Defining Duke, Episode 99 | Is the Xbox-Activision Deal in Trouble? (Patreon)

Bethesda seemed to be an answer to a prayer when it came to Xbox fans in 2022. With Starfield and Redfall, they were set to deliver new AAA exclusives that the platform is hungry for. While that obviously got pushed back, Bethesda may have a surprise reveal up their sleeve. Zenimax Online Studios, keepers of the Elder Scrolls Online, have amassed a 200 person team to work on a new Xbox IP. It is one such project that creative director Ben Jones states has been in development for four and a half years with significant resources put into it. Are The Game Awards a good spot for this reveal? We discuss! Meanwhile, the battle for Call Of Duty ensues. It appears that Xbox has submitted an offer to PlayStation that the public has deemed "too good to be true." According to the NYTimes, Xbox has offered PlayStation ten years worth of Call Of Duty which another three added onto their original offer if sources are to be trusted. This begs the question, have the two warring companies finally reached an impasse? PlayStation has refused to comment and Jim Ryan is insisting in his latest statement that choice for gamers will outright disappear if Activision joins the Xbox family. With the EU's extension for a decision being put back until April, it seems like we are truly in for the long haul when it comes to this deal and who will ultimately come out on time.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:12 - Does The Game Awards actually forget games that come out early in the year?

0:17:03 - Who is next after Josh Sawyer?

0:20:15 - Ubisoft has revealed Splinter Cell Remake

0:23:15 - Dead Island has been delayed again

0:24:55 - Team Ninja has confirmed plans for Dead Or Alive and Ninja Gaiden

0:35:46 - The EU has extended their window to look at the Activision merger

0:36:01 - Hyperkin is working on an officially licensed replica of the 360 controller

0:39:24 - Yuji Naka has been arrested

0:44:02 - Motion capture for Senua’s Saga is complete

0:47:57 - Game Awards rumors

0:52:11 - What we’ve been playing

1:12:38 - Do we feel differently about these games now?

1:21:16 - Will we be indulging in Black Friday sales?

1:26:39 - Does God of War benefit from the “Sony Bump?”

1:31:51 - The FTC may be blocking the Activision acquisition

1:52:50 - More details have emerged about Microsoft’s Call of Duty offer to PlayStation

2:10:44 - Zenimax Online Studios has 200 people working on a new IP

1:49:55 - Blizzard is suspending its gaming services in China

2:21:28 - Sea of Thieves Season 8 brings PVP on demand

2:30:58 - Volition has officially become part of Gearbox

2:34:40 - Game Pass Pick of the Week

2:38:32 - What’s our take on Need for Speed Unbound?

2:43:20 - Why does Fedex hate me?