The XB2 — An Xbox & Gaming Podcast

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Hey guys, XB2 406 is delayed to Monday as Rand deals with IRL stuff today. We'll talk some random Xboxxy news and take your questions ahead of Monday's regular show. Note: Me and Rand will cover some of the same topics on Monday if yall wanna wait for that, but some asked me to upload this one too to here. :) So take it as a bonus show kinda! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Rand and Jez get into another shiny week of Xbox Two goodness. This week, we talk Xbox's big feedback push, Fable's delay rumors, Call of Duty being removed from Xbox Game Pass, Asha Sharma's regime change, and much, much more! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, State of Decay 3 trailer vs. Reality. Metro 2039 and Xbox First Look show.00:30:00: Capcom on a winning streak. Xbox Helix "beta testing."00:45:00: Xbox ecosystem vs. mass market. Margin pressure relief for Xbox.01:00:00: Call of Duty vs. Xbox Game Pass. Flexible models to come?01:38:00: Gears of War: E-Day speculation, Fable delayed? GTA 6 impact02:18:00: Pete Hines vs. Microsoft. Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Sadly Rand's internet is cooked right now, so I (Jez) went solo this week with a bonus show (we're still planning a Monday show though!) We talk Xbox Game Pass rumored new tiers and changes, we talk Xbox exclusivity arguments, Xbox's big feedback drive, and much more. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad It's time. It's TIME. IT'S RAND_AL TIME. Jez and Rand return for another XB2 pod! This week, we talk Xbox Showcase season, FanFest going global, State of Decay 3 alpha tests going live, Gears E-Day direct and rumors, and much more! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, Artemis II space launch, leaker culture, Nintendo rumors. 00:30:00: Xbox Games Showcase, Gears: E-Day, FanFest returns. Showcase predictions. 01:05:00: Xbox leadership change, Asha's vision, Gears' future.01:40:00: Marathon Cryo and Endgame, State of Decay 3 public test. 02:10:00: Lord of the Ring game, Todd Howard and Bethesda culture.02:48:00: Xbox Play Anywhere, Project Helix. Multiplat vs. Exclusives. Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Aired first on http://www.Patreon.com/XB2! Hey gang! Here's an XB2+1 Interview with Malte Burup, of Death Howl fame, part of a 4-person team working on a dark deckbuilder on Xbox Play Anywhere! Death Howl is a deckbuilder with soulsborne and XCOM inspirations, set in a Scandinavian-inspired mythological setting, that's as emotive as it is satisfying. It's great on the Xbox Ally and cloud, and available now on Xbox and PC. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on ⁠http://Patreon.com/XB2⁠! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad It's another fun week in Xbox land as Rand and Jez talk this week's happenings. PlayStation finally concedes to global price increases, and fanboys suddenly think price increases are "fine." Xbox Partner Preview delivers some great news for Xbox fans, and Asha Sharma continues to push forward on her Xbox agenda. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00: Intro, "This is an Xbox" ends. Hardware prices HIKED, more next-gen rumors.01:00:00: Bethesda's Creation Engine, the "Xbox handheld," PlayStation price hikes, $1000 consoles. Now for rich people only?01:50:00: Netflix bundles, $300 million AAA budgets, industry layoffs. Game Pass "Trion" codename.02:30:00: Is PlayStation really quitting PC? Marathon love and hate.03:00:00: Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Jez and Rand catch up on this week's Xbox news! We talk Asha Sharma expectations, a shift in attitude at Microsoft, GDC news, Helix rumors, Crimson Desert drama, and much more. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, Xbox new dashboard features, "corporate intertia."00:30:00: Is Xbox Helix a console or a PC, or something else? Crimson Desert issues.01:00:00: Marketing hype vs. Starfield potential.01:38:00: NVIDIA DLSS 5 drama. Marathon impressions.02:10:00: More back compat coming? Death of "This is an Xbox."02:40:00: Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Hey gang! This week, Jez and Rand discuss Project Helix, Xbox's confirmed console+PC hybrid. We talk Asha Sharma's commitment to console and what Xbox needs to do to grow, we discuss PlayStation quitting PC, and much more. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, Jez goes to Japan. Project Helix revealed. Marathon, Resident Evil momentum. World of Warcraft housing vs. price gouging.00:40:00: Xbox's hardware future. Fallout franchise potential. Port rumors, DOOM expansion.01:18:00: Xbox all hands meeting, Sony quits PC gaming. 02:00:00: Corporate decisions, spreadsheets vs. sentiment. Exclusivity vs. day one on Xbox Game Pass. Xbox vs. U.S. Government. 03:00:00: Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Jez and Rand are back in the saddle, this week discussing the aftermath of the big Xbox shakeup. We talk comments on Xbox being "shut down," Jez's big Xbox leadership interview, the big online drama, and much more. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00: Intro, Xbox news and discussions, Bluepoint shut down. 00:50:00: Resident Evil Requiem, Overwatch x Nier, Game Pass costs. 02:00:00: Jez interviews Xbox, Sarah Bond backlash. Interview criticism. 