The XboxCast

#NuNews: New Zealand is Full of Sheep

Let's get together and talk to people about stuff we know very little about. 
 
The Activision-Blizzard acquisition is still ongoing, and this week was very newsy. It's now escalated all the way to the US Congress, with politicians even calling the Japanese-US trade deal into dispute because of it. Real newspapers - like the Finacial Times - are even starting to cover it. With this step, it seems Sony's whining has turned the spotlight onto them. 
 
Australia is stealing New Zealand game devs. Ok, so that's a bit sensationalist. But it's really happening. A lot of Kiwi's are heading across the ditch as Australia is just proving to be a much better place for developing games. And it's happening across all industries. How will New Zealand compete when their neighbor offers a lot more lucrative options? 
 
Game completions are back as a talking point. How many people should play and complete a game? What is the general population that can play and finish these 80-hour monsters? Seems like it's a third of all gamers. Which is higher than we thought! 
 
These are just a few things we cover in this very informative episode of #NuNews! It's almost like we're doing a real news show. But with opinions. Our opinions. Which are the right opinions. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#GameFace! Itchy Bum & The April Achievement Challenge

The April Achievement Challenge is fast approaching! 
Are you ready? 
 
This episode, we go all over The April Achievement Challenge - the rules, the way it works, and every other thing you could ask for. Get those baby games ready. Lace up your shoes. And check out our dedicated AAC'23 page on our website! 
 
It's been a quiet week for gaming as we're preparing our bodies for really bad games. Kyle jumps into Naraka: Bladepoint and finds it's gotten hard again. What are those devs playing at? It's easy, then it's hard, then it's easy again... At least the happy noises of unlocking new hats is around to give us that dopamine hit. 
 
Simone is playing Yakuza: Like A Dragon and it seems as if this game should not be real. Fighting fat American tourists, having a butch guy arrive to help you beat up enemies, and more! But she's really enjoying it and actually caring about the story, so it must be good. 
 
Lee is playing some very interesting games for his reviews over at NetizeNZ. Theres a game with a boy and a mask and terrible controls. And it sounds like his #GameFace! stories may start to become even more professional from now. Watch out world! The XboxCast is about to become good! 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#GameFace! A New Streaming Home?

Simone is still sick. 
And Lee is bored of Simone being sick. 
 
We have an update! We're streaming the podcast on Kick! Hopefully we'll have more reach than Twitch, but it's up to you guys to help us out. Let us know where you want to see us. Or if you even want to watch us. And remember, we're trying hard to get our YouTube views up, so please keep watching our VODs! 
 
Lee had the review for Defend the Rook published! If you'd like to read it, then check out this link. If you'd like to listen instead, then you're very lucky to have this podcast in front of you. You're welcome. Kyle gets back into Halo and even streamed some. And then he forces his poor mother to play Vampire Survivors, just for the lols. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#NuNews: Couch Co-op Controller

Change. Change is the only constant. 
And we changed it up to record #NuNews first this week! 
 
Since we're doing the news first this week, Lee ends up mightily confused. He gets a new job and suddenly he's swimming in computers... Just diving into an Olympic sized swimming pool filled with chunky, beige boxes. That's not painful at all! 
 
Sea of Thieves is celebrating 5 years! Five years since Lee and I killed ourselves laughing at the utter ridiculousness of being pirates. And there's still so much stuff being changed every update. The map is being updated as well - growing and changing to provide environmental storytelling. It is something we really appreciate about this game. 
 
Jedi Fallen Order is at its lowest price yet! $5 to jump in and get yourself prep'd for the new one. And it's even got a next-gen update, so there's no excuse to not play it. Hogwarts Legacy has hints that there's supposed to be some sort of companions around. But be real - escort quests are almost the worst types of quests in any game! Unless they managed to get it right, then it may be worth it? 
 
Twitch is losing employees, including its CEO. Is Amazon just cutting staff, or is this because Twitch is in trouble? What do you think? And we even have an update in the Activision Blizzard saga! All this and more in this week's episode of #NuNews. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#NuNews: Catacombs and Cairns

Lee is the boss now?
 
Another quiet week on the news front sees us spend an hour on the news. So, spoiler alert, this is not a short podcast. And Lee is feeling a little bit posher after spending all week in Hogwarts Legacy. How do you pronounce catacombs? Catacombs or catacombs? It turns out English can be tricky... At least to us. 
 
Achievements are back as a talking point. Is it time for an upgrade? Or are you happy with the current state? And if you did want to change it, how should it be changed? So many questions, and don't come to us for answers. Each of us thinks that achievements need to be revamped but we just can't agree on how. Luckily, we're not in charge, because decisions are hard. 
 
And speaking of achievements, theres a game that has come up that stacks achievements based on the language. We think thats a bit cheeky. Oh, and while we're here, don't forget that the April Achievement Challenge is coming very soon! Make sure you sign up, make sure you join the Discord, and make sure to do your country proud. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#NuNews: The Rhythm of Muppets

According to Lee, Kyle sounds like a Muppet. 
We don't need you to all agree at once, but it is just something we thought you should know. 
 
News has happened! The charts are changing (kinda). Things are going up. And down. Even sideways! And the game that shall not be named is not in this week's charts. There is much rejoicing from the peanut gallery... 
 
The ABK acquisition is still providing endless entertainment with the EU tipped to approve the deal. All thanks to Microsoft inking the 10-year COD deal with Nintendo. That was a very smart move, if we do say so ourselves. Xbox got a new controller to celebrate! It's bright. It's green. And it's very, very green. In fact, its so green, it's a feature. And we even have new games on GamePass to discuss! 
 
Kyle's Game Thing is going through some rough times. You see, there's going to be 100+ new games coming to Xbox in the next 3 weeks. And we can't guarantee they'll all be good. So in an effort to keep Lee awake, Kyle introduces a new challenge - find the noteworthy, sleeper hit game out of this weeks' list. 
 
On a side note - we're trying to get our YouTube watch hours up. And you can help! Just put us in in the background and let it play. You don't even need to be in the same room! In fact, we recommend listening to us this way. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#GameFace! The April Achievement Intro for Newbies

Yes, yes, we know. It's not quite April yet. 
But that hasn't stopped a lot of people asking about this year's April Achievement Challenge! 
 
Because of all the newbs joining us for 2023, and because its been a year since the last one, and because we have some new stuff to go over, we're jumping into the April Achievement Challenge hype early. 
Simone is kind enough to go over all the ins and outs of this year's second biggest event. The first one being that time Kyle got that haircut one time. 
 
As promised, here are all the links for The XboxCast's April Achievement Challenge 2023: 
The Event Calendar on Our Website
The April Achievement Challenge Sign Up Form
TrueAchievements (To make sure you have an account we can track)
Our Discord so you can talk smack
Apart from the AAC taking up all our brian space, it's been a very quiet week when it comes to games...
 
Lee is stuck in Hogwarts Legacy and I doubt we'll see him on another game until this is done. Kyle jumps into Atomic Heart, and is still confused by American Football. And Simone has had too much going on with organizing the masses for AAC, that she has to delve into the archives of game stories... 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#NuNews: The Potato Conundrum

It may be our Destiny to get back into Destiny 2... 
 
The new expansion for Destiny 2 looks amazing. A cyber city on Neptune that just watched the chaos unfold from afar is now opening their gates to the guardians. Which begs the question - where were they for the rest of all the action? 
The Outer Worlds is getting a big upgrade. Which is a new version. For the Series X and PS5. You have to pay for it, and it has a different achievement list, but that's the price you pay for prettiness. Will this be enough to pull you back in? 
 
Hogwarts Legacy is massive. It's bigger than you think! Generating over $850 Million in revenue, it's on its way to challenge Skyrim's billion-dollar record. Could this be the new Skyrim? For the sake of our charts, we hope so. And to top it off Elden Ring is getting an expansion! Even more death! Yay! If that's your thing of course. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#GameFace! Even Boys Can Spin

#FriendlyFeb has come to an end. 
As sad as we are to see it go, we're ready for #MurderMarch! 
 
We're still talking about how moist New Zealand is after Cyclone Gabriell, but lucky for us, Lee has power. And with this power, he's only managed to play one game! How very un-Lee-like!  
 
Kyle is experimenting with Ultimate Team in Madden '23. And has gotten himself super confused. How does this game even work? No one knows. But that doesn't stop him from loving the game! And we're even educational - uncovering the meaning of RAC. And bringing back so many fond memories for Lee - when he sat in London with only Chanel 4 for company in the wee hours of the morning.  
 
Simone is finding Frostpunk super easy, barely an inconvenience. Completely opposite to how Kyle found the game... Maybe he's not that great of a gamer. We'll never know though... Simone gives us some top tips of the week when it comes to this harsh city builder. And should Lee start Frostpunk? Let's all peer pressure him into playing it and seeing where on the ladder he falls. Will he send children to the coal mines? 
 
And speaking of Lee - he's been focusing on Harry Potter. Or rather Hogwarts Legacy. He speaks more Harry Potter words at the other two, which leads to some very blank stares. The stares don't come through in audio, but its a good excuse to check out our YouTube! Have you jumped into Hogwarts Legacy? What do you think of it? And what does your wizard look like? We're super eager to know! 
 
