Unlocked

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Dark00:16:40 - The Future for Halo00:26:05 - Elder Scrolls Online Dev's Comment on Cancelled MMO00:34:37 - Xbox Layoffs Updates & Turn 1000:49:35 - Romero Games' Unannounced Cancelled Project00:56:12 - Founder of Dishonored and Prey Dev Arkane Slams Game Pass01:06:52 - What Now?01:18:31 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Cognito00:03:54 - Xbox Price Hike00:45:01 - IGN Live Is Back! & Humble Bundle00:48:19 - GTA 6 Trailer 2 Impressions01:03:41 - Would you pay $100 for GTA 6?01;09;28;49 - Gears of War: Reloaded Announced01:20;36 - First Pictures of Asus' Xbox-branded Handheld Leak Online01:30:17 - Outro & Where to Find Us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices