Larry Hryb: Happy August, my name is Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson. This is I think show 603-ish, sitting here with Jeff Rubenstein.
Jeff Rubenstein: You had one job Larry.
Larry Hryb: Well it gets so-
Jeff Rubenstein: This is it.
Larry Hryb: It gets so confusing because we have so many shows. You know how it is, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: By the way this is show 60 ... No, it's 605.
Larry Hryb: Is it?
Jeff Rubenstein: The last show was 604. Look at the list, because 603, 604, 60, we're counting back down to one.
Larry Hryb: I just fixed it. I just fixed it.
Jeff Rubenstein: There we go.
Larry Hryb: We have a shared notebook here. Anyways, 605, welcome and unfortunately, as even within the first 30 seconds Laura has failed to keep us in line because she's not here.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is her job to count the shows.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Every day she comes in. She just starts from the beginning.
Larry Hryb: You and I can't even do that right.
Jeff Rubenstein: No sir.
Larry Hryb: We are a fail.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're talkers.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, good to see you Jeff, as always.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, thanks you too.
Larry Hryb: We're here. It's we're rocketing through up here in the northern hemisphere ah summer.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Summer in Seattle, it's been very warm this week.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, weather tweets are among the worst tweets. Only lunch tweets are worse than weather tweets. We'll tweet it. It's in the mid 90s here. Everyone's like, "It's in the mid 90s, we're almost at 186 degrees in Phoenix."
Larry Hryb: Yeah, now you grew up in Florida, so you're used to this type of heat, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, it's more humid there. The difference is you live in Florida, you live in Arizona, you live in Texas, you have air conditioning or maybe a swamp cooler. I'm still not sure what that is.
Larry Hryb: Apparently it's just a bunch of ice or cool water with a fan blowing over it.
Jeff Rubenstein: That would be an improvement to what many ... I would say most of us have in Seattle which is nothing.
Larry Hryb: In fact according to the New York time, two-thirds of the people in Seattle don't have air conditioning.
Jeff Rubenstein: Correct.
Larry Hryb: Really, wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, so I'm one of those people. That takes you back like a 100 years. I feel like I'm in pioneering days sitting in a puddle of my own sweat and just playing games and praying that my mind will go into the character to the point where I don't feel hot anymore. Of course, it'll all be over soon.
Larry Hryb: It'll all be over soon.
Jeff Rubenstein: By that I mean the weather, not just all of it.
Larry Hryb: Let's get to what we're playing Jeff. What are you playing?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, sure. It's been a couple of weeks since we last spake.
Larry Hryb: It has been. Yeah, since we last got together.
Jeff Rubenstein: And a couple good games, interesting things have come out now.
Larry Hryb: Quite a few actually.
Jeff Rubenstein: One of them is, What Remains of Edith Finch.
Larry Hryb: Oh, that's a good one, I finished that one. I know you did too.
Jeff Rubenstein: I did, I got the 1K on that one. So I think it's interesting, you interviewed Ian Dallas, from Shine Sparrow last show, and like he was saying, the more you know about the game, you shouldn't know too much about the game going into. Suffice to say, you largely play a young woman learning about her family. Actually, located up here, not far from Seattle.
Larry Hryb: In the northwest.
Jeff Rubenstein: In the northwest on Orcas Island.
Larry Hryb: Have you been there, Orcas Island?
Jeff Rubenstein: I never have.
Larry Hryb: Oh Orcas is beautiful.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a place where I know people go camping or something, you have to take a boat to get there. And she has a very interesting family, and I'll just leave it at that. And it is definitely worth your time, I thought it was really interesting game.
Larry Hryb: It's one of those games, go back and listen to the interview last week with Ian, you can't say too much about the story, you don't want to ruin it, and the way they tell the story, I tweeted this out, this is some next gen storytelling, it's really creative.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I feel like if you've played Gone Home, and that's sort of like a first person, you uncover a story. This takes it a step further. There's some different mechanics in there besides just walking around and reading or hearing stories. There is part of that but, it's really cool. I just really enjoyed it.
Larry Hryb: Can't say too much more about that. I finished that as well, lot of fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Now for something completely different, on the polar opposite end would be Fortnight.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: So a lot of people I've seen playing this.
Larry Hryb: A lot of people. Game preview.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I don't know if it's part of the game preview program specifically, it has achievements and all that, but the game is in an early stage. It's not 1.0 yet. But that being said, the combat's very polished. The way this game works is like, you build up a base. It's kind of like, I don't want to say Mine Craft. Like if you were to boil down Mine Craft, at least the survival mode, and Fortnight, to their base essentials, you build all day and you fight all night type of situation.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I've heard it described as Mine Craft meets Hoard Mode.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. It is a lot different than either, I've played hundreds of hours of Mine Craft and Hoard Mode for that matter, and it does, I think, distill a number of the elements of that. But if you just want to fight, you don't want to be much a builder, you actually spend a ton of time scavenging. Going through and harvesting materials out of cars or hours or hidden things. There's some interesting stuff there.
Larry Hryb: Garbage cans.
Jeff Rubenstein: The characters look very interesting, even the zombies are kind of cute. Like Pixar-ish. It kind of reminds me, the visual style, almost of The Incredibles a little bit.
Larry Hryb: Okay. I'll buy that.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a bit of that right? So yeah, I think it's a pretty interesting game, a lot of people are streaming it so it's worth taking a look on. Mixer or Twit or You Too or wherever it is you consume your content. Definitely having a lot of fun with that, I think they're going to be continuing, Epic's going to be continuing to work on the game.
I will say that there's, like when it comes to like, the crafting and actually like, resource management, there's so much there. There's so much to it, the skill tree is huge.
Larry Hryb: Oh it's massive.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a lot to learn, so I'm waiting for like, really good guides to come out. I've been watching some YouTube vids on people who break down, oh this is a great way to find this, and there's tons of loot. I do enjoy the loot box mechanic.
Larry Hryb: I know you do. Who doesn't?
Jeff Rubenstein: You hit llama pinatas with a sword or-
Larry Hryb: Sometimes you're bat bounces off.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, and then it turns into like, silver. I thought that was really-
Larry Hryb: Yeah, it's a cute touch.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a very cool mechanic. So definitely a game I think people are going to be playing for a long time. Much like the other game we're playing for a long time and that's Overwatch.
Larry Hryb: Right of course, which goes without saying.
Jeff Rubenstein: So we had to go back there.
Larry Hryb: To get ready.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: To get ready for?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, we're getting ready for summer games.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: But since the last time we spoke Doomfest.
Larry Hryb: Doomfest has made an appearance.
Jeff Rubenstein: Joined the fray. Unlike, I would say one of the previous characters, Anna and, oh my God, help me out here.
Larry Hryb: Sambra?
Jeff Rubenstein: Sambra, thank you. When they join, and everyone jumped in for like, two days, and then some people really like Anna and Sambra and most people don't. You go play in matches where you don't necessarily see one or the other. Every match I have played in the last week has had at least one Doomfest and usually two.
Larry Hryb: You played Doomfest, I hadn't played him-
Jeff Rubenstein: It's hard for me to get, I played him one time in a match.
Larry Hryb: I think I did too, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I think it was during survival, and I did get killed. Definitely there's a lot going on there. I feel like, he's kind of like Ryu from Street Fighter. He has a dragon pipe. You can kind of almost spam special moves. Obviously high level players play a lot differently, but I feel like he's constantly moving, he's constantly jumping through the air, he gets his ultimate it seems like six or seven thousand times per match.
Larry Hryb: He comes out of nowhere.
Jeff Rubenstein: So I'm curious how they're going to end up balancing him, but he's definitely I would say, the most popular new character added to that game in a year plus it's been out.
Larry Hryb: Right. Rock on.
Jeff Rubenstein: So playing that, and then one other thing is Pubg. The player unknown battleground. So something they had, we know it's coming to X-Box, we announced that at E-3. But this week they, I guess Brendan Greene or Bluehole, the people that work on this, they announced that they were going to be supporting the X-Box controller on the PC version of the game. So I fired it up.
Larry Hryb: Is that out yet?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's in the test server. Actually I think it hit the normal servers slightly before we-
Larry Hryb: Now.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, by the time you hear this. And you know what, I got it killed. I got my first kill.
Larry Hryb: Yeah you did.
Jeff Rubenstein: And now, you're still playing in controller versus people playing in a mouse and keyboard environment, and I'm not going to be sniping 360 or scoping people from across the [inaudible 00:08:23].
Larry Hryb: And we're not going to wade into that religious debate.
Jeff Rubenstein: No. But the bottom line is I'm trash with the keyboard and mouse, so at least when it comes to navigating the space and looting things-
Larry Hryb: I think it's part of the inverted issue.
Jeff Rubenstein: Maybe. Maybe it's lack of practice. So I was playing my first one, I was sort of messing around on, there's this lobby screen at the beginning. I was just trying to test out the controllers or the buttons mapping the way I want them to, and then it jumped into the game and I'm like, I'm just going to play it. I'm not going to bail out. So I'm in the plane, I dive out, I'm by myself and I'm orienting myself with the controls, finding a shotgun. And actually this is good, if I'm going to be using a controller versus a mouse and ... I'm not going to get into a sniping battle across the map will destroy me. But a shotgun was a shotgun.
So I'm sort of towards the edge of the map, I'm running, I'm just trying to get into the circle so I don't get firebombed. And then I sort of stop at the crest of a hill and I'm looking around, like is there any motion. Because I'm going to have to get the drop on somebody, I only have a shotgun.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so you hit the deck?
Jeff Rubenstein: And there's just a bit of movement about 10 feet in front of me.
Larry Hryb: 10 clicks.
Jeff Rubenstein: 10 feet. I don't know what a click is. A kilometer?
Larry Hryb: Kilometers.
Jeff Rubenstein: Prone, a sniper laying down facing the other way. And oh my God I just like, like time slowed down, my salivary glands kicked in, a little bit of drool.
Larry Hryb: You brought the weapon up.
Jeff Rubenstein: Heartbeat, and I walked up, I didn't even aim down the sight, and I got my first kill.
Larry Hryb: Did you just casually, Javier Bardem style, walk over to him and go boom?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. This is when I was like, I need a emotes. So I got that first kill and at this point there's like, 46 people left out of the 100.
Larry Hryb: Oh, so you made it pretty high.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I'm like, oh man, this is my chance to get top 10. I seem to be away from everyone else-
Larry Hryb: This is your first time playing?
Jeff Rubenstein: This is my first time playing with a controller and first time ever playing solo. And then I go about 10 feet and then-
Larry Hryb: Time slows down again.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, literally that's my computer shutting down because I brought it upstairs.
Larry Hryb: Oh no!
Jeff Rubenstein: This is a laptop. These gaming laptops, love them. You need to have them plugged in pretty much all the time.
Larry Hryb: Your battery ran out!
Jeff Rubenstein: I had brought it upstairs just to test out the controls, I didn't expect to jump into a game.
Larry Hryb: No!
Jeff Rubenstein: So as far as I'm concerned my player never died. They probably just sat out there on the edge of some village.
Larry Hryb: He just went limp.
Jeff Rubenstein: Everyone else killed themselves and I must have finished first.
Larry Hryb: He went limp Mex style.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly. I have no choice but to assume that I won.
Larry Hryb: Oh wow, that's terrible.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: We'll have to play, I've been looking forward to coming to the console and I make no bones that I am not an expert with mouse and keyboard, so maybe that's-
Jeff Rubenstein: We're going to have a lot of fun with this one.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I know we will.
Jeff Rubenstein: So tell me, what have you been playing?
Larry Hryb: It's pretty much everything you've gone over, we've talked about, I checked about Fable Fortune, it's now in game preview.
Jeff Rubenstein: X-box and Windows 10.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. The Long Dark, I'm checking out the Path Of Exile Beta.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, POE.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, doing that. Of course that's always a lot of fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's kind of like a Diablo-esque.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, very much so. So yeah, one that I tried was Canadian Football 2017.
Jeff Rubenstein: So tell me, how does it compare to American Football?
Larry Hryb: It's a different game.
Jeff Rubenstein: More polite, like sorry after every tackle.
Larry Hryb: Apparently someone said on Twitter, and I haven't gotten this far, because I booted it up and then I had to run, apparently instead of Gatorade there's Tim Hortons. And every game ends in a tie.
Jeff Rubenstein: Sweet. Are there any Canadian stereotypes we didn't?
Larry Hryb: I know I feel like, some our good friends are Canadian.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know, I'm up there all the time.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so I'm playing that. Of course What Remains of Edith Finch was great, so that was a good one. I was playing a lot of stuff. I want to have a little bit of a programming note here. We are, in August and between holidays and vacations, Laura's out, Jeff's out, I'm going to be out for a week. We are probably not going to do another show until PAX, East PAX Prime, whatever, PAX West, whatever-
Jeff Rubenstein: PAX West.
Larry Hryb: Whatever it's called now. So Witches Weaver will be there on that Saturday like we normally are. So we'll record that and we'll put that out. So just in case, we probably won't have time to get into the studio again because of the vacations, but I wanted to make sure that I signed off properly and let people know what was going on Jeff.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm going to miss you.
Larry Hryb: I was down at Comic Con last week.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I do know that.
Larry Hryb: That was a lot of fun. I did Comic Con, was there-
Jeff Rubenstein: You were with Terry Crews. You sat at a table with Terry Crews. You took a great picture with him as well.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I'll tweet that out probably closer to launch. I want to save that one for the launch crowd.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Larry Hryb: We had a lot of fun, Terry and I moderated the panel and that evening I did the, what now apparently is an infamous screen-
Jeff Rubenstein: Infamous was the word I was going to be going for.
Larry Hryb: From-
Jeff Rubenstein: Start with the positives. You got to spend an entire evening with Genine [inaudible 00:13:08].
Larry Hryb: Oh she was delightful. In fact she and I have been emailing back and forth talking about a few projects. But she's great, and there's a lot of people there. Met with some of the guys from Stranger Things, we saw that trailer breaker.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh that looks so good.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, we saw that one coming out, it takes-
Jeff Rubenstein: I love how it starts in an arcade.
Larry Hryb: Right? And then they got the old Vincent Price.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, that's right, Thriller. I'm going to link to that trailer.
Larry Hryb: So we've got that. One of my favorite moments, and I mentioned this to you is, I was at this event in the stream and I think Genine was on, or somebody was on, and I stepped away to check out the chatroom and whatnot, and Zak Penn comes up to me.
Jeff Rubenstein: Zak Penn, director of ...
Larry Hryb: Of the E.T.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, of the E.T.
Larry Hryb: The Atari.
Jeff Rubenstein: But I think people, if they're hearing his name now-
Larry Hryb: Right, they're like, "Wait a minute, I know that name." So he comes up to me, and I'll explain to you in a minute. So Zak comes up to me, he was the gentleman who wrote and directed the ... That was one of our strangest trips Jeff and I have ever taken, we went out to Alamagordo New Mexico.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, we did.
Larry Hryb: And we unearthed those Atari cartridges. And Zak comes up to me and says hello, gives me a hug, and says, "Hey, great to see you. I want to let you know that the Atari dig we did was one of the greatest projects I ever worked on." I'm like, "You worked on a lot of stuff, really?" He tells me because of that, he met Ernie Cline, who was the author of Ready Player One. When Ernie was shopping his book around Hollywood, apparently he wanted Zak to co-write the screenplay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which is crazy.
Larry Hryb: So Zak is writing the screenplay, or co-writing the screenplay. Who is, of course, directing is-
Jeff Rubenstein: Zak Penn.
Larry Hryb: No, directing.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, Steven Spielberg.
Larry Hryb: Steven Spielberg. So the fact that we were in the desert in the landfill in Alamagordo let him to a gig with Steven Spielberg. Anything can happen folks. Anything can happen.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's so crazy.
Larry Hryb: But I had him on here, I think he was the last guest of the night.
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like we missed our big breaks. I remember when Ernie Cline, and I didn't know who he was at the time, I had not yet read Ready Player One, I remember him driving by in his Delorean, which he had the gold wing doors he had up, and he was blasting the E.T. theme, or maybe it was, it might have been the Raiders of the Lost ... Some John Williams score.
Larry Hryb: Which is always-
Jeff Rubenstein: Very '80's. And we're like, what just happened?
Larry Hryb: He's got this beautiful car in the middle of a landfill.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know who that car belonged to right? That Delorean?
Larry Hryb: Who was it? I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: The writer of A Game Of Thrones.
Larry Hryb: Really? Why did he get rid of it?
Jeff Rubenstein: George R. Martin. Actually it might have been in the documentary. He went out, because George R. Martin lives elsewhere in New Mexico, in Santa Fe or something.
Larry Hryb: I thought he lived in Austin.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, he lives in New Mexico somewhere, and, I don't know how conducive it is to finishing your sixth book, maybe he should move somewhere with worse weather. So he stays indoors, finish that book please, it's a winner. And yeah, he went there and he borrowed the car from George, and then drove it down. I guess they're friends.
Larry Hryb: So that was his car?
Jeff Rubenstein: So that was George R. Martin's delorean.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so go back and watch ... Can we link off to the Atari, I'm sure it's on Netflix by now.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, it was called Game Over?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, it was so good. Do you remember that? That was the weirdest thing, I was like, "Jeff, we're going to go."
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh that was-
Larry Hryb: We had to transfer. Remember we were sitting on the tarmac in LA. The whole journey was just once in a lifetime.
Jeff Rubenstein: It looks like it's on Netflix so I'll link out to that.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so that was ... it was great to be down there at Comic Con and all sorts of fun like that. Lot of stuff coming out of that with Crackdown related. There's a lot of news going on, we've got some news here. Jeff, I know you've got some of the news headlines in front of you. Why don't we bang through those real quick. I want to just remind folks, even though we're not going to be doing a show you can always catch up on the news at my blog at MajorNelson.com. You can follow me on Twitter at MajorNelson. And of course this week on X-Box, which airs every Friday on your console, and I try to put it on Twitter and so forth.
Jeff Rubenstein: This looks like a good one.
Larry Hryb: Which one?
Jeff Rubenstein: We were just commenting on how good the lighting looked this week.
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Jeff Rubenstein: As they were editing.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah, the show.
Jeff Rubenstein: You look radiant Larry.
Larry Hryb: Well, it's not me.
Jeff Rubenstein: You have that summer glow.
Larry Hryb: It's the post production. Anyway, let's go through the headlines real quick so we can get people on their way.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, quite the few. Something you may have seen, is that X-box is joining forces with-
Larry Hryb: With-
Jeff Rubenstein: This is where you put the bell ringing sound in.
Larry Hryb: Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
Jeff Rubenstein: Or more like gong. Taco Bell. To bring the X-box OneX to fans. So starting at the end of the month, August 31st, X-box and Taco Bell are going to be combining to give you the first chance to win the X-box OneX. You have to buy this $5.00 box.
Larry Hryb: You like your quesarito right? You like your churros?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm a big fan of the, what's the double taco, where it's like the regular taco and then it has the bean burrito around it. Like the soft ... The double whatever. And I'm a chalupa man. Oh you know what is really good is the doritos locos. I'm hungry now. Doritos locos taco? It's something that I feel like, once a year I'm like, this is happening, I'm getting Doritos Loco taco.
Larry Hryb: Only in America. Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's so good.
Larry Hryb: Okay once a year.
Jeff Rubenstein: Anyway, we'll link out for some details. Basically the Taco Bell $5.00 box will have a code that you can text to win the X-box OneX. We're going to be giving away quite a few of them. I guess we actually partnered for the original X-box way back in the day.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, way back in the day. Taco Bell, so check that out. You can take a look at that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, we'll link out to that. Three new controllers are revealed this week as well.
Larry Hryb: We'll have those on the show, and I've put it on the Instagram.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know which one, my favorite out of these three is the green gray, where it's kind of understated. It's a grayish controller with dark gray buttons, but underneath it there's like this neon green sort of color to it.
Larry Hryb: It's nice.
Jeff Rubenstein: It looks good. I know our good friend Graham poked in from his annual leave to weigh in and say the volcano shadow edition was his favorite. There's also a Patrol Tech. We had a different tech controller that came out recently, it was very textured.
Larry Hryb: Black and gold.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, and so we have another one in that series. So we'll link out to all the details. But I think the green gray, I feel like that's your-
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I actually really like that. Just reminds me of old, it's old X-box colors.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly.
Larry Hryb: Classic. All right, what else do we got for news today?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's more like X-box 360 colors. It's almost like the X-box 360 controller. Anyway. So Mine Craft. We talked about our better together update, I believe that was also talked about in E-3, where the goal is to unify our versions of Mine Craft across console and mobile and Win10.
Larry Hryb: Here, there, everywhere.
Jeff Rubenstein: So it is in now, it's in beta. So it's something that, right now it's rolled out for Win10 and Android. It's going to be coming to X-box One soon. So it's something you're going to want to take a look at. If you're really big into it and you want to get a hold it now, I'm going to link out to the MineCraft.net entry on that and you can find out more about the better together beta.
Larry Hryb: A lot of people play that game.
Jeff Rubenstein: This was a cool thing. I would say Force Horizon Three has had some very interesting crossovers. And first it started off with the warthog, which was probably one of my most used vehicles in that game. Definitely good for the outback. And the second was was, of course, the hotwheels expansion, which was phenomenal.
Larry Hryb: They had fun with it.
Jeff Rubenstein: This one I was not expecting. This one I feel like I came out with this idea, but I'm sure I didn't.
Larry Hryb: Really, did you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Maybe it was in my mind. And that is the Final Fantasy 15 regalia which is the big car that Noctis and Crew drive throughout the world, is coming to Force Horizon Three. In fact, it's there now. And if you're somebody who had Final Fantasy 15 on their X-box One, you should check your X-box messages. There should be messages, system messages that come from X-box. You'll have a code, you hit a button, you download, and you will have the regalia. So it is available, and if you haven't played Final Fantasy 15, it's within the game as well, so it's something you can get, and it's free so no reason not to. I'm curious how it's going to handle, because this car is like, 20 feet long, it's like-
Larry Hryb: Right, it's a big one.
