last week, and we'd like to tell you about them! Plus: Michael gushes about all the fun he's been having with Marathon before talking to us about his trip to Bethesda to see Starfield's new expansion and interview Todd Howard, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight gets a new release date, April and May are unbelievably jam-packed full of games we're excited about, and more!

#xbox #gaming #gdc2026

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:49 - Delphinium

00:06:36 - Dosa Divas

00:10:34 - Nomori

00:15:17 - Mongil: Star Dive

00:18:16 - At Fate's End

00:31:25 - Marathon Update with Michael

00:39:35 - Starfield updates from Michael

00:44:14 - Project Helix thoughts from Miranda and Michael

00:59:23 - Lego Batman's release date changed again?

01:01:02 - April and May Games (Samson: A Tyndalston Story, Replaced, Mouse PI for Hire, Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred)

01:03:13 - Kiln, Mixtape, Saros, 007: First Light, Paralives, Crimson Desert, Yoshi and The Mysterious Book

01:06:32 - Where to Find Us & Outro

This episode of Unlocked is hosted by Ryan McCaffrey and produced by Tayo Oyekan. Technical production is by Marhyan Franzen and Amir Rakib. Technical direction and editing are handled by Nick Maillet. Graphic design is by Justin Vachon. Unlocked is an IGN production and part of the Geek Media network.

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Project Helix Reactions: Name Ideas, Messaging Musts, and More – Unlocked 732

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0000

Microsoft has confirmed the rumor that its next-gen console will play PC games. The machine is codenamed Project Helix, and we discuss potential names for the device, how Microsoft must get its messaging right, the advantages it might have over the competition, and much more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Welcome Nugg and MC Fixer 00:04:24 - Project Helix Announcement Reactions & Potential Names

00:24:45 - Sony Returns to Console Exclusivity &

00:31:18 - Project Helix Potential Advantages over PlayStation

00:51:22- Microsoft's GDC 2026 Keynote

01:05:09 - Outro & Where to Find Us

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Resident Evil Requiem Tops a Big Games Week – Unlocked 731

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0000

We've spent time with several big new games that we had a blast with this week, and we'd like to tell you all about them: Resident Evil Requiem, Marathon, Mouse: P.I. for Hire, and Control Resonant. A huge year of gaming continues – join us as we share our impressions of these four! 00:00:00 - Resident Evil Requiem

00:32:26 - Marathon

01:02:18 - Mouse P.I. For hire

01:06:51 - Control Resonant

01:13:24 - Game Pass March, Cyberpunk 2077, & Outro

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Phil Spencer’s Retirement and the Future of Xbox – Unlocked 730

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:00:00 -0000

Longtime Xbox executive Greg Canessa, aka the Creator of Xbox Live Arcade, joins us to react to, analyze, and quite honestly just process this week's seismic news about Xbox boss Phil Spencer retiring, Xbox President Sarah Bond leaving, and the appointment of new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma. We discuss Phil's legacy, give our unsolicited advice to Asha for what we'd like to see in her era of Xbox, and more in this extra-long episode!

00:00:00 - Intro & Phil Spencer's Legacy

00:31:56 - Game Pass & Xbox's studio acquisitions

00:47:09 - Asha Sharma

01:13:35 - Sarah Bond Leaves 01:23:57 - Our Advice to Asha & Outro #xbox #ashasharma #philspencer #gaming

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Are Hard Drives the Next-Gen Xbox’s Latest Roadblock? – Unlocked 729

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:00:00 -0000

Just as we thought things might be lining up for a next-gen Xbox launch in 2027, a new story on hard drive availability has left us wondering if that option might be slipping away. Plus: we go over the new games coming to Xbox that were announced in last week's Sony State of Play, talk through the next wave of Xbox Game Pass additions, and more!

00:00 - Intro

01:06 - Ryan's Thoughts On Reanimal

05:16 - Are Hard Drives the Next-Gen Xbox’s Latest Roadblock?

19:05 - The Biggest Xbox Games From The Sony State of Play

47:27 - Whats Headed to Xbox Game Pass

54:58 - PokemonPlanet

This weeks show is hosted by Ryan McCaffrey, Miranda Sanchez, and Michael Higham. The episode is produced and edited by Nick Maillet

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Next-Gen Xbox in 2027…or Not Until 2028? – Unlocked 728

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:00:00 -0000

Remember last week's comments from AMD's CEO about being ready to support a next-gen Xbox launch in 2027? It turns out there's more to the story, so we're discussing what launch timing might make sense for Microsoft, and how we think a BS-free version of Windows 11 is a big key to the whole launch. Plus: can Baldur's Gate 3 make a good HBO TV show? We're going to find out either way, so we talked about what we want to see from the co-showrunner of The Last of US show who's in charge of this project.

00:00:00 - Intro & Replaced Demo 00:17:41 - Next-Gen Xbox 2027 Launch Reportedly 'Best Case Scenario 00:50:09 - Baldur's Gate 3 TV Show 01:06:54 - PlanetPokemon & Outro

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Resident Evil Requiem Looks Ready to Cook – Unlocked 727

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:00:00 -0000

Two big topics dominate our Xbox show this week: first, Resident Evil Requiem. Our own Michael Higham got to play a few hours of a near-final build, and he came back super excited about what will probably be the biggest game in the first quarter of 2026. And then we discussed AMD's CEO publicly stating that they'd be ready to support a next-gen Xbox launch in 2027, including whether or not we think the next Xbox will beat the PlayStation 6 to market, whether that even matters, and what Microsoft could do to try and get core gamers excited about what promises to be a very different type of console. 00:00:00 - Intro & Resident Evil Requiem 00:18:29 - Next-gen Xbox launch in 2027? 00:48:32 - No Plans For The Outher Worlds 3 01:03:04 - New to Game Pass & Outro

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Top 100 Xbox Games Ever: The Top 20 – Unlocked 726

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:00:00 -0000

In a marathon two-hour episode, our friends from Outside Xbox join us to discuss the Top 20 games in our collaborative Top 100 Xbox Games of All Time list. We share stories, memories, and more from each of these 20 incredible Xbox games that have stood the test of time, from Halo(s) to Mass Effect(s) to GTA 5 and plenty more! 00:00:00 - Intro 00:05:24 - Halo Reach, Mass Effect, Fez 00:21:59 - Gears of War 2, Read Dead Redemption, Ninja Gaiden Black, Fable 2 00:43:46 - Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, Oblivion, COD 4, KOTOR 01:10:19 - Halo, Forza Horizon 5, Inside, Bioshock 01:30:32 - Halo 2, Gears of War 3 01:47:35 - Top 3 & Outro

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Top 100 Xbox Games Debate: The Obscure Ones – Unlocked 725

