The Expansion Pass

Xbox appears headed toward a major strategic shift, and we're breaking down what it could mean for Game Pass, first-party studios, and the future of the platform. Captain Logan is joined by Mr. Bad Bit of The Trophy Room and Daddy Dwally of The Nerd Chat to discuss reports surrounding Xbox studio restructuring, Game Pass concerns, Halo: Campaign Evolved's PlayStation Plus controversy, and Sony's growing Bungie problem. We also dive into Marathon, Destiny 3, AI in game development, rising AAA budgets, and whether platform holders are finally being forced to rethink how games are funded and released. In the second half, we share what we've been playing, including 007 First Light, Pragmata, Astro Bot, Forza Horizon 6, and more before revealing our favorite games from Summer Game Fest 2026. Topics Included: Xbox layoffs and studio closures The future of Game Pass Halo: Campaign Evolved on PS5 PlayStation Plus local co-op controversy Bungie, Marathon, and Destiny 3 Sony's live-service struggles AI tools in game development Rising AAA development costs 007 First Light impressions Pragmata impressions Summer Game Fest 2026 highlights Tomb Raider Alien Isolation 2 Onimusha: Way of the Sword Time Codes 00:00 Intro & Guest Introductions03:29 Xbox Layoffs, Studio Closures & The Future of Game Pass34:30 Halo: Campaign Evolved, PS+, and the Local Co-op Controversy42:23 Bungie, Marathon, Destiny 3 & Sony's Studio Problems59:00 AAA Budgets, AI Tools, and Industry Sustainability1:03:33 What We've Been Playing1:18:56 Best Games of Summer Game Fest 20261:27:39 Final Thoughts & Guest Plugs 🎧 Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2OL6SSV🎧 Spotify: spoti.fi/33gSiXa💬 Join the conversation and let us know: Is Xbox making the right moves, or are they cutting too much too late?

The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 has come and gone, and we were there in person to see it unfold. This week, Luke and Captain Logun break down Xbox's biggest announcements, including Gears of War: E-Day, Halo: Campaign Evolved, Fable, Spyro: A Realm Beyond, State of Decay 3, Clockwork Revolution, Persona 6, and more. We also discuss the atmosphere inside the theater, reactions from attendees, Xbox FanFest, and whether Xbox finally delivered on its promise to "Return to Xbox." Topics include: • Gears of War: E-Day gameplay and October release plans• Halo: Campaign Evolved's visual overhaul and new missions• Why Fable finally won us over• Spyro's return after years away• Clockwork Revolution's growing momentum• State of Decay 3 gameplay impressions• Persona 4 Revival and Persona 6 on Xbox• Xbox's 25th Anniversary hardware reveal• FanFest experiences and meeting Xbox leadership• Is Xbox finally building momentum again? 🎮 Clear takes. No console-war noise.

Are exclusives suddenly important again? This week on XP, Luke Lohr and Captain Logun break down Xbox fans demanding exclusives through the new Player Voice forums while PlayStation reportedly pulls back from PC releases entirely for major first-party titles. We also discuss: Forza Horizon 6 surpassing 6 million players Why FH6 may be Xbox’s best ecosystem argument yet Nintendo’s aggressive first-party strategy Destiny 2 winding down while Marathon struggles Whether Project Helix changes the future of console gaming Bungie’s uncertain future under PlayStation Game Pass vs PlayStation Plus 007 First Light impressions Splitgate 2 and Titanfall comparisons Clear takes. No console-war noise. 🔊 iTunes: apple.co/2OL6SSV🎧 Spotify: spoti.fi/33gSiXa #Xbox #PlayStation #ForzaHorizon6 #GamePass #GamingPodcast

Nintendo has officially raised the Switch 2 price to $500 — and at nearly the same time, brought Star Fox back to center stage. This week on The Expansion Pass, Luke Lohr, Captain Logun, and special guest Joseph Moran (Mr. BadBit from The Trophy Room: A PlayStation Podcast) break down Nintendo’s pricing strategy, the return of Star Fox, Sony’s massive Bungie write-down, Marathon’s future, and Xbox canceling Copilot for Gaming under Asha Sharma. Topics include: 🎮 Nintendo Switch 2 price increase🦊 Star Fox returns on Switch 2💰 Sony writes down roughly $767 million tied to Bungie🏃 Marathon player counts, discourse, and live service pressure🧠 Xbox cancels Copilot for Gaming🎙 SGF discussion and gaming industry analysis The team also debates whether Marathon can recover long term, why Nintendo may still succeed despite rising hardware prices, and whether Star Fox’s reboot is the right move for the franchise. 👉 Clear takes. No console-war noise. 🔊 iTunes: apple.co/2OL6SSV🎧 Spotify: spoti.fi/33gSiXa