Jeff Rubenstein: Super Cadillac. It's like a Mybok and then some, but it is one of the characters almost, in the game. So curious if you can bring the hood down, I'll have to ... I mean the roof down, I'll have to check that out. Anyway, now I guess we can talk about the games.
Larry Hryb: By the way, don't forget there's a demo out for EA Sports NHL 18. It's got this great 3-D 3 mode we should check out.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh really, sort of like back in the day?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, exactly. So we should check that out. But let's go through, that one just came out right before we started recording, so you should, go to my blog MajorNelson.com you'll have ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I could use the fumes of ice right now. Just cooling me down right there, better than AC that I don't have. Tacoma.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is a game that we've been talking about for over a year. It is from the Fulbright company, the people that made Gone Home and this is really their follow up to that, and it takes place in a space station about 100 years from now, 50, 80 years from now, whenever we're going to be in space. Can't happen soon enough. And so that is out, I think it's another game where the more you talk about it the more you give away, so I think that [inaudible 00:22:23]. So Tacoma is available now. It's out on X-box One now and it will be coming to Windows10 at some point down the line as well.
The Long Dark. This is a game that was in game preview. It was one of the very first game preview games. And it has hit 1.0, the achievements are up and ready to go, and it is also an X-box play anywhere title. The X-box One version is available now. Windows 10 version will be released at a later date. But a pretty brutal survival game from what I'm told.
Another game that has really caught my eye that I'm planning on playing this week is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. So it looks kind of like a tactical game taking place in Edo era Japan and you have a Samurai who's the one that can kill people aggressively. Then you have a woman who blends in as a villager. Anyway, a couple of different types of soldier types that can go through and, there's a really cool trailer. Actually I'll link out to it because it really-
Larry Hryb: Please do.
Jeff Rubenstein: Definitely it caught my attention. So somebody who enjoys X-Com and games like that, I think there's more of a real time element to it. It might be worth your attention. That's Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun.
And one last new game that, actually if you're an X-box live gold member, is free for you, is Slime Rancher.
Larry Hryb: You like free right?
Jeff Rubenstein: I like free.
Larry Hryb: Who doesn't like free?
Jeff Rubenstein: I like slime.
Larry Hryb: Well, there you go.
Jeff Rubenstein: I've never been a rancher so I'm going to be able to complete the circle.
Larry Hryb: It's from your days on Nickelodeon.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's true. You know Double Dare was originally a local show where I grew up in Philly. And like-
Larry Hryb: Just like Wonderama?
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know what that is.
Larry Hryb: Okay look that one up.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll have to look that one up. But I always, that was the thing we talked about in elementary school, like, "I'm going to be on Double Dare. I have a friend who's on Double Dare and knows how to get us on Double Dare." Never came through. But I was like, "Man we could win $500.00 and think what we could do with that."
Larry Hryb: You could have won big.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, could have changed the orbit of my life.
Larry Hryb: All the Capri Sun that you could have drunk.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was a lot, if I could get the straw in.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Without poking it all the way through the other side.
Larry Hryb: Or squirting it out all over yourself. Great design there folks.
Jeff Rubenstein: Capri Sun still exists by the way.
Larry Hryb: Oh it does?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I was at a soccer practice thing for my kid and someone brought Capri. I'm like, "Did you pull these out of a time capsule?" But apparently it's still there. And you know what, still just as difficult to open.
Larry Hryb: They haven't solved that problem?
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: This is where we need to put the innovation. These are the problems we have to solve.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we fixed it, it was called the drink box. And yet, Capri Sun's still kicking. They've said, "We're not going to distinguish ourselves by the flavor, just by the frustration you have on the packaging." Only watch this, Capri Sun just came on as a partner sponsor, we should ... I love Capri Sun, it's phenomenal.
Larry Hryb: Yes. News desk brought to you by Capri Sun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. And the other X-box live game with gold for the first half of August of course, is Bayonetta. Which is a heck of a game. Platinum games and-
Larry Hryb: If you like weapons in your shoes, this is your game.
Jeff Rubenstein: You do, guns in your hands, [inaudible 00:25:26] in your shoes. I believe the names, you know the guns have names.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I do.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I believe it was like, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Which is all the ingredients you need to do to make a great Thanksgiving turkey. So every time it's Thanksgiving time I can't help but think of Bayonetta.
Larry Hryb: I remember playing that game and my wife coming into my office and she's like, "What are you playing?" I'm like, "I don't know."
Jeff Rubenstein: Did you finish that game?
Larry Hryb: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: See there is a level late in the game, spoiler alert. I mean, the whole game, it's just so ridiculous, I don't feel like anything is connected from one or the other, you just kill everything.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: But where you're on a missile, like a nuclear missile that's going, I don't know if it's going to Earth or wherever, but you're basically riding it like a rodeo. But then other missiles are coming at you and you have to like, fight. Basically the level takes place on top of like an ICBM. Yes. Bayonetta.
Larry Hryb: Bayonetta.
Jeff Rubenstein: You've got to play it.
Larry Hryb: And it's free and it's waiting for you gold members right now.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly. I remember playing this thing, we have reached peak Bayonetta. Hell of a game, I do love that game. Anyway, so that's your news.
Larry Hryb: Games gold course later this month, we've got Games Con. Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to attend, I've got a personal appointment I have to take care of. Jeff, you're not going out this year right?
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know that I'm going-
Larry Hryb: I'm working on some videos for it though, so you'll definitely see me there on some videos but, I will not be on site this year for Games Con. Hopefully I'll be back next year, but X-box will be there and Alisia Bongos is going to be co-hosting the show, he'll be holding down the fort without me.
Jeff Rubenstein: They're just not letting you back into Germany right?
Larry Hryb: Well it's you and I after that incident last year at the jellybean store in the train station.
Jeff Rubenstein: At the gummy bear store?
Larry Hryb: That's right, it was a gummy bear store.
Jeff Rubenstein: Apparently it is a hard limit, you can only have three samples. I went for sample number four, not going this year.
Larry Hryb: You were escorted out.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. They take it seriously.
Larry Hryb: Thrown out right there on the side of the dom so-
Jeff Rubenstein: Who is going to pick up gummy bears for me. Every year.
Larry Hryb: Who's my gummy bear mule.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly. One year I brought back 25 pounds worth of gummy bears and you know what? It was worth it.
Larry Hryb: My wife loves those grapefruit ones.
Jeff Rubenstein: They're so good. I'm a mango many myself.
Larry Hryb: What is it? The Bear.
Jeff Rubenstein: Bear and Company.
Larry Hryb: Bear and Company. Those are the ones that are just phenomenal so.
Jeff Rubenstein: You need to sort this out, who's going to be bringing them back of us, we've got to figure that part out.
Larry Hryb: All right, those are the news, so anyway, as I said we're not going to have a show for the rest of August, we'll be back when we come back for PAX West. We've got a special guest planned for PAX West. Can't tell you who it is but you'll find out soon, just follow me on Twitter, I'll tell you there. Do we have anything else? Otherwise I'm going to wrap the show up. This is a quickie because we wanted to take care of everybody and do a proper sign off before we head out for our holidays vacation.
Jeff Rubenstein: I suppose that's it.
Larry Hryb: It feels short.
Jeff Rubenstein: It does, talk more Larry that's what you do.
Larry Hryb: I don't want to just talk to talk.
Jeff Rubenstein: Really? Really Larry?
Larry Hryb: I don't. We'd love to see you at PAX West.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, we would.
Larry Hryb: We'll have our panel on that Saturday. I don't know if it's one, two or three. It's usually right in the middle of the afternoon. I don't know if that's good or bad, should we change?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I think it's good. You want people right after lunch, and they want to take a nap and you know what, we've got the perfect place for you.
Larry Hryb: It's cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: If we keep you awake it means we've done a good job.
Larry Hryb: It's quiet, we're not too loud, we're not too interesting.
Jeff Rubenstein: No. But it's like, instant feedback. We don't need to send a survey out later, it's like, oh they woke up.
Larry Hryb: Are you getting as fatigued by everything asking me about what I thought in surveys as I am?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, especially when you just get to the website and they immediately want to give you a survey. I'm like, "Well let me experience the site first please."
Larry Hryb: Everybody wants to know what I think and what's going on, and I'm like, I just want to-
Jeff Rubenstein: You're important Larry.
Larry Hryb: No, it's not me, I know it's everybody. There's this data paralysis, that everyone wants to get data. And I understand data is good to drive decisions, but come on. I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: What do you think about that fidgit spinner you're fiddling with?
Larry Hryb: Get off my blog.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Okay there we go, I knew you were waiting.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was a little bit of a ... On one hand you're complaining about something from the internet and on the other had you have a fidget spinner.
Larry Hryb: This is Laura's fidgit spinner, I'm going to put it over there.
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like eight year old Larry and 80 year old Larry are having a war.
Larry Hryb: Of which I'm neither. So they're struggling, it's an internal struggle.
Anyway, we'll be back with PAX, which is, what are the dates of PAX?
Jeff Rubenstein: I can look that up. I believe it's like, September first.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, it's always right at the beginning of September when everyone rolls in from out of town and the weather is really nice. Everyone's like, "Ooh, this is really nice in Seattle." It is, but it's usually the beginning of September right?
Jeff Rubenstein: September first through fourth. There's a lot going on in Seattle that week to so-
Larry Hryb: Is Bumper Shoot going on?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. And they've got a pretty good line up so, if you come, speaking from the city of Seattle, please come and bring your wallet because there's a lot to do that weekend. Bumper Shoot is the same weekend, which is like a big outdoor festival. It's kind of like panorama or lalapalooza or one of those things.
Larry Hryb: Come for the games, stay for the music. [crosstalk 00:30:17].
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm curious to see her live.
Larry Hryb: This segment brought to you buy the Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
Jeff Rubenstein: Gucci Maine will be performing. Spoon. Actually this is a really good line up. I'm going to link to the Bumper Shoot line up. If you want restaurant recommendations, I'm going to put together a whole thing for you. You've got to get out of downtown, you've got to go-
Larry Hryb: Yeah, that's always our PAX tip because everyone always gets plugged up within the block around. All you got to do is walk like, three blocks north, south, east or west and bam.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, there's a whole city here.
Larry Hryb: There's a whole city here. There's plenty of great places. There's the donuts.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh you've got to get the Top Pot Donuts.
Larry Hryb: You know, we haven't been to Red Mill since you've moved here.
Jeff Rubenstein: The burger place?
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Actually there's another place we should try.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a lot of burgers. What?
Larry Hryb: First we talk about weather at the top of the show now we're talking about food at the bottom.
Jeff Rubenstein: We have become what we hate.
Larry Hryb: Yes. Get off my blog.
Jeff Rubenstein: Fidget spinners, tweeting about the weather. Why are you still listening.
Larry Hryb: What is wrong with me, what is wrong with us? All right, you can find Jeff Rubenstein on Twitter, and where do you find you Jeff?
Jeff Rubenstein: @JeffRubenstein, and it'll make it all about coffee.
Larry Hryb: And I can tell you this, if you get confused you can find me MajorNelson and Jeff is one of the six, that's right, six people that I follow. There's an explanation for every ... Should I still follow E, I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: You should still follow E. He would be heartbroken if you unfollowed him.
Larry Hryb: I know.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is he bothering you, or you just want to get that down to a five?
Larry Hryb: I just want to get it to a five, it has nothing to do personally.
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like, one day you'll unfollow me, and it'll be devastating.
Larry Hryb: No, stop it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I will be inconsolable.
Larry Hryb: Like when I did it with Graham?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And I put the GIF up showing me unfollowing, click.
Jeff Rubenstein: Because you accidentally followed him didn't you?
Larry Hryb: I don't remember what it was, we were doing something.
Jeff Rubenstein: You made his day, he was so excited, and you were like, oh that was a mistake.
Larry Hryb: All right, gang, I just realized I've tweeted 5,126 photos and videos.
Jeff Rubenstein: That seems like a lot.
Larry Hryb: That is, I'm sorry about that Twitter, wow, that's crazy.
Jeff Rubenstein: Taking up all that server space.
Larry Hryb: All right gang we'll talk to you, we'll see you at PAX. You can hit us up on Twitter, we'll of course be checking that when we're traveling and taking our annual leaves and doing our own thing. But thanks for hanging out with us, make sure to watch this week on X-box every Friday, as I said earlier, on your console. When I'm away, Jeff, you're going to fill in for me.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I'd be happy to do that.
Larry Hryb: If that's okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's okay with me. To those of you who have functioning vision and hearing that will have to see and hear me, I apologize in advance.
Larry Hryb: As we say in the business, we'll cover you with B-roll.
Jeff Rubenstein: Who's hosting? I don't know.
Larry Hryb: I don't know, it's a voice.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just a disembodied voice.
Larry Hryb: All right gang, we'll talk to everybody next time, and have a great August and we'll be back for PAX West. See you next time, bye bye everybody.
Jeff Rubenstein: See ya.

Larry Hryb: Welcome back. My name is Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson. We've got the show, here. We were off last week. We've got the full gang, here. Laura, hello.
Laura Massey: Hello.
Larry Hryb: How you doing?
Laura Massey: It's good to be back in the studio.
Larry Hryb: Isn't it nice?
Laura Massey: It sure is.
Larry Hryb: Isn't it nice, we're back [inaudible 00:00:57].
Laura Massey: A nice smell in here.
Larry Hryb: Up here in-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:00:59].
Larry Hryb: What does our studio smell like?
Laura Massey: It smells fresh and clean.
Larry Hryb: Fresh, we just took the plastic off the seats, and that's why Jeff's here.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's your [inaudible 00:01:08].
Laura Massey: Oh, that is a genius idea.
Larry Hryb: How, interesting.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Or, one that doubles as a fan.
Jeff Rubenstein: This way after the apocalypse you can still smell fresh. You know you cannot, you know, you have to count on electricity.
Larry Hryb: Febreze that is a free product idea.
Jeff Rubenstein: You can have that one.
Larry Hryb: Okay. Just take it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: We've got a lot of them. Anyway, we're here for the show, 604. We were off for a couple weeks. I was down in a-
Jeff Rubenstein: Annual leave?
Larry Hryb: No. Unfortunately not. I was down in Anaheim at D23, which is the big Disney conference.
Laura Massey: Totally jealous-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: By the way.
Larry Hryb: Oh, it was-
Laura Massey: My face is green.
Larry Hryb: Is it? Oh, that's what that color is.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: It was a lot of fun to be down there. You know, Anaheim is fun. At D23, I did an interview about Star Wars Battlefront.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: [inaudible 00:01:48], so you can watch it this week on Xbox. In fact, if you go over to your console right now, or up on YouTube, or Twitter you'll see my interview with her. I hung out with her, I didn't even get a chance to walk around the show for Laura.
Laura Massey: You didn't.
Larry Hryb: No. I had no time. I was in and out. We were prepping for a few things. We wanted to make sure we saw some things. There were so many things I wanted to see, because it was all Star Wars, and then there's all the Disney stuff, and the live action movie this, and you know what I'm talking about.
Jeff Rubenstein: What's up with the Star Wars hotel?
Larry Hryb: I saw that.
Jeff Rubenstein: How much is the thing going to cost?
Larry Hryb: I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: Did you see this, Laura?
Larry Hryb: Did you hear about this, Laura?
Laura Massey: I heard the headlines, but not the details.
Larry Hryb: But, did you read the details?
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: Apparently when you check in-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:02:23].
Jeff Rubenstein: Like, you assume a new identity.
Larry Hryb: You are in a cosplay.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:02:26].
Larry Hryb: You're in a cosplay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. It's Laura stalk killer.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: Awesome thing. Right?
Laura Massey: That sounds much better.
Larry Hryb: I was, like, hm, so, yeah, if you noticed on Twitter last week I was pleading with Disney, I was like, Disney World people you know how to find me, because we need to take the show down there.
Laura Massey: We do.
Jeff Rubenstein: Apparently, there's not going to be any windows in this hotel. The conceit of this is that you're going to be on a spaceship, so all the windows will show space-
Laura Massey: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: Like you're on the set of whatever, Star Trek-
Larry Hryb: That's-
Jeff Rubenstein: It's very Star Trekean.
Larry Hryb: That sounds good, but I kind of want to window, I mean, otherwise, it's like you might as well put it in a basement.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, maybe it will be.
Larry Hryb: Well, that's right. Who knows?
Jeff Rubenstein: Hopefully it's under attack, and it shakes. I don't know how it's going to be, but it sounds very west worldy.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. It does.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Which means, I mean-
Larry Hryb: What could go wrong?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: What could go wrong?
Jeff Rubenstein: Please have [inaudible 00:03:12].
Larry Hryb: I got to tell you this funny story, I get down there and we're doing, I had a few minutes, so I went out to In and Out Burger, which I've done-
Laura Massey: Of course.
Larry Hryb: That in the past.
Jeff Rubenstein: We talked about this, Larry.
Larry Hryb: No, but this is funny. I go down there, my producer and I we were going to have a production meeting, and-
Laura Massey: At In and Out Burger?
Larry Hryb: At In and Out Burger. I get in and a very nice gentleman from, I don't know where he was from, somewhere in Europe slash the Middle East, and this older gentleman, and we're talking and telling him we're from Seattle, and yeah, we're just doing this, we're going back tomorrow, he drops us off, so the next morning I do everything, and I'm going back to the airport.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: So, I open up my Uber app, and I put in going to the airport, call an Uber, and it's the same guy.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Larry Hryb: Really nice.
Jeff Rubenstein: I've never had that happen in my life.
Larry Hryb: He gets out of the car-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And, I see that it's him, and we see each other through the thing, and I smile, and he smiles at me, he gets out right in the front at the pickup at the hotel and he says, "No, Mr. Hryb. No, In and Out, today. You're going home. Let's go." I said, "All right. Let's go," which is funny because I've never had that happen before.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: It was just a nice fun moment.
Laura Massey: That's really [crosstalk 00:04:10].
Larry Hryb: Anyway D23 was a lot of fun, I watched the video, and then hopefully we can go down sometime and see Star Wars land and all the-
Laura Massey: Absolutely.
Jeff Rubenstein: A lot of fun, too. It looks really good.
Larry Hryb: I will tell you a little disappointing thing about that. Can I tell you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Have you been Anaheim or Disney Land, Laura?
Laura Massey: I have not been to Disney Land.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: I have.
Larry Hryb: You have. So, Disney Land, for those, like I grew up on the west coast, Laura-
Jeff Rubenstein: You grew up on the east coast.
Larry Hryb: On the east coast, thank you.
Jeff Rubenstein: Don't change your story, now.
Larry Hryb: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, Mr. Hryb.
Larry Hryb: I grew up on the east coast, which everybody there goes to Florida.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I don't know, because growing up in Texas your kind of in the middle of the country, Laura.
Laura Massey: We are in the middle.
Larry Hryb: Did you go to Disney World, or Disney Land.
Laura Massey: We went Disney World.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: We drove from Texas to Florida.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's a long drive.
Laura Massey: A long drive.
Larry Hryb: Disney World is, for those of you on the east coast that have never been to Disney Land, Disney World is massive 25,000 acres, the whole nine yards.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Disney Land much smaller. You can see it from the street.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: It's a different experience. Anyway, it's definitely a V1 to Disney World's V2. Well, you can see what was the Tower of Terror.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Which is an iconic ride, and has been, but they've completely redressed it as Guardians of the Galaxy, and I'm disappointed.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Larry Hryb: Because it just looks, let me show, can I show you the picture?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I took a picture of it and I texted it to a friend of mine, who's a huge Disney fan, I was just really disappointed that this is what the back of it looked like, so I don't know where it is, here. Do I have it, here?
Jeff Rubenstein: You don't remember that iconic scene in The Guardians of the Galaxy where they dropped and they-
Larry Hryb: Oh, I don't.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:05:35], and they dropped again? Did that happen in that movie? No?
Larry Hryb: I do have this slide-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:05:40].
Larry Hryb: Check this out, there was a land speed around front and it was signed by, Laura?
Laura Massey: Lando.
Larry Hryb: Billy Dee Williams.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Larry Hryb: It works, every time. I don't know, for some, I don't know why I took a photo of it. Anyway-
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: It was a good time to be at D23 and look for that on this week on Xbox. Star Wars Battlefront II looks amazing, coming to Xbox One, Xbox One X, later this year. We'll be playing that, and I'm sure we'll play that, a lot of fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 00:06:08], I'm sure.
Larry Hryb: The [inaudible 00:06:09] you cannot do it early, Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:06:11].
Larry Hryb: We're going to get into what we're playing. We talked to, Laura's probably playing Diablo III.
Jeff Rubenstein: Skip.
Larry Hryb: Am I right?
Laura Massey: That's right. I am also playing other games, as well.
Larry Hryb: What are you playing?
Laura Massey: It's not just Diablo-
Larry Hryb: What are you playing?
Laura Massey: All the time.
Larry Hryb: What are you playing?
Laura Massey: I have been playing Diablo III-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: I did want to mention that I finally hit level 70 with my [inaudible 00:06:28], and that's a big achievement.
Larry Hryb: I don't have any with me, but imagine my hand going, confetti-
Laura Massey: Yay.
Larry Hryb: Yay.
Laura Massey: Not only is it an achievement, it's also a rare achievement.
Larry Hryb: You know, you love that sound, don't you?
Laura Massey: I love that sound.
Larry Hryb: Va room.
Laura Massey: That's a great sound. It's also really fun to see that pop up instead of a normal achievement.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, because the diamond spins around.
Laura Massey: Yeah. The diamond is spinning around.
Larry Hryb: The flourish, because I remember when I worked on that audio piece, Jeff, you and I talked about this-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: That it was, I remember playing for you the different audios.
Jeff Rubenstein: There was one where it just went, Yay. Like, you were at a kid's birthday party, and they whacked the pinata.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, but we've already done that in Halo.
Laura Massey: Yeah. [crosstalk 00:06:59].
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Oh, it was very much-
Larry Hryb: That was-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:07:01].