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 17:00:00 -0000

Part one of our Top 100 Xbox Games of All Time conversation is here! We're talking about the games that mean a lot to us from 100-26 on our list. There will be games you remember, games that make you go, "Oh yeah, that one!", and maybe some games that are new to you. Come back next week for part two when we dig into the top games on the list! 00:00:00 - Intro & Fallout 3 00:12:20 - The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind 00:19:31 - Fusion Frenzy & 1 vs 100 00:28:17 - Rainbow Six: Vegas & Street Fighter IV 00:37:02 - Full Spectrum Warrior & Mirror's Edge 00:45:21 - Halo 4 & Lost Odyssey 00:56:15 - Rock Band 3 & Wolfenstein II 01:05:55 - Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Hitman (2016), & DOOM Eternal 01:13:32 - Favorite 7/10 Games & Outro

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Xbox Developer Direct Reactions – Unlocked 724

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:01:00 -0000

In this episode, we react to everything shown at Xbox’s latest Developer Direct, with deep dives into Fable, Forza Horizon 6, a surprise reveal from Double Fine Productions, and a brand-new project from Game Freak. Big reactions, big speculation, and a whole lot of excitement. 00:00:00 - Intro & Fable Deep-Dive

00:37:50 - GameFreak + Beasts of Reincarnation

00:47:25 - Doublefine + Kiln

00:53:56 - Forza Horizon 6 & Outro

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Xbox Developer Direct Predictions – Unlocked 723

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:00:00 -0000

Xbox's now-annual early-year showcase returns next week! We know Fable and Forza Horizon 6 will be there, but what else will show up? We've got predictions. Plus: Hellblade and Wolfenstein are reportedly getting new sequels, Forza Horizon 5 is still selling huge all these years later, The Witcher 3 might drop a new expansion many years after the last one, Anthem shuts down, renowned Xbox 360-era developer Twisted Pixel is closed, and more!

00:00:00 - Xbox Developer Direct Predictions

00:20:06 - Ninja Theory is working on Hellblade 3

00:28:49 - Wolfenstein 3 may be on the way

00:39:38 - Forza Horizon 5 sells 5 million copies on PS5

00:49:17 - Witcher 3 DLC

00:59:55 - Anthem is officially dead

01:05:03 - Meta has shut down Twisted Pixel & Outro

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Remembering 2 Xbox Greats – Unlocked 722

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:00:00 -0000

The Xbox world lost two wonderful people over the holidays: longtime Microsoft hardware team member Albert Penello and game industry legend Vince Zampella, whose credits include co-creating Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, and many more. Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg joins us to remember Albert, who was an absolute joy to everyone he met and who he knew extremely well both at and outside of work. And then we spend the rest of the episode talking about Vince and the great guy he was as well as the monumental impact he had on both the Xbox (Call of Duty 2, Titanfall) and the larger games industry. Thank you to Gamertag Radio's Parris Lilly for joining us this week as well.

00:00:00 - Did you guys play anything over the holiday break? 00:06:39 - Remembering Albert Penello 00:32:48 - Remembering Vince Zampella

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Ranking Every Xbox’s Day-One Launch Lineups – Unlocked 721

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0000

What to do during a quiet holiday week with no news? How about we argue amongst ourselves? Haha well sort of: we decided to rank the four Xbox console day-one launch lineups we've had so far, and let's just say we definitely did not all agree on how these rankings should go. Enjoy and happy holidays!

This weeks show is hosted by Ryan McCaffrey, Miranda Sanchez, Michael Higham, and is produced by Nick Maillet

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Xbox No-Showed at The Game Awards, but There’s Good News – Unlocked 720

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 22:07:00 -0000

We didn't get any reveals from Xbox at this year's Game Awards, but there's some very good news: we're going to see a lot more from them very soon. We talk all about what Xbox's 2026 Developer Direct might look like, and then discuss our favorite Game Awards reveals.

This weeks show is hosted by Ryan McCaffrey, Miranda Sanchez, Michael Higham, and is produced by Nick Maillet

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Does Xbox’s Next Gen Start in 2026? – Unlocked 719

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0000

Our Xbox crew kicks off by going over IGN's nominees for Best Xbox Game of 2025 before giving our individual picks, and then we get to the big topic this week: new comments by Xbox's VP of Next-Gen that seem to suggest we're getting SOMETHING next year. Whether that's just an announcement or an actual console as well remains to be seen, but we discuss it. Plus: the KOTOR remake isn't dead, the Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake is very much alive, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Xbox's GOTY 00:08:03 - Xbox's 2026 00:31:23 - KOTOR Remake 00:46:46 - Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Remake 00:53:51 - Outro

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Splinter Cell Might Not Be Dead After All – Unlocked 718

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0000

On this week's Xbox show, we've got good news on the long-dormant Splinter Cell Remake project that has us optimistic that a new Sam Fisher adventure might actually see the light of day. Plus: GTA 6 suffers a small but very weird leak, IO Interactive has a full plate that includes Hitman 4, CD Projekt Red has set a very ambitious schedule for its upcoming The Witcher trilogy, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro

00:13:30 - Splinter Cell Remake Update

00:29:50 - New GTA 6 Leaks

00:37:17 - Hitman 4 Update

00:53:05 - Witcher 4

01:03:43 - December GamePass Lineup

01:10:24 - Outro

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Major Nelson Shares His Xbox 360 Memories – Unlocked 717

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 14:00:00 -0000

Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, the longtime public face of Xbox at Microsoft, joins us for a special Xbox 360 episode as the most successful Xbox console ever celebrates its 20th anniversary. Larry shares a ton of great stories and even shows off a bunch of rare souvenirs from that era. You're not going to want to miss this episode!

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The Winners from Xbox’s Partner Showcase (Fall 2025) – Unlocked 716

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:15:00 -0000

The Winners from Xbox’s Partner Showcase (Fall 2025) – Unlocked 716We recorded this week's episode live immediately following Xbox's Fall 2025 Partner Preview showcase, where we got updated looks at known quantities like Reanimal, Tides of Annihilation, and 007: First Light. But we also got a number of reveals from intriguing new games like Erosion, Echo Generation 2, Vampire Crawlers, and more. Enjoy our reactions!

00:03:17 - Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard

00:06:28 - Tides of Annihilation

00:09:37 - Erosion

00:14:02 - Echo Generation 2

00:18:55 - Armatus

00:24:23 - The Mound: Omen of Chthulu

00:27:01 - Dave the Diver - Official Xbox Launch

00:28:54 - Crowsworn

00:31:49 - 007 First Light & Roadside Research

00:40:37 - Total Chaos

00:44:24 - Reanimal, Cloverpit, Raji: Kaliyuga, & Outro

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GTA 6’s Delay Hits Xbox Extra Hard – Unlocked 715

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:00:00 -0000

In a jam-packed episode of our Xbox show, we discuss Grand Theft Auto 6's delay and how it hits Xbox harder than any other publisher. Plus: Valve's new Steam Machine will seemingly be competing directly with Xbox's next-gen console/PC hybrid efforts, Halo Infinite's support is in fact finite, why we think Mass Effect 5 is BioWare's last chance as a studio, our confidence level in The Elder Scrolls 6 despite it being many years away, and more!

This weeks show is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, Miranda Sanchez, and is produced by Nick Maillet

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The Outer Worlds 2’s Game Director Joins the Podcast! – Unlocked 714

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:00:00 -0000

Our special guest this week is Obsidian's Brandon Adler, the Game Director on The Outer Worlds 2. He tells us about how the team's new RPG has been received so far, what kind of stuff hit the cutting room floor, what got prototyped but never made it into the game, how other games influence them, getting advice from the RPG legends in the building, and more!

