The Expansion Pass

Ocarina of Time is back, and Nintendo's legendary Zelda adventure is earning incredible reviews nearly 30 years after its original release. But does the classic Zelda formula still hold up, and what can modern developers learn from it? Luke and Captain Logun welcome N64 Josh to discuss The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, Nintendo's remarkable Switch 2 sales, and the difficult balance between nostalgia and modern game design. From traditional Zelda dungeons to Breath of the Wild's freedom, we explore what makes these games special and whether remakes should preserve or reinvent the originals. The conversation then turns to Xbox as we examine the allegations surrounding Arkane Lyon and Marvel's Blade, Microsoft's handling of its studios, and the debate over whether The Elder Scrolls VI should become an Xbox exclusive. We also discuss the future of Xbox hardware, PlayStation's success, and whether exclusive games still sell consoles. Plus, we celebrate 20 years of Gears of War, talk about what we're playing, and reflect on why gaming feels especially exciting right now. Featuring: N64 Josh, Captain Logun, and Luke Lohr. Clear takes. No console-war noise. Support The Expansion Pass and get access to exclusive content and giveaways:https://www.patreon.com/c/TheExpansionPass

Gears of War: E-Day reportedly cost Microsoft more than $500 million, but is that enormous investment actually a problem? Luke and Captain Logun examine the reported budget, early sales estimates, Game Pass, and whether Xbox exclusivity makes financial sense for one of gaming's biggest franchises. The conversation also turns to Xbox's damaged brand and the difficult road toward rebuilding consumer confidence. With hardware revenue declining 14%, rising console prices, and concerns surrounding supply and availability, can Microsoft's latest strategy reverse the trend? Plus, new Bloomberg reporting sheds light on BioWare's closure and EA's reported decision to prioritize Star Wars Battlefront 3 over Mass Effect. Later, we discuss Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Halloween: The Game, Dead by Daylight, overlooked horror games, Nintendo's Indie World Showcase, Zelda's 40th Anniversary hardware, and more. Thoughtful discussions on gaming without the console war noise. Chapters 00:00 – Halloween Opening & Catching Up 10:22 – Words of Kindness & Community Appreciation 16:18 – Gears of War: E-Day's Reported $500 Million Budget 28:31 – Xbox's Damaged Brand & the Value of Exclusives 31:23 – Game Pass, Sales & Supporting Developers 36:16 – BioWare's Closure & Star Wars Battlefront 3 38:04 – Xbox Financials & Declining Hardware Sales 42:26 – Console Prices, Availability & Used Hardware 50:09 – AI, Hardware Costs & the Future of Gaming 53:28 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Impressions 58:50 – No More Room in Hell 2 & Zombie Games 1:04:01 – Halloween: The Game vs. Dead by Daylight 1:07:14 – Horror Games & Halloween Recommendations 1:11:11 – Nintendo Indie World & Upcoming Games 1:15:30 – Zelda's 40th Anniversary Hardware 1:19:15 – Call of Duty Multiplayer & Streaming 1:21:14 – Phantom Blade Zero & Batman: Arkham Knight 1:23:40 – Recent Interviews & Channel Updates 1:28:41 – Halloween Movies & Spooky Season 1:34:39 – Closing Thoughts Support The Expansion Pass Join our community and support more interviews, reviews, and independent gaming coverage: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheExpansionPass New episodes weekly. Clear takes. No console-war noise.

