Shows / Unlocked
Unlocked
These days, practically everything is an Xbox, and Xbox fans deserve to celebrate their passion for Xbox everywhere. Unlocked is the definitive Xbox podcast, hosted by Ryan McCaffrey alongside a panel of expert guests. Each week, they dive deep into breaking Xbox news, exclusive game reveals, and heated debates on the future of Xbox—covering everything from consoles and PC to Game Pass and cloud gaming. Whether you're a longtime Xbox fan or just jumping in, Unlocked is your go-to source for all…
Episodes
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 228: Congratulating our Game of the Year Winners
We discuss our Game of the Year votes, lament the end of an era with one of the key creators of Grand Theft Auto, recount the insane development history of…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 227: Our Xbox Predictions for 2016
Happy New Year! We kick things off with our longest episode ever! Gone Home creator Steve Gaynor (who you may also know as the creator of BioShock 2's highly…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 226: The 2015 Outtakes
[WARNING: Unlike regular episodes of Unlocked, this episode contains explicit language!] Continuing the tradition started last year, we're giving you an…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 225: Kojima Chooses PlayStation
We discuss Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima's decision to sign with Sony for his next game, and whether or not Microsoft pursued the big-name free agent. Plus…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 224: What Xbox Can Learn From PSX
We review the Xbox-related announcements at last week's Game Awards. Plus: we attended PSX, and we discuss what Microsoft can learn from Sony's fan-service…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 223: We Design a Superman Game...Badly
We discuss our thoughts on Rainbow Six Siege, our Xbox expectations for The Game Awards, what we'd like to see from PlatinumGames's Teenage Mutant Ninja…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 222: Remembering 10 Years of Xbox 360
The Xbox 360's 10th anniversary has us reflecting back on our favorite memories of Microsoft's second console, including the first time we played it, the…
UnlockedUnlocked 221: Star Wars Battlefront's Pricey (but Fun!) Future
Star Wars Battlefront is here, and we've got a lot to say about its present and future. Plus: the NXOE dashboard, Deus Ex's totally OK delay, we're in love…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 220: Introducing Phil Spencer's Xbox One 2.0
A new Dashboard, backwards compatibility, and more are all here, meaning the Xbox One is now Phil Spencer's machine, full-stop. We discuss how the Xbox One has…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 219: Halo 5's Huge Debut and Jon St. John on Being Duke Nukem
Halo 5 gets off to a big start, Activision paid HOW MUCH for the Candy Crush creator, the first big game delay of 2016 happens, Skyrim gets ported to Xbox One…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 218: Halo 5 Reactions (SPOILER WARNING)
**WARNING: HALO 5 SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR HALO 5 SPOILERS, SKIP AHEAD TO THE 1:11:00 MARK.** Halo 5: Guardians is finally here, and…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 217: Nathan Vella (Super Time Force, Below) in the Studio
On this week's Xbox show, Capybara Games co-founder Nathan Vella (creator of Super Time Force and Below, among others) sits in on the whole show. He updates us…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 216: How Will Xbox Counter PS4's Price Drop?
We wonder what, if anything, Microsoft will do to counter Sony's PS4 price drop. Also, our thoughts on Star Wars Battlefront and how it will sell this holiday…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 215: Burnout Is Back!
We celebrate news that the creators of Burnout are bringing the series back (albeit under a new name), rejoice at the Stone Age setting of the just-announced…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 214: Twisted Pixel Pulls a Bungie
Discussed this week: Splosion Man developer Twisted Pixel pulls a Bungie and spins back out from Microsoft, single-player campaigns in first-person shooters…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 213: Phil Spencer On FFXIV, Killer Apps, and More
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer joins our show this week for a conversation about all kinds of happenings in the world of Xbox, from Final Fantasy XIV's absence on…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 212: How Much Content Is Enough for $60?
