Unlocked

Microsoft admits in a court filing as part of the proposed Activision-Blizzard acquisition that game sales suffer when games get added to Xbox Game Pass. We discuss why it doesn't really matter, why Game Pass matters for games both big and small, and more! Plus: why Kotick has to go if the acquisition is approved, Dead Island 2's release date changes AGAIN (but for the better this time!), and plenty more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Secret Single-Player Titanfall Game Reportedly Canceled by EA

00:03:36 - Xbox: Game Pass Cannibalizes Game Sales

00:23:23 - Kotick to Stay as CEO of Blizzard/Activision is Microsoft Deal is Blocked?

00:31:08 - Hi-Fi Rush Easter Egg Teases Evil Within 3?

00:41:21 - Dead Island 2’s Release Date Moves UP a Week

00:48:43 - Outro

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

A busy week of Xbox news has us discussing the recent cancellation of a secret Titanfall single-player project at Respawn and why we sadly may never see Titanfall again. Plus: live-service multiplayer games are getting shut off left and right, so what does it mean for the industry? Also: how will DC's plan to integrate video games into the DCU go over with developers, MLB The Show 23 adds a wonderful new feature that celebrates a key part of baseball history, Tim Schafer heads to the Hall of Fame, and more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Secret Single-Player Titanfall Game Reportedly Canceled by EA

00:24:36 - Marvel’s Midnight Suns and Xcom Director Isn’t Thrilled James Gunn’s New DC Connected Universe

00:35:29 - Crossfirex and Knockout City Are Officially Shutting Down

00:51:31 - MLB The Show 23 Will Feature Legends From the Negro Leagues

01:01:22 - Tim Schafer Inducted Into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame

01:10:22 - Unlock-Block Trivia & Outro

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

Now that we've had a week to play Hi-Fi Rush and see the incredible viral reaction to it, we had a deep and extended conversation about Tango Gameworks' surprise rhythm-action release. We discuss why it was exactly what Xbox was needed, whether we might get a sequel, and more. Plus: the second half of the podcast is dedicated to an equally deep and heartfelt conversation about the state of 343 Industries and the Halo IP.
 

00:00:00 - Intro & How Much Fun is Hi-Fi Rush?

00:35:10 - 323 Industries Report from Jason Schreier

01:12:28 - Unlocked Block Trivia

00:37:29 - Outro

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

We recorded Unlocked immediately after Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct presentation this week. These are our in-the-moment reactions to the excellent presentation, from the deep-dive on Redfall (including a May 2 release date to look forward to) to another look at the gorgeous Forza Motorsport (though it came without any release date attached) to the surprise new game from Tango Gameworks, Hi-Fi Rush, that's available right now! And in our final segment, we spent some time discussing the current uncertain state of Halo in the wake of the layoffs at 343 Industries.

00:00:00 - Intro & Redfall Reactions!

00:14:33 - Hi-Fi Rush is Out NOW

00:24:38 - Forza Motorsport Looks So Good!

00:37:29 - The State of 343 Industries & Outro

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

Spawn on Me host/creator Kahlief Adams returns to Unlocked to tell us all about Spawn on Me's upcoming awards show, The Spawnies. He then sticks around as we all make our predictions for next week's big Xbox Developer_Direct event. We predict release dates and a whole lot more!

00:00:00 - Intro & Kahlief Adams for The Spawnies!
00:26:29 - Xbox Developer Direct Predictions!
00:47:29 - Outro

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

Microsoft has finally confirmed a Developer Direct event that will showcase Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, and Elder Scrolls Online with a separate standalone event for Starfield coming at a later date. This will be a deep dive into the games with much less presentation and more gameplay according to the team at Xbox. As the titles listed are promised for the first half of 2023 we can't wait to see more.

00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping

00:01:39 - New Xbox Developer Direct is on the Way!

00:18:03 - Ubisoft Delays Skull & Bones for the 6th Time

00:33:34 - 5 Forza Horizon Devs Form a New Studio

00:40:31 - Xbox Implements New Power Saving Settings & Outro

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

00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping

00:06:04 - Xbox Predictions for 2023

00:35:24 - QA Workers at Zenimax form a union

00:41:20 Xbox Games With Gold

00:48:32 Trivia!

00:52:32 Outro

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

Our last episode of 2022 focuses on our personal favorite Xbox games of the year. From the biggest AAA blockbusters to the smallest under-the-radar indies, these are the 10 games we enjoyed the most on our Xboxes in 2022. Plus: Microsoft's latest salvo in the ongoing battle against the regulators AND Sony in the quest to get the Activision-Blizzard acquisition approved manages to make Sony look bad...but also doesn't make Microsoft look so hot either. We're off next week but back for 2023 starting on Wednesday, January 4. Happy holidays!

00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping

00:04:09 - Our Personal Xbox Favorite Games of 2022

00:33:30 - More on the Microsoft/Activision Story & Outro

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

High on Life has arrived, and it closes out Xbox Game Pass's 2022 on a high note! We rave about Justin Roiland's comedy-FPS and discuss what we love about it. Plus: we share our frustration about Xbox's no-show at The Game Awards last week, and why we feel like it was the straw that broke the camel's back for many Xbox fans.

00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping

00:07:29 - High On Life Impressions

00:21:00 - Xbox’s No-Show at The Game Awards

00:44:30 - Who Wins Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro

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

Xbox has decided to increase the prices of their next-gen games created specifically for the Xbox Series X|S hardware to $70. This is after being priced at $60 for the last 16 years. Phil Spencer had teased a price increase for either the console, Xbox Game Pass, or their games shortly before this announcement. This week the Unlocked crew reacts to the news and also the surprising agreement Xbox and Nintendo made to keep Call of Duty on Nintendo gaming platforms for the next 10 years.

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:10 Xbox first-party games price hike

00:17:25 Microsoft commits Call of Duty on Nintendo systems for 10 years

00:32:16 Halo Infinite winter update

00:38:15 Elden Ring DLC available for free

00:41:00 Remedy is working on Control 2

00:45:30 What we expect from The Game Awards 2022

00:50:10 Outro

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