The XB2 — An Xbox & Gaming Podcast

Latest Episodes:

XB2+1 (Ep. 42) Talking Xbox with SAM TOLBERT Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

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Originally aired on http://PATREON.com/XB2, Tuesday Oct 20, 2026. This week, we hang out with Samuel Tolbert, Windows Central alumni and damn fine writer, now working on Campaign Mode newsletter. We'll talk Xboxxy things, Xbox's crazy summer, our top games of the "right now," and much more.

FIND SAM: https://bsky.app/profile/samueltolbert.bsky.social CAMPAIGN MODE: https://campaign-mode.ghost.io/

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428: Xbox Helix "coming 2028, BioWare shut down, Mass Effect killed, Gears E-Day $500 million budget?! Oct 24, 2026

Show notes

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Jez and Rand are back in the hot seat, discussing what has been a pretty eventful week in Xbox and industry news. BioWare was killed by EA, Gears E-Day budget rumors create headlines, Fortune claims Xbox Helix is targeting 2028 ... at $1800 max?! What's going on?

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00: Intro, Silver Pines impressions, Hellraiser impressions.
00:20:00: BioWare dead, Gears of War: E-Day budget, Arkane to be saved?
01:05:00: Stellar Blade coming to Xbox? Call of Duty campaign reviews.
01:55:00: Fortune covers Xbox, Helix coming in 2028? $1800 dollars?! Xbox Cloud Gaming pricing.
02:35:00: Xbox private equity rumors, Xbox COO leaves?! Battlefront 3 rumors. Patreon Q&A segment.

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A huge thank you to our Patreon members!

PATREON PRODUCERS 🥇:
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PATREON MVPS 🏅:
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427: Xbox going ALL IN on exclusives? Xbox Labs, Asha 'wants new IP', and more Oct 17, 2026

Show notes

This week, Rand and Jez talk up Xbox's surveys on exclusive games. Could they really pull the trigger on going fully exclusive? We have the Xbox Labs announcement, what exactly is it? And we talk more leaks from Asha's Xbox Town Hall.

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00: Intro, WoW writing backlash and AI coding controversy, PS5 jailbroken. Xbox Labs announcement. Game discovery and storefront saturation. AI slopocalypse?
00:40:00: Minecraft vs. Roblox, gen-AI, Draconia Malfoid. Rand plays Hellraiser. Jez plays Castlevania.
01:00:00: GTA 6 marketing and Xbox Play Anywhere deal? Game Awards controversy.
01:30:00: Call of Duty MW4 is ... good? Gears: E-Day flopped? Asha wants new IP. Will Kojima retire after Physint?
02:00:00: Xbox exclusivity survey. Big platform shift?
02:30:00: Patreon Q&A segment.

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426: Xbox gets exclusive GTA 6 deal ... or not, Asha talks Project Helix, Xbox XP movies & TV Oct 10, 2026

Show notes

Hey Xbox gang, as usual, Rand and Jez are back talking all of this week's major Xboxxy news, including the new Xbox PC app, the rumored GTA 6 deal for Xbox Cloud Gaming, Project Helix comments from Asha, Xbox's new XP division for movies and TV and theme parks, and much more.

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00: Intro, Xbox Mythics "thiccs," ID@Xbox changes, leaked Xbox PC app, Don Mattrick was crazy? Xbox's new "XP" division.
00:30:00: Core gamer problem, and growing the hobby, BlizzCon becomes XboxCon? Hollywood embraces gaming.
00:50:00: Control Resonant impressions, Nick skips all the cutscenes?! Gears of War: E-Day sales fallout.
01:55:00: Xbox gets GTA 6 cloud streaming rights? Xbox Elite Series 3 imminent, FSR 4 coming to Xbox?
02:20:00: Xbox Helix, Asha's Town Hall presentation. Patreon Q&A segment.

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XB2+1 (Ep. 41): Talking Xbox with LORD ADDICT! Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

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Hey gang! This month's XB2+1 rocked out with Lord Addict of the Iron Lords Podcast! Talking Xbox stuff, GTA 6, events of the summer, the future of Halo, and much, much more!

Lord Addict on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@LordAddictILP
Iron Lords on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@IronLordsPodcastRoundtable

AIRED FIRST on September 29, 2026 on PATREON!

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425: Xbox is "not for sale," Gears of War: E-Day reviews, Kojima PHYSINT budget drama, Halo reports Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

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Hey gang, Rand and Jez are going live today as usual! We'll talk the Asha interview with the New York Times, E-Day reviews, Kojima PHYSINT budget misinformation, the latest info on Halo, and much more.

💚SUPPORT US on PATREON from $1.99: Extra shows, ad-free, Q&A section weekly, and MORE! ⁠http://patreon.com/XB2⁠| Now cheaper!

