The DayOne Show | A Video Games Podcast

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Episode 300 | "Play DayOne!" Feb 08, 2026

Show notes

Well, we did it! 300 Episodes - which equates to over 45 days of listening time! To celebrate this milestone, we made some big announcements that saw The XboxEra Podcast Episode 300 change before your very eyes. Welcome to DayOne!

This week saw some big news, some great games and of course our own big announcement. XboxEra is rebranding, bringing a new name and a new website to our readers, alongside new features like memberships and additional platform coverage. You can read about all of that here - take it in! If you've got questions, we've got answers - hit us up on our Discord and the forums, and we'll do our best to help.
In the meantime, this week saw some cool games, and plenty of news to get stuck into. 34BigThings released Carmageddon Rogue Shift, and we sat down to chat with the game director to learn about how the game came to be. We also enjoyed a great conversation with the Narrative Director at Squanch Games and chatted about High on Life 2, which is heading our way next week alongside a great looking first drop of games for February.
In gaming news, Nintendo had a massive 3rd Party focused Direct with tons of announcements of ports and other releases that look great for Switch 2 owners. Sony announced a new Horizon game, 'Hunters Gathering', and Valve delayed the Steam Machine pricing reveal, with the units now coming at some point in the first half of this year. Epic games shared they want their store to be available on the new Xbox on 'Day One', and indeed AMD's Dr Lisa Su confirmed the chip maker is on target to support a new Xbox in 2027. Lots of this, and more in the XboxEra Podcast Episode 300!

Episode 299 | "Xbox isn't doing so hot?" Feb 01, 2026

Show notes

One more episode to 300! Until that time however, we've got a weeks worth of news, a heap of games to chat about and a little time to overshare with our community. It's the XboxEra Podcast Episode 299!

With Nick returning this week, we just had to get his thoughts on the Developer_Direct, so we let him wax lyrical and get in-depth on his thoughts on Forza Horizon 6, Beast of Reincarnation, Kiln and of course, Fable. With February now upon on us, the team talk a little about some of the games we've been playing and that we're looking forward too - with quite a bit of discussion on MIO: Memories in Orbit, Carmageddon: Rogue Shift, Code Vein II and of course, a big discussion on Highguard.
On that, we get deep into whether the reveal at The Game Awards helped or hindered, before we dive into all the latest in video game news, from PlayStation patents for customisable touch screen controllers, a brief discussion on the horrific crimes of Jeffrey Epstein to the dire state of Xbox's financial results this quarter, and if Microsoft really considers fighting for the brand's appearance and reputation.
And of course, we dive into all the questions from our amazing community, be it cheesing boss fights in video games or a discussion about parenting and social media use in a digital age. Fun times!
As always, a big shout out to everyone that supports us here at XboxEra. We couldn't do it without you. If you'd like to support us directly, just head to patreon.com/xboxera and pledge your support.

Episode 298 | "Xbox's Developer Direct Delivered" Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

After a fantastic developer direct showcase from Xbox tokick things off for 2026, the team return to chat through it all - and the news of the week in the XboxEra Podcast Episode 298!

There's plenty to talk about this week, and for the most part, it's all good news! MIO: Memories in Orbit hits Game Pass (and other consoles) and it's really great, according to Jesse. He also took some time to review a new expansion for Cult of the Lamb, which you can read all about in our review. Aarsal has been out adventuring on assignment - Yes, Highguard is real, and you'll hear more from us about it very soon. He also reviewed Final Fantasy 7 now that it's arrived on Xbox, and upset quite a few people in the process. Lastly, Jon has been making swords in Bladesong, and reliving some nostalgic memories with G-Police 'spiritual successor', G-Rebels.

The biggest headline of the week of course is the Xbox Developer_Direct, and you can watch our live reactions right here. Playground Games turned up with a double whammy for Forza Horizon 6 and Fable, Gamefreak showed off Beast of Reincarnation and Double Fine appeared to show pottery-based multiplayer brawler Kiln! It was a great showing overall, and 2026 continues to excite us all with so many great games coming our way.
We also cover plenty of news from the week, including the carnage at Ubisoft, which saw Sands of Time cancelled, and a complete 'reset' at the company. All of this and plenty more - including your community questions in the XboxEra Podcast Episode 298!

