564: Phil Spencer, Spring Games and more

Announcer: Celebrating 10 years of audio and gaming excellence: It's Major Nelson Radio.

Larry Hryb: Hello there. Welcome to show number 564. My name's Larry Hyrb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson. Joined by an incredible cast of characters, here um, at Xbox, including Jeffrey Rubenstein.

Jeff Rubenstein: I'm sorry. They, um ... The cast has been cancelled and it's just the regular folks.

Larry Hryb: And then, of course, sitting across from you is the lovely and talented Laura Lollipop. Hi, Laura.

Laura Massey: Hello.

Larry Hryb: It's nice to see you. And then, also joining us this time, very special, live in studio, Mr. Graeme Boyd!

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, my God.

Graeme Boyd: Wee!

Laura Massey: Yay.

Jeff Rubenstein: Insert bagpipes here!

Larry Hryb: Direct from Xbox over in UK, Europe, and all points that are not the US. (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.

Larry Hryb: It feels like, sometimes. Nice to see you.

Graeme Boyd: Um, it's a pleasure to be here, as always.

Larry Hryb: Do you remember the last time you and I saw each other?

Graeme Boyd: Um ... No?

Larry Hryb: We'll always have Cologne.

Graeme Boyd: Was it ... was it that one, or ...?

Larry Hryb: Yes it was.

Graeme Boyd: Oh, my goodness.

Larry Hryb: Gamescom last year.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. That's ages ago, isn't it?

Larry Hryb: It is ages ago.

Graeme Boyd: Well, it's nice to ...

Larry Hryb: Boy, it sounds like things kind of got a little rough over there, after we left.

Graeme Boyd: Um, well yeah. There's ...

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: There's been some incidents, I would say. Yeah.

Larry Hryb: Um, but anyway, lets get over that. It's nice to see you.

Graeme Boyd: Um, it's always a pleasure to be here. You know, this is the only reason I come to Redmond.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Graeme Boyd: So that I can be on this podcast once a year.

Laura Massey: Oh, so you can see us?

Larry Hryb: Well we love ... we love to win. We love having you on the show because you give us that unique, um, um, European point of view.

Graeme Boyd: Right.

Larry Hryb: Um, so ... (laugh)

Graeme Boyd: I will make sure I deliver that.

Larry Hryb: So, I ... Do you know what I do - and I think, Laura, you called this out before we started - is we really appreciate the fact that because you're European, you did bring your Speedo. So ...

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: My Speedo?

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: What? My trunks?

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: My swimming trunks?

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs) Look, I ... In South Florida, you can tell who's from Europe and who's not. (laughs) Um, just based purely on swimwear.

Graeme Boyd: Right.

Jeff Rubenstein: Differing levels of modesty.

Larry Hryb: Anyway, it's nice to see you.

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Okay.

Larry Hryb: Somebody out there was saying ...

Jeff Rubenstein: You are ashamed of our bodies.

Larry Hryb: Jeff got the joke.

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:01:47] all feel really awkward.

Larry Hryb: What? I like to push the boundaries on the show, but we're here, we're together ...

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs) We wish you wouldn't.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Should I have not worn my Speedos to record this podcast? Is that what you're saying?

Larry Hryb: Well it's ... No. It's just you're embracing your European-ness.

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: It's expected behavior.

Larry Hryb: To Jeff's point, so ... Anyway, if you need to step out and take a smoke, you can do that as well.

Graeme Boyd: All right.

Larry Hryb: Um, anyway, um ... (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Theoretically. Theoretically.

Larry Hryb: Wow. We're all over the place. What a ... what a week we had. We missed you last week, Graeme.

Graeme Boyd: I know, I wanted to be there. But, I wasn't allowed.

Larry Hryb: We were down in, um ... Jeff and I were down in San Francisco at our event when all the news broke earlier this week, on Tuesday, all the ... all the awesome stuff coming to ... coming to game, to Xbox, to console, to PC. Laura, you saw that news.

Laura Massey: So many things. So many awesome things.

Larry Hryb: So many ... lot's of awesome things.

Laura Massey: Oh, yeah.

Larry Hryb: It was, um, it was ... it was a lot of fun, and yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: Hugely consequential.

Larry Hryb: In fact ... in fact, it so big, um, for the first time since, you know, I think since the Gamescon as well, I'm going to have Phil Spencer on. Later on in the show, Phil Spencer is going to join us.

Graeme Boyd: Nice.

Laura Massey: Looking forward to that.

Larry Hryb: So, Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, is going to just, kind of talk about last week, so we don't need to spend too much time on it now.

Jeff Rubenstein: He's going to ask about the Speedo comment, now.

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: You know he listens to the show, Graeme.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, I'll bet he does. Of course he does.

Larry Hryb: Routinely. So, he's very ... he's very ... he's into that. So, he's into the show, and ... and ... anyway ... So ...

Laura Massey: Sorry, Phil. Sorry. (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Just setting my career back one show at a time.

Larry Hryb: I can't ... So, all right. We need to ... we need to flush all of this awkwardness away from us.

Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Are we flushed?

Larry Hryb: I think we're okay. Hey, what are you playing right now, Graeme?

Graeme Boyd: Um ...

Larry Hryb: We usually talk about ...

Graeme Boyd: I've been travelling this week, so nothing at the moment.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: But, I was, um ... Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2. Garden Warfare 2. Been playing a lot of that.

Laura Massey: Oh.

Larry Hryb: Oh! Laura and I did a stream for that.

Laura Massey: Yeah. We streamed that.

Larry Hryb: yeah. That was a lot of fun, wasn't it?

Laura Massey: Yeah, it was.

Larry Hryb: We need to do another stream, Laura, don't we?

Laura Massey: I think streaming is pretty fun.

Larry Hryb: So, I know you do some streams over there, as well.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. We streamed it ... I think we streamed it the same day as you, actually.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. I think you guys went off the air, like right as we were coming on.

Graeme Boyd: Now, that's good, isn't it?

Larry Hryb: Or something like that it was 15 ...

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: We were just kind of going ...

Jeff Rubenstein: The sun never sets on the ... on the Xbox empire.

Larry Hryb: At all. No. It's just one big green orb that keeps going round and round. But, um, so you're playing Plants Vs. um ...

Graeme Boyd: Yes. With ... with Finley.

Larry Hryb: With Finley, your son.

Graeme Boyd: We was really excited about it coming out.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Graeme Boyd: We only really played, um, Garden Warfare 1, for the first time, really, over Christmas.

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Graeme Boyd: And, um, then we really got into it then, particularly co-op. You know, like the um, sort of horde mode.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: Um, the name of it escapes me, right now. Um, so he was really excited about Garden Warfare 2, and the best bit, we found, is Backyard Battleground.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Graeme Boyd: You know, just jumping in and just being able to muck around in there.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Graeme Boyd: And not really be doing anything.

Larry Hryb: And farm XP.

Graeme Boyd: Still, having so much fun.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. That's great. I have to ask you this question. I've been dying to ask you this question.

Graeme Boyd: Okay.

Larry Hryb: Is, you're a huge Star Wars fan.

Graeme Boyd: Um, yes.

Larry Hryb: And ...

Graeme Boyd: You're building me up here for-

Larry Hryb: No. No. No, no, no, no.

Graeme Boyd: You're setting me up for a fall.

Larry Hryb: No, no, no, no, not at all.

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: In episode V, when Luke said this, what exactly did he mean?

Graeme Boyd: Age of the script.

Larry Hryb: No, no, no. But I wanted ... So, you went and saw it with your son.

Graeme Boyd: Um, no I didn't.

Larry Hryb: Oh!

Laura Massey: Oh, no!

Graeme Boyd: No. (laughs) I feel like you are setting me up, here.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: So, the way it went ...

Larry Hryb: Accidentally.

Graeme Boyd: The way it went down was that, so he was ... he's ... he was properly excited about it. But what ... Because he's only five, right?

Larry Hryb: Was he a bad boy? Did you not let him go see it?

Graeme Boyd: So, there's two things, tright? He's only five, so I wanted to make sure that I had seen it first.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: To kind of like, vet it.

Larry Hryb: Sure. Understandable.

Jeff Rubenstein: Good parenting.

Laura Massey: That is.

Jeff Rubenstein: Another European trait, apparently. (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: That's very nice of you to say that. But the real reason -

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Graeme Boyd: - was the day it came out, he was still in school.

Larry Hryb: I see.

Graeme Boyd: Like, it was right before Christmas, but he hadn't finished for his Christmas Holidays.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: But it was my first day off.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Graeme Boyd: On my Christmas holidays, right?

Larry Hryb: Yup.

Graeme Boyd: So, I was thinking, "Well, I do need to make sure that it's okay for him. And also, I'm no holiday, and I get to go see, um, Star Wars: The Force Awakened when it first opened."

Laura Massey: Star Wars. Right. When it first opened.

Graeme Boyd: And I didn't ... I didn't tell him. I was keeping it a secret so that he wouldn't get upset.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: And what happened? The night before, he got ill. Which meant that my ticket for the cinema, which I had booked three months in advance, I couldn't use it.

Larry Hryb: Right. Was unused.

Graeme Boyd: I had to stay at home and look after him.

Larry Hryb: Oh. That's too bad.

Graeme Boyd: He was ill and ...

Jeff Rubenstein: That is such like, a kid thing. Like, you just have to get used to something is going to happen. Just like that.

Graeme Boyd: You now or anything.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: So, subsequently, have you seen it?

Graeme Boyd: I did see it. I saw it later that day.

Larry Hryb: And then ...

Graeme Boyd: My wife took pity on me and said I should go out the house and ...

Larry Hryb: And then how ... and you ... so, I'm sorry, so you deemed that it wasn't acceptable for your son, at this point. Is that what I'm ...

Graeme Boyd: Um, he hasn't seen it. I think it's probably all right, but I'm being careful with it.

Larry Hryb: The reason I ask is, um, is because I wanted to know if he was going to be excited, because the main character's name is Finn.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. He loves that.

Larry Hryb: Okay. That's why I was going with this.

Graeme Boyd: So, he was very, very excited about that, when that happened. And actually, we just got a cat recently, and I said to Finley, "What do you want to call the cat?"

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Graeme Boyd: And, um, he suggested Rey.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Laura Massey: Oh. Nice.

Graeme Boyd: Without any prompting.

Larry Hryb: Without any prompting?

Graeme Boyd: I was like, "This is my son."

Jeff Rubenstein: The marketing machine works.

Graeme Boyd: But then we found out that the cat, which we thought was a boy, was actually a girl. So ... it went back.

Jeff Rubenstein: It went back to Finn?

Larry Hryb: I was going to say, why didn't you just call it Raymond?

Graeme Boyd: Um, not a bad idea. With an "E".

Jeff Rubenstein: The E goes back to a Y and, um, you're in business.

Graeme Boyd: But, we've ended up with a cat called Boba Fett.

Larry Hryb: Also good. (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. Which is quite good when we get our documentation from the vet.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Graeme Boyd: You know, and it's got a nice picture of a cat on it and stuff, and at the bottom, it says, "Your cat's name is Boba Fett."

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Now who's going to talk less? The cat or actual Boba Fett? The cat only has like four words, and ...

Graeme Boyd: My favorite thing about it, as well is that every night when I'm like, you know because he's just a kitten and we're kind of keeping him closed in the kitchen at night. So every night I say, "Okay, have a nice sleep, Boba Fett. Behave. No disintegrations."

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Well done.

Laura Massey: There you go.

Graeme Boyd: My wife thinks it's hilarious every single time.

Larry Hryb: Well, there you go. Sounds like everything is great in the Boyd household. So, anyway, getting back to what you're playing. You're playing some Garden, um ... some Plants Vs. Zombies 2?

Graeme Boyd: Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2. I mean that's more me and Finn. I am still on the Fallout 4.

Larry Hryb: Have you finished?

Graeme Boyd: No, no.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Graeme Boyd: Nowhere near.

Larry Hryb: Okay. Because this half of the table has. Laura has not, to my knowledge.

Laura Massey: I have not. I'm generally taking [crosstalk 00:07:30].

Larry Hryb: How many hours are you in?

Laura Massey: 13, I think.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Jeff Rubenstein: Noob.

Larry Hryb: So, I'm ...

Laura Massey: Yeah, you have a hundred and something.

Larry Hryb: 130 or 40 now.

Laura Massey: I cannot even comprehend that.

Graeme Boyd: I am 50 plus hours.

Laura Massey: Wow.

Graeme Boyd: So, it's my most played game ... [crosstalk 00:07:41].

Larry Hryb: So, what I want to do is make sure ... yeah. So, you're enjoying it, though?

Graeme Boyd: I love it. I'm honestly head-over-heels in love with that game.

Larry Hryb: So, just remember. You really cannot go any further until you finish all of the quests from Preston. Okay?

Graeme Boyd: (laughs) Sure. Yeah.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:07:56]

Larry Hryb: They're completely endless.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, my goodness.

Laura Massey: You're basically doing his quests.

Graeme Boyd: That is the new "arrow to the knee," right?

Larry Hryb: Right.

Graeme Boyd: People in Preston turning up and saying, "Hey you've got another settlement."

Larry Hryb: Of course you do.

Graeme Boyd: So, yeah.

Larry Hryb: I just ignored him.

Laura Massey: For me, I feel addicted because that is my passion, is putting up the settlements.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Laura Massey: Can I farm more in that settlement? Yes! Yes I can. Okay. I'm sold the next two hours. That is what I'm doing.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, my son can wait. I've got empire building.

Laura Massey: Yes. I got to go.

Graeme Boyd: Well, you've got settlers to take care of. You've only got one son.

Jeff Rubenstein: This is true.

Graeme Boyd: So ...

Jeff Rubenstein: And he's just going to hate you anyway.

Graeme Boyd: And he's not getting attacked by zombies.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Did you do the USS Constitution side missions?

Graeme Boyd: Mmm.

Larry Hryb: I don't think I did that one.

Jeff Rubenstein: Those are ... that ... this is the best side ... the funniest moment in the game that I know of -

Graeme Boyd: Okay.

Jeff Rubenstein: - it's worth it to do the ... If you see at some point a ship on top of a building, go for it.

Graeme Boyd: Okay.

Jeff Rubenstein: And it will take you a couple of hours. It's a very cool set. And depending on the decisions you make, and if you're a good human, you will make the ... it's almost too much of a spoiler. Just do the right thing.

Graeme Boyd: Okay.

Jeff Rubenstein: And, um, and go with your heart and you will get a great moment.

Graeme Boyd: Good knowledge. All right. I'll bear that in mind.

Laura Massey: How long does that take, that moment?

Jeff Rubenstein: A couple of hours. You're going to get some cool weapons. I now have a, um, a cannon that I can fire.

Larry Hryb: As well you should.

Jeff Rubenstein: If you've ever picked up some cannon balls, that's where you get that cannon.

Laura Massey: You have a cannon?

Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. A breach loading ...

Graeme Boyd: [crosstalk 00:09:13]

Larry Hryb: Oh, no you haven't. No. You haven't seen the Constitution.

Laura Massey: Where is it?

Larry Hryb: It's anchored in Boston Harbor.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: And they take it out once they ... its a funny story. They actually take it out. It's, I think it's the oldest vessel in the US Navy, because I think it's still commissioned, like, you know, on paper, and they take it out once a year, and then they turn it around and they bring it back so that it's always ... so that every year they rotate sides that it's up against the dock.

Laura Massey: Oh.

Larry Hryb: So that it doesn't ... for whatever reason ...

Jeff Rubenstein: Old Iron sides.

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: Well, there you go.

Laura Massey: Is that what that ...?

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. So, apparently, the wood was flexible. I don't know what kind of wood they used, and apparently when they would shoot cannons at it, they would actually bounce off of the ship in some way. And that's where they ...

Larry Hryb: You know what we're going to do, Jeffrey?

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: When we go to PAX East, Laura ...

Laura Massey: We should take a tour.

Larry Hryb: We're going to go see the Constitution. Graeme, you're welcome to join us, if you'd like.

Graeme Boyd: Thanks. Sounds brilliant, yeah.

Larry Hryb: It's walking distance from the convention center.

Jeff Rubenstein: It is.

Laura Massey: Wow.

Graeme Boyd: I don't think we'd be talking about these old ships ...

Larry Hryb: Oh, that's the beauty [crosstalk 00:10:12].

Graeme Boyd: You never cued me up for this. I would've done some research.

Larry Hryb: Anyway, so you're playing Fallout. What else you got in there?

Graeme Boyd: So, before we came over, I guess we were streaming a few things. Far Cry Primal I was so impressed by.

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Graeme Boyd: Because I guess I ... Like I loved Far Cry 3.

Larry Hryb: Oh, boy.

Graeme Boyd: Didn't get too much into Far Cry 4, right?

Larry Hryb: Oh.

Jeff Rubenstein: Really?

Larry Hryb: Jeff and I devoured that thing.

Jeff Rubenstein: Every bit. Including all the DLC.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Every side mission and everything. We were, we were, pretty good in that gyro-copter.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: Death from above!

Graeme Boyd: I should've given it more time, but there was so much other stuff going on at the time.

Jeff Rubenstein: I keep waiting for Pagan Minh to show up in Far Cry Primal, speaking, you know, Wenja.

Graeme Boyd: Right. Well there is a few ... there's a few callbacks, isn't there?

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, I haven't got that far in.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, there's a few Easter eggs, and things like that.

Larry Hryb: Apparently you take the Far Cry 4 map, and overlay it to the Far Cry Primal map, and they're pretty much the same.

Graeme Boyd: Oh, really?

Larry Hryb: That's a ... (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: I just feel like the world and the time works really well for Far Cry.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: You know, just bringing in the animals more, like that. The fact that your character is already established as a hunter and a bit if a bad ass who can handle himself rather than this person who didn't know how to do any of all that and then suddenly becoming this like ...

Jeff Rubenstein: Was a hipster who all of the sudden can gun down hundreds of people.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, incredibly proficient hunting, um, I think works really Well. So, yeah. I was enjoying that. And then, Rocket League.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh!

Larry Hryb: Oh!

Laura Massey: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: It's so good.

Graeme Boyd: Unbelievable, yeah.

Larry Hryb: I knew it would be good.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: I didn't know it would be that good.

Graeme Boyd: I know.

Larry Hryb: Instantly. Within the first match, it was like, you're laughing maniacally.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: One of the few games when I ... When I get ... when we get our butts kicked in Halo, which is not an irregular occurrence, you can get down on yourself.

Laura Massey: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: I rage quit.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: Yeah. It doesn't happen in Rocket League. We lose, and it's like, you learn.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: And you just, "Okay, I can't stop playing."

Graeme Boyd: When it's that quick, the way you can just keep cycling through games so quickly, as well. You know.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. We played ... we played last night, and we ... Jeff and I, and who was it? Triton, um, Chapley. We just had a couple of ... just a lot of great moments. So, Laura, you must join us.

Laura Massey: Yes.

Larry Hryb: You must join us.

Laura Massey: I can hang around in the back.

Larry Hryb: No! No. You just jump right in.

Laura Massey: I just freak out about not scoring a goal.

Jeff Rubenstein: Come on. No! And it's ... it just ... I don't know. It just seems to be a very lighthearted game.

Larry Hryb: Just drive at the ball, or where you think the ball is going to be, boost and jump. You'll figure something out.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: It's cool for a team game, though as well.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: There is definitely place on a team for someone who does sit back.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Jeff Rubenstein: And defend.

Larry Hryb: Well yeah. We have a goalkeeper, you know where it rotates accordingly ...

Graeme Boyd: It's so much better when you play like that. Love it.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Anyway, so yeah. Rocket League. Completely agree.

Graeme Boyd: Good. Thank you.

Larry Hryb: I have ... I ... No, I cannot talk about it yet, can I?

Jeff Rubenstein: Not yet. Not yet.

Larry Hryb: Oh. Not yet.

Laura Massey: Little secrets.

Larry Hryb: Soon. Rocket League. What else?

Graeme Boyd: Oh, come on. I've given you like four or five things, here.

Larry Hryb: I just want to make ... No that's fine. I just want to make sure you're covered, that's all.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, that's the main ... that's the main stuff. Finley is going back through another Minecraft phase at the moment, so I'm splendid a lot of time, um, in creative mode.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: Playing Minecraft with him.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: But, yeah.

Larry Hryb: There you go. That's enough. Laura, what about you? You've been busy as well.

Laura Massey: Yeah. It has been a long time since we've been on this show ... or I've been on this show. I think it's been about two weeks?

Larry Hryb: It has been.

Laura Massey: So, I have a long queue of things to get through. So ...

Larry Hryb: Please join us sometimes.

Laura Massey: Rocket League, Diablo III, I'll skip us past those, like you do, and I've played a lot of Oxenfree. I think I let on to where you finished it.

Larry Hryb: Yes. Phenomenal game. Way up there. Way up there.

Laura Massey: It's really good, and then its a nice peaceful game, and it slowly, slowly gets dark.

Larry Hryb: Is it? (laughs)

Laura Massey: And it just drops into the pit as just a really dark game. Like ...

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Laura Massey: Pretty scary.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, Larry finished it as well, yeah.

Larry Hryb: I told you you were going to like this.

Laura Massey: Yeah. It's ... I really enjoyed it. And, we talked, I think, about it last year when I had just started getting into it, but I've almost finished it. I'm right at the end where you get your final piece of hardware to help you get through.

Larry Hryb: Be careful. Be careful.

Jeff Rubenstein: Well then you don't have too much left. Yeah.

Laura Massey: I'm going around.

Larry Hryb: Have you played this yet, Graeme?

Graeme Boyd: No.

Larry Hryb: It's a wonderful story that you just start playing and then it takes ... it takes some very dark turns. We'll just say that.

Graeme Boyd: Okay.

Laura Massey: And ...

Graeme Boyd: I've got it on my list.

Laura Massey: Yeah. I didn't realize it was going to get so dark. Because I was playing by myself, at night, with no lights on, and then [crosstalk 00:14:13].

Jeff Rubenstein: What are you doing? Oh, that's the best way.

Larry Hryb: Are you the type of person when you're at home by yourself, and you hear this sound, you're like, "Gee. I wonder what that is? I'm going to go investigate."

Laura Massey: Yes.

Larry Hryb: Are you stupid movie girl?

Laura Massey: That's me.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: But, you're not!

Laura Massey: I have to go find out what that was.

Larry Hryb: That's just smart. That's vigilant behavior. Okay.

Laura Massey: Diligence.

Jeff Rubenstein: Do you have a basement?

Laura Massey: No. [crosstalk 00:14:36]

Larry Hryb: Okay good that's probably for the best.

Laura Massey: So, then I'm cool. All safe.

Larry Hryb: Or, how about an attic?

Laura Massey: I do have an attic.

Larry Hryb: Oh.

Laura Massey: I know.

Larry Hryb: Creeps in the attic. But, okay.

Laura Massey: So, I really want to finish it to see the ending, because you said it was ...

Larry Hryb: We need to talk it. I want to know how things ended up for you, because I've talked to a few different people and ... vastly different outcomes. It actually tells you, much like a Telltale story would, um, if your outcome ... where you fit on the ... on the pie charts.

Laura Massey: Oh, it shows you the different outcomes?

Jeff Rubenstein: How other folks ended up.

Graeme Boyd: I like that.

Laura Massey: Oh. That alone makes me want to finish it.

Graeme Boyd: What sort of percentile where you in?

Larry Hryb: Um, some of them I was in the majority, but there were a few enemies I made that other people were a little more diplomatic.

Jeff Rubenstein: That's diplomatically said.

Graeme Boyd: That's interesting.

Laura Massey: Interesting.

Larry Hryb: I was happy with the way things ended up.

Jeff Rubenstein: I was pleased as well.

Graeme Boyd: It would be good if you got that at the end of every day at work, wouldn't it?

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: You know, a little rundown of ...

Laura Massey: How you did?

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: Here's your report card?

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs) 32% of people thought that email was a bit terse.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Oh. All right.

Laura Massey: But again, that game really impresses me because throughout the entire time I'm playing it, I really felt like I had a choice and could change the outcome of all of the different situations that I was in. Just because of the way that the conversation system works.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Laura Massey: And the way the game design felt.

Larry Hryb: I love ...

Laura Massey: So, very impressed.

Larry Hryb: I, I, I ... I'm ... You know, the Telltale games are great, they just never really flipped my switch, but this one just grabbed me. I was like, "What am I doing?" Remember I was texting? I'm like, "What am I doing? This is not me," and I was like, "I cannot stop it."

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). And you just went all the way through and finished it?

Larry Hryb: I went all the way through.

Jeff Rubenstein: It did ... and, um, since you started playing, or since our last, um, cast, it has come out for Windows 10. And, it can run on a pretty, um ...

Larry Hryb: Mid range.

Jeff Rubenstein: Mid range computer. You don't have to have a big rig to run it, so I ... you know, it's all about the story and it's highly recommended.

Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:16:17] maybe I'll play it again. Because I've got some travelling coming up.

Jeff Rubenstein: It has achievements, too.

Larry Hryb: I'll throw it on my Surface Pro.

Graeme Boyd: Well, I've got ... I've got a flight today.

Larry Hryb: Oh!

Laura Massey: Yeah!

Graeme Boyd: Back home.

Larry Hryb: What are you doing?

Graeme Boyd: I could stick it on there.

Larry Hryb: Yes you could!

Graeme Boyd: [crosstalk 00:16:26] and play it on the way home. That's a brilliant idea.

Larry Hryb: That's exactly so.

Laura Massey: There you go. That'll be fun.

Graeme Boyd: Speaking of scary games ...

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Graeme Boyd: Has anyone played Layers of Fear?

Laura Massey: No.

Larry Hryb: No, I have not.

Graeme Boyd: Oh.

Jeff Rubenstein: That's proper scary, and I'm

Graeme Boyd: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: Whereas this is more creepy.

Graeme Boyd: Super, super creepy. Dark. Yeah. It's from a Polish studio called Bloomer Team.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Graeme Boyd: And, um ...

Larry Hryb: Where is it? What's it on?

Graeme Boyd: It's on Xbox One.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Graeme Boyd: It's an ID game.

Larry Hryb: That's right.

Graeme Boyd: Maybe a week and a half ago? Two weeks ago?

Larry Hryb: Let's put a link up there, Jeffrey.

Graeme Boyd: and it's a ... it's a first person, you know, explore 'em up. Um, with just a ton of jump scares, but this really sort of atmospheric ...

Larry Hryb: Jump scares? Is that ... Is that a term?

Graeme Boyd: Absolutely.

Laura Massey: Yeah. Jump scares.

Graeme Boyd: Jump scares.

Larry Hryb: That's like in a movie where it's like [dun 00:17:04]!

Graeme Boyd: Its a genre. It's a genre, pretty much.

Laura Massey: Oh, really?

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. Um, but it's set in like ... well, I haven't played all the way through it, right? So, I think it's going to mess with your point of view on the narrative and who you are as a character. But, its the story of a painter who goes a bit insane. So, it plays with your perception a lot, you know and the environment changes in ways you don't expect it to, and there's lots of jump scares. Um, and they sent me this ... um, it was like a review kit, and it comes in a big artist's wooden, um, case.

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Graeme Boyd: And it looks pretty normal from there.

Larry Hryb: Like you put your paints in and you paintbrush, right?

Graeme Boyd: Exactly. Right, right. It looks pretty normal from the outside, and you open it up, and its just full of the creepiest weirdest things.

Larry Hryb: Like what? Do tell.

Laura Massey: Whoa. What?

Graeme Boyd: So, there's, um, there's a ceramic doll's, like arm.

Larry Hryb: Oh.

Graeme Boyd: Um, the inside of the box is all, like, painted in splashes and there's like a pretty creepy message on the back. I think it says something like, "What if you fail?" There's, Like all these [crosstalk 00:18:02]

Larry Hryb: Did you post photos of this?

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. They're on my Twitter feed.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, it was last week. There's like a little glass jar with a like, severed finger in it.

Larry Hryb: Oh. Pleasant.

Graeme Boyd: With a little note on it that says, "For finishing touches."

Larry Hryb: Oh.

Laura Massey: Oh!

Larry Hryb: That's kind of unpleasant.

Graeme Boyd: Um, and I didn't realize it at the time, that all this stuff actually relates to-

Larry Hryb: Sure. To the game. Game play.

Graeme Boyd: -the game and his art in the game.

Larry Hryb: Ah.

Graeme Boyd: Um, so yeah. If you like jump scares, um, and you like that kind of atmosphere, then that's a good one. If you don't, then you should probably avoid it, because ...

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Me and Claire actually played it together on a stream.

Larry Hryb: You did? I missed that.

Graeme Boyd: And she ... yeah. Well, it's on archive.

Larry Hryb: You know, yeah. I'll have to go look at it. You've ... well, the challenge is when you guys are doing a stream, you tend to do them earlier in the morning, our time.

Graeme Boyd: That's right, yeah.

Larry Hryb: When we're busy and doing our stuff, so ...

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: Time zones.

Graeme Boyd: Well, I can try and change it.

Larry Hryb: No, no. Don't change it for me.

Graeme Boyd: I can change it all for you.

Larry Hryb: Don't change it for me. I'll go look at the archive. Do you jump?

Graeme Boyd: Um, so ... Claire definitely was.

Larry Hryb: But she is ... can be jumpy.

Graeme Boyd: I was jumping more at her. I think the first scream, our producer almost had to go at hospital afterwards.

Larry Hryb: Really?

Graeme Boyd: Because he had his headphones on, I think turned up a little bit too high.

Larry Hryb: Oh. Whoops.

Graeme Boyd: He just about collapsed. In the [crosstalk 00:19:12].

Laura Massey: Oh, no.

Graeme Boyd: And that was ... That was her just turning on a light switch. And I was like, "If that's you turning on a light switch, and having a jump at that on a screen, then, you know."

Larry Hryb: You're in for a long haul.

Graeme Boyd: Jesus help us. Yeah.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Graeme Boyd: But, yeah. It's good fun, so it's definitely worth checking out, yeah.

Larry Hryb: I'm sorry. So, we're back to you, Laura. Sorry.

Laura Massey: Okay. So, other games I've been playing.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Laura Massey: There's a few Windows games. PC games. And I think, Jeff you mentioned this one, but I got really into The Witness.

Graeme Boyd: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Laura Massey: The really hardcore puzzle game.

Larry Hryb: Oh, I know.

Jeff Rubenstein: It's pretty phenomenal.

Laura Massey: It's a very well done, crafted, puzzle experience. Because it's just right up my street, of, there's no instructions, you just get put on an island and you have to figure out how to do the puzzles.

Larry Hryb: Did you play Myst?

Laura Massey: No.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Laura Massey: Is it similar?

Larry Hryb: Um, it ... It's the obviously ... Obviously The Witness is much more ... I have not played The Witness, so ...

Laura Massey: You haven't played it yet?

Larry Hryb: But from everything I've described, it feels like it's like a next-gen version of Myst. So ...

Laura Massey: Okay.

Larry Hryb: I do need to play it, but I just haven't had a chance.

Laura Massey: Yeah. It's fantastic with it's puzzle design. I have to give it to the designers there.

Larry Hryb: No spoilers!

Laura Massey: No spoilers. But, I will give a tip, which is: If you do decide to play the game, and you come across a puzzle that you don't know how to solve, don't get frustrated.

Larry Hryb: Can they ask you?

Laura Massey: Yeah. If you hit me up on Twitter, I'll do spoiler for you if you want.

Larry Hryb: Build an app.

Laura Massey: But, don't get frustrated. Take a step aside. Try something else, and if you still need more help, there is a boat on the island that you can get on and it will show you a map where it's got the different symbols.

Larry Hryb: And will it take me to Simple Island?

Laura Massey: No. (laughs)

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Laura Massey: There are 13 islands or something on the, um ... 13 areas on the island, and each area will start with a particular symbol that is sort of the key theme for that puzzle set.

Larry Hryb: I see.

Laura Massey: So, if you find that symbol, usually you can find the area that's the tutorial for that symbol.

Larry Hryb: Okay. I see.

Laura Massey: So, there are really simple puzzles that have that symbol [crosstalk 00:21:08]

Larry Hryb: I see. So there's a puzzle ... there's actually a little quasi mini puzzle to solve the puzzles?

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: To help to solve the puzzles.

Laura Massey: Yes. There's the tutorial area.

Larry Hryb: You get that Graeme?

Graeme Boyd: Just about, yeah. Okay.

Larry Hryb: All right? So, the Witness.

Laura Massey: Very well done. Super fun.

Larry Hryb: And again, the problem that I have is ...

Graeme Boyd: [crosstalk 00:21:21]

Larry Hryb: The problem that I have is, with The Witness, is whenever ... you know I heard it ... you know, they were going to call it The Witness, all I can think of is the Infocom game. From 19 ... I think it's like ... Look it up, Jeff. I think it's 1987? Called The Witness.

Jeff Rubenstein: Did it star Harrison Ford and an Amish family?

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: No. This was actually a text adventure from Infocom.

Graeme Boyd: Text adventure?

Laura Massey: Really?

Larry Hryb: And you were in like late 30s, early 40s Hollywood, and you had to solve a murder.

Jeff Rubenstein: Ah. Like LA Noir.

Laura Massey: Oh, that sounds fun.

Larry Hryb: Am I close to the date?

Jeff Rubenstein: What year did you say?

Larry Hryb: 1987.

Jeff Rubenstein: 1983.

Larry Hryb: Wow.

Laura Massey: Ooh.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Jeff Rubenstein: You played it in 1987.

Larry Hryb: Whatever. Anyway, so that's ... The Witness is ... I'm sure it's available somewhere. It's an Infocom game, so ...

Laura Massey: Cool.

Larry Hryb: The Witness.

Laura Massey: Super fun.

Larry Hryb: 2016 Edition.

Graeme Boyd: You know, Myst was my first ever CD-ROM game on PC.

Larry Hryb: It was the killer app for CD-ROMs.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. I don't think I played it very much, though. I got stuck and there was no boat.

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:22:14]

Larry Hryb: And if you cannot figure the puzzle out, all you do is kind of walk around and look at the beautiful island.

Laura Massey: I see.

Larry Hryb: And there's not much else to do.

Laura Massey: And then you're done.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, there's the telescope. Yup.

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Anyway ... what else you got?

Laura Massey: Another game I'm playing on Windows is a game called Firewatch.

Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:22:30]

Jeff Rubenstein: I also heard great things to that, yeah.

Laura Massey: Oh, okay. So, for those who don't know what it is, it is a adventure storytelling game, where you are a guy who gets a job, I think in Wyoming, to sit in a tower all day and watch for fires. And the only thing you have to communicate ...

Larry Hryb: Which let's just be clear, people used to do back in the day, and I think they still do somewhere in the Midwestern United States.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). And the only thing that you have, as this character, to communicate is a walkie talkie. And the only person that can communicate to you is a woman in another tower.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Laura Massey: And then you ... you know, you go about your duties, and you find something in the list and you go and investigate it. And, if you ... it's interesting introspective of, like, relationships of you and this woman in the tower, plus how you ...

Larry Hryb: Now, do you ever meet the woman, or is she just the woman at the other end of the walkie talkie?

Laura Massey: I think I'm almost out of the game and I've never met her.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Laura Massey: Don't know. So, she's just a voice.

Larry Hryb: So, I see.

Laura Massey: But, she can see you, because she's in another tower ...

Larry Hryb: Right.

Laura Massey: And ...

Larry Hryb: Creepy.

Laura Massey: Yeah. They're ... so, it does get a little creepy at times. But, it's I think an interesting story. So, if you like story based games ...

Larry Hryb: Yup.

Laura Massey: This game is-

Larry Hryb: It's beautiful, too.

Jeff Rubenstein: It looks amazing. [crosstalk 00:23:36]

Larry Hryb: So, we've got that game, we've got the witness, and we have ... look at this. We're finding you all this stuff to do on your flight back.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh. I've got another one.