03:30:00: Xbox's "return," Rand near-death experience, Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Hey guys. Jez here, some of you asked if I could upload my solo show on Spotify so you could listen at your leisure ahead of Friday's Ep. 400 with Rand. Here it is! It was a live stream and not structured very well like a podcast, and I was solo, but we discuss a lot of things dropped in the chat and the like. No timestamps for this I'm afraid, but do let me know what you think. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Time for another XB2! This is a 399.5 special as Jez is out on location. Rand is joined by Cognito of Defining Duke and Iron Lords Podcast to discuss the latest gaming news, as Phil Spencer retires LIVE mid-show. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00: Intro, Marathon vs. Destiny 2. Rand plays Reanimal. 00:20:00: Phil Spencer retires. Sarah Bond leaves, or fired? 00:54:00: Who is new CEO Asha Sharma? 01:40:00: Rumors of optimism at Xbox, Sarah Bond's goodbyes. 02:36:00: PlayStation shuts down Bluepoint, changing game industry. Asha interviewed by Variety. 03:30:00: Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Jez and Rand get into another week of Xboxxy news. We talk PlayStation's State of Play, Blizzard's resurgence, Highguard fallout and post-mortem, and much more. Timestamps coming soon! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Jez and RAND. GO LIVE! Let's do this. Talking next-gen Xbox rumors, Xbox's 2026 line-up, Overwatch revamped, and much more! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 : Intro, 2026 games hype, FF7 Rebirth hits Xbox. 00:19:00 : Blizzard over-hated? Fallout S2 thoughts. 00:50:00 : Obsidian post-mortem. PlayStation clones Dauntless? 01:30:00 : Xbox next-gen in 2027? Baldur's Gate HBO show. 03:10:00 : Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Hey gang! Jez and Rand are back with another XB2 Podcast! This week, we talk Final Fantasy 7 hitting Xbox, GDC survey drama, AI battering gaming stocks including Take Two (in the year of GTA 6 wtf?). We talk Highguard and "toxic empathy," and the future of Xbox hardware. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00: Intro, FF7 hits Xbox / Switch. Gaming stocks get battered.00:42:00: GTA 6, physical media, Xbox dead ... AGAIN?! 01:16:00: Highguard drama, competitive shooters market, Xbox financials.02:20:00: Media and dev trends, the future of Xbox hardware.03:16:00: Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RAND IS BACK! This week, we talk Xbox Dev Direct, Fable and Forza Horizon 6 reactions, Ubisoft imploding, and much more. 🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00: Rand returns! Industry layoffs, AI bubble. 00:35:00: Playground Games, Xbox exclusivity and strategy, Halo's future. 01:28:00: Xbox Developer_Direct discussion, Forza, Fable. 02:05:00: Kiln, XboxTax + Nintendo rebate? In-game ads coming? 02:50:00: Next-gen Xbox and PS6 delayed? Call of Duty cooked? 03:35:00: Ubisoft in omni-crisis. Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Jez for another Xbox Two Podcast! This week, we discuss questions from the audience, analyse the near-term future of gaming, disruption from AI, and much more. Thanks to everyone for your support during this solo show stint, as Rand continues to deal with family matters. <3 🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Jez flies solo again as Rand deals with a family tragedy. This week, we talk rumors about the Xbox January Direct, we discuss Jez's preview of Xbox's 2026, and also debate Xbox's hardware future. 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aired first December 30, 2025 on Patreon.com/XB2! 🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Hey gang, here's our final XB2+1 of 2025! Talking Xbox's 2025, and 2026 with Parris Lilly of GamerTag Radio and Kinda Funny fame. Follow Parris Lilly on X: ⁠@vicious696⁠ We talk about our favorite games from 2025, what Xbox needs to do in 2026, and wrap up with some optimism for where things are headed. NOTE: Apologies for my mic quality, I had the wrong mic selected in OBS. It should be listenable though ... ! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Jez goes solo as Rand's mic unexpectedly dies at the start of the show! We take questions from the audience, talk Xbox in 2026, rumors of the consoles being delayed due to the RAM price explosion, and much more! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad Jez and Rand return for another week of Xboxxy news! We talk Larian AI drama, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo November sales apocalypse, the future of Starfield, Fallout, and Elder Scrolls, Xbox Developer Direct rumors, and much more! 💚 Support us and go AD-FREE on http://Patreon.com/XB2! Extra shows, Q&A sessions, and more. 💚 TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, The Game Awards recapped. Diablo 4: Paladin gameplay, Fallout hype. 00:23:00: Call of Duty sales slump, Star Wars and BioWare rumors. Tomb Raider remakes, Resident Evil strategy, Divinity, GTA 6 delayed again?00:54:00: Tim Cain returns to Obsidian, Starfield "2.0," Xbox Wrapped missing. November sales apocalypse.01:33:00: Xbox Developer Direct, Naughty Dog gets crunch back. Square Enix loves Xbox.02:25:00: Halo original trilogy remake, AI in gaming controversy.03:08:00: Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices