Thanks for all the support!! Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code XB2 at MANSCAPED.com! Timestamps: Getting ready to go live 0:00 Intro and Housekeeping 11:05 Xbox - 4 studios closure Sarah Bond Interview and other news 40:30 Stream issues 1:08:00 Return of stream (w/o issues) 1:17:05 Patreon Questions and Closing 3:23:05

I really do think this week was the final straw for a lot of people. It isn't just the closing of these studios that is so offensive, it's becoming painfully obvious that the Xbox leadership team has no strategy or vision whatsoever. They have just been throwing money at the problem for years. They know nothing about managing studios or cultivating creative talent. Phil Spencer and the rest of the team should resign. If 10 years at the helm and over $75 billion invested into new studios isn't enough to perform, I don’t think you're cut out for this job. They should all feel embarrassed and ashamed.

People hate Microsoft for being intrusive but imagine investing billions of dollars and a decade into a part of your business and there is 0 turn around what’s so ever. These executives continue to fail and then make the devs suffer. Phil Spencer needs to go, lying out his ass for a decade now. Matt booty needs to go, cant manage studios at all. Aaron Greenberg needs to go, terrible marketing no one cares about the games or Xbox. Sarah bond needs to go, why are you talking about mobile when you console is dying and your fans are asking so much questions. It’s disgusting, get new leadership.

Timestamps Getting ready to go live 0:00 Intro and Housekeeping 11:05 Xbox - 4 studios closure Sarah Bond Interview and other news 40:30 Stream issues 1:08:00 Return of stream (w/o issues) 1:17:05 Patreon Questions and Closing 3:23:05

Jez is coping hard with this. I dont blame him for trying to stay positive, but people are slowly just walking away. In an era where xbox is chasing higher active users, but keeps bleeding fans this won't end good for xbox. I could get to the point were they are forced to leave the industry as a console maker and most people wouldn't even care.

It seems pretty clear to me that Xbox is moving into third party territory and acting more like a publisher than a console maker. That explains the tango closure to me.

Recent weeks have made it understandable why Microsoft doesn't report Xbox division's operating profit and margins.

I roll my eyes every time Jez brings up capitalism. I wont deny capitalism has its shortcomings, but Xbox has clearly been poorly managed. And in a capitalistic system, being poorly managed is one of the most dangerous situations a company can be in. I blame primarily Xbox management, not capitalism, for the closure of Tango games.

So it's like all this hard work to get Japanese games on the platform was for nothing just to see it all go away again fantastic fml smh lol

Xbox content creators have huge blame too they been over 10 years supporting Phil Spencer horrendous leadership and now Xbox it's almost dead and they were accomplices.

Microsoft need to make it crystal clear whether Game Pass subscriptions or sales determine whether a studio stays open for the sake of those people working at the studios.

Everyone talking about Phil and Sarah. What about Matt Booty? How have you not released a GOTY contender in over 10 years and still have a job. We want games and he has not delivered.

I actively lose IQ points when I hear people cry about capitalism on a gaming podcast

Subscribing to gamepass just for cod would not be worth it. You'll save more money just buying the game then to pay a monthly subscription.

Thank God, my priorities in life shifted some time ago and I am no longer as invested in gaming and Xbox as I used to. Otherwise this would be a super tough year for me

Video games need to sell. That’s the bottom line. Gamepass subs have stagnated because the 1st party offering has been slim pickings for years and years and people are canceling. And when you release stinker after stinker (mostly) for years on end, of course growth is gonna stagnate or even recede. It takes great games to sell a platform. That’s it. If Nintendo has sold 144M Switches, do you think it’s because it’s a powerful system? No. It’s because the games are fucking awesome. Games should always come first. And I think Xbox knows this, but they’re in too deep on Gamepass to backpedal out of the vision now. Wouldn’t go well with investors if they kill Gamepass. Plenty of people will take their money and run.

xbox mindshare is done, sad to be honest.

We looked too far into how the sausage was made. Sometimes ignorance is bliss Gamers just have to seperate the conglomerate from the product and just extract the Gamepass value for as long as its valuable to them because Microsoft is not reversing this trajectory

This one was difficult to watch, the mental gymnastics of Jez is outstanding.

Big respect having this podcast takes a lot of courage. Also very good takes even though your favorite brand going through tough times, and emotions are high. Also congratulations on the advertising deal.

There seems to be a loose plan and making decisions based on optimistic assumptions. In reality, xbox seems purely reactionary. And, like, release games for christ sake!

Jez, for the record - referring to employees as 'resources' is very very normal in large corporations - this term is used in the workplace very frequently especially in managerial / executive positions and doesn't tend to have a negative connotation

Jez references to capitalism are laughable , he obviously has no idea what capitalism is .

I’m so critical of this show at times. But listening to it today I finally feel like I know Rand and Jez. You guys were always so optimistic. I was like Jesse are they on the Microsoft payroll? I love Xbox but they are trying my patience. The Tango thing doesn’t bother me. I feel like they dropped the game so fast I didn’t get a chance to say let me give that a try. I played it for a minute and went back to Horizon 5. What I’m upset about is the ABK deal. It’s like I bought into GamePass. I have had it for years. I was paying for two and three years up front. And with the ABK deal I was like oh dude I’m going to have so much to play. And I am still buying games. Like I would buy Hellblade 2 and still be paying for GamePass. But after hearing they were debating over putting Call of duty in GamePass I was so pissed I canceled mine. I wasn’t even expecting the new Call of a duty. Just give me the old call of duty’s. So I’m paying for GamePass waiting for what Phil and others promised. To find out they are debating putting these games in GamePass I was like well F me. I’m not paying anymore. They are steadily taking my money not adding new publisher and their games. And then they are talking about charging more money. Before I even get 5e things they promised. Oh no. I canceled that GamePass. How do they expect to make it grow when they are pissing off their long term subscribers. And then I noticed I’m really buying all my games on Steam. It’s like Steam wants my money. And Steam ways has something that I’m like oh I’ll try that. Or oh my god used to love playing that. While at the Microsoft store it’s a nightmare to shop it on my iPad. Pinch and zoom headaches. Then the prices are like WTF. And all these games that we are being told are coming day after day for years still haven’t dropped. Yeah yeah I got Hellblade 2. After half the Fing year. How long do I have to wait for the next big title? How do you have all these titles and we haven’t seen a consistent drop of new games. Just a Fing trickle. I’m tired of it. That’s why I buy from Steam. And the hardware. They released the Series X and walked away. And they didn’t even keep stock levels up when people wanted to get one. And this coming showcase if they announce hardware I bet you they will say end of the year. For a series X digital console. Why is it Apple announces a new product and they are like avialable starting next week. Microsoft launches a new peice of hardware and it’s like end of the year. And when the end of the year comes around it’s delayed. And not enough made for everyone to get one. How come Apple can get it done but Microsoft can’t. I’m tired of over promises and under delivering. Yet they want my money. Yet they tell me they are doing this only to re-big. I’m tired of it. Rand Jez I’m so burnt out on it. I don’t even own a PlayStation. I hate PlayStation. I feel like Xbox has failed me. But it’s refreshing to hear you two aren’t happy either. I always felt a disconnect with you guys. Either Gez is doom and gloom and Rand is happy and optimistic. I’m not going anywhere. But I’m very unhappy. And Stea: has been the only thing keeping me going. When I heard the rumor Microsoft was buying Steam. I figured BS. I was like no God please no. All we need is Microsoft to get there greedy hands on Steam and start cutting corners and getting rid of what makes Steam, Steam. If Microsoft would say to gamers you invested in us. Now we are investing in you all. Give us what they promised and and give it a mupinute for the money to come in. No they lend you money and next week they are like you got my money yet. It’s like bro let me get paid first and I’ll start paying you back. I’m tired of it guys. And hearing you guys and getting sick of it makes me feel better. Like I’m not some entitled gamer who just complains when he doesn’t get his way. I feel like I finally connected with you Rand and Gez on this show. I just want to play new and cool, fun games. Why is that so hard. And give me cool hard ware. If Microsoft had a handheld I’d but it now. But it will probably nd of 2026 when no one cares then. Microsoft is always late to the party. Then blaming everyone else.

Best episode, this could be the new format for the future.

