Defining Duke, Episode 129 | The TRUTH On Xbox's Future - It's NOT What We Thought...

Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty spoke with Axios in a most telling interview addressing what the future of major unknowns are. From the doors of Arkane Austin remaining open "for now" to 343 being stripped of their title as the sole Halo developer, it lets us properly understand that the veterans are being replaced by the class of 2018 as Xbox seeks to reinvigorate its brand. Alongside that is the inevitable price hike for Xbox consoles and even Game Pass across respective regions. The timing before a potential closing of the ABK deal and even Starfield's recent showcase spells out to us that Xbox is making the most of this opportunity. Speaking of which, the ABK deal might finally be nearing its conclusion after all this time! Major Microsoft and Xbox executives are making the trip to battle the FTC in court and prevent an injunction from being granted. If successful, it could fast track their case. Plus updates on Avowed's visuals and Starfield's first preview.

Timestamps:

0:00:00 - Intro

0:11:10 - Is God of War a “Just One?”

0:15:48 - Will Matty play Forbidden West?

0:20:10 - Correction

0:21:01 - Phil talks about Halo’s absence and expectations for Starfield

0:28:51 - Matt Booty thinks Xbox should avoid VR

0:32:48 - A mobile Forza is on the way

0:40:33 - Halo Infinite Season 4 message from 343

0:47:18 - Konami had Metal Gear Solid running on Xbox

0:53:54 - Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has been delayed

0:56:32 - Ghostwire Tokyo passes 5 million players

0:57:02 - Alan Wake 2 will be over 20 hours

0:58:36 - Assassin’s Creed Mirage discussion

1:04:47 - Persona 3 Reload will have all modern series elements

1:11:51 - What have we been playing?

1:23:34 - Could early access help with reports on poor performance?

1:26:44 - Should a subscription service pursue live service games?

1:32:19 - Are we excited for Sonic Superstars?

1:38:17 - Matt Booty reveals information about 343 and Arkane Austin

1:53:06 - Xbox is raising console and Game Pass prices

2:02:49 - Microsoft is no longer working on games for older consoles

2:08:21 - Microsoft are headed to defend the Activision acquisition in front of the FTC

2:18:37 - Avowed has not entered Alpha yet

2:24:12 - South of Midnight gets a deep dive

2:44:43 - IGN does a hands-on preview of Starfield

3:04:18 - Coming soon to Game Pass

3:06:52 - Game Pass Pick of the Week

3:12:33 - What is our vibe check for the year?