On a side note - we're trying to get our YouTube watch hours up. And you can help! Just put us in in the background and let it play. You don't even need to be in the same room! In fact, we recommend listening to us this way. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#NuNews: Le Xbox Caste

Earthquakes in New Zealand are just part of the weather! 
 
Lee claims there's not much news. Now where have we heard that before? Normally he says it right before a 3-hour podcast... 
 
We're back into the charts, and games are going up and down like they do. Could there be any surprises this week? Or is COD still number 1? You'll have to just listen to find out. City Skylines got a remastered version and a Series X update. Bringing 4K60 to the console and other exciting things that you want from your city builder. 
 
Could Xbox be forced to sell Call of Duty? If the ABK deal goes through, it could be a possibility. And it looks like the tide in the industry is turning against Sony. So we'll be very interested in the future of these franchises... Microsoft has agreed to bring COD to Nintendo day-and-date for the next 10 years should the deal pass, so thats a win in our books. With all the stuff going on, would you be interested in a roudup podcast? From the first anouncement to the latest news - we could sit down and go through it each step of the way. Only if you want it, of course... 
 
LG has a new TV thats wireless. Kinda. No wires to the TV apart from the power cable. But a really ugly box to plug everything into. So swings and roundabouts... And it joins a brand new Xbox controller - Stellar Shift. It looks super nice and shiny. But Lee maintains his is better. Typical. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#GameFace! The Words Cannot Hurt Me

Before we get into what games we're sprinkling on our breakfast, we have a very important announcement. 
 
Hawke's Bay (where we're based) was hit by a cyclone earlier this week. Power and fiber lines were cut, roads were washed away, massive flooding and a lot of devastation was left in its wake. If you're interested in seeing the fallout, check out this link. And if you feel like you want to help out with the relief efforts, feel free to donate here. We're not expecting you to, so don't feel bad if you can't. 
 
Now back to the games! 
 
#FriendlyFeb continues with Lee playing The Grand Tour, and when he's not under water, he's having a whale of a time. Yelling at the other Top Gear hosts, racing around, doing all the things that The Grand Tour does. Including lots of car things. 
 
Kyle is knee deep in The Witness, and supplementing the puzzels with Madden '23. From a peaceful puzzle game, to a peaceful NFL game. Kyle has some choice feedback for Madden as a new player. And if you want to join him and teach him how to play, that would be greatly appreciated. 
 
Simone is washing away the thoughts of #FriendlyFeb with Powerwash Simulator, and friend of the podcast - Chillidawgs - ended up cleaning the firestation without a ladder... Not to be outdone, Simone decided to clean everything with the smallest hose. Because why not! Jump in, wash the world and listen to this podcast. It will help you feel relaxed as, bro. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter 

#NuNews: Don’t Question Skyrim

Our intro was written by ChatGPT. 
And our outro was too. 
The bots look like they've arrived
What, oh what, are creatives to do? 
 
The bots are really coming for our jobs... But I think we have a little more time before it becomes a reality. So, tell us! What do you think? Do you think ChatGPT does a better job than we do? Would you want a podcast composed entirely by a bot? (The correct answer is no, of course.) 
 
What were the top 100 Xbox games for 2022? Luckily you asked, because we have the answer. And we don't think you're going to like it. Because Kyle did not like it at all. Can you guess the number one game? Are you like us and disagree with this list? 
There's new controllers - left and right, everywhere you look! This one is purple and that one has a screen on it. Oh my! 
 
Ubisoft+ is flinally headed to Xbox, at least according to a bunch of rumors. But is it going to mean that all the current Ubisoft games get pulled from GamePass, or will it be a value add like EA Play? We hope its the latter, as there are some amazing Ubisoft games we want to jump into. And we dont want to lose access to the games aready on GamePass. 
And to top it off, we have a story about ourselves! Or more like a story about Lee. From Lee. Seems he may just enjoy talking about himself. But hey, content is content, so we're not going to argue. 
 
And our very first change for Season 7 is that the Nu & Noteworthy game section is now called Kyle's Game Thing. Please all welcome Kyle's Game Thing as a segement to the NuNews format. Tell us if you like it, hate it, want it changed back to just happy that we're back to putting out podcasts. 
 
If you'd like to support the podcast, but don't know how, then just leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. It takes 2 seconds and helps in more ways than you can imagine. 
 
--
For everything about the podcast, check out our official website! 
Follow us on Twitter, find all our links on LinkTree and support us on Patreon. 
 
--
Your hosts are:
 
Kyle: XarCrius on Xbox and Twitter
Lee: Leehoward on Xbox and Twitter 
Simone: GymBeanNZ on Xbox and Twitter