This is not a drill - LEE IS PLAYING CAT GAMES! 

Did you like the intro music? Of course you did. Because who wouldn't? Now you can hear more, thanks to Made By Humans! Check it out on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you listen to your tunes! 

⭐ Starfield Surges After Dual DLC Drop

Remember Starfield? Well, it seems everyone else did. Starfield’s Xbox player count jumped by nearly 200% following the simultaneous release of two DLC packs, marking one of the game’s biggest post‑launch spikes to date.

📺 The Best Xbox Cloud Gaming App… Is on Apple TV

A third‑party developer has built what Microsoft couldn't - the best‑looking Xbox Cloud Gaming app. But this one is not on Xbox hardware. Oh no! It’s on Apple TV. Early impressions say it “puts what Microsoft makes to shame,” with a slick UI and smoother navigation than the official experience.

🏆 Achievement System Overhaul Incoming It's about time! Xbox is rolling out new improvements to Achievements, including better progression tracking and expanded reward structures. Insider Gaming reports that the update focuses on modernizing the system and giving players more meaningful milestones. Although we're still clamouring for the Xbox version of the Platinum. But hey, at least we can now hide games from our profile. All the Barbie gamers rejoice!

💸 Xbox CEO: “Game Pass Has Become Too Expensive”

In a leaked internal memo, new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma admits that Game Pass is “too expensive for players” and needs a “better value equation.” Could it be that the price hikes of up to 50% in the past 15 months are to blame? Looks like Call of Duty’s inclusion contributed to the rising costs, in a surprise to no one. Can Sharma evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system long‑term? Or will she be outdone by Amy Hood's bean-counting? 

🧟 State of Decay 3 Returns From The Dead

After years of silence, State of Decay 3 is back. With Alpha playtests beginning May 2026 4‑player co‑op, new base‑building systems, and expanded resource strategies. Signups via the official site are now live. But be warned - you need Discord.

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Our biggest event of the year has begun. Will you be playing baby games, going for the ratio or getting those steps in? 

A quiet week of news is just what we need to kick off our Achievement Hunting! Let's dive in. 

🫂 Xbox Partner Preview Recap SEGA headlined a surprisingly strong Partner Preview, with new reveals, fresh gameplay, and multiple Game Pass confirmations. The showcase emphasized third‑party partnerships, Xbox Play Anywhere expansions, and a few standout surprises that filled in the 2026 release calendar. A tight, content‑heavy show with no fluff.

🎮 Xbox Games Showcase Announced Microsoft officially locked in dates for its big summer showcase, with a dedicated deep‑dive for Gears of War: E‑Day immediately afterward. Expect first‑party reveals, updates on long‑awaited titles, and the first extended look at E‑Day’s campaign, tech, and direction. This is Xbox’s flagship event for the year. And we can't wait to see what Xbox has planned. Will we get a Project Helix announcement? Only time will tell... 

🎟️ Xbox Game Pass “TRITON” Discovered A backend leak uncovered a mysterious new Game Pass tier called TRITON, containing only Xbox Game Studios titles. Everything from DOOM Eternal and Halo 5 to Fallout 4 and Psychonauts look to be included. The discovery has sparked speculation that Microsoft is preparing a major subscription shake‑up, possibly tied to CEO Asha Sharma’s ongoing restructuring of Game Pass pricing and bundles.

🏴‍☠️ Sea of Thieves Walks Back The Plank After community backlash, Rare reversed course: Custom Seas will now be free for all players in Season 20, not locked behind a premium subscription. Players will be able to create private sandboxes, tweak world settings, run Safer Seas fleets with friends, and even use a cinematic camera, without paying extra!

🤑 PS5 Price Skyrockets Because we all enjoy a good laugh, let's have a look at the competition... Sony is rolling out a significant PS5 price hike across multiple regions, citing rising manufacturing and distribution costs. The increase affects both the standard and digital models and lands at a strategically awkward time, given Xbox’s aggressive Game Pass push and upcoming hardware refresh. The PS5 Pro will now set you back $1,000. Oh, and that's Freedom Dollars, not DollaryDoos or KiwiDollars... 

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What? You thought putting an A.I. person in charge of Xbox was going to lead to different outcomes? 

Microsoft has confirmed that Copilot AI will be integrated into Xbox, offering system‑level assistance for navigation, accessibility, and game discovery. The announcement comes only weeks after the new Xbox CEO said the division would avoid “soulless slop,” prompting mixed reactions. Copilot will not generate in‑game content but will assist with platform features. Microsoft says the rollout will begin later this year. Clearly, they haven't heard enough about MicroSlop, so now we're getting XboxSlop!

Crimson Desert has debuted as the second‑biggest Xbox launch of 2026 without Game Pass support, according to TrueAchievements’ player‑count data. Only Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero launched bigger this year outside the subscription service. The game’s strong performance highlights demand for premium open‑world RPGs. Its success also reinforces that Game Pass isn’t required for a major Xbox hit.

Bethesda’s latest Starfield update delivers major improvements to performance, AI behaviour, and planetary exploration. Players are praising the overhaul as the most polished and feature‑rich version of the game to date. The update also includes new difficulty options and expanded ship‑building tools. It marks a significant turning point for the game’s long‑term reputation. Will this be enough to turn player sentiment around? 

Microsoft has confirmed a new Xbox Partner Preview showcase arriving later this month. The event will feature third‑party reveals, fresh trailers, and new Game Pass additions. Are there any surprises you're hanging out for? 

Did you know this was happening? Because we didn't. Anyways... IGN Fan Fest 2026 showcased multiple Xbox titles, including new gameplay for State of Decay 3, Towerborne, and South of Midnight. Several indie titles also received spotlight segments. The event reinforced Xbox’s growing third‑party partnerships.

The new Xbox Mode is rolling out to consoles, enabling cloud‑synced settings and a unified interface across devices. This update allows players to carry UI preferences, accessibility settings, and controller profiles between Xbox and Windows 11. It’s part of Microsoft’s broader effort to unify the Xbox and PC experience. Windows Central reports that the rollout is happening in waves, so you may not see it yet (or ever...)

In a complete surprise move Xbox Series X|S is getting its first major dashboard update in a long time, including improvements to Quick Resume. The update enhances stability, reduces UI latency, and adds new customisation options. 

For all our Xbox on PC users, or is it Xbox PC, or maybe PC Xbox, or Xbox App on Windows 11 on PC with Copilot 365? Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Mode will arrive on Windows 11 PCs next month, offering a console‑style interface for handhelds and gaming laptops. The mode includes a simplified launcher, controller‑first navigation, and deep Game Pass integration. It mirrors the UI currently rolling out on Xbox consoles. This is part of Microsoft’s push to make Windows more handheld‑friendly. Pity its still Windows though...

Microsoft has quietly removed the “This is an Xbox” slogan from official websites and marketing materials. Windows Central reports that the change aligns with Xbox’s broader shift toward ecosystem‑wide branding. The move reflects Microsoft’s strategy of positioning Xbox as a platform rather than a single device. It also coincides with the rollout of Xbox Mode across Windows.

Microsoft has confirmed that the next‑gen Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, will use a custom AMD SoC and feature a new upscaling technology called FSR Diamond. The console is designed to unify Xbox and PC gaming more tightly than previous generations. Xbox Mode will be a core part of the experience on both console and Windows 11. Microsoft says more details will be shared later in 2026.

Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program will return in 2026. The team is working to bring more titles from all four generations of Xbox to modern hardware. This includes licensing work, performance enhancements, and preservation efforts. It marks the first major update to the program since 2021. Could we be getting Xbox 365 games on PC eventually?? 

April is here! So, before you do anything else, be sure to sign up for the one, the only, April Achivement Challenge! Signups are live, and its being run through Discord, so jump in now. All Patrons get a nice shiny coin to commemorate their participation as well! 

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(New era not included, and remains only vague promises up to now)

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma outlined her long‑term plan for the platform, focusing on “great games,” a renewed emphasis on console as the reference experience, and a unified “Team Xbox” culture. She committed to re‑examining past decisions and improving internal alignment across studios, platform, and marketing. Sharma also emphasised seamless, instant experiences across devices as a core pillar of Xbox’s future. Her comments follow her February 2026 appointment as CEO, succeeding Phil Spencer.

New reporting highlights that Sharma has already begun restructuring Xbox’s marketing organisation. The hires suggest a shift toward lifecycle‑based marketing, stronger franchise management, and more disciplined campaign execution. Analysts believe this signals a more focused, long‑term brand strategy. The changes align with Sharma’s stated goal of “returning to Xbox” and rebuilding core identity.

Microsoft’s next‑generation console is officially codenamed Project Helix, designed as a hybrid system capable of playing both Xbox console titles and PC games. The device uses a custom AMD SoC, next‑gen DirectX features, and major advances in ray tracing and neural‑assisted rendering. Microsoft confirmed alpha dev kits will ship in 2027. Project Helix aims to unify console and PC ecosystems more tightly than any previous Xbox hardware.

A modder showcased Mario Kart 8 Deluxe running at 4K60 on an Xbox Series X via emulation. The footage demonstrates the console’s ability to handle Switch‑level workloads with ease. The clip went viral due to its obvious legal grey area. Nintendo has not commented, but the community reaction has been predictably chaotic.

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show!

Also, April is fast approaching, so don't forget to sign up for the April Achievement Challenge!

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Apparently.

That's right, another game for "the modern audience" launched to great applause amongst the 160 people who played it. Whereas last week Highguard peaked at almost 100,000 players before catering from the stratosphere, it seems this game never even left the ground. Will game studios ever learn, or are we stuck playing Asian games forever?

🎮 Xbox Play Anywhere Boosts The First Descendant by 167%

The First Descendant saw a 167% increase in Xbox player activity after gaining Xbox Play Anywhere support, according to TrueAchievements and Windows Central. This surge is tied to cross‑progression and the ability to switch seamlessly between Xbox and PC. The game previously dropped support for Xbox One and PS4, making the new feature even more impactful. The boost highlights how Play Anywhere can revive engagement for free‑to‑play shooters. It also helps that this game leans into the escapism of games in a big way.

🎬 Netflix Values WB Games As Worthless?

Netflix is acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, including NetherRealm, Rocksteady, Monolith, Avalanche, and the entire WB Games division. The deal marks one of the largest entertainment acquisitions in history. A follow‑up report claims Netflix internally values WB Games as “worthless” financially, despite its massive IP catalogue. Analysts believe this signals Netflix prioritising film/TV rights over game development, especially after Netflix's failed foray into adding on games to their subscriptions... 

💾 GoG Sold to New Owner, Plans Classic Game “Rescue Missions”

Good Ole Games (GoG) has been sold by CD Projekt RED to the cofounder of GoG! The new leadership plans “ambitious” preservation‑focused initiatives, including restoring and re‑licensing classic PC games starting next year. GoG will continue operating independently under its new structure. The move aims to stabilise the platform after years of financial struggles, and now that it's out from CD Projekt RED, who knows what direction it will take!

👹 Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Expansion Details

Blizzard has confirmed the Lord of Hatred expansion will introduce the Skovos region, two new classes, and a late‑2025 release window. The expansion continues the story of Mephisto and expands endgame systems. Skovos marks the first major new zone since launch. Pre‑orders include early access and cosmetic bonuses.

⭕ Halo Infinite Enters Maintenance Mode

RIP to what could have been... 343 Industries has confirmed that Halo Infinite will no longer receive major content updates and is now in long‑term maintenance mode. The game will continue receiving security patches and small fixes. This marks the end of active development for the title. Fans are left looking toward the future of the Halo franchise, as it prepares to launch on PlayStation. Is this the end of Halo as we know it? 

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But that's not all the drama for this week. Ubisoft has decided to Ubisoft all over themselves yet again, Xbox Wrapped didn't happen because apparently Microsoft ran out of money and people are still developing for the Xbox One... Welcome to the start of 2026, I suppose. 

🎮Everything Announced at Xbox Developer Direct 2026

Xbox Developer Direct 2026 focused on four games, all launching in 2026: Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Beast of Reincarnation, and Double Fine’s surprise new title Kiln. The show leaned into extended gameplay and developer commentary, with Playground Games, Game Freak, and Double Fine all explaining how and why they’re building these projects. A key message was predictability and variety—no vague CG teases, just games you’ll actually play this year. How do you feel about it? Because we're not very impressed (apart from Fable of course). 

And now the Ubisoft news...

🧑‍💼Ubisoft Team Lead Suspended Over RTO Comments

An Assassin’s Creed level designer reported being suspended for publicly criticising Ubisoft’s newly enforced full return‑to‑office policy. The suspension was described as “unpaid disciplinary leave” for an alleged breach of loyalty. This incident sparked internal frustration over inconsistent RTO enforcement across Ubisoft studios. 

🔥 Ubisoft Cancels Six Projects, Closes Two Studios, Confirms Layoffs

The cancellations included the long‑troubled Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake. Ubisoft cited financial pressure and restructuring as the reason for the cuts. Global searches for “Ubisoft layoffs 2025/2026” surged as the scale of the cuts became clear.

⚖️ Former Assassin’s Creed Boss Sues Ubisoft for CAD $1.3 Million

A former Assassin’s Creed director filed a lawsuit alleging “disguised dismissal” intended to avoid severance obligations. The claim argues Ubisoft used restructuring as a pretext for termination. Ubisoft has not issued a public response.

🧨 Ubisoft Layoffs Continue — 55 Staff Cut at Massive & Stockholm

Ubisoft confirmed a new wave of layoffs affecting approximately 55 roles across Massive Entertainment (Malmö) and Ubisoft Stockholm. These cuts follow a voluntary exit program from the previous year and are part of ongoing cost‑reduction efforts. The studios will continue work on The Division and Avatar projects, but fans are increasingly concerned about long‑term stability.

But let's get back to gaming... Kinda.

🕹️ Xbox One Still Getting 40+ New Games in 2026

Despite being two generations old, the Xbox One is confirmed to receive over 40 new titles in 2026. Many are cross‑gen indies, but several AA releases are included. This extends the console’s lifespan far beyond industry expectations.

📉 Xbox Wrapped 2025 Cancelled Due to Budget Cuts

A new report claims Xbox Wrapped 2025 won’t happen due to marketing budget constraints. Fans are disappointed, as Wrapped has become a beloved annual tradition. Microsoft has not confirmed whether the feature will return in 2026.

🇳🇿 NZ Video Game Sector Grows 38% Despite Global Decline

New Zealand’s gaming industry has grown 38% year‑over‑year, outperforming global markets. Local studios credit strong government support and increased international contracting. The sector now contributes significantly to NZ’s digital economy. NZ represent! 

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Ooo, we gonna celebrate 

One more time 🎵

It's our very special last episode of 2025! 

Kyle and Lee get together in person! What?? And talk about stuff. 

What stuff? All sorts of stuff! That's what stuff. 

There's no plan, no prep, no topics organised - just off the cuff Xbox discussion between two friends who haven't been in the same room since 2023 (maybe?)... 

Anyway, we hope you enjoy it, and we hope it's a good way to say goodbye to 2025. Even though we're typically late with publishing these things, so its probably 2026 by the time you hear it, but hey! We're trying, ok?

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It's time to put on makeup It's time to dress up right It's time to raise the curtain

On the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, XboxCastational Game Awards tonight!

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Our final show of 2025, and as is custom, we bow out with our version of The Game Awards. But we do things differently. See, we don't judge games we've never played, we don't get paid to declare winners (but if you would like to try change our minds - get in contact!), and we don't award games just because they sold well. 

NO! Not us! We nominate games that we've played this year only. Our hands on experience is what sets us apart from every other game award show. And not just because we're awarding games that came in 4 years ago either. 

By now you know the order of awards, but those that are new, our awards are: 

• The Biggest Surprise of 2025 Something that made you audibly gasp.
• The Make This into a Movie Award Awarded for best story.
• The Time Sink / Can't Stop Won't Stop Award Awarded for that game that sucked up all your time and was worth every minute.
• The Eye Meltingly Best-Looking Award Awarded for gorgeous graphics, good looking characters and other things that showcase 4K.
• The Together-At-Last Multiplayer Award Awarded for that game best played with friends, near and far. 
• The Music to My Ears Award From soundtracks to soundscapes, this awards games that showcase the best audio.
• The Edge of Your Seat Award What we're most looking forward to seeing in 2026. Hopefully it involves a future with Xbox in it. 
• The Ones That Didn't Quite Make It Award Honourable mentions and games that didn't quite make the cut, but were so close, it hurts. 
• The One Leaves Anti-Game Award Awarded for the game that almost you give up on gaming entirely. Consider this your Do-Not-Play list. 
• and the big one - Our Personal Game of the Year Award! Any game we've played this year that was exceptional in all regards, our very own GotY!

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On a more serious note, The XboxCast does this because of you. Whether you tune in every week on our live stream, or listen when you can, you guys make it all worth it. We hope you enjoyed the laughs, the rants and just the general nonsense we get up on the podcast. 

Thank you for hanging out with us - on the podcast, in our Discord, near or far. 💚

From the whole XboxCast - Kyle, Lee, Simone and Producer Paul - have a Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Years. 