On this week's Xbox show, Rainbow Six Siege's map count leads us to wonder how it'll be received. Plus: Fallout 4's season pass annoys us, Star Wars…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 211: The 'Xboy' Handheld Was Almost Real
We make an otherwise slow Xbox news week interesting by discussing notable 9/9 gaming birthdays, discuss former Xbox boss Robbie Bach's comments on how an…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 210: What the Xbox One Elite Console Will and Won't Do
Microsoft's newest Xbox One console bundle is extra special because it includes the hot new Elite gamepad as well as a 1TB SSHD hard drive. We break down the…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 209: Should Master Chief Be Unmasked?
Mitch and Ryan shake and bake their way through this week's Xbox show, tackling, among other questions: Will we ever see Master Chief's face? What are the odds…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 208: Rainbow Six Siege's Bold Decision
This week's Xbox show analyzes Rainbow Six Siege's daring delay and what it means for the franchise this year and in the longer term. Plus: we express sadness…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 207: Grand Theft Auto 6 Is Gonna Be HUGE
This week's Xbox show recaps Gamescom from the IGN guys who were there, explains why the Halo 5 console bundle might not be such a good deal, details how the…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 206: Xbox Just Killed it at Gamescom
After Xbox's killer Gamescom, we just couldn't wait until Wednesday to do our next show. So here we are, talking about everything from Gamescom, including Halo…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 205: Our Xbox Gamescom Predictions
Microsoft is set to have a big presence at Gamescom. So, we play our ol' predictions game, making 12 Xbox predictions for what we think might happen. Plus…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 204: Brothers in Arms and the Return of WWII Shooters
As news of a new Brothers in Arms game starting development surfaces, we revisit the smart, stellar, historically-based first-person shooter/strategy series…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 203: Our Xbox Games of the Year (So Far)
With the year half over, it's time to give our picks for our Xbox Games of the Year...so far. Plus: the latest chapter in the Hideo Kojima/Konami divorce is as…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 202: What if Microsoft Bought AMD?
It's impossible to follow the once-in-a-lifetime episode 201, but we do our best by dissecting a rumor that suggests Microsoft may be looking to buy Xbox One…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 201: Phil Spencer, Peter Moore, and Seamus Blackley Reunite and Reminisce
We don't believe three generations of Xbox leadership have ever been brought into the same room before to share secrets and stories of Xbox history. Until now…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 200
Episode 200 finally happened, and it happened live with 450 IGN fans in San Francisco. It was an incredible event where we celebrated the history of Xbox…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 199.5: Xbox E3 Reactions and Analysis
We are all finally back from E3, rested, and ready to bask in the glory that was the week of Xbox awesomeness at the show. Sea of Thieves, Cuphead, HoloLens…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked at E3 2015: Phil Spencer Interview
In the wake of Microsoft's fantastic E3, we sat down with Head of Xbox Phil Spencer to discuss everything from backwards compatibility to Kinect, Xbox Live…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked at E3 2015: Matt Stone and Trey Parker Interview
In this special mini-episode, bucket-list edition of Podcast Unlocked, we sit down with Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the Emmy Award-winning, Tony Award-winning…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 199: Reacting to Huge Halo 5 News
In light of the big Halo 5 campaign details and multiplayer bomb dropped by 343 Industries, we spend a good chunk of the show getting SUPER EXCITED for Halo 5…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 198: Fallout 4 Reactions
You know what we're talking about this week: Fallout 4. Join us for a 26-minute reaction segment to the announcement and the trailer. We discuss what gameplay…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 197: Our Best and Worst E3 Memories
As E3 2015 approaches, each of our Xbox podcast crew shares his best – or worst – E3 memories. Plus: we get teased by Halo 3: ODST releasing for Xbox One (but…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 196: Your E3 2015 Xbox Predictions
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UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 195: Does Star Wars Battlefront Need Iron Sights?