Call of Duty day and date via Xbox Game Pass just makes business sense, because it will lower the entry barrier and makes the microtransaction much more accessible. 🎮

It'd be funny if Xbox announced some super studio they've just formed based in Japan at the June showcase

I'm really interested in the additional reporting that comes out for the tango closure. Completely understand the accolades it received and it's uniqueness being a sticking point for the most die hard fans, but from a company structure and support perspective it seems to make the least to me. If zenimax/Bethesda was told cuts were needed, tango their one Japanese studio is in the worst position when it comes to company alignment and support it seems + with their top two ? I think leaving, it seems to mark sense to me from a zenimax/Bethesda structure perspective if that's how it's setup. I don't know if that's for sure, but based on how they've talked about their individual segments sitting under the umbrella, that's my guess.

Oh i just got here as it ended. This should be a banger 🎉

I think Obsidian and InXile are safe as they’re the only 2 aside BGS that can make a Fallout game

Rand get Gaz on next week for some humor which will be needed.

Jez getting bothered by Matt referring to people as resources. Meanwhile, the department that hires people, HR is called Human Resources

Nail on the head!! They could have let Tango and Arkane make a Fallout spin off. They could have even started the next main line fallout.

I believe Microsoft is secretly trading small studios to nintendo and ps, but at the end microsoft will have all the big games like cod, minecraft, roblox etc...

Arkane Austin could have made an immersive Sim streamlined Fallout spin off. Tango could have made Fallout Japan

45:47 If Jez were king, Windows phone wouldn't be back, it never would have been canceled in the first place.😊

I had no idea bing still existed

It's clear to me that Phil Spencer had no form of quality control and did not put the right people in charge of these games. Starfield is not making them anymore money, Redfall was a disaster, Halo infinite's potential got cut short and they made the biggest purchase ever with Activision and we're not even sure if the next call of duty will be good.

I'm a little confused about the Lion Austun thing with Dishonored.. didn't Lion make Dishonored?? Them shutting down Austin really make Dishonored not a possible thing??

It seems silly to close down tango and arcane over a fallout game you know those fallout games was on sale for like 10 bucks so yeah that was the top seller but it was like 10-20 bucks so it's not like they were full price games and who's to say that the next season of fallout show will be any good what if it sucks just doesn't seem logical to codes a Japanese studio which you need a mobile studio what you need and arcane another great studio you need because you want to make another fallout game in 5 years. These studios haven't even had time to make a game under Microsoft or two games tango made a great AA game and that was it it's like Microsoft not giving any of their plans a chance to work they just doing a 180

Its a shame as I really enjoyed Prey and Ghostwire and also enjoyed Redfall on launch. But I can understand why they closed them business wise. Prey was a great game but not profitable and Redfall was a flop that did a lot of damage despite Xbox giving them more time and even a year later no dlc. Hi-fi and Ghostwire weren’t financially successful and Tango boss and his top staff all left the business. Overall I think the timing was a bad idea by Xbox just before the showcase and a shame they couldn’t give Arkane/Tango a last chance to redeem themselves.

I'm starting to think that Hi-Fi Rush was way more expensive to make than we could imagine.

Mmmm……🤔…..Who to replace Phil ?…….BRING IN BOBBYYYYYY !!!! ☠️😏☠️

Porting some xbox games what don't have contracts to playstation is baddest thing what xbox has done. I can understand some only multiplayer games but i don't understand nothing else. I can only understand ports if playstation gives games back to xbox. Game = game trade

So if Xbox are refocussing from gamepass but they're going to increase the price and potentially withhold titles from day one release, why on earth would I stay subscribed and without gamepass why would I not just buy Xbox titles on PS5?

Couldn't they sell studios instead of closing? Recoup some cash instead of paying severance.

Still no Camera, Rand? Its not like xbox 2 community is dying to see you guys on camera but its about keeping your word. Thats why people keep asking if you will get a camera.

What do you mean «the pain of capitalism»? Capitalism is the reason we’re getting any of these games at all.

Another awesome show and love the level headedness of delayed, well thought through discourse. Please don't too much chase the trend of daily and "emergency" shows. This four plus hour weekly discourse is heads and shoulders above the rest. Keep up the great work.

lol that was the first thing I thought, this is all Jez' fault.