Graeme Boyd: This is going to cost me a fortune.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: And I'm supposed to sleep on this flight back, as well.

Larry Hryb: That's right. Because you have to work tomorrow.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: Oh, God!

Graeme Boyd: Um ... I think ... yeah. I think it will be all right.

Larry Hryb: I think you'll be fine. Um, all right. So, we'll finish up with you, Laura and we'll get to Jeffrey. What are you playing? I don't want to rush you along.

Laura Massey: Oh, no. That's fine. Um, I think that's about it. All I can remember anyway.

Larry Hryb: It's a lot. That's a lot. That's a lot of them. You've been busy for a couple of weeks. Jeffrey, and then I'll bring up the rear, and then we'll get into Mr. Spencer.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I would say that the month of February has been, as someone who's a strategy RPG fan, one of the best months ever, maybe.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: A, um, XCOM 2.

Laura Massey: Oh, yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: I've been playing on my Windows PC. It's so good.

Laura Massey: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: In fact, I need to put you in the game. Because I've been putting in most of my co-workers. Larry is a Ranger.

Larry Hryb: Yes!

Jeff Rubenstein: A sword wielding Ranger.

Larry Hryb: Yeah!

Laura Massey: Nice.

Larry Hryb: Yeah!

Graeme Boyd: Obviously.

Jeff Rubenstein: With Xbox green body armor. And you were recently promoted to the level of Major.

Larry Hryb: Thank you.

Jeff Rubenstein: So, Major Major Nelson. Although now, you've since capped out at Captain, Major Nelson. Phil's on the team, as well and is the only other person who's lived long enough to reach the captain rank. He's a sniper with, um, aviator sunglasses and a bandanna. Full commando style.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Graeme Boyd: More imprtantly, who have you lost?

Larry Hryb: Oh, boy.

Jeff Rubenstein: Who have I lost? All right. So, the reason I started putting in co-workers, is, um, so Rod Ferguson, the impresario of Gears up in Vancouver, um, he had mentioned that, you know, hew would try to not get me killed, and I was like, "Oh. Well I've got to put Rod in there. And then I'm going to start putting ... I'll put in Craig Duncan from Rare."

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: So, um, Rod was killed in the first battle.

Laura Massey: Oh, wow.

Larry Hryb: Wow.

Jeff Rubenstein: He took out two, um, Sectoids, and then they took him out for good.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Laura Massey: Oh.

Jeff Rubenstein: But it was great because he had the beard and everything.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, I've lost him, I lost, um, Will, the, um, editor of Xbox wire.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, I have lost, um, I've lost various members of the Xbox PR team.

Laura Massey: Oh.

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, you know, I did what I could for them, but, there was not enough.

Graeme Boyd: [crosstalk 00:25:30]

Jeff Rubenstein: But I did lose Larry in a battle and I had to reload.

Graeme Boyd: Do you have Laura in the game?

Jeff Rubenstein: Laura's not in the game yet ... here's the thing. I want you to ... I haven't put my family in ... I did. I eventually had to put my brother in, because I'm running out of friends. I'm running out of co-workers.

Larry Hryb: Get Graeme in there.

Jeff Rubenstein: Graeme and Laura will ...

Graeme Boyd: Thanks for having me so far down the list. I appreciate that.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: He's protecting you.

Graeme Boyd: That's how I'm going to [crosstalk 00:25:51].

Larry Hryb: He doesn't give anything about me. Sending me in there to ...

Jeff Rubenstein: You were in there for the beginning. They have your glasses. The glasse4s you're wearing there. There's those thick rimmed glasses.

Larry Hryb: Death machine.

Jeff Rubenstein: And, um, and they're in there. So ...

Larry Hryb: Wow.

Laura Massey: They've helped you stay alive.

Jeff Rubenstein: You may look a little bit like Craig Duncan.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: (laughs) I think Craig is a very handsome man.

Jeff Rubenstein: But, there are like nine different UK accents, so I'll see if there's anything with more of a lilt and that will be you.

Graeme Boyd: Okay. Nice.

Jeff Rubenstein: Do you have a preference? Do you want to be a sniper, a grenadier, a ranger?

Larry Hryb: What's your jam?

Graeme Boyd: Um, the rangers sound cool.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Well, but ...

Graeme Boyd: I wouldn't ... you know, so I haven't played XCOM 2, but you know I'm a huge XCOM fan.

Larry Hryb: Another game you can play on your way back. (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, well ... I've ruined XCOM so much. Um, but Snipers were always very valuable to me.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, very much so.

Graeme Boyd: So, if you want to make me a dead-eye, [crosstalk 00:26:36].

Jeff Rubenstein: All right. I'll make you one of those. You'll be right behind Ryan Trite, our video editor.

Graeme Boyd: All right.

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, if he's unable to fulfill his duties, due to being riddled with bullets, you're the next recruit.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, then the other one is, um, Fire Emblem, um, which the new Fire Emblem just came out. I'm a huge ... um, that's a system seller for me. I bought a 3DS four years ago, for Fire Emblem Awakening, and then it ... I'd follow [crosstalk 00:27:00]

Larry Hryb: I have a DS, I can't find the power adapter.

Jeff Rubenstein: I have an extra one if you want.

Larry Hryb: We can talk about that later.

Jeff Rubenstein: So, I ended up ... I had it, and I started playing. I was down in LA visiting a YouTube space for an indie gaming event, actually, a couple weeks ago.

Larry Hryb: That's right.

Jeff Rubenstein: And, um, I ended up leaving it on a plane.

Laura Massey: No!

Jeff Rubenstein: And, um, which is heartbreaking.

Larry Hryb: What?

Laura Massey: Yes!

Jeff Rubenstein: And I gave it a week. I ... you know, I filed a report and everything, and it's not showing up, and so, it's once again a system seller, I rebought another 3DS this week.

Laura Massey: Oh, my goodness.

Jeff Rubenstein: Because Fire Emblem Fates, it's called.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: Quite excellent.

Larry Hryb: So, if you travel between LA and Seattle on Alaskan, and you happen to pick this thing ...

Jeff Rubenstein: Just look in the pocket. Look in the side pocket. If there's a blue DS there, please send to [email protected]

Larry Hryb: @Xbox.com. Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, at this point, you know, keep it with my compliments. So .... um ...

Larry Hryb: Do you have any hints for it? Because obviously you've got your save game on there, as well.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, yeah. I couldn't transfer the save game. I will say customer service was very nice, but I ain't getting that save game back. There's only so much they can do. All the cut scenes.

So, um, one game ... we were actually talking about history and boats and everything, so, a historical game I know you've been playing ...

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: Reagan Gorbachev.

Larry Hryb: Have you heard of this game?

Laura Massey: No. Tell me about it.

Graeme Boyd: I've heard of it but I haven't seen it.

Larry Hryb: It is way better than I thought it would be, because I like to check out all the indie games. I was seeing that and like I was starting playing this, and it was ... I was incredsibly surprised by it. Essentially what it is, you've got two characters, Reagan and Gorbachev, and they have to break out of jail together.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: Um, so if you're playing by yourself, then you can switch between the two characters and each one has different powers. Um, powers. They have different skills.

Graeme Boyd: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: Reagan has a, um, has a katana.

Graeme Boyd: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: As you may remember him.

Graeme Boyd: Right.

Jeff Rubenstein: And, um, Gorbachev has, like a dart gun.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Yeah. So, it's ...

Jeff Rubenstein: Which we all know.

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:28:34]

Larry Hryb: Anyway, so you have to ... and so you have to navigate and the goal is to get out of this particular section of the ... the prison as quickly as possible, so you have to go through the ... and I just keep playing it. I'm like 10 or 12 levels in. And its got awesome trivia in between. Who's taller, and whatnot.

Jeff Rubenstein: I got a 100 point achievement for correctly answering questions about the cold war.

Larry Hryb: That's the other thing I want to say is that, it gives up the gamer score real easy.

Laura Massey: Nice.

Jeff Rubenstein: Okay. I'm on it. It's very Hotline Miami-esque. So, if you've played Hotline Miami, and you want more 80s jokes, then, um, Reagan Gorbachev is your game.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. So, it was a lot of fun, and it was, um ... anyway, if you play ... obviously, if you're playing together, then someone controls Reagan and the other ... we should stream that one, Laura.

Laura Massey: Okay. That could be fun.

Larry Hryb: So we can talk Reagan Gorbachev history.

Laura Massey: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: Um, so, anyway, that's, um ... you're right. That one is a lot more fun than I thought it would be.

Jeff Rubenstein: And then the other one is, I wanted to call out, because, um, Far Cry Primal, we've talked about it a little bit, but you had ... I know you love base building.

Laura Massey: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: And, um, I'm about two hours in, I learned how to tame a wolf, and then the next thing I know, I come back to ... I'm starting to ... you're helping this group of cave peoples, um, sort of reassert their ownership of this territory, and you're essentially building up a village. And, so it's like, "Get this amount of supplies, and you can build this cave to level ..."

Laura Massey: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: So, all of a ... your eyes just bugged out.

Laura Massey: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: And I did the same thing. I was like, "Oh, now you've figured out the buttons to push.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: And so, yes. That's what I'm ...

Laura Massey: Now you're hooked.

Jeff Rubenstein: I'm killing all the deer. And I can send my wolf to kill the deer.

Graeme Boyd: It's [crosstalk 00:30:00] isn't it?

Jeff Rubenstein: It's almost like they had post mates, or you know, Amazon Fresh back in the caveman days.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Just have a wolf do all the work for you.

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:30:07]

Graeme Boyd: Have you figured out how to train your owl and your wolf together?

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, yeah. So you have the ...

Graeme Boyd: How cool is that?

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. So you can send the owl flying through the air, you hit the left bumper, maybe, and it sends the wold after it.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. Sends the wolf in.

Jeff Rubenstein: It's ...

Graeme Boyd: It's very cool. It's like having a personal UAV.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Graeme Boyd: That's linked to your wolf. I cannot think of a UAV style analogy for the wolf. And sp, you know, it kind of takes the game right out of you, in first person mode, and lets you be a total master of your environment.

Laura Massey: Awesome.

Jeff Rubenstein: A warg, like you would see in, um, Game of Thrones, right?

Graeme Boyd: There you go.

Jeff Rubenstein: If you've ever wanted to be, you know, John Snow, here's your chance.

Larry Hryb: Anything else?

Jeff Rubenstein: That's it.

Larry Hryb: Ah. So, I'll quickly ... I think I mentioned this, I finished unravel, um, did you finish unravel?

Laura Massey: I did as well.

Larry Hryb: I adored it. I mean, I had such a great time. It's so beautiful. In fact, see, Yarnie is right up there.

Laura Massey: Yarnie is up there.

Graeme Boyd: Did you make him?

Larry Hryb: That particular one, no. Reev, our editor, did that one. I gave him the kit. He was really into unravel. He was like watching the videos and he couldn't wait to get it, so when they ... when EA sent me the little make your own Yarnie Kit, I walked right over to the studio, I said, "Dude, this is you."

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: So, he made it.

Laura Massey: And he did a ... he did a very good job.

Larry Hryb: Excellent job.

Laura Massey: I like Yarnie.

Larry Hryb: So, of course I did that, um, I've been playing a lot of Rocket League, we talked about Halo 5 Guardians, you know they've got a brand new update, now. I know you've seen this, and I think I tweeted this, as well. Are you aware of what they did with the latest content update, Laura?

Laura Massey: No I'm not. Tell me.

Larry Hryb: Okay. I'm ... are you sure you want to know?

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Laura Massey: That face is telling me no.

Larry Hryb: So, it's a sad story.

Laura Massey: Okay.

Larry Hryb: So, there's unfortunately a member of the Halo community, um, this gentleman lost two young girls in a house fire.

Laura Massey: Oh, no.

Larry Hryb: And the Halo team was struggling with what to do to, you know, there's only so much ... you can never replace life like that. And what they did was they memorialized the girls in-game in a very beautiful way. There's a background that you can get, which is free. Um, it's got two little stars on it for the girls, and then in this particular map, that is new, it's free ...

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: When you look up at the stars, the girls names are written in stars.

Laura Massey: Oh, wow.

