406 (for real this time): Xbox going back to exclusives? Big Xbox Game Pass price drop, "Microsoft Gaming" is dead

Hey gang, unfortunately Rand's power is out thanks to the tornado hitting Chicago and the surrounding area, so we're rocking a solo show ahead of the regular XB2 410 likely for Monday. I got the XB2 Patreon Q&As here too! 🦈 SPONSOR: http://SURFSHARK.com/XB2 | SurfShark VPN! Get 86% OFF a two year plan, working out to just $2 a month! 🦈 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00: Xbox business health, Game Pass revenue, industry pressure. Xbox restructuring / spin-off rumors.00:38:00: Halo Studios management, studio closure rumors.01:00:00: Xbox Showcase impressions, game reveals, best games. 01:20:00: Patreon Q&A. Future of exclusives, multi-platform plans, Helix changes?01:56:00: SGF surprises, dream crossovers. Free-to-play monetization problems, and Xbox's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad ORIGINALLY AIRED: MAY 26, 2026, FIRST ON https://PATREON.COM/XB2 💚 THE THIRTENE EIGHTIETH XB2+1 IS HERE. HANGING OUT WITH XBOX LEGEND ... JON "SIKAMIKANICO" CLARKE. We'll talk Xbox things, how XboxEra's transition to DayOne is going, and Jon's predictions for the Xbox Showcase... and RYAN GOSLING?! FOLLOW JON on X: http://twitter.com/_Sikamikanico_ SEE DAYONE online: http://www.playday.one Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈SPONSOR: https://surfshark.com/XB2 | Get 86% OFF our fave VPN. BEST privacy, RAM-based servers, NO LOGS, $2 a month with our deal! #ad Time for another juicy Xbox Two Podcast! This week, Jez and Rand talk Xbox Showcase predictions, "logogate," and Asha Sharma's response during the show, the big delay of Fable, 007: First Light, and much more! 💚JOIN US ON https://PATREON.COM/XB2 | 50% off for the Xbox Showcase! Extra shows, Q&As, and more! 💚 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00: Intro, housekeeping, laptop craziness. 00:22:00: James Bond "007 First Light" reviews, Helix and Steam Deck prices.00:52:00: Call of Duty: MW4, GTA6 talk. Asha's "hard choices" ahead.01:18:00: Xbox's "logo gate" and controversy. Fable DELAYED.01:45:00: Xbox Showcase predictions. 02:25:00: CD Projekt RED and Witcher 3 DLC.03:00:00: Patreon Q&A, and Asha Sharma responds to logo-gate mid-show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈SPONSOR: SURFSHARK VPN | Get 86% OFF ($2/mo) http://SURFHSARK.com/XB2 | NO LOGS, UNLIMITED DEVICES, MAX PRIVACY🦈 YO YO gang. Welcome to this week's EXPLOSIVE XB2, RAND IS BACK. We talk Forza Horizon 6's absolutely huge successes, the Xbox Player Voice system and the top upvoted feedback items, Xbox's new leadership team, Destiny's demise, and much more. TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, Jez's Nintendo confession, Xbox's new leadership.00:18:00: Halo on PlayStation, exclusives vs. Day One Game Pass, Forza Horizon 6 impressions. 01:09:00: What we've been playing, Mixtape "drama."01:27:00: Did EA kill the Xbox Game Pass Family Plan? PlayStation security problems.01:48:00: Fable age rated, Warhorse tackles Middle-earth. Destiny dies.02:15:00: Xbox Player Voice and the top feedback requests.03:10:00: Patreon Q&A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AIRED FIRST ON PATREON, MAY 12, 2026! 💚 JOIN US ON ⁠http://PATREON.COM/XB2⁠: Q&A's, Extra Shows, and much more! 💚 The MILES is back on XB2+1, and we're going to get into some juicy thoughts on Xbox's future, the state of the industry, what Illfonic has been up to, and much more. 🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠https://surfshark.net/XB2⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #Sponsor 🟣JOIN US ON ⁠http://DISCORD.GG/XB2⁠: The #1 Xbox Discord community, with giveaways, and more! 🟣 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! https://surfshark.net/XB2 | 100% log free VPN! #Sponsor Jez is solo again for another week of JUICY XBOXXY NEWSSY. Let's discuss the latest happenings, together, friends. Xbox's Elite Controller LEAKED. Thoughts on Subnautica 2, Forza Horizon 6, MIXTAPE, and Xbox's mysterious Positron program. PLS SUPPORT US ON PATREON: http://www.patreon.com/XB2 JOIN US ON DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xb2 TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Opening, Subnautica 2, Mixtape impressions, grooming mishaps 00:20:00: Xbox leaks, Elite Series 3, batteries vs docks, FTC docs, cloud controller 00:40:00: PlayStation player counts, Cities Skylines 2, DLC debates, sequel fatigue, Xbox strategy 01:00:00: Console sales, localization challenges, Xbox exclusives, Halo predictions 01:20:00: Disc-to-digital, antitrust concerns, OD & Blade showcase predictions, AI in journalism 01:40:00: Amish money-making, niche IP survival vs franchise dominance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠https://surfshark.net/XB2⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #Sponsor Rand had some IRL to deal with again this Friday, so I went solo with some thoughts on Xbox's leadership changes, PlayStation's financials and Bungie's future, and some other bits and pieces. We'll hopefully be back on Monday for ep. 408! Thanks for bearing with us. 💚 JOIN US ON ⁠http://PATREON.COM/XB2⁠: Q&A's, Extra Shows, and much more! 💚 🟣JOIN US ON ⁠http://DISCORD.GG/XB2⁠: The #1 Xbox Discord community, with giveaways, and more! 🟣 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠https://surfshark.net/XB2⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #Sponsor 💚 JOIN US ON ⁠http://PATREON.COM/XB2⁠: Q&A's, Extra Shows, and much more! 💚 It's time for another Xbox news week! This time, Rand and Jez talk Diablo 4 impressions, Xbox's financials, analytics that suggest Xbox games don't sell all that much on PlayStation, Pragmata, PS5 DRM drama, and much more. TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Intro, Diablo 4 impressions, Resident Evil movie, Alien Isolation 2 teased.00:30:00: Xbox financials, Asha's transparency, Game Pass goes modular?01:05:00: Exclusivity re-evaluation, Alinea analytics data.01:42:00: Project Helix vs. Steam, platform strategy concerns. Pragmata impressions. Vampire Crawlers impressions.02:05:00: PS5 DRM drama, digital rights.02:20:00: Patreon Q&A and final thoughts. 🟣JOIN US ON ⁠http://DISCORD.GG/XB2⁠: The #1 Xbox Discord community, with giveaways, and more! 🟣 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠https://surfshark.net/XB2⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #Sponsor The Xbox Two Podcast is back! This week Rand and Jez will be talking about Asha's plan for Xbox and potentially the return of exclusives, Xbox Game Pass actually got a price decrease while also removing Call of Duty from Day 1 on the service and so much more! 💚 JOIN US ON ⁠http://PATREON.COM/XB2⁠: Q&A's, Extra Shows, and much more! 💚 🟣ALSO JOIN US ON http://DISCORD.GG/XB2: The #1 Xbox Discord community, with giveaways, and more! 🟣 TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00: Welcome back Rand! Assassin's Creed revealed, Kiln, Pragmata rocks.00:30:00: Xbox Game Pass price CUT. New Xbox Game Pass tier.00:55:00: Phil Spencer critique vs. Asha Sharma.01:40:00: "We are Xbox" memo. Blog post deep dive.02:00:00: Exclusives coming back? What's "Windowing"? Helix future.02:50:00: Patreon Q&A, closing comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🦈 Get Surfshark 80% OFF! ⁠⁠http://www.surfshark.com/XB2⁠⁠ | 100% log free VPN! #ad AIRED FIRST ON http://PATREON.COM/XB2 (April 14, 2026)! THE THIRTENE SIXETHHS XB2+1 IS HERE. HANGING OUT WITH SUNNY GAMES of STATE OF DECAY FAME AND FORTUNE. Jez and Sunny talk all things State of Decay 3, Xbox, and the future! FOLLOW SUNNY on YOUTUBE: http://youtube.com/c/sunnygamesyt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices