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Defining Duke, Episode 54: Major Xbox Exclusive Delayed + E3 2022 Gets Canned

2022 continues at its rip-roar pace for Xbox. One of the major pieces in its early year strategy, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, has received a significant seven month delay. With a new vacancy created and only CrossfireX and Tunic remaining, we believe Xbox needs to make a big move ASAP. This would come in the form of Game Pass, so Matty and Cog shake out the potential options. Separately, E3 2022 has already been canceled while the likes PAX and GDC are continuing on with their set plans. The reasoning?...

Defining Duke, Episode 54: Major Xbox Exclusive Delayed + E3 2022 Gets Canned (Video)

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0:01:40

0:28:48

0:59:58

Defining Duke Ultimate, Episode 50: The Lurking Shadow Of Tencent

Today, we broach a subject that goes beyond games: Tencent's silent and steady expansion. Talking about Tencent and the investment of Chinese money in the gaming industry can cross some wires as it boasts many tendrils ranging across personal politics, ethical purchasing decisions, the state of our global economy, and defining what money taken is truly "good money." However, as acquisitions accelerate, so too must this conversation. Where will things be economically for gaming in a couple of ...

Defining Duke Ultimate, Episode 50: The Lurking Shadow Of Tencent (Video)

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Sacred Symbols+, Episode 154: Ranking the PlayStation Plus Collection

For PlayStation 5's launch, Sony did something cool and unexpected: They gave away 20 of some of their most-acclaimed PS4 games for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers. Indeed, as long as you're playing on PS5, you can still mark-for-download and play these 20 same games right now. And they're some of the console's very best, from both the first and third party. In fact, it could be argued (as we often do on the show) that this anthology's value rivals GamePass merely on the question of qual...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode 154: Ranking the PlayStation Plus Collection (Video)

For PlayStation 5's launch, Sony did something cool and unexpected: They gave away 20 of some of their most-acclaimed PS4 games for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers. Indeed, as long as you're playing on PS5, you can still mark-for-download and play these 20 same games right now. And they're some of the console's very best, from both the first and third party. In fact, it could be argued (as we often do on the show) that this anthology's value rivals GamePass merely on the question of qual...

KnockBack, Episode 205: Aliens

Back in the late '70s, Ridley Scott and Dan O'Bannon released the seminal sci-fi horror movie Alien. It took more than half a decade to get a sequel off the ground, however, this time manned by none other than auteur James Cameron. It's with Aliens, with an S, that the quiet horror franchise-to-be became an action franchise with horror elements, and while it was a somewhat divisive move, there's no doubt that Aliens -- finally launched in 1986 -- is one of the best-regarded and most influenti...

KnockBack, Episode 205: Aliens (Video)

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Sacred Symbols+, Episode 153: The Possibilities of PlayStation VR2

We were all surprised when, mere days ago, Sony decided to talk quite a bit more about its shadowy successor to 2016's PlayStation VR. This powerful machine is looking primed to give players a much higher-end experience than we've previously had in virtual reality, and with that comes many questions regarding manufacture, price, timing, games, and more. To help me walk through it, I invited friend-of-the-show and hardware expert Tom from Moore's Law is Dead and Broken Silicon to talk about wh...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode 153: The Possibilities of PlayStation VR2 (Video)

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Sacred Symbols, Episode 184: The Virtual Horizon (Video)

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0:26:10

0:55:25

1:19:43

Sacred Symbols, Episode 184: The Virtual Horizon

This week's episode of Sacred Symbols is full of acronym soup. Let's start with the biggest news: PSVR2. While Sony revealed PlayStation VR's successor last year, we finally have new information, though -- frustratingly -- we still lack a release date or price. Along with fresh PSVR2 details comes a new game, too, something from the first party. It's called Horizon: Call of the Mountain, and we're eager to talk about it. Then: NFTs. Japanese publishers Square Enix and Konami are the...

Defining Duke, Episode 53: Xbox & Ubisoft's Game Pass Partnership + GoldenEye 007 Xbox Exclusive Leaks

Xbox has hit the ground running in 2022 with a variety of announcements, news, and leaks. For starters, Ubisoft and Xbox have finally teamed up for a day one drop on Xbox Game Pass. The game? The $40 spin-off 'Rainbow Six: Extraction' or as the Dukes like to call it: Rainbow Six: Experiment. Indeed, it looks as if the seeds are being planted for more deals in the future for the two companies. Otherwise, a classic overdue for both a remaster and return is GoldenEye 007. In 2008, Xbox nearly su...

Defining Duke, Episode 53: Xbox & Ubisoft's Game Pass Partnership + GoldenEye 007 Xbox Exclusive Leaks (Video)

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0:00:50

0:30:39

Defining Duke Ultimate, Episode 49: Halo Infinite Spoilercast and Review Discussion (Video)

Matty, Cog, and (of course) Chris gather after the holiday season to talk about the biggest game of 2021: Halo Infinite. A game that, much like prior Halo games, suffered a tumultuous development cycle and had many worried upon its arrival. Now it's here where many of us have completed the campaign and allowed our thoughts to marinate for quite some time. With that, we dive into everything (and I mean everything) that Halo Infinite has to offer. The Weapon, Escharum, Echo 216, Chief's develop...

Defining Duke Ultimate, Episode 49: Halo Infinite Spoilercast and Review Discussion

Matty, Cog, and (of course) Chris gather after the holiday season to talk about the biggest game of 2021: Halo Infinite. A game that, much like prior Halo games, suffered a tumultuous development cycle and had many worried upon its arrival. Now it's here where many of us have completed the campaign and allowed our thoughts to marinate for quite some time. With that, we dive into everything (and I mean everything) that Halo Infinite has to offer. The Weapon, Escharum, Echo 216, Chief's develop...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode 152: The Excommunication of Vince Ingenito (Video)

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Sacred Symbols+, Episode 152: The Excommunication of Vince Ingenito

There was a time when IGN's Vince Ingenito was one of mainstream gaming media's foremost fighting game experts, critics, and writers. Then, in late 2017, he lost it all almost as quickly as he earned it. And, no, you haven't heard from him since. That's because this is Vince's first public appearance since he was "MeToo'd," losing his job and his reputation in the process. What happened? Where has Vince been? And, perhaps most importantly, did Vince deserve his excommunication? Did the p...

KnockBack, Episode 204: Shovel Knight (Video)

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KnockBack, Episode 204: Shovel Knight

You may not be familiar with the concept of Shovelry, but veterans of 2014's smash-hit indie darling Shovel Knight will know all about it. Kickstarted nearly a decade ago by a new team called Yacht Club Games and launched to massive commercial and critical success, Shovel Knight is an ode to the NES era, taking liberal amounts of inspiration from the likes of DuckTales, Mega Man, Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, Faxanadu, Zelda II, Super Mario Bros. 3, and more. Yet, it's also a adventure...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode 151: Chris Mailbag (Video)

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Sacred Symbols+, Episode 151: Chris Mailbag

Happy New Year! Let's kick off 2022 the right way with Chris Ray Gun! In this episode of Sacred Symbols+, Chris dove into the mailbag to answer your burning questions. Sure, there's a lot of Halo talk for a PlayStation show, but with Chris being our Halo expert, we wouldn't have it any other way. What is his favorite Puerto Rican dish? Has Chris ever considered deleting a video? Check it out!

Sacred Symbols, Episode 183: Our Most Anticipated Games of 2022 (Video)

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0:27:34

0:55:50

Note: There are no timestamps for this episode.

Sacred Symbols, Episode 183: Our Most Anticipated Games of 2022

It's time for us to gather 'round the digital fire and talk about what's to come. We -- the three Sacred Symbols Boys -- each selected five games, confirmed for 2022 release on PlayStation 4 and/or PlayStation 5, that we're most excited to get our hands on. We round out our choices with your own, of course, giving us more than two dozen exciting titles to opine about as we wait for them to arrive in the next calendar year. The only thing we can hope for, then, is that delays are minimal... or...

Defining Duke, Episode 52: The Dukes Top 5 Best & Worst Games Of 2021 (Video)

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0:01:15

0:28:17

Defining Duke, Episode 52: The Dukes Top 5 Best & Worst Games Of 2021

Hot takes ahoy! Matty and Cog have played a lot in a year that has often been referred to as a “down year for video games.” As always there are lists of games to sift through, but the Dukes shed their lists down to the top five of the very best and worst this year had to offer us. We promise these lists will shock, amaze, stun, and disappoint.

Note: There are no timestamps for this episode.

Video will up up later today.

Defining Duke Ultimate, Episode 48: Matty x Cog Mailbag (Video)

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Defining Duke Ultimate, Episode 48: Matty x Cog Mailbag

To round out 2021, Matty and Cog wanted to connect with the audience for a long overdue mailbag. You all had many great questions and we were thrilled to sift through a majority of them! The status of Xbox, Mass Effect starter tips, dormant gaming IP, life advice, and the ICONIC top 5 movies discussion are all held here!

Sacred Symbols+, Episode 150: The Man Who Always Gamed

William Holbert is a 74-year-old retired San Antonio police officer, married for 52 years (!), with a daughter, a couple of grandkids, and even a great grandchild. He's also been playing video games habitually since 1972. Students of the industry will know '72 is significant, and is widely-considered The Beginning of Video Games As We Know Them, as that's the year Pong launched (and it was indeed Pong that caught Billy's attention). Since then, he's seen, owned, and played it all: From the ea...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode 150: The Man Who Always Gamed (Video)

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