BioWare is closing after more than 30 years, and development on the next Mass Effect has been cancelled. Luke Lohr and Captain Logun are joined by Brian Altano of The X Button to discuss BioWare’s legacy, what may happen to Mass Effect next, the realities of AAA game development, publisher expectations, monetization, and the growing pressure facing studios throughout the industry. The conversation then turns to Xbox’s future, including Microsoft’s planned handheld, Project Helix, rising hardware prices, Game Pass, exclusivity, Play Anywhere, and what Xbox needs to offer players heading into another generation. Brian also shares some thoughts on games media, launching The X Button, game development, and one particularly memorable Resident Evil interview. Thoughtful discussions on gaming without the console war noise. Support The Expansion Pass:https://www.patreon.com/c/TheExpansionPass Chapters 00:00 Welcome to The Expansion Pass01:46 Brian Altano & The X Button08:41 Creativity, AI & Independent Content18:27 Games Media & Game Development26:52 Brian’s Resident Evil Interview Story40:01 The Expansion Pass Updates42:20 Xbox Handheld & Project Helix47:14 The Next-Gen Pricing Problem51:50 Gaming Needs a Cheaper Entry Point53:49 Can Xbox Win With a Handheld?59:20 What Xbox & PlayStation Need Next1:05:42 What Justifies an $1,800 Xbox?1:09:19 Call of Duty & Xbox1:14:13 Exclusives & the Next Generation1:19:58 BioWare Closes & Mass Effect Is Cancelled1:22:08 Dragon Age & Online Outrage1:26:35 Publishers, Investors & Monetization1:28:05 Politics & Representation in Games1:32:46 Rocksteady, Suicide Squad & Publisher Mandates1:34:37 What Happens to Mass Effect?1:40:56 Closing Thoughts

The Expansion Pass crosses over with The Nerd Chat for a late-night discussion covering GTA 6, Xbox’s evolving strategy, new hardware, and what everyone has been playing. The crew digs into reports that GTA 6 could arrive on PC in Q1 2027, whether Rockstar still benefits from delaying its PC releases, and the role PlayStation’s marketing agreement could play. From there, we break down the new Xbox Nano Controller and Xbox Labs, including the potential implications for game preservation, backwards compatibility, AI-assisted development, mobile gaming, and Xbox’s next generation. Then the conversation turns to one of the bigger questions surrounding Xbox: should Microsoft keep more games exclusive? We discuss Minecraft, Clockwork Revolution, Elder Scrolls, increasingly expensive console hardware, and whether Xbox’s multiplatform strategy ultimately helps or hurts its hardware business. Plus: early Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 impressions, Gears of War, World of Warcraft Forever, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, The Witcher 3, and plenty more. Chapters: 0:00 – The Expansion Pass x The Nerd Chat6:45 – GTA 6 PC in Q1 2027?22:42 – Xbox Nano Controller35:18 – Xbox Labs, AI & Game Preservation49:17 – New Releases & Modern Warfare 455:36 – Should Xbox Bring Back Exclusives?1:08:30 – What We’ve Been Playing1:15:53 – World of Warcraft Forever & Boltgun 21:24:28 – Best Food We Had This Week1:37:11 – Closing Out the Crossover

Mathieu Côté of Behaviour Interactive returns for his third conversation with The Expansion Pass to discuss the future of Dead by Daylight. Mathieu shares new details on the 2027 overhaul, including how long it has been in active development, how Behaviour is balancing the current live game against the rebuild, and what the update could mean for legacy licensed characters like Michael Myers. He also responds to the recent Terrifier / Art the Clown criticism, discusses why Art may be the most intense killer Behaviour has ever created, and explains whether characters that have left Dead by Daylight could eventually return. Additional topics include the Dead by Daylight movie with Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, Jason Voorhees, Halloween and the growing asymmetrical horror genre, Behaviour’s work with The Coalition on Gears of War: E-Day, The Division 2 crossover, UGC tools, Stephen King, Pennywise, Scooby-Doo, Goosebumps and more. Chapters:0:00 Mathieu Côté Returns0:59 Dead by Daylight’s 2027 Overhaul10:01 Licensed Characters and Legacy Updates16:27 Rebuilding DBD While Supporting the Live Game23:14 Behaviour’s Gears of War: E-Day Connection26:31 Skins, Chapters and the Future of DBD Content33:56 New Players and the Asymmetrical Horror Genre36:34 Dead by Daylight Movie, Blumhouse & Atomic Monster42:16 The Division 2, Fortnite and DBD in Other Games47:14 Halloween, SAW: Genesis and Asymmetrical Horror50:50 Scooby-Doo, Goosebumps and Terrifier54:37 Stephen King, Pennywise and Dream Licenses57:19 Maps, Bots and UGC Tools1:01:43 Cult Horror and Religion in DBD1:05:14 What’s Next for Dead by Daylight1:06:25 Art the Clown: DBD’s Most Intense Killer1:08:09 Could Michael Myers Return?