This weeks show is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, and is produced by Nick Maillet

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From Playing Mortal Kombat to Preserving It – Unlocked 713

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Old-school Xbox fans will get a little extra enjoyment out of this week's episode, which welcomes Ryan's old Official Xbox Magazine podcasting partner Dan Amrich, now a developer at Digital Eclipse, for a KOXM Radio reunion to discuss his team's comprehensive new release, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection. Dan goes into great detail about how much meticulous care and effort went into the Legacy Kollection in order to make it into a "playable museum exhibit."

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What We Think of Ninja Gaiden 4 and the Halo 1 Remake – Unlocked 712

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0000

We remember original Xbox Ninja Gaiden director Tomonobu Itagaki upon the unfortunate news of his passing before discussing the first new mainline Ninja Gaiden game in 13 years, NInja Gaiden 4. Plus: Ryan went on a field trip to Halo Studios and brought back hands-on impressions of Halo: Campaign Evolved, the just-announced remake of Halo: Combat Evolved done in Unreal Engine 5. Finally, Xbox President Sarah Bond gives us a cryptic but concerning update on Xbox's next-gen console plans, Miranda tells you why you need to play Ball x Pit on Xbox Game Pass, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Ball X Pit

00:10:18 - Ninja Gaiden 4 Review Discussion

00:42:11- Halo Coming to PS5

01:22:27 - Future of Xbox Consoles & Outro

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Keeper Devs Tim Schafer and Lee Petty Stop By! – Unlocked 711

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 15:00:00 -0000

Game design legend and Double Fine Productions Studio Head Tim Schafer returns to Unlocked along with Keeper Project Director Lee Petty to talk about their new living-lighthouse game, Keeper! It's out now and it's awesome. In our spoiler-free conversation, Lee and Tim tell us about the project's origins, using Unreal Engine 5, the importance of making games artists want to make, and more! And afterwards we talk about the fantastic new ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X handheld gaming PC now that it's available and we have benchmarks. Enjoy!

00:00:00 - Keeper Interview

00:50:59 - ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X

01:04:54 - Outro & Humble Bundle Choice

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How We’d Fix Xbox’s Game Pass Pricing Problem – Unlocked 710

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0000

More fallout from last week's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price hike as DLC discounts on Game Pass get eliminated in favor of Rewards points, as well as a possible cause of the 50% price increase. We discuss how we'd fix this pricing problem Microsoft's created. Plus: Microsoft squashes a rumor about its future hardware intentions, a free version of Xbox Cloud Gaming is reportedly on the way, and more!

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And Now Game Pass Prices Are Going Up Too – Unlocked 709

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0000

It's all about dollars and cents (sense?) on this week's episode of IGN's weekly Xbox show, as we're discussing Microsoft's massive price hike on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, along with the final tough-to-stomach price of the Xbox ROG Ally X, and EA's record-breaking $55 billion go-private deal.

00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:53 - Xbox ROG Ally X Price Revealed 00:12:58 - Game Pass Price Hike 00:54:08 - EA's record-breaking $55 billion go-private deal 01:17:58 - Outro

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Xbox Raises Console Prices…Again – Unlocked 708

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Our main topic is one we'd rather not have to discuss, but unfortunately, here we go again with Xbox console price hikes. We talk about our thoughts on the bigger picture of these higher-than-ever prices five years into this console generation. Plus: we've got fun stuff to talk about too, such as Forza Horizon 6's reveal and Japan setting, plus Hideo Kojima's creepy Xbox exclusive OD, which appears to be a spiritual successor to the infamous PT.

00:00:00 - Intro & Xbox ROG Ally X Price Watch 2025 00:05:06 - Xbox Price Hikes in the USA

00:25:10 - Ex-Blizzard President Mike Ybarra criticizes the Xbox price Hike 00:41 :40 - Forza Horizon 6 Revealed

01:02:05 - O.D. Trailer Reaction

01:10:12 - Outro

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GTA 6: How Big Will its Pop Culture Impact Be? – Unlocked 707

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0000

We begin IGN's Xbox show this week by discussing the alleged (but still unconfirmed as of recording) pricing of the Xbox ROG Ally X handheld gaming PC, including what the huge apparent gap in price between the base model and the top-end model means for each one. And then our main topic is around GTA 6: a new Rockstar job listing makes a big but fair claim, and we debate just how far and wide its pop-culture reach and impact will be when it finally drops.

00:00:00 - Intro 00:15:08 - LEGO Voyagers Review & Lost Skies

00:17:52 - BioShock Movie is 'Definitely' Based on the First Game

00:31:16 - GTA 6 'Will Be The Largest Game Launch in History

00:58:22 - IGN Fan Fest Returns!

01:01:21 - Outro

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Is Forza Horizon 6’s Reveal Imminent? – Unlocked 706

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0000

With rumors swirling and Microsoft confirming a Tokyo Game Show livestream, we discuss whether or not we might be about to get a reveal of Forza Horizon 6. Plus: Hollow Knight: Silksong and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle DLC impressions, former Xbox and industry execs weigh in on Xbox Game Pass, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Humble Bundle 00:03:42 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC 00:12:02 - Borderlands 4 out this week too! 00:14:18 - Hollow Knight: Silksong 00:16:10 - ROG Ally X 00:18:02 - Forza Horizon 6 & Xbox's TGS Livestream 00:42:02 - Xbox Game Pass is coming under fire 01:17:15 - Double Fine & Keeper + Outro

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Hollow Knight: Silksong First Impressions – Unlocked 705

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0000

The long-anticipated Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally out the day this episode publishes, and so we brought in Logan Plant from our Nintendo Voice chat to discuss his thoughts so far after he played it at a recent Xbox event and PAX West. Plus: our reactions to the first gameplay deep-dive of IO Interactive's 007: First Light, a discussion around the near-resurrection of The Initiative's and Crystal Dynamics's Perfect Dark, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Humble Bundle Choice 00:05:21 - Hollow Knight: Silksong Impressions 00:23:07 - 007: First Light Gameplay Impressions 00:31:09 - The near-resurrection of Perfect Dark 00:49:00 - Call of Duty Movie 01:01:57 - Gamepass Games & Outro

This episode of Unlocked is sponsored by 5-hour ENERGY.

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5 Rad Games We’re Playing Right Now – Unlocked 704

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0000

We're drowning in a sea of awesome games this week! Between the three of us, we've been playing a couple of big new releases (Gears of War Reloaded and Metal Gear Solid Delta) and a few hot upcoming games we want to tell you about (Replaced, The Outer Worlds 2, and LEGO Voyagers). Join us!

00:00 - Intro

02:02 - A Bioshock Update

12:15 - Gears of War Reloaded

25:39 - Keep Replaced on your Radars

32:19 - Metal Gear Solid Delta

42:51 - The Outer Worlds 2

53:26 - LEGO Voyagers

This weeks epsiode is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, MIranda Sanchez, and is produced by Nick Maillet.

