Unlocked (IGN & Geek Media)

We discuss our hands-on impressions with Rockstar's latest, from hunting to battling wolves to horseback riding to shooting dudes in the eye. Plus: our reactions to Telltale's closure, Devil May Cry 5's microtransactions, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, we quickly see how we did with our 2016 Xbox predictions before launching into our bold Xbox predictions for 2017. Scorpio games, release date, Minecraft 2, Destiny 2, original Xbox backwards compatibility, and more! Plus: The Essy trophy is awarded as Destin and Marty battle out an epic tiebreaker in the Unlock Block trivia segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined by two developers from The Outer Worlds, the new first-person RPG from new Xbox first-party studio Obsidian Entertainment: co-director Leonard Boyarsky and narrative designer Nittai Poddar. It launches on October 25 (including straight into Xbox Game Pass!). We discuss the origins of the project with respect to Boyarsky's Fallout background, crazy things that have happened during playtesting, the importance of The Outer Worlds' deep character creator, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard has cleared its biggest hurdle (the FTC), the deal isn't quite done yet. And all parties involved have given themselves more time to finalize the deal. We discuss that, plus Sony finally signing its 10-year Call of Duty deal with Microsoft, the death of Xbox Live Gold and its somewhat confusing replacement in the form of Xbox Game Pass Core, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xbox's Chris Charla sits in with us to talk about the ever-growing success that is Xbox's ID@Xbox indie game program. We discuss Cuphead, Inside, and the slate of upcoming ID@Xbox games including The Last Night, Below, and many others! Plus: Sea of Thieves launches, a new Lego game is on the way, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, new talent takes over Halo Infinite, Phil Spencer gives an idea of what to expect performance-wise from Xbox Scarlett, Gears 5 comes out swinging at Gamescom, PUBG does an awesome thing, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, we discuss the biggest E3 leak so far in Watch Dogs 3, gush over the just-released Outer Wilds, address Rainbow Six Siege's plan for next-gen, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Xbox backwards compatibility team flexes their muscles again with FPS Boost, an unexpected and awesome new improvement to back-catalog games. We celebrate the new feature. Plus: Diablo 2's long-rumored remaster has us super excited, we wonder what's next for Bungie as the studio expands, March's Games With Gold revealed, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:00:00 - Intro & GotG writer Mary DeMarle joins BioWare 00:24:01 - Ubisoft 'Multi-Game' Showcase Coming in September 00:34:04 - GTA IV and Read Dead Redemption remasters scrapped? 00:41:56 - New Co-op mode for Halo Infinite 00:49:12 - Game Pass Games for July 00:54:40 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emergency Unlocked episode! We simply HAVE to talk about Microsoft's big announcement at The Game Awards, in which they announced both the name of Project Scarlett and what it looks like. It's the Xbox Series X, and they also showed Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 running in-engine on the new console! Dig in for 72 minutes of our reactions and analysis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft's jam-packed X018 fan event brought with it a ton of new announcements. We react to and break down the TWO new studio acquisitions, Winter of Arcade, Crackdown 3's multiplayer mode and new release date, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next-gen is now officially current-gen! The Xbox Series X and S are out, and we talk about our first week of living with them. Plus: we analyze Microsoft's big first-week numbers, address shortages expected well into 2021, talk about another Xbox executive's recent comments on Bethesda game exclusivity, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's Xbox show recaps Gamescom from the IGN guys who were there, explains why the Halo 5 console bundle might not be such a good deal, details how the Halo TV show isn't dead, laments Capcom's remakes/remasters-or-bust strategy, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I'm not even supposed to be here today!" We'd planned to be on holiday break this week, but too much Halo happened! First, 343 Industries announced that Halo 3: ODST will be brought to Halo: The Master Chief Collection in 1080p/60fps – for free! And that an Anniversary remake of "Relic" would be added to MCC for free as the seventh Halo 2 Anniversary map. On top of that, we spent all weekend playing the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta during an early access period. Needless to say, we have a lot to say on all of this. Join us for the next 70 minutes or so, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Starfield and Redfall both got delayed out of 2022 on the same day, we discuss why Xbox fans are understandably frustrated with the lack of major first-party exclusives this year. Next year does look amazing - and we discuss that in detail - but we also talk about how many fans are tired of being told "Wait until next year." Can the Xbox Showcase provide any immediate answers? Join us! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:39 - Redfall and Starfield Delayed to 2023! 00:10:08 - How Does 2022 Look Like So Far? 00:48:14 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McCaffrey, Mitch Dyer, Naomi Kyle, and Maggie the Boxer talk about the promise of God Mode, the depressing THQ news and what it means for the future of its games, as well as read some of your year-end emails.  Also included:A dog eats a leash. Naomi and Mitch get super Canadian. Free games, Xbox Live discounts, and technology failures.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our own listeners has been named the new Head of Xbox at Microsoft! Yes, Phil Spencer has been promoted, and he calls in to tell us about his new role. Sorry in advance for the crappy phone-recorded audio. We'll use Skype next time!  Also, Alien: Isolation gets a dangerous release date, Devil's Third isn't dead, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss the Xbox One's home theater strengths, where Mass Effect can go from here after the reaction to Andromeda, the latest on Call of Duty heading back to World War II, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

On this week's Xbox show, we discuss the new games added to Xbox Game Pass for July, more on the Inside co-creator's departure, the Destiny community's awesome act of generosity, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new report suggests the disc-less Xbox One S will be announced next month. We speculate on price, who it's aimed at, and more! Plus: Borderlands 3, Apex Legends' sweet revenge for Respawn, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the crew digs into the upcoming Star Wars game, the strong opening of the next Telltale series, and Prey thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's IGN Xbox podcast, we discuss running out of Xbox One hard drive and what decisions go into choosing an external hard drive to buy. Plus, rumors suggest that both Rock Band and Guitar Hero may be returning for the new consoles (and why we're FREAKING OUT), Microsoft makes a genius move to partner Forza with Fast and Furious, Batman: Arkham Knight's 'M' rating, why MMOs are finally hitting Xbox consoles, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the crew chats about a strange Gears of War lawsuit, and predicts Scorpio's launch lineup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're down Ryan McCaffrey, so it's a shorter show as we discuss HD remakes, Dragon Age: Inquisition's multiplayer, Shadow Complex's 5th anniversary, and what we think of Microsoft selling Kinect for $150. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew wonders why there's no buzz for Halo Wars 2, speculates about BioWare's Destiny-sounding new IP, pieces together EA's E3 2017 lineup, analyzes the ramifications of Zenimax's $500 million lawsuit victory over Oculus, discusses what former GTA mastermind Leslie Benzies is up to with his new game, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Gears of War 4's just-announced release date and what it means for the rest of the holiday 2016 Xbox lineup. Plus: Xbox 1.5, Mass Effect 4, Doom beta thoughts, Bethesda's public E3 presence, Final Fantasy XV demo reactions, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have so much to talk about on this milestone episode! We recap some of the games we saw and played at Summer Game Fest, then discuss how Xbox is absolutely STACKED with AAA exclusive first-party RPGs for the next several years, then pour one out for the Xbox One as Microsoft officially stops making games for it, and THEN we finish this extra-long episode digging into all of the crazy revelations that are coming out as we speak during Microsoft's trial against the FTC regarding the Activision-Blizzard acquisition. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We recorded live immediately following this week's fantastic Xbox Developer Direct, so our reactions are very real, highlighted by the stunning announcement of not just the LONG-awaited Ninja Gaiden 4, but also the surprise shadow drop of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. We've also got plenty of thoughts on Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IGN's Game of the Year has been announced. We discuss how we cast our individual votes. Plus: a big MOBA hits Xbox One, Forza Motorsport 6 gets announced...in Detroit, Microsoft may be bringing back a "beloved" strategy game, Xbox One wins an Emmy(?!), and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, willl the Sonic the Hedgehog movie set video game movies back a decade or turn them into high art? Plus: Kansas City Chiefs fans have to reckon with the Madden Curse as the first details of Madden NFL 20 are announced, Games With Gold for May have been revealed, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We review the Xbox-related announcements at last week's Game Awards. Plus: we attended PSX, and we discuss what Microsoft can learn from Sony's fan-service event. Also: we predict what Bethesda's new Montreal office might get up to, Gone Home is finally about to arrive home on Xbox, the Unlock Block Trivia challenge's quest for the Duke-y trophy gets super tense this week. Can Mitch clinch the trophy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew discusses what TWO games Respawn looks set to release this year and how to make sure Titanfall 3 doesn't get Titanfall 2'd. Plus: Forza Horizon 4's impressive sales feat, why NDAs are serious, Microsoft's Minecraft-made campus renovation preview, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The weekend gave us not one but two Halo 5: Guardians trailers, and you needed to see both of them in order for your mind to be fully and properly blown. We dissect what each trailer's version of the truth means, and we talk at length about Halo 5's surprising October release date – including what it means for the rest of Microsoft's holiday Xbox One lineup. Plus: a nugget of Gears of War 4 news to chew on, a couple of April Xbox One system update features we really like, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew gives our impressions of the just-released Mortal Kombat 11, discusses Respawn's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and why we're optimistic about it, speculates on the motive behind the return of a Call of Duty co-creator after a six-year retirement, and more! Plus: how much next-gen will Microsoft talk at E3? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take-Two's CEO keeps insisting that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released in 2025. Do we believe him? We discuss why (spoiler) we don't. Plus: a new Phil Spencer interview sees the Xbox boss being quite candid about both an Xbox handheld and the future of exclusives on Xbox hardware, and we have a LOT of thoughts. And we kick things off with a report from IGN contributor Travis Northup, who just got back from Montreal to preview Compulsion Games' new game South of Midnight. Join us! This week's show is Ryan McCaffrey, Stella Chung, Travis Northup, and is produced by Nick Maillet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As E3 2021 looms, it's time for our annual E3 predictions episode! We make a dozen total predictions about what we think we're going to see at Xbox's E3 press conference. And then make sure to join us live for our Xbox E3 press conference pre-show, starting at 9:30am PT/12:30pm ET on Sunday, June 13! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew discusses the awful news of WB Games closing down Shadow of Mordor developer Monolith Productions along with two other studios. Is their patented Nemesis System dead forever? But first, we spend a happy first half of the podcast gushing over a few new games we've been playing: Split Fiction, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Monster Hunter Wilds. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:00 - Spilt Fiction Impressions 00:13:52 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Preview Impressions 00:33:48 - Monster Hunter Wilds Impressions 00:38:15 - Is Hazelight Studios the new Telltale? 00:43:26 - WB Games has shut down 3 Studios 00:56:55 - Is the Nemesis System Dead Forever? 01:05:50 - Fable Delayed 01:13:08 - Outro Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Battlefield 2042's short delay has set up a heck of a Fall/holiday season for first-person shooter fans. We discuss each of the five major FPS games out between now and the end of the year: Far Cry 6, Back 4 Blood, Call of Duty: Vanguard, the aforementioned Battlefield 2042, and Halo Infinite. And please welcome back guest panelist NeoGameSpark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Longtime Halo senior developer Joseph Staten, the subject of last week's Unlocked, has announced where he's going next: Netflix! We discuss what this means for Netflix's gaming efforts before turning our attention to the newly announced departure of another longtime Halo developer, Frank O'Connor. Plus: Diablo 4's community interactions continue to impress, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft's big X019 fan event in London is imminent and we've got lots of details, including which TWO DOZEN games are playable there. Plus: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is curiously omitted from EA's EA Access service, we unbox this year's absolutely glorious fan-made Unlock Block Trivia Challenge trophy, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the calm before the E3 storm, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella makes it clear that the Xbox business isn't going anywhere. Plus, EA leaks its own game, Minecraft on Xbox One gets a release date and a sweet upgrade deal, another publisher wants us to pay again for a recent game, and Mitch hates Batman Beyond spoilers. Oh, and why we may need to call in sick for the entire month of October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew spends a ton of time digging into the just-released masterpiece that is Forza Horizon 5, including why we love it, and we feel like it's finally getting its due as a series after all these years. Plus: we're less enthusiastic about Call of Duty: Vanguard, huge games like Diablo 4, Overwatch 2, and Marvel's Midnight Suns get delayed, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tons to talk about this week! We start by discussing our disappointment in the new gameplay showcase for Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Then we analyze Tango Gameworks founder Shinji Mikami's departure from the studio and why we think The Evil Within 3 is still happening. Plus: Mortal Kombat 12 gets announced in an unexpected way, Call of Duty will get a full-game release this year after all, and more!   00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping 00:03:19 - What’s Up with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League? 00:21:29 - Shinji Mikami is Leaving Tango Gameworks 00:28:13 - WB CEO Announces Mortal Kombat 12 00:38:12 - Call of Duty and Forza Horizon 5 News! 00:47:10 - Outro 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 react to this week's big event, The Game Awards, and the many reveals it brought with it, including The Witcher 4, Elden Ring Nightreign, gameplay for The Outer Worlds 2, and so, so much more! #GOTYWatch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima's decision to sign with Sony for his next game, and whether or not Microsoft pursued the big-name free agent. Plus: we debate what Gearbox's new Quebec studio might be working on, what EA's commitment to eSports means for the industry, and more. Also, don't miss the end of the show this week, as an Unlock Block Trivia champion for 2015 is crowned in a shocking finale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special mini-episode, bucket-list edition of Podcast Unlocked, we sit down with Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the Emmy Award-winning, Tony Award-winning, and Oscar-nominated comedy geniuses. They've got a new video game, hilariously titled South Park: The Fractured But Whole, that serves as a follow-up to the New Kid's adventures in The Stick of Truth. Here, Stone and Parker discuss the game, how they see the show ending one day, whether or not we'll ever get a Book of Mormon movie adaptation, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MC Fixer from the My Xbox and Me podcast joins us to discuss another big week of Xbox news, from longtime Bungie veteran Joseph Staten being brought in to help lead Halo Infinite's campaign to Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War's confusing generational price and upgrade differences to Microsoft's uphill battle in providing reasons to buying the Xbox Series X this holiday and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our second episode this week tackles the biggest topic in the Xbox world right now: Halo Infinite. From the surprise early release of the free-to-play multiplayer suite to our impressions of the campaign, we spend a lot of time talking Halo. But we also spend a lot of time talking about the top 5 best original Xbox games ever in celebration of the console's 20th anniversary. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Halo Infinite details its impressive PC features and options, leading some of the Unlocked crew to ponder whether to stick with it on Xbox or move to PC. Plus: the Xbox Compatibility Team drops another batch of FPS Boost games, a trademark gets filed for Sunset Overdrive by...Sony?!, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We don't believe three generations of Xbox leadership have ever been brought into the same room before to share secrets and stories of Xbox history. Until now. In a once-in-a-lifetime episode, Xbox creator Seamus Blackley, Head of Xbox during the 360 launch Peter Moore, and current Head of Xbox Phil Spencer talk for 90 minutes about all three Xbox consoles, including beating Sony in the living room, where the Duke controller came from, how Gears of War influenced a critical decision for the Xbox 360 hardware, and so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, we discuss a bunch of stories we'd rather not have to report, including the Fortnite lawsuit involving a 14-year-old boy, the "sunsetting" of Marvel Heroes Omega, and the comatose state of the Deus Ex franchise. On a happier note, Square Enix's CEO shows integrity when speaking about Hitman and Io Interactive, single-player games thrive over Black Friday weekend, this year's Unlock Block trivia trophy gets awarded, and more! Also: if you would like to help former IGN editor and Marvel Heroes developer Anthony Gallegos raise funds for the chemotherapy treatments for his fiancee's awesome dog Shasta, please visit gofundme.com/healshasta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spawn on Me's Kahlief Adams joins us to discuss a busy week of Xbox news, from EA seemingly accidentally revealing Shepard's return to Mass Effect (do we even want Shepard back? Are we hyped for this?), where Activision can take Sledgehammer's Call of Duty games from here after the disappointing Vanguard, Gotham Knights leaving Xbox One behind, Clippy in Halo Infinite, and more! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro & Commander Shepard Returning? 00:26:30 - Activision On Call of Duty Vanguard's Underperforming Sales 00:50:35 - Gotham Knights No Longer Releasing For PS4 and Xbox One 00:59:40 - Halo Infinite's Season 2 Adds Clippy! 01:03:50 - Resident Evil Re:Verse Potential Release 01:09:15 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Gamescom approaching, we make our Xbox predictions for the "European E3." What will Microsoft announce? What will they show off? We speculate. Plus: another last-gen game looks like it's getting an Xbox One port, Bungie has a supply-and-demand problem with Destiny, Evolve gets delayed, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh back from the holidays, our Xbox crew reconvenes to discuss what we played over the break, as well as what game we're most excited for in 2017. Red Dead Redemption 2, State of Decay 2, Cuphead, Sea of Thieves, For Honor, Mass Effect Andromeda, Crackdown 3, and more! Plus: Mass Effect Andromeda's release date is finally revealed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IGN's Xbox crew (with special guest Parris Lilly) recaps and analyzes Microsoft's long-awaited Xbox Games Showcase. We talk Halo Infinite, Fable, and much, much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew makes some last-minute Game Awards predictions that are sure to be comically wrong. Plus: Rocksteady says they're not doing a Superman game. So what ARE they up to? Also: BioWare teases Dragon Age 4 and we cast the Gears of War movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft makes 10-year deals to bring Call of Duty to other platforms with not one but TWO different companies in an effort to get regulators to approve the Activision-Blizzard acquisition. We discuss how Microsoft might be nearing the endgame of this corporate chess match. Plus: we're stoked for the Diablo 4 beta, Ubisoft makes a puzzling statement about attending E3, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, we examine the latest in the ongoing drama that is Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite. Plus: Xbox One X preorders approach, Crackdown 3 concerns, the best-selling games of June, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox crew dissects a new report on the state of Crackdown 3 and looks at what its future potential is. Plus: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is getting not one but two multiplayer betas, Sea of Thieves has a major new content update, Code Vein checks out of 2018, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Locksmiths welcome back new co-host Marty Sliva from Comic-Con while also greeting a couple of new IGN staffers: former 1UP.com editor Jose Otero and new Wikis & Guides guy Jared Petty. The crew discusses a major Xbox One policy shift for indie gaming, the new Kinect, the Oculus Rift, and more. Plus: another round of Get to Know Your Locksmiths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the year winds to a close, Microsoft celebrates a November NPD victory. What about December? What about the future? Will they put the system's price back to $400? We discuss. Plus: the big annual year-end Xbox games sale has begun, Grand Theft Auto V finally delivers a peek at online heists, remasters get an ultimatum from us, and more. Oh, and THANK YOU for listening this year. We appreciate your support more than you know! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a quick update on how our Starfield adventures are going, we discuss Phil Spencer and the Xbox leadership team’s big decision to bend the Series X/S parity rules to get Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox, Destin’s big interview with Phil Spencer — including whether or not Microsoft will produce a mid-gen refresh for the Series X — the sad closure of Volition, and more! 00:00:00 - Intro & Replaced Delayed to 2024 00:12:05 - Xbox Drops Parity Requirement & Baldur's Gate 3 Coming! 