Larry Hryb: So, it's really a beautiful ... have you seen this yet, Graeme?

Graeme Boyd: No.

Larry Hryb: It's just ... It's ...

Jeff Rubenstein: I have a link to the story.

Larry Hryb: Story. Yeah. The Halo way point posted a story, but they really didn't ... they didn't publicize it, because they just didn't ...

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. That's so nice.

Larry Hryb: But, it was such an emotional ... I mean it's the worst thing that could ever happen to a family, and then to be able to, to, for 343 to do this in such a wonderful way, it's so delicious. It's just great. They just did such a wonderful job.

Graeme Boyd: Hey. Good on them

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Good on them. So, anyway, so I'm playing some Halo 5, um, I'm playing a little bit of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition for Windows 10. That's out this week.

Laura Massey: Oh right. That came out.

Larry Hryb: We announced it this week and surprise! It's available!

Laura Massey: Yay.

Larry Hryb: So, I'm playing that. Um, Reagan Vs. Gorbachev, Far Cry Primal, Flame and the Flood, which, I think you'd like that, Laura.

Laura Massey: What's it about?

Larry Hryb: Jeffrey?

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: So, you are, um, you're seemingly a camper, who, um, I don't know what happens. Something cataclysmic, naturally seems to have happened.

Laura Massey: Mmm.

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, I don't have any story, but you, um, you ran out of supplies. Everything is flooded, and so you build a raft. You have a dock. And, um, you just are trying to survive. So then you build a raft, you go down to the next island, it has day and night cycles, and it's very, um, sort of procedurally generated, so you get off at a stop and there may be great supplies, or there may be a wolf waiting for you. And, um, you sort of have to do your best to craft things, and stay alive.

Larry Hryb: And stay alive.

Laura Massey: Great survival game. Very cool.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: But it has a cool aesthetic, and I kind of like the music that plays when you're on the raft. It's like a ... like the EX Ambassadors did an acoustic set, or something.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: It's very cool.

Larry Hryb: So, I played a little bit of that, um, some other games I've played are ... This ... I just keep going back to it, is the Witcher.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh.

Laura Massey: Oh!

Larry Hryb: I need to do that.

Graeme Boyd: Me too.

Larry Hryb: I love that. Anyway, and then the other one, which surprised me, I totally forgot about was Overlord: Fellowship of Evil. I played ...

Laura Massey: They have another game?

Larry Hryb: Yes. Right?

Laura Massey: Yeah. I didn't know it came out!

Larry Hryb: The Overlord! Remember that with the little apes?

Laura Massey: Yes. I ... [inaudible 00:34:03].

Larry Hryb: Yes, yes. They were on 360, there was a couple of those, and I totally forgot about it. It was over in my game library, and I was like, "Oh, my God." And I just started playing it. It's a little different than the other ones.

Laura Massey: Okay.

Larry Hryb: I didn't realize you liked Overlord. I love those games.

Laura Massey: Yeah. See, we're ... (laughs)

Larry Hryb: The voice ... the voice ... anyway, so ... that's kind of what I'm playing, right now. Actually, I have another personal moment that I want to share with you all.

Jeff Rubenstein: Mmm.

Laura Massey: Okay.

Larry Hryb: Um, I ... I put this on, if you follow me on Xbox live, I posted over there. Apparently, I'm the first person on Xbox Live to pass one million followers.

Laura Massey: Wow.

Graeme Boyd: That's awesome.

Larry Hryb: So, it's um ... I noticed that, um, when I went in earlier this week, that I'm now, um, 104 million people ... or, 1,040,000 or some ridiculous number.

Graeme Boyd: 104 million?

Larry Hryb: 104 million.

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:34:47]

Jeff Rubenstein: That's why every achievement has 500 likes.

Larry Hryb: Anyway, so that's why I'm ... I'm just very excited about that. By the way, I don't know why, but I just adde4d you as a friend. For some reason we weren't friends on Xbox Live.

Laura Massey: How is that possible?

Graeme Boyd: Because you've been, like, dissing me for however many ... like 10 years.

Larry Hryb: So, I'm going to warn you.

Graeme Boyd: Can you follow me on Twitter as well?

Larry Hryb: I'm going to warn you ...

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: That's a no.

Larry Hryb: (laughs) AceyBongos on Twitter.

Graeme Boyd: There you go, yeah.

Larry Hryb: But, um, it's um ... I'm going to warn you, I added you, so it shows up ... so there's a lot of ... you're going to get lot of random messages.

Laura Massey: Oh, I see. Because it shows up in your feed.

Larry Hryb: Laura ... Laura ... Well, Laura ...

Graeme Boyd: That's fine.

Larry Hryb: Okay ... just ... By the way, that's one part of it. The other thing I need to ... because I'm following your ... you know, we're connected on Xbox Live now, your gamer tag may or may not appear in some future videos. Do ... (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Oh, that's okay.

Larry Hryb: So ...

Graeme Boyd: Don't worry about that.

Jeff Rubenstein: Lego Star Wars will be showing up.

Larry Hryb: A lot.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. Yeah.

Graeme Boyd: Lego Star Wars 4.

Larry Hryb: All right, well that's kind of what we're playing.

Graeme Boyd: I cannot wait.

Larry Hryb: We're going to take a break right now, and, um, we're going to get Phil Spencer, we're going to talk to Phil Spencer. An interview I did with him, um, recently, and I want to also talk about all the news we had this week. So, her we go.

Laura Massey: Yeah. Let's hear that.

Larry Hryb: As promised, joining us here in the studio ... Well, joining me in the studio, is Phil Spencer. Hi Phil!

Phil Spencer: Hey there. How are you?

Larry Hryb: Good to see you. Sorry we couldn't have you in with the rest of the gang.

Phil Spencer: I know!

Larry Hryb: They were kind of bummed that they missed you.

Phil Spencer: If I cannot sit down with Laura and have a discussion ... Laura's a great person to talk to.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, I know. Well, so is Graeme. (laughs)

Phil Spencer: Oh, yeah. I forgot about Graeme. No.

Larry Hryb: We've got Jeff and me. Apparently. Okay. But anyway, it's good to see you, man. It was a busy week last week for Xbox.

Phil Spencer: Yeah, yeah.

Larry Hryb: And this week.

Phil Spencer: It's, um, it's always a busy time around here, which is great. A lot of games coming out. Teams getting ready for, you know, summer.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: And products and obviously, showcase events.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, last week.

Larry Hryb: Lets talk about the showcase event, because a lot of really cool new came out of that. We had the big one ... one of the many big ones, which was, "Hey guys, guess what? Gears Ultimate, available now!"

Phil Spencer: Yeah! Yeah. And I know, um, there have been ... there's obviously been feedback on, um ... but overall with Gears, people seem really happy with it.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: There's feedback on AMD drivers, which I can say AMD and us, we heard were working the DX12 drivers-

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: -um, with AMD. Should get an update soon.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, obviously, we want people to feel great about the experience. It's ... um a lot of people have been buying in the Windows store, which is nice, and, um, it's always great to see Gears at 4k in 60 frames per second. It looks fantastic.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. It's a big boy. It was a lot of fun ... it just fun to go back in there. I was playing it on my home PC and it was just nice to be home again. (laughs)

Phil Spencer: Yeah. Yeah. We were looking at the numbers. It's also been cool to see how many people are playing who didn't play Gears Ultimate on Xbox.

Larry Hryb: Right. Because you look at the gamer tag and you're able to kind of figure it out.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. That's right. And you ... you can see, like, if people have the achievements on both, or something, and ... you know, because us bringing a franchise like Gears back, I'll say to PC, because I was around ... I was part of shipping the first one on PC. Um, you're always ... um, you're getting the same people, or you're getting new people to come to the Gears franchise. So, it's nice to see that we're getting new people to come and play.

Larry Hryb: Right. Yeah. And then, of course, the other big one is everyone got to play, um, we had hands on time with Quantum!

Phil Spencer: Quantum Break. Um, another great franchise coming out, from Remedy. Um, and this was really, um, the Quantum show.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: You were there. You saw the number of stations we had.

Larry Hryb: Yeah it was huge.

Phil Spencer: We had the one to many set up.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: We had people being able to play. Um, and really a great reaction. You work on that game for, I'll say a long time.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: And, um, to finally get to the point where we're done and to get the feedback from people. Um, and people were really, I think positively, um, impressed by what the team had done.

Larry Hryb: And you've been playing with some builds along the way, haven't you?

Phil Spencer: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: I haven't I've played zero.

Phil Spencer: Still, today?

Larry Hryb: Still. Because I want to play it when it's done. I mean, I know it's done now, but I wanted to play the final version. Because this one I was really looking forward to.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. I play a lot of our games before they're done. Um, the studio people try to kick me out now that I'm not just the head of studios.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: Um, but they'll sit around me still.

Larry Hryb: "Here comes Phil! Here comes Phil! Get something to show him!"

Phil Spencer: They haven't kicked me out. So, Scale down, ReCore, I just go down and grab the controller when I see something.

Larry Hryb: Crackdown.

Phil Spencer: Crackdown. They're very close to me.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, unfortunate for them. Um, yeah. So, in the last few months, I've been getting builds on my dev kit almost every week. And sitting ... so, I've played the beginning about a thousand times.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: But, um ... but it's good when you see the polish that comes in at the end. I'm glad we gave the game the time it needs.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: You know, um, to really let the team get the polish that they wanted. You could always ... you know, any game, I think you could stretch out forever and ever. But, not trying to shoehorn into a date, or something, and giving Remedy the time they need to get the game they want done, was the right decision.

Larry Hryb: You were head of studios for a long time, before you were head of Xbox.

Phil Spencer: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: And that's always interesting. Like, how do you know when to go, "You know what," because you can spend forever on a game.

Phil Spencer: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: It's like, when do you know, "Hey, we've got to ship it. We've got to get this done, guys." Right?

Phil Spencer: And it is so hard, because when you ship a game, when you finally ship a game, it's so hard not to see the flaws that you know are there, in any art that's ever done.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: A movie, whatever it is.

Larry Hryb: Anything you do.

Phil Spencer: Like you've got time ... if you had more time, [crosstalk 00:39:44].

Larry Hryb: If you write a term paper, you look at it like, "Oh. I should've taken this out."

Phil Spencer: That's right. And, you know, now, it's why usually, when we ship a game, I'll actually take a break and not instantly jump into it. Because I just ... I look at it, and I'm always kind of in critique mode. That's why I love playing other people's games.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: Um, but yeah. You're right. And at some point, you just have to make the decision that we're at a point of diminishing return.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: And people deserve to be able to play it. And the nice thing, today, and there's pluses and minuses to this, but, if we find things that were missed that were bigger than we thought they would be-

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Phil Spencer: -we can update the game.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. As opposed to the old days where it was on a cartridge or CD-ROM.

Phil Spencer: It was on a cartridge, you'd have to recall the cartridge and other things, right? Really difficult.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, so in today's world, it's a plus. I mean, there's some downsides to that whole world, as well, but I love the ability to ... to keep people up to date with what we think is the best version of the game. And, um, quantum, I'm really looking forward to everybody getting to play.

Larry Hryb: Not only that, but they get to play it on their ... you know, you pre-order it on Xbox, you get a free copy on your Windows 10.

Phil Spencer: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: That's a neat promotion.

Phil Spencer: You know, kicking off a new franchise, we want as many people to be able to play as possible. We know that the Xbox base is somebody who ... they love Remedy, as PC does.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: This is a game that was originally announced, because it was originally signed as an Xbox only game.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: Um, and, um, as we see all the opportunity to bring it to Windows, um, we thought how can we reward and kind of just show the love for Xbox fans. Giving them a copy of it on Windows 10 just seemed like a great move to make.

Larry Hryb: Free stuff is always good. Whoa. What was that, there?

Phil Spencer: Sounds like your little shield there dropped.

Larry Hryb: My little microphone just ... It was so excited, it just dropped to the ground.

Phil Spencer: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: I want to talk ...

Phil Spencer: That's what I do when I'm so excited.

Larry Hryb: Last weekend-

Phil Spencer: Drop right on the ground.

Larry Hryb: Last week we also had some interesting ... we have some good ID titles. We have a lot of ID titles, lately, but Below and Pit People, we had those at out event that people have been talking about.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. Um, both great partners for a long time in Behemoth and Capy. And Below is something to me ... I spent a lot of time at showcase before it was set up, instantly went over and started [crosstalk 00:41:41]

Larry Hryb: Yeah. I remember seeing you drifting over there.

Phil Spencer: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: They're like, "Phil we need you on stage."

Phil Spencer: No, no, no. I'm playing Below.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, it's ... there's always something about the art aesthetic in that game from the first time I saw it in a review for E3, um, a few years ago ... a couple of years ago I guess, now, um, that's always stuck with me. I mean some ... you know games just kind of hit you in a personal way. I paid a lot of Rogue way back in the day.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: Um, and I see the similarities. The kind of isometric view, the shallow depth of field which gives you a kind of a miniature feel to the game. Um, and it's really coming together well.

Larry Hryb: It's um, yeah. It's really just a lot of fun. Talking about ID games, there's so many ID games right now. Have you played Reagan Vs. Gorbachev? I talked about that earlier in the show.

Phil Spencer: I haven't. Um, I have it. I have downloaded it. It's on my box. Um, I ...

Larry Hryb: Psst. Easy gamer score. Like 100 a pop.

Phil Spencer: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: I'm just telling you right now. So, if you need to catch up with Mikey [Barra 00:42:32] start with that one.

Phil Spencer: No, I'm never going to catch mike. Um, but I love ... we have more developers developing on Xbox than we've ever had, and the ID program has been a huge part of that. Um, and the diversity of games that are coming ... and you know, it's interesting. People have asked about Xbox Live arcade, and now we have so many ID games, that we actually want to somehow highlight games that we think, "Hey. These are the kind of ... these are some of the games that we think are really special." I kind of look at community feedback and other things as the best way to do that. Um, but the amount of creativity in the program ... on Xbox this generation, because of both preview ... game preview and ID at Xbox is fantastic.

Larry Hryb: Right. Yeah.

Phil Spencer: And, um, I've spent probably as much time playing - absent of Destiny - um, as much time playing ID games as I've had playing AAA games. And I think that's really great.

Larry Hryb: Did you get a chance to listen to podcast unlocked that I appeared on? The IGN show?

Phil Spencer: Um, I did listen to it, yes.

Larry Hryb: Oh, did you? Okay.

Phil Spencer: Yeah, yeah. I did listen to it.

Larry Hryb: Because they called you out.

Phil Spencer: That's the one, I think Ryan was testing me.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: And, yes. I maybe tweeted him about that in my test.

Larry Hryb: I saw that.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. Just because I don't comment on every episode ... I listen. I listen.

Larry Hryb: You listen to this show, you listen ...

Phil Spencer: I do. I do.

Larry Hryb: I noticed.

Phil Spencer: I ... I mean the ... not about me ... this is what I do.

Larry Hryb: Right!

Phil Spencer: When I go home I play games.

Larry Hryb: That's what I do.

Phil Spencer: And ... yeah, I know you do. Yeah. I see you online. And, um, so, I'm as much a fan - which sometimes gets me in trouble - but, I'm as much a fan of this industry as I am a participant in it.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: And, um, I, so, it is kind of all ... I'm one of the lucky people who have found themselves working in the career that ... and in the area that they love.

Larry Hryb: Well, you know, I talked about this once, um, a while ago. In fact, I think I talked a little bit on the podcast unlocked, is that, you know, it doesn't feel like work. Right? We just love what we do.

Phil Spencer: That's right. That's right.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, and it's just like, "Oh, by the way, it's just out job." But, it's just tons of fun.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. Yeah. You're absolutely right. And I see that glee in you.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, in what you do, and, you know, nobody travels it commits themselves as much to what we do as you do, and we all very much appreciate that.

Larry Hryb: You're very kind. You're very kind.

Phil Spencer: And Xbox ... now you're getting comfortable because we're talking about you.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, I don't like it. (laughs)

Phil Spencer: Um, but we do. I mean it's ... we do what we love and to be able to love what we do at the same time is great.

Larry Hryb: Um, getting back to the games, I want to talk about, um, one thing that was really exciting. Forza Motorsports 6: Apex. This is the PC. It's the first entry of the Forza franchise on PC.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. I think we showed quickly a while ago, Forza 5 running on PC just as like a proof of concept stuff, but obviously this is a real game that we're shipping.

Larry Hryb: Right. Yeah. And it's going t be free.

Phil Spencer: It's free.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, you can grind all the cars, um, and, um, you'll see the experience, and it looks really good. I mean I'm obviously a homer on this one. I think Turn 10 is amount the best racing studios on the planet.

Larry Hryb: Oh, yeah.

Phil Spencer: And, um, to have them now focusing both on continuing with the great franchise that they have on Xbox, and bringing an experience to Windows gamers, um, I think just furthers their ... their craft.

Larry Hryb: I remember when we announced the first Forza.

Phil Spencer: Yeah?

Larry Hryb: In that studio back ... we were down in Millennium and we were all in a room. It was all of us. We were talking about Forza and I was like, "This is really cool." So, I look back and I'm like, "Wow!" I've been doing this for a long time, an they have produced some of the incredible gems.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. Um, it's funny. I still have, just for some reason, a Forza 2 T shirt I wear sometimes. It's just kind of still in my pile of T-shirts. Um, it's one of ... for us, its a good success story, because it's a studio we built.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Right.

Phil Spencer: We built it from scratch.

Larry Hryb: Right. From the ground up. I mean, it was a clear focus. "This is what we want to deliver."

Phil Spencer: That's right. "We want a team that's going to go do a racing simulator." At the time, we were working with Bizarre Creations.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Who was doing Project Gotham Racing, I know there's a lot of love for that franchise out there. More of an arcade type racer.

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Phil Spencer: And, we said, "We want a sim racer and we want to do it internally." And, um, what they've turned into over a decade is ... is really a testament to Dan, and Allen, and Chris, and all the team down there. They're really, really dedicated to what they do.

Larry Hryb: The other one that was kind of a fun one was the Minecraft Oculus demo, which you and I did, and a lot of people did. That was fun to see. I mean, you're in your Minecraft world!

Phil Spencer: You know, it's interesting that a game that came out, I think at first in 2009, and now people ... some people call it the killer app for VR. It adapts so well to so many different scenarios.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. We had it hololense ...

Phil Spencer: We had it on the hololense, we now show it on Oculus in VR, and it seems like a natural fit. And it's um, it's great to be working with Oculus ... the Minecraft team, here ... we're doing this game, so we're learning a lot about what it means to create Minecraft for VR.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: You know, it will be great to participate in all the excitement around VR.

Larry Hryb: You know, one of the areas I want to talk to you about a little bit is, we've been talking about this all along, is just the games and the embracing, and you kind of laid the groundwork for this months ago, maybe even year ago, about putting our arms around the PC gamer from Xbox.

Phil Spencer: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: And I want you to talk a little bit about that and what your Phil-osophy is, as it were.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. We started this discussion in January, and it's something I'm always getting feedback from.

Larry Hryb: January 2015.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. 2015. You're absolutely right. And I was getting feedback from the PC gaming community. Some of them saying, "Stay out of here. Phil you're an idiot." I understand ...

Larry Hryb: He reads the tweets, folks. (laughs)

Phil Spencer: I do. And sometimes I say things that aren't the smartest things to say, um, but I listen and, um, I can say this. Um, we're Microsoft. We build Windows. Success of gaming on Windows is incredibly important for us.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, success of Steam on Windows is incredibly important to us. Right? They're one of the most important software developers we have on Windows.

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Phil Spencer: Um, and having them be successful ... I believe that having Microsoft taking gamoing on PC as a really important endeavor for us, a strategic endeavor, is great for Windows gaming.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Now, people will react ... Okay, it's the Xbox people, and they're trying to dumb down PC gaming, they're shipping a bunch of games in the Windows store that don't support V-sync, don't support MGPU, or allow full screen ... I can say we're not ... in this embrace and this kind of journey that we're on, we are about bringing the right PC experience. I'm not going to say the things that we're doing and we're shipping are kind of 1.0 experience right now in the store -

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Phil Spencer: - um, is the end destination. People should not take us embracing PC gaming as us trying to bring the console game experience over to PC. They're uniquely different in ways that we want to embrace both.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: Um, and it's been a great year. We're kind of now at the point where we're shipping the games, which is when people can really give us direct feedback about what they see. Um, and what they play. And we hear it.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: And these ... you know, the support for apps, the support for all the things that people are asking for are absolutely things in our roadmap.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: And, um, getting the feedback from the PC community, having them at least recognize that we're leaning in in this area is great.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. They're good partners. (laughs)

Phil Spencer: Yeah. And you know, at the showcase event, having the OEMs there, having AMD having Nvidia, working with them on the hardware that they want to put in place ... Again, if you're a PC gamer, I think having Microsoft pay attention to what's happening with PC gaming with their Windows platform, can only be a good thing. And I can say our interests, um, in coming in here to help grow the community, and grow the ecosystem.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. No I want to ... I know you've got to wrap up, because you've got to go in just a few minutes, but there was something that popped out last week, and I guess I've got to ask this. Can fans expect new hardware soon? That was ... I was like, "What?" When I saw a little bit of that news come out.

Phil Spencer: Yeah, the ... you know, up in from of the showcase, I wanted to stand up and I wanted to talk about the vision that we have, which is a longer term vision.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Um, people have asked me before, "Are we going to do another console?" And I say, "I fully expect that we will." And then people say, "Why do you say 'fully expect'? Why don't you just say 'yes'," um, and, you know, it's, "Hey. I'm in a job right now. I kind of make decisions based on what's toay."

Larry Hryb: Sure.

Phil Spencer: I cannot always predict the future, but I say, "If you think about the strategy we're on, the strategy is a long term vision that includes multiple hardware generations, on both console, and frankly, PC.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: Like, when we think about what's going forward. So, I wanted to stand up in front of the room and explain that what we're doing today, I think, makes the console ecosystem better -

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Phil Spencer: In a way ... because I, both personally, as well as just watching what happens in the industry, I've said the kind of end of a generation and this huge step function that happens -

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Phil Spencer: - is not something that I embrace, and I think, something we can do better.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: I see it in music, I see it in books, I see it in movies. Like, when I buy digital content, that digital content stays with me, and I'm able to use it when I go out and get new devices. Now, the feedback I've received of, "Hey am I going to break open my console and start upgrading individual pieces of my console?" That's not our plan. There's something special about what happens with a console. You buy an appliance-like device, you plug it to your TV, it works when you plug it in.

Larry Hryb: And it just works.

Phil Spencer: Yeah. It's not like I'm going to ship a screwdriver set with every console that comes out. What I'm saying is, as hardware innovations happen, we want to be able to embrace those in the console space.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Phil Spencer: Um, and make those available, and maybe not have to wait seven or eight years for things to happen. Right now, we're obviously not announcing hardware. I'm happy with the console we have and the platform that we've build on top of that console, and the constant innovation in the games that are there. Um, but as a longer term vision statement, I wanted to make sure that people understood what we're doing, I think, is good for the console space in addition to being good for the PC space.

Larry Hryb: That clears it up. Tell me, um ... I know you've got to go, but what are you playing right now? What's in your console.

Phil Spencer: What is in my console? I've been gone, as you know. I've been trveling a little bit. I was in an ESA board meeting this week, talking about E3 this year, which is going to be a lot of fun. Um, Division is coming up.

Larry Hryb: It's here. I know. I talked about it earliewr in the show. I'm going to New York ...

Phil Spencer: I got my code today, don't tell anybody.

Larry Hryb: Come on. Really? Come on.

Phil Spencer: I know, I know, I know. I moight go play The Division.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Phil Spencer: Um, cancel my meetings for the rest of the day!

Larry Hryb: (laughs) Right?

Phil Spencer: No, I have ... I have a meeting right after this. But, um ... What else have I been playing? I ...

Larry Hryb: We've got to get you into Rocket League.

Phil Spencer: I'm horrible at Rocket League.

Larry Hryb: You know what? That's the beauty of Rocket League.