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00: Intro, Xbox Mythic Achievements, Kojima + Physint budget rumors.
00:50:00: Gears of War: E-Day campaign impressions.
01:33:00: Media shenanigans, future of Halo, Take Two publishing agreement with Xbox.
01:53:00: Asha says Xbox is not for sale, WoW: Forever hype.
02:30:00: Patreon Q&A, Wolverine reviews drama, GTA 6 to miss Game Awards cut-off?

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424: Major Xbox restructure, layoffs, Activision in charge of Halo, GTA 6 Xbox pre-orders Sep 26, 2026

Show notes

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Jez and Rand get into this week's big Xbox drama, yet another "restructure," and probably more on the way. Activision has taken over Halo, GTA 6 pre-order drama ensues, and much more.

💚SUPPORT US on PATREON from $1.99: Extra shows, ad-free, Q&A section weekly, and MORE! ⁠http://patreon.com/XB2⁠| Now cheaper!

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00: Intro, Tom Warren vs. Matthew Ball re: Xbox GTA preorders. Xbox Mythic Achievement leaks. Market saturation vs. Control Resonant.
00:50:00: Gaming journalism and clickbait, Wolverine reviews drama, Xbox layoffs and restructure.
01:15:00: Why is Microsoft moving studios under Activision? Xbox sell-off rumors, is Hideo Kojima to blame?
02:20:00: Missed Xbox Game Pass targets, Xbox strategy overview. WoW Forever hype mode.
03:08:00: Patreon Q&A topics.

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423: Xbox Game Pass rumors, Xbox and Kojima, StarCraft, Diablo 5, and BlizzCon Sep 19, 2026

Show notes

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Jez is BACK and this week, the dynamic duo get into all things BlizzCon. Rand and Jez talk the big Xbox Game Pass rumors swirling around internet forums, we talk about Xbox joining forces with Kojima and the Tokyo Game Show, we talk STARCRAFT, Diablo V, and BlizzCon in general, and much more!

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TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, BlizzCon pilgrimage, Control Resonant. WoW Forever vs. GTA 6.00:25:00: Kojima, PlayStation, PHYSINT. Marvel's Wolverine review drama. Lego Batman.01:05:00: Onimusha impressions, Capcom hype, Xbox 25th anniversary speculation.01:34:00: Xbox Game Pass "restructure."02:05:00: BlizzCon reactions, Diablo V and StarCraft. WoW on Xbox?02:35:00: AI apocalypse, Xbox ads in-game?03:10:00: Patreon Q&A, Elder Scrolls 6 launch ideas.

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422: Xbox steals Kojima's PHYSINT, Wolverine reviews drama, fans upset with PS5 gen Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

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The Xbox Two Podcast is back! This week, Rand is joined by Lord Cognito of the Iron Lords Podcast as Jez is out at BlizzCon 2026! The guys will be discussing how PlayStation cancelled Hideo Kojima's PHYSINT only for Xbox to pick up publishing rights making PS fans really upset with the recent PlayStation decisions, Wolverine reviews bomb drama and so much more!

💚SUPPORT US on PATREON from $1.99: Extra shows, ad-free, Q&A section weekly, and MORE! ⁠http://patreon.com/XB2⁠| Now cheaper!

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00: Welcoming Lord Cognito! BlizzCon hype and STARCRAFT. Xbox discs go digital, Fable "hands-on" previews.
00:30:00: Onimusha impressions, Capcom's hot streak. Wolverine reviews implode.
01:10:00: Wolfenstein 3 teased, Xbox goes transmedia. Double Fine sarcasm controversy.
01:22:00: Hideo Kojima cuts ties with PlayStation, Xbox grabs PHYSINT.
02:28:00: Patreon Q&A.

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421: Xbox Cloud Gaming big changes, GTA 6 sells Xbox Series X|S, Double Fine & Brutal Legend 2 Sep 05, 2026

Show notes

OwO what's this?! Another podcast?! with Jez and Rand?!

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Another week, another day in paradise. Rand and Jez talks Xbox Cloud Gaming changes, GTA 6 sales seemingly lifting Xbox Series X|S sales, Double Fine's independence push and Kickstarter, and much more.

💚SUPPORT US on PATREON from $1.99: Extra shows, ad-free, Q&A section weekly, and MORE! ⁠http://patreon.com/XB2⁠| Now cheaper!

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00: Intro, StarCraft RETURNS?! Nexon licensing rumors. Blizzcon expectations.
00:28:00: Life is Strange Reunion, Onimusha reviews, MGS Vol 3. collection?
00:50:00: Somehow, Scalebound returned. Banjo pitch rumors, GTA 6 boosts Xbox.
01:10:00: Xbox disc-to-digital, third-parties "upset" about discs, Xbox Cloud Gaming limits.
02:00:00: Corps say consumers don't deserve tariff refunds. Double Fine goes indie and trolls Xbox.
02:35:00: Sony argues against digital game ownership, Patreon Q&A topics.

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