Xbox has officially hit reset—and this time, they’re saying it out loud. In a rare internal memo, leadership under Asha Sharma acknowledges what many players have been feeling: the experience hasn’t been good enough. Pricing, updates, and platform identity are all under review—and Game Pass is already seeing major changes. At the same time, Valve is quietly preparing a return to hardware. A new Steam Controller looks ready to launch, while larger ambitions like Steam Machine and Steam Frame face delays. Meanwhile, Nintendo continues executing with confidence, rolling out Splatoon Raiders and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book without the same identity struggles seen elsewhere. Also this week: Diablo: Lord of Hatred impressions and early reviews Resident Evil Requiem sales milestone Assassin’s Creed Black Flag returns What all of this means for the future of gaming platforms This episode explores a simple question:👉 Are platforms finally correcting course—or just reacting? 👉 Clear takes. No console-war noise. 🔊 iTunes: apple.co/2OL6SSV🎧 Spotify: spoti.fi/33gSiXa 📅 Join us live Saturdays on YouTube

Luke Lohr sits down with Circana’s Executive Director and video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella for a data-driven look at the state of gaming in 2026. Despite U.S. video game spending approaching $61 billion, the industry feels unsettled. Piscatella explains why record revenue can coexist with market instability, why player growth has plateaued, and how attention is increasingly concentrated in a handful of live-service “black hole” titles. The conversation explores: • The impact of component and RAM shortages on console pricing and availability• Why subscription growth is now focused on revenue per user rather than user growth• Xbox hardware performance and Game Pass strategy• The growing divide between affluent and price-sensitive players• Why Grand Theft Auto VI could be critical to console momentum• Discoverability challenges and storefront power• Why CCU charts don’t tell the full story 👉 Clear takes. No console-war noise.🎧 Join us live Saturdays on YouTube📅 Timestamps available on YouTube💬 Share your thoughts — we read them all. Support XEP:Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/XboxExpansionPass

This week on Xbox Expansion Pass, the conversation centers on how quickly the gaming industry is shifting — and what that means for hardware, platforms, and players. A Nintendo Direct packed with Xbox-adjacent announcements signals just how normalized multi-platform publishing has become. At the same time, new data shows hardware sales continuing to slide across the industry, even as engagement and monthly active users remain strong. The discussion also digs into the Epic Games Store’s record year, what multiple storefronts could mean for future Xbox hardware, and why competition — not exclusivity — may be the defining force of the next generation. Additional topics include: Xbox titles becoming expected on Nintendo platforms Why engagement now matters more than boxes sold The risks and rewards of pricing games at $70+ Live-service optics vs actual game quality What a Windows-based future could mean for consoles 👉 Clear takes. No console-war noise.🔊 iTunes: apple.co/2OL6SSV | Spotify: spoti.fi/33gSiXa🎧 Join us live Saturdays on YouTube💬 Share your thoughts — we read them all. Support XEP:Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/XboxExpansionPass Follow & Contact:BlueSky (Luke): @InsipidGhostBlueSky (Logun): @CaptLogunContact: InsipidGhost@gmail.com More XEP & Friends:Keelhauled – A Sea of Thieves Podcast: https://captlogun.podbean.com Review the show:If you enjoy XEP, please consider leaving a review on iTunes or Spotify — it’s one of the best ways to support the show. Thank you!

In this episode of Xbox Expansion Pass, Luke Lohr (Insipid Ghost) sits down with Ian Proulx, CEO and co-founder of 1047 Games, for a candid discussion about Splitgate’s past year, the Summer Game Fest moment, and the lessons learned along the way. Ian reflects on the challenges of building a sequel versus a new IP, why Splitgate 2 missed expectations for some players, and the difficult decision to reset and relaunch the game as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. From there, the conversation shifts into gameplay philosophy, retention metrics, portal accessibility, monetization, and what “stabilizing” the game actually means heading into 2026. This is a thoughtful, direct conversation about course correction, leadership, and rebuilding trust — without framing anyone as a villain or a victim. Topics discussed include: The Summer Game Fest moment and how it reshaped the Splitgate conversation Lessons learned from that period and what Ian would do differently Why building a sequel is different than building a new IP Where Splitgate 2 missed player expectations The decision to pull the game back and reset Arena Reloaded’s refocus on classic arena gameplay Arena Royale explained Retention, requeue rate, and how 1047 measures success Portal balance and accessibility tools Monetization philosophy and rebuilding player trust Performance, polish, and the quality bar moving forward 👉 Clear takes. No console-war noise. Support XEP:Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/XboxExpansionPass Follow & Contact:BlueSky (Luke): @InsipidGhostBlueSky (Logun): @CaptLogunContact: InsipidGhost@gmail.com More XEP & Friends:Keelhauled – A Sea of Thieves Podcast: https://captlogun.podbean.com Review the show:If you enjoy XEP, please consider leaving a review on iTunes or Spotify — it’s one of the best ways to support the show. Thank you!