See you all in 2026 as we celebrate 10 years (!!!) of The XboxCast! Will that be out last season? Will there even be Xbox to talk about? Tune in next year to find out... 

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And... Yeah... 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

It's that time of year - The XboxCast Game Awards for 2025! And voting is now live.

Get voting now!

And now on with The Regular Show!

📢 The Game Awards 2025 Wrap Up

Ok, so we had the game awards! And what did we expect? Claire Obscur obviously cleaned up - winning almost every single category it was in. PlayStation was a flop with the games it put forward not coming away with anything, and as per normal - Xbox was a no show (thanks Geoff). 

But we did get some cool trailers. But at some point, we have to ask ourselves - why is our Christmas E3 interrupted with an award show? Just give us the trailers and get out of here.

Divinity, Warlock, and two new Star Wars games? Oh my! But as is the norm in this industry, a CGI trailer of a game coming in 2030 can only do so much to generate hype. Or keep the hype going. Any ways, we are promised some games, most of which will probably launch on the Asus Xbox Series X-2 With Copilot Living Room Entertainment Centre with Copilot 365. Or the Dell Alienware Xbox X TV Game System with Copilot 365. Or what about the Razer Blade Xbox Laptop 15 Advanced with Xbox Game Pass on Copilot+ PC 365? 

Either way, games were celebrated. Kyle was quizzed and Lee had fun...

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Yes, Microsoft is that bad, that the biggest Microsoft fans are now actively using Linux. 

(And hating it... But less than Windows 11!)

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

It's that time of year - The XboxCast Game Awards for 2025! And voting is now live.

Get voting now!

And now on with The Regular Show!

🕰️ Phil Spencer's 2019 'Unusual Strategy' Bombshell Still Haunts Xbox

Six years later, Phil Spencer's Kotaku chat calling Xbox's player-first, device-agnostic vibe - "Play anywhere, with anyone" hits harder than ever. Profits from software/services, not console slumps? Cross-play dreams? Check and check, as multiplat Game Pass and Play Anywhere prove he's been preaching the gospel while hardware gathers dust. Visionary or excuse-maker? Still relevant AF.

🤠 Red Dead Redemption Next-Gen Upgrade

Rockstar's free current-gen patch for RDR1 finally drops - 4K/60fps native on Series X (huge leap from 30fps back-compat hell), 1440p on S- but Xbox 360 digital owners? Stuck paying full price thanks to a botched upgrade glitch. Rockstar's "working with Microsoft" (yeah, sure), while PS5/Switch owners upgrade smooth. Classic Rockstar-Xbox drama - John Marston deserves better. Oh, and when you upgrade, you lose multiplayer... 

🔄 Xbox November 2025 Console Update

Gaming Copilot beta for real-time tips (who asked for this?), Full Screen Experience (or FSE as Microsoft calls it) on more PCs/handhelds, cloud resolutions on up to 1440p (if you're on Game Pass Ultimate), plus Cloud Gaming blitz to India/Brazil/Argentina on LG/Fire TV. So many asterixis... 

⛏️ Minecraft Swaps Version Numbers to Yearly Mess

Starting 2026 Mojang's ditching 1.21 limbo for year-based tags like 25.3 (Copper Age) or 26.1... Thanks to Apple for paving the way. And Thanks to Microsoft for taking something that should be simple and making it even more confusing.... 

🚪 Xbox Game Pass Axes 6 Games in December

Mortal Kombat 11, Paw Patrol World, Still Wakes the Deep, Wildfrost - goodbye games. We hardly knew ye...

🎁 Game Pass December Wave 1: 13 Fresh Drops, 4 Day-Ones

Games are coming! Woo. We have... Medieval Dynasty, Stellaris, WWZ Aftermath, Monster Train 2, Spray Paint Sim, 33 Immortals (Preview), Routine, Indiana Jones, Dome Keeper, Digging a Hole, Death Howl, MK1 and Bratz. Thats quite a few... Are you playing any? 

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In fact, have a bundle of bundles! 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

It's that time of year - The XboxCast Game Awards for 2025! And voting is now live.

Get voting now!

And now on with The Regular Show!

📢 Xbox Partner Preview November 2025: 16 Reveals, 9 Game Pass Day-Ones

The November 20 Partner Preview blitz dropped world premieres like Armatus (action-roguelike), Raji: Kaliyuga (sequel surprise), Vampire Crawlers (Poncle's chaotic FPS deckbuilder roguelike), plus trailers for 007 First Light, Reanimal, Tides of Annihilation. Nine day-one Game Pass bangers announced, shadow drops like Total Chaos and CloverPit horror hits, Dave the Diver finally on Xbox. Bonus: Every featured game is Xbox Play Anywhere - buy once, play console/PC/cloud. Microsoft flexing that cross-play muscle hard.

🏆 The Game Awards 2025 Snubs: No Xbox First-Party in GOTY As Normal

The Game Awards nominees dropped, and ouch - no Xbox Game Studios title in Game of the Year. Avowed, Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight got nods elsewhere, but GOTY lineup heavy on indies and PlayStation exclusives like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeping noms. Xbox's big 2025 swings missed the jury's radar - blame delays, flops, or just tough competition? Either way, Phil's probably side-eyeing the trophy case.

🔮 Next-Gen Xbox "Magnus" Rumors

Leakers claim Microsoft's stockpiling 50 million AMD chips for codename Magnus next-gen console, aiming for 50M sales with a hybrid model running full Windows, Steam support, PC peripherals, and a traditional version. Game Pass integration obvious. Sounds like the ultimate PC-console mashup to end ecosystem wars - but sourced from shady YouTube whispers, so grain of salt bigger than Satya's bonus.

🛠️ Xbox Preps Next-Gen GDK

Microsoft's rolling out a pile of new Xbox Game Development Kit goodies for devs gearing up next-gen—faster tools, better debugging, who knows what magic. After all the layoffs and chaos, at least they're pretending hardware's not dead yet.

⚔️ Solo Self-Found Mode Coming to Diablo 4

Blizzard's adding Solo Self-Found to Diablo 4, letting masochists grind everything alone without trading or partying. Perfect for purists who hate the auction house ghosts - now you can suffer in true isolation. About time, or just admitting multiplayer loot's broken?

🐧 Linux Gaming Hits Major Milestone

Linux gaming just smashed some big record (probably Proton compatibility or Steam Deck sales milestone), with distros eating into Windows handheld dominance. ROG Ally owners sideloading Bazzite- is Microsoft's Windows grip slipping, or just niche nerds flexing?

🎮 PlayStation Allegedly Gunning for Xbox's Cloud and Play Anywhere

Opinion rants claim Sony "forced" multiplat exclusives, now plotting to wreck Xbox cloud gaming and steal Play Anywhere cross-buy ideas. Classic console war paranoia - PlayStation winning hardware while Xbox pivots services. If true, Microsoft's ecosystem dreams could crumble faster than a bad live service launch.

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Has the game industry finally cracked? Or is this new genre ready to come out its shell? 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

💰 Microsoft Execs Demanding 30% Xbox Profit Margins—Double the Industry Norm

Leaked Bloomberg bombshell shows who's really ruining Xbox. And the answer wont surprise you. We've spoken a lot about Amy Hood (Microsoft's CFO) recently, and with good reason. Seems like shes slapped a 30% "accountability margins" target on gaming in fall 2023, which is nearly double the 17% industry average. Cue 10k+ layoffs, studio shutdowns, and endless cancellations. Seems like Xbox is losing its soul just to please the bean counters...

📱 Xbox Blames TikTok For Everything, Not PlayStation

Xbox boss Matt Booty claims Xbox's "biggest competition isn't another console... it's TikTok..." Yeah right... The fact that Xbox has tanked all good will, decided exclusives don't matter, doesn't have an answer to the PS Pro, and also put out the disastrous "This is an Xbox" ad campaign has done nothing but help the brand, of course.

🪟 Next-Gen Xbox Rumors: Full Windows, Back Compt, Free Multiplayer

Leaks whisper next Xbox runs full Windows, beefy backward compat, and free online MP forever. But also comes with a steep price tag. Is this enough to sway people towards Xbox? Only time will tell, but we can't help but feel that Microsoft is not listening to any customers (with anything really)... So we wait and see, but we're not holding our breath. 

⚔️ Ubisoft Begs Division Studio Staff to Self-Layoff

Ubisoft's nudging Massive Entertainment (The Division devs) to volunteer for cuts amid Tencent drama and flops. After AC boss ousting, now this, it looks like staff are grabbing parachutes before the axe falls. Ubisoft's imploding faster than a failed raid... 

What is going on in the gaming indutry?  We wish we had the answers. 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

🎄 Halo 3's 2025 Hallmark Christmas Ornament Up for Preorder at Amazon

Its not even Halloween, and already the Christmas cheer is coming in fast and furiously. Looks like corporations have learnt that gamers have money and love nerdy things... Hallmark's new Keepsake Ornament for Halo 3 is now available for preorder at $24.99 USD, dropping in October 2025. And there's also an Xbox 360 console to match. Relive those glory days, before we got... this 

🧠 Microsoft Thinks Gamers Need AI Hand-Holding

Who ever asked for this, please raise your hand so we know who to ostracize. Seriously, what is the purpose of an AI that spoon-feeds you directions like "go right down the stairs, literally right in front of you" in Final Fantasy XVI. Oh, and it dishes out wrong advice, like fake item wheels in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle or pushing 720p on a rig that runs 1080p fine. Can we blame Reddit for this? Because we should. 

💸 Even Xbox Dev Kits Get a 33% Price Hike—Because Why Not?

Microsoft continues its streak to kill off Xbox by jacking up Xbox Series X/S developer kits from $1,500 to $2,000 overnight. Their reason? Tariffs, of course. It's all getting oh so tiresome... These beefed-up kits pack 40GB GDDR6, extra compute units, and debugging goodies, but now they're pricier than your average console bundle. Devs are probably side-eyeing this after the recent Xbox and Game Pass hikes... 

🤝 Sarah Bond Blames ASUS for ROG Ally Prices, Drops Next-Gen AMD Tease

In a Variety chat, Xbox President Sarah Bond casually throws ASUS under the bus for slapping $599.99 on the base ROG Xbox Ally and a wallet-melting $999.99 on the Ally X, saying they handled pricing like pros (or excuses). She touts quick sellouts for the top model, but hey, confirms next-gen Xbox is cooking with AMD—prototypes and all, no timeline though. So, Microsoft's playing coy while pointing fingers? Classic corporate dodgeball.

🚫 Ex-Blizzard Boss Calls Xbox Hardware a "Moron" Move

Former Microsoft exec, and ex-Blizzard president, Mike Ybarra unloads on Xbox saying Xbox is "out of HW and exclusive games," and "only a moron" keeps churning consoles when titles are fleeing to third-party shores like PS and Nintendo. He does have a point though - Microsoft seems intent of killing Xbox, and hopefully someone as high profile as Mike calling it out allows the ship to be rectified before its death. We doubt it, but we can still hope. 

At this stage, you'll have to convince us that Microsoft is not trying to kill Xbox on purpose....

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⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

Except certain things. 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

🎥 Glen Powell Wants in on 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' Movie

Glen Powell, the Top Gun: Maverick heartthrob, is itching to star in a Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 movie! The RPG, which sold a whopping 5 million copies since its April 2025 launch, has Hollywood buzzing. But seriously, another video game movie? Are we getting a cinematic masterpiece or another forgettable cash grab? Maybe a Netflix series would do it justice—or maybe we don’t need it at all.

👋 Is It Time To Say Goodbye to Halo?

An opinion piece is calling for Microsoft to pull the plug on Halo, claiming 343 Industries (now Halo Studios) fumbled the ball after Bungie’s exit. With recent staff shake-ups like art director Glenn Israel’s departure, which sounds like hes not on great terms with the direction of the franchise, it may be time to move on. From our point of view, its time to let Master Chief rest... At least for a while.

🎮 ROG Xbox Ally X: TIME’s Best Invention of 2025

To prove we live in bazzaro world, the yet unreleased handheld wins an award for the best invention of 2025. How much did Microsoft pay for this level of advertising? Or was this all ASUS's influence? Either way, its a handheld computer with the Xbox logo slapped on. Hardly worth the title at all, and makes TIME Magazine look like more of a joke than it already it is. 

🛒 Target and Walmart Ditch Xbox Stock?

Alleged employees on Reddit (also known as the cesspool of the internet, so take this with a giant grain of salt) claim Target and Walmart are yanking Xbox Series X/S consoles, games, and accessories from shelves due to sluggish sales. Following Costco’s lead, this move has us raising eyebrows—are retailers giving up on Xbox? With stock vanishing online, is this a supply hiccup or a sign of bigger trouble?

❓ Next-Gen Xbox Plans “Up in the Air”?

Insider leaks suggest Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox plans are a mess after 9,000+ layoffs and canceled projects like Perfect Dark. With a 2026 launch looking shaky and retailers like Costco reportedly dropping Xbox, Microsoft’s doubling down on Game Pass and cloud gaming. Is Xbox pivoting to software, or is this just corporate chaos? 

📈 Next-Gen Xbox Name and Specs Leak Online

From Xbox hard being canceled to leaks spilling the tea on Microsoft’s next Xbox console, it seems like not even Microsoft know what they are doing! Which is hardly surprising at this stage. Rumored names and specs are swirling, hinting at a 2027 launch with beefy hardware to rival the best. These leaks even suggest a 100% performance lead over the leaked PS6 specs... If Xbox deliver this, then goodbye to the Performance / Quality mode switches in console games. At lest on Xbox. Poor PS players will still have to choose between 60FPS and 4K... 

All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

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⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

And the worst part, it seems to be working... 

----more----

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

📦 Game Pass Changes — The Good, the Bad, and the Weird

Xbox's Game Pass overhaul is here, and it’s… Well, very Microsoft of them... 

We would try break it down for you, but honestly, just cancel your Ultimate Subscription, drop down to the mid-tier - Premium - and you'll be saving money while missing out on Day One releases only. Or do what hundreds of others have done and just cancel your subscription all together. To say we're angry with the sudden price jump would be an understatement. 

💸 Xbox Series X|S Prices Go Up 📈

Further to driving fans away, Microsoft has announced a price increase for both Xbox Series X and Series S consoles. If you were to sell your secondhand Series X, you could be looking to make money. Thats how much the price of new consoles have gone up by. The company cites “market conditions”. Yeah right... 

🛒 Costco Drops Xbox Consoles

In a surprise move, Costco confirmed it will no longer sell Xbox consoles. The decision appears to be internal rather than supply-driven, and it’s raising eyebrows across retail and gaming circles. Is this a one-off, or the start of a broader shift in how Xbox reaches consumers?

All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

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But the question on everyone's lips is "Will EA Survive?"

----more----

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

💰 EA Goes Private in $55 Billion Mega-Deal

In a move that stunned the industry, Electronic Arts is being taken private in a record-breaking $55 billion buyout.

The deal, led by a consortium of tech and investment firms, will delist EA from public trading and reshape its leadership structure. What does this mean for players? Fewer shareholder-driven decisions, potentially more creative freedom—and maybe a future where Madden isn’t monetized like a mobile game.

Either way, it’s the biggest acquisition since Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard, and it’s sending shockwaves through the publishing world.

🗼 Xbox at Tokyo Game Show — Japan Gets Its Game On

Xbox was at the Tokyo Game Show and we have all the coverage. But if you're interested in the best parts... 

🚗 Forza Horizon 6 confirmed its setting: Japan. Expect drifting through Kyoto, racing past cherry blossoms, and dodging vending machines in Tokyo alleys. It’s the most requested location in franchise history, and it’s finally happening.

🛩️ Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 showed off new aerial tours of Mt. Fuji and Tokyo Tower, with real-time weather and cultural overlays. It’s not just flying—it’s sightseeing at 30,000 feet. And in a move surprising no-one, its coming to PlayStation... 

All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

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----more----

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

🖥️ Xbox App Becomes the PC Gaming Hub

Windows 11’s Xbox app now supports Steam, GOG, Epic, and more—letting you launch and track all your games from one place. It’s a huge win for PC players and a clear sign that Xbox is serious about being the home for all things gaming, no matter where you bought it.

☁️ Cloud Gaming Gets a Resolution Boost

Xbox Cloud Gaming is testing 1440p resolution for Ultimate subscribers. That’s a major upgrade from the current 1080p cap, and it could make streaming games look sharper than ever—especially on high-res monitors and handhelds.

🪖 Battlefield 6 Optimized for Series S

DICE says optimizing Battlefield 6 for Xbox Series S made the entire game more stable. The devs focused on memory management and performance parity, proving that the “budget box” can still punch above its weight.

🌪️ Final Fantasy 7 Remake Gets Xbox Date

After years of waiting, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is finally coming to Xbox Series XS on December 5. It includes all DLC and performance upgrades, and yes—Cloud still broods beautifully in 4K.

🕹️ Acclaim Returns With 9 New Games

The legendary publisher behind Mortal Kombat ports and Turok is back, announcing nine new titles across genres. Highlights include a spiritual successor to Shadow Man and a new arcade racer. It’s retro revival season, and Acclaim’s bringing the heat.