Episode 297 | "Life is an Ecco" Jan 18, 2026

Show notes

This week sees the return of a classic franchise, the closure of multiple studios that potentially spells the end of VR as we know it, and the upcoming Forza Horizon 6 having its release date potentially leaked! We chat about all this and more in the XboxEra Podcast Episode 297!

We're slowly ramping up as the year begins, and we've already got reviews scheduled for next week as we prepare for the sheer onslaught of awesome video games in the year ahead. Jesse dropped a review for the recent game pass addition of Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, and Jon has been playing God of War 2018 while things are quiet.
Things won't be quiet for long though! Next week sees the return of the Xbox Developer_Direct, and a little mistake occurred that ended up potentially revealing the release date and editions for Playground Games upcoming Forza Horizon 6. In other news, Ecco the Dolphin is set to make a comeback with new games coming, and Meta decided to signal the death of VR by closing 3 beloved studios responsible for some of the best VR games on Quest. In other news, Fallout continues to do well for Amazon, who have put out a casting call for a reality show where you're actually in a Fallout shelter. All this and more, including our wonderful community sharing their questions in the XboxEra Podcast Episode 297!

Episode 296 | "Dev Direct is a Playground" Jan 11, 2026

Show notes

Microsoft are kicking 2026 off in just the right way with their annual developer direct, which sees Beast of Reincarnation and the double feature from Playground Games with Fable and Forza Horizon 6. Let's break it all down in the XboxEra Podcast Episode 296!

Jon, Nick and Jesse return to talk about all the latest in video games! We've been playing a few things this week, but for the most part, we're not actually allowed to talk about any of them - which is a bit of a bummer! (Don't worry, we'll share more very soon!) In the meantime though, there's plenty to talk about.
Xbox have announced the 2026 Developer_Direct, which is going to give us deep dives on Fable, Forza Horizon 6 and Gamefreak's Beast of Reincarnation. Jez Corden over at Windows Central shared his lengthy article all about Xbox in 2026, which dives into what's happening next with Fallout, Ninja Theory and Wolfenstein.
In news, Microsoft CCO pushes back on layoff rumours, and following the New Game+ showcase, Avowed and Towerborne are set to arrive on PlayStation 5. The first Game Pass drop of the year brings us some new games, from Star Wars: Outlaws, MIO: Memories in Orbit and Quarantine Zone: The Last Check - so plenty to look forward too!

Episode 295 | "2026 Prediction Special" feat. Jez Corden Jan 04, 2026

Show notes

The boys are back! It's a new year, and that means another 52 episodes are ahead of us to chat all things gaming. So let's dive into the first episode of the year - It's the XboxEra Podcast Episode 295 featuring special guest Jez Corden!
The show kicks off with New Year greetings from our panel as we catch-up post the holiday season. After discussing our Christmas gifts we dive into what the team has been playing, per tradition! There's some variety here, from Jez's rekindled addiction to Fallout 4, Jesse's return to Starfield and Necromunda: Hired Gun, and Jon has been playing Chorus, which runs fantastically on his ROG Xbox Ally X. Jez proudly stops the show so he can show off his Fallout 4 settlement.
Square Enix rumours are swirling ahead of a January Developer Direct, and we chat technical issues around Xbox performance quirks with the recent discussion that excessive friends lists and messages can cause performance issues. We take a moment of remembrance for Albert Penello, alongside the usual mix of tangents, complaints (including a detour into World of Warcraft thanks to Jez) and silly banter that you know and love us for....right?!

The bulk of the episode however is looking ahead to 2026, with plenty of discussion around the many fantastic looking games heading out way, Xbox’s future strategy, next-generation hardware and RAM considerations, the importance of Game Pass for Microsoft, and Nick's dream that industry would shift toward a more platform-agnostic or “one console” future, which echoes recent comments from Shawn Layden.
We speculate plenty on Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo’s respective 2026 line-ups, whether GTA VI lands this November or perhaps will see another delay. Beyond that, we talk Steam Machines, and throw some predictions for the industry and the year ahead. As always, Community questions from our wonderful Patrons drive further conversations - how did Nick start his journey in video game leaking? Did Flight Simulator play a significant role in Xbox’s multiplatform push? All this and more, so jump in!

Episode 294 | "The 6th Annual Grubbsmas Shpeshaltacular" Dec 28, 2025

Show notes

It's that most wonderful time of the year! It's the XboxEra Podcast Episode 294 - "The 6th Annual Grubbsmas Shpeshaltacular" - featuring Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb!

As per tradition, Nick is joined by the lovely Jeff Grubb for the last episode of the year. Nick tells the story of Grubbsmas, and how it came to be, and then it's all about the video games. From Metroid Prime 4, Fallout, new Halo books and the Analog 3D and of course the sad loss of the legendary Vince Zampella.
We also take your community questions, and there might even be a rumourmill - we haven't seen one of those in a while! If you love what we do, there's one way you can support us directly - and that's via Patreon - just head to Patreon.com/xboxera.

Episode 293 | "HR prefers to call it Overtime" Dec 21, 2025

Show notes

It's almost Christmas, and it's the penultimate show of the year! Join Jon, Nick and Jesse for the XboxEra Podcast Episode 293!

We're finally winding down for the holidays, and both news and reviews are pretty thin on the ground - but that hasn't stopped us from giving it a go! On the reviews front, Gyozo checked out Dora: Rainforest Rescue, and Genghis checked out both Atomic Owl and in VR land, had a play through of Syberia. In Entertainment, Jesse dropped his spoiler filled recap of Fallout Season 2 Episode 1, which is something you can expect right through until the end of Season 2.
Most excitingly though, Aarsal finally released his long-awaited review of Hollow Knight Silksong, to much rejoicing. Lastly, our Community Game of the Year vote poll is now live and open until December 24th - this is your chance to have your say, so please do take a couple of minutes to vote on your favourite games of 2025.

In news, crunch discussion reared it's head thanks to a new report from Jason Schrier about Naughty Dog and their in-progress development of Intergalactic. AI debate also reared its head once again, as beloved developer Larian shared their thoughts on AI use as part of their toolset. Everyone is really mad, but we just love games and quite like to have them to play.

Lastly, we tackle all the latest in community questions from our incredible patrons, and wish all our community a very merry Christmas!

Episode 292 | "A Divine Show" w/ Rand al Thor19 Dec 14, 2025

Show notes

I don't know about you, but I think this week has been a pretty great one for video gaming goodness! From the Game Awards seeing the return of some classic franchises to the confirmation of yet another Developer_Direct in January, it seems there's plenty to talk about in the XboxEra Podcast Episode 292!

I'm out this week, so Jesse and Nick are joined by the lovely Rand Al Thor 19 to discuss all the latest and greatest in gaming, and there's plenty to chat about. The Game Awards have been and gone, and the evening saw plenty of surprise reveals, and big moments. The fantastic Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 swept the night, including winning the most prestigious award - Game of the Year.
The glitzy evening also saw the return of some fantastic classic IP, from a new Tomb Raider - and a remake! - to a new Star Wars 'Old Republic' title and a pod-racer. We've also got reviews of Death Howl (PC Game Pass) and Terminator 2D: NO FATE available if you're curious and want to play.

Episode 291 | "The Lesser of Two Evils?" Dec 07, 2025

Show notes

Another week, another excuse to get the crew back together to chat all things video games! Join us for the XboxEra Podcast Episode 291 as we break down all the latest in gaming.

We've been playing plenty of video games this week, that's for sure. While Jon is dabbling with a few games on PlayStation 5, Nick's been enjoying plenty of Marvel Cosmic Invasion and even a new Banjo Kazooie. Jesse tried Routine, but wasn't a big fan but did enjoy the interesting horror stylings of Sleep Awake.
On the news front, the biggest headline is undoubtedly the announcement from Netflix regarding the acquisition of Warner Bros for a cool $82.7 Billion. We also saw REPLACED get a release date at long last, which all of us are very excited for. Plenty more in here, so enjoy the show!

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