Phil Spencer: I've scored one goal, and I score that one goal and somebody tweets it out, and like ... I felt embarrassed because literally, if anybody ... I don't know if you can look at my stats.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: If you can, you'll see I've literally scored one goal. I'm rubbish at the game.

Larry Hryb: That's fine.

Phil Spencer: Um, it's not fine.

Larry Hryb: But you're ... you're great defense.

Phil Spencer: I'm like ... If they happen to hit the ball at my car, I'm good defense.

Larry Hryb: That's okay.

Phil Spencer: That's the only ... it's a really fun game.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: It is, um, it's a really fun game. Well done, It's nice to finally get it on to Xbox.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: And it's, um, been a good team to go work with.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, there's a lot of ... you ... so you've got The Division coming out. Of course, you've got to get that out of the way, so that you can ... well it sounds like what you said earlier. Your going to wait ... when Quantum comes out, your going to wait a little while to play.

Phil Spencer: I usually do.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: Like, usially when I ... because I've been playing for so long ... you know, I actually recently went back and, um, finished Ori. And I ...

Larry Hryb: Oh, the definitive edition's coming out, though.

Phil Spencer: The definitive edition is coming out. I played some of that at showcase. And I'll say the ... because I hadn't finished the retail version. I had finished, a year ago, before I had finished the debug version, so I finally went back and finished retail. And some of the features they've added to the definitive edition, I will ... I'm really looking forward to.

Larry Hryb: I am too.

Phil Spencer: Getting my hands on it at the showcase and playing it, um, it is, for me, totally personal opinion, almost the perfect game.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Phil Spencer: I mean, from a control, music, art, everything.

Larry Hryb: It all collides in this beautiful game.

Phil Spencer: This is what's great about gaming.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah.

Phil Spencer: Right? It's fun, it's emotional, it's thoughtful. It's a great studio. And I'm not saying this because we built it. Like, I'd say it anyway.

Larry Hryb: Of course. Right.

Phil Spencer: But, yeah. It's really great to see that one come back.

Larry Hryb: All right. Well, I'm ... you're being pulled away, here. So, I'm going to let you go, man. Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox. Thanks for coming on. Can I have you on again? We've got to do this again. It's been about a year.

Phil Spencer: Is that my fault?

Larry Hryb: Well, fair point.

Phil Spencer: You're a busy man.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Touche, my friend. All right man. Well, listen we'll see you in Rocket League. Look for Phil scoring goals in Rocket League!

Phil Spencer: Goal.

Laura Massey: Thanks, Phil for stopping by.

Larry Hryb: Go to my blog at Majornelson.com and you'll see all the stuff on ... that Phil talked about, you'll see, um, all the news and that of course on the update as well. We got a lot of news. Phil talked about a lot of stuff, but ...

Laura Massey: Awesome stuff.

Larry Hryb: Jeffrey, you want to tick off some of the games that have come out?

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Um ...

Larry Hryb: We can go through that? We can wrap things up and get everybody on their way, here?

Jeff Rubenstein: A metric tonne of games hit, and I said metric just for you.

Larry Hryb: But, before we get started ...

Jeff Rubenstein: Yes?

Larry Hryb: I'm going to interrupt you even though I told you to get started.

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Attention New York! Attention New York! I'm going to be in New York City next week. Um, depending upon when you're listening to this. I will be in for the launch of The Division on Monday the 7th. New York City.

Laura Massey: Great.

Larry Hryb: You've been to New York, Right?

Laura Massey: Very cool.

Graeme Boyd: I've been a long time ago, yeah.

Larry Hryb: A long time ago. When you were wee?

Graeme Boyd: Are you going to, um ... you've got to take some, you know, flu medicine, or something, right? I hear things are a bit sketchy.

Larry Hryb: Are they? I ...

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: It's just ... you know what I ... last time I was sick was in, I think October, so I think I'm due again.

Jeff Rubenstein: Are you referring to the game plot?

Graeme Boyd: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's what I thought.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. Don't handle any dirty dollar bills.

Larry Hryb: So, I'll be in there. You can find the information on my blog. I'll be at the main Microsoft Store. Brand new beautiful store on Fifth Avenue. It opened up a few months ago.

Laura Massey: Awesome.

Larry Hryb: I'll be there on ...

Jeff Rubenstein: You'll be briadcasting with, um, Swifter and Futureman Gaming.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Some awesome, awesome folks are going to join us there. So, we're just going to have a little bit of fun. So, we talked about I knew that I had to do an event in New York and I said, "This is the perfect event to do it. So, I look forward to seeing if you're anywhere in the tristate area, New York New Jersey, Connecticut, we'll even throw in Pennsylvania as well, love to see you. Or if you're not, I don't care. If you're going to be in the area, come on by.

Okay, Jeffrey. Sorry.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. What a lovely invitation.

Larry Hryb: I got my plug in.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: That's fine. I was going to get to you.

Um, yeah. So, a lot of games have come out since we last podded, casted.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: So, Far Cry Primal, which we spoke about which actually came out, um, I believe the exact same day as Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: So, those are your two big budget releases. But then, on the ID side, that team has been very busy.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Jeff Rubenstein: So, we talked about Reagan Gorbachev. Again, sort of a hotline Miami- ish. Something very different: The Solus Project. Um, S-O-L-U-S. Not soul-less. Um, this is part of game preview, so one of these games that you can get ahold of before it's even finished. And then you'll be able to get continued updates, much like, um, we saw with, elite dangerous and, um, the long dark.

Larry Hryb: Have you played Elite Dangerous?

Graeme Boyd: Um, I have. I've played through all the tutorials.

Larry Hryb: Did you dock your ship?

Graeme Boyd: I ... you know ... I actually ... at E3, last year, I sat down to play the demo there. I was so excited about it.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Graeme Boyd: And I docked it first time. And I looked at the two guys that were there from Frontier, and they were sort of looking at each other. And I've never felt prouder in my life.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Because they were a bit like, "Oh. He's done it first time."

Laura Massey: That doesn't happen.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, it was all right wasn't it? And they were like, "Most people kind of struggle with that."

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: So, basically I'm a starship commander.

Larry Hryb: Yes. You are. That's how you do it.

Laura Massey: Born Pilot.

Graeme Boyd: That game is so gorgeous.

Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Graeme Boyd: And I ... the first thing, I came out of hyperspace, and I remember the phrase it uses in the game and you ... you kind of come out, and I was in front of this flaming gas giant. And it was ... It was kind of a jump scare moment, actually.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). [crosstalk 00:57:30]

Graeme Boyd: It just looks so gorgeou.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Graeme Boyd: Beautiful.

Laura Massey: Steer away as fast as possible.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. Sorry to interrupt you.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. No, no, no. So, I would say if you like this ... Oh, Arc Survival Evolved. Very, very fun. They ... they're adding giant swimming beavers to that game, I was reading. And, apparently, you can tame the beaver, and, um, you can ...

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: Stop laughing, Larry. And you can have it attack for you, you can, um, anyway I'll just put a link to the news.

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: So, anyway, um, Elite Dangerous, um, if you like elite dangerous, Solus Project looks like an interesting sort of counterbalance to that, whereas Elite Dangerous is all about inter ... intergalactic exploration. Solus Project invilves being on the planet, itself. And, um, you sort of have like a tri-corder and wandering around. Um, you can try it for free, so much like all of the, um, other game preview games, so I highly recommend that.

Um, and then, another game I've been hearing a lot about on PC, Prison Architect.

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Laura Massey: Ah ha! Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: It seems to be something of like a sim city, um, but inside a prison.

Laura Massey: Oh, man.

Jeff Rubenstein: You've got to keep your Crips and your Bloods separate. So ... um, apparently a very interesting game.

Laura Massey: And it is also in game preview. Is that right?

Jeff Rubenstein: That is correct.

Laura Massey: So, it will have a one hour free trial. So, jump in.

Larry Hryb: Yes. I'm sorry. I'm just going to quietly sit over here and wait until the gif party is over.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: If it's a hasthag, it must be important.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: Anything else?

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:59:00]

Jeff Rubenstein: Those are the five I wanted to come out of the last 25 games that have come out in the last three weeks.

Graeme Boyd: Its so easy time, isn't it?

Larry Hryb: We just went over to the headlines. Head over to my blog at Majornelson.com. That's where I post all the games that come out every day. You can justr folow me on twitter. I'll tweet them out. And, what are you doing over there, Jeffrey?

Jeff Rubenstein: I'm just [crosstalk 00:59:16].

Larry Hryb: You want to learn all about ... if you want to learn all about large Beavers, Jeffrey is your man.

Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:59:20]

Larry Hryb: Jeff Rubenstein on Twitter.

Graeme Boyd: Swimming beavers. Swimming large beavers.

Laura Massey: Did you see my response to Jeffrey ...

Larry Hryb: Oh, yeah.

Laura Massey: Is it pretty?

Larry Hryb: And I told you to stop it.

Laura Massey: I thought it was good.

Jeff Rubenstein: Can you only do [crosstalk 00:59:30].

Larry Hryb: You know how I solve that problem?

Laura Massey: How's that?

Larry Hryb: Unfollow you and follow Graeme.

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: (laughs) I haven't done anything! And you're not even following me in the first place!

Larry Hryb: That's what I'm saying. I'll follow you. Swap it and replace it.

Graeme Boyd: Oh, I see. Okay. No, that soundsa great. Yeah.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Oh, boy. Anyway, so yeah, we're kind of, um, we're kind of running a little bit out of time here. I want to make sure we get together. Next week there's no show because I'll be in New York, of course. We talked about that a little bit earlier. You guys are welcome to do a show, as always. And then on ...

Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 01:00:00] Right there.

Larry Hryb: Oh, my God. Those beavers are huge. (laughs)

It almost looks like a Capybara.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. Which they shoot for sport in Luisiana.

Larry Hryb: Or a Havalina.

Jeff Rubenstein: Right. I'm at the ... yeah. Capys. Those are the ... what are the big rats? Are those the big rats?

Larry Hryb: I think so, yeah.

Laura Massey: Rodents of unusual size?

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. (laughs) what were thet called?

Laura Massey: ROUSs.

Jeff Rubenstein: ROUSs.

Larry Hryb: ROUSs. Um, but I'll be in New York next week and then at the end of the week, um, I'll be in Los Angeles for a meeting and a really cool thing that I can't talk about yet, Laura, right?

Laura Massey: You have so many cool things you cannot talk about.

Larry Hryb: This one is ... this one is I'm working on a project. That will come ... It'll probably appear later on this year.

Laura Massey: As are all these projects you work on too, but this one is really cool.

Larry Hryb: I'll tell you abut it off the air, Graeme.

Graeme Boyd: It sounds very Hollywood.

Larry Hryb: Oh, you have no idea. There's wardrobe, and makeup, and trailers ...

Graeme Boyd: Fantastic. Just a normal day for you, then.

Larry Hryb: Well, I don't know about that. So, we've got ... So anyway, So, we'll be back in a couple of weeks, hopefully, and then ... I think so. Actually, I'm going to be heading down to Los Angeles for the Halo World Championship. Arfe you gfoing to be able to join us, Graeme?

Graeme Boyd: I don't think I'm going to be able to.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Graeme Boyd: I would love to, though. Especially to cheer on the European teams.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, right? And it's, um ... Yess, Jeffrey? Do you have something to share with the class?

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: The giant rats are Nutria. (laughs) Not Cabybaras. Capys are cute.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Jeff Rubenstein: And South American. Nutria ... yeah. Just kill them.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Jeff Rubenstein: They're a nuisance.

Larry Hryb: Thank you. Thank you.

Laura Massey: Thank you for that update.

Larry Hryb: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: They're really evil looking. Their teeth are, like orange. Like Cheetos.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Graeme Boyd: Okay. You should stop, like, internet searching, now.

Jeff Rubenstein: I cannot stop!

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: You might get yourself into some trouble over there.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Anywho ... um, so, like I say, the show schedule is going to be a little biut iffy. What I'd like to do, if poissible, um, Laura, you and I should maybe, if we van, stream another game. We'll finjd something to stream.

Laura Massey: Yes! That sounds fun.