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BioShock 4’s Development Hell – Unlocked 703

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0000

We react to a new since-confirmed report that 2K's new BioShock game continues to find its footing. We discuss where the project is and what the BioShock IP still means to gamers. Plus: Helldivers 2's upcoming Xbox release looks to be extra special thanks to an apparent Halo: ODST crossover, another Xbox exclusive appears to be canceled, and more!

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We’re Eating Good With Battlefield 6 and Grounded 2 – Unlocked 702

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0000

This week on Unlocked, we dive into the finer details of Battlefield 6 after a hands-on preview and find a return to form for EA’s long-running shooter franchise. But we also dig into Grounded 2’s early access to see how Obsidian keeps cooking up good games for 2025. We also look at the latest Game Pass revenue numbers in contrast to the recent layoffs across Xbox’s game studios. And we couldn’t have done this without our esteemed guest Niki Grayson who you can find on podcasts such as If You’re Driving, Close Your Eyes and VGBees. #Xbox #GamePass #Grounded2 #Battlefield6 #IGN #gaming

00:00:00 – Intro and August’s Humble Bundle

00:10:17 – Battlefield 6 hands-on preview

00:50:01 – Grounded 2 early access impressions

01:02:14 – Game Pass revenue hits $5 billion

01:14:21 – Outro and where to find us

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Xbox Backs Off of $80 Games…For Now – Unlocked 701

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Lots to talk about this week! We start by discussing the latest releases and games we're previewing, including Grounded 2, Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. Then we hit on Helldivers 2 making a surprise jump to Xbox, chat about the rumored pricing for the Xbox ROG Ally handheld, celebrate Hollow Knight: Silksong being playable at Gamescom in a few weeks, express relief at Xbox backing down from its $80 first-party game pricing plan, and then go through a few Bethesda/Elder Scrolls-related stories.

00:00:00 - Intro & July Humble Bundle 00:05:15 - Grounded 2, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Helldivers 2 00:17:24 - Xbox ROG Ally Price Update 00:28:28 - Hollow Knight: Silksong will be playable at gamescom! 00:35:16 - Xbox games at gamescom 00:41:27 -The Outer Worlds 2 will not be 80 dollars 00:48:14 - Does Microsoft have two unnanounced Xbox games in the pipeline? & Oblivion Remastered 01:01:42 - Future of Starfield 01:11:13:59 - A Farewell to Julian LeFay 01:16:17 - Outro

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Former Xbox Exec on the Past, Present, and Future of Xbox – Unlocked 700

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Former Xbox executive Greg Canessa – creator of Xbox Live Arcade – joins us for our 700th episode to share some awesome inside-baseball stories from his days at Xbox. He also talks about his perspective on Xbox today from the business side of things (including his thoughts on the Activision-Blizzard acquisition), as well as how he feels about Xbox's future. You're not gonna want to miss this one!

This weeks episode is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, Greg Canessa, Parris Lilly, and is Produced by Nick Maillet

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The Depressing Aftermath of Xbox’s Huge Layoffs – Unlocked 699

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0000

We sort through the aftermath of Xbox's devastating layoffs from last week, including updates on the status of where Perfect Dark was, what's left of the Turn 10 team, how Microsoft's AI investments may have played a part in all of this, and much more.

00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:42 - Perfect Dark
00:16:40 - The Future for Halo
00:26:05 - Elder Scrolls Online Dev's Comment on Cancelled MMO
00:34:37 - Xbox Layoffs Updates & Turn 10
00:49:35 - Romero Games' Unannounced Cancelled Project
00:56:12 - Founder of Dishonored and Prey Dev Arkane Slams Game Pass
01:06:52 - What Now?
01:18:31 - Outro

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Assessing Xbox’s Layoffs, Game Cancellations, and Studio Closures – Unlocked 698

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0000

As expected, layoffs at Microsoft and Xbox did happen this week, and they were unbelievably brutal. Approximately 9,000 people reportedly got laid off, multiple games were canceled, and entire studios were shut down. We sort through the wreckage on this week's Unlocked.

00:00 - Intro

00:11:12 - Assessing Xbox’s Layoffs 00:24:33 - ZeniMax Online’s New MMORPG Has Been Canceled

00:29:55 - Perfect Dark and Game Cancellations 00:44:41 - The Damage to Xbox's Brand 00:52:21 - Xbox's Future & Phil Spencer's Rumored Retirement 01:10:14 - Mafia: The Old Country, LV1 Gaming, & Outro

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Xbox's 2026 Looks STACKED – Unlocked 697

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0000

This year's Xbox Showcase was very good, but next year's Showcase should be absolutely jam-packed with Xbox's A-listers, from Halo to Gears of War to Fable and Forza Horizon. And not just that, Fall 2026 should be one of the biggest quarter of releases in Xbox history. Plus: Xbox's curious collab with Meta Quest, our bigger-picture perspective on reportedly imminent Xbox layoffs, and more!

00:08:34 - Let’s talk about NEXT year’s Xbox Showcase 00:27:35 - What is Xbox's Genre Identity?

00:30:45 - What does Fall 2026 look like for Xbox?

00:43:54 - What does 2027 look like for Xbox? 00:52:53 - Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition

01:00:38 - Microsoft Plans Major Job Cuts at Xbox Gaming Division

01:24:00 - Outro

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Dissecting Xbox’s Next-Gen Announcement – Unlocked 696

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0000

We kick off by talking about the games we got to play behind closed doors after the Xbox Showcase: The Outer Worlds 2, Gears of War Reloaded, and Ninja Gaiden 4. And then we dig into our main topic: Xbox's next-gen hardware announcement. We analyze what it means, what it doesn't, and discuss where Xbox is going.

******

00:00 - Intro

03:00 - Outer Worlds, Gears of War Reloaded, & Summer Game Fest

13:50 - Handhelds Are Clearly Important to the Future of Xbox

21:20 - Ninja Gaiden 4 is Pretty Rad

34:43 - Dissecting Xbox’s Next-Gen Announcement

57:31 - Marathon got Delayed

01:07:03 - Whats Headed To Gamepass

This week’s show is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, Miranda Sanchez, and is produced by Nick Maillet

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Inside the Tony Hawk 3 + 4 Remake, The Outer Worlds 2 , & FBC: Firebreak - Unlocked | IGN Live 2025

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this jam-packed IGN Live 2025 special, we’re diving into three games revealed in the Xbox Games Showcase 2025. First, Daemon Hatfield joins Obsidian Entertainment for a deep dive into The Outer Worlds 2, then Remedy stops by to talk FBC: Firebreak. Finally, Tom Jorgenson sits down with Iron Galaxy to break down the long-awaited Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Remaster. You don't wanna miss it!

00:00:00 - The Outer Worlds 2

00:12:01 - FBC: Firebreak

00:21:40 - Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Remaster

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The Best Announcements from the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 - Unlocked 695

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 20:12:00 -0000

The Xbox Games Showcase delivered big reveals and we’ve got thoughts. In this episode, we break down the biggest surprises and top takeaways from the show, including the ROG Ally Xbox handheld, Clockwork Revolution, Call of Duty Black Ops 7, the return of Persona 4, and Final Fantasy’s Xbox debut.

