Unlocked

Our friend Mark Medina makes his long-awaited return to Unlocked to join our discussion on Forza Horizon 6, the latest open-world driving game masterpiece from Playground Games. We give our thoughts on what we've played so far and where we think Horizon might go next. Plus: new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is reportedly thinking carefully about exclusivity for Xbox moving forward, and big surprise: we've got thoughts! All that and more on this week's Podcast Unlocked!

00:00:00 - Intro & Forza Horizon 6 Impressions

00:26:30 - Where Does Forza Horizon Go Next?

00:35:17 - Xbox's Huge Exclusivity Shift & Outro

Join the IGN Discord today: https://discord.gg/mx62v5pgq

#forzahorizon6 #xbox #gaming

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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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

Go to https://surfshark.com/unlocked or use code UNLOCKED at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN.

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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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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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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'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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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.

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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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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 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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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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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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