🧠 Cyberpunk 2077 Gets Slick New Release

CD Projekt Red unveiled Cyberpunk 2077: Neon Reign, a standalone expansion set in a new district with fresh storylines, vehicles, and mechanics. It’s launching in early 2026 and promises to build on Phantom Liberty’s momentum.

🎨 Witcher 3 Controllers Hit Xbox Design Lab

You can now customize your own Witcher 3-themed Xbox controller, complete with sigils, silver accents, and monster-slaying vibes. Toss a coin to your thumbsticks.

⚽ Football Manager 26 Joins Game Pass

Coming in November, Football Manager 2026 will be a day-one Game Pass title. It’s the deepest management sim yet, with revamped scouting, dynamic rivalries, and a new match engine.

All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

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Now with guns!

----more----

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

🗼 Xbox Heads to Tokyo Game Show — Mark Your Calendars

Xbox’s TGS 2025 broadcast is locked in for September 25, promising new updates for Japanese titles, Game Pass expansions, and maybe a few surprise drops. Will we finally see more of Kojima’s cloud game? Or just more Persona ports? Either way, we’re watching with chopsticks in hand.

👽 Helldivers 2 Outselling PlayStation on Xbox?

A new report suggests Helldivers 2 is actually selling faster on Xbox Series XS than it did on PlayStation. If true, it’s a rare case of a Sony-born title thriving in Microsoft’s backyard. We break down the numbers, the context, and whether this is just a marketing drop-pod or a real shift in player allegiance.

🦆 DUCKSIDE Trailer Drops — Fowl Play Confirmed

DUCKSIDE is here, and it’s absolutely quackers. Think Rust meets Untitled Goose Game, but with tactical gear and aggressive waddling. The trailer shows off base-building, PvP chaos, and yes—ducks with shotguns. It’s absurd, it’s brilliant, and we’re already lining up for the pond.

🎮 Game Pass September — Silksong Sings at Last

It’s happening. Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally launching as a day-one Game Pass title this September. Alongside it, we’re getting The Chinese Room’s Still Wakes the Deep, Little Kitty, Big City, and Party Animals. It’s a stacked lineup that proves Game Pass is still the best deal in gaming—even if your backlog is crying.

🧟 CoD: WWII Returns After 41 Days in the Shadows

After a mysterious and controversial removal, Call of Duty: WWII is back on the Microsoft Store. The 41-day absence sparked rumors of licensing issues, but Activision says it was a “technical error.” We’re not saying it was sabotage, but… it was probably sabotage.

🪐 The Outer Worlds 2 — Fallout Vibes, Starfield Dreams

Obsidian’s sequel is shaping up to be the Fallout-style RPG that Starfield couldn’t quite deliver. With deeper companion arcs, branching morality, and corporate satire dialed to eleven, The Outer Worlds 2 might just be the spacefaring redemption arc we’ve been waiting for.

All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

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And there was much rejoicing. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? The shop is live now on our site. Order yours today before Kyle changes the design... 

And now on with The Regular Show!

🏁 Forza Horizon 6 Leaks — Welcome to Japan

The next Horizon festival might be drifting eastward. Leaked details suggest Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan, with winding mountain roads, neon-soaked cityscapes, and a 2026 launch window. If true, it’s the most requested setting finally coming to life—and we’re already revving our engines.

🕹️ Windows 11 Goes Handheld — Finally Playable or Just a Patch Job?

Microsoft’s new handheld gaming mode for Windows 11 was demoed on the Xbox Ally, and it’s… promising. The Xbox app can now be set as your default launcher, ditching the desktop for a controller-friendly UI. It’s smoother, snappier, and finally feels like it belongs on an 8-inch screen. But is it a real fix or just a full-screen façade? We break it down.

📦 Game Pass August Wave 2 — Stack It While You Can

This month’s Game Pass lineup includes Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Frostpunk 2, and Moving Out 2. It’s a mix of stealth, survival, and slapstick co-op chaos. But don’t get too comfy—five games are leaving, including Borderlands 3, Broforce, and F1 Manager 2023. Time to loot, shoot, and scoot before they vanish.

🧨 Battlefield 6 Beta Debrief — Boom or Bust?

EA’s community update reveals mixed feedback from the open beta. Players loved the new class weapon system but flagged UI bugs and matchmaking hiccups. The devs promise tweaks before launch, but the real question is: will Battlefield finally reclaim its crown, or just keep respawning?

🏗️ Satisfactory Gets Console Date — Build It Like Beckham

Coffee Stain Studios’ beloved factory-builder hits Xbox Series XS and PS5 on November 4. It’s automation, exploration, and conveyor belt chaos—now with controller support. No crossplay (yet), no Game Pass (sadly), but still one of the most “Overwhelmingly Positive” games on Steam.

👽 Helldivers 2 x Halo ODST — Feet First Into Fan Service

Launching August 26, Helldivers 2 drops a Legendary Warbond set packed with Halo ODST gear: MA5C rifles, Helljumper armor, and capes that scream “I dropped feet first into hell.” It’s a crossover that fuses two gritty universes—and might just revive Halo’s esports soul.

All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

We're also in deep in our Patreon's Pick August Event. For all of August, the Patrons get to tell us what to play. Do you want to have your chance to boss Lee around? Join our Patreon today and help your local Xbox podcast keep on trucking on, giving you the content you neither want nor deserve. 

You're welcome. 

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For previous episodes, our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The XboxCast is now doing merch! You heard that right. We have launched our very own merch that you can totally buy. Its 100% legit. We're now offering "Xbox on Cup" mugs, with our very own logo. Keen to get yours? Then jump into our Discord and let us know.  Wanting to see it in person? Then check out this podcast on YouTube or hang tight until we have it on website. 

And now on with The Regular Show!

🧠 Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 – Fear Is the Weapon Treyarch’s latest entry is set in 2035 and leans hard into psychological warfare. The campaign supports solo or four-player co-op, and introduces “fear toxin” mechanics inspired by Batman Arkham. Missions distort reality, enemies mutate mid-fight, and generative AI tools streamline level design. Zombies return, multiplayer expands, and the November 14 release date is locked in.

🕷️ Hollow Knight: Silksong – Finally, a Date Hornet’s long-awaited solo outing lands September 4. The trailer shows off acrobatic traversal, new biomes, and over 200 enemies—including 40 bosses. Team Cherry confirmed post-launch content plans, so this isn’t just a release—it’s a relaunch of the franchise’s future.

🧱 LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Now this got our attention because it looks absolutely Bat-Mazing! A love letter to Batman’s history, this new LEGO title blends Arkham-style combat with classic LEGO humor. Matt Berry voices Bane, and the game spans multiple Bat-eras—from Adam West to Robert Pattinson. Expect puzzles, stealth, and Batmobiles galore.

🧛 Resident Evil: Requiem – Gothic and Gory Capcom’s latest horror entry introduces Grace Ashcroft, a new protagonist navigating a plague-ridden European village. The trailer teases a stalker enemy with shape-shifting abilities and a narrative twist that ties back to RE7. It’s atmospheric, brutal, and deeply unsettling.

🧬 Borderlands 4 – Gravitar Goes Boom A new Borderland has us wondering if this is Destiny with a skin. Seriously, the game play, the gun-play and everything in-between looks like it was lifted straight from Bungie and run through a filter. Could this just a sneaky way to get Kyle to play (and enjoy) a Borderlands game? Because if its Destiny Reskinned, then sign us up!

🧛 Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 This game joins Silksong in only exiting when it gets released. Until then, it remains a bad April fools joke. Kyle refuses to believe its real, while Lee seems pretty excited to jump in.  All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

We're also in deep in our Patreon's Pick August Event. For all of August, the Patrons get to tell us what to play. Do you want to have your chance to boss Lee around? Join our Patreon today and help your local Xbox podcast keep on trucking on, giving you the content you neither want nor deserve. 

You're welcome. 

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Seems not even Microsoft knows...

But We're looking forward to Xbox on Cup very soon. 

On this episode of The Regular Show

💻 Xbox PC or Xbox on PC or Xbox App On PC? 

The PC Pour Begins Microsoft quietly shifts its branding from “Xbox PC” to “Xbox on PC,” and it’s more than semantics. It’s a signal: Xbox is no longer just a console—it’s a platform. With Game Pass, cross-play, and the ROG Ally handheld, the PC is now a first-class citizen in the Xbox ecosystem. The new label popped up in trailers for Grounded 2 and Age of Mythology: Retold, and it finally makes sense. It’s not a PC that’s an Xbox—it’s Xbox, on your PC. We will wait and see what the branding changes to next week. 

🧾 Game Pass Hits $5 Billion—But At What Cost?

After laying off 15,000 employees this year, Microsoft revealed that Xbox Game Pass raked in nearly $5 billion in annual revenue. That’s a record. But critics argue the subscription model is turning developers into “wage slaves,” stripping away creative incentives. Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden says it’s bad for business, but hes a former boss for a reason...

🧼 Xbox Insider Update Scrubs the Library

The latest Xbox Insider update fixes a long-standing annoyance: the game library clutter. Finally, you can hide games you don’t own or want to see. It’s a small win, but one that makes navigating your digital shelf a little less chaotic.

🕹️ Ubisoft Games Appear On The Microsoft Store

Over 10 Ubisoft titles have landed on the Microsoft PC Store. It’s a clear push to bulk up the Xbox on PC catalog. Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and more are now just a click away. But you'll still need the Ubisoft Connect launcher app to actually run these games, so we're left wondering what the use is... 

🎉 Rare Turns 40

And Xbox Throws a Party Rare is celebrating its 40th anniversary with surprise rewards in Sea of Thieves, exclusive Gamerpics, and a dynamic background. But the real star? A Rare-themed Xbox controller from 8BitDo. Blue and gold, with nods to Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Piñata, and Donkey Kong Country. It’s a collector’s dream. And it uses Hall Effect joysticks. Something Microsoft still hasn't gotten the hang of. 

🛍️ Xbox Gear Store Shuts Down

The Gear Store is closing, and fans are wondering if it’s part of a bigger shift. Maybe the guy in charge of the Gear Shop was one of those 15,000 pink slips? Or maybe Microsoft just forgot to renew the domain? Who knows. Either way, Xbox merch is now an EB Games exclusive... Or is it? 🤔

🕵️ Game Pass August Drops

Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Frontpunk 2 lead the charge of September's Game Pass line ups, but sadly we're having to say goodbye to Anthem, Farming Simulator 22, and Persona 3 Reload. Now is the time to buy them if you haven't already. Or are you glad to see these ones go? 

🧨 $80 Games? Not So Fast

Finally some good news. The push to $80 games is finally facing a reckoning as gamers wonder how much more they're about to be squeezed. Xbox and EA have walked back pricing on games like The Outer Worlds 2 and Borderlands 4, returning to the $70 standard. Nintendo remains the lone holdout, but Nintendo will Nintendo...

🧍 Xbox Age Verification Rolls Out in the UK

As part of the stupidity that is the UK government, you now have to prove you're of age to use Xbox Live, Spotify and YouTube amongst other apps. If you don't verify your age, you lose access to features like voice chat and game invites. But, if you have access to photo mode in games, well, then you can get past this requirement without having to give up a shred of your real life identity. 

All this and more in this episode of The Regular Show. 

We're also in deep in our Patreon's Pick August Event. For all of August, the Patrons get to tell us what to play. Do you want to have your chance to boss Lee around? Join our Patreon today and help your local Xbox podcast keep on trucking on, giving you the content you neither want nor deserve. 

You're welcome. 

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⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

When more people tune into The XboxCast, we become better.

At least that's what we tell ourselves... 

In this episode of The Regular Show:

🧑‍⚖️ CONTROVERSY!  The Stop Killing Games campaign, a grassroots movement fighting for digital preservation, is under fire for “systematic concealment” of financial contributions. Turns out, volunteering too hard might get you audited. What a world we live in... 

💻 Finally, a usable Windows 11

A leaked Windows 11 UI designed specifically for gaming handhelds could finally fix the clunky experience plaguing devices like the ROG Xbox Ally. The new interface promises streamlined navigation, better game library access, and a layout that actually respects your thumbs. We break down what this means for the future of portable PC gaming—and why it’s long overdue.

🧙‍♂️ Fable Might Be A Fable

A new report suggests the reboot won’t land until 2027. That’s a long wait for Albion. But not totally unexpected. Because of course it was going to be delayed. 

💸 Ubisoft Being Ubisoft

Ubisoft’s latest quote—“microtransactions make the player experience more fun”—might go down as one of the worst in gaming history. There's not much to say because of course this is Ubisoft we're talking about. 

📼 And Microsoft Being Microsoft

Microsoft has officially shut down its Movies & TV storefront on Xbox and Windows. While your purchased content is safe (for now), the move signals a major shift away from digital media ownership. Microsoft stepping away from the consumer markets isn't entirely surprising, but what could it mean for Xbox going forward? 

☁️ Gaming Onna Cloud

Finally, Xbox Insiders get a new update that lays the groundwork for smarter Cloud Gaming. Cross-device play history and better library visibility are just the beginning. Kyle goes hands on during the podcast to see how it works. And not because he's distracted either... 

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We're trying out something new with our show notes.  Introducing - EMOJI! 

You're welcome. 

🛞 Forza Fans Left Spinning

Forza’s latest studio update has left fans clutching their steering wheels in despair. With key developers shifting gears and future plans feeling more like a detour than a straightaway, the community is wondering if the franchise is headed for a pit stop or permanent retirement. We unpack the heartbreak and speculate on what’s next for the once-glorious racing titan.

🔥 Ubisoft Wants You to Burn Your Discs

In a move that feels like it was brainstormed during a villain monologue, Ubisoft has declared war on physical media. That’s right — they want you to destroy your own game discs. We dive into the dystopian logic behind this, and ask: is this the beginning of the end for game ownership?

🧠 Microsoft’s Unreal Expectations? A new report claims Microsoft has “unrealistic” expectations for Xbox. But not everyone agrees. Some say it’s visionary leadership, others say it’s corporate delusion. We break down the debate and ask whether Xbox is dreaming big or just dreaming.

🧨 Romero Games: From Boom to Bust?

Galway-based Romero Games was working on a promising new FPS — until their funding partner (allegedly Microsoft) pulled the plug. With 100 jobs at risk and a game that was hitting every milestone, we explore the emotional fallout and the studio’s fight to stay alive.

🛑 Stop Killing Games — But Publishers Say “No Thanks”

The Stop Killing Games movement has hit 1.4 million signatures, demanding that publishers stop nuking online games. But European publishers say the proposals would “curtail developer choice.” We examine both sides of the digital preservation war.

💸 ROG Xbox Ally Pricing Leaks — Hold Onto Your Wallet

The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handhelds have leaked with eye-watering prices: €599 and €899 respectively. Set to launch October 16, these Steam Deck rivals promise portable Xbox gaming — but at what cost? We break down the specs, the strategy, and whether your wallet can survive.

☁️ Stream Your Own Game — Finally on PC

Xbox’s PC app now lets you stream games you own — no Game Pass required. It’s a quiet revolution for cloud gaming, and a big win for players who prefer ownership over subscription.

🧍‍♂️ Halo CE Remake Rumored for 2026 — But Only Single Player?

Rumors swirl about a Halo: Combat Evolved remake dropping in 2026 to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary. But here’s the kicker: it might be single-player only. We discuss what this means for fans, and whether it’s a bold reimagining or a missed opportunity.

🏴‍☠️ Sea of Thieves Gets Custom Servers — But You’ll Pay

Rare is finally adding custom servers to Sea of Thieves in early 2026 — but they’re locked behind a new subscription model. We explore what you’ll get, what it’ll cost, and whether it’s worth the doubloons.

🛹 Tony Hawk’s Dynamic Background — Because Why Not?

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 gets a flashy new Xbox dynamic background. It’s got birds, it’s got Tony, and it’s got just enough movement to make you feel like you’re grinding through nostalgia.

🕹️ Game Pass July Wave 2 — Grounded 2, Wuchang, RoboCop & More

Microsoft’s July 2025 Wave 2 lineup includes Grounded 2, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, RoboCop: Rogue City, and more. We highlight the hits, the hidden gems, and the ones you might want to skip.

📅 August Game Pass So Far — Assassin’s Creed Mirage Leads the Charge

August kicks off with Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Rain World, Citizen Sleeper 2, and Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap. We preview the lineup and speculate on what Wave 2 might bring.

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Join us as we look back - from where we started to how we ended up here. 

What were we playing 8 years ago? What were you playing 8 years ago?

And how did we record those first episodes? 

All will be answered in this episode. Or at least mused over.

This is one episode you're going to want to go to YouTube to watch.... Trust us!

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And more seems to be going by the day.

The internet awoke to a bombshell this week with Microsoft canceling the highly anticipated Perfect Dark reboot and Rare’s ethereal Everwild, and shut down The Initiative studio in a sweeping round of layoffs affecting over 9,000 employees. Turn 10 Studios have also been cut in half and a rumored to be a support studio going forward. 

Fans are reeling from the loss of these ambitious titles, with Perfect Dark’s sleek 2024 gameplay trailer now a bittersweet memory, and Everwild’s lush fantasy world left unexplored.

The A.I. beast must be feed, and Xbox looks to be sacrificial lamb here. 

In the business world of line must go up, how long can Xbox survive? Especially with Satya's shortsightedness and tunnel vision on Azure. It seems that these are dark days for Xbox.  

But it’s not all doom and gloom—Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 charges in with its Siege update, borrowing a horde-mode vibe from Gears of War to keep Space Marines slashing through Tyranid swarms. Meanwhile, The Blood of Dawnwalker, a vampire-fueled open-world RPG, stunned some with a massive gameplay reveal, yet left out hosts on the other side of "meh".

The Xbox App is leveling up too, adding Steam and Battle.net support for a seamless cross-platform experience—PC gamers, it’s time to unite your libraries! Xbox is here to save the day, as long as it's allowed to. And this leads Kyle to go on a rant about Steam... 

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Not in real life - only in our hearts. 

This week, we’re buzzing about Microsoft’s bombshell reveal of next-gen Xbox consoles, powered by a multi-year AMD partnership promising cutting-edge graphics, AI-enhanced gameplay, and full backwards compatibility with your entire Xbox library—ensuring your classics stay alive. Rumors swirl that these consoles, possibly launching in 2027, might lean into a Windows-based PC-like experience, sparking debates about whether Xbox is morphing into a gaming PC powerhouse.

Meanwhile, Borderlands 4 hands-on previews are dropping jaws, with its chaotic looter-shooter vibes set to redefine the series. The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition leaked ahead of its announcement, hinting at a VR future where Game Pass and cloud gaming collide for immersive adventures.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II gets an enhanced update on August 12, 2025, with new modes and achievements to deepen its haunting narrative. While also sneakily going across to the blue team... We're truly living in a future where Halo may even come next! How do you feel as an Xbox fan? 

The Xbox 360 lives on with a surprise 2025 update, keeping the retro flame burning. And in a move to surprise no one, the update puts ads on the dashboard. That's right - update your console from 2006 and get ads... Microsoft manages to Microsoft over everything lately.

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And all around the world, people cheered! 

After Not-E3, the news always tends to slow down. So we just tend to talk about Lee playing football at McLean park in Napier. He's practically famous by now. But we all know that you're here for game news, so lets go over everything we've missed from the Summer Game Fest.

Now we're going over every game that got shown that's coming to Xbox and Xbox PC. Strap yourselves in, its going to be a long one... Also, Kyle thinks Dark Souls doesn't look good. Because whats better for exposure than controversial statements? Although saying Dark Souls doesn't look good is not exactly controversial. 

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Sure, we can write some witty comments here, but it's much easier to just give you a list of the games that Xbox showed off. For all out thoughts,. you'll just have to listen to the podcast... 

What was interesting was just how many had the PS5 Logo. Looks like Xbox is truly embracing its future as the modern SEGA... 

The games Xbox chose to show us:

• The Outer Worlds 2 (October 29, 2025, Game Pass)
• High on Life 3 (March 2025, Game Pass)
• Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (March 2026, Game Pass)
• The Blood of Dawnwalker (2026, Xbox/PC/PS5)
• Super Meat Boy 3D (March 2025, Game Pass)
• Ninja Gaiden 4 (April 7, 2025, Xbox/PC/PS5, Game Pass)
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – DLC: The Order of Giants (September 2025)
• Grounded 2 (July 29, 2025, Game Preview, Game Pass)
• Clockwork Revolution (Release TBD, Game Pass)
• Beast of Reincarnation (2026, Xbox/PC/PS5, Game Pass)
• Final Fantasy XVI (Available immediately on Xbox Series X|S and PC)
• Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Winter 2025, Xbox)
• Persona 4 Revival (Release TBD, Xbox/PC/PS5, Game Pass)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (Release TBD, Game Pass Ultimate)
• Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear DLC (Fall 2025, Game Pass)
• There Are No Ghosts at the Grand (2026, Xbox/PC, Game Pass)
• Mudang: Two Hearts (2026, Xbox/PC)
• Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf (2026, Xbox/PC, Game Pass)
• Fallout 76: Gone Fission (Available now)
• Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive (2026, Xbox)
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 (July 11, 2025, Game Pass)
• At Fate’s End (2026, Xbox/PC, Game Pass)
• Gears of War: Reloaded (August 26, 2025, Xbox/PC/PS5, Game Pass)
• Sea of Thieves – Season 17: Smuggler’s Tide (August 2025)
• Keeper (October 17, 2025, Xbox/PC)
• Cronos: A New Dawn (Fall 2025, Xbox/PC)
• Aphelion (2026, Xbox/PC, Game Pass)
• Aniimo (2026, Xbox/PC)
• Invincible Vs. (2026, Xbox/PC)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (2025, tied to ROG Xbox Ally launch, Game Pass)
• Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster (Release TBD)

What did you think of 2025's Not-E3? 

Join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community and take part in our #Back2YourBacklog June Event!

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Xbox Game Pass is a rollercoaster, welcoming trippy sci-fi and an anti-live-service gem in The Alters, while Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II shadowdrop for console players.Game Pass is the gift that just keep on giving. But where is the option to subscribe for more time to play these amazing games? 

Minecraft may have missed its Super Duper Graphics Pack update, but it's back with a massive graphics update and a bonus achievement. Finally, we get to see the blocks rendered in 4K... And remember Manual Samuel —that wacky gem? Well it gets new achievements after nine years!

Hardware’s stealing the spotlight, though: Microsoft’s new AMD partnership powers first-party Xbox gear, and two Xbox handhelds drop just as Nintendo Switch 2 launches (cheeky timing, Phil!). The ROG Xbox Ally gets a price and release date, but Microsoft’s sidelining its own handheld to focus on Windows 11 PC gaming, with “Xbox PC” branding taking center stage. Fans aren’t thrilled, with some claiming “Xbox as we know it is ending” and others joking you’ll need to sell a kidney for the new storage upgrades.

The Witcher 4 set the internet ablaze with a UE 5.6 tech demo at State of Unreal 2025, but has left Lee very unimpressed. We'll let youi be the judge, but so far, it just looks like another UE5 game. Kyle holds out hope that CD Projekt RED will deliver though, but how far can reckless optimism get you?

Forza Horizon 6 is teased for Xbox’s 25th anniversary in 2026—no release this year year, though. Sony’s PlayStation State of Play June 2025 showcased a slew of PC and Xbox titles, proving cross-platform love is alive.

The next event is in June and it's all about your backlog! For more info, check out the official #Back2YourBacklog page on our website for all the info. Then join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.

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Sometimes the jokes write themselves...

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine gets a remastered glow-up, landing day one for Xbox and PC—perfect for chainsword-wielding fans. Meanwhile, The Division 2 storms the service with its Battle for Brooklyn expansion and Year 7 content, ready to unleash fresh chaos.

Xbox dropped sleek Witcher 3 controllers to celebrate a decade of Geralt, making us all want to toss a coin to our console setups. Over in Monster Hunter Wilds, the May update brings Street Fighter’s Akuma, tougher Tempered monsters, and balance tweaks that have us hyped. But it’s not all smooth sailing—EA’s canned its Black Panther game and shuttered Cliffhanger Games, leaving Wakanda fans gutted, while Bungie’s Destiny 2 content vaulting stirs up legal drama that’s got Guardians talking.

On the experimental side, Microsoft’s testing an Xbox Copilot AI to guide your gaming—friend or futuristic overlord? We’ll see. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hits a milestone thats super fitting for the game, and Atomfall is already eyeing a sequel and a TV show, talk about big dreams!

And Hideo Kojima’s back at Summer Game Fest, because of course he is. Geoff continues to remind the world that Kojima is his friend, even if Kojima doesn't know...  

The next event is in June and it's all about your backlog! For more info, check out the official #Back2YourBacklog page on our website for all the info. Then join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.

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Gears of War is going to PlayStation, its true, For all the good that will do... Xbox really seems keen to destroy its brand.

As it sends its tent pole games into competitor's hand.

But the games only flow towards one way,

As God of War has not come to Xbox this day...

We're sorry for starting the podcast off with this depressing news, but blame Lee. So far, of the core Xbox franchises - Forza, Gears and Halo, only Halo remains and Xbox exclusive. But for how long? By the end on Not-E3 this year, will Xbox have any exclusives left? Probably not. Then the only thing going for it is Game Pass... The world we could have been in, if only Microsoft stick by their guns and had faith in their products - Xbox included. Just imagine what would have happened if Call of Duty was exclusive! Xbox may even be the no.1 console...

In saying that - it's not like we aren't getting any games! Thanks to a renewed Xbox roadmap, we can see the next few games planned and we're sure this will be expanded on during not-E3 as well! In addition, Game Pass continues to shower us with games - some we have bought, and some we were going to buy. This is the service that keeps on serving... up good games, that is!

While there's a lot to be critical of, Xbox is where our hearts are. Even if its not where Microsoft's heart is any more. So in preparation, we're getting ready for Tencent to buy Xbox from Microsoft and release The T-Box! Tongue in cheek, of course!

The next event is in June and it's all about your backlog! For more info, check out the official #Back2YourBacklog page on our website for all the info. Then join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.

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This is not a drill, the charts have changed!

The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Remaster has rocketed into 2nd place on the charts! Proving once again what we knew all along - the world craves good RPGs! And maybe not even good RPGs, but good games in general. And what's this? Coming in the top 10 is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! Truly we live in an age of wonders! Good games coming left and right and its all thanks to Xbox.

In fact, its thanks to Xbox that PlayStation can keep the lights on, as Microsoft Gaming becomes the top publisher on the PlayStation store for the last quarter. Sony must really love getting their 30% cut from all of Microsoft's hard work. Would certainly be a shame if Xbox decided to stopped being nice and focus on their own ecosystem...

In more good news - PC Game Pass hits a 45% YoY increase! So we live to see another day of articles telling us how unsustainable or unprofitable Game Pass is. Thanks gaming media! And speaking of Game Pass, Farcry 4 gets a 60FPS patch just in time for it's Game Pass debut. Like we said - good games are coming left and right. It's becoming so hard to keep up. RIP to everyone backlog everywhere.

And we finally have Hunted the Truth when it comes to Halo 5's infamous media campaign which was nothing like the game. In a tale as old as time, the Sales & Marketing guys didn't understand what they were selling, and so sold something that didn't exist. You would have thought that with this happening 10 years ago, Microsoft and everyone else would have learnt their lesson, but it seems not.

Do you have questions about the title of this episode? Of course you do.  Lee has been playing Avowed and he's been a-wowed with it. To find out more, you'll just have to listen...

Our world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge has come to an end. But you'll have to wait until next week to hear the official stats... (Thats what we call a tease in this industry)

The next event is in June and it's all about your backlog! For more info, check out the official #Back2YourBacklog page on our website for all the info. Then join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.

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It scored 92 on OpenCricket!

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has come out swinging. Rave reviews, massive media blitz and the cherry on top? It just so happens to be a great game! Often scoring 10/10 on just about every gaming review site that matters! What a fantastic outing for the first game from a new and unknown studio. Now we know where all of Ubisoft's talent went.. And it does this all without any towers to climb and survey!

The Division 2 finally has some DLC news! It's only taken them about 6 years to get back into gear. We'll be getting a short story and some new cosmetics, but hey - for the price, we can't exactly complain. Hopefully, we see more investment into Div2 from here on out. Or maybe even The Division 3? Will you be jumping into Battle for Brooklyn when it comes out?

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remake Remaster Re-Relese is finally real! And its out now on Game Pass. Who would have though that we'd ever get here? With leak after leak, we finally can get back into Cyrodiil! But at 100+GB for a game that came on a DVD... It better be amazing.

And rejoice all your LG TV owners. Or at least if you bought your TV in the last 2 years. Because now your LG TV is officially an Xbox. Yes, the Xbox app is available for LG TV's but only for the 2023 models on wards. Now we can welcome a lot more people into the wonderful world of "Everything's an Xbox"...

Speaking of Achievement Hunters - the current event is is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

Check out our website for future events and join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.

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And by breakdown, we mean someone watched the trailer and told us what we already know.

Can you say HYPE? Because we are super hyped for this game! OK, maybe just one of us, but that still counts. Lee is dubious due to his hate of anything fun, while Kyle is counting down the hours to get his hands on the new F-JRPG (French JRPG) dropping on Game Pass.

EA has announced a new Star Wars game, And yet again, Lee is dubious. You see, its a tactics-style game - another genre that Kyle loves and Lee loves to hate. But it's Star Wars! Hopefully it's better than anything Disney has put out lately. Although, these day's it's not hard.

Phil teases a bunch of unannounced games still to come this year. We would be excited, but the only question is how many are going to PlayStation? With Not-E3 coming up, we expect to see a whole lot form the now third party publishing behemoth formally known as Xbox Studios. As long as they come to Game Pass, we can't really complain. It would be nice to see Xbox get back its competitiveness though...

And Xbox is getting some exclusive DOOM: The Dark Ages goodies!

Speaking of Achievement Hunters - the current event is is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

Check out our website for future events and join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.

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But, hey, don't blame us, we just read the news that other people have reported on...

In good news, Minecraft is getting an update! While it's no Super Duper Graphics Pack that was promised way back in 2017, it does bring enhanced lighting, and other cool stuff. They call this update Vibrant Visuals, and hopefully this is laying the foundation for whats to come, with Mojang building up over time to getting us amazing looking giant blocks. From now now, we'll be seeing Minecraft in a whole new light...

Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary. And it was all about Copilot. Like, come on Microsoft - you have disrupted so many industries, gaming included - and you chose to focus on Copilot. Oh, we got a new dynamic background for Xbox. Thanks, I suppose...

Atomfall looks like its a massive hit, thanks to the Game Pass effect. Although reports of bugs, lost saves, audio issues and more are plaguing those achievement hunters and completionists. Probably best to wait for a few patches before diving into this one.

And Nintendo had a Direct. Apart from some exorbitant game pricing (seriously - $80 for Forza Mario Kart Horizon!), we got a bunch of new games coming to Xbox. Pity none stand out, as Nintendo either showed off what we already know (hello Silksong), and a bunch of indie games that look right at home on the Switch. Maybe next Direct, we can expect some more excitement, but until June and Not-E3 happens, we're probably going to be hanging out for any news.

Speaking of Achievement Hunters - the current event is is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

Check out our website for future events and join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.

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That's right, no #NuNews, #GameFace or even Regular Shows this time around, just a countdown of the best games ever to be released on Xbox. Where is Halo? Does Gears of War make the cut? If you didn't vote - you have no one but yourself to blame. 

Did you favourite game make the cut?

We'd love to hear! So make sure you've joined our Discord to take part in our amazing community events.

The current event is is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

And if you're looking for the list, it's up on our website, but it wont stick around forever... 

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Any facts to the contrary are communist lies!

Could Xbox be buying up some Ubisoft IP? Rumors are saying that Xbox is on the prowl to add some Tom Clancy or Assassins Creed to their already impressive line up of unused and ignored IPs... After all, Xbox has been banned from buying Ubisoft outright for the next 10 years. All thanks to the UK being a stick in the mud during the Activision Blizzard take over.

The studio that bought us the very disappointing Saints Row reboot was closed down, and now we know why. According to an exac, it was too expensive for what it was. It also doesn't help that the game, known for being anti-PC, got a reboot that was over the top PC. 

And Minecraft is getting a visual update! The first in it's entire history. While its no Super Duper Graphics Pack that was promised way back when, its a start in the right direction. Reflections, god-rays, oh my! Hopefully this is the start of a greater graphics refresh that the game has been crying out for. It may even spawn its very own XboxCast event... Minecraft May!

All this and much, much more in this week's episode of The Regular Show!

Make sure you've joined our Discord to take part in our amazing community events. 

The next one up is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

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And knowing Microsoft's naming standard, will probably call it "Copilot for Your Hands"!

In what is the worst kept secret of the gaming space, we now know that Xbox is partnering with Asus on a gaming handheld to take on the Switch. Will it be any good? Will it still run Windows? All this remains to be seen, but with Steam entering the operating system space, we can see Microsoft starting to sweat a little. Will you pick one up? Or will you continue to use your trusty SteamDeck?

Halo Infinite was about to get the Destiny treatment - 10 years of evolving and growing. But we can all see where that ended up. The utter mismanagement of 343 Industries caused a massive shake up, even to the point where the entire studio was renamed, and Halo was shifted to the Unreal 5 engine. One day, there will be thesis's written about the incredible fumble that was 343i and Halo Infinite. 

Diablo IV is about to get harder. A lot harder! People were speed running season 7 way too easily apparently. So now we're all being punished in season 8. Looks like we'll never get to Paragon 300 at this rate... 

All this and much, much more in this week's episode of The Regular Show!

Make sure you've joined our Discord to take part in our amazing community events. 

The next one up is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

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Thats right, we'll soon grinding, ollie-ing, and kickflipping all over the place. And the best news is that we'll be doing it as the DOOMSLAYER! Because what's better than being Tony Hawke? Being the death machine that is the DOOMSLAYER. We can't wait to glory-kill some rails. If fighting the darkness is not your style, you can also skate away your troubles as the Revenant, proving there's something for everyone. Will the music be just as good as we remember? You better believe it! 

Acclaim is coming back. This will only mean something to you if you've been gaming since the late nineties, but for us older gamers, it's welcome news indeed. Will we get some new games in franchises we haven't seen singe 2001? Or will this be revived only to sell IP to Tencent? Either way, if this means we get a new Shadow-man game, then bring it on!

And of course, what is a week in Xbox without being disappointed? This week, the rumor that Gears of War is going to PlayStation would be bad enough. But of course, they just have to add salt in the wound, and will be shipping the game without multiplayer! For a game that earned its cult following because of multiplayer, this is a very strange move indeed. Or this could be one giant ploy to get PlayStations gamers up to speed for when they release GoW: E-Day on the rival console as well? Either way, we aren't sure what Xbox is trying to achieve, but we do know they are pushing away some very vocal and long-term fans with these types of moves. 

All this and much, much more in this week's episode of The Regular Show!

Make sure you've joined our Discord to take part in our amazing community events. 

The next one up is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

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Rockbeasts has been announced and looks to be the sleep hit we never knew we needed. Creatures big and small all come together in this unique RPG that is going to be filled to the brim with the best puns ever. And we're hyped for it! 

That Annapurna Interactive Showcase took place and there were announcements for announcements. From game devs confirming they are working on their next game, to release dates for games you've never heard of, the entire show could have been an email. At least according to us. We're not massive indie fans, so we're pretty sure some hidden gems are slipping under our radar. If we missed something exciting, be sure to let us know. 

Phil Spencer has said that generative A.I. is going to be amazing for game preservation. We have some doubts after seeing the current state of things, but like any good Microsoftie, Phil is making sure to lock step with the wider Microsoft as they march to the drumbeat of A.I. in everything. All we ask is for our Xbox to be a little smarter... What do you think? Is A.I. in video games a good thing? Or is it one giant Silicon Valley bubble? 

Not to be outdone, the head kahuna of Microsoft - Satya himself - has started crooning about the role of A.I. in video games. Particularly, how import gaming data is to Microsoft in helping to train their models. Just think - you'll go off to work one day and your A.I. avatar gets to stay home and unlock achievements for you. Because who wants to play their games anyway? It's much easier to let A.I. beat that boss, get that perfect three-star score, or manage your inventory. Actually, that last one sounds like the perfect use of A.I. in video games. Never having to deal with inventory management ever again will make it all worth it.

All this and much, much more in this week's episode of The Regular Show!

Make sure you've joined our Discord to take part in our amazing community events. 

The next one up is the world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge!

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Or is it due to being replaced by AI?

Xbox has a roadmap? Wait. It's a roadmap created by an Xbox fan, and not from Xbox Studios themselves. That more like the Xbox we know and love - no advertising, and expecting fans to do all their work for them. That aside, the roadmap is pretty impressive. Going all the way back to 2020, it showcases only the games Xbox Game Studios have actually released. This generation seems to be all about the games, and we've got them in spades. 

There's a new third part Xbox controller, and its a monster! Four controllers in one and called the best controller for PC and Xbox gaming. The Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot surely looks impressive, with being able to swap out the controller modules for your perfect layout. Now you can try out symmetrical thumb-sticks just to feel how wrong they are. 

And Ubisoft is Ubisofting all over their financials - posting what looks to be incomplete sales data. But in a twist, its not incomplete - that's just how far Ubisoft sales have fallen. 50% down in one quater alone. Will AC Shadows come in to save them? Or is it going to be the final nail in the coffin, causing them to be sold to Tencent? 

We're in the midst of #FriendlyFeb! So, make sure you've joined our Discord to enjoy the fun. Any #FriendlyFeb game reviews you put in Discord have a chance to be read out on the podcast. 

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A more exciting way to make chicken skewers.

The reviews are in for South of Midnight, and boy is it shaping up to be a very special exclusive. Couple this with the reviews from Avowed, and Xbox is finally looking to be in the swing of things. Will they be able to keep up this momentum? Or will it all be undone by putting all these games on PlayStation in a years' time? 

Do you long for the gold ole days of RPGs, where every level up felt earned, where every item drop was a special occasion? A time before we got the dopamine riddled new hack-n-slashers? Well, you're not alone. The creator of Diablo 2, David Brevik, has shared a longing to get back to these types of games. 

And could Final Fantasy be coming to Xbox? New rumors are hinting that we may even see FF7 Remake and FF16 on Xbox this year! But do you care? It's been so long, and Xbox has been putting out so many great games on Game Pass - from AAA blockbuster to indie gems - that it looks to be too little too late for Square Enix.

We're in the midst of #FriendlyFeb! So, make sure you've joined our Discord to enjoy the fun. Any #FriendlyFeb game reviews you put in Discord have a chance to be read out on the podcast. 

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While Xbox gets..? The warm fuzzies of being everyone's friends?

Age of Empires, Age of Mythology and Forza Horizon 5 are all headed to PlayStation. There really are no more red lines inside Xbox. How soon will see Halo or Gears of War on PlayStation? All while Xbox is talking about winning people based on hardware, services and experiences. Almost like the games themselves aren't experiences? Seems like Activision Blizzard is not going to pay for itself, and Microsoft is calling on Xbox to collect.

Multiversus is shutting down. Yip, the game that released, then pulled, then re-released somehow never managed to find an audience. Who would have thought? Unless its due to be re-re-released this time next year? Bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it pays off. 

Rebel Wolves, ex-devs from CD Projekt RED, are showing off their first game. On a mission to make the best RPG's in the world, this CGI trailer looks to have all the best bits of The Witcher distilled. We're looking really forward to hat they cook up, when they cook it up. 

And we're in the midst of #FriendlyFeb! So, make sure you're in our Discord, and join in on the fun. 

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Introducing Xbox Copilot!

Welcome to Season 9. We're glad you're here! And hello to all the new listeners. Let us introduce ourselves. We're The XboxCast - a podcast from Australia/New Zealand all about the life of an Xbox gamer in the lands of Down Under. From sky high tech prices, to being left off world maps, the ANZ experience is always fun. 

As a welcome back, we go over January's Developer Direct - DOOM, South of Midnight, and a surprise Ninja Gaiden 4 announcement. Oh my! So much to look forward to. And what is this? All of it going to PlayStation... Sometimes Xbox really makes it hard to be a fan. But Microsoft will Microsoft, and boy, do we get into it. 

We promise, we're not always so ranty!

And get yourself ready for #FriendlyFeb! Our February event kicks off soon, so make sure you're in our Discord, and join in on the fun. 

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Before we sign off officially for 2024, we have one final episode for you - its The Game Awards - again. But slightly different. 

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It's time to put on makeup It's time to dress up right It's time to raise the curtain

On the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, XboxCastational Game Awards tonight!

Our final show of 2024, and as is custom, we bow out with our version of The Game Awards. But we do things differently. See, we don't judge games we've never played, we don't get paid to declare winners (but if you would like to try change our minds - get in contact!), we don't award games just because they sold well. 

NO! We nominate games that we've played throughout the year only. Our hands on experience is what sets us apart from every other game award show. And not just because we're awarding games that came in 4 years ago either. 

On a more serious note, The XboxCast does this because of you. Whether you tune in every week on our live stream, or listen when you can, you guys make it all worth it. We hope you enjoyed the laughs, the rants and just the general nonsense we get up on the podcast.  Thank you for hanging out with us - on the podcast, in our Discord, near or far. 💚

From the whole XboxCast - Kyle, Lee, Simone and Producer Paul - have a Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Years. 

See you all in 2025 for season 9!

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Naturally we're here to tell him how wrong he was.

It's time for The (fake) Game Awards! Hosted by the guy we all love to intensely dislike - Geoff! This year saw some very good nominations, but the questions on everyone's lips is will the gaming media media all over these awards, and who will be told to Wrap It Up? 

If you are one of the lucky few who didn't manage to catch any of the announcements, or the winners, then you're in luck! Neither did Kyle. So, you're both going in blind to these awards. Were there any exciting announcements? And just how much did Sony pay to win Game of The Year?

As always, this is all in jest. Just a warmup, while you wait for the award show that really matters - The XboxCast's Game of The Year show! Coming up next episode...

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And it looks like it's on track to be the real Game of The Year! 

Indiana Jones is out to rave reviews. Tens all across the board, but the looks of it. Well done Machine Games! And on the back of that, Xbox has decided its strongest line up in years is also going to PlayStation. Just when you think Xbox is ready to compete, they shoot themselves in the foot. Thanks Sarah!

As games expand to budgets in the millions, years long development cycles and thousands of people all getting laid off, we ask has the AAA bubble burst? It certainly looks that way when you see a game like Concord that didn't even last 2 weeks before being shut down and forgotten about. Is this due to the nature of the industry changing or could this be due to DEI policies? Kyle has some ideas, and he does like a good rant.

In some positive news, Lee actually likes most of the new games coming out this week. Consider that a win. Both for him, and you, our listener! No longer will you have to hear him verbally eye roll with each announcement. 

Remember to vote for your personal Game of the Year! Because we believe in Play Choice here.  Have your say for the best and worst games you played this year, and the best responses will be read out in our final show of the year. 

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Lee is out of sorts as he has to push buttons and talk at the same time! How will he ever cope? Luckily Paul is around to keep him in check. Will he handle it, or will it all fall apart? Listen now to find out.

Remember, our Game of the Year voting is open now! Have your say and tell us what games are your personal GotY across all the categories. Because here at The XboxCast, we believe in Players Choice. You're welcome. 

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We all talk about the huge number of games we played over the last month, well mostly Diablo...at least Paul has been playing something different.

Thankfully our amazing listeners actually play games and there is a rundown from all the stories they post in our Discord. Which you should totally join, by the way. 

As you all know our next event is Game of the Year, have you picked yours yet?

Our helpful run through of the big games that have come out this year, and what we still have to look forward to, will Indy arrive late and clean up?

Thank you for listening!

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What is a pod? What is a cast? Are we even real? 

Do you collect game maps? What map are you most proud of? What is the oldest game map you own? 

Kyle dreams of having a map room full of (surprise!) maps. But the twist is they're all from games! It's like highbrow nerdiness! Imagine having Morrowind, next to the map from Anno 2205, next to a map of Sanctuary... Ah, a man can dream!

It doesn't matter - because we bring the news and new games this week, right into your earholes. 

Xbox had a Partner Preview and released some games. And showed off even more games! It seems that when the media said Xbox has no games, they took that personally. Xbox's new mandate is to quadruple your backlog and ensure you need to quit your job just to scratch the surface of what Game Pass offers. 

We have new games! The best games! Games that Lee has to play. You have to hump into our Discord and tell Lee to play these games. If anything, he has to play Date Everything! The game were your house appliances come to life and you get to romance them to your hearts content. Is the dishwasher as sassy as they first appear? Or maybe your Roomba is really sweet and encouraging? Who will you date?

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Diablo IV's expansion has dropped and with it, brings a slew of changes to the game! From reduced level cap (bye-bye Level 100 😢) to having your own hired sword for help with Mercenaries, Diablo IV should now be called Diablo 4.5.

But does it make a good game? 

Does it still capture what made Diablo IV way better than Diablo 3? 

And will you have to restart the game from the beginning?

Luckily, we're here to help!

With our very limited hands-on time with Vessel of Hatred, we can tell you how it stacks up to the original. What we like, what we don't like, and everything else in-between. 

This is The XboxCast's review of Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred. 

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What tasty treats were announced this time? And what new ways can Xbox shoot themselves in the foot? 

Fear not, my friends!

Xbox came, saw, and conquered the Tokyo Game Show this year! StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft II: Campaign Collection are set to join PC Game Pass in November, making a legendary return to the gaming forefront. And joining the RTS hype, Age of Mythology got some love too, in the form of a brand-new expansion!  Overwatch 2 fans rejoiced as the thrilling My Hero Academia collaboration brings new life and excitement to the game. Fallout 76 players can collect adorable new C.A.M.P. pets, adding a touch of charm to their post-apocalyptic adventures. And the excitement for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was palatable! 

Not to be outdone, the legendary first six games in the Final Fantasy series have made their way into the world of Xbox (and Windows). Thats right, the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters are here. The pixel remasters include universally updated 2D pixel graphics, a rearranged soundtrack and quality of life improvements. Updated gameplay includes modernized UI, auto-battle options, and supplementary extras such as a bestiary, illustration gallery and music player.

And if this is not enough for you, then catch up on all the news direct from Xbox themselves!

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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The Sims 4 multiplayer!

Welcome to the future of The Sims 4, because we aren't getting The Sims 5 anytime soon...

Yes, that's right. The future of the franchise is multiplayer. Somehow. EA have claimed they don't want the Simes players to lose any progress, and so will continue to milk, uh, we mean support, The Sims 4 for a very long time. It has nothing to do with the obscene amounts of money all the add-ons are generating at all. Nope, EA is operating out of the goodness of their heart. Thanks EA, for allowing us the privilege of paying you. Over and over and over again. 

Ara: History Untold leads this week's new games, and boy does it look good! We're eating good in the Xbox camp, no matter where you play - with Frostpunk 2, Ara, and Worms Armageddon exploding onto every screen Microsoft owns. Maybe buying up half the industry is starting to pay off? Or maybe we're just in a golden age of games, games and even more games.  

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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Wearing white leathers while riding said bike. Sadly, Lee has not graced with any pictures... Yet.  

All of Annapurna Interactive has resigned! Thats right - everyone including the CEO walked out the door in a massive move of no confidence in the direction of the studio. What does this mean for their future projects? For Control 2 and the planned TV series? We break it all down for you to the best of our understanding. But things are still quite murky... We hope to hear more next week. 

Apparently, Space Marine 2 is selling faster than Doom and Quake! Looks like gamers really just want a game where you walk forward and shoot things without any "messaging". Who would have thought!? Even the CEO of Saber Interactive is calling for a return to the glory days of the pure escapism of the Xbox 360 era. And we're all on board! Give us more hordes to mow down while looking awesome and we're there like a pear! 

Xbox is bringing back friend requests. Wait, what? Did they ever leave? Apparently so. And we can thank the Xbox One generation for that. Now we are getting them back, we can rejoice in being friends again. So, what are you waiting for? Send us a friend request right now! Not sure how? Then you better check out our website... 

Frostpunk 2 is coming soon. We go over 11 tips and tricks to get you ready for this brutal city builder and management game. The good news - it's coming Day One to Game Pass! Only on PC for now, but we're hanging out for the console release, which is coming soon™️. Wrap up warm, battle the cold, and see if you have what it takes to survive another day. 

And get yourselves ready for #TerrorTober! This year's theme is Monster Mash. So, any game that features monsters' count. Mostly because Kyle is a wuss, and can't handle the Jandel when it comes to scary, well, anything! Join us in playing your scary (or not so scary) monster game in October! 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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The others don't exist. You've been lied to. We're here to expose the truth!

No wonder we haven't heard from Phil! He's been hiding in Antartica, playing the next-gen Xbox with the alien from Area 51. The truth is now exposed. Phil - you can come out of hiding now, and release the new Xbox It's ok. 

We're all about the new phones this week. Lee is looking for a weird Chinese folding phone while Kyle is ranting about Apple's HomePod and the other audio stuff that Apple is now ignoring. Almost like we've forgotten we're an Xbox podcast...

Are we getting a Diablo Secret Cow level in Diablo 4? Lee has never seen the Secret Cow Level, which means his gaming credentials need to be taken off him. But we're getting closer to finding out if its real. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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Or is it Temu? 

Beware some light Alien Romulus spoilers ahead. Nothing serious.

But maybe watch the movie first to get all our jokes!  

Diablo is the game of the moment. Like it ever left our rotation. Lee has not stopped playing it all year... But now Kyle is getting involved in the season and it just like two addicts encouraging each other. Luckily Simone is here to help Kyle play No Man's Sky! 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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You heard it here first!

This is out Gamescom wrap up! 

What is going on with Xbox? It seems they are intent to shoot themselves in the foot. Starfield is getting a great expansion, showing off the story telling chops of Bethesda. Borderlands 4 got announced after the disastrous movie flopped hard. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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So fast, that he's become a racing stripe!

Lee has a new motorbike! And it's a very pretty bike. So of course, we have a lot of very helpful suggestions about hot to not fall over. Kyle recommends some wheels Lee can attach to the back to help him with balance. I'm sure they have a name.. 

Indiana Jones is coming to PlayStation, is what leads another week to be disappointed in Xbox. 

The new Xbox has a price and its stupidly expensive! And all Xbox has added is some extra space and a fancy coat of paint. How is this justifiable? Seriously, Xbox, get your act together!

We may just become a Bike & Diablo podcast after this one... 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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This makes him officially Tee Dee Lee! 

Patrons Puzzling Picks are in full swing - and Kyle is fishing for compliments in Call of the Wild: The Angler. Has anyone else ever played these hunting sims? Because they are weird... So much busy work in my fishing game! 

Discord is getting a big upgrade on Xbox. Now you can watch your friend's streams on Xbox. And there is much rejoicing! But don't try watch your own stream - that still disconnects you. 

