Defining Duke, Episode 160 | Palworld + Hellblade II - The TRUTH About Xbox's Dilemma

Following the Xbox Developer_Direct, we have much to unpack. In the world of Avowed, we received an extended showing that gave us more gameplay, but some viewers were still left with that same sense of uncertainty. With the game confirmed to be AA style, in an alpha state, and aiming for a Fall 2024 release, the Duke boys get into the expectations surrounding this title and what is missing. Meanwhile, Hellblade 2 was at the center of its own sort of conversation. While it did have an incredible showing, details presented after may have warped the perspective a touch. Hellblade 2 will sit at $50, be digital only, and is stated to be a similar length to the first game. Considering the amount of trailers shown off and how it was revealed alongside the Series X, many were expecting a more grand expansion compared to the original Hellblade. With these two side-by-side, it paints a clearer picture of what expectations should be set for the 2018/2019 draft class of Xbox. However, Xbox has secured both exclusively and in its own service, the biggest game of 2024. Palworld has stormed onto the scene breaking all sorts of records on Steam and there's little doubt that by the time you hear this episode, it will have gone on to set more milestones for itself. While there is controversy surrounding the artistic direction of the game, the Dukes can't help but enjoy it. Is that wrong? More importantly, what is the impact that one of the biggest games ever is going to have on the industry, and Xbox in particular? It's a packed week, so let's unpack, shall we?

Timestamps:
0:19:42 - Avowed Extended Gameplay from the Xbox Podcast

0:37:02 - ID@Xbox introduces Indie Select

0:49:10 - FF16 coming to Xbox?

0:51:46 - Was Quake 6 teased?

0:54:40 - Changes are coming to Halo Infinite

1:04:33 - Year of Closures

1:12:23 - Square Enix Marketing changes

1:16:39 - Cyberpunk 2 could have multiplayer

1:22:16 - What We’re Playing

1:30:32 - Are Japanese developers dominating this generation?

1:37:53 - Hellblade 2 is digital only, priced at $50

2:09:11 - Palword is a huge success

2:31:39 - Walmart is prepping to remove Starfield from shelves

2:43:28 - Game Pass Pick of the Week and Ending Questions