We react to Star Wars Battlefront bucking the recent years' trend of using iron sights in the upcoming first-person shooter. We also give our take on the newly…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 194: We Guess Titanfall 2's Release Date
EA drops some vague release date windows for Titanfall 2 and Mirror's Edge on their quarterly earnings call, so we take more specific shots at pinning them…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 193: What the Gears of War Remake Must Do To Excite Us
We try to find humor in what is otherwise a downer of a week: the Astro A40 Xbox One gaming headset isn't good, Silent Hills is canceled and Konami doesn't…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 192: Why We're Worried About Star Wars Battlefront
Fierce debate grips the Unlocked crew this week, as we discuss whether Star Wars Battlefront is offering enough content out of the box to justify its $60…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 191: Guitar Hero Live vs. Rock Band 4
With World Music Game War II official, we break down the surprising pros and cons of Guitar Hero Live and Rock Band 4 and ultimately come to a pretty happy…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 190: Deus Ex: Fankind United
The announcement of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has the Unlocked crew standing as Fankind United. Yes, we're excited. We break down the newly revealed new-gen…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 189: What Halo 5's Release Date and New Trailers Mean
The weekend gave us not one but two Halo 5: Guardians trailers, and you needed to see both of them in order for your mind to be fully and properly blown. We…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 188: Why Kojima's Possible Exit Isn't a Surprise
Noted Metal Gear fan Max Scoville joins Podcast Unlocked this week to discuss the whole (alleged) Kojima/Konami fiasco. And we have what may be an unpopular…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 187: What We Want From Titanfall 2
Now that Titanfall 2 is a real, confirmed thing, we've got some ideas as to what it needs. In fact, we all agree on what that is. Meanwhile, we give a…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 186: Our Most Emotional Gaming Moments
A discussion about our early Ori and the Blind Forest impressions turns into an impromptu chat about our most emotional gaming (and movie) moments. Plus: we…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked 185: What Is Battletoads Going to Be on Xbox One?
What a packed show! Chris Charla, the head of Microsoft's ID@Xbox program, stops by for a chat about choosing indie games for the program, how crazy (in a good…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked 184: Battle of the Bands
On this week's IGN Xbox podcast, we discuss running out of Xbox One hard drive and what decisions go into choosing an external hard drive to buy. Plus, rumors…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 183: Marty Gets Battle-trolled
This week's episode of Podcast Unlocked is packed! We predict what Bethesda will announce at their first-ever E3 press conference in June, including Fallout 4…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 182: On the Phone with 343
Halo 5 dominates our show this week, as not only do we talk to 343 Industries Halo 5 Studio Head Josh Holmes and Multiplayer Designer Quinn DelHoyo about what…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 181: Our 2015 Xbox Predictions
Four editors. Three predictions each. That means we've got 12 Xbox predictions for 2015 that you can hold us to come Christmas-time. Plus, we can bet on them!…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 180: Is the Xbox 360 Dead?
The Xbox's sales are down year over year for the fourth quarter, largely due to dwindling Xbox 360 sales. So it's time to wonder: is the old console toast?…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 179: Phil Spencer Is a T-Shirt Tease
Packed show! We distill the Windows 10 event down to what it means for Xbox, including the HoloLens AR glasses that may sound familiar if you remember…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 178: Revealing Our Game of the Year Votes
IGN's Game of the Year has been announced. We discuss how we cast our individual votes. Plus: a big MOBA hits Xbox One, Forza Motorsport 6 gets announced...in…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 177: Let's Buy the Blinx Trademark!
As Microsoft abandons their trademark on show favorite Blinx: The Timesweeper, we discuss what we'd do with it if we bought it (which we might). Plus: what…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 176: The Outtakes of 2014
We'll be up front: you might not even like this episode. It's a collection of random, out-of-context outtakes from the past year of Xbox podcasting. Strange…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 175: All Halo Breaks Loose
"I'm not even supposed to be here today!" We'd planned to be on holiday break this week, but too much Halo happened! First, 343 Industries announced that Halo…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 174: Listener Appreciation
As the year winds to a close, Microsoft celebrates a November NPD victory. What about December? What about the future? Will they put the system's price back to…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 173: We'll Miss You, Street Fighter
Sony strikes back, securing Street Fighter V exclusively after Microsoft bagged Rise of the Tomb Raider. We discuss the situation, as well as what other games…
UnlockedPodcast Unlocked Episode 172: Tales from the Black Friday
We catch up on everything we saw and played over the Thanksgiving break, including passionate (spoiler-free) discussions about Sunset Overdrive, Tales from the…