And RIP Game Informer. No one knew this weas coming, not even the employees! And they shut down the Twitter account too. Very, very odd... 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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Two factions arose, with differing prose.

One loved the boba, with pearls so sweet,

The other despised it, a bitter defeat.

In cafes and streets, their battles were fought,

Over tapioca pearls, and the tea they sought.

But in the shadows, a whisper was heard,

Of Xbox adventures, and a podcast’s word.

The XboxCast called, with tales of the game,

Of victories, losses, and gamers’ acclaim.

Both factions listened, their hearts filled with cheer,

For in gaming and podcasts, their passions were clear.

United they stood, controllers in hand,

Boba lovers and haters, a unified band.

For in the realm of Xbox, they found common ground,

A fellowship formed, where harmony was found.

So let it be known, in the annals of time,

That even in discord, unity can climb.

For boba or not, when gamers unite,

The bonds of fellowship shine ever bright.

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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We cover Xbox mostly...

Patrons Pick is coming up quick, fast and in a hurry! So, if you support us on Patreon, you need to start nominating games for us and your fellow Patrons to play! This is where you get to vote on what the hosts play for the month of August. From great games like Resident Evil 2 to Barbie Horse Adventures 2 - all games are on the table, but you have to convince your fellow Patrons to vote on your suggestion! 

Game Pass is changing! We all knew it was coming, but it's now reveled exactly how things are changing. To an outsider, it looks like Xbox is being overtaken by the Microsoft Corporate, and decisions are now being made by committee. A committee that doesn't play, or even understand, games. Gone are the Day One's on Game Pass. At least for some. Others get everything. Either way, the price is going up and we now have an Xbox Game Pass Standard Tier... 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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Only Lee knows... But stay tuned till the end for a surprise! 

The First Descendant has descended! And has taken over in a massive way! Apart from a stupid story, bosses named Greg & Jeremy, and microtransactions out the waazoo, it's actually hiding a fun looter-shooter. And Lee has been sucked in in a massive way. If you're looking for a Destiny-Warframe-Anthem-shooter to take over your life, can we introduce you to The First Descendant? It's free to play and looks amazing!

Xbox is getting a new Rewards Notes Service... What is this? What does it do? No one really knows. Not even Xbox... There's a bunch of word salad about putting notes in the Rewards Hub, and it does nothing but leave us confused. Can someone who understands this please explain?

Xbox's new Game Pass strategy is to drip feed the Activision Blizzard back catalogue into the service. At least that's according to Jez from Windows Central. While not farfetched, it seems like a logical conclusion to come to based on what we have currently seen with Diablo IV being the only one to come to the service... 

And did a new Xbox dashboard get leaked by TopGear? 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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And then we give it all to you. 

You're welcome!

Lee decided to do something for charity! 

He went on a Kiwi based DND stream to play some DND and raise awareness and money for a good cause. By playing a Kiwi cyberpunk story! How cool is that? 

NVidia GeForce Now is allegedly coming to Xbox! But Lee is dubious. He didn't have a great experience once and has been burnt for life. In an effort to help the community, we break down the different tiers, and come away even more confused. It doesn't seem like it was very well thought out... 

Naraka Bladepoint is leaving last gen behind. If you started your journey on Xbox One, then you're getting a bunch of free stuff. Now you get a fancy hat! How exciting. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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It's like a gamer Christmas. If that Christmas came with a bunch of promises instead of presents...

Not-E3 is over, and all the game companies have shown their new games, new trailers, new teases and new games that they definitely won't cancel or close the studio for. Xbox bought the thunder and set the tone, and the rest of the game companies... Well, they had some announcements too.

So, what exactly as an Xbox player can you be expected to look forward to? Thats what we hope to answer this episode. We crawl through all the thousands of game announcements from some of the biggest players, and some of the not so big players. From Ubisoft's tease of Anno 117 Pax Romana to the update to Skull & Bones, you can expect us even cover the bad announcements.

Except the Sony one of course - because there's nothing to announce there! 

Just kidding! Or are we?

June is #back2YourBacklog! And we're here to make sure you come out of June a better person. So, in other words, get stuck into your backlog and play those games that are taunting you. They're just sitting there and laughing at you. They say, "play me, play me" and you just ignore them. Well, not this month! We would direct you to our website, but we're having some technical difficulties. So, join the Discord instead. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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Even without an Xbox handheld announcement!

Did you miss the show or want a re-cap with your favourite podcast? Well, you're in luck!

We go over every announcement, every reveal, and every game that Xbox announced in the Xbox Showcase. 

Jump in our Discord and tell us - what got you excited? What did you not expect?

And what was your favourite part? 

June is #back2YourBacklog! And we're here to make sure you come out of June a better person. So, in other words, get stuck into your backlog and play those games that are taunting you. They're just sitting there and laughing at you. They say, "play me, play me" and you just ignore them. Well, not this month! We would direct you to our website, but we're having some technical difficulties. So, join the Discord instead. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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The Xbox Showcase is coming up and we do some crystal ball gazing. From Gears 6 to State of Decay 3, these are all the games we're hoping to see. Will we get our fabled Xbox Handheld? All rumors point to yes! We even enlisted the help of ChatGPT. Because who better to spill the beans than a sentient A.I. that will be taking your job very soon. 

Patrons get a very special bonus podcast! Yes, that's right. If you give us a dollar, you get access to our behind-the-scenes audio of podcast setup. It makes you wonder how we manage to put on a podcast every week. Or its enduring. Either way, sign up to listen to our AfterCast shows, and support your favorite Xbox podcast. Which is us. We are the podcast. 

June is #back2YourBacklog! And we're here to make sure you come out of June a better person. So, in other words, get stuck into your backlog and play those games that are taunting you. They're just sitting there and laughing at you. They say, "play me, play me" and you just ignore them. Well, not this month! We would direct you to our website, but we're having some technical difficulties. So, join the Discord instead. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

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Ubisoft continues its trend towards disappointment as it cancels The Division: Heartland. While not totally unexpected, to see The Div franchise in this state just breaks your heart. Maybe they should sell it to a studio who will do something with it? 

And the world's bestselling game turns 15! 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media.

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Xbox studios are closing, but is all at it seems? From studios losing staff to studios putting out flops, it looks like Xbox is now starting to get their house in order. Is it too little, too late? Or is this enough to start cracking the whip on the other studios? 

The Xbox app on PC is getting even better. Is this because of the fabled Xbox handheld? Lee is confident that we'll be seeing a handheld out by June. Kyle is just excited by the app in general. If you haven't played around yet, consider this your reminder. And speaking of - if you're interested in trying out Game Pass on PC, check out this link! But be quick, its only for the first 5... 

In a bold statement, Lee believes console wars are dead. And it's all thanks to these "forever games". 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media.

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And we even have a special guest. One who's not really a guest. 

If you like stats, and nail-biting stories of will-they-won't-they, then this year's April Achievement Challenge has it all. Every day was a battle, with some contestants only entering halfway through and then blazing up the charts! Who took the winning spot? Who got the most Gamerscore? And most importantly, where did Kyle finish? 

All your questions will be answered! 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media.

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But what else do you expect when it's been contaminated by the Fallout? 

Thats right - from Fallout in Excel to Fallout's next-gen update, this week is dominated by Fallout news. All thanks to the fact that the Fallout TV show was... good? Wait? Are TV Shows based on games allowed to be good these days? Someone tell Halo! 

Xbox had an indie game show - and showed off a ton of new indies headed to your console. Google have decided to play nice and now allow you to use all the features of your Xbox game pad in Chrome when Cloud Gaming. And Major Nelson shares the cursed Achievement Unlocked sound that (thankfully) didn't make it into production. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media.

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My Xbox podcast is obsessed with cheese!

Kyle is accused of being a Facebook fan. Lee wants to take away all of his tech. We're reading from wrong episode notes. And the answer to life is more KFC. Can you tell what kind of episode this is going to be?

Lee is on his way to 300K Gamer Score for April Achievement Challenge, and by jove, he just might make it! From Harold Halibut to Forza, he's developed a love for finishing games, and so tells us all about it. Kyle and Simone jumped into The Division 2, and got to World Tier 2! Only 6 years after release... And in this week's top tip, if you're playing Starfield on PC, you may want to verify that you have your premium content enabled. 

Fallout is dominating everything at the moment thanks to the fantastic TV series. Speaking of, does anyone want to play Fallout 76? Just imagine what could have been if the Halo TV series was actually good. We may be living in a golden age of Halo. Ah, what it is to dream. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media.

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All thanks to April Achievement Challenge!

April Achievement Challenge is heating up. Who's in the lead? Who has the most steps? And who will get themselves a commemorative coin this year? No one knows just yet! But all we do know is that Lee has discovered a love for finishing games. Who would have thought that his completion percentage would go up? Not us! 

Ubisoft has managed to Ubisoft up again. At this stage, it's not that surprising... This time, they have actually uninstalled The Crew from people's consoles following the server closures. Now you won't even be able to play the game you purchased. Thanks Ubisoft! 

Fallout has seen a resurgence of players as everyone is super hyped from the TV show. Imagine is the Halo TV show was actually good? We may be living in a golden age of Halo that rivals the 360 era. And speaking of Fallout - the next-gen update has a date and it actually coming out! A game form 2015 is about to be updated for modern hardware. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The XboxCast's Regular Show. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media.

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So, let's break the pattern by talking about a dog-napping!

April Achievement Challenge is here, and Lee is on the path to get 100k Gamer Score in one month. And he's doing it by playing really bad and baby games. That isn't t say there aren't some gems hidden in the slog. How are you going through April? 

Hellblade II looks like it's going to be the new benchmark when it comes to graphics. With most of the media tentatively calling it a "banger", "a true next-gen showcase" and even "just what Xbox needs". Can you believe that even the Sony funded media are hyped for this game? And will it be so good that it breaks the Xbox Tax? Only time will tell... 

Xbox is getting A.I. And before you get excited, this is only going to be a chat bot for logging support calls. While it could be amazing, it seems Xbox and Microsoft are limiting themselves in terms of how useful A.I. could be. Seems like Xbox One and Kinect really burnt Xbox in a bad way. All while Xbox is looking at their next-gen console, with Xbox setting up a team to make sure that all games being built are forward compatible. Could we be getting a new Xbox sooner rather than later? We can only hope!

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media.

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You're welcome. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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Feta second. 

NVidia has bought Xbox! While details are a bit sketchy at the moment in terms of if it's the brand or the whole division. While it makes sense from Microsoft's point of view to remove the gaming brand from its portfolio, we are interested to see where this takes the industry. And will this mean that that this will break the Xbox Tax? 

And while we may be late - happy April Fools! 

We have things to say about cheese! And we're looking for someone to make us a cheese faceoff - March Madness style, with brackets and everything. Are you the cheese hero we need? And if you haven't yet, make sure to listen to our Cheese Special! Where Kyle and Lee go off about cheese for 7 minutes. 

April Achievement Challenge kicked off and we have a lot of updates to share with you. How will this competition change throughout the month? Lee is focusing on massive Gamer Score - hoping to get 100,000 GS in one month alone! Will his steps suffer? And introducing a new twist to this year's competition.... 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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No one reads articles anymore! It's all about the headlines. 

Join us for the April Achievement Challenge! It's a new year, a new challenge, and even bigger and better competitions! Time to represent your country, get your game on, and win the month of April! Sign up now, join the Discord, and do it for your country. Keep in mind, Patrons and Discord boosters get bonus points... So, it's completely pay-to-win!

Could we be getting an Xbox Handheld? Rumors are spreading again about Xbox producing a Switch competitor! Would you buy one? And with a new Xbox dev kit certified in South Korea, could this be it, or is this the Xbox Series X Two 720? 

Diablo IV is getting massive changes with Season 4, and Blizzard were kind enough to delay the next season until after April Achievement Challenge. Thanks guys! And speaking of getting massive updates, we can't leave out No Man's Sky - with their 23rd free expansion being released this week. The Hello Games team are knocking it out the park! 

And where do you stad on ray-tracing? Are we spending too much effort on this or not enough? Lee and Kyle get technical, thanks to a new patent from Microsoft that promises better ray-tracing in both Windows and Xbox. 

This week is a banger week for game releases! We have at least 4 good games that you should play. But one stands out - Stasis: Bone Totem. Seriously, check out this game. It looks very cool - and even Lee is impressed. That says something! And we also have Planet Zoo in case that's not really your jam... 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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This is a hill Kyle will die on. 

Join us for the April Achievement Challenge! It's a new year, a new challenge, and even bigger and better competitions! Time to represent your country, get your game on, and win the month of April! Sign up now, join the Discord, and do it for your country. Keep in mind, Patrons and Discord boosters get bonus points... So, it's completely pay-to-win!

We are going to catch up on all the new games for the past two week. So prepare yourself for a list of all "must-plays" and get your wallet ready. Because this week is completely stacked. 

If a game launches, but no one can play, did it really launch? Star Wars Battlefront Classic attempted to answer this question when only 192 people could play the game. And then using contents from mods without any credit. Star Wars takes the crown for worst launch in recent memory. Can it pull a No Man's Sky and come back from the dead? A few games are shutting down, including the inspiration behind our super semi-successful #GameFace! shows. 

Yet again, we're moaning about a game to TV adaption. First Halo, now Fallout. It seems those that make these shows set out to destroy anything related to these games. Where do you stand? Do you think John Halo on TV is good? Are you going to watch the Fallout series? Or are you going to enjoy the fallout from yet another adaptation gone bad? 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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Because Microsoft does. And they're still updating it! 

We're deep into some tech talk this episode as we play around with a new way to record this podcast! We have gone from using Zoom to Discord and now even Microsoft Teams. Which one sounds best? We want to hear from you. Do we sound or look better? Do we sound the same? Please give us feedback! 

April Achievement Challenge is back for 2024! Are you keen to join?  Sign up now, join the Discord, and play for your country! 

The Xbox Partner Direct happened, and we decide to cover EVERYTHING! Be prepared to relive the entire showcase, in just about real time. Sea of Thieves is the top wish listed game on the PlayStation store - making it eligible for The Best Ongoing Game at the Game Awards now! Also, is this good or bad news for more Xbox games losing their exclusivity? 

Our dear friend, and one of the OG supporters of the Podcast, Rebekah (Spirited Sojourn) - is recovering from a kidney and liver transplant. If you'd like to help, she has set up a GiveALittle page. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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We deserve to get Anthem II! 

Xbox admitting an ugly truth about Game Pass? How much more rage bait could we possibly put up with? Some games on Game Pass don't sell as well as expected after being added to Game Pass. What a twist!

Studios are going independent left and right! Embracer is spinning out Saber Interactive for $500 Million, Toys for Bob are leaving Xbox (previously Activision Blizzard) and EA is canceling games. Ok, so one of these things are not like the other. But EA will EA, so there's no surprises there. What is surprising is that Xbox retains the rights to all the Toys for Bob IP. That means Spiro and Crash remain as Xbox mascots! 

Moon Studios are releasing a new game! But it's not Ori. It's more of a dark souls cross Diablo. And it looks amazing. Start getting hyped! 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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They're the same thing, right? 

Kyle and Lee get stuck talking about A.I. Almost as if they are a bunch of nerds... Can you tell we're amazed with ChatGPT? And with Microsoft shoving this A.I. all over Windows and Office and Azure, will we ever see this tech come to Xbox? Or are we wanting to keep the A.I. out of our games?

Friendly Feb has come to an end, and we have a bunch of game recommendations for you. So, if you didn't take part this year, but want to next year, you have a bunch of options. Now there is no excuse! Challenge yourself to avoid the death and destruction for February and spread the digital love. 

What do you think of the Xbox games going to PlayStation? Now that we know what games are going cross platform, how do you feel? Has your faith in Xbox been shaken? Kyle still thinks this is a mistake, due to the generic gamer only hearing "Xbox games go to PlayStation". If you have thoughts, drop into our Discord and tell us what you think! 

Has your wish list disappeared on Xbox? Are you the type to wish list 300+ games? If you were affected, Xbox has rolled out a fix and you should have your list back! And there was much rejoicing, with all three people who wish list the entire store. 

And to finish us off, an all-white Series X Digital Edition has been rumored.... Is this supposed to go up against the PlayStation Pro? 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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We promise we're an Xbox podcast! 

The charts are back to normal as Palworld slowly drops off. Now we wait for another chart disruptor to be released... And we keep control with a bunch of new controller releases, including the Retro Fighters controller for the OG Xbox. Thats right, for all 20 people who still have an original Xbox, you can now get a modern Series X like controller for it. How exciting! 

If you're an Xbox Insider, and play on PC, you want to check out the Xbox app. Kyle gives a great review over on his X (formally Twitter). Check it out, and let's give Microsoft more feedback about it. Because together, we'll make it better than Steam! 

Skull & Bones is a real game. Or at least it's out now. And we compare it to Black Flag - a game form 11 years ago. Can you guess which is the better game? We'll give you a hint - it's Black Flag by miles. Seriously, this is an embarrassment to Ubisoft. How it ever got released is beyond us... 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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Or are we still at Panic Station Red? 

We're joined today by the one, the only - Shane Bailey! And boy, is he needed, as we take apart everything to do with the Xbox Business Update. From the podcast itself, to the interviews with The Verge and Windows Central, we (almost) dissect every word from the CEO of Microsoft Gaming himself. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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Rumors and rumors of rumors have the Xbox community melting down. From Sea of Thieves going to PlayStation, to Xbox going all in on Third Party, it seems like Xbox is preparing to change the entire game. Could we see Starfield on PlayStation? Who knows. We have to wait for next week to see what Phil says. But while weeks have passed where these rumors have escalated, Xbox has remained suspiciously silent... We try to break it down and pepper it full of our own opinions of course! What do you think? 

Amid all of this, Rockband gets a new controller! In 2024! Who would have thought? Apparently, EA has only stopped supporting Rockband with its last DLC song pack. Diablo's Season 3 celebrates Lunar New Year with some great XP and gold bonuses and even Star Wars Outlaws gets a release date leak... Seems like the first week of Friendly Feb is full of controversy and exciting news. 

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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We're happy to have you here.

Because its "New Year, Same Us", we've decided to re-introduce ourselves to the world, for all the new listeners who've joined us recently. If you know and love us already, then let us know what we've missed out! 

February is Friendly Feb! This is your excuse to play a game that doesn't hurt a digital fly. So, violence is right out. Shooting things is not hip this month. Beating people up does not make you lit. This month, love slaps, being nice is bussin and having friends is great, no cap, for real, for real. What will you be playing this month? 

Xbox had a Developer Direct, showing off a lot of new games which managed to suck at least some of the hype out of Kyle. Ubisoft is closing servers, while pretending Skull & Bones is a real game that exists. Sea of Thieves is going from strength to strength with Season 11. Oh, and Palworld has knocked Fortnight off the top of the charts! We have much rejoicing!

If you want to support us, please share the podcast on social media. If you want to get access to our special Discord room, have your name read out on the podcast, and get to vote in Patreon Picks, then support us on Patreon. 

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On the Game Awards tonight

It's time to put on makeup It's time to dress up right It's time to raise the curtain 

On the most sensational

inspirational

celebrational

XboxCastational Game Awards tonight

Joining us is a very special guest to help hand out our awards - Keo Live @ Home from the Hall of Gamer's Podcast! He joins us to celebrate the year that was - from personal achievements and stats to all the stats you could ever want from The XboxCast! 

And of course, we have our world-famous Game Awards to hand out! Some very controversial picks in this amazing year of gaming will have you disagreeing with almost everyone at some point. But hopefully we inspire to find your next favorite game for next year... 

To all our Patrons - thank you for keeping the lights on this year. You helped us keep going as a podcast and even helped get Lee an early Christmas present. Not once, but twice! 

And to everyone who listens, follows, shares and takes part in our little community - thank you for an amazing year. We are humbled and honored that you choose to spend your time with us, and we couldn't be prouder. You are all wonderful and we're thankful for every one of you. 

The XboxCast, signing off for 2023. We'll see you all in 2024! 

(If you're missing us, you're more than welcome to jump into our Discord...) 

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With your daily dose of secondhand cringe! 

The (unofficial) Game Awards happened! And there wasn't much fanfare, because it's now become a giant advert. However, we were still treated some juicy announcements, along with those pesky games that win some awards. So, what better way to celebrate than to go over every announcement, in detail, almost as it happened! If you feel yourself age during this episode, you're not alone. 

Lee went on some dates! In a game. And made us all suffer from some serious secondhand cringe as he makes almost all the wrong choices in Motesolo: No Girlfriend Since Birth. Are you ready to get embarrassed on his behalf? Because Kyle was ready to hide under the podcasting desk while Lee described his very awkward encounters... 

Starfield is getting an update, Activision Blizzard games are coming to the cloud and Skull & Bones might even be a real game! All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

Our game award voting is now live, and you get to have your say! Because we're the only awards show you should be listening to. So, hop on over to our fantastic voting form and nominate your Games of 2023.

Our Game of the Year show will be live streamed on Wednesday, and we even have a very special guest! Get voting to have your say and join us live as we celebrate the only games that matter - the ones we played! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you.

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Thats our Top Tip of the Week!

Lee is stuck in Diablo IV but we're in no danger of becoming a Diablo IV podcast! Kyle is sailing away in FAR: Changing Tides, because it seems he is now the new gamer player. Oh how the turn tables. 

Season 10 is here for Sea of Thieves and comes with guilds and private servers! This is exciting as you can now sail the seas without being hunted down by 10 year olds. But how does progression work? Are we limited? Rare have been pretty light on details. 

No More Robots, the makers of SpiritTea, have shared exactly how good Game Pass is for the industry. And he even shares some exciting stats about how good it is. 

Baldur's Gate 3 shares stats as well, and it turns out that people have played about 81,000 years of the game! Thats slightly insane. And only 400 people have completed Honour Mode, with 150,000 people starting it. The biggest game of the year for sure! 

And what the heck are hall effect thumb sticks?? We break this down for you, so you're not as confused as we were. You're welcome. 

Our game award voting is now live, and you get to have your say! Because we're the only awards show you should be listening to. So, hop on over to our fantastic voting form and nominate your Games of 2023. 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you.

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But it's not a big fan. It's just a small fan that's been enlarged! 

The Golden Joystick reveals their winners for this year's Game Awards and all we can say is thank goodness there remains some sanity in these award shows. If you're unsure what this means, then you clearly haven't listened to last weeks' episode. There's a bunch of games who totally deserve the win, and we offer our sincerest congratulations! 

Warner Bros has seen the light! Wonder Woman will not be a live service game, so we can all breathe easier. It will have a beginning, a middle and an end! Almost like they understand that people enjoy finishing the games they play. Especially when there's news of server closures. Twelve EA games are going to be put out to pasture as the last remaining laptop running these servers gets unplugged at the end of the year. 

And if you're interested in Dune: Spice Wars, well Kyle has the low down for you. While Lee is stuck playing Diablo, Diablo and more Diablo...  

Kyle is growing an epic goatee for Movember! And you can help donate if that's your thing. If you want to throw a few dollars to a good cause, check out this link. If you have no idea what Movemeber is, then check out the official website. 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you.

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What a sad state of affairs.

Apart from the fact that Lee's dog, Barney, will never travel to Bali, the rest of this week's Regular Show is much more upbeat! That we can promise you. Balder's Gate 3 has gotten a massive win on the Xbox side of things, allowing the Larian Studios to make the game more optimized across all platforms. Time to start getting hyped for the epic D20 roll that will be this release on Xbox. 

The Game Awards have come out with their nominees and in a normal year, we're used to the Xbox snub, but this year has shown just how much of a farce it really is. Can anyone take The Game Awards seriously after the colossal mistakes they made this year? Or are you used to the disappointment that is Geoff's PlayStation Lovefest? 

Kyle is growing an epic goatee for Movember! And you can help donate if thats your thing. If you want to throw a few dollars to a good cause, check out this link. If you have no idea what Movemeber is, then check out the offical website. 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you.

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Some even call it a forum...

Cities: Skylines II has a great game loop. You build a village, run out of money, lose the game and then start again. At least that's how Kyle has been playing it. All the while Lee is firmly stuck in Diablo IV. He has been running around in Season 2 and having a blast by the sounds of it. 

Microsoft is banning unofficial Xbox accessories, but it doesn't go far enough according to Kyle. Some Xbox accessories are going to give you an error code if you try use them, yet the known cheating accessories - Cronus and Xim - are still left to function. How infuritating. And it's not like they couldn't stop it either... 

Xbox is injecting AI into its game studios. Are at least will be partnering with InWorld - the makers of tool that allows generative AI to build NPC's and quest lines. What does this mean for future games? It means that those epic side quests you pick up in Starfield have the potential to be even better. And in the future, quests could even adapt and change to how you, the player, interact with them. 

We truly live in an age of wonders. 

Kyle is growing an epic goatee for Movember! And you can help donate if thats your thing. If you want to throw a few dollars to a good cause, check out this link. If you have no idea what Movemeber is, then check out the offical website. 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you.

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Almost like all games have bugs!

Sea of Thieves is getting a big update with Season 10 - private servers, guilds and a whole lot more! Looks like this game has found its sea legs. We love to sea Xbox continuing to support such a fantastic endeavor. Will these changes make you dive back in, or are you waiting for a boarding pass? 

Fallout's TV show has a release date and it's looking like it will live up to the hype. Could this be the same date as the fabled Next-Gen update for this game? Who knows, but we're waiting with baited breath to see what rolls out the vault later this year. 

Xbox has decided that marketing is a good thing as it takes over the Las Vegas Sphere during TwitchCon. How much does it cost to run an ad on this giant LED sphere? Well we could tell you, or you could listen to this episode and then cry your eyes out. Thats what we did, so don't feel too bad... 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you.

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Activision Blizzard are now officially under the Xbox umbrella!

Prepare to melt faces as Robocop! The dark dystopian sci-fi epic is coming to Xbox soon, and everyone will be able to play as their favourite cyborg cop. The demo captures everything that made the cult movie great and Lee of one is super excited. But then again, when isn't Lee excited about shooting people in the face? 

More shooty shooty comes to Game Pass, but this time it's a bit scary as Dead Space Remake crawls its way onto the service later this month. Are you brave enough to play it? Or is Peppa Pig Makes Friends more your style?  

And you coul win a very cool looking, but very non-functional, Xbox Series X! Xbox and Blizzard have teamed up to bring you a fantastic looking console modeled after the gates of hell from Diablo IV. While it looks great, it doesn't actually work, for reasons unknown. But hey, it looks cool! And half of what makes people good gamers is how cool their consoles look. It's a known fact. Thats why Xbox players dominate at FPS games. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you. Now, be a dear and visit our website, YouTube or Discord.

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Paul has. 

Lee is still stuck in Cyberpunk, and is urging everyone to get the expansion - Phantom Liberty and he's trying to convince Paul to abandon Starfield. However, Paul has some incredible hours in Starfield, so he's in no danger of straying off the path. We're so proud of Paul! 

There's a new Xbox Series X, themed around the brand-new Assassin's Creed: Mirage. And Paul wants to put it on the wall. However, you'll have to enter the competition to win this. Probably not open to us down under, but we still get excited about cool looking Xboxes! 

Could Activision Blizzard close on Friday this week? Things seem to be happening fast and furiously now that the CMA have given provisional agreement. Game Pass is about to get a massive boost to the already 400+ games currently on the service. 

Amazon Prime Day is here and it brings a bunch of sales! Want to pick up the expansion card for cheap? Now is your chance. And in some exiting news, some deals even extend to us here in New Zealand and Australia! Time to kit out the Xbox with some new accessories, just like its having a birthday. But you're the one getting spoiled. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you. Now, be a dear and visit our website, YouTube or Discord.

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As is custom, we thank our Patrons on the first show of the month. Because what better way to convince you guys to support us than by shaming those that aren't... Thank you guys for supporting us and making sure we keep ticking along. If you'd like to support us, please consider signing up on Patreon! 

Meta (formally Facebook) and Xbox are becoming pals and you'll be able to play XCloud on the Meta Quest, which used to be called the Oculus Quest. Still, games in VR! It's a win for all three people who bought one! The writers guild want to shut down the games industry to try to get more people to support their failed strike in Hollywood. The problem is no one seems to care, and the games industry has just collectively shrugged at them. Is this the W we think it is? 

Lee has dived into CyberPunk and declares it's better than Starfield. Its ok, we won't lynch him just yet without hearing him out first. Still, CyberPunk 2.0 and the expansion seem to be exactly what was needed. Paul is still in Starfield and will probably be for the foreseeable future. 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you. Now, be a dear and visit our website, YouTube or Discord.

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Or are we confusing? 

New Zealand flicks over to Daylight Savings, and hasn't let Australia know. How rude! But it does mean poor Lee was sitting for an hour by himself. In future, we may get Lee's dog - Barney - on as co-host. If you want to see this happen, hit Lee up on Twitter/X! 

News has run very dry. It's that time of the year where all the stories are just not interesting. And so uninteresting, that it's now time to do lists! This week's news is full of lists. Listing that and listing this. Do you agree with our lists? Or would you like to see another list? 

Lee has been having issues in Starfield. While trying to be sneaky, good ole Sarah decides to start shooting. As she always does... Kyle gets involved in base building and constantly getting distracted by all the different shiny things. Starfield remains a classic Bethesda game that way. Have you discovered anything exciting? We have a Starfield forum on our Discord if you have! You should totaly join. 

CyberPunk joins Train Sim World 4 as our highlights for this week's new games! Hack into the mainframe, while traveling keeping on the rails. Sounds like a win in our book! 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you. Now, be a dear and visit our website, YouTube or Discord.

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But it turns out he just reads waveforms.

Starfield is still sitting at number 1 in the charts, with 10 million players! Not to bad, but it begs the question - how many people were playing Fortnite every week to keep it at the number 1 spot for so long? But more importantly, how do the golden toilet seats inside Epic's offices feel? And do they drive you to work? 

Xbox has suffered its biggest leak ever! From hardware roadmaps to how much Microsoft pays to put games on Game Pass - everything you could ever want to know is now out in the wild, thanks to the FTC uploading unredacted documents. Even though we cover a few interesting tidbits from this leak, one thing to keep in mind is that this is all from 2020 and things have no doubt changed. 

Could Xbox move to an ARM chip? These leaks hint at the biggest hardware shakeup in Xbox's history. ARM could be the secret sauce that would propel Xbox to massive generational leap in performance, and possibly leave PlayStation 6 in the dust.

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you. Now, be a dear and visit our website, YouTube or Discord.

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Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Ok, so we lied about the shenanigans... 

With Simone leaving us to our own devices, who's going to keep us in check? No one! Thats who! It's going to be chaos, anarchy, Kyle, and Lee talking about nonsense for three hours straight. Because we know what you guys want. And it's longer, nerdier, ramblier podcasts! You can thank us later. 

The Regular Show is just like #NuNews. In fact, some may even get it confused with #NuNews. But it is not, in fact, #NuNews. It has news, it has nu, but now it comes with fan mail and Starfield stories. Maybe this should be called #NuNews+? 

In this episode of The Regular Show, we cover so many exciting stories! Starfield is top of the charts. Again! Will anyone take this beast down, or is this the new Fortnite? And what exactly have Kyle and Lee been up to in this game anyways?

At least you won't have to worry about how to pay for GamePass now that Xbox has teamed up with Mastercard to give all gamers a terrible deal on an Xbox branded credit card. Seriously guys, do not sign up for this. It's not worth it! 

Unity has put its foot in it and decided it doesn't like money, or developers using its products, as it announces that it will start charging for game installs. After an outcry from game devs the world over, Unity looks like it's going to double down on this terrible choice. Because that's how normal people react to feedback it seems... 

All this and more in this week's episode of The Regular Show! 

To all our dedicated fans - thank you for helping The XboxCast grow. Please continue to rate, share, and interact with us on the socials. We appreciate every one of you.Now, be a dear and visit our website, YouTube or Discord.

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--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

And it's our last #GameFace! for a while... 😢

Join us as we bid (a temporary) farewell to Simone, and to GameFace!, the only Xbox podcast show that brave enough to cover the games we've been playing! While #GameFace! may be on hiatus for a while, you'll still be hearing from Kyle and Lee as they cover everything in The Regular Show! 

And this so happens to be our 50th episode for the year! The big five oh. And what better way to celebrate getting to 50 episodes without going mad than to have a 2023 retrospective. From the best games we played each month to our personal recommendations, you may think this is our Games of the Year show, but it's not. You can't get rid of us that easily! 

Ever since we introduced #GameFace!, you guys have tuned in week after week, and we can't thank you enough for that. 

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Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Do we need something that slaps? Or a banger? 

It's not really Lee's birthday, but that won't stop us from wishing Lee anyways. If you see Lee hanging about in the Discord, wish him happy birthday! So, we moved #nuNews to another night to help Lee experience Starfield for his fake birthday. 

Starfield rocks to the top of the charts, and it's not even technically out yet. A new king has emerged! Welcome to the new charts. You have been warned. And to celebrate, Xbox is releasing Starfield flavoured wraps for your Series X! Gotta keep him warm while you explore the galaxy in the 21st century. 

In sad news, Embracer is shutting down the studio behind the Saint's Row series. Looks like the latest release didn't exactly ignite the hype. Lots of finger pointing, but in the end, it seems to have just been a bad game. Never mind all the modern day baggage they added to it.  

And while Starfield is stealing all the hype, Cyberpunk's version 2 release is coming. And's it's looking really good! So what features will you get with the update and what features are locked behind the Phantom Liberty expansion? Well, you're in luck! We're here to tell you what's what. 

You are what helps this podcast grow. So please take a few seconds out of your day to rate or share the podcast with someone you think will enjoy it as much as you do! 

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For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

In fact, we could just about be the most organised podcast ever!

Lee fights the man-flu to bring you the latest Xbox News. We thank him for his service and sacrifice live on the podcast. He was adequate. 

There's a ton of more Gamescom news! More stuff happened! The Future Games Show apparently. And guess what? It's all about games that are coming out. Aren't all game shows focused on games coming out? But we digress... New games! And mostly indies! Look at us growing as a podcast... 

No Man's Sky has gotten yet another big and impressive update, bringing a new robot race into the universe. And you can get a special staff! Or turn your traveller into one of them. The robots really are taking over. 

And of course, we have a bunch of Starfield news. Because we're an Xbox podcast, and Starfield is now the talk of Xbox. So we must talk about it. Or we'll have our gamer creds taken off us. 

And please excuse the technical difficulties that Kyle experienced. The joy of remote recording... How does Lee handle the pressure of being the lone host of Kay Go Kay Lee? 

Join us on Friday, September 8th, as we live stream Simone's final #GameFace! episode. We even have a special treat for you guys as it also happens to be our 50th show this year! We'll be live streaming on Kick and YouTube, but if you can't be there live, you still get to enoy the audio later.

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Kyle and Simone have continued with ExoPrimal (against their will) and are trying hard to follow the "story" and "care about the game." All while Lee has completely given up on it. 

Simone is warming up to Stray. Maybe it takes a while to let the cat out of this bag? Kyle has some thoughts about Resident Evil 2, and how these two games seem to be developed by completely different companies... And Lee tried Age of Empires, before going straight back into Diablo IV. 

Outside of the event, the hype for Starfield has truly taken its hold, and given Kyle an obsession with No Man's Sky. Especially with the Echos update and all the great stuff it brings. And he's managed to drag Simone into the NMS universe too... 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Let us summarise all you need to know. 

In case you missed it, Xbox bought the fire to this year's Gamescom in Germany. From info on existing games to shadow dropping Age of Empires - Kyle and Lee will cover everything you need to know. Don't have time to sit and watch the full 2-hour recap? We have you covered with our 2-hour recap! You're welcome. 

In a shock move, Microsoft is selling the Cloud Streaming Rights of all Activision Blizzard games to Ubisoft! As this is no longer the sticking point of the CMA, could the deal finally go through? And it's been confirmed that Sony only has an agreement with Microsoft for COD - no other titles. How will this play out? No one knows yet, but it should be over soon (we hope).

And this week, certain fanboi's decided to comment on the leaked start screen of Starfield. Looks like this massive game has some people regretting their loyalties to a plastic box... Will you be jumping in Early Access with Kyle, or are you more like Lee and waiting for the mods and patches to fix Starfield? What ever you choose, you can't deny this hype train! 

All this and more on this episode of #NuNews! 

You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

The zeros are the rectangles of Ohs!

Join us as we talk about this week's Xbox Adventures. 

The Cast is still playing their Patron's Puzzling Picks for this month. Lee has finished his first game and is now on to Age of Empires. Pretty good going for a month! Kyle has some very good Top Tips™️ for Resident Evil 2 Remaster, and Simone has thoughts on Stray! Did Stray deserve the Game of the Year nomination, or was it only nominated because of its exclusivity? 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

We help you catch up on everything you've missed. And things you haven't. 

Lee is rebelling against society by not taking photos of his food. What even is this? How can you just get your food, and *not* take a photo? It boggles the mind.

Xbox will soon allow you to stream to your Discord servers! Straight from the Xbox! Is this the return of Mixer's Co-Streaming? Will you be using it? Are you looking for a Discord to join that will allow this new feature? Well, you're formally invited to jump into our Discord and stream away. 

Gamescom is coming up quickly and Xbox will have the biggest both ever! Thirty titles will be playable, showing that Xbox is super confident in their line up this year. We're huge fans of this confident Xbox. And with Starfield coming out soon, it didn't stop the concern trolling. If only the ones doing the trolling took a history lesson instead. 

Quake II Remastered has been unleased on the world and we're trying really hard to not play it! Since we're all in on Patron's Puzzling Picks. You'll just have to wait for our next #GameFace! episode to see if we managed to hold out. 

All this and more on this episode of #NuNews! 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

That's right folks, Patron's Puzzling Picks is now live, and we even have our first completion from the event. Lee was so excited with his Horse Game that he spent all weekend playing it. How does it stack up next to Diablo? How did he win the Horse Cup Award? Did he make lifelong friends in Horse Valley? So many questions! And only Lee has the answers. Along with his Twitch stream... 

Kyle has landed on Resident Evil 2 and think you should all play it. It's got just the right mix of old school PS2 game play bought into a modern light. It does everything right. You honestly have no excuse now. Unless of course you're taking part in the event too. In which case, you need to focus on your own game. Get that finished. Then play Resident Evil 2. You gaming life will thank you. 

And all three of the cast jumped into Exoprimal. And do we have some thoughts! How can shooting hordes of dinosaurs be this bad? And how do you release a game in this state? In fact, this game is so bad, even one of our viewers of the live stream gets into a massive rant about this game. We are starting to think our Patrons are trolling us. 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Just like that bacon and egg pie you're currently craving... 

We race into pole position with the release of F1 Manager 2023, and that seems to be the only good game coming out this week. Nothing is of note, so Lee struggles to stay awake. Can Kyle's puns keep him awake? 

This week is controller news heavy - from new controllers from Xbox to new custom controllers where you can add a wheel, to even replacement parts of your Elite controller. Looks like we need to take control of the news! 

Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Xbox! And Square Enix has committed to more games on Xbox too. If you're a Square fan, then this is your birthday. Phil has delivered on his promise of Japanese games on Xbox and its paying off! Are you excited? Kyle is excited. Even Lee is slightly excited. Its time to get hyped! 

In some sad news, the Xbox Console Companion app is being retired. And there's no replacement on PC if you want to see anything of the social side of Xbox. If you're a PC gamer, you should be filling out all the feedback to let Microsoft know what a stupid idea this really is. 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

They cannot nerf us. 

Kyle goes on a tirade against Adobe and their so-called photo organisation tools. Or lack thereof. Causing him to lose most of his photo backup. This has nothing to do with games, but since you're listening, we are just going to assume you care about our lives now. 

Patrons Puzzling Picks is about to kick off, so we recap what that means for us and for the community. What games will we be playing? Will Lee be playing a horse game? Is Kyle forced to play The Evil Within? And why are the Patron's so kind to Simone? We suspect theres some favourtism going on here... We're onto you! 

Lee surpirses no one with his obscession with Diablo IV, Kyle is in a Gears mood, and Simone has played more than all of them. Get rady for all out gaming advetures in this week's episode of #GameFace! 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

It's clearly time to start making stuff up. 

After much struggling, we find some news for you. Because we're kind like that. And because you deserve it. Now it's up to you to share the podcast with your friends and family...

Xbox allows mapping keyboard keys to controller buttons. Is this because World of Warcraft is coming to consoles? It would be a very good test to see if controller support works for these PC exclusive games.  Ubisoft has canceled the Fenyx Rising sequel. One of the games that everyone praises Ubisoft for. And they cancel it. Is this on purpose? Is Ubisoft trying to be bought by being so bad? Add to this that Ubisoft are deleting Ubi-Accounts. It's been a bad a week for Ubisoft fans. 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Who's chosen to be cruel, and who's chosen to be kind? 

In August, we're doing Patron's Puzzling Picks - leaving our gaming future up to our Patreons. Is this a good idea or a great idea? And to make sure we don't suffer alone, we're getting the Patrons to choose games for their fellow Patrons! It's Christmas! In August? No one ever said we're great with timings.

Simone has done it! She has played more games in one week than Lee did. We really are in a weird timeline... Saving the world in Fenyx Rising, racing through the streets in Need for Speed Unbound and spying on nuns canoodling in the library in Pentiment - Simone has crossed every genre. 

Kyle is getting excited about factory building games. Wanna build a factory? It has to be a factory! Dyson Sphere Factory is on Game Pass PC and it's highly recomemended you play it. If factory building is your thing. And it's not really Lee's thing as he is stuck in Diablo. He may have a problem. 

Don't forget that we're doing a massive YouTube push, and we need your help. Go to our YouTube channel, watch the podcast on there, subscribe, like share and just be that annoying person who tells the world about us. You sharing the podcast is how we grow. So if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on all your social media and tag us! We're everywhere. Even in your house... 

--

For previous episodes, all our socials, community events, and more, visit

⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

And Paul is kind enough to let Lee be the boss. 

This week, it's a deluge of news as suddenly everyone covering the Activision Blizzard deal now must find other news stories to cover. Lee yet again finds all the most important news stories just for you. Including our beloved True Achievement's Game Play Charts. 

Xbox Game Pass Family & Friends Plan has come to an end. Was the trial unsuccessful or did too many people take advantage of it? Microsoft is sure to be tight lipped about the program until we see it launch world wide. 

And have you tried to pick up an Xbox Series X yet? Chances are you 'll find they have been selling out. Why, you ask. Well Microsoft has fixed the old Call of Duty multiplayer servers, which means Xbox is the only place to enjoy all the old COD titles. Sony has also agreed to keep COD on PlayStation, but this is only for COD. It looks like other Activision Blizzard games are about to become Xbox Exclusive! 

And Phil Spencer has worked his magic in the background by bringing the Antstream Arcade collection to Xbox. Whatever your thoughts on the man is, he sure is sticking by his word of keeping gaming preservation alive. 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our ⭐ official website ⭐! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Xbox is about to close on (finally) buying Activision Blizzard! It has been a long 18 months...

Paul joins us again for #NuNews from a freezing cold Christchurch. And Kyle has the best life advice for him! 

Powerwash Simulator takes us into the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Which is a very hard turn from the colourful world of SpongeBob. But hey, even Space Marines need clean armour. Grand Theft Auto is now back on Game Pass and it's the new shinny Xbox Series X version too. 4K60, ray tracing and all the deliciousness that comes with it. Time to jump back in maybe? 

Xbox is clamping down on the Xbox Live to Game Pass conversion, and Kyle is part of the casualties... Three years of Xbox live now gets you just over 2 years of Game Pass Ultimate. It's still better than a kick in the pants, but it's sad to see it go. 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our ⭐ official website ⭐! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

And it's going to be the last event for Simone and Kyle for some time... 

All your questions about #PatronsPuzzlingPicks are answered in this episode. If you have questions we haven't answered, then you need to get into our Discord. Or bug Simone. Or tweet at us. Basically, if you want to take part and don't know how, then it's up to you to do something. We've done all we can! 

Have you played Star Wars: The Force Unleashed? Have you ever wanted to rant about it? Like just a deep seated rage that you haven't yet addressed? Well Simone is here to save the day. She has ranted enough for everyone. 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our ⭐ official website ⭐! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

So, here's two hours of us babbling. (Which is no different to every week). 

Annapurna had their very own showcase and there are even more games to add to your backlog. And the best thing about this? Most of these games are coming to Game Pass Day one! Time to get hyped for the best deal in gaming. Which one are you most excited for? 

We get excited about all the stats for Kick.com! Can you believe this streaming platform has come in and started eating Twitch's lunch? Oh, and on an unrelated note, we stream the podcast every week on Kick! You can even follow us there. Because we're cool like that. Now go over and follow us. (But also please continue to watch us on YouTube!)

Of course there's new drama in the Activision Blizzard saga. Jim Ryan has demanded that Xbox give all its games to Playstation. And if they don't he will sulk. We may be being funny, but it's really not far from the truth. And then Phil claps back in the best way possible... We're starting to enjoy the new aggressive Xbox! 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our ⭐ official website ⭐! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

We're zooming everywhere! 

Simone and Kyle recount their trip to Vietnam and confuse Lee about coffee. Apparently, there is a monkey that eats a coffee bean and then you drink its poop. And it's quite expensive. But if you are a coffee drinker, this is peak coffee. And have you heard of Egg Coffee? Because Kyle is now a fan. 

#BackToYourBacklog has now wrapped up with an excellent turnout from the community. So many of you listeners got into the spirit and really went to town with this event. And we couldn't be prouder. You guys are amazing and we're blowing away by every one of you. Thanks for making these events really special. Now are you ready for #PatronsPuzzlingPicks? 

Kyle is super excited abut Hi-Fi Rush. So many colours! Lee is still stuck in Diablo, and Simone really want to talk about Immortality with someone. Can you say Spoilercast episode? Because we can. Even if we can't schedule it... 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our ⭐ official website ⭐! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

And you're invited!* 

*Must be a patron. Why not sign up now? It's only $1! In fact, check out all the ways you can support us right over 🤩here!

The next event is called Patron's Puzzling Picks and not only do our patrons decided what game we're playing for August, but we're including a special Secret Santa for all our Patrons too!  Have you ever wanted to make Gary play Hi-Fi Rush? Or maybe you want to see what game your Secret Santa picks out for you? Now's your chance to get in on the fun! All Patron's are eligible and you can sign up on our Discord. Don't use Discord? Just tweet at us! Or DM Simone.  If you have any questions - feel free to ask away. You can ask in our live stream chat, Discord, Twitter, smoke signal or intergalactic radio signal sent in the 1970s. The choice is yours. Of course we can only receive some due to our current technology, so please keep that in mind. 

In this episode of NuNews, Lee catches Kyle up with all the news from the showcase. And what a showcase it was! From finally seeing Fable, to the deep dive into Starfield, there was so much to cover. So we do! You're welcome. 

Lee has tried hard to make sure that we don't turn into The DiabloCast, so he's limited himself to only 4 stories. Good on ya Lee! And if you're waiting for a Barbie Pink Xbox, well you're dreams have just come true. And it comes with special collector edition controllers too. So much pink! It's everywhere. 

And what would a modern Xbox Podcast be without some indepth Activision Blizzard news? Because we're nerds and we like it. And its been amazing to follow. At least for us. Feel free to skip it. But it will cost you a $1! 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our ⭐ official website ⭐! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

For the OG listeners, they'll remember when Paul was our producer - making us sound (and look) amazing. From giving us our first mic, to building a full-on recording studio - Paul was integral in getting The XboxCast off the ground. And he's back! Don't forget to follow his YouTube channel where he streams every week. 

Xbox has proved the doubters wrong and confirmed that that excellent Fable trailer was captured on an Xbox Series X! It pays to have the world's most powerful console, it seems, seeing what magic can happen. 

Microsoft is no longer making Xbox One games. It's official - the Xbone generation is dead and gone. But have they told their publishers? As there are still "next-gen" games coming for the system. 

Our favourite game ever is now one of the best selling games ever. Which means it will never leave the charts now. What will we do? Should we just ignore it? And does this bode well for Starfield? Who are we kidding - of course this bodes well for Starfield! If you aren't going to play it, then you wont be one of the cool kids... Hey, we don't make the rules. 

And if you're hanging out for a new Xbox, the Series S is now in black. And more importantly - 1 whole terrabyte. Begone small console, and say hello to the biggest small console around. 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our ⭐ official website ⭐! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

He just chose to do it in the middle of the podcast.

Activision Blizzard is threatening to leave the UK. And Lee has a great idea of offering VPN's for all #GamePass subscribers so that Xbox players can still get their Call of Duty. This means Xbox gets to go ahead and buy ABK, all the UK people can play the games and Microsoft comes off looking like the good guy! It's foolproof. 

Stardew Valley is getting an update and Lee is getting excited when Simone retweets his #NuNews tweet! So thats why the story is in here. Its a new green scythe. So now your weapons can match. And everyone is losing their minds over it. 

Western Digital is now making Expansion Cards for the Series X and S! And it's cheaper than the Seagate. This is going to help drive the prices down and now we're all waiting for the 2TB Xbox... Come on guys! We're waiting! 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

But its less fun to say it that way... 

Get ready for the hype with our predictions! What's coming, what do we hope to see and what we will inevitably get... The XboxCast tries to go crystal ball gazing and talk about our hopes and dreams for the showcase! 

And Lee will be having a very special episode for the showcase too! So, make sure you are following on Kick and YouTube to keep him company as he tries to keep the HoG boys in line. This will be streamed in our normal #GameFace! time slot, and if you don't know when that is, then you really need to check out our website and subscribe to our #NuNewsletter! 

Apart from #BackToYourBacklog, we just know you're dying to hear about our thoughts on Diablo IV. Yes, it's true, we did kinda break the rules of #BackToYourBacklog. But for a good cause! Because now you get to hear all about the latest, and greatest, to come from the Blizzard vault. 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

--

For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 

Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 

--

Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

Or are they? 

Join Kyle and Lee as they go off on Xbox Achievements. Are they as broken or out of date as the hosts think? Would you like to see Achievements 2.0? What even does Achievement 2.0 even look like? 

Kyle thinks we should be able to remove games from our Gamer Tags if we have only one achievement. Lee doesn't care. Where do you sit on this matter? All this because Xbox looks like it's going to be fixing the easy Gamerscore games! 

Exciting news for Alan Wake fans! The highly anticipated Alan Wake 2 will be released digitally at an affordable price point because it's only being released on digital. Is this a good move? Or does it prove the Xbox One was ahead of its time? 

Xbox fans are in for a treat as some highly anticipated PlayStation Showcase games are also making their way to the Xbox platform. In fact only three games aren't coming to Xbox, but will be on PC. Which means we may see a time where PlayStation exclusives are a memory... 

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We need a small nation of subscribers before YouTube takes us seriously. And we very much want to be taken seriously. I am sure you agree... 

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For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 

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Your hosts are:

Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter

Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 

Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter