Unlocked

What’s Left of/at Xbox? – Unlocked 748 02.07.2026 1u 28min

Join the IGN Discord https://discord.com/invite/h2T45nkkm6 Another dreadful week of Xbox news brings reports that State of Decay 3 may get canceled and developer Undead Labs might be shut down, with Arkane and its Marvel's Blade project potentially suffering the same fate. We give our reactions, and also discuss how we'd "reboot" Xbox around its biggest franchises, as it's reported that new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wants to do. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:46 - State of Decay 3 Might be Cancelled 00:24:07 - Development on new The Elder Scrolls & Fallout 00:52:59 - Xbox Might Cancel Blade 01:04:34 - Hideo Kojima’s OD 01:21:13 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xbox's Third Price Increase Is the Biggest Yet – Unlocked 747 26.06.2026 1u 24min

Money is the name of the game this week, from Xbox's third round of price cuts that see the Series S now start at $500 and the Series X start at $750 to GTA coming in at $80 for the base game and $100 for the Ultimate Edition to the Steam Machine pricing reveal and what it might mean for Project Helix. Plus: brutal Bungie layoffs, our "Game of the Year So Far" picks, and more. This weeks show is hosted by Ryan McCaffrey, MIchael Higham, Miranda Sanchez, and is produced by Nick Maillet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello Darkness My Old Friend – Unlocked 746 18.06.2026 1u 55min

All of Xbox's good energy and community goodwill instantly evaporated as the honeymoon phase for new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma came to a quick end this week. Her new publicly released memo talked of a "resetting" of Xbox and narrowing profit margins, which has resulted in reports of multiple Xbox studios being either shut down or perhaps spun out independently. We discuss Xbox Game Pass's role in Xbox's problems, Xbox's mismanagement of its studios and franchises over the years, and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fable, Gears of War, and Halo: Our Behind Closed Doors Reactions – Unlocked 745 11.06.2026 1u 8min

We've got SO much more to talk about since the Xbox Showcase last weekend. Namely: we got behind-closed-doors looks at Gears of War: E-Day, Fable, and Halo: Campaign Evolved – the latter of which we got to play! 00:00:00 - Intro & Gears of War: E-Day00:22:07 - Fable00:42:21 - Halo: Campaign Evolved00:58:55 - Bad Magpie & Outro #halo #gearsofwar #xbox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xbox Games Showcase 2026 Recap: Gears E-Day, Clockwork Revolution and New Xbox Console | IGN Live 2026 - Unlocked 744 07.06.2026 33min

The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 was packed with major reveals, world premieres, release dates, and surprise announcements. In this complete recap, we cover everything shown, including Gears of War: E-Day launching October 6, Halo: Campaign Evolved and its prequel missions arriving July 28, Fable releasing February 23, 2027, Persona 4 Revival, Persona 6, State of Decay 3, Metro 2039, Wo Long 2, Minecraft Dungeons 2, Spyro: A Realm Beyond, Clockwork Revolution, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 DMZ, and much more. We also break down the biggest Xbox Game Pass news, new gameplay reveals, and every trailer shown during Microsoft's massive 2026 showcase. Other highlights include Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Sea of Thieves: Custom Seas, Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations, Crazy Taxi World Tour, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, Where Winds Meet: Hidden Mountain, Valor Mortis, Magicians: The Devil's Deal, and the reveal of the translucent Xbox Series X25 console. Whether you're looking for every Xbox Games Showcase 2026 announcement, all release dates, or the biggest surprises from the event, this video has everything you need in one place. Subscribe for more Xbox news, game reveals, walkthroughs, guides, and Summer Game Fest coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GTA 6 Looks Likely for November, So What Does it Mean for Xbox? – Unlocked 743 28.05.2026 1u 15min

New comments by Take-Two's CEO suggest that Grand Theft Auto 6 is looking like it's really going to be released on November 19. So what does that mean for Xbox and its packed Fall slate of games? We lay out two likely scenarios. Plus: what's next for Bungie now that Destiny support is ceasing, The Witcher 3 gets a surprise new expansion pack over a decade after its last one, the developer of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 making a Middle-earth game seems like a match made in RPG heaven, and more! 00:00:00 - 007 First Light 00:13:19 - Mina The Hollower 00:21:43 - Is Xbox Ready for GTA 6 This Fall? 00:35:12 - Destiny 2 is Ending 00:51:02 - Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 making a Middle-earth game 00:58:31 - The Witcher 3 New DLC & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our 12 Xbox Showcase Predictions – Unlocked 742 22.05.2026 1u 27min

While we’re together, and before it gets so close to the Xbox Showcase that things start leaking (hopefully not) – the event is just barely over two weeks away! – we thought we’d have fun this week and make our annual Xbox Showcase predictions. You can listen along at home, make your predictions in the Comments section below, and then we can all see how accurate (or not) we were when the Showcase airs on June 7 at 10am PT. 00:00:00 - Intro & Game Pass Friends & Family 00:11:26: - Persona 4 Revival & New Mistwalker Game 00:28:11 - Xbox Controller Leaks 00:38:53 - Blind Taste Testing the Special Edition XBOX 25 Fanta 00:46:22 - id Software & State of Decay 3 00:57:09 - New Wolfenstien Game, Fable & GTA 6 01:10:32 - Knights of the Old Republic Remake 01:19:45 - Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, & Crazy Taxi 01:22:56 - Outro Presented by Fanta Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forza Horizon 6 Rocks! – Unlocked 741 14.05.2026 1u 2min

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

New Xbox CEO Kills Copilot AI – Unlocked 740 07.05.2026 1u 2min

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

New Xbox Logo and Attitude: Is Xbox Back to Being Green and Mean? – Unlocked 739 30.04.2026 1u 32min

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

Xbox Game Pass Gets a Price…Decrease! – Unlocked 738 23.04.2026 1u 7min

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

Replaced Director Shares Insights, Origins, and What's Next After Xbox Debut – Unlocked 737 16.04.2026 1u 10min

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

State of Decay 3 Is Back from the (Un)Dead – Unlocked 736 09.04.2026 1u 16min

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

What Xbox’s Showcase Announcement Tells Us About its 2026 Lineup – Unlocked 735 02.04.2026 1u 20min

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

Xbox Showcase Goes Crazy and We Find Hidden Gems Live at PAX East 2026 – Unlocked 734 28.03.2026 52min

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

Our Favorite New Games You Might Not Have Heard of Yet – Unlocked 733 19.03.2026 1u 16min

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

Project Helix Reactions: Name Ideas, Messaging Musts, and More – Unlocked 732 12.03.2026 1u 12min

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

Resident Evil Requiem Tops a Big Games Week – Unlocked 731 05.03.2026 1u 26min

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

Phil Spencer’s Retirement and the Future of Xbox – Unlocked 730 26.02.2026 1u 53min

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

Are Hard Drives the Next-Gen Xbox’s Latest Roadblock? – Unlocked 729 19.02.2026 1u 1min

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