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What Xbox Era Would You Like to Relive? – Unlocked 694

Thu, 22 May 2025 13:00:00 -0000

IGN Live is nearly here and we have a limited number of complimentary tickets for it! Head here and use the code "UNLOCKEDGUEST" to get a complimentary GA ticket for Saturday or Sunday: ⁠www.ign.com/live We kick off by discussing the specific Xbox eras we'd most like to go back in time to and relive – from Halo 2 to Rock Band, among others – before chatting about Bungie's latest blunder and the state of the once-great studio, Randy Pitchford's spicy message to fans in regards to Borderlands 4 possibly being priced at $80, Microsoft's new additions to Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft's domination of April's top-selling games list, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro, IGN Live, & Humble Bundle

00:08:28 - Favorite Xbox Era?

00:39:16 - Bungie Accused of Plagiarism

00:58:44 - Borderlands 4 $80 Controversy

01:08:09 - Retro Classics with Game Pass

01:11:22 - Game Pass Wave 2 for May & Best Selling Games of May

01:19:46 - RAIDOU Remastered & Outro

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Doom: The Dark Ages and Elden Ring Nightreign Reactions – Unlocked 693

Thu, 15 May 2025 13:00:00 -0000

IGN's Doom: The Dark Ages reviewer (and Doom superfan) Mitchell Saltzman joins fellow Doom superfan Ryan McCaffrey to discuss id software's just-released prequel: how it compares to Doom Eternal, why we love it, where the series goes from here, and more. Plus: Mitchell talks about his visit to From Software to play a ton of Elden Ring Nightreign as part of our exclusive IGN First coverage, Mafia: The Old Country makes a surprising pivot on price and game direction, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro 00:04:16 - IGN Live & Xbox Games Studio Publisher Bundle 00:07:53 - Doom: The Dark Ages Reactions 00:28:14 - Elden Ring Nightreign Reactions 00:44:17 - Mafia: The Old Country 00:53:56 - Job cuts at Microsoft 00:57:28 - Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Delayed 01:07:11 - Outro

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Xbox’s Price Hikes Are Maddening – Unlocked 692

Thu, 08 May 2025 13:00:00 -0000

In a huge week of Xbox news, we're discussing Xbox's massive, demoralizing, and unprecedented price increases five years into the console generation. Plus: we gush over the new GTA 6 trailer, celebrate the return of Gears of War 1 via a new remaster, discuss the just-leaked images of ROG's officially licensed Xbox handheld PC, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Welcome Lord Cognito 00:03:54 - Xbox Price Hike 00:45:01 - IGN Live Is Back! & Humble Bundle 00:48:19 - GTA 6 Trailer 2 Impressions 01:03:41 - Would you pay $100 for GTA 6? 01:09:28 - Gears of War: Reloaded Announced 01:20:36 - First Pictures of Asus' Xbox-branded Handheld Leak Online 01:30:17 - Outro & Where to Find Us

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Did Borderlands 4 Just Give Us a GTA 6 Release Hint? – Unlocked 691

Thu, 01 May 2025 13:00:00 -0000

On this week's Xbox show, we discuss how Borderlands 4's release date just moved up, and whether or not it means it's getting out of GTA 6...possibly in October? But maybe there's another game it's avoiding... Plus: Assassin's Creed Shadows' strong sales debut, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 gets a hilarious new playable Operator, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is selling great, and more – including a bonus interview with the Obsidian team about The Outer Worlds 2 at the end of the podcast!

0:00:00 - Intro , IGN Live, Humble Bundle Deals

00:04:45 - Borderlands 4’s Release Date Moves Up, Marathon, & GTA 6 00:22:37 - FBC Firebreak Release Date & Black Ops 6 adds Seth Rogen

00:33:59 - AC: Shadows Best-selling game in the U.S

00:43:45 - Clair Obscur has sold over a million copies

00:54:36 - EA cancels another incubation project at Respawn

01:03:49 - The Outer Worlds 2 Developer Interview

01:48:03 - Outro & Credits

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The Oblivion Remaster Is Even Better Than We’d Hoped – Unlocked 690

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0000

It's raining RPGs on Xbox Game Pass this week as the long-rumored/leaked Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered finally got released – and it's even better than we'd hoped. We discuss why it's fantastic and what it means for other Bethesda remasters (Fallout 3, anyone?) and The Elder Scrolls VI. Plus: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has also arrived and it is amazing! Michael reviewed it, and he tells you why it's his Game of the Year so far as we approach the one-third mark of 2025. Happy role-playing gaming!

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The Oblivion Remaster Keeps Leaking – Unlocked 689

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Bethesda's "secret" remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion keeps leaking. We'll talk about what we learned from this week's leak, when you can play it (hint: VERY SOON), how it'll hit for a generation of Elder Scrolls fans that have only ever known Skyrim, and more. Plus: our Mount Rushmore of RPGs, Xbox Game Pass's incredible second wave in April, the new Star Wars game and the somewhat surprising developer involved, and more!

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The Outer Worlds 2 Looks Awesome – Unlocked 688

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0000

We covered a ton of ground this week, from The Outer Worlds 2 looking awesome so far after we got to visit Obsidian for our exclusive IGN First coverage, to Doom: The Dark Ages being fantastic but very different from Doom Eternal based on our four hours of hands-on time with it, to the Minecraft movie's big opening weekend and what other Xbox properties we'd like to see adapted to film and TV, to the grossness and danger that Microsoft's new Copilot AI-powered Quake 2 tech demo introduces, and much more!

00:00 - Intro

05:58 - Michael played The Outer Worlds 2

14:41 - Ryan Played Doom: The Dark Ages

27:23 - Marathon

34:45 - A Minecraft Movie (and other Xbox movies) discussion

46:27 - Whats headed to Game Pass

56:06 - Microsoft's Copilot AI-Powered Quake 2 Tech Demo Is a Problem

This week’s show is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, and is produced by Nick Maillet

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The Final Word on South of Midnight - Unlocked 687

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 21:45:00 -0000

This week on Unlocked, Michael and Miranda are joined by GameSpot's Jordan Ramée to talk all about the latest Xbox exclusive, South of Midnight, now that we have reviewed it and we explore our own connections to American South. We also touch on previews for Doom: The Dark Ages and the ongoing saga of where Hollow Knight Silksong is. And we find a way to make the Nintendo Direct about Xbox (lol) before talking about Asus and Xbox teasing their handheld collaboration.

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We Demand a Translucent Xbox - Unlocked 686

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 20:46:00 -0000

This week on Unlocked, Miranda and Michael go over the biggest reveals for Minecraft Live 2025 (new mobs!), discuss the Backbone One Xbox Edition and how they hope Xbox's latest neat peripheral designs influence their next major device releases, and round out the show by discussing two games coming to Xbox shown during the Nintendo Direct.

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The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remake Appears to Be Imminent – Unlocked 685

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 13:00:00 -0000

This week, Michael and Ryan give first impressions of this week's big new game release, Assassin's Creed Shadows. And then we delve into our main topic: MORE rumors about the remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and how close to release it apparently is (hint: it's really close!). Plus: Split Fiction's continued success, reassurances from Saber Interactive about the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake, and more!

This week’s show is Ryan McCaffrey, Michael Higham, and was produced by Nick Maillet

Unlocked is a part of Geek Media Podcast Network, an IGN Entertainment Brand.

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What We Want From Xbox Handhelds and the Next Gen – Unlocked 684

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:00:00 -0000

The crew is joined by Ash Parrish from The Verge to discuss the reports of Xbox handhelds (from OEMs) coming later this year and the prospect of a next-gen Xbox coming in 2027 (and how weird time works because it feels like the Series X|S came out just yesterday). But first, we revisit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 demo for Miranda's final thoughts, and get Ash's insights on South of Midnight from her preview and interview with actor and developer Ahmed Best.

Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping.

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Is the Nemesis System Dead Forever? – Unlocked 683

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 14:00:00 -0000

Our Xbox crew discusses the awful news of WB Games closing down Shadow of Mordor developer Monolith Productions along with two other studios. Is their patented Nemesis System dead forever? But first, we spend a happy first half of the podcast gushing over a few new games we've been playing: Split Fiction, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Monster Hunter Wilds.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:00 - Spilt Fiction Impressions

00:13:52 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Preview Impressions

00:33:48 - Monster Hunter Wilds Impressions

00:38:15 - Is Hazelight Studios the new Telltale?

00:43:26 - WB Games has shut down 3 Studios

00:56:55 - Is the Nemesis System Dead Forever?

01:05:50 - Fable Delayed

01:13:08 - Outro

Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping.

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Jump Ship Rocks and So Do Many of the Other ID@Xbox Showcase Games – Unlocked 682

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:00:00 -0000

Our Xbox crew reacts to all of the new and cool games we got to see at the latest ID@Xbox Showcase, from Jump Ship to Herding to Outbound to 33 Immortals and more! And joining us to shed a bit more light on the ID@Xbox program and all of these games is ID@Xbox Director Guy Richards.

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Avowed Director Carrie Patel and Obsidian Studio Head Feargus Urquhart – Unlocked 681

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0000

As Avowed officially launches this week, its Game Director, Carrie Patel, and the studio head at developer Obsidian Entertainment, Feargus Urquhart, join us for a conversation about their big new first-person fantasy RPG. They discuss how the project evolved since its original unveiling, what they did with the extra development time when its release date moved to February, and much more! Plus: Feargus talks Fallout, shares a Matt Stone and Trey Parker story from making South Park: The Stick of Truth, and more!

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Avowed & South of Midnight: What We Think – Unlocked 680

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 22:33:00 -0000

We've been waiting for this moment: to be swimming in new first-party Xbox games. We have all been playing both Avowed and South of Midnight, and we discuss our thoughts on each of them. We also spend time talking about our experiences with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 so far and why we love its grounded medieval RPG world. Finally, we discuss Bloomberg's new report about WB Games and what's next for Rocksteady, Monolith, and Avalanche with regard to Batman, Wonder Woman, and Hogwarts Legacy, respectively.

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Forza Heads to PS5. Nothing Is Safe – Unlocked 679

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0000

The OG Xbox podcaster Danny Peña from Gamertag Radio joins us to discuss one of Xbox's "core four" franchises, Forza, heading to PlayStation 5 in the form of Forza Horizon 5. What does it mean for Xbox? And is any franchise "safe"? Plus: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out and awesome (and successful), we show some love to one of the newest games on Xbox Game Pass that you might not be familiar with, and more!

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Xbox’s Future Clarified – Unlocked 678

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 14:00:00 -0000

As Xbox boss Phil Spencer visits two of our friends' podcasts, we discuss his clarifying comments on the future (not to mention present!) of Xbox. Plus: why we love Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, we talk about BioWare getting restructured and what it means for Mass Effect 5, and more!

00:00:00 - LA Fires Support & Intro

00:02:51 - Poll Results from last week's Xbox Direct

00:09:04 - Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Impressions

00:18:30 - Phill Spencer Talks the Future of Xbox

00:43:45 - BioWare getting restructured & Mass Effect 5

00:56:45 - Outro

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NINJA GAIDEN IS BACK HOLY SH*T – Unlocked 677

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 20:45:00 -0000

We recorded live immediately following this week's fantastic Xbox Developer Direct, so our reactions are very real, highlighted by the stunning announcement of not just the LONG-awaited Ninja Gaiden 4, but also the surprise shadow drop of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. We've also got plenty of thoughts on Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33!

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Xbox: Third Place, Now Third Party? – Unlocked 676

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:00:00 -0000

With the corroborated rumors that Microsoft is bringing Halo: The Master Chief Collection to PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2, is Xbox now officially a Sega-like third-party publisher? We discuss the complicated (and weird) idea of Halo heading to other platforms. Leading up to that, though, we discuss the rumored details of the Unreal Engine 5 remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, what the mystery game in next week's third annual Xbox Developer Direct might be, and more!

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When Will We See Elder Scrolls 6 Again? – Unlocked 675

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 17:20:55 -0000

Happy New Year! We begin our first episode of 2025 by discussing some changes happening on the podcast before getting into what you really care about: Xbox games! We talk about what we played over the holidays and then talk about two sequels that are likely still pretty far away: The Elder Scrolls 6 and Mass Effect 5. When will we see TES6 next when it's already been over six years since its official announcement? And will the Paragon/Renegade system return for Mass Effect 5? Join us to discuss it all!

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Do's and Don'ts for Xbox in 2025 – Unlocked 674

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 14:00:00 -0000

In our final show of 2024, we look ahead to 2025 and give Microsoft some advice in the form of do's and dont's for Xbox in the new year. Thanks so much for listening all year long, and we'll see you next week for the start of a new and exciting year of Xbox!

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What’s Your Xbox Game of the Year? – Unlocked 673

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 16:00:00 -0000

IGN has announced its Xbox Game of the Year, so now it's our turn to talk about our individual picks for best Xbox game of the year. And then we look ahead and discuss our personal most anticipated Xbox games for 2025.

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The Game Awards Was Stacked This Year – Unlocked 672

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:40:27 -0000

We react to this week's big event, The Game Awards, and the many reveals it brought with it, including The Witcher 4, Elden Ring Nightreign, gameplay for The Outer Worlds 2, and so, so much more!

#GOTYWatch

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Indiana Jones Is the Best Xbox Exclusive in Years – Unlocked 671

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is here, and we discuss in great (spoiler-free) detail why we think it's the best Xbox exclusive in years. Plus: our predictions for reveals we'll get at next week's Game Awards, Xbox Game Pass's December lineup, and more!

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The Xbox Games We’re Most Thankful For – Unlocked 670

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0000

Happy Thanksgiving to our USA listeners! In the spirit of the holiday this week, we're discussing the Xbox games we're most thankful for. Not necessarily the very best ones, but the ones that mean a lot to us that we're thankful for. Special guest: David "Fame2K" Whitaker from LV1 Gaming.

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STALKER 2 First Impressions – Unlocked 669

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0000

Our STALKER 2 reviewer Michael Higham joins us to discuss his thoughts so far as he's neck-deep in Xbox's big new exclusive first-person shooter. Plus: we discuss the Game of the Year nominees announced for this year's Game Awards, including whether or not an expansion pack should be included. We also talk about what we want from Amazon's live-action Mass Effect TV show, lament how Splinter Cell remains cursed after the long-gestating Tom Hardy-led live-action movie is announced as officially dead, and more!

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GTA 6 Release Date: Place Your Bets – Unlocked 668

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0000

Take-Two's CEO keeps insisting that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released in 2025. Do we believe him? We discuss why (spoiler) we don't. Plus: a new Phil Spencer interview sees the Xbox boss being quite candid about both an Xbox handheld and the future of exclusives on Xbox hardware, and we have a LOT of thoughts. And we kick things off with a report from IGN contributor Travis Northup, who just got back from Montreal to preview Compulsion Games' new game South of Midnight. Join us! This week's show is Ryan McCaffrey, Stella Chung, Travis Northup, and is produced by Nick Maillet.

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Celebrating Halo 2’s 20th Anniversary – Unlocked 667

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0000

November 9 marks the 20th anniversary of Halo 2's release. We celebrate one of the greatest Xbox games ever by welcoming fellow veteran Xbox gamer Danny Peña from Gamertag Radio to share memories of playing it for the first time, ranking the original dozen multiplayer maps, plus a little surprise from a special guest. This week’s show is Ryan McCaffrey, Destin Legarie, Danny Peña from Gamertag Radio, and is produced by Nick Maillet.

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Getting Evil With Diablo's Rod Fergusson on Episode 666 – Unlocked 666

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0000

We celebrate our perfectly-timed-for-Halloween episode 666 with Rod Fergusson, the super-nice franchise head of one of gaming's most evil franchises, Diablo. Rod talks about the new Diablo 4 expansion pack, Vessel of Hatred, the new Spiritborn character class, his reaction to Gears of War: E-Day as the former studio head at The Coalition, and even what his Gears 6 would've looked like.

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Xbox Is Cooking This Holiday – Unlocked 665

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0000

With STALKER 2, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle all releasing one right after another later this Fall, Xbox is set to seriously cook at the end of 2024. Destin gives his glowing hands-on impressions of his recent STALKER 2 preview session, Seth Macy joins us to gush about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and Ryan will give his hands-on impressions of Indy...soon. Plus: former Halo senior developer Joseph Staten is back on the free agent market after Netflix shut down its AAA gaming studio, Halo Infinite's rumored battle royale mode was real before getting canceled, and more!

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Xbox's Latest Partner Preview Stream Was Fantastic – Unlocked 664

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:00:33 -0000

We went on the air live, immediately following the latest Xbox Partner Preview livestream. We gave our in-the-moment reactions to Xbox's fantastic presentation that included several reveals, including Remedy's Left 4 Dead-style session-based 3-player co-op multiplayer FPS, FBC Firebreak. We also discussed the adorable dog factor powering The Legend of Baboo along with Wuchang Fallen Feathers, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Alan Wake 2's Lakehouse expansion, Mouse: P.I. for Hire, Subnautica 2, and plenty more!

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The Future of Halo Is Unreal – Unlocked 663

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Our resident Xbox crew (including Miranda!) reacts to and analyzes the huge Halo news of all future projects being moved to Unreal Engine 5 as well as the studio rebranding from 343 Industries to Halo Studios. We predict what the next mainline Halo game is, what we might get before that, how it ties into a possible PlayStation debut for the franchise, and much more!

Download the Opera GX: IGN Edition browser at http://Opera.com/gx/ign

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The STALKER 2 Documentary Is a Must-Watch – Unlocked 662

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Our Xbox crew discusses the new STALKER 2 making-of documentary, and how it's a must-watch even if you aren't interested in the game. Plus: Ubisoft admits that Star Wars Outlaws has underperformed its sales expectations, leading us to suggest where the company should go from here in the bigger picture. We also talk about Tango Gameworks's new owner Krafton's plans for Hi-Fi Rush 2, Obsidian's possible expansion of Pillars of Eternity into a new genre, and more!

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Crazy Blizzard Stories With Jason Schreier – Unlocked 661

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:04:15 -0000

Bloomberg video game industry reporter Jason Schreier joins us to discuss his new book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment (out October 8) sharing crazy stories about the prestigious developer that Microsoft just bought as part of their $69 billion acquisition. Plus: Ubisoft delays Assassin's Creed Shadows, Splinter Cell is back...albeit on Netflix, and more!

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How Can Battlefield Get its Mojo Back? – Unlocked 660

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:00:00 -0000

We open this week's Xbox podcast at IGN by giving our hands-on impressions of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Then we discuss another EA game, Battlefield. We've got new details about the next game in the venerable first-person shooter series, and we talk about what we want out of it and what we think it needs to do in order to get back on top. Plus: more Microsoft layoffs, some good news on the Skate reboot, and more!

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What the PS5 Pro Means for Xbox’s Present and Future – Unlocked 659

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 13:00:00 -0000

We open this week's Xbox podcast by marking Destiny's 10th anniversary and then discussing the present and future for both the long-running shooter and Bungie itself, as well as what's riding on Bungie's next big project in Marathon. Then we give our thoughts on the Minecraft movie teaser before moving into our main topic: the PS5 Pro's widely panned unveiling and what it means for Xbox in both the present and the future.

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The Xbox Exclusives We Almost Got – Unlocked 658

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 13:00:00 -0000

This week's Xbox show delves into two notable games that Xbox boss Phil Spencer discussed having the chance to sign but didn't – plus one crucial one he did. Plus: Black Myth Wukong's Xbox absence is explained, Enotria: The Last Song's developers publicly call out Team Xbox for a lack of support, Stellas impressions of Call of Duty Black Ops 6, and more!

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Our Thoughts on Star Wars Outlaws (So Far) – Unlocked 657

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Star Wars Outlaws, arguably the first big game to hit Xbox this Fall season, has arrived, and we've got thoughts on what we've played so far. Plus: we discuss some of the biggest announcements to come out of Gamescom (Mafia: The Old Country, Borderlands 4, and others), which games we're most excited about playing for the remainder of this year, and more!

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We’ve Seen Indiana Jones and Avowed & Both Look AWESOME – Unlocked 656

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 22:56:14 -0000

Ryan and Destin are joined by Spawn on Me's Kahlief Adams to discuss our extended new looks at two of Xbox's biggest upcoming games: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which both Ryan and Kahlief got a lengthy behind-closed-doors look at; and Avowed, which Destin and Kahlief both got to play. We are super excited for both and we want to tell you all about them. Plus: it turns out Indy is a timed exclusive, so we discuss how Xbox fans are feeling and what it signals for the future of the platform.

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8 Spectacular Games We Checked Out At gamescom 2024 - Podcast Unlocked

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0000

What’s happening, friends? It is a special gamescom edition of Podcast Unlocked. This week, we've constructed for you a very unique gamescom-specific audio episode this week. Our awesome team at gamescom have put together a number of Xbox developer interviews that we’re going to share with you back to back. Coming up, we have interviews with the developers of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Monster Hunter Wilds, Diablo IV, Marvel Rivals, Fragpunk, Civilization VII, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

Look for another regular episode of Podcast Unlocked, where we will dig into all sorts of stuff, including my behind-closed-doors demo of Indiana Jones, which I am unbelievably thrilled about. We’ll talk about all that and more, but for now, enjoy these developer interviews.

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We Love Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster (So Far) – Unlocked 655

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0000

We've played a bunch of the upcoming Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster and we want to tell you all about why we love what we've played so far. Plus: one of our most anticipated games gets delayed to 2025 but we're happy it'll get the time it needs AND avoid the Fall games rush, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks gets saved by PUBG publisher Krafton and we're pretty sure we know what game they'll make next, we daydream about Batman games on Xbox now that WB is open to licensing its IPs to other game developers, and more!

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Avowed’s ‘Problem’ Is the Best Kind of Problem for Xbox – Unlocked 654

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Our Xbox crew discusses why Avowed's delay out of the Q4 holiday season and into early 2025, and why the "problem" of it getting delayed is actually a blessing in disguise for Obsidian's eagerly anticipated first-person RPG. Plus: what Xbox's near-term lineup looks like now after the Avowed and STALKER 2 delays, one of last year's best games comes to Xbox One for those who haven't upgraded to a Series X or Series S yet, and more!

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Ranking Xbox’s Most Important Franchises – Unlocked 653

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Parris Lilly from Gamertag Radio joins Ryan and Destin to discuss a number of Xbox topics this week, from the cancellation of the Paramount+ Halo TV series – which leads to a discussion about how important of a franchise Halo is to Xbox these days, and what the most important franchises are to Microsoft now – to Xbox's mixed-results financials, the devastating layoffs at Bungie, and more!

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Deadpool’s Ass (Xbox Controller) Is Amazing – Unlocked 652

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Xbox just dropped the best gaming controller we've ever seen in the literal form of Deadpool's ass! We discuss how much we adore Xbox's cake-tastic new gamepad and implore Microsoft and Marvel to make more of the one-off sweepstakes prize so we can buy one. Plus: we make our Xbox Gamescom predictions for next month's big event, Xbox Game Pass's upcoming lineup has a head-scratching gap in it, and more!

Presented by Wendy’s Saucy Nuggs

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:10 - Deadpool Xbox Controller

00:10:59 - Wendy's Saucy Nuggs Featuring Unnecessary Inventions

00:12:09 - The Underwhelming Xbox 360 Blades Dashboard

00:16:40 - Coming to Game Pass

00:24:42 - gamescom Predictions

00:45:28 - EA Sports College Football 25

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Dream Games We Wish Xbox Would Make – Unlocked 651

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 13:00:00 -0000

We had some fun this week and talked about 10 dream Xbox games we'd love to see Microsoft's massive collection of studios make, from a Halo horror game to giving one particular underrated Activision studio a chance to crack the code on a big-budget Superman game. Plus: Xbox raises Game Pass prices and reshuffles some of its tiers in a frustrating and confusing way, and more!

Presented by Wendy’s Saucy Nuggs

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So Many Remakes, Remasters, and Reboots! - Unlocked 650

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 13:00:00 -0000

This episode is all about the remakes we're cautiously optimistic about

(Assassin's Creed...but which ones?), the remasters we're excited about

(Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster), and the reboots we're left scratching our

heads over (Crazy Taxi). Plus: what we expect from the just-confirmed

Resident Evil 9, and more!

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What We Want from Xbox’s Big Gamescom – Unlocked 649

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Xbox says it's going big at this year's Gamescom event, so we discuss what we think to see and what we hope to see. Plus: why we're thrilled about Capcom's just-announced Dead Rising 1 remaster, why we doubt that Beyond Good & Evil 2 will ever be released despite Ubisoft's statements to the contrary, and more!

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We Just Saw the Best Xbox Showcase Ever – Unlocked 648

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Because the Xbox Showcase was SO GOOD this year, our 30-minute live reaction show from Sunday just wasn't enough. So we regrouped and talked for upwards of two more hours about all the big games, from Doom: The Dark Ages to Gears of War: E-Day to Fable to Perfect Dark to Black Ops 6 and so, so many more. Then we lay out how phenomenal the next year and a half of Xbox exclusives and Xbox Game Pass launches is looking before telling you a bit about a few other games we got to see and play at the event last week, including Xbox exclusives STALKER 2 and Replaced!

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Stig Asmussen Talks Star Wars, Leaving Respawn, and New Studio Giant Skull | IGN Live 2024

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:00:00 -0000

After directing two fantastic Star Wars Jedi games at Respawn, Stig Asmussen has embarked on a new adventure: Starting AAA studio Giant Skull. IGN's Ryan McCaffrey sits down with Stig to talk about why he left Respawn, what to expect from his next project, and his goals for creating a healthy work culture at Giant Skull amidst a turbulent time in the video game industry.

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Exclusive Interview: Phil Spencer Unveils Xbox's Future and New Horizons in Gaming - IGN Live

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:35:35 -0000

Join us for an exclusive live interview at IGN Live with Xbox's Phil Spencer and a panel of top game developers. In this deep-dive session, we explore the latest Xbox strategies, the impact of recent studio acquisitions, and what the future holds for Xbox and its fans. From discussing major titles like 'Halo Infinite' to addressing community concerns and revealing insights into upcoming Xbox projects, this is a conversation any gaming enthusiast won't want to miss. Tune in to hear directly from the leaders shaping the future of gaming.

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The Best Announcements from the Xbox Summer Showcase Are… - Unlocked | IGN Live 2024

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 20:21:35 -0000

In this very special IGN Live analysis of the summer Xbox Showcase, we break down each announcement, from blockbuster game releases to unexpected surprises, and discuss their impact on the gaming landscape. The Podcast Unlocked crew, including Ryan McCaffrey, Miranda Sanchez, Stella Chung, and Destin Legarie, discuss key moments from the showcase, offering insights and reactions that you won't find anywhere else. Whether you're catching up or want to relive the excitement, this is your definitive guide to understanding what's next for Xbox.

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Unlock-Block Trivia Special II - Podcast Unlocked

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Today we’re diving into the best of Unlock-Block trivia. Join us as we relive some of the most memorable moments from past shows.

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Hellblade 2 Is Finally Here! A Spoiler-Free Discussion – Unlocked 646

Thu, 23 May 2024 13:00:00 -0000

The first officially announced Xbox Series game ever, Hellblade 2, has finally arrived, and we've played it! Join us for a spoiler-free discussion of Ninja Theory's stunning new Senua adventure. Plus: Activision opens a new AAA development studio with a narrative-driven focus, this year's Call of Duty looks set to drop straight onto Xbox Game Pass, Grand Theft Auto 6 gets a narrowed-in release window, and much more!