Sucks that were back to square root again like a wrench in a bucket.

Magnificently Ultimate

When are you gonna be on camera? You promised us when you hit 100k you would. It’s not hard to get a camera Rand

That would be cool if still Spencer was the CEO of Xbox.But that's not going to happen

Every company has been doing lay offs unfortunately.

as an xbox fan, jez how can you think microsoft should buy valve? xbox cant handle 343 which isnt good for halo, tango arcane austin...the issue is xbox leadership

Buying Activision was the ultimate monkeys paw moment for Xbox fans and it may end up being the worse thing Xbox ever did because it’s attracted the eye of Sauron. Xbox is going to have to start making serious money or risk being sold off or closed.

Phil's just bad he took over after the 360 and its been all downhill since then. He's too cooperate and sees games as a checklist of things to succeed. They shut down these studios to makeup money on the balance sheet while buying activision. I don't see how they justify keeping him in charge when any graph of xbox sales shows it dying off since phil took over. Unless they plan on becoming the netflix of gaming and killing of their console after next gen, because if thats their goal he's setting them up great.

Game Pass 🔥

I think they can just put cod on gamepass cause pc people are going to buy it on steam or battle net, the minority will use game pass. And playstation users will still buy. Xbox always has the lowest sales so the sales for xbox wouldnt matter that much in the end cause they will be making hand over fist of the other platform users...and jez is right about the micros, xbox will make the loss of their own cod sales on their system with all the micros they sell on cod

DEI hire Sarah Bond

2:34:34 Xbox is a dead monopoly?😂

Rand you need to go work at Xbox bro

a slump.....compared to ridiculous highs of pandemic time. not able to not be greedy and be happy with pre pandemic levels? microtransaction blizzard.....what they ben living on for years it feels like. look at warcraft 3. does having bethedsa and activision make microsoft 'the best'. both companies were not doing super amazing reputationally anyway.

Expecting an immediate return after buying ABK when they also say games take 4-5 years to develop is a bit optimistic

All of this crying everybody is doing. Honestly i with king on these topics. MICROSOFT needs to stop talking to its consumer like playstion and Nintendo.

YOOO!!!🤣

Can't wait to see Xbox fanboys decide to now like what they call walking simulators, when hellblade mental health simulator comes out.

Jez I appreciate your work. But please try to educate yourself more on economy. I don't try to be arrogant. I honestly mean that. When you constantly speak about "the pain of capitalism" etc it actually worries me what kind of picture of economy you have in your heard and I worry that deep down you hope for actual socialism. It sounds like a socialist dog whistle to me, even if it's not intended by you. You know that even with all its downsides, people being free to buy the products they want and have contracts with who they want is the basis for the economic success of our society. It's a complicated discussion but a lot of issues we have no aren't because of capitalism but actually because of our money system, centralized money that can be endlessly printed and governments that shut down economies and give away money, increasing inflation etc. Please don't fall in the trap that socialism is a solution when it will only lead to poverty, suffering, deaths, hunger, less products and don't even think about games. Capitalism is the only reason we have these highly expensive but highly immersive games like Cyberpunk.

Rand speaking like a real armchair exec. I would much rather the leadership cut the fat and bring things down where it's manageable than the overextend themselves and end up screwing the whole thing up in the process. Making things manageable. THAT is doing their jobs. It's as I've been telling everyone. This is logistics, not financial. It makes some sense from that perspective even if it hurts a bit.

This is so exhausting. Video games are a break from daily lives in entertainment form, now we’re putting everyday happenings into video games. All this fake outrage but the same people will review bomb a developers game into oblivion, sometimes to its closure. The irony is hard as, well iron.

This is one of the worst xbox podcast besides Riskit 4 the biscuit podcast , jez is the worst man, xbox fans should not support these dudes

I’ll take these shutdowns to get a new fallout game sooner. I personally don’t like any of the games they have made. And I feel it’s easy for everyone to criticize a decision like this when it’s not your money that is getting spent and then you cry about capitalism when you wouldn’t have any of this shit without it. Ironic🤔