Defining Duke, Episode 176 | Xbox Responds to the Studio Shutdowns...
Added 2024-05-16 16:00:15 +0000 UTCThe 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!
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
Comments
I was one of the people who called Cog out last episode specifically because of his acquisitions stance, but I never was disrespectful torwards him as I truly like him as a person. My game tag is “brenobluhm” and I bought a Series S last year as my first Xbox ever so I do feel like I can speak on their leadership and other fans that do not understand the consequences of acquisitions. All is good tho.
Breno Bezerra Bluhm
2024-05-21 13:09:22 +0000 UTCIt's so hard being an assassin's creed fan on lsm lol. Feels like everyone here hates it 😭
Bailey Callis
2024-05-20 04:23:57 +0000 UTCThis is 90% a PlayStation platform. When people say you need more diverse opinions they mostly mean you need to be more negative about Xbox. I get more than enough negativity about Xbox from the rest of the gaming ecosystem. There is no need for more of it here.
Prof JJJ
2024-05-19 10:27:37 +0000 UTCI don't care about how the Xbox one went, Matt booty and Phil Spencer have been in charge long enough for us to blame it on them now. They have gotten a crazy amount of rope to hang themselves with. Microsoft finally taking control.
Cody Mahoney
2024-05-19 08:17:28 +0000 UTCFor a first entry in a series (new IP), getting into the top 10 is a success, in my opinion.
Mr. Scott If You're Nasty
2024-05-18 10:51:20 +0000 UTCThere have been tons of good games friend. Some 1st party (Starfield, Forza) and tons 3rd party (Diablo 4, Dead Space remake, RE4)
Mr. Scott If You're Nasty
2024-05-18 10:49:46 +0000 UTCIn the Dukes we #DDTrust. Great episode gents. I'll never understand how people could get nasty with you guys. Ignore that hate. We love you guys and your show!
Mr. Scott If You're Nasty
2024-05-18 10:46:03 +0000 UTCI don’t mind annual releases of franchises as long as they’re solid. While I liked Persona 5 Tactica, I didn’t enjoy Strikers, and the Yakuza non-numbered entries have been underwhelming. So I’m tentative when it comes to Sega’s plan. The only EA advertising I’d accept is bringing back Fight Night and putting the Burger King in as your coach again. 😄 Shout out to Cog for always keeping it a buck. #DDTrust
NeO JD
2024-05-18 07:28:39 +0000 UTCFunnily enough, Unity and Syndicate, the ones he calls out, are the only 2 I hard quit on ‘cause I don’t like them. 😅
NeO JD
2024-05-18 07:22:18 +0000 UTCExcellent episode, I am also in the “I have no Xbox and I listen every week” camp and Cog’s perspective about people not in the platform having opinions on what people in the platform must “feel” was a great callout.
Andreas Tsiapis
2024-05-18 00:09:40 +0000 UTC#DDTrust great show asusual fella's.
SIR_K_Daddy
2024-05-17 18:09:42 +0000 UTCOk so yes there are games but where are the GOOD games? That's the question and you know it.
Kevin
2024-05-17 14:40:13 +0000 UTCMatty, love you guys, but on the “Starfield succeeded” talk, it’d be better to double check the numbers before you try to quote them. On circana, you said circana was #7 and in top 10. It was #11. You also said it outsold Star Wars, but Star Wars outsold starfield. I get your major point that it did place almost in the top 10 best sellers of the year, but as a comparison, Fallout 4 and Skyrim were both #3 on the NPD/Circana charts in their respective years, so it’s a noticeable step down from the last few good releases from Bethesda. I don’t like to just be negative though, so I would like to say that you guys are 100x better at holding Microsoft’s feet to the fire than all the other big Xbox podcasts I listen to, so keep being awesome, love you guys!
ZakBlade
2024-05-17 12:57:56 +0000 UTCKeep it up Dukes, especially Cog! Love the show and insights. I always look forward to hearing your takes.
Tefo
2024-05-17 11:08:56 +0000 UTCWhen Colin talks about fanboyism, I think of the portion of weirdo SS fans that always comes here to not listen to the show, and tear apart one of the dukes. They don’t realize he’s talking about them lol
Caleb Peacock
2024-05-17 10:48:37 +0000 UTCI think they should be a little more creative than taking the segments from Summon Sign and then renaming them.
Joseph Gedgaudas
2024-05-17 04:23:01 +0000 UTCNice episode! Matty, you made an ask for feedback regarding the “warm up section.” Here’s an idea: Take a page from Brad’s book. Make “Xbox Issues/Red Rings and Xbox Xcellence” sections. It gives you a window to give positive feedback and reinforcement, then give some honest rants/negative reinforcement. Audiences like podcasters at their most frank and genuine. 🙂
rileydelete
2024-05-17 01:30:10 +0000 UTCAC unity was the reason I got The Crew for free because of their mess up lmao
Ricardo Chavez
2024-05-17 01:06:53 +0000 UTCWhy the hell is this something that needs to be said? Cog didn’t mind and he obviously was speaking from experience. Stand down weirdo
Froilan
2024-05-16 23:24:35 +0000 UTCThey call you out specifically
Jose Horrach
2024-05-16 23:01:20 +0000 UTCThanks Cog for not bending to the whim of a few fan boys who have a fetish for hearing Xbox get ripped to pieces.
Have you considered considering considerations considerately considerate
2024-05-16 22:50:34 +0000 UTCMatty you have to stop saying “yea yea I know the feeling I been through that xyz” when a friend is explaining something affecting them. Horrible habit to have
The Central Long Islander
2024-05-16 22:22:59 +0000 UTCKeep it up fellas. Don’t let people get ya down for expressing what your true feelings are. Even if I disagree, I’d rather hear hosts that speak their mind instead of parroting whatever end of the spectrum the mob is at the time.
Noah Trujillo
2024-05-16 21:29:45 +0000 UTCShout out back to you, Cog! 👑
Adam Razak
2024-05-16 20:14:37 +0000 UTCCog you're still great ❤️❤️
Jordan Dedo
2024-05-16 19:55:03 +0000 UTCI've been debating writing in about cog introducing the 3rd chair early. But didn't wanna be the dick to say it😅😅
Jordan Dedo
2024-05-16 19:54:47 +0000 UTCDid he go full corporate cog again or is this episode worth listening to?
Brian Comstock
2024-05-16 19:48:33 +0000 UTCXbox could have another 10 years of declining sales and stop producing consoles altogether and some fans would still find a way to say "just you wait next year will be the return to the 360 glory days!"
Walker Simmons
2024-05-16 18:06:10 +0000 UTCCouldn't be more wrong.
MeatSpin11
2024-05-16 17:56:24 +0000 UTCI’m sorry calling Hellblade 2 a PlayStation style exclusive is a fundamental misunderstanding of the type of games PS exclusives usually are. PS exclusive is not JUST camera perspective and graphics and serious stories. Now I’m not speaking from a fanboy perspective, I think Horizon series kinda sucks, GOW R and Spider-Man 2 were steps backwards, hated Days Gone. But what game in their stable is like Hellblade? Besides camera perspective, graphical fidelity, and tone. You’re ignoring the fundamental aspect of what differentiates a game from every other medium. How the game feels. The moment to moment gameplay. The combat mechanics. How you move through the world. I mean sure when you look at it surface level it may come across like a PS exclusive, but play the games for more than 5 minutes and you can tell they’re going for vastly different things. Neither one is better than the other, but they are definitely not the same.
Bogey
2024-05-16 17:45:22 +0000 UTCXBOX is run by a bunch of Ivy League idiots.
Michael
2024-05-16 17:34:30 +0000 UTCMatty beating that AC Syndicate drum. Love to see it. Always been my favorite entry in the series
Meatball
2024-05-16 17:13:53 +0000 UTCI think it's time we face the fact that Cog is either dishonest or mostly incapable of objective thinking.
ByWatterson
2024-05-16 17:06:31 +0000 UTCIt literally just dropped how could you possibly know that
Bogey
2024-05-16 16:33:26 +0000 UTCDiscount?
Have you considered considering considerations considerately considerate
2024-05-16 16:06:00 +0000 UTCMight put the Xbox up for sale this week tbh
Yeti ATL
2024-05-16 16:05:01 +0000 UTCYo this is the best Duke yet bar none. Keep it up. Also peace be with that poor nft guy with the 600 dollar jpegs.
Have you considered considering considerations considerately considerate
2024-05-16 16:04:05 +0000 UTC