Larry Hryb: And, if we cannot do that, then we're way overdue with a Google hangout, aren't we?

Laura Massey: We are. It's been probably a year.

Larry Hryb: It has been at least that long.

Laura Massey: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: Graeme, you're welcome to join us, but we tend to do them in the evening when you're ... when you're getting your beauty sleep.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. [crosstalk 01:01:58]

Larry Hryb: Or at least my kitty cat is.

Graeme Boyd: I need a lot of that beauty sleep. But thank you for the invite.

Larry Hryb: Anyway, you're always ... Anyway, but I ... but getting back to the show, I want to thank you for coming over. I know you had a lot to do, and just sitting in on the show, it's always great to ... Isn't it great to have him?

Laura Massey: Its always great to have him.

Graeme Boyd: I would move mountains to come and be on the show with you. Heaven and earth.

Larry Hryb: You're very kind. Hopefully, you know, the next time you and I will see each other is probably going to be at E3, right?

Graeme Boyd: E3. That's right.

Larry Hryb: I know that ... I know there is talk about another competition between you and I. Somehow.

Laura Massey: Is there?

Graeme Boyd: Really? At E3?

Larry Hryb: Um, not ... No, no, no. Not at E3. Just sometime in the future.

Graeme Boyd: Oh. Really?

Larry Hryb: Yes. (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: Oh. Like the good old days.

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Jeff Rubenstein: You're finally going to fight each other in Fifa.

Graeme Boyd: Oh, no, no, no. I think that's me and you that need to play it soon.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, I think you guys need to take it on.

Graeme Boyd: You seem to keep avoiding it for some reason. I don't know what's going on.

Larry Hryb: What's going on there?

Graeme Boyd: Aberdeen Vs Sounders. Let's go.

Jeff Rubenstein: You put me ... you put me on blast on Twitter and I just ... At some point I was like, "I'm not going to win this. Not going to ..."

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, I did ...

Jeff Rubenstein: Aberdeen Vs Sounders. We should do that, though.

Graeme Boyd: yeah, we should. Can i apologize to you for tha ... that Twitter exchange as well?

Jeff Rubenstein: No, no. It's fine.

Graeme Boyd: I felt a bit bad afterwards.

Jeff Rubenstein: I know, that's why I stopped. I knew you would. And I was like, "That was the only way I could win, was not to play."

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: I don't know what they're talking about. I must go and look at this. Do you know what's going on?

Laura Massey: Yup. I sure do.

Larry Hryb: Laura and I are going to sit over here. We're in the dark.

Laura Massey: Win the link.

Graeme Boyd: Jeff said something disparaging about Scottish Football. So, I ...

Larry Hryb: Jeffrey!

Graeme Boyd: I took offense and ...

Jeff Rubenstein: It was all in good fun.

Graeme Boyd: It was. It was. I did feel a bit bad afterwards.

Larry Hryb: Was there a rumble? Did you mix it up?

Graeme Boyd: There was a slight rumble.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.

Larry Hryb: All right.

Jeff Rubenstein: We're both very hot head.

Larry Hryb: All right, gang. Um, we're going to wrap up here, if you want to follow us on Twitter or Xbox Live, you can do that. Um, Graeme, this is your chance to plug yourself, and how do they find you?

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. Acey Bongos on Twitter and Xbox Live. I'm not quite a million, but I think about 600,000 followers.

Larry Hryb: That's splendid.

Graeme Boyd: That's all right.

Larry Hryb: Also, you guys have a show as well. Xbox On.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah. Xbox On. So they ... yeah we've just changed the YouTube channel name, actually. So, its youtube.com/xboxon. Lots of videos, and then we stream, and ...

Larry Hryb: I've been on the show a couple of times.

Graeme Boyd: Yes.

Laura Massey: Fun!

Graeme Boyd: You were on just the other day for the spring showcase.

Larry Hryb: Yeah, when I was down there. That was great.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, yeah. How's Benny feeling?

Graeme Boyd: (laughs) I was wondering.

Jeff Rubenstein: He was looking pretty ... I sent you an email!

Graeme Boyd: That's ... so, forever, I'm listening, right? The whole Xbox On crew, well three of them. I wasn't there.

Larry Hryb: Right.

Graeme Boyd: Um, flew out to San Francisco ... I don't even know what kind of food they had the first night, but they went out to a restaurant and all got food poisoning.

Laura Massey: Oh, no!

Graeme Boyd: And so, you had mentioned to me that they were looking a bit peeky when you were there. And I did get some emails from our producer who was out there saying ... She actually said to me, that when they were talkinf to Phil Spencer, that, um, he thought he might be sick.

Laura Massey: Oh, no!

Graeme Boyd: On Phil Spencer!

Larry Hryb: Oh, no!

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Laura Massey: That's terrifying.

Graeme Boyd: Can you imagine how awful that would be?

Larry Hryb: Well, rule number one ... Well, regardless, rule number one, is keep rolling the tape. Because you want to capture that.

Graeme Boyd: (laughs)

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Oh, no.

Graeme Boyd: So, yeah.

Larry Hryb: Well, you've got to remember, I was walking around and we were getting ready to interview Palmer Luckey from Occulus, because the Occulus demo was just unbelievable, um, with Minecraft, and I looked over and Benny was like, slumped over.

Laura Massey: [crosstalk 01:05:06]

Larry Hryb: And then I talked to someone from your team and they said he wasn't feeling well. He said it was Jetlag. [inaudible 01:05:16]

Are they feeling better, now?

Graeme Boyd: Yeah, they're totally fine and trip was ...

Larry Hryb: Welcome to America.

Graeme Boyd: Yeah.

Laura Massey: Yeah. Oh, no.

Jeff Rubenstein: Bless them. Should've went straight to get tacos.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Ooh. So, um, anyway, how do they find you on Twitter? The find you?

Graeme Boyd: Um, yeah. Titter is @AceyBongos.

Larry Hryb: And, um, of course on Xbox Live.

Graeme Boyd: Or you can check who Larry's following on Twitter and I'll be on there.

Larry Hryb: I see.

Graeme Boyd: I'll be one of the nine or however many he's following.

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: Six.

Graeme Boyd: Six? It's getting smaller? Wow.

Larry Hryb: Jeffrey, what about you? We find you how?

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, @JeffRubenstein.

Larry Hryb: And then of course Laura.

Laura Massey: I'm @Lauralollipop.

Larry Hryb: Now, with Jeff and Laura, you can just find me and you'll see them, I follow them, so it will be easy for them. @majornelson, you'll find me.

Graeme Boyd: That's such a burn.

Larry Hryb: We'll see you guys ... No! I just ... Stop it. All right, we're going to wrap things up, here. Thanks guys. We'll get you, um ... We'll get the crew back together as quickly as we can. We've got a busy month leading up to, um ... We've got quantum, next month.

Laura Massey: Yes.

Larry Hryb: Very excited about that.

Laura Massey: Super excited about that.

Larry Hryb: Um, a lot of games coming out and a lot of work going on, so, um, thank you guys for tuning in, and we will talk to you next time. Bye, bye, everybody!

Laura Massey: Good bye.

Jeff Rubenstein: See ya!

Graeme Boyd: Good bye!

Larry Hryb: All right, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Laura just reminded me of something.

Laura Massey: Yes.

Larry Hryb: Laura, what did you just remind me of?

Laura Massey: I said, "We're not going to do name the game?"

Larry Hryb: And I was like, "What? Of course we are! Because we're going to ... that's the beauty of editing. Drop this in!"

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Larry Hryb: All right.

Laura Massey: Who did you pay off last time?

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Laura Massey: That person who has won is really anxious.

Larry Hryb: So, this is, um, this is the name the game clip from probably about three or four weeks ago.

Laura Massey: Yeah. It was a long time ago.

Larry Hryb: All right. Here we go.

(clip plays)

[01:07:21]
Laura Massey:
That was the name the game from last time, and it was The Banner Saga.

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Laura Massey: Which, Jeff, I know, you've loved those games.

Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Another awesome strategy RPG.

Larry Hryb: Did you play Banner Saga?

Graeme Boyd: I haven't. Isn't it a bit XCOM-ey?

Jeff Rubenstein: Um, yeah. In that it's ruthlessly difficult but it's very interesting. Um, you just ... you cannot reload. There's no reload in the game.

Graeme Boyd: Wow.

Jeff Rubenstein: So, you just have to just go with it.

Laura Massey: Wow.

Graeme Boyd: Okay.

Larry Hryb: All right. So, anyway, we have a winner, Laura, don't we?

Laura Massey: Yes! Yes we sure do!

Larry Hryb: And the winners name is?

Laura Massey: Okay, I cannot read that frm that far away.

Larry Hryb: Okay.

Laura Massey: Carmeister?

Larry Hryb: Carmeister from Canada! Looks like he or she is from Ontario. So, congratulations, you grabbed yourself a bunch of cool stuff including, I'll get you a copy of, um, Gears of War for Windows 10.

Laura Massey: Awesome.

Larry Hryb: And a few other awesome games for your Xbox One. So, we're going to kit you all out with all sorts of games.

Laura Massey: That's right. Congratulatiuons.

Larry Hryb: So, that means, um ...

Laura Massey: Is it time for another Name the Game? Or are you going to end the show?

Larry Hryb: No, I think we need to have another one. Because we need to have something for folks to marinade on for a couple of weeks since we're probably not going to be on the air.

Laura Massey: That's true.

Larry Hryb: How does that sound?

Laura Massey: Okay. All right.

Larry Hryb: All right. You ready?

Laura Massey: Lets do a really difficult Name the Game.

(clip plays)

[01:08:43] So, if you think you know what game those sound effects are from, it's very simple to enter and play. All you have to do is send me an email. [email protected] and if you'd like, CC [email protected]

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Laura Massey: So, it's really easy.

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Laura Massey: And just a quick update on the rules.

Larry Hryb: Yes.

Laura Massey: Just to remind people.

Larry Hryb: A quick reminder.

Laura Massey: Because I told you it was a hard one. I'll remind you where you can go look. These sound effects come from games that have been shipped to Xbox One or Xbox 360. They are not game preview games, and they are not Beta games.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. Released.

Laura Massey: That's true. They are released and you can purchase them. Full titles.

Larry Hryb: Yeah. 360 or Xbox One.

Laura Massey: We also do DLC.

Larry Hryb: Ooh, that's right.

Laura Massey: We also do DLC.

Larry Hryb: That's a deep cut.

Laura Massey: Yeah. They're sometimes a little bit harder to do.

Larry Hryb: So, I'm glad ... thank you for remindind me, Laura.

Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Larry Hryb: So, that's all you need to do. Send, um, Laura or myself an email, we'll get you registered. One entry per person, please. And, um, then we'll take all the correct people. All the correct answers, put them into a virtual hat, pull them out and ta da! A winner. And, if you can hear our voice, you can enter. It's open to everybody.

Laura Massey: That's true.

Larry Hryb: Everybody.

Laura Massey: Everybody who can hear our voices as long as they're not a Microsoft employee. Sorry.

Larry Hryb: Sortry about that.

Jeff Rubenstein: You're looking at me.

Larry Hryb: Do you know what that clip is, Graeme? Its a hard one isn't it? It's a tough one.

Graeme Boyd: I'm going to think aboput it a bit tmoorrow. Give me some time.

Larry Hryb: You can come back on in a few months and let us know.

Graeme Boyd: That's right.

Larry Hryb: All right. Now, we are going to properly end the show. How's that sound?

Laura Massey: Is it time to end?

Larry Hryb: It is time to. We're just going to let it go.

Jeff Rubenstein: Are we sure?

Larry Hryb: Yeah.

Jeff Rubenstein: You don't need anything else? Do you have your keys?

Larry Hryb: Yeah I got my keys.

Jeff Rubenstein: You have a cake in the oven?

Laura Massey: (laughs)

Jeff Rubenstein: You have your passport with you?

Larry Hryb: I think we're all set to go.

Jeff Rubenstein: All right.

Larry Hryb: Listen, have a great, um ... have a great, um, safe trip back.

Laura Massey: Yes.

Graeme Boyd: Thank you.

Larry Hryb: We'll talk to you guys next time. Bye, bye.