00:22:10 - Blizzard/Activision & Game Pass? 00:39:10 - Mid-Generation Refresh for Xbox? 01:11:28 - Embracer Group Shuts Volition Down & Outro   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots to discuss this week! James Duggan's impressions of The Division 2 and how it compares to other loot shooters. Plus: our headliner is Borderlands 3. It's finally official, but what kind of game will it be? We each give our take. We also detail the just-announced monster FPS Darkborn, wonder about Ubisoft's E3 press conference, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of this week's show is dedicated to taking stock of Sea of Thieves now that it's finally out. We discuss what's good, what's bad, and where it can go from here. We also talk about A Way Out, Telltale's Batman series, Hellblade coming to Xbox, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Left 4 Dead developer Turtle Rock Studios returns with a game that sounds an awful lot like Left 4 Dead...literally and figuratively. Plus: we try to predict Bethesda's just-announced E3 press conference, No Man's Sky keeps building, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, we discuss the recently unearthed Call of Duty prototype called Call of Duty: Roman Wars. Would it have worked? Could it have worked? Also: Red Dead Redemption finally arrives on Xbox One, Xbox Avatars get more detailed and more inclusive, our thoughts on the BioShock Collection, and at the end of the show is our eagerly anticipated Inside spoilercast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, we field a bunch of questions from the kind folks in the Unlocked Facebook group in our final episode of 2016. Plus: catching up on the Xbox news we missed last week. Happy Holidays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gamescom is underway, and this week's episode is dedicated to a recap and analysis of everything from the Opening Night Live showcase -- from the beauty of Alan Wake 2, Black Myth: Wukong, and Lords of the Fallen to our disgust at the knucklehead stage-crashers who are going to ruin access these events for fans. Plus: We can tell you that we're playing Starfield, and though we can't share any opinions on it yet, we let you know when you can read IGN's review. 00:00:00 - Intro & the Biggest gamescom Announcements 00:40:55 - Modern Warfare 3: Will It Be Good? 00:46:22 - Alan Wake 2 Reactions & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is here, and we discuss in great (spoiler-free) detail why we think it's the best Xbox exclusive in years. Plus: our predictions for reveals we'll get at next week's Game Awards, Xbox Game Pass's December lineup, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week the Unlocked crew are joined by a very special guest host, Adam Cole! Discussions include speculation about what we can expect from Halo Infinite Season 2, the Kingdom Hearts 4 reveal, and Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming story expansion. Also, have you guys tried Destin's cookies yet? 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping 00:02:20 - Halo Infinite Season 2 Announced! 00:16:48 - Cyberpunk 2077 Story Expansion Incoming 00:24:07 - Kingdom Hearts IV Announced 00:31:35 - Dead Space Remake Coming Early 2023? 00:38:04 - What’s Up with System Shock 3? 00:53:30 - Our “Lifetime” Games & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our Xbox E3 recap by discussing most of the rest of Xbox's press conference announcements, including Bleeding Edge, Ori 2, Minecraft Dungeons, Gears 5, Blair Witch, Battletoads, and Avengers (even though that last one wasn't in the Xbox conference). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get to Know Your Locksmiths takes a very dark turn this week as the crew returns from the Gamescom convention in Germany and contemplates what their last meal would be. We cover The Elder Scrolls Online's attempt to circumvent longtime Microsoft policies, this week's mixed bag of new Xbox 360 releases, and our favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles thing ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, the crew discusses their Rage 2 impressions and their thoughts on Red Dead Online's official launch and all the new content coming with it. Despite being just a few weeks away from E3, there's still other announcements rolling out, including the reveal of Ghost Recon Breakpoint, the unfortunate, concerning news from the Starbreeze financial call, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bethesda held a fantastic roundtable discussion with Phil Spencer and some of the Xbox leadership team, and we discussed our impressions of the first big post-acquisition event, from Phil's comments on exclusivity to his admiration of the id Tech engine to the avalanche of Bethesda games that are now on Xbox Game Pass. Plus: our impressions of the excellent new Xbox Wireless Headset, Halo Infinite's fun new gameplay trick, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our 250th episode aired live at E3 2016 with special guest and Xbox creator Seamus Blackley, so here it is in case you missed it. This was our live reactions to everything that had just happened at the Xbox press conference. Hope you enjoy it! And by the way, look for episode 251 at its regular time this Wednesday evening! And we've got our own YouTube channel too! Subscribe here: youtube.com/ignunlocked Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We celebrate our perfectly-timed-for-Halloween episode 666 with Rod Fergusson, the super-nice franchise head of one of gaming's most evil franchises, Diablo. Rod talks about the new Diablo 4 expansion pack, Vessel of Hatred, the new Spiritborn character class, his reaction to Gears of War: E-Day as the former studio head at The Coalition, and even what his Gears 6 would've looked like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a surprise plot twist, Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard acquisition has been BLOCKED by the UK's CMA regulatory authority. We spend most of the show discussing the ramifications of this as well as what Microsoft might do next. Plus: we kick off the show with some quick impressions of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor!   Presented by Dead Island 2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that Xbox Game Pass will include day-one first-party releases starting with Sea of Thieves, we discuss whether or not Game Pass is the future of gaming. Plus: what a potential Duke Nukem movie starring John Cena REALLY means, the Sea of Thieves closed beta is underway, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Longtime Xbox fan and military veteran Jeff Bartrom stops by to talk about Operation Supply Drop and 8-Bit Salute, the charity that helps active and retired military service members through video games. Plus: our Black Ops 4 Blackout impressions, Red Dead 2's 60-hour story, Diablo 4 (!...?), and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With six minutes of new Halo Infinite campaign footage to chew on, we spend a lot of time in this episode reacting to the footage we've all been waiting over a year to see. We talk about the open world, the improved graphics, the ray tracing (or the lack thereof), the boss battles (?), and more! Plus: Halo's former art director stars a new studio at EA, and we dream about what he might be making. Also, don't miss Echo Generation and Moonglow Bay on Xbox Game Pass this week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gears of War 4 unleashes a pricey season pass and an even pricier collector's edition. We evaluate the pluses and minuses of both. We also lament the latest Mirror's Edge Catalyst delay, debate where Call of Duty is heading after its title has apparently leaked. Oh, and, uh...rugby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We share high-seas adventure stories from our time in the Sea of Thieves beta plus where a datamine reveals the game might go next. Plus: Monster Hunter World impressions, discussion of Anthem's not-unexpected delay, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for an exclusive live interview at IGN Live with Xbox's Phil Spencer and a panel of top game developers. In this deep-dive session, we explore the latest Xbox strategies, the impact of recent studio acquisitions, and what the future holds for Xbox and its fans. From discussing major titles like 'Halo Infinite' to addressing community concerns and revealing insights into upcoming Xbox projects, this is a conversation any gaming enthusiast won't want to miss. Tune in to hear directly from the leaders shaping the future of gaming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Xbox podcast crew gives detailed impressions of the just-released Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as well as Remedy's upcoming third-person action game Control. Plus: a look back at the Elder Scrolls games that helped make the Xbox great as the franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary this week, more rumored details of the all-digital Xbox One S, a bit of Mortal Kombat 11 talk, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Digital Foundry's John Linneman and Gamertag Radio's Danny Peña join us to talk about all sorts of Xbox stuff this week! Topics include: the future of BioWare after their big studio leadership shakeup, next-gen sports games on Xbox Series X, what's going on with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on Series X, our Game Awards announcement predictions for Xbox, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, the crew talks through Scalebound's cancellation, a Halo game that never was, and Mass Effect: Andromeda at CES! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The crew is joined by Ash Parrish from The Verge to discuss the reports of Xbox handhelds (from OEMs) coming later this year and the prospect of a next-gen Xbox coming in 2027 (and how weird time works because it feels like the Series X|S came out just yesterday). But first, we revisit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 demo for Miranda's final thoughts, and get Ash's insights on South of Midnight from her preview and interview with actor and developer Ahmed Best. Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noted Metal Gear fan Max Scoville joins Podcast Unlocked this week to discuss the whole (alleged) Kojima/Konami fiasco. And we have what may be an unpopular opinion about the entire thing. Plus: why the hell is there a Russia-only Halo Online game for PC? Will the next Xbox hit in 3-4 years instead of 7-8? What's the deal with Conker in Project Spark? Also: Shark Finnegan explains how to get thrown out of a Denny's. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are EXCITED about the new Xbox Series X technical details, including the whopping 12 teraflops of computing power that the next-gen Xbox is packing. Plus: EA canceled another Star Wars project, March's Games With Gold have been announced, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IGN's Xbox crew discusses Apex Legends enormous success and it's potential, the future of EA, and a traveling Halo Amusement Park that may be headed your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Project xCloud takes the next big step towards becoming a major part of the Xbox ecosystem, and we discuss how it's kind of like the "Xboy" handheld Xbox that we never got. Plus: the ramifications of Halo Infinite's multiplayer being free-to-play, how Xbox fans feel about PlayStation's exclusive Spider-Man deal in Marvel's Avengers, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, we apologize for this week's audio issues. It's a bit quiet for the first half or so of the show, and then we tried to fix it and were successful...except somehow and for some reason Ryan's microphone cuts out. You can still hear him being picked up by the other mics, but...sigh... Anyway, this week we discuss Rise of the Tomb Raider's controversial Xbox exclusivity, our first glimpse of the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's multiplayer reveal, and everything else that came out of the big Gamescom show in Germany. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We reflect on our experiences – both positive and negative – with the recent Ghost Recon Wildlands closed beta and then Ryan gives his take on Halo Wars 2 now that he's finished it. Plus: Destiny 2 and Call of Duty speculation, why you shouldn't expect any Valve games on Xbox anytime soon, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EA has been having a tough time with Star Wars: What went wrong and can it be fixed? Our Xbox crew discusses that and more on this week's show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We kick off 2020 - The Year of Xbox, in our opinions - by taking a look at a new report that gives us an idea of just how powerful the Xbox Series X will be. Plus: Microsoft stands poised to go on the offensive for the first time in years, Respawn studio head Vince Zampella is given more power at EA, and more. Happy New Year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big news for those who've still been trying to get their hands on an Xbox Series X: the shortage might finally be over. Plus: our Game Pass picks for new Series X owners, the upcoming Xbox Game Pass Family Plan has been confirmed, Unreal Engine 5's completion means a bunch of Xbox exclusives just got one step closer to release, and more! TIMECODES: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:10 - Is the Xbox Series X Shortage Almost Over? 00:06:27 - Our Recommended Game Pass Games 00:19:10 - Xbox Game Pass Family Plan Incoming! 00:26:46 - Xbox Games for April 00:28:50 - Monkey Island is Back! 00:31:48 - Our Dream Sequel Revivals 00:41:26 - Unreal Engine 5 is Officially Here 00:52:55 - Unlocked Block Trivia & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Xbox show, it's all about Project Scorpio. The next Xbox had its official specifications revealed, and we discuss what it means for the console, for the price point, what the box might look like, and what Microsoft promises it will do for non-4K displays. Plus: NBA Playgrounds gets announced and channels the dormant spirit of NBA Jam and NBA Street, Agents of Mayhem resurfaces with a release date, Sega is teasing...something with Bayonetta, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So much to discuss on this week's Xbox podcast! Mass Effect gets its Mako back, Destiny's beta goes well, Homefront fans get good news, Gamestop wants to help you ruin your credit rating, and more. Oh, and Marty sends notes from Comic-Con, which Ryan ruins by doing a dramatic reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices