It's the holiday season and perhaps Santa got you a brand new Xbox! Either that, or you always are subscribed to Game Pass and are looking at where to spend your precious free time. Well, as tradition dictates, the Dukes have gathered to analyze what has been an impressive year for Game Pass. As Xbox moves away from quantity and into quality, what were the best and worst that Game Pass had to offer in 2023? We hope to answer that very question.

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The Best & Worst Of Xbox Game Pass In 2023

Defining Duke is a weekly podcast dedicated to all things Xbox co-hosted by beloved YouTuber MrMattyPlays and Lord Cognito. Whether you're a fan and player of Xbox Series X|S, still hanging around on Xbox One, or have fond memories of Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, our show is for you. We go over the news, talk about the games we're playing, scour rumors and speculation, and much more. We publish each and every Sunday, and you can get the show three days early and ad-free by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/laststandmedia
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The 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!

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

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
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#176 | Xbox Responds to the Studio Shutdowns...

A nightmare year for Xbox continues. The latest chapter in this story is Xbox's shuttering of four Bethesda studios in Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, Roundhouse Studios, and Alpha Dog Games. The message is clear that the experimenting days of Xbox are done as the strategy deployed by its leaders continues to fail. The focus is Call Of Duty, Fallout, DOOM, and other high profile titles while the future of surrounding creative studios like Obsidian, Compulsion, Ninja Theory, and others have uncertainty beginning to cloud them. It serves as yet another powder keg moment for the brand where fan patience has run out. Is it time for the Phil Spencer era to end? How is Hi Fi Rush considered a hit yet its studio is shutdown? Why is the leash so short for teams like Arkane Austin while 343 and The Initiative can afford to waste precious resources? Is it even possible for Xbox to restore the faith at this point? You have many questions, so do we, and one thing is for sure: Xbox is still finding out the answers to all of them.

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

Timestamps: 
0:00:00 - Intro
0:03:47 - What We’re Playing
0:32:09 - Xbox shuts down four Bethesda Studios
2:40:49 - Game Pass Pick of the Week
2:43:03 - Looking ahead to the Xbox Showcase
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#175 | Beware Evil Villain Xbox... - Four Bethesda Studios SHUT DOWN!

Following the Fallout TV show's massive success, the clamoring for a new game has never been louder. This isn't Bethesda's first rodeo with such demands. However, with a new owner and the most eyes ever on the product, Todd Howard has finally said that they are investigating ways to deliver more Fallout games. What would a roadmap for Fallout look like in the near, mid, and long term? The Dukes aim to break down what looks to be a busy few years for Bethesda. That's because it's not just Fallout, but Starfield that is also gaining traction! Almost eight months after its launch and things were admittedly starting to look bleak after few content additions have been made. With the May update, it finally is gaining momentum with peeks at land vehicles, Shattered Space, and more! Plus more on Xbox's summer showcase being announced, what the mysterious Developer Direct game will be, Xbox's plummeting hardware sales, and so much more in a jam packed week!

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

Timestamps: 
0:00:00 - Intro
0:10:49 - Starfield's Insane May Update
0:32:56 - Fallout is collaborating with Call Of Duty
0:35:38 - Xbox's Hardware Plummets
0:46:41 - Id@Xbox x IGN showcase recap
1:03:00 - Watch Dogs is dead and buried
1:07:33 - Updates on Remedy
1:12:49 - Square Enix undergoes major business shifts
1:20:04 - Tekken Season 1 update
1:26:33 - Hasbro’s leap into AAA
1:35:18 - What We’re Playing
2:07:37 - Xbox Games Showcase
2:41:09 - Todd Howard interview
3:00:24 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass
3:02:03 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week
3:04:58 - Dealing with game criticism
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#174 | Bethesda Bends The Knee To Fallout...

ATLUS has shown out once again in what has been a phenomenal roll for the company. With a 20+ minute showcase under our belts, Metaphor: ReFantazio is looking absolutely fantastic. More importantly, it's not just fantasy Persona, but aims to be much more and potentially far more complicated. The Dukes dissect this incredible looking JRPG, mull over what it means for Persona 6, as well as overstate the importance of Xbox having the marketing for this will be. Naturally, we continue to talk about Fallout as we see the franchise continue to hit unbelievable metrics. Perhaps more shocking is that Fallout 76 has seen a tremendous bounceback unto itself with positivity beginning to surround the game for the first time since its Steam launch in 2020. Plus more on Starfield updates, game preservation, Kena: Bridge Of Spirits coming to Xbox, and much more!

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Intro
0:14:01 - Fallout Season 2
0:19:18 - Fallout games are thriving
0:39:27 - Game publishers won’t support libraries for preserving online games
0:49:24 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 announced for 2024
0:56:16 - An update for World of Warcraft on consoles
0:58:31 - Sonic Frontiers 2 leaked from Midori
1:07:15 - IGN x iD @ Xbox Showcase
1:12:04 - Kena: Bridge Of Spirits rated for Xbox
1:13:36 - Meta is making a limited edition Xbox inspired quest headset
1:22:05 - Embracer Group is splitting into three companies
1:27:23 - Jedi Survivor is available on Game Pass
1:30:02 - What We’re Playing
2:02:48 - Metaphor Re: Fantazio showcase
2:34:24 - Todd Howard says “really good updates for Starfield are on the way”
2:48:31 - Coming soon to Game Pass Core
2:49:20 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week
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#173 | We Are The Metaphors, The True Gamers

It's been a Fallout filled week! With the tremendous success that is the TV show, the hunger for a new Fallout has arguably never been higher. Following our spoiler filled discussion of the TV show, we circle back to the timely question: What can Xbox and Bethesda accomplish with this franchise? Having InXile and Obsidian in the family is a match made in heaven, the remaster opportunities are plentiful, and yet, nothing is happening beyond the show. Even the next gen update arrives weeks after the show has aired! Whether it's mismanagement, overprotection, or slow moving relations, a series of this magnitude can no longer remain dormant in the game's space as it has beyond its live service title. The Dukes dive into the options available to Bethesda and how they could navigate such a task. Plus thoughts on PlayStation's move to PC with trophies, Persona 1 & 2 remakes, an Elder Scrolls show, Towerborne's beta, and plenty more!

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Intro
0:10:25 - Todd Howard discusses Elder Scrolls show
0:15:06 - Fallout is topping paid charts for Xbox
0:18:35 - PlayStation is going all in on PC
0:31:04 - Persona 1 & 2 are receiving remakes
0:35:54 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 reveal
0:41:54 - Dead Space is on hold
0:46:10 - A new Baldur's Gate game is on the way
0:52:25 - Iron Man and Black Panther is open world
0:54:50 - Skydance is making a AAA Invincible game
1:01:19 - Towerborne beta details
1:03:32 - Lawbreakers is returning... kind of
1:08:41 - Mafia reveal possibly coming soon
1:12:57 - Blizzard is Blizzard
1:17:55 - Sea Of Thieves hits 40 million players
1:20:23 - Star Wars Outlaws controversy
1:26:20 - Hollow Knight Silksong rated in Australia
1:28:30 - What We're Playing
1:49:23 - TMNT: The Last Ronin is getting a movie
1:53:56 - Keanu Reeves is Shadow The Hedgehog
1:59:51 - Fallout 4's next gen update, TV show spoilers, and what's next for the series
2:46:00 - Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass
2:51:09 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week
2:55:26 - How does YouTube work?
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The Best & Worst Of Xbox Game Pass In 2023

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