Jeff Rubenstein: I've been thinking of that, that-
Larry Hryb: Yeah. [crosstalk 00:07:02] birthday party.
Jeff Rubenstein: I love that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I told this story before, but I'll tell it here, I don't think I've ever told it on air. The original sound, what they wanted for the achievement was the, and Laura I've talked to you about this-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Was the sound that you get from antique roadshow, when they reveal how much the item is appraised at.
Laura Massey: That was the original [crosstalk 00:07:20].
Larry Hryb: It's kind of like a xylophone, ring, and they came up with that and I remember looking at them in the office going, "No. This is what it sounds like," and they didn't know, so I go to YouTube and pull up a video and I'm like, "I don't want to sound like we got the proper bid on a 200 year old chest."
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Okay. That's not what this is, or a clock, or a Victorian brassiere.
Laura Massey: brassiere.
Larry Hryb: Right?
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: You with me on that, Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Larry Hryb: Anyway, I'm glad you enjoy that. What else did you playing?
Laura Massey: I also got a chance to check out What Remains of Edith Finch.
Larry Hryb: Out this week on Xbox, in fact, we've got an interview later on with the developers, so we don't want to talk too much about it, because it is a story based game-
Laura Massey: It is.
Larry Hryb: We don't want to give too much away.
Laura Massey: This is similar to story games, like everyone's going to the rapture, or-
Larry Hryb: What was that other one?
Jeff Rubenstein: Gone home?
Laura Massey: Gone home. Yes.
Larry Hryb: What was that other one we played, that was started on a fairy? Oxenfree.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oxenfree was great.
Larry Hryb: Right? Oxenfree.
Jeff Rubenstein: I love that game.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: Oxenfree is good.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: But, it has less, I'd say less interruption than-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Oxenfree. For this game you do, it's basically a progression that you walk through.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: And, you experience this story in the shoes of the protagonist.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: And, you do-
Larry Hryb: There's multiple protagonists.
Laura Massey: There is.
Larry Hryb: Right. In this game. Right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Spoiler.
Larry Hryb: We'll talk about it-
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:08:30].
Larry Hryb: We'll talk about it later on with the interview.
Laura Massey: Yeah. But, lets, I don't know if your interview will cover this, but what's awesome, to me, is that it's set in the Pacific Northwest.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: It's set on [inaudible 00:08:41] Island, which is just-
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Laura Massey: You know, a few hours, or a plane ride away, very, very close.
Larry Hryb: Depending on [crosstalk 00:08:49].
Laura Massey: And, it looks a lot like the area around here, so I was able to really put myself in the shoes of this, and imagine myself walking around the area that we live in-
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: And, seeing the story unfold.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: And, specifically they even have the right flowers in there. At the very beginning-
Larry Hryb: I did not-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:09:05].
Larry Hryb: Realize you were an accomplished botanist, Laura. I didn't even notice. It's funny you say that, because at the very beginning of the game you're walking down the driveway-
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: There's some flowers-
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And, I actually went over to them, like, oh, this is pretty. I wasn't like, oh this is a pretty scene I've seen before, I was like, oh, this is nice.
Laura Massey: Yeah. That's native flowers to the area, it's called foxglove.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: And, they only bloom in the summer, so I can tell you exactly-
Larry Hryb: I feel like I got those in [inaudible 00:09:28].
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't even [crosstalk 00:09:29].
Larry Hryb: You know, you and I are pretty good friends, I did not know that you were a-
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Florist, a botanist.
Laura Massey: A botanist. I'm not a botanist, but I do enjoy gardening, and growing flowers, and things like that. I've grown foxglove-
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: In my garden, before.
Larry Hryb: Okay. Oh, Laura, Laura, how does your garden grow?
Laura Massey: Exactly.
Larry Hryb: That's unnecessarily creepy. I apologize.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Well-
Larry Hryb: It's not the first time.
Laura Massey: If you want to give props to the artist of this game. They did a very good job of capturing the Pacific Northwest, especially at the beginning of the game.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: So, you walk through the very long driveway of this house, and you get inside the house-
Larry Hryb: The story is setting up as you're walking through.
Laura Massey: It's setting up as you walk through, and it's just one of those games that really, it involves you, gets you hooked from the moment you turn it on.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: Like, everything about it, it's just, it makes you want to know more.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: I love how the story and the text appeared inside the world.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: And-
Larry Hryb: It's almost like augmented reality.
Laura Massey: It is. It's almost like augmented reality.
Larry Hryb: Right. Yeah.
Laura Massey: [inaudible 00:10:30] as the protagonist narrates, that she narrates her story, you see the words appear like on the signs, or along the path, and when she's done saying that sentence then the characters, they're just disappearing, they actually fall down [crosstalk 00:10:41]-
Larry Hryb: And, they melt away.
Laura Massey: Or, they bounce away-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Or, they get blown away in the wind.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It's really, really well done.
Larry Hryb: We don't want to say too much more.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. But, this is Giant Sparrow-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is the developers, their first game on Xbox. I think it's only their second game, ever. They had a game called, the Unfinished Swan, which I played back in my, I think it was on PS3, days, which was also really cool, and sort of like an early quote on quote, walking simulator, actually it was very similar to Beyond Eyes, in a way-
Laura Massey: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Where you sort of unveil things as they went along, but really great to have them having a game for us on Xbox.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. We'll have that interview later on. We'll go through some of the headlines, now, and what we're playing, but we'll play that later on. If that's all right with you, Laura?
Laura Massey: Yeah. Sure thing. I'm very interested to hear this, the interview.
Larry Hryb: So, you're playing that.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: I'm playing that, as well. The other thing I'm playing, I'm sorry, are you done?
Laura Massey: I am done.
Larry Hryb: Okay. I'm playing that, of course, I'm playing Overwatch, Jeff and I been playing a little bit of that. Started playing the Destiny 2 Beta, which hit-
Laura Massey: Oh, nice.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Hit earlier this week-
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah.
Larry Hryb: For Xbox fans. Jeff and I, we're going to try to play that tonight. Right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I've already completed the first level, which is what was shown, I think, during E3, Activision showed it off. It's really impressive to actually play. Then, I also finished through, I played through the strike last night, as well. Yeah. So far, so good. I like what I got. It looks really good, like visually it's a very impressive game.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I am, I enjoyed it, and I actually stopped playing it last night, because I knew that I was going to play it with you.
Jeff Rubenstein: All right.
Larry Hryb: Probably tonight, or whenever.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll escort you through.
Laura Massey: Cool. What would you say are the differences between Destiny I and Destiny II?
Larry Hryb: Oh, boy. Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know if they're using a different engine, but the game, it definitely felt smoother [inaudible 00:12:24] playing on a TV that I didn't have previously, but man it looked, it just looked really good.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: As far as the feel, most of the feel, is very similar, and it's just the beta, so a lot of the stuff-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Is not in there.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: In fact, a lot of the stuff-.
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:12:36] probably a month old, or so.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh. Yeah. At least. You end up getting a legendary, actually, you get an exotic rifle like pretty much is just handed to you-
Laura Massey: Nice.
Jeff Rubenstein: Early on, and like going through equipped menu, and all that, it looked exactly the same. I'd imagine, we cannot judge the final product, until we have that?
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:12:58].
Jeff Rubenstein: And, it's less than two months, away, I think it's September 6th, but if you wanted more Destiny, and I know many, many of us did-
Larry Hryb: You do.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's coming.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: It felt like the things that worked, worked well, and I would say that the first mission, this campaign mission is definitely more epic than any of the campaign missions-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: That I played in the original Destiny.
Larry Hryb: Here's a little bonus for those of you on Xbox, if you're listening to this, now, the first weekend, this weekend of the beta, it's available for free-
Jeff Rubenstein: That's right.
Larry Hryb: Not only that, but it's a free gold weekend.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Larry Hryb: So, you can actually check out the game, and play it multiplayer for free, Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: That is correct. It's funny, let's say you play through that strike multiple times, you play [inaudible 00:13:41], you have all that kind of fun, there's another game that is actually free this weekend as part of the free gold weekend, and that is Doom.
Larry Hryb: Doom.
Laura Massey: Doom.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, Doom is putting out a big update the 6.66 update, very funny.
Laura Massey: Ha, ha, ha.
Larry Hryb: Ha, ha, ha.
Jeff Rubenstein: For those of you who read the [inaudible 00:13:57] here and listen to the podcast, yeah, it's a free weekend for both gold and Xbox Live, silver, folks, as well. It will let you play the first two levels of the campaign, but then also makes all the DLC available to everyone, and I believe everyone can play the multiplayer regardless if you have the game or not. Yeah. You'll be able to, and then you can even just buy it for 14.99 if you like it. This is-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: A shooter that is rated just about as good as it gets last year, and a very crowded shooter, here, last year, with a lot of amazing shooters-
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:14:29].
Jeff Rubenstein: People really like Doom.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: It was really good.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you didn't get a chance to try it, this would be the weekend to do that.
Larry Hryb: So, if you're looking for something to do, we got you covered. Not going to Comic Con, should I talk about Comic-Con?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. If you're not going to Comic-Con, you know, these are the things to do.
Larry Hryb: If you aren't going to Comic-Con-
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:14:43].
Larry Hryb: I will be there Saturday, the San Diego Comic-Con, which is the legendary con down in San Diego, and I will be there Saturday at 11:00 a.m., I will be hosting the Crackdown III panel.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: I will be handling that, as well as joined by-
Jeff Rubenstein: Ah-ha.
Larry Hryb: Terry Crews, so Terry will be, of course he's in Crackdown III.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And, he will be joining us on the panel.
Jeff Rubenstein: He's just perfect for that role.
Larry Hryb: You think?
Laura Massey: He really is.
Larry Hryb: Yeah? Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think so.
Larry Hryb: Okay. I agree. I agree, so we're looking forward to that. I'll be hanging down at, I'll be there most of the day Saturday doing a bunch of other stuff as well. I'm doing a stream, Saturday night, Laura.
Laura Massey: All right. I'll be streaming?
Larry Hryb: I'm going to be streaming with Entertainment Weekly.
Laura Massey: Oh, really?
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I'll be hosting their official stream.
Jeff Rubenstein: What's hot? [crosstalk 00:15:27].
Larry Hryb: I don't know, we'll see. I'm going to have a lot of fun there. [inaudible 00:15:30] who I interviewed last week is going to be joining me.
Laura Massey: Cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: You two are becoming good friends.
Larry Hryb: Apparently we are.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So, now I just need to get into a Star Wars game/movie.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly. Or, if they bring back True Blood.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I'm also-
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:15:43] that.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, we're doing that, and Entertainment Weekly, it's no big deal, just-
Laura Massey: Right. Just, you know-
Larry Hryb: Just Entertainment Weekly.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:15:51].
Larry Hryb: At Comic Con.
Laura Massey: Just-
Larry Hryb: Just hosting the stream, Laura.
Laura Massey: Yeah. That's pretty sweet.
Larry Hryb: Sometimes I was like, wait a minute, what did I sign up for? Oh, God, I'm nervous.
Laura Massey: Right.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, you can tune in and watch that on Beam, excuse me, mixer.com/xbox you will host it there. We'll take your questions. You'll see [inaudible 00:16:09]. I think the kids from-
Jeff Rubenstein: Stranger Things.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I've asked to see if they can stop by.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:16:18].
Larry Hryb: Because apparently they're Xbox fans.
Jeff Rubenstein: Really?
Larry Hryb: I want to see them [inaudible 00:16:20].
Laura Massey: My goodness.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: That would be [crosstalk 00:16:23].
Larry Hryb: There's a couple of reasons, because they're playing kids, growing up in the '80s, which was when I was, so I mean, I want to talk about that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just lie and tell them we're coming up with a gorgon based video game or something.
Larry Hryb: They're Xbox fans.
Jeff Rubenstein: Maybe they could make one.
Larry Hryb: They're Xbox fans, they want to come by.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Anyway I'm looking forward to that, so I've got a busy weekend ahead of me, Laura.
Laura Massey: Right. Are you playing dress up for Comic-Con?
Larry Hryb: I don't. I really don't.
Laura Massey: No?
Larry Hryb: No. You know me, I'm not a Halloween guy, every day I get to be what I want to be and I have fun, and I don't want to pretend to be anybody else. I love being me.
Laura Massey: [inaudible 00:16:54], Major Nelson
Larry Hryb: Yeah. That's exactly it.
Jeff Rubenstein: We should all get to that state of enlightenment. Really.
Larry Hryb: It's really, it's being centered, Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Larry Hryb: It's being centered.
Jeff Rubenstein: Embrace tranquility.
Larry Hryb: Thank you. That's my Zenyatta.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's another thing you can do this weekend.
Larry Hryb: What is [crosstalk 00:17:11].
Jeff Rubenstein: If you're not at home-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Playing both Doom and the Destiny II beta, if you're not at the San Diego Comic Con.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, if you are in places like LA, Santa Clara, Miami, or Oak Brook, I'm assuming that's Illinois.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know if you saw, but Xbox One is now the official console partner of Real Madrid, and that's a soccer team-
Larry Hryb: Thank you-
Jeff Rubenstein: Your looking at me like
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:17:31].
Jeff Rubenstein: I know Madrid is a real place. What do you mean?
Jeff Rubenstein: You know, we forget I used to play soccer.
Laura Massey: For real?
Larry Hryb: Professionally.
Jeff Rubenstein: You did?
Laura Massey: What?
Larry Hryb: I used to, I was one of those boys running around in shorts, and then I just got older, and said, I cannot do this anymore.
Jeff Rubenstein: Wow. I was not aware of this.
Larry Hryb: I wasn't either, but I did fly-
Jeff Rubenstein: I have seen photos of you in short, shorts, but you were not kicking a ball.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I wore-
Jeff Rubenstein: Everyone wore short, shorts in the '80s.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:17:54] from my mind.
Larry Hryb: Yes. I wish I could.
Laura Massey: It's gone.
Jeff Rubenstein: I wish I could.
Laura Massey: I will not retrieve.
Larry Hryb: Really, Laura? Really?
Jeff Rubenstein: Men in Black flashy thing.
Larry Hryb: Blink.
Jeff Rubenstein: Anyway, in honor of this, there's going to be FIFA '17 fan tournaments at the Microsoft store, I'll link out to it in the notes below.
Larry Hryb: Oh, I've been to that Oak Brook store, that's nice.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is it really?
Larry Hryb: That's a beautiful mall there. It's like the south side thing. It's where the corporate headquarters are for McDonald's.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's actually going to be a special Real Madrid fan tournament in the New York City Flagship store on 5th Avenue, which I was at this week.
Larry Hryb: You were just there earlier this week.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I came by to check out the Mixer NYC studio-
Larry Hryb: Oh, you've never seen it?
Jeff Rubenstein: No. It was amazing.
Larry Hryb: It's bananas, isn't it?
Jeff Rubenstein: Here's the thing, it was like a 1000% humidity-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: There this week-
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:18:36].
Laura Massey: Cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, I was like, they were like, "Do you want to see the studio?" And, I've been in video studios before, they crank the AC, it's in the '50s-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I was like, please, let's do it.
Larry Hryb: And, it's a walk in, it's a freezer.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, I just stood under the vent, it was amazing.
Larry Hryb: Like I told you on Twitter we need to do a show there-
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Would you come to New York, Laura?
Laura Massey: Of course, I would.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. You know, I love New York.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:18:55].
Larry Hryb: New York is my, you know, I'm lucky, I adore that city and I need to go back. We need to go back.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And, do a show.
Jeff Rubenstein: My favorite dim sum restaurant opened up in New York edition, like from Hong Kong.
Laura Massey: All right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: So, you can take us to dim sum.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're going to [inaudible 00:19:09]. We're doing it. I'll do the ordering.
Larry Hryb: Thank you.
Laura Massey: We just need to get invited.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:19:13].
Laura Massey: That's all we need, first.
Jeff Rubenstein: Here's the thing about Larry, Larry's a meat and potatoes guy, he loves a good burger. I bring him to this place he'll be like, you were right, I like a pork bun.
Larry Hryb: I'm open.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Larry Hryb: I'm open.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah?
Larry Hryb: They're too bunny they're not enough porky.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. No. You're not having the good ones.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so Real Madrid, where is this taking place, again?
Jeff Rubenstein: Ah, yeah. Again-
Larry Hryb: That's this weekend?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, Real Madrid is having this US summer tour, I think it's called the International Champions Cup, they're a huge team worldwide. This is their preseason, they come over here, and they play other, either MLS teams, I think they're playing the MLS All stars at some point in the next couple of weeks. They're going to be playing other European teams that are over here. And, they're going to be in Santa Clara, which is in the Bay area of California, LA, Miami, and apparently in the Chicago area, Oak Brook, and in New York, so what will happen is we're going to have these different FIFA games, and then you have the chance to win tickets to one of those matches in real life.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative). That's delightful.
Laura Massey: Cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: Anyway, I'll link to that.
Larry Hryb: Please, do.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, there's a lot going on, but I think that's kind of a cool connection. Microsoft as a whole already had a connection with Real Madrid, a partnership and now that extends into Xbox.
Larry Hryb: Thank you for that.
Laura Massey: Cool.
Larry Hryb: So, you got a busy weekend, this weekend, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, as long as you have your console, or in the San Diego area, or any of those above mentioned places that Jeff went through. We've got you covered.
Laura Massey: That's right. Lots of games this weekend.
Larry Hryb: Lots of games-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:20:44].
Jeff Rubenstein: Say hi to Cristiano Ronaldo for me.
Larry Hryb: He's not my favorite player.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:20:50].
Larry Hryb: The women everywhere just gasped.
Jeff Rubenstein: They do. They do.
Larry Hryb: Really? He's not your favorite player? How can that be, Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm more of a Barcelona fan.
Larry Hryb: Jeffrey is more of a pork bun fan.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. Exactly.
Larry Hryb: All right. We're going to take a break, here. We've got a wonderful interview.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: A wonderful interview.
Laura Massey: I'm looking forward to this interview.
Larry Hryb: This is an interview that I've been looking forward to for a while as Jeff said, earlier on that the game, What Remains of Edith Finch, or what became, What Remains of Edith Finch, it's available on Xbox, first game. I had a chance to talk to someone from the studio, so what do you say, we roll that now, shall we?
Laura Massey: Yeah. Let's listen.
Larry Hryb: What Remains of Edith Finch is out on Xbox One, very soon, like within the next week or so. Joining me on the line, right now, is Ian Dallas, he's the creative director of Giant Sparrow, the developers behind, What Remains of Edith Finch. Ian, thank you for joining us.
Ian Dallas: Oh, my pleasure.
Larry Hryb: Now, it's really exciting, the game has been out for a little while on another console, on PlayStation, and PC, it's coming to Xbox One, it's coming out next week. What is the date of release, by the way?
Ian Dallas: It's going to be out on Wednesday, July 19th.
Larry Hryb: Now, this has been a very, very well received game. Tell us, for those folks on the Xbox side who haven't had a chance to really look at it maybe they've heard a little bit about it, walk us through what this game is about, because it's a very interesting approach that you guys have taken.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. The game is about high level, it's a collection of short stories about a cursed family in Washington state, and you play as Edith Finch who is coming back to the house that she grew up in, and trying to figure out why she is the last family member alive. As you're exploring this house in each of the bedrooms you'll find a different story about how that family member died, and then you get to play as that family member, and living out the last moments of their life, and one of the things that makes this game really unusual is that each of those stories that you play is essentially its own entirely different game with its own set of mechanics, often gameplay that people have never seen in a video game before.
So, your kind of going in, it almost looks like a walking simulator at first when you're exploring this house with all its different passages, and then suddenly you find these stories and it's like sort of Alice in Wonderland, you're falling down the rabbit hole, it's just a crazy bunch of totally different games that give you an insight into how this family lived and ultimately died.
Larry Hryb: Now, this is also a challenge, you know, when I do interviews like this with some story based games is you don't want to give away too much for obvious reasons, no spoilers. But, I want to talk about at least, before we move to some of the story, as much as we can, about the art style and really what you were, you know, as a creative director, what you were going for in the art style in, What Remains of Edith Finch.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. I mean, I think, overall we were trying to go for variety. This is a game where there's 13 different family members and they've all got their own kind of personality, and we were trying to make each of the stories feel distinctive, but then also kind of bind that together, and feel like you're playing one game, which is obviously a bit of a challenge. It's sort of like the Twilight Zone, just one of the inspirations for the game, trying to make something that feels like every episode is different, but you still have something, some continuity to it.
Initially, because the game was inspired by a lot of ghost stories, and kind of serial tales, we were looking at something that felt very [inaudible 00:24:28], like almost cartoonish in a way, like each of the stories was very unrealistic, because the stories are dealing with things that are potentially sort of magical, and so unclear of what's going on. Then, something very strange happened about midway through development, we ended up hiring a lead artist, Brandon, who came from the Call of Duty team. He's like fresh off of the latest Call of Duty, which is not where you might expect to find, you know, kind of an Indy lead artist from-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: But, he just ended up being a really good fit, and a little militaristic, actually, in the way that he approached things, of like, all right, just give me a hundred things to model, like a lampshade, an easy chair, and whatever, and I will crank through those things, and he just did a phenomenal job. Brandon's really interested in lighting.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: What ended up happening artistically with the game after Brandon joined is that the house section of the game, which is about half the game, or so, you as Edith exploring the house-
Larry Hryb: Sure.
Ian Dallas: Ended up becoming quite realistic looking, so even though there's a lot of, the stories are quite theolized, the art style for the rest of the house ended up being, not like Call of Duty, I'm not saying it looks like-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: Call of Duty, but it looks like someone who had been making Call of Duty for a number of years had been given the challenge of making something that feels much more dream like-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: And, that's kind of, we ended up with this house, it's really beautifully lit, and the Unreal Four Engine, does a great job of realistic lighting. Yeah. So, we got this kind of hybrid of half the game looks quite realistic in some ways, and half the game looks like a fantasy.
Larry Hryb: Now, we talked about the art. Talk about some of the inspirations, you talk about some of the stories that maybe you, you made a reference a moment ago, some real life stories, tell me about some of the real life stories that you used for the inspiration for some of the stories, I mean, it's a little macabre to talk about, but maybe for the deaths, or at least some of the storylines.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. No. I mean, it's a little weird to say since all these Finch family members are dead, and a lot of them died quite young, but the game broadly was based on my own childhood, like what it felt like for me growing up in Washington state, and my family is more or less alive at this point, but what it feels like basically to be a child in the forest, for example, like the kind of initial inspiration was my memories of scuba diving in Washington state-
Larry Hryb: Sure.
Ian Dallas: And, feeling like you're very small, and you're in an element that is quite, like an area that's quite beautiful, but also a little overwhelming. Yeah. The game is this kind of strange hybrid of things that I remember. For example, like the importance of salmon, like in Washington state, if you grew up, you ended up eating a lot of salmon.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: It's like a rounded part of that culture, and because a lot of these things are, you know, the stories are very dream like, I wanted to ground them into things that felt very familiar, and intimate, and kind of mundane. We talked about it feeling a little bit like, This American Life, the NPR show-
Larry Hryb: Sure.
Ian Dallas: Something where you could really feel a human recognizable element that balances out, because that's like trying to make something that feels surreal, you're always in danger of it feeling just nonsense, and kind of random, and arbitrary, and kind of Ren and Stimpy like, almost, no offense to Ren to Stimpy.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: But, you know we wanted something that was a little more grounded. Growing up, one of the things that I remembered was what it felt like to be on a swing set, and that kind of freedom, so one of our stories, for example, takes place on a swing set, and usually things happen in stories that didn't happen to me personally, but the kind of initial feed was these memories that I had, like things that stood out most from my own childhood.
Larry Hryb: Essentially, because you talk about it taking place in Washington state, here in the United States, and I actually live here, now. I've lived here for about 15 years working at Xbox, and I was looking at some of the screenshots, and not growing up in this area, I could actually see it, and it's funny, because I actually am I diver, a scuba diver, so when you said that, my ears kind of perked up, so I'm interested to see. I haven't had a chance to play it, yet, so I'm interested to see, I know there's a little bit of a beach in here.
Ian Dallas: You know, it's not out on Xbox, yet.
Larry Hryb: Well, I know that, that's why we're doing the interview.
Ian Dallas: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I'm looking forward to seeing what that entails, because like I say, the art styles are so different, I mean, you have some of the, obviously, some of the lush exteriors with the green, and the trees, and the foliage, and then inside some of the, I was looking at one of the bedrooms where it's just such magically lit, you know, there's beautiful pinks, and blues-
Ian Dallas: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: It's like a sun setting, or a sunrise, so it's interesting how you're capturing all these microcosms. When you were working on that, you talk about playing each part of the game through a different characters point of view, did you take into account that maybe this character may see things one way and perhaps does character see the same thing perhaps slightly different?
Ian Dallas: Yeah. You know, one of the things that was a very happy discovery for us midway through development was that reusing environments, and even characters, and kind of repurposing things had a lot of resonance, because it felt like seeing the same living room, for example, like it appears in one of the stories in the 1960s and then Edith walks through the same living room, herself, in present day-
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Ian Dallas: And, as a game developer I was, you know, there's this pressure to reuse things, because it's easier for the artist-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: It's easier for everybody, and it's just like cheaper, and maybe you can just turn it 90 degrees and people won't notice it's the same thing, even. So, we kind of shied away from that, because a lot of the game was about giving things to players that were surprising.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: And, that they'd never seen before, so we kind of constantly trying to reinvent ourselves, but, yeah, actually seeing things from different perspectives, especially in time, but then just even seeing the same thing multiple times, even when it hadn't changed significantly made the world feel a lot more real-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: You know, there are areas in the game that you'll see from three or four different perspectives, in different stories, because a lot of stories ended up taking place in and around the Finch house, because midway through development we found out, oh, this isn't a bad thing to reuse, and it will be very different. Like, some of the environments that we rendered, like in a cel shaded comic book style for one of the stories, and then other stories might be something else. Yeah. It's very interesting to see, like, oh, right, that couch was here, but then it got moved, like very binal things.
Larry Hryb: Sure.
Ian Dallas: Like I was at this family reunion, recently, with people watching videos of themselves, films, from 40 years ago-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: And, the comments were always such binal things, like, wow, I still have that raincoat. It's weird that objects have this life that video games, I think are really well suited for because there are so many objects-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: In a space like a house.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, and then add to your point, I mean, when you look at an object in the '60s obviously you can take the same art asset in a video game and weather it a little bit, and age it a little bit, and it's still recognizable, but it also makes sense, because again you're exploring a house that has history with this family.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. Absolutely.
Larry Hryb: Now, I want to talk about the development, because you guys have been at Giant Sparrow, so committed to this idea, tell me a little bit about the development cycle and how you came up with the idea, and then how you moved it forward to really ultimately deliver a well regarded, highly rated game.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. Backwards. We start with an idea that is very, kind of abstract, but sometimes very specific in that we start with a feeling, and in this game it was the feeling of the sublime moments where like in real life you feel simultaneously like something is beautiful, but also a little bit overwhelming.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: So, the initial inspiration, for me, was like I said, these memories of scuba diving in Washington state and seeing the bottom of the ocean slope away into a seemingly infinite darkness.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: And, the way that, that can make you feel kind of like impressed by the grandeur of nature, but then also feeling very small and fragile. I just wanted to explore that feeling. The game initially started out as a scuba diving simulator, and we started the game the first day making an underwater scene in scuba diving, and breathing in and out with a regulator and all that.
Yeah, it was interesting for about five or 10 minutes of gameplay, and then it just kind of started feeling too much, to us, like a traditional game where, you know, I think as soon as players get comfortable there's this part of their brain that switches over to, okay, I now understand what I have to do, let me do that thing, and how do I do it better, and challenge me? This isn't a game that's about challenge in a traditional sense, I mean, it's more of discovery, and exploration, and just like a general craziness.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: We looked for references in the real world for things that had done the sublime feeling well, and there aren't a lot. I mean, you find like traces of things, like in cathedrals, for example, like walking in, that feeling you get, but I think the clearest reference we found was weird fictions people like HP Lovecraft, and Neil Gaiman, and Edgar Allen Poe, and stories that are kind of about people experiencing the unknown. A lot of them tend to be kind of horrific, that people die in them.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: That worked out well for us, as well.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: And, a lot of them tend to be short stories, as well. I think, that's no accident, that a lot of the references that we looked at, including things like the Twilight Zone, tend to be these very brief vignettes, like just the feeling of the sublime, I think, worked best when it has a short runway, and then you're off into it, like a ski jump or something. In the development of the game we pivoted kind of early on, okay, let's do like one scuba diving simulator thing into what if we did like a series of these stories?
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: Then it was like a lot of just making these crazy prototypes, a lot of which didn't end up in the game, like I still wish we could have done the story about the infinite parking garage, I don't know what the gameplay of that story would have been, unfortunately-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: Like, that's the rock we foundered on, but we just tried a whole bunch of different idea and then ultimately called out to around 13 of these stories that kind of felt cohesive, and it's weird that the game itself ends up feeling like they all kind of bind together. In the beginning, that was definitely not the case, it was just like, let's try a bunch of things that feel like they kind of evoke this element of the sublime, and-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: What we ended up discovering was that a lot of stories that worked best were about characters getting lost in their own imagination.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Ian Dallas: And, I think part of that is because as a development team, like Giant Sparrows, is just kind of interested in those sort of subjects, but then also that's kind of what the experience of being a game player is like. You just naturally focus on one thing to the detriment of everything else.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: As a player, when your given one objective, your like, got it, I will go and kill four warthogs, or whatever it is.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: There's no warthogs in this game.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: But, that kind of a thing.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. You understand that-
Ian Dallas: [crosstalk 00:36:34] completely ignore-
Larry Hryb: You understand the combat loop of the game, as we call it.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. No. Exactly. As a player, you just kind of have been trained to focus very narrowly.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Ian Dallas: So, that's what a lot of these stories ended up being about. In some ways the game is like a version of what it's like to be a player, but I think that's, you know, any story is like you're showing up and putting on a new costume and taking on a new role.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Ian Dallas: That's kind of like reading a work of fiction, or watching a movie, or in this case, playing a game, there's that kind of element to the unknown where you have no idea what this person's life is like, but these stories give you an opportunity to live out a bit of these different peoples lives.
Larry Hryb: Essentially, you talked about where players just go in and they understand what they need to do, the combat loop, and do it again, and again, and you kind of, I don't want to say, solved it, but you approached it by having each of the short story, having different mechanics, and then of course supporting that difference, and reinforcing that difference with the art and the tone. Then, of course, what's interesting to me is that you've got all these little pods of gameplay that are dramatically different, but then you tied them together with something that everybody knows, which is the family.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. No. I think we got lucky in some ways. That we were basing all of these stories on something that was so relatable, like the family, and the way that family histories get created, and each person has their own kind of take on events, so there's a nice sort of melding, it's like when you're making a stew, or something, you throw all these ingredients in, but then there's some magic that happens when you let it boil, in our case, for about four years.
Larry Hryb: Right. Let it simmer. It simmers.
Ian Dallas: Yeah. Simmers, exactly. Right. There's no [inaudible 00:38:29] and boil, it's just a light simmer. After it [inaudible 00:38:33] long enough, it feels like, wow, this thing kind of works together. Right? The stock in this case is what it's like to be in a family, and that's something that hopefully everyone can relate to.
Larry Hryb: What Remains of Edith Finch, coming out to Xbox, coming out next week. Depending upon when you're listening to this it either could be out now, or it's going to be out. What's the date, again, Ian?
Ian Dallas: It's going to be Wednesday, July 19th.
Larry Hryb: There you go. I appreciate it. All right. Ian Dallas, creative director for Giant Sparrow, they are the development house behind the highly regarded development house, you guys have a lot of game out that you've done in the past, and really good stuff. What Remains of Edith Finch coming to Xbox next week. Ian, I want to thank you for your time, and I wish you luck, and welcome to the Xbox platform.
Ian Dallas: Thank you. Glad to be here.
Laura Massey: Thank you very much to Ian Dallas, from Giant Sparrow-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: For stopping by to chat with us.
Jeff Rubenstein: You like anyone with the last name of Dallas.
Laura Massey: Who doesn't?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Like, that's a really sweet name.
Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 00:39:23], and Austin. Ian Lubbock. Ian-
Larry Hryb: Houston.
Jeff Rubenstein: San Antonio. Houston's a good one.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: It doesn't sound as good as, Ian Dallas.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ian Dallas is a heck of a name.
Laura Massey: That's pretty great. I am looking [crosstalk 00:39:34]-
Jeff Rubenstein: Ian Padre Island.
Larry Hryb: Dallas. Dallas.
Laura Massey: That was Padre-
Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 00:39:37].
Larry Hryb: Wasn't that one of the names of the guys in, yeah, it was, in Alien. Dallas. I think it was the captain. Go ahead. Sorry.
Laura Massey: Well, anyway, I am looking forward to finishing up that game.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Because it just talked to me.
Larry Hryb: Good go through there, so check it out.
Laura Massey: It tells a good story.
Larry Hryb: Check it out. Jeffrey, you said you had a few more interviews.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:39:54].
Larry Hryb: There's even more.
Laura Massey: More news.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, there's more, and more games. If you are a Minecraft player, and who isn't? There are more skins on the marketplace, and if you bug fixes that have taken place for both pocket edition, and the Windows 10 edition, so definitely worth checking out. These skins are interplanetary explorers, and, you can find that on the marketplace. Gigantic, that was a game we were talking about a few years ago, and it just finally, it had been part of the preview program-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Or, the game preview program, I should say, is now, 1.0'd so the starter bundle and the ultimate bundle are now available for Windows 10, I believe and and definitely on Xbox One.
Larry Hryb: Check it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, check that out. A couple of games. So, since we last spoke we have passed the Ides of July, so that means more new games for you, thanks to Xbox Live games with gold.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, Runbow, which is a multiplayer party game, up to eight people can play locally, and that has debuted into, directly into games with gold, so make sure you pick that up, as well as, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.
Larry Hryb: [inaudible 00:40:59].
Jeff Rubenstein: Video game. Another game coming out about the time you'll be hearing this, it will be the early access to Fortnite, another game that was long time of the long time in the making, I've been watching some streams this morning as influencers are starting to get a hold of this game, it looks really good.
Larry Hryb: What's the game about?
Jeff Rubenstein: The game is about a zombie infestation that occurs in these storms, so while the weather is good you collect all these resources, and you build up like a fort, and then the storm is going to roll in at night with these zombies [crosstalk 00:41:34]-
Larry Hryb: So, they're storm zombies?
Jeff Rubenstein: Storm zombies, tornado zombie, it's a zombie tornado.
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, they're going to sweep in and then you add four players together you combine to sort of fight them off and live to see another day, and then you collect more resources, you level up. There's some very interesting looking character models, it looks good, and the streams that I was watching it looked really good, so this is, this is something I think I'm going to be playing, we might, we should give this a shot.
Larry Hryb: I'm-
Laura Massey: It sounds pretty fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Is it more real time strategy-isch where you build it out?
Jeff Rubenstein: There are elements where you are building-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: In real time, but you're controlling, it's a third person shooter.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, you're manipulating panels of wood, or traps, or things like that, and it looked like it was platforming going on. I think there's a lot, I mean, added space, it's like, okay, build in the daytime, fight monsters at night, it's kind of almost like Minecraft-
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But, it seems very different than Minecraft.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: I mean, you have guns, first of all, and there's different character classes, the character models look really cool. I'm excited for this one, so I'm looking forward to playing that this weekend.
Laura Massey: It comes out in preview?
Jeff Rubenstein: It is-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:42:40].
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. It's early, I believe it is the earliest version of the game, so there's a couple of different skews of it, if you will, where it comes with different supplies, or different things.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm just going to go ahead and link out to it, because there's a standard founders pack, a super deluxe founders pack, a limited edition. There's a lot of different things. I'm just going to go ahead and link out to that page.
Laura Massey: Cool.
Larry Hryb: Thank you.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, decide, which Fortnite is right for you.
Larry Hryb: Thank you for that.
Laura Massey: That looks good.
Jeff Rubenstein: One last thing that you may see-
Larry Hryb: But, wait, there's more.
Jeff Rubenstein: To be part of the Xbox insiders program-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: The Creators Collection is starting to make its way out to a subset of folks in this group, and so you might start to see some of these new games, where independent creators will be able to make games do like sort of a simplified certification process, similar in a way-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: To the Xbox Live independent games, program, back in the day.
Larry Hryb: Back in the day.
Jeff Rubenstein: I made a game with Zombies.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you recall that one. So, you're going to see that in the game section of the store, it's starting to roll out to folks in the insider program, and we'll go from there.
Larry Hryb: Speaking of that, we had a big update last week.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, we did.
Larry Hryb: You know, last week, big dashboard update, you can now customize your image.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: So, you can see my custom image. Laura, I'm waiting for yours.
Laura Massey: I know, I don't have a custom image, yet.
Larry Hryb: What are you waiting for? How about a flower?
Laura Massey: That was last year [crosstalk 00:44:04].
Larry Hryb: One of your flowers you're building.
Laura Massey: Building.
Larry Hryb: A foxglove.
Laura Massey: Flowers that I'm building.
Larry Hryb: You are kind of-
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:44:08] Dallas.
Larry Hryb: [inaudible 00:44:09] Dallas.
Laura Massey: That's right. I don't know, what do you suggest?
Larry Hryb: Well, hmm.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think a necromancer.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:44:17].
Larry Hryb: Yeah. There's tons of stuff. You can take a screenshot, and figure that out. Yeah. I do wish you would change it, though. I do wish you would.
Laura Massey: Yeah. It's been a while.
Larry Hryb: I mean, I had angry toast. How long did I have angry toast?
Laura Massey: You had angry toast-
Jeff Rubenstein: For at least two years.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I had angry toast for a while-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: That was my favorite.
Jeff Rubenstein: When I see angry toast, I still think it's you.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Thank you, Jeff.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. So, my favorite feature-
Larry Hryb: When I see a cup of coffee I still think it's you.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's usually, yeah, well, because I kept it at that. No. I made it a personal one, now.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: But, I'll switch to another cup of coffee. I'll switch to a different varieties, I definitely appreciate that by looking at a cup of brown liquid, they'll know. My favorite feature for this update, and it's something we've tried out, and we need to try out again-
Larry Hryb: Oh, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is Mixer co-streaming?
Larry Hryb: Co-streaming.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Co-streaming.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, when you're playing multiplayer games, and you access the guide, you're used to seeing invite party to game-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: For instance.
Larry Hryb: You're still going to see that.
Jeff Rubenstein: You're still going to see that, but right underneath that you can see invite party to co-stream-
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: But, wait, what's that Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: Ah-ha. So, what it means is if you're playing a multiplayer game and viewers are going to be able to see both streams, or multiple streams, I think it goes up to four-
Larry Hryb: Total four.
Jeff Rubenstein: At a time, which would be perfect for Fortnite.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: That one person can then watch all four vantage points at the same time, and with the sub second latency of Mixer, it looks really good. I was watching when we were playing, we did this with-
Larry Hryb: Overwatch.
Jeff Rubenstein: With Overwatch, maybe a month ago when we were testing it out, and I was able to watch you, and it was so close to real time that I could have played off the stream-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I was very impressed with that.
Laura Massey: That is incredible.
Larry Hryb: So, I highly recommend you try that out. Co-stream, find a buddy.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Find a co-streaming buddy.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Right? Or, two, or three.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:45:54].
Larry Hryb: Right? You could do a whole bunch of folks.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is the more the merrier situation. It's kind of fun. It combines the chat, so everyone can see the same chat.
Laura Massey: Oh, that's great.
Larry Hryb: Because it will make even less sense, now.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, I mean, when you're broadcasting-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: It scrolls through pretty quickly.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: The average person probably, that's a one percenter-
Larry Hryb: Yeah. [crosstalk 00:46:13]. That is a problem I have. I'm sorry.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Co*streaming.
Laura Massey: Thank you.
Larry Hryb: Lots of new features coming out that are-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Available now, we talked about those, some coming out in the future, really cool stuff coming, I got a preview of some things coming out later this year, very excited. I cannot talk, cannot tell it.
Laura Massey: Ewe.
Jeff Rubenstein: I only got to everything that is in that-
Larry Hryb: That's all I can say.
Jeff Rubenstein: That new Xbox One update, another thing we're checking out is the sign in via your controller-
Laura Massey: Oh, yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, there's multiple people sharing, if kids, other folks using the Xbox at the same time, if they always use the same controller, they can just hit that nexus button, turn on the controller, and it signs them in, which is a great way of doing it.
Larry Hryb: That is right.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's how we do it.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: That is how we do it.
Laura Massey: Great.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is how we do it.
Laura Massey: Oh, no.
Jeff Rubenstein: Wow. Taking it way back to Montell Jordan. The year was 1995.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: God, what happened in 1995?
Larry Hryb: Was that the year it happened. Was that the OJ thing?
Jeff Rubenstein: That was.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: The trial.
Laura Massey: Was that '95?
Jeff Rubenstein: The trial.
Larry Hryb: Windows 95, OJ, the whole-
Jeff Rubenstein: Windows 95 was at the top of the charts.
Larry Hryb: That's actually when I started working for Microsoft.
Jeff Rubenstein: Really?
Larry Hryb: In 1995. Yeah.
Laura Massey: Really?
Jeff Rubenstein: You've not been here 22 years.
Larry Hryb: No. I started doing contract work for them.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh.
Laura Massey: Oh. Okay.
Larry Hryb: So, when I was still in Connecticut.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Actually, I know how long you've been working here, because I heard a different podcast this week that you were on, where you talked about having been here for 14 years.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: At least worked on Xbox for 14 years.
Larry Hryb: That's right. Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 00:47:31] to the podcast, I guess I should point out.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a different team at Microsoft does, it's very NPR style, This American Life, like really high production values, not that this isn't.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:47:46].
Larry Hryb: Because it's not.
Jeff Rubenstein: Down a cul de sac and I pulled a 180 power slide. It's sort of that tone where it's like every inhalation is edited out, in those.
Larry Hryb: I cannot do that.
Laura Massey: Really?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I find it so-
Jeff Rubenstein: You know it if you've edited a video before, you can hear, you never hear anyone inhale.
Larry Hryb: They do that, I've seen that on, This American Life does it a little bit-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And, they bounce back and forth, where the moment I start speaking, Laura, you would start speaking, they take out any breaths, anything in the middle, and our voices are essentially on top of each other. Now, I haven't listened to the podcast, yet, that I was on, so I don't know how they do that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. It's very well, it's a really interesting podcast. They talk about some interesting stuff. We partnered with the groups, but it's not like a Microsoft, like we talk about Xbox the whole time, they talk about a lot of different topics, but this particular episode was about independent games, and it's talking about someone who was there during the fall of, or the Iranian Revolution in like 1979, and made a video game about it.
Laura Massey: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's some interesting stuff in there, but Larry's part of that, Larry was not there for [crosstalk 00:48:53]-
Larry Hryb: I was not in the Iranian Revolution, though.
Jeff Rubenstein: You were not there at the time. But, it's a really interesting podcast, so I'll just go ahead and I'll link to it.
Larry Hryb: If you don't mind.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you want to, Larry needs to hear it.
Larry Hryb: I do.
Jeff Rubenstein: Larry needs you to hear it.
Larry Hryb: No, I don't. You're listening to this podcast, the low quality one, I believe this is what you call low rent.
Laura Massey: Oh, no.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is-
Larry Hryb: This is the non NPR version.
Jeff Rubenstein: This a DIY podcast. Look, can you edit that out please?
Larry Hryb: We leave breaths in the here, we leave everything in here, much to the [inaudible 00:49:22] of the audience, we leave it all in. We're not taking anything out. We will spare nothing. Anything else?
Jeff Rubenstein: No. I think that's, that.
Larry Hryb: We got to do a name the game, which is-
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: We had a winner last time, finally, after the longest running on-
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Like, ever.
Laura Massey: And, we did another one.
Larry Hryb: And, we did another one-
Laura Massey: And, awesomely enough-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: I took pity on the audience, [inaudible 00:49:41] was really easy.
Larry Hryb: Should we play the piece?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And, then, okay. Let's go ahead and play the [inaudible 00:49:48] ...
Laura Massey: So, that was the easy name the game from last time, and you probably already guessed it, listener, the answer was Diablo III.
Larry Hryb: Yay.
Laura Massey: Of course, the Necromancer DLC
Larry Hryb: Yes. One of Laura's hundreds, and hundreds, and hundreds of hours of playing that.
Laura Massey: Right. I'm sure, of course, we got lots, and lots of correct-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Winners, but we took them all and picked out a random person, who guessed it correctly-
Larry Hryb: Who did? Who's our winner?
Laura Massey: The winner is Mark from Scotland.
Larry Hryb: Mark, who made no [inaudible 00:50:38].
Laura Massey: Maybe.
Larry Hryb: Or, not.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:50:39], or, not. You know, what else. His gamer tag is a feline rampage.
Larry Hryb: Great camera talk.
Laura Massey: That's awesome.
Larry Hryb: Feline rampage.
Laura Massey: So, Mark, here is what you've won.
Larry Hryb: What have you taken out of my office, this week, Laura?
Laura Massey: So, I scrounged around and somehow found a copy of this game, which strangely enough to me wasn't being played, I don't know why it wasn't being played.
Larry Hryb: Which game?
Laura Massey: Of course it was also Diablo III, the entire collection.
Larry Hryb: That's because I have a digital copy. Go ahead.
Laura Massey: That's right. Of course the eternal collection includes the Reaper of Souls-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: As well as the Necromancer DLC.
Larry Hryb: The whole thing.
Laura Massey: The whole thing. That's all you need.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Is that one game.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Trust, Laura, she never takes her disc out of the tray.
Laura Massey: That's right. I also, that's right, I don't. I also found a copy of EA Sports FIFA 17.
Larry Hryb: Sweet.
Laura Massey: For you Mark, as well as a copy of Halo Wars II, the ultimate edition.
Larry Hryb: Wow. Look at you going.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: That's where my games went. What else?
Laura Massey: I also found a copy of Minecraft Story Mode, season two.
Larry Hryb: Oh. Fun.
Laura Massey: The complete season. There you go, Mark.
Larry Hryb: Now, for something completely different.
Laura Massey: And, I also got you a copy of Xbox Game Pass-
Larry Hryb: What?
Laura Massey: For three months.
Larry Hryb: Three months of-
Jeff Rubenstein: That's really of you.
Larry Hryb: All the games you can eat.
Jeff Rubenstein: How thoughtful.
Laura Massey: That's great. Yes.
Larry Hryb: That is fantastic.
Laura Massey: I like to reward my winners, here, on name game.
Larry Hryb: Well, you do, with my stuff, so thank you for that. Anyway, congratulations-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:51:55].
Larry Hryb: Mark. Now, you're probably listening right now asking yourself, all right, I want to win, I don't know what to do, I'm confused.
Laura Massey: Right.
Larry Hryb: I'm hurt, it's raining out, my clothes are dirty, I'm lost, my phone isn't charged.
Laura Massey: Where are you going with this?
Larry Hryb: I'll just go through all the angst you feel when your young and whatnot. I wanted to tell you how you when, all you need to do is we're going to play a clip, here.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: What could it be from, Laura?
Laura Massey: It could be from any Xbox One game, Xbox One DLC, Xbox One Back Compat, any of those games.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It's not a pre-released game.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It's not a beta.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Not a beta. It's not-
Laura Massey: Spoiler alert.
Larry Hryb: It's not Destiny II.
Laura Massey: It's not Destiny II.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. There you go.
Laura Massey: It's not a beta, it's a fully released game.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: That you can go and buy-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Or, download from the store.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: And, Xbox One.
Larry Hryb: So, there you go. Let's play the clip.
Laura Massey: All right. Here's the clip for this week ... All right. So, if you, too, want to win fabulous prizes like Larry said, it's super easy, you just have to send us an email. Email me, Lollipop@xbox.com and Major@xbox.com.
Larry Hryb: Yep.
Laura Massey: Let us know what game you think those sounds are from, easy as that.
Larry Hryb: It's that easy.
Laura Massey: It's easy as that.
Larry Hryb: We take all the correct winners, put them into a virtual hat, and randomly chose one, and boom-
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: You could win.
Laura Massey: You could win.
Larry Hryb: Someone right now listening to our voices has already won, they just don't know it.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Larry Hryb: Da-dah.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: [inaudible 00:53:49].
Laura Massey: Very good, Larry.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Good luck to all of our listeners out there.
Larry Hryb: Please.
Laura Massey: Please send us an email Lollipop@xbox.com, and Major@xbox.com.
Larry Hryb: That's it.
Laura Massey: That's it.
Larry Hryb: That's it.
Laura Massey: Pretty easy.
Larry Hryb: Thank you very much.
Laura Massey: You're welcome.
Larry Hryb: Jeff, we got anything else? I'm kind winding down towards-
Jeff Rubenstein: What do you want to talk, you know, we never talked about new gadgets, it's been a little while.
Larry Hryb: Well, I got the new Surface Notebook, which I'm, the laptop, which I'm sporting over here in what's cobalt blue, right?
Laura Massey: It's beautiful.
Jeff Rubenstein: That is cobalt blue.
Laura Massey: It is beautiful.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Cobalt blue.
Laura Massey: Very shiny.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, as part of my job, I have to, I didn't have to, I am honored to give these to people-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But, it pains me every time.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Because I don't have one.
Larry Hryb: You don't have one.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, I really want one.
Larry Hryb: You're like me, you give stuff away-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Larry Hryb: All the time.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which is good, that part is good.
Laura Massey: Do you think you could-
Jeff Rubenstein: But, I really want one.
Laura Massey: Give one to me.
Larry Hryb: I was going to say, you're not giving anything to Laura.
Laura Massey: That's right, if you're a giver I could-
Larry Hryb: Receive.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I suppose you are an influencer of a sort [crosstalk 00:54:41]-
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Especially amongst the botanical set.
Jeff Rubenstein: No. It really looks good, the burgundy looks really good, I would take that one in a second.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: And, even the gold one is surprisingly good looking.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:54:53].
Larry Hryb: They're all good lookers.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So, yeah, I've got that. I think I talked about this, maybe I haven't talked about this, but I put the networking system in my home the euro system-
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: That I upgraded to their pro, which is I'm testing it, I'm all mesh all the time, if you haven't gone to an all mesh network, there's a ton of different options out there. Ubiquiti has them. Orbi has them. A few other people have them. Mesh is fantastic at home.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: So, I don't really understand how it works, I don't need to know, it just works, I just know I plug them in, and all my stuff just works.
Laura Massey: Great.
Jeff Rubenstein: Build them up.
Larry Hryb: Exactly.
Jeff Rubenstein: Break them down.
Laura Massey: That's exactly what you want from a home networking solution.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: It's just working.
Larry Hryb: It's just working.
Laura Massey: Because I feel like I've never really had that experience with my home networking solution.
Larry Hryb: I can tell you this, Laura, and I want to show this to you, because it comes with a app management, I can look at the app, and I think I showed this to you, before, so that's a real time view of all the devices connected to my house, right now. How many do I-
Laura Massey: You have 50.
Larry Hryb: 50, right now.
Laura Massey: Five, zero.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: Connected devices.
Larry Hryb: And, I'm not even home, yet, with my laptop, and my phone, and some other stuff-
Laura Massey: Right. It's interesting, you can look at this when you're not at home.
Larry Hryb: Right. It's [crosstalk 00:55:55].
Jeff Rubenstein: Why do you have a wifi connected toaster, Larry? Why do you need that?
Larry Hryb: Why don't you have one?
Jeff Rubenstein: Touche.
Larry Hryb: I've got all this crazy, to be honest with you, there's my gaming PC, yeah, I cannot really talk about much of this stuff, can I? No.
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: Xbox One, what?
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so I've got that in there, a great system. It's a little pricey, but it is absolutely worth it, so I recommend it. Whatever you do when you're upgrading your home network, go mesh, that's all I can say.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: That's all I really have with that. What else can I talk to you about? We talked about this, I don't really have much more to say.
Laura Massey: I've got a gadget that I'm working on.
Larry Hryb: Oh, go. Go, Laura.
Laura Massey: It arrived yesterday, and I haven't had a chance to set it up, yet, but I just got a Roomba.
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Laura Massey: A robotic vacuum.
Larry Hryb: That's right. A robotic vacuum.
Laura Massey: It's one of the newer models that is supposedly a lot more fancy than traditional [crosstalk 00:56:47]-
Larry Hryb: But, at the end of the day, it's just going to clean the floor, I mean how much fancy do you need?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well.
Larry Hryb: Is it going up the stairs?
Laura Massey: No. It doesn't go up the stairs.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: But, those do multiple rooms and it does do carpet and hardwood floors, and go seamlessly between the two, and it has, apparently a lot more power, and a lot more suction power than the previous models.
Larry Hryb: Which is what you always wanted in a vacuum cleaner.
Laura Massey: It does a, supposedly, a better job of vacuuming.
Larry Hryb: Can it bring you out a gin and tonic from the kitchen?
Laura Massey: That actually would be amazing.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: If only I could teach it to do that. [crosstalk 00:57:15]-
Jeff Rubenstein: If anyone in this room could-
Laura Massey: Disposable [crosstalk 00:57:17].
Jeff Rubenstein: It's you.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: I suppose we could add attachments, some robotic hands.
Larry Hryb: I get an upgrade.
Jeff Rubenstein: Larry, I know you would ask this.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Have you named it, yet.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. That's true.
Laura Massey: All right. No, I haven't named it, yet.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: I need [crosstalk 00:57:30].
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:57:34]
Larry Hryb: Let's name it, Fred.
Laura Massey: Fred, the robotic vacuum.
Larry Hryb: Stephen.
Jeff Rubenstein: Stephen.
Laura Massey: I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:57:44].
Larry Hryb: Actually, I'm sorry, I'm kind of imposing, do you think it's male or female?
Laura Massey: That's true. I don't know.
Larry Hryb: I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: Don't project.
Laura Massey: I don't know either.
Larry Hryb: I don't want to, I'm sorry.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:57:51]. We could go with traditional-
Larry Hryb: Marjorie?
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:57:55].
Larry Hryb: I was going to say Martha, I think we're somewhere at [crosstalk 00:57:58]. I like that.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think Martha would be a good-
Laura Massey: Or, Marvin.
Larry Hryb: Marvin.
Laura Massey: Marvin the robot from-
Larry Hryb: Bugs Bunny?
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:58:04].
Larry Hryb: I was going to say, Bugs Bunny.
Jeff Rubenstein: Hi, Marvin, I'm the robot.
Laura Massey: Or, Robbie.
Larry Hryb: Or, Robbie the robot, also a good one. That's right.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: May I humbly suggest, Jeffrey. It would make a great butler name.
Larry Hryb: It works well on a podcast.
Jeff Rubenstein: Did I tell you-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:58:19].
Jeff Rubenstein: Because that name is gone. They've essentially retired that name, and I think Larry as well.
Laura Massey: Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. My family was down at Disney, and you know they have personalized everything, those little personalized license plates-
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And-
Laura Massey: Key chains.
Jeff Rubenstein: Whatever, yeah, key chains-
Laura Massey: Mugs.
Jeff Rubenstein: All this other stuff.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: And, apparently I've been replaced, Jeff, is no longer there. My daughter is very upset, because she was looking for my name.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: And, it goes-
Larry Hryb: Did she find hers?
Jeff Rubenstein: No. She's got pretty-
Larry Hryb: Unique name.
Jeff Rubenstein: Unique name, as well. Go straight from Jayden-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Thanks, Brittany.
Larry Hryb: Jayden.
Jeff Rubenstein: To Jenna.
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Laura Massey: Oh, no.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, I've been replaced by Jayden and Jenna.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Jeff is no, I think if you, if I peeled off the sticker where it said Jayden, or Jenna, you would see Jeff under that.
Laura Massey: Oh, no.
Larry Hryb: Because I remember back in the day, they used to have two separate stations, there would be the male names and the female names, and now they've just combined them.
Jeff Rubenstein: Jayden could go either way.
Larry Hryb: Well, I'm not saying-
Jeff Rubenstein: Either way.
Larry Hryb: They always have Laura, don't they?
Laura Massey: Usually.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. That's a classic name.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:59:20].
Larry Hryb: They always have mine, which is-
Jeff Rubenstein: No, they don't.
Larry Hryb: They-
Laura Massey: What?
Larry Hryb: They have the proper use of my, the proper, Lawrence.
Jeff Rubenstein: Lawrence.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:59:26].
Larry Hryb: Now, is it a W or a U, and there's a whole conversation around that.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: In France, I'm sure they have it.
Larry Hryb: No, Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, Jeff.
Laura Massey: That's surprising, because I thought Jeffrey was pretty common.
Jeff Rubenstein: Nope. We're done. Yeah. Maybe in the '80s. I think if you actually looked up after that-
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:59:40].
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, you can look and you can see when did names peak in popularity, and it was basically from 1970 to 1982 there hasn't been a Jeff before or since.
Larry Hryb: Oh. That's too bad.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Larry Hryb: Sad face.
Laura Massey: That is a sad face.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Well, okay, so we're going to name it Jeffrey.
Laura Massey: Okay. Bring back the Jeff's.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is going to be the equivalent, be transferring in my brain into a robot, so I can live forever.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: But, also vacuum. Let me tell, you name it Jeffrey, it will learn how to make that gin and tonic.
Larry Hryb: Laura I'd like to introduce you to Jeffrey, your humble servant.
Jeff Rubenstein: I just want the name to live, however-
Larry Hryb: You got to do what you got to do.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 01:00:17]. I won't stop until Disney makes that key chain.
Larry Hryb: Cannot stop, won't stop.
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: All right, then. Anything else we want to talk about? We look forward to the report on-
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: On Jeffrey.
Laura Massey: I will give a full reports.
Larry Hryb: The robot.
Jeff Rubenstein: Thank you.
Larry Hryb: Jeffrey Stephen Roomba.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. There we go. I told you this off camera, but-
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: I got a VR device. I got a-
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 01:00:39]. We talked about that a couple weeks ago.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. We did. That show didn't make it.
Larry Hryb: No. I think we did, didn't we?
Laura Massey: I don't think it did.
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was last week.
Larry Hryb: I thought it was a couple of weeks, ago.
Jeff Rubenstein: This part we will definitely-
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 01:00:49].
Larry Hryb: I don't remember. I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, I got a [inaudible 01:00:52], and I've been amercing myself in mixed reality gaming-
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was really fun. I've tried it before, like the Microsoft store, and at a couple museums, like this Game of Thrones thing. Having it in your home it definitely feels like the future. It's interesting, because the games that I enjoy on Xbox on like a 4K screen are very different than the games, I've been playing this game called Front Defense, which take place during World War II. You're in like a little foxhole-
Laura Massey: Oh, yes.
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Laura Massey: This sounds awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, you don't move, like if I was playing this with a controller on a 2D screen, this would not be a good game, but in 3D it's amazingly intense.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, you're basically, there's troops, enemy troops coming down, you're in like a European sort of street, and there's like you and a couple of AI companions, and your just huddled in a foxhole-
Larry Hryb: What do you have to do, stay alive?
Jeff Rubenstein: Stay alive, basically.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: They're coming in and you've got a machine, it looks familiar from playing like Call of Duty, and Battlefield, and stuff, and you shoot until you're empty and then you literally, you take your left hand, and you pull the clip out-
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 01:01:59]-
Jeff Rubenstein: You grab another one off your belt-
Larry Hryb: Pop it in.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, jam in it, and you keep going. There's a battlemint there, but it doesn't, sort of like a machine gun-
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 01:02:09].
Jeff Rubenstein: A [inaudible 01:02:10]. Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, sometimes I'm like one handing that, and I'm keeping the machine gun in my left hand in case I need to-
Larry Hryb: You do a wheelie?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm doing wheelie.
Larry Hryb: My Lord.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 01:02:21].
Jeff Rubenstein: And, then occasionally a vehicle will come in, and you actually have like a rocket propelled grenade that you pick it up, you load it in the missile into the back, but a lot of times you're like wincing, you're like [inaudible 01:02:32].
Larry Hryb: Put a link in the show, so people can [crosstalk 01:02:34].
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know it's just so immersive, the game that-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Certain things that, and even stuff like carnival game type stuff it's just really fun in VR. Anyway I'm enjoying myself, and I'll report back if I play anything super intense. Actually, I started playing, the Arizona Sunshine, which is like a zombie game-
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: That one, like one of them I missed, and I empty my clip, and it was coming at me and I like freaked, because it like lunged at me, and like you viscerally-
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Recoil.
Laura Massey: Because it feels so real-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Laura Massey: It's coming at you, and you don't want it to come at you-
Jeff Rubenstein: You do not.
Laura Massey: So, you have [crosstalk 01:03:06].
Jeff Rubenstein: No. Exactly.
Laura Massey: Your brain says, evade, and you do.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's some interesting stuff out there, but definitely-
Laura Massey: Have you played Space Pirate Trainer.
Jeff Rubenstein: I have. It was literally the first game I got.
Laura Massey: Yeah. [crosstalk 01:03:17].
Jeff Rubenstein: This is a lot of fun, I know it's something that [crosstalk 01:03:19] big fan of.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, he talked me into it, and you just feel very empowered. You just get into it so much.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I've got the Vive at home, as well.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And, I just haven't had the-
Jeff Rubenstein: We should play some multiplayer stuff.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: I didn't know you did.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I talked about this last year. I've been playing a few things, I just haven't had, I don't have in my particular home office where I have my gear set up, I just don't have the large play space.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: So, it's
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 01:03:41].
Larry Hryb: Yeah. It's restrictive.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So, I need to get a bigger house. Isn't that the way it works?
Jeff Rubenstein: I think my house is probably smaller than yours.
Larry Hryb: It is.
Jeff Rubenstein: The West Wing, but we did clear enough space to make it work. It doesn't need a ton.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: [inaudible 01:03:56] super fun. I'm glad you're getting into it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. You work up a sweat, I'll tell you.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 01:04:01].
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm down on my knees, I'm like hunkering down like behind these sandbags-
Laura Massey: Basically, hunkering down.
Larry Hryb: That's right, because-
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 01:04:08] stretching.
Larry Hryb: We went to dinner with Jeff last week-
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And, my wife and I was at dinner with him, we met him down near his house, and he was on time, but he looked, it was rather warm that evening, and I just chalked it up, because remember, I asked you-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Did you walk down? I didn't know he was getting that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Because you looked a little tired, a little worn, your hair was a little askew.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And, I was like-
Jeff Rubenstein: No. I've been in Vive for about two hours straight.
Larry Hryb: You were apparently in a foxhole 10 minutes before.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. War never changes [inaudible 01:04:38].
Larry Hryb: [inaudible 01:04:40] yeah, thank you.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Larry Hryb: All right. Well, I think we've got, successfully have completed the show for this week.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 01:04:47].
Larry Hryb: Have we?
Laura Massey: I think we have.
Larry Hryb: [inaudible 01:04:49], sorry, I don't know, it's not up to us.
Jeff Rubenstein: They've tuned out long ago.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. So, we're going to have an interesting few shows ahead of us, we've got Gamescom coming up. I won't be able to go to Gamescom this year, unfortunately, I've got a conflict, so I'm going to be taking care of that. So, we may, or not be, we've got a few shows that are going to be taking care of over August, most of the world is on holiday.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Annual leave.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I know, Laura, you said, you're going to be, you've got a-
Laura Massey: I'm going to be on some annual leave, as well.
Larry Hryb: You're going to be on annual leave, and then we'll be back. So, we may, or may not be doing some shows during August, we'll see.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: But, we will be back at [inaudible 01:05:21].
Laura Massey: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: We should do some-
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 01:05:23].
Jeff Rubenstein: Streaming in the meantime, if we have [crosstalk 01:05:24]-
Larry Hryb: Co-streaming.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. We should all get together-
Larry Hryb: Co-streaming.
Jeff Rubenstein: It would actually be a good way to have the show.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: That would be fun.
Larry Hryb: Or, something that's similar-
Jeff Rubenstein: Something similar.
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 01:05:31].
Jeff Rubenstein: Something show-isch.
Larry Hryb: Show-isch.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm down.
Larry Hryb: More nonsense. All right, gang. We'll talk to you guys next week, or whenever we can talk to you. Thank you for downloading the show and tuning in. We'll have all the details of most of what we talked about on the show, we'll put in the show notes if Jeffrey was-
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, they're there.
Larry Hryb: If you want to catch up with Laura and her flowers, you can find her on Twitter.
Laura Massey: @Lauralollipop.
Larry Hryb: You can find Jeffrey, and his cheese steak ad.
Jeff Rubenstein: @jeffrubenstein.
Larry Hryb: I'm Major Nelson, we'll talk to you guys next time. You can see me every weekend, this week on Xbox on your console, or on your Twitter. See you next time. Bye-bye, everybody.
Jeff Rubenstein: See you.
Laura Massey: Bye-bye.

Lawrence Hryb: Thanks for downloading the show, this is show number 603, my name's Larry Hryb Xbox Lives Major Nelson. Joining me in the studio, Jeff Rubenstein, my trusty steed. That doesn't sound good, does it?
Jeff Rubenstein: Quit riding me Larry. Metaphorically obviously.
Lawrence Hryb: It's always good to see you. You just got back. You were away, you were on radio leave.
Jeff Rubenstein: I picked up many great ideas over the years from Graham. One of them is actually taking annual leave. So yeah, I was just down in the Bay area for fourth of July with some family. Got a little work done while I was down there.
Lawrence Hryb: That's San Francisco Southern Bay area right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, all over. Everywhere from Sacramento to the sea to shining sea I guess, I don't know.
Lawrence Hryb: All right, well welcome back up to Seattle, which is enjoying its beautiful summer.
Jeff Rubenstein: By the way, yeah San Francisco, I forgot used to live there. It's only 50 degrees.
Lawrence Hryb: It's cold.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, you can't see fireworks. Fog rolls in, so we ended up just going to see Baby Driver.
Lawrence Hryb: I heard you like that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, well I'm a huge Edgar Write fan. He's made my favorite movie of all time, which is Shawn of the Dead. He's a huge gamer, he directed Scott Pilgrim if you saw that. He just understands gamers, he himself is a huge gamer. Games have always played a big roll in a lot of the stuff he does.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I need to go see it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, it's worth seeing from a cinematic perspective. He crafts a great film.
Lawrence Hryb: Right, right, ooh, hello Laura.
Laura Massey: Hi.
Lawrence Hryb: We're just getting the show started. We didn't know where you were. You didn't text us, we didn't know if you were joining us, so.
Jeff Rubenstein: We call off the search.
Lawrence Hryb: Laura's ... Yeah exactly, Laura's just sitting down to her position here in the studio. It's nice to see you.
Laura Massey: Hello.
Lawrence Hryb: Hello, hello. You're welcome to ... There you go.
Laura Massey: All right I'm all seated now.
Lawrence Hryb: You're all seated, you're ready to go, you've got your seatbelt thing because it's going to be a bumpy ride. We were just talking about, what was it? Baby Driver?
Jeff Rubenstein: Baby Driver. Have you seen that movie Laura?
Laura Massey: What?
Lawrence Hryb: You haven't seen it.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's not a sequel to boss baby, which I when I first heard the title-
Lawrence Hryb: Or baby mama.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, or well I can't think of another, Bye Bye Baby, yeah that was probably a movie, right?
Laura Massey: Million Dollar Baby?
Jeff Rubenstein: Million Dollar Baby.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's just basically a video game of a movie. You know car races, car chases. A good friend Blaine is in the movie.
Lawrence Hryb: Is he?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, it's John Hamm with the Blaine haircut.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh that one yeah. Don't encourage him.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's too late.
Lawrence Hryb: I forgot John was in this one. I should see how he's doing. I remember chatting with him at an event when they were shooting Mad Men. They all play X-Box during Mad Men they all played Xbox and they were telling me-
Jeff Rubenstein: It was period accurate. The original Xbox from the 70's, you know they all played that one.
Lawrence Hryb: Thank you, thank you. The one with the wood finish on the side.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly. You know my first system did have wood on it.
Lawrence Hryb: Of course it did. Any self respectable consumer electronics from the 70s was wood grained. Your Magnavox TV.
Jeff Rubenstein: I had an RCA. It did have wood on the side. It gave a good sign, because this was a thing you had to actually bang on the TV if the picture was moving around. There was a time when literally you debugged things by banging on them.
Lawrence Hryb: Do you remember that Laura?
Laura Massey: I do.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I bet you I remember something that you don't remember.
Laura Massey: What's that?
Lawrence Hryb: Black and white television.
Laura Massey: Mm, my family had one old TV.
Lawrence Hryb: That was black and white? Really? Wow. That's cool.
Laura Massey: It's a small old TV.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a hipster TV.
Laura Massey: Sure was.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. My [inaudible 00:03:53] so yes, giant black thick rimmed plastic glasses. Yup. Larry doesn't like any of this.
Lawrence Hryb: No, I'm just trying to remember-
Jeff Rubenstein: Actually you have hipster glasses.
Lawrence Hryb: I'm unwinding how we got here. I'm unwinding how we got here.
Jeff Rubenstein: Wood grain.
Lawrence Hryb: Back to gaming, back to-
Jeff Rubenstein: Mad Man.
Lawrence Hryb: Baby Driver.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Lawrence Hryb: That's what it was. You know what movie I'm excited about seeing?
Jeff Rubenstein: Let's hear it.
Lawrence Hryb: I bought tickets for it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Spider Man?
Lawrence Hryb: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know.
Lawrence Hryb: Dunkirk.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah.
Lawrence Hryb: I'm very excited for Dunkirk.
Laura Massey: I haven't heard of this.
Jeff Rubenstein: You're seeing it because Harry's in it, right?
Lawrence Hryb: No, I'm seeing it because it is one of the greatest ... I mean there were many many many many fascinating stories that came out of World War Two, this is one of them.
Jeff Rubenstein: Right, but I think there's a generation of people that will be seeing it because Harry Styles is in it.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay, whatever.
Jeff Rubenstein: The movie was trending yesterday.
Lawrence Hryb: I'm not seeing it because of that. I'm not seeing it because of that. See, because, because-
Jeff Rubenstein: You're going to come for the historical nature and you're going to stay-
Lawrence Hryb: I'm going to stay for the haircut. No, actually it's interesting because I think you and I have talked about this. There's something that happens, Laura, and you and I have talked about this, there's something happens genetically as a male, whenever there's anything on for World War One or World War any war movie we have to stop and watch it.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's me with the Naked Gun. That movie is so funny.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh is it? Is there a movie that stops you dead in your tracks Laura? Like I have to watch when it's on TV or something. Do you have one?
Laura Massey: Lord of The Rings, Indiana Jones.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay, that's fine.
Laura Massey: Any of those.
Lawrence Hryb: Any of those. All right. I can appreciate that.
Jeff Rubenstein: So after everyone was rescued from Dunkirk and they were brought back to England a lot of them ended up in Dover.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: So I actually visited Dover.
Lawrence Hryb: The white cliffs of Dover.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. Last December, it was really cool. They have an underground military hospital underneath a castle. That area is high ground, right on the water. It's been strategically useful since Roman days. So on this one site you have everything from a 2000 year old Roman era-
Lawrence Hryb: Bath.
Jeff Rubenstein: Probably, maybe at one point.
Laura Massey: Probably at one point.
Jeff Rubenstein: A bit leaky these days. Yeah so like a rampart or something and then there's the main castle, which was built in the game of thrones era. Great documentary, can't wait for the next season. And then all the way up through World War Two. It's really a very cool place to visit.
Lawrence Hryb: Thank you.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm just trying to make you feel good about it.
Lawrence Hryb: This section of the broadcast brought to you by the this tourism board of the United Kingdom.
Jeff Rubenstein: South Eastern England.
Lawrence Hryb: Visit the UK on your annual holiday.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly, on annual leave.
Lawrence Hryb: On annual leave. Anyway, we should talk about what we're playing since we like to talk about games in this podcast. No we're not getting to you Laura. I know what you're going to talk about. We'll get to you in a minute. We'll start with you since you actually were very excited about your diabolo.
Laura Massey: When you emailed saying "Are we still on for the show recording?" I was like, "Yes, I am I'm ready to talk about-"
Lawrence Hryb: Diabolo, you played a lot of diabolo. Did you know I joined your party?
Laura Massey: No, I didn't know that.
Lawrence Hryb: You didn't know. You left the party open, your game party and I joined it.
Laura Massey: I didn't even know that.
Lawrence Hryb: I didn't think it gave you ... I don't know who you were playing with, but it was-
Laura Massey: No notification.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I didn't think ... It Join You puts the characters on the main screen and I wasn't quite in your session. I was kind of in your lobby, but you didn't get a notification about it.
Laura Massey: No, it didn't say a player has joined your lobby or anything like that.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, no.
Laura Massey: So did you see my outfit? Or my-
Lawrence Hryb: No, I guess I did, but I was like oh, she probably doesn't want me here. So I left quickly. It was one of those awkward moments. Where you open the door and oh she's in the middle of something so I left.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Lawrence Hryb: But I did not. I'm sure it was glorious.
Laura Massey: It was glorious.
Lawrence Hryb: Let's talk about the game.
Laura Massey: Yes, so I've been a one track gamer this week and have just played Diabolo-
Jeff Rubenstein: This week she says.
Lawrence Hryb: This week, yeah. This week. Keep her honest internet.
Laura Massey: I've been playing the Neck Romancer, offer Diabolo Three.
Lawrence Hryb: What level are you?
Laura Massey: 62, I think.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: Almost to the level cap of 70, which is ... Well, I think I have three or four characters that are 70, so I'm excited to get the Neck Romancer up to 70 and finally use all of the fantastic equipment that I've been saving in my stash.
Lawrence Hryb: You have lots of gear.
Laura Massey: Level 70 characters.
Lawrence Hryb: Nice.
Laura Massey: Yeah. Its been super fun. I have probably like this one just as much as the wizard, which is my favorite class. So if you haven't had a chance to jump in, I highly recommend it. It's just a bunch of fun mayhem. Still doing [crosstalk 00:08:22]
Lawrence Hryb: Fun mayhem.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Lawrence Hryb: That's it, in fact that's what it says on the back of the box. Fun mayhem!
Laura Massey: Fun plus mayhem equals Diabolo.
Jeff Rubenstein: A friend of mine was telling me he was able to get his Neck Romancer up to level 70 in two hours.
Laura Massey: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: He had some sort of gem of something, of leveling that got him back-
Laura Massey: To the legendary gem of leveling or something like that.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll connect you two off line.
Laura Massey: Yeah, I would love to know how he did it in two hours, because I've been playing mine for I don't know five, six hours and I'm almost a 70. I have all kinds of awesome gear, but I apparently am missing something.
Lawrence Hryb: I think it's called the game genie.
Laura Massey: I had one of those.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, a throwback.
Jeff Rubenstein: The legendary gem of time management I think.
Laura Massey: Yes, probably so. I must have this gear that I don't have.
Lawrence Hryb: Call you intrigued.
Laura Massey: I am intrigued.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes, all right. So you're playing and you're having fun. You're playing a lot of it?
Laura Massey: Playing a lot of it yes, that's probably all I've been playing this week is Diabolo.
Lawrence Hryb: I can confirm that's all you've been playing. It's not probably, I can confirm it. I was watching. Every time I look at my friends list, Laura's on Diabolo.
Laura Massey: I am.
Lawrence Hryb: I opened it up to get started, but a couple of people that I was playing with, they were so far ahead of me. It just, I was like forget it. And then I went and played over watch. Yeah, that's my overwatch is your Diabolo, or your Diabolo is my Overwatch. Yeah, anyway, good for you.
Laura Massey: I see. That's all I have been playing. I can confirm it is fun.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay. Jeffery.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes sir.
Lawrence Hryb: What you up to?
Jeff Rubenstein: So I've been traveling for the last week.
Lawrence Hryb: Down to the Bay area as fore mentioned.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, but much like I would do if I was here, still played video games. I was over a friends house and he was like, "Have you ever played Injustice Two?" I really don't play a lot of fighting games these days. Mostly because the people I used to play fighting games with live in the Bay area and so there's just not a lot of ... I always like to-
Lawrence Hryb: You know there's this thing called Xbox Live.
Jeff Rubenstein: I agree, but for me, fighting games having grown up in the arcades, in person is always-
Lawrence Hryb: Shoulder to shoulder.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly, because there's sort of a physical element and you're sort of jockeying for position and whatever. We played a little bit of that and oh my God it is really really good. The amount of detail, visual quality, I mean you expect all these things from Nether Realm and the first injustice was very good, but the level. It feels like it is the apex of what I feel like that team has made in terms of quality. It was really cool. Even in the characters to Lex Screen and he's using the Flash. He's sort of taunting the other character. They sort of mess with each other. There's so much context sensitive things that happen. You probably know this if you've already played Injustice Two, but if you haven't ... And I'm not huge into the DC world. On paper, I shouldn't be into this game at all, I really was. I took to using Supergirl, who is voiced by ... Very quickly I was like, "Man I know that voice."
Lawrence Hryb: Who is it?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's Laura Bailey who voices-
Lawrence Hryb: Oh Laura.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... Among many many other people Kate Diaz from Dears Four.
Lawrence Hryb: She's delightful.
Jeff Rubenstein: She's awesome. She's a huge talent. I actually looked at some of the voice talent in this, this prestigious voice talent on this game. C. Thomas Howell voices somebody. There's Hollywood actors, there's people that have been doing Batman from the Arkham days. There's a weird mix of very prominent folks. Anyway, definitely a ringing endorsement for Injustice Two and I think I'm going to have to pick that up myself.
Laura Massey: Is the Joker in Injustice Two?
Jeff Rubenstein: The Joker is, he looks very young in this. It's like a young very sassy Joker, baby Joker.
Laura Massey: Who voices that character? Do you remember?
Jeff Rubenstein: You know I have to look that up.
Laura Massey: I have a bit of nerd trivia for you.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh?
Laura Massey: Yes.
Lawrence Hryb: Go on.
Laura Massey: Do you know who voices the Joker in the animated series of Batman?
Jeff Rubenstein: We all know that.
Lawrence Hryb: It's Mark Hamill.
Laura Massey: Yes, it's Mark Hamill.
Lawrence Hryb: Who else would it be? Who else would it be?
Laura Massey: Well, there's been a lot of voices of Joker, of people who played Joker in movies.
Lawrence Hryb: But if you played any of the Batman games of which he's been in, he is stop you dead in your tracks amazing. That's one of my favorite characters. He's a little bit ... Although, he reminds me, which I'll bring it back to games because you haven't played it that much Laura, but in Overwatch we have Junkrat, he's got a little bit of, Junkrat has a little bit of Joker tendencies. Jeffery, would you agree with that?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh very much. He says some of the funniest stuff. I don't use him too often, but occasionally we'll play mystery heroes and he's very funny.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, he's very very funny.
Jeff Rubenstein: Scott Porter plays Robin. Scott Porter, he's a friend of Xbox shows ... One of these folks is always at E3, big fan. Fred Tedacy who has done a ton of voices, he is the voice of both Bane and Swamp Thing-
Lawrence Hryb: Bane.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you look him up you'll see a ton of stuff that he's done.
Lawrence Hryb: Voices for Injustice Two, play it now on Xbox, what are you waiting for?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, and you should.
Lawrence Hryb: You can even play it over Xbox Live.
Laura Massey: You could.
Lawrence Hryb: Jeffery.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know, I know, I know. Yeah, the voice of the Joker is not someone I'm familiar with. It's not Mark Hamill.
Lawrence Hryb: A great unknown.
Jeff Rubenstein: But this is a very different Joker.
Lawrence Hryb: All right, so you're down at the Bay area, you play this, what else you do? What else you play?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, then I got back into Dishonored Two, which is a fantastic game. I just don't like killing people in these games. It's a very challenging game, even more than the first one I feel like in terms of keeping Stealth and I told myself I wouldn't reload when I mess up and I'm detected and I end up in the middle of a blood bath, but I'm doing that so it's going to take me forever to behave with this. It's really good.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, it's kind of a quiet period right now for gaming. In terms of releases and what not.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's not that quiet though.
Lawrence Hryb: Why not? Well, there's a lot going on. And there's been some news coming out.
Laura Massey: Oh yeah?
Lawrence Hryb: We got Doom Fest coming for Overwatch. Okay, I'm sorry Jeffery.
Jeff Rubenstein: all right let's talk about Doom Fest, it's killing me. Doom Fest was announced right before we started filming today and I really like this character for Overwatch, needless to say. Doom Fest had been teased for quite some time.
Lawrence Hryb: And he's part of the Lore.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, exactly. And you heard the name and the design. I was envisioning someone like Fanos or some over the top super villain type of character. The reality is the designs really cool.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, well you'll link off to the show notes, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah, I'll link off to the trailer. They made a, they being Blizzard made an anime style.
Lawrence Hryb: As they often do.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you go to Play Over Watch then you'll see screen shots and things. Maylay, mostly Maylay character. I feel like he's an offensive minded Reinhardt. We have someone who can go toe to toe with Reinhardt.
Lawrence Hryb: He's got a massive punch.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think that can be really cool. Sometimes when Reinhardt's in the right position it's really hard to get after and you need to keep your distance. There's not necessarily a great foil to that, obviously you can be countered, but-
Lawrence Hryb: Catch phrase.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... It's more like like one on one. There's always a character who ... I feel like for any character there's always that one who you don't want to run into in a corridor or something like that.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I know that's the story of my life.
Jeff Rubenstein: Now, I think Reinhardt's got that.
Lawrence Hryb: All right, anyway.
Jeff Rubenstein: We'll find out when we start playing coming soon.
Lawrence Hryb: Some other really exciting news, Jeffery you're going to get that ready, why don't you call it up.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh I'm ready. Are we talking about the Halo Summer Celebration.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes we are. Yes we are, yes we are.
Jeff Rubenstein: So great news, 4K coming to Halo Five.
Lawrence Hryb: Halo Five Guardians for you, it's going to play best Onyx, Box One X.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, so very much looking forward to seeing that. That update will be coming along with the release of Xbox One X later this year and 343 will be sharing more as we get closer to that release of course. And of course Xbox One X is releasing on November seventh. Really just four months. It's not that far away.
Lawrence Hryb: And just when you thought you had a lot of Halo in your Xbox One, we're going to dump more in.
Laura Massey: Oh really?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yes.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes we are.
Jeff Rubenstein: So thanks to the magic of backwards compatibility Halo Three, Halo Three ODST, Halo Four, and Halo Comet Evolved Anniversary, CE anniversary you may call it. All of these games are going to be coming to Xbox One through backwards compatibility.
Lawrence Hryb: I'm just looking at this and I've been involved in some way or another with all these games and I'm starting to feel old.
Jeff Rubenstein: You go back a ways.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I was just look at wow. Anyway, look at this, this is great.
Jeff Rubenstein: So there's some cool stuff here. You'll be able to pop the disc. I know a lot of people ... I still have, I'm still sitting on my Halo Two disc.
Lawrence Hryb: Are you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Of course.
Lawrence Hryb: Guns up or down?
Jeff Rubenstein: Huh?
Lawrence Hryb: Guns up or down?
Jeff Rubenstein: I think up.
Laura Massey: I didn't realize there was a choice.
Lawrence Hryb: There is, well I don't know if it made it to the box open. I remember when we were releasing, I'm pretty sure it was Halo Two there was-
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm going to have to go back and look.
Lawrence Hryb: We had two different pieces of key art, because in some countries when guns were ... When Master Chief had his guns pointing up and I'm doing that, listeners you can't see it, but I have my two fingers up. When they were gun ... It was considered aggressive. If you go back and look at some of the imagery the guns are down so it's less aggressive. So guns up or guns down.
Jeff Rubenstein: Little, little-
Lawrence Hryb: Little trivia for you. Things you learn. I do have another story to tell and please remind me to tell this later on in the show, it's about gamer pictures.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay, all right we'll do that. I know what you're wondering now.
Lawrence Hryb: What am I wondering?
Jeff Rubenstein: These games are coming out, backwards compatibility, what about the map packs, what about the DLC?
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, what's up with those Jeffery?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, how about they're going to be free. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
Lawrence Hryb: Free as in no charge Jeff?
Jeff Rubenstein: Why, that's exactly what I mean. Although, I'm sure there's an asterisks somewhere that says you may have to pay for your internet bill. But yes, so every 360 Halo Add On Map Pack in the Xbox store will be made available for free.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: So that this way everybody can play everything.
Laura Massey: It's fantastic news.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a good time to get that larger hard drive, between that and Xbox game pass and games gold, and everything else.
Lawrence Hryb: Of course if you're a Halo fan the 343 team will be down at RTX in Austin. July seventh through the ninth, which is pretty much as we're recording this so if you can make it have fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Man, yeah.
Lawrence Hryb: Awesome, that's a nice place.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a lot of stuff. So everything on there-
Lawrence Hryb: You've been there.
Jeff Rubenstein: Halo Wars Two all the stuff there's going to be a new premium expansion that's going to be after the season pass wraps up called awakening the nightmare. There's a lot of Halo stuff including the Archaic stuff you just mentioned. I will just link over to the Halo Summer Celebration stuff.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, that's the guns up for.
Laura Massey: Yeah, I was definitely remembering guns up for Halo Two, I just looked it up.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah and I may have been, you're showing this to me on your phone, there may have been I think guns up and guns down that may have been an option for the little standup's we made. The little statues. I do remember this conversation. Can I tell our gamer picture story now?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh sure.
Lawrence Hryb: So there was this question on Reddit about a month ago where people were talking about gamer pictures because custom gamer pictures were coming to Xbox One, to all Xbox one members very soon. Some people are testing them out too. Have you customized yours yet Laura?
Laura Massey: Not yet.
Lawrence Hryb: I have.
Laura Massey: I've seen it.
Lawrence Hryb: I'm sorry.
Jeff Rubenstein: We talked about this last week.
Laura Massey: You didn't tell me what the story was behind it though.
Lawrence Hryb: About which one?
Laura Massey: Your custom gamer.
Lawrence Hryb: Well mine is if you look at it, if you go to Uptown Major Nelson, it's the same one I have my Twitter account, which is me holding a Scorpio chip in my mouth.
Jeff Rubenstein: How does it taste? Is it better or worse than a switch cartridge?
Lawrence Hryb: I can tell you this. It's better. I will say this is that it's actually taped to my mouth, because we had a little bit of show business to make it happen. The story is around, and Laura I've got to implore you to see if you can search for this one, back when we shipped 360, we had a series of gamer pictures that they were just the stock ones, there was about a dozen. Do you remember them?
Laura Massey: Oh yes.
Lawrence Hryb: One of them was a young boy with a hat on, could have been a young boy could have been a young girl, we don't know, but they were blowing a bubble a balloon. Do you remember that one?
Laura Massey: Yes I do.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay so the story, so Reta this is for you because you've been asking me I wanted to share this. So what happened was when we had contracted the series of artists back in the day to create these, because they were all very different pieces of art and what happened was we got from this particular artist from another part of the world this great piece of art with this young person with the hat on, they had a beanie on it, it had a great tone to it.
Laura Massey: I remember bluish.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, maybe it was blue or gray. Did you find it yet? I know you're searching.
Laura Massey: I'm looking for it.
Lawrence Hryb: If you look at it, they're blowing a bubble, Jeff, you know bubble gum. What happened was is when we got it in the original character was smoking a cigarette. We realized that probably wasn't the best to show, so we went back to the artist and had them rework it to show a balloon instead of smoking a cigarette, so that's-
Jeff Rubenstein: You shouldn't smoke balloons either though.
Lawrence Hryb: No, well bubble gum, it was bubble gum. So anyway, I'll see if I can find that image, the original image somewhere, Laura if you haven't found it yet. We'll link off.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know exactly what you mean.
Lawrence Hryb: You know which one I'm talking about though, you can look it up if you want. You can just look up original gamer pictures and you'll see an Xbox 360. That is my story about the original gamer pictures. One of them. I have a ton of little stories.
Jeff Rubenstein: When are you writing a book?
Lawrence Hryb: Who wants to hear the story that I have to tell?
Jeff Rubenstein: The people that are listening to this podcast. You're still here, right?
Lawrence Hryb: I'm still here. They're still here, they're listening. It was exactly that one. It was the one next to the ... See it Jefferey? Here, let me-
Jeff Rubenstein: All right send that over to me. So yeah, one of our friends is still using that pirate. He refuses to change it.
Lawrence Hryb: And then the rings, do you remember what the rings were called? I think it was just the rings of color. The rings of light?
Laura Massey: The green?
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, the green, all the different circles, the concentric circles. Oh back in the day.
Jeff Rubenstein: I remember when Matt and ... God, I feel like some of the first paid ones were NFL ones that came from that end. I remember I had a Philly one.
Lawrence Hryb: Right. Gamer pictures were big back in the day. So anyway, features coming very soon for all Xbox One members where you're going to be able to pretty much use any photo. Yes, Laura.
Laura Massey: Since you're being nostalgic.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: Do you remember when we shipped the camera for Xbox 360 and then you had-
Lawrence Hryb: The vision cam.
Laura Massey: Yes, the vision cam and you could take a picture of it and set it as your private gamer picture.
Lawrence Hryb: Right, because back in the day we had two concepts. We had a private and a public. Because the concept being if it was private, you probably don't want somebody on your friend's list who's showing you something you find offensive.
Laura Massey: Right.
Lawrence Hryb: There were other uses for that camera too in Uno, but we won't go into that in this show. I think that's best for everybody.
Jeff Rubenstein: I did play a lot of Texas Hold 'em. That was one of the first games to also use it.
Lawrence Hryb: You know who loved that game was Step Toe. He played it all the time.
Laura Massey: He loved it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I played way more of that than I played actual Texas Hold 'Em, which is good because I'm not that good at it.
Lawrence Hryb: Well, you're the perfect person tat they want to play I believe.
Jeff Rubenstein: I suppose that's true.
Lawrence Hryb: Anyway, so we're going to, let's go through and hit some more of that news.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, so great news for fans of Shadow of Mordor, or folks that are excited about Shadow of War. This is a game that I beat in 2014, I think was my ... I have a reason to go back and so do you. The team is updating and adding an orc forge to the game. The nemesis forge. So basically you're going to be able to bring over some of your choices into Shadow of War.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh?
Jeff Rubenstein: So your biggest nemesis and also your best ally, that orc will be able to come into the new game.
Lawrence Hryb: Laura love that, you love that game.
Jeff Rubenstein: Even if you haven't played it in a very long time, oh such a great game.
Lawrence Hryb: What did you ... I mean I never got into the game, is it because of the history and the lore and the IP? Is that what really got you? I mean the gameplay was solid.
Laura Massey: That was the initial hook, but what kept me there was-
Lawrence Hryb: Was the game play.
Laura Massey: Was the game play and leveling system. The way that you felt when you were playing the game.
Lawrence Hryb: The combat loop, yeah.
Laura Massey: Because you felt awesome while you were playing that game.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, at the very beginning it's like you're sneaking around. It's almost all stealth, but as you get more and more powerful you can confidently walk into the middle of a base and it's like come at me.
Laura Massey: Exactly. I can take all these orcs.
Jeff Rubenstein: Come at me bro.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was right at the peak of come at me bro, back when you could say that non ironically.
Lawrence Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: I remember that feeling distinctly. I remember starting the game just trying to find a normal orc and I kept dying. I continued leveled up, got more and more powers, and then eventually I'm running on rooftops saying "Yeah, come at me." Exactly.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's just like I dare you.
Lawrence Hryb: Laura's saying come at me, I don't know why I just enjoy that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Laura had pioneered come at me.
Lawrence Hryb: A lot of people don't know that.
Jeff Rubenstein: At the campus of UT Austin.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, that's right, that's right back in the day.
Jeff Rubenstein: Come at me, sir.
Lawrence Hryb: Come at me, bro.
Laura Massey: It was one of the most polished game frames I played in a while.
Lawrence Hryb: Come at me y'all.
Jeff Rubenstein: So it's great news for those of us who already have it. If you do not have Shadow of Mordor-
Lawrence Hryb: Then what are you waiting for? Because-
Jeff Rubenstein: However, you can play it right now.
Lawrence Hryb: Right now.
Jeff Rubenstein: For free as part of Xbox Live Gold free play days.
Lawrence Hryb: Go download it.
Jeff Rubenstein: This goes through basically midnight this coming Sunday.
Lawrence Hryb: Wait a minute, is that another free item coming for Xbox owners? We have the Halo Maps.
Jeff Rubenstein: It never ends.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I don't even know, Jeffery, I don't know what to say.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, you open your door to us and we're-
Lawrence Hryb: The free train keeps coming down the tracks. Toot, toot.
Laura Massey: Oh goodness.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Can we get back on track? Who knows.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think you're missing out that you didn't do a crazy Larry sketch for the Ultimate Game Sale this year. You're getting it out of your system a little bit at a time.
Lawrence Hryb: We're working on something. Actually, you know what I got to tell you a story, we're working on a special crazy Larry sketch for Christmas.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Lawrence Hryb: A really good one.
Laura Massey: Already?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, you're planning this far ahead.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I've been planning for a year. It's going to be, hopefully, if we can pull it off it will be at Beck, that's all.
Jeff Rubenstein: You're going to use your microphone, your Price is Right microphone?
Lawrence Hryb: Okay I got to tell you what it is. I'm going to pause, I'm going to tell you. You ready? So that's what we're going to do.
Laura Massey: No way.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is perfect, this is perfect.
Lawrence Hryb: Isn't it?
Jeff Rubenstein: This is perfects. Now I know why you have to plan six months in advance.
Laura Massey: Yeah, that takes a lot of planning.
Lawrence Hryb: Any way, all right.
Jeff Rubenstein: All right, so that's amazing. So anyway, if you don't have Shadow of Mordor, you can play it for free between probably the time you hear this and July 9th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, so this coming Sunday and even after that, the game is on sale for 80% off.
Lawrence Hryb: Eight, zero.
Jeff Rubenstein: Eight, zero, I mean it's a-
Laura Massey: A lot of percents.
Lawrence Hryb: Is that 499?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's like four bucks, it's four bucks.
Lawrence Hryb: It's less than the cost of a latte in most major countries.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, that is for what is easily one of the best games of the generation.
Laura Massey: Yes, that is a fantastic deal, there's no reason to say no.
Lawrence Hryb: As Jeff would say, just a deal.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's what I say all the time. A little bit more news here. The story move trailer for season two of Minecraft story mode is now available. If you're into Minecraft story mode season one, the combination of tell tale and the good folks at Muyang, well then more is on the way and you can see a bit of that. The ultimate game sell that we were referring to is still going on. It goes up to July 10th.
Lawrence Hryb: Last chance.
Jeff Rubenstein: Again, games up to and above 80% life.
Lawrence Hryb: Go empty that piggy bank, lots of games to grab.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll link you. There's this site that I found called Major Nelson.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: That has everything, including links. God I feel bad for whoever had to put that together.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes, that was a beast.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is a lot.
Lawrence Hryb: It's a beast.
Jeff Rubenstein: Even just scrolling my arm is cramping because it takes so long. I'll link out to that again and this is a great time in these dog days of summer to pick up some great deals. It's Christmas in July.
Laura Massey: It is Christmas in July.
Lawrence Hryb: What are you crazy Larry for you got it. Insane Jeffery.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Laura Massey: Insane Jeffery, insane deals.
Jeff Rubenstein: Where you grew up did they have a place called Crazy Eddies?
Lawrence Hryb: Yes, that's what Crazy Larry-
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay, that's where I bought my Nintendo when I was nine years old.
Lawrence Hryb: Well it was because you grew up in Philadelphia. Laura, I don't know if we've ever talked about this, but Crazy Eddie was big in the North East. He was specifically in the New York area. They would buy late night TV spots and it was exactly ... Go look them up on YouTube.
Jeff Rubenstein: As a kid I thought it was hilarious because he's basically just yelling at you.
Lawrence Hryb: He's yelling at you for 30 seconds.
Laura Massey: Is it like Vern Funk here?
Lawrence Hryb: No. Like way-
Laura Massey: Way more crazy?
Lawrence Hryb: Way crazy.
Jeff Rubenstein: Turn up 15.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, exactly. Didn't he ultimately get indited for something?
Jeff Rubenstein: I think-
Lawrence Hryb: There was legal issues.
Jeff Rubenstein: He was not so much crazy as he was immoral Eddie I think. We'll have to look that up.
Lawrence Hryb: Anyway, that was yes, Crazy Eddie, his prices were insane.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll see if can find a video [crosstalk 00:28:46]
Lawrence Hryb: Oh, there's a bunch on YouTube, I remember looking at them, because I remember when we started doing Crazy Larry I had to show the editors, I'm like you don't remember Crazy Larry and as a child of the east coast this person didn't know it. I had to show it to them and now he gets it.
Laura Massey: I see. Was that your research your inspiration?
Lawrence Hryb: Oh absolutely. I make no bones about it. All right, that's the news. You know what the great news is though this week Laura?
Laura Massey: What is the great news?
Lawrence Hryb: The great news is we have a name the game winner. Exactly.
Jeff Rubenstein: I thought this was going to go on forever. We kept rolling the pot over.
Lawrence Hryb: It kept going and the pot as is at 43.4 million dollars. No it's not. No it's not at all. That's a lie there.
Jeff Rubenstein: Name your power ball.
Lawrence Hryb: We're exciting because we do have a name the game winner. I was so excited when we finally ... This was a particularly difficult one.
Laura Massey: It was and we gave a hand question.
Lawrence Hryb: All right, so shall we play it?
Laura Massey: Yeah lets play name the games from last time. So that was name the game from last time. It's the first name the game in history that we didn't have a correct the first time we played.
Lawrence Hryb: Right we had to actually do it again.
Laura Massey: So we had to do it again and we gave a hint and the hint was, it was a space game.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes, and you want to know there's another meta hint that I gave.
Laura Massey: Oh really.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I actually played it on my console for a few days right after last weeks show. If you were watching my profile you could see it pop up there.
Laura Massey: That is a mega handful. But we do have a winner this time around, which means it worked. And the winner is-
Lawrence Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: Brad from California. I don't know the name of your city. I can't pronounce it.
Lawrence Hryb: Let me take a look. Let's take a look here. Jeff.
Jeff Rubenstein: I would have guessed it would have been Mario 64.
Lawrence Hryb: It is Temecula?
Jeff Rubenstein: Temecula, yes it's in So Cal.
Laura Massey: Temecula.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, okay well hopefully if it's in southern California I'll see him at Comic-con, which I'll talk about in a minute.
Laura Massey: Congratulations Brad, you correctly named the game and the game was Planetbase.
Lawrence Hryb: Yay!
Laura Massey: Good job. The game of tag is Big Bad, which is a pretty good game of tag.
Lawrence Hryb: Big Bad.
Jeff Rubenstein: What does he win?
Lawrence Hryb: What does he ... Oh you know what? Laura always finds stuff in my office on my desk, under my desk, behind my desk.
Jeff Rubenstein: In the couch cushions.
Lawrence Hryb: Everywhere. What did you find this week, Laura?
Laura Massey: I found some really great stuff for you. First you're going to get a copy of Planetbase.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, of course.
Laura Massey: Which is the name the game-
Lawrence Hryb: Which means you probably already have it, but go ahead.
Laura Massey: Right, and-
Jeff Rubenstein: Gift it to a friend.
Laura Massey: You also get a copy of the Golf club too.
Lawrence Hryb: Very difficult. I've been playing that.
Laura Massey: Have you?
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, it's no joke, I'll just say that.
Laura Massey: I see, good so you'll get some good golf practice in. But that's not all, you also get Podcast favorite, Overwatch game of the year.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Which hopefully we'll have the new characters.
Lawrence Hryb: Just in time for Doom Fest, what?
Laura Massey: You'll also get Podcast favorite Diabolo Three Eternal selection.
Jeff Rubenstein: What's this?
Lawrence Hryb: What is this? Where did you find that?
Laura Massey: Which also has-
Lawrence Hryb: I didn't even know I had that in my office.
Laura Massey: That one has the Necromancer dealsy pack added in.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, all there.
Laura Massey: So it's Reaper of Souls and Necromancer.
Lawrence Hryb: This is like $100 already. Go ahead.
Laura Massey: This is fantastic. That's not all.
Lawrence Hryb: What?
Laura Massey: I also found a copy of a token for the Xbox game pass for three months.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, we'll give you three months of game pass, which is access to over 100 games.
Laura Massey: Congratulations Brad, you did a great job of getting this really difficult name the game and we've rewarded you thusly.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, well done my friend. Jeff you seem to-
Jeff Rubenstein: I should have studied harder. I should have put more into it.
Lawrence Hryb: You know you're mother and I have been saying that. When you were in high school and college you should have studied harder.
Jeff Rubenstein: I had so much potential and here I am now.
Lawrence Hryb: You didn't unlock it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm just sitting here, watching you fumble with the USB.
Lawrence Hryb: Kvetching. I hate USB.
Laura Massey: You know they're supposed to change it.
Lawrence Hryb: I know three times.
Laura Massey: Oh no, they're supposed to change the design of USB.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, it's USBC.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah USBC.
Lawrence Hryb: Which is even worse because it pretends to be a standard, but it's no where near a standard. There's Thunderbolt Three, there's power delivery, it's a nightmare. I was talking with a couple of people about this. Anyway, congratulation to you Brad from Southern California. By the way, I'll be at Comic-con.
Laura Massey: Oh great.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah I'm going to Comic-con in a few weeks.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is your comic book finally coming out?
Lawrence Hryb: No, my superhero comic book has been put on hold, Crazy Larry saves the earth has been put on hold.
Jeff Rubenstein: I pre-ordered issue number one.
Lawrence Hryb: Atomic Man.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, I'm going to retire on that. Detective video game comics.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh boy, but yeah I'll be down at Comic-con, I'll have more details on that probably next week, but I'll be down there. Hey, we've got to do another name the game.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Lawrence Hryb: All right, so that means the slate is clean, we've reset the odometer to zero and we're ready to go again.
Laura Massey: Let's do another name the game. All right, so that was name the game for this week. If you too would like to win some fabulous prizes, super easy all you have to do is send me an email, lollypop@Xbox.com and major@Xbox.com with what game you think that is.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It is going to be a game that is on the Xbox One, it could be DLC-
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, could be DLC.
Laura Massey: It could be an indie game.
Lawrence Hryb: ID @Xbox.
Laura Massey: Could be an ID @Xbox game, and Xbox one. It could be a back compact.
Lawrence Hryb: Could be a backward compatible game.
Jeff Rubenstein: I just hope it's easy.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah I think-
Laura Massey: Maybe this week I'll take a little bit easier.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, we should make it easier this week, Laura right? Just since we went for two whole months, basically two whole months without a winner.
Laura Massey: That's right. Maybe a little easier this week. Maybe, we'll see. We'll see if I'm feeling generous.
Lawrence Hryb: All right, so that's what you need. Send me an email at major@Xbox.com, lollypop@Xbox.com, include your game tag, where you're from if you'd like and if we can use it on the air. That won't impact your odds of winning, but we'd love to have you join us.
Laura Massey: Exactly.
Lawrence Hryb: It's as simple as that. You know I give stuff away all the time on Twitter. If you follow me on Twitter. Free code Friday.
Laura Massey: Free code what day?
Lawrence Hryb: Well, we usually do it on a Friday. I started doing that back in, I don't remember.
Jeff Rubenstein: Twitter's only 10 years old Larry, so.
Lawrence Hryb: I've been on it for 10 years, you know that.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know, I had my 10 year anniversary last week.
Lawrence Hryb: Did they tell you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, you get a little notification. You've probably been on more than that.
Laura Massey: Yes, I would say.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think you probably about six months because it came out the end of 2006.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I was on then.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh you were very quick.
Lawrence Hryb: I was on that early.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, one could say.
Lawrence Hryb: One could say. Laura was on it.
Laura Massey: I was. I remember initially being against it. And then-
Lawrence Hryb: No, you weren't as against it as he was.
Laura Massey: But not as against it as he was.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah he was ... I mean very rarely do I use the term. He was violently opposed to it. Not anymore. Now it's all dogs and food.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly what he was afraid it would become.
Lawrence Hryb: Exactly. He is the problem. Oh I wish we had him on to defend himself. Anyway, that was name the game. Good luck to you all. We got all the headlines. We'll have a lot of things we talk about in the show will be in the show notes at majornelson.com on the show. Also, I don't know if a lot of people don't know this, I tweeted this out last week, but for every show for the past two years, we do transcripts.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Lawrence Hryb: So if you-
Jeff Rubenstein: Right now this transcription expert is transcribing these very words and in fact I feel bad. If I thought about it before I came in I'd be much more economical with my-
Laura Massey: With your words?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, my diarrhea of the mouth.
Lawrence Hryb: Well, I will say this is that we don't use machines to do it, it's actually humans who do it, so whoever the human is that's doing it this week, thank you.
Laura Massey: Thank you.
Lawrence Hryb: Hopefully they're smiling right now, as they're listening to this.
Jeff Rubenstein: Do you think they still call me Jeffery? I remember at the beginning you told them to do that.
Lawrence Hryb: I did send a memo. It said memorandum, Jeffery.
Laura Massey: Yes, his name is Jeffery.
Lawrence Hryb: Per contractual agreement Jeff Rubenstein must be referred to as, in all cases Jeffery.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, I get it here.
Lawrence Hryb: You're making this face.
Jeff Rubenstein: I get it at home. My kid has started calling me by my first name.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh no.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: You're not dad? You're Jeffery?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I'm Jeff. Hey Jeff and I'm like "Excuse me?"
Lawrence Hryb: Really?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I've lost. There's just no going back.
Lawrence Hryb: Do you ever grow up with people with friends who call their parents by their first name?
Laura Massey: I don't think so.
Lawrence Hryb: I remember we had a family-
Jeff Rubenstein: These were the kids that smoked in elementary school probably. They've got one of this.
Lawrence Hryb: Chewing bubble gum in this case.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, exactly. Really TGF for that one. Yeah, that's what I've got to look forward to.
Lawrence Hryb: I may have told your daughter to do that. No, I didn't, I didn't do that.
Jeff Rubenstein: You do have a gamer tag.
Lawrence Hryb: Right and she does play a mean diva. It's not surprise surprise.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, no, level 45 already.
Lawrence Hryb: Anyway, so yeah we're kind of winding down to the end of the show here. Usually we talk about cool interesting stuff we find. Have you come across any gadgets lately Laura? Because I'm working on a couple.
Laura Massey: I can't recall at the moment, though I did use Smokey McSmoke Face over the holiday weekend.
Lawrence Hryb: Yes, you're smokey, you're a smoker smokey thing. You never sent me a photo.
Laura Massey: That's right I forgot.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah you did. I'm not surprised you tend to forget.
Laura Massey: I do tend to forget to send people pictures of food.
Lawrence Hryb: I didn't even ask hey can I come by and eat it. I was like I'll settle for a photo. I didn't even get that. My God, was it good?
Laura Massey: It was fantastic.
Lawrence Hryb: What did you smoke?
Laura Massey: Baby back ribs.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ooh.
Lawrence Hryb: Go ahead Jeff.
Laura Massey: Fantastic.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I just really like ribs.
Lawrence Hryb: Go ahead.
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Lawrence Hryb: You're not going to sing the baby back song?
Jeff Rubenstein: I got my baby back, baby back, baby back.
Lawrence Hryb: Wow, okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Wasn't that like NSYNC did that or something?
Laura Massey: No, that was the Chili's-
Lawrence Hryb: Chili's ad.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, but who performed it?
Lawrence Hryb: I don't know who did it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I want to know the band that did it.
Lawrence Hryb: The Internet's right in front of you Jeffery. All the answers you ever need to know are right in front of you on that computer. Yay internet.
Jeff Rubenstein: Chili's.
Lawrence Hryb: What did you have with the ribs?
Laura Massey: That was stuck in my head the whole day.
Lawrence Hryb: What did you have with the ribs?
Laura Massey: Baked potatoes and I can't remember the vegetable. Green beans I think.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh really?
Laura Massey: Yes.
Lawrence Hryb: That was your-
Laura Massey: And then dessert was s'mores. It's American.
Lawrence Hryb: Well, kind of American.
Laura Massey: Oh goodness gracious.
Speaker 4: I want my baby back, baby back, Chili's-
Jeff Rubenstein: Baby back-
Lawrence Hryb: Who did it?
Jeff Rubenstein: It sounds like-
Speaker 4: Chili's baby back ribs.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm telling you, I feel like it was a young Justin Timberlake or something.
Speaker 4: Chili's baby back ribs.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was like a key change. This is the golden age of everything.
Lawrence Hryb: This part of the podcast is brought to you by Chili's.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is part of the ad. Barbecue sauce. That's what makes it.
Lawrence Hryb: All right, so you had your s'mores, did you cook them out over the fire?
Laura Massey: I did. Had a little fire, cooked some s'mores. It was delicious.
Lawrence Hryb: Did you have a s'mores maker?
Laura Massey: No.
Lawrence Hryb: You just manually create them. Like stick the marshmallow. What Jeffery.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're just going to bring this completely full circle.
Lawrence Hryb: I don't think that's possible. We're talking about some-
Jeff Rubenstein: Really, I found an article about the inventor of the Chili's Baby Back ribs song.
Lawrence Hryb: I believe they call it the writer.
Jeff Rubenstein: He has never eaten the ribs. Two, his name is Guy Bommarito and he's referred to as the Don Draper of the 90's.
Lawrence Hryb: All right.
Jeff Rubenstein: As in from Madman.
Lawrence Hryb: Well there we go. End scene.
Laura Massey: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: Couldn't plan this better. And we certainly don't plan it.
Lawrence Hryb: All right Laura, so we're talking about your baby back, baby back, baby back ribs.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm going to link to this story, this is a good read.
Laura Massey: Well maybe I'll post a photo of my baby back ribs.
Lawrence Hryb: Because I haven't seen it.
Laura Massey: Because you haven't seen it and they were the best I've made.
Lawrence Hryb: You know we made it over the July 4th for those of you who didn't know, outside the United States. In the U.S. it's generally a time when families get together and have picnics and fireworks and do other sorts of outdoorsy things. It's usually warm here. We made hamburgers. Did I tell you about the beyond meat burgers? Have we talked about those?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: I don't think on the air.
Lawrence Hryb: Have we. I know we talked about ... Yeah, so my wife, who's a vegetarian wanted to try these new hamburgers, which we've been having in our house for a few months now. You can get them at Whole Foods right now specifically, but its this company called Beyond Meat and they wanted to design, they came up with the idea of let's create a burger that's plant based, notice I'm not saying veggie burger because that has negative connotations, but it's plant based.
Jeff Rubenstein: Also probably patented.
Lawrence Hryb: To feel, to taste, to smell, as the texture and cook style of a real burger made out of beef. It's made out of plant material. Anyway, it was quite good.
Jeff Rubenstein: You're the last person I expect to approve. So it must be actually good.
Lawrence Hryb: My wife asked me she's like "Do you like it?" I said, "Well, it's the best non beef burger I've had."
Jeff Rubenstein: I might buy one of these tonight. My family's out of town, I'm living off of potato chips.
Lawrence Hryb: No, I'm going to come by your house, we're going to go to Dick's okay?
Jeff Rubenstein: Context Larry, context. There's a fast food restaurant called Dicks that is on my street. It's very popular. You go there after a wild night out on a Friday or something and you go and get a bag of dicks, that's what you do. That's what you do.
Lawrence Hryb: This part of the podcast is brought to you buy bag of dicks.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, I'm just going to go ahead and link to what that is so you know it's a thing. It's Dicks Drive In.
Laura Massey: We're sorry transcriber.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, exactly. Dear transcriber, feel free to asterisk that out.
Jeff Rubenstein: Please.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh we're just silly now. Yeah so I'm working on some other things now. You know I put in ... What was that? Was that you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I put the volume up for [crosstalk 00:42:34]
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, otherwise you know I've got some technology projects I'm working on at home. I'm redoing my home network as always.
Laura Massey: Yes, I want to hear about your Arrow upgrade.
Lawrence Hryb: Well, I don't have them in yet. They released a new firmware, or some new hardware so I'm waiting to get that in and I'll upgrade everything. I've got a bunch of units I need to install and upgrade there. Installing a new weather station.
Laura Massey: Ooh.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah. I have a weather station, I'm a weather nerd.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Lawrence Hryb: Jeffery I-
Jeff Rubenstein: It's got it's own weather station.
Lawrence Hryb: I sent you mine, right? A link to it?
Jeff Rubenstein: You did, yes.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, I sent you a link to it.
Laura Massey: I saw a screenshot. It was really cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: We live in a world of micro climates here on the pacific.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, well and it's funny because I actually moved it from my backyard to the top of my house and the temperature went up 10 degrees. Anyway, so I'm working on that. What else am I working on? A few other technical things I can't really ... Some cool stuff we're working on, we can't talk about it. I will say this, is we kind of talked about this in email Laura, so I apologize for t-boning you on this one. Packs, we're going to do Pax right?
Laura Massey: Yes.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay Pax Prime.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, is it nice and conveniently located.
Lawrence Hryb: Conveniently located in Seattle. We're going to have our show. Usually it's during the weekend, usually Saturday. We're waiting for the confirmation on that. I've already lined up a special guest, I'm very excited about that. Can't say who it is yet. It's someone involved with a highly anticipated game coming to Xbox.
Jeff Rubenstein: I look forward to this.
Laura Massey: Me too.
Lawrence Hryb: Very excited about that. Yeah, this is what sucks Laura. We're already talking about Pax, which kind of signals the end of summer.
Laura Massey: It does. It just started.
Lawrence Hryb: Right, and we just started.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, we're still eight or nine weeks away from Pax.
Lawrence Hryb: I know, we're still eight or nine weeks away, but the other thing that's weird is we talk about E3, which sets the tone for what's going on this holiday. Of course Xbox One X is, but I've been in meetings, I know Jeff you have we're already planning stuff for November and December and January and I'm like it's not even-
Laura Massey: Winter.
Lawrence Hryb: It's not even winter yet, but on the same stroke I know that in December, January, February, we're going to be planning for E3 in the summer, so it's like you just got to take it.
Jeff Rubenstein: It never ends.
Lawrence Hryb: We're just little mice on little ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I know we get eight weeks of nice weather, I'm in no rush to be thinking about beyond that. Pax is the end of it and on the other side of it, it's the great wall, I didn't see that movie anything could lurk on the other side. Matt Damon or dragons or whatever.
Lawrence Hryb: The Larrabee dragons.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm going to stay here on the sunny side of the wall for now while I can.
Lawrence Hryb: On the sunny side of life. Anything else we should talk about or should we wrap it up and get you out of here?
Laura Massey: I have a question that people ask me about all the time on Twitter that I'd like to address.
Lawrence Hryb: Sure, what's the question?
Laura Massey: The Xbox One X when would it be available for pre-order?
Lawrence Hryb: Oh. That is an excellent question Laura and if you follow me on Twitter at MajorNelson I will tell you. We haven't announced the date yet. They're working on a couple of cool things. There's the headline, there's the gaming headline, there we go. We're working on some cool stuff for Xbox One X launch and so they're working on it.
Laura Massey: Coming soon.
Lawrence Hryb: Coming soon, I don't know the date either.
Laura Massey: What should they do in the meantime?
Lawrence Hryb: Follow me on Twitter at MajorNelson, or you can keep an eye on the blog.
Jeff Rubenstein: I would have to imagine-
Lawrence Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: When we're going to open up pre-orders you're going to know it.
Lawrence Hryb: I will absolutely know it and I will absolutely shout it from the top of the digital mountains. Is that a thing?
Laura Massey: The Twitter mountain.
Lawrence Hryb: Is that a thing, I don't know.
Laura Massey: I don't know either.
Lawrence Hryb: Do you get that question a lot on Twitter?
Laura Massey: I do.
Jeff Rubenstein: About digital mountains?
Laura Massey: No.
Lawrence Hryb: Just say we haven't announced it yet. That's it. No you don't know when it's coming because I don't know either.
Laura Massey: Nobody really knows when it is.
Lawrence Hryb: Sometimes for instance when I found out the name of the Xbox One X I didn't really want to know about it too far in advance because I just don't like to know things too far in advance.
Laura Massey: Can't keep them secrets.
Lawrence Hryb: No, it's just about hey I have an encrypted partition in my brain. I want to keep it that way and I want to make sure nothing leaks out. Jeff, what are you doing over there?
Jeff Rubenstein: My phone, someone texted.
Lawrence Hryb: Okay. Do you need to go. We'll wrap up so you can go.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh I got a text from Disney.
Lawrence Hryb: What did they say?
Jeff Rubenstein: Apparently, you know how they have the key chains with your name on it.
Lawrence Hryb: So let's give people a little context. Your family right now is at Disney.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. Minus me.
Lawrence Hryb: So Disney Land. Disney the corporation is not randomly texting.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, Mr. Eisner. Yeah.
Lawrence Hryb: Dating yourself.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I don't know who runs Disney these days.
Lawrence Hryb: Iger.
Laura Massey: Iger.
Jeff Rubenstein: I was close. I got a text and it's just the key chains and it's where Jeff should be if Jeff was still a relevant name and I've been replaced by, and this one hurts.
Lawrence Hryb: Justin.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's worse than that.
Lawrence Hryb: Really?
Jeff Rubenstein: Jayden.
Lawrence Hryb: Oh no. Did you tell them to look for one that says Jeffery?
Jeff Rubenstein: It doesn't matter, I'm not there, it goes straight from Jaime, to Jayden, to Jessica. Jeff is not, now you don't meet anymore Jeff's. They just don't really exist that much. I think it was an 80's name or something, late 70's maybe. Now it's Jayden. So you know what Jayden enjoy your time in the limelight before you get replaced-
Lawrence Hryb: Replaced by Jeff.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, oh yeah.
Lawrence Hryb: Because it will come back.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're coming back.
Lawrence Hryb: Coming back.
Jeff Rubenstein: Jeff Junior we're getting it.
Lawrence Hryb: That was the Itchy and Scratchy land bit with Bart.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh it's Bort. I have the Bort key chain and they're like, "Excuse me my son is also named Bort." Then later on they're in the underground part and you hear the operations and just as a throw away gag they're like we're out of Bort license plates in the gift shop again.
Lawrence Hryb: They're going to be out of Jayden license plates.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, exactly. Jayden I'm coming for you.
Lawrence Hryb: All right. You didn't have any problem finding yours Laura when you went to Six Flags or Disney?
Laura Massey: Nope, apparently mine's a pretty common name.
Lawrence Hryb: Laura really? It's classic.
Laura Massey: Yeah, classic. Any Larry problems?
Lawrence Hryb: No, because mine is either Larry or Lawrence, so just like you Jeff or Jeffery.
Laura Massey: There's two different names.
Jeff Rubenstein: They don't make them anymore.
Lawrence Hryb: Maybe we should have the transcription now every time I mention should be Lawrence in this transcript.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think that would be great. Take a note please.
Lawrence Hryb: Jeffery and Lawrence. See Laura you don't have a long version of your name.
Laura Massey: I don't.
Lawrence Hryb: Right?
Laura Massey: Maybe we should make one up.
Jeff Rubenstein: Lawrence.
Lawrence Hryb: No. That's already taken.
Jeff Rubenstein: L-A-U-R-A-N-C-E?
Lawrence Hryb: No, she needs to come ... What would the long version of Laura be?
Jeff Rubenstein: Laura Lie.
Lawrence Hryb: Lauralie, what?
Laura Massey: That's kind of cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: Maybe a little Hawaiian.
Lawrence Hryb: Did you or did you make it southern?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah maybe that. Something Hawaiian.
Lawrence Hryb: Southern bell.
Jeff Rubenstein: Southern Hawaii.
Laura Massey: Southern Hawaii.
Lawrence Hryb: Southern Hawaii. Right. All right well, we apologize for this random.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're just all of it the last 60 minutes.
Lawrence Hryb: Yeah, this whole thing. Everything about it, we're sorry. All right, we'll be back next week after we decide what Laura's longer name should be. If you have any ideas don't ask her when Xbox One X is in, hit her up on Twitter.
Laura Massey: That's right tell me.
Lawrence Hryb: You can find her at?
Laura Massey: Lauralollypop.
Lawrence Hryb: And of course you can find Jeffery at.
Jeff Rubenstein: Jayden.
Lawrence Hryb: Jayden Rubenstein.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. At Jeff Rubenstein.
Lawrence Hryb: Maybe I'll just have them change your name to Jayden this entire show. Mine to Lawrence and you're to LauraLie. That's what we're going to do.
Laura Massey: Yeah, no one would know who is on the podcast.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah and you know what they might enjoy it. It might be better for everyone in that way. We should start using pseudonyms.
Lawrence Hryb: All right gang, we'll talk to you next time. Have a great time, wherever you go whatever you do. We'll see you online. Bye-bye everybody.
Laura Massey: Bye-bye.
Lawrence Hryb: Bye.

(Music playing) Hi, it's Larry Hryb, Xbox Live, Major Nelson. Welcome to show #602, the podcast. We're back on track here. We've had a crazy month, but we're here. We're all back in the room. I've got Jeffrey joining us.
Jeff Rubenstein: I just hacked through some cobwebs to get back into the studio, Larry.
Larry Hryb: I know. It was a little dusty, wasn't it?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's been a month.
Larry Hryb: (Blowing). Way to blow the dust off, and then joining us right now is world's favorite necromancer, Laura Massey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Thank you.
Larry Hryb: Laura, how are you?
Laura Massey: Hello.
Larry Hryb: How are you? It's nice to see you.
Laura Massey: Hi Larry.
Larry Hryb: Diablo reference.
Laura Massey: Exactly. So good to be back.
Larry Hryb: It is. We tried to do a show a couple weeks ago, but we had E3 of course, and Laura, you were available. Jeffrey was out of time, but I said, "You know what? I really want to get us all in the studio at once, because we have so many E3 stories or E3 to talk about, and we have much to catch up on, and ooh, Jeff and I were at E3. You couldn't make it this time.
Laura Massey: Not this time.
Larry Hryb: You were welcome. I would've gotten you in.
Laura Massey: I appreciate that. I know you would've.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know what? But you got to watch in 4K.
Larry Hryb: Yeah you did.
Laura Massey: I did.
Larry Hryb: In beautiful 4K on Mixer on your Xbox 1S and. . .
Jeff Rubenstein: I frequent the gaffs, and rarely do you see just a very friendly thread where everyone agrees on everything, but people who really agreed, watching that, it was a very beautiful broadcast in 4K.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: People were like, I've never seen that before.
Larry Hryb: BeCause you remember when Phil Spencer comes out on stage, and his jacket, it was very finely textured.
Laura Massey: Was it?
Larry Hryb: Yeah very finely textured.
Jeff Rubenstein: Finely textured.
Larry Hryb: No, it's textured.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh.
Larry Hryb: You could see all the different threads in it in 4k, because you have 4k mono resolution et cetera, et cetera, so it was a lot of fun, but yeah, we had a really nice time at E3. It was a great, great briefing on that Sunday, which is weird. We moved it from Monday to Sunday though.
Laura Massey: Yeah, thathat was pretty weird.
Larry Hryb: Was that okay? Did you get out of your pajamas in time,or out of bed in time to go watch it? It was two in the afternoon. I figured you just slept in on Sunday.
Laura Massey: I had, unfortunately, other plans.
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Laura Massey: You know, we know, but I caught up on all the details-
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: After my plans were over.
Larry Hryb: Yes, you did good. Well it was a lot of fun. Jeff and I were there. A lot of people were there. Millions of you listeners also joined us online in the beauty of the 4K or not. Jeff, what did you think of the show. I mean, we had a good time.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Where were you sitting by the way?
Jeff Rubenstein: I actually I had good seats this year for the first time. Part of what I do is making sure that people are getting in their seats properly and getting good views. I work with a lot of YouTubers and folks you might know.
Larry Hryb: Just so you know we call that an usher.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, but I had a suit on. Oh wait, oh yeah.
Larry Hryb: You had a little hat on.
Jeff Rubenstein: I was a glorified usher and then, kind of, I don't even know where I'm going to sit until all of our people got there and with about five minutes to go I got a note saying, "hey, everyone on our list is here." We were on Sunday this year.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: No traffic and it was actually really great. Then it was like oh, I should probably find a place to sit. I ended up sitting next to, do you know Jess Chobot?
Larry Hryb: Of course, I know Jess.
Jeff Rubenstein: She had an empty seat next to her.
Larry Hryb: I didn't realize she was there.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, she was there.
Larry Hryb: I was there. I was backstage.
Jeff Rubenstein: She's great we sat there and watched the show.
Larry Hryb: Was she there with her husband or just alone?
Jeff Rubenstein: He works for IGN now, so I think he was out probably working on the stream.
Larry Hryb: Right, right.
Jeff Rubenstein: But, yeah, so anyway we had a good show. I got good seats and I got to enjoy it, and it was great, because I was not in rehearsal so most of the stuff we saw . . .
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Was news to me.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: I enjoyed that.
Larry Hryb: I'd sat through a couple of rehearsals and it was a lot of fun, but it was a fun show and of course we had a great week. The First time the public's been allowed at E3 at the show specific.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Of course we had Fan Fest. We had Fan Fest activities going on. It was a blur for me Laura, from the moment I touched down on Friday to the moment I left the following Thursday. It was one blur.
Jeff Rubenstein: What was your favorite moment of the brief?
Larry Hryb: I can tell you what my utmost unfavorite moment was.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: There was an unfavorite?
Larry Hryb: Yes, so I will tell you this. I hosted the daily show on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, which I really enjoy. I love doing that, you know. It's just fun doing live TV. Well, on Tuesday we were doing our show from the show floor from our booth.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-
Larry Hryb: We get ready to do the show, and the show opened. We call it in show biz it's called the show open, you know, the top of the show. I'm there with my four hosts, and if you remember the way the stage was configured, Jeff?
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-
Larry Hryb: It was about a foot off the ground. It was a very tight fit, you know. So we had this Minecraft queue behind us. As I'm looking into the camera, delivering, talking, hey, we're really excited to be here, and I'm telling folks what's going on, I feel this something touched my backside in the seat.
Laura Massey: Oh. What?
Jeff Rubenstein: Did you have another spider issue?
Larry Hryb: No, no, no, no. It was a person, or at least I think it was a person. If you look at the video, you can go back. I don't remember if it was the first open or the second or what break it was.
Jeff Rubenstein: I gotta find this.
Larry Hryb: You actually see me start scooting forward in my seat a little bit, because I'm trying to get away from whoever's trying to, you know.
Laura Massey: That's . . .
Larry Hryb: I'm going to find this clip. It was very strange.
Laura Massey: Especially on live TV. It's just not cool.
Larry Hryb: Yeah and so anyway, I was like so what's going on here. We finished after this two or three minute segment and I turned around and, of course, whatever happened the person was gone, or people, who knows?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Or people, who knows? Laura, that's what I don't know.
Laura Massey: It could have been multiple.
Larry Hryb: It may have been a spider, I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: You remember that, we were playing a game and we beat it, maybe it was Far Cry or whatever it was. I'm like, yes. I'm like Larry's logged off and a spider was chomping on your leg or something like that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I got bit, that's right. It was very strange. Anyway so it was a moment where I wasn't really expecting that.
Laura Massey: It sounds like you kept it professional . . .
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah.
Laura Massey: During the show.
Larry Hryb: Look the show must always go on. I have gone through some crazy stuff being on the air that I've never really talked about, because that's just live TV.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: That was kind of my unfavorite moment. I think my favorite moment of course is Phil coming out and talking about Xbox One X.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: The new console which we've had a chance to play with here at the office and really excited for people to get their hands on it. It's just a lot of fun. It's really cool. That was probably one of my . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: Is this the first thing right after the briefing?
Larry Hryb: I think so.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think I found the clip.
Larry Hryb: I think it, please don't.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh.
Larry Hryb: Please don't, ahh.
Jeff Rubenstein: Here we go.
Laura Massey: We'll go and show . . .
Larry Hryb: I did Laura, I know you probably didn't watch all the shows, but I think it was that Tuesday show where I busted out my new microphone. My game show microphone.
Laura Massey: Oh you did.
Larry Hryb: My game show microphone.
Laura Massey: You did, you busted it out.
Larry Hryb: The very end.
Laura Massey: I missed it.
Larry Hryb: The very end of the show my wife found me this beautiful ECM, I think it was ECM 35, or ECM 50, which is basically the same kind of microphone that they use in the Match Game or . . .
Laura Massey: Bob Barker.
Larry Hryb: The Price Is Right. Real tall and anyway I snapped that up. I'm working on using it for future shows. Nobody mentioned it. I was really disappointed that nobody mentioned by cool game show.
Laura Massey: I'm disappointed too.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, it was a lot of fun to do the show. What was your favorite moment Jeffry, or Laurie even for you from back here?
Laura Massey: Yes. I think the biggest moment for back here was the reveal of Scorpio.
Larry Hryb: Right, the reveal of Xbox One X.
Laura Massey: The name.
Larry Hryb: Which nobody knew.
Laura Massey: Really? Did you know?
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: I was briefed on it earlier prior to the announce.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Did you know?
Laura Massey: I did not know. They usually keep it under very tight wraps.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, very few people know.
Laura Massey: Probably in the single digits know the real name.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah.
Laura Massey: Before it's actually announced.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: On stage.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It was very exciting.
Larry Hryb: I'm sorry so you asked me about my favorite moment. My favorite moment without a doubt is the video I did with Leo De Castillo. He is one of our hardware engineers. He is the head of hardware engineering. He assembles an Xbox One X on screen. This was a video that we did about two days before leaving for E3, because we did it in the lab up here. It was just fascinating, because he puts it together. To me it was just so cool. It's the first time I'd ever seen it, because I didn't want to see it before, because that excitement you see from me on camera is real, so that was my favorite.
Jeff Rubenstein: No one would ever accuse you otherwise.
Larry Hryb: Oh really.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Here's why, everybody is doing unboxing, but this is the first time we did an assemble.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know what else everyone is doing?
Larry Hryb: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: Fidget spinners, including you right now Larry, I'm very disappointed.
Laura Massey: (Laughing).
Jeff Rubenstein: You're doing it without even realizing you're doing it.
Larry Hryb: There's the fidget spinner. I don't know why you're here.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just take it, no, no, no. By all means . . .
Laura Massey: There's a good story with it.
Larry Hryb: Get over it.
Laura Massey: This is a green fidget spinner.
Larry Hryb: Yes, it says Xbox on it, I know.
Laura Massey: It's an Xbox spinner.
Larry Hryb: I don't need it. Now you're doing it.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Now you're doing it.
Laura Massey: Yes, it's just something that happens.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Can you do some tricks?
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: Could you do that thing, the reason why people used to flip their pencils around their fingers, can you do it?
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: I can't do that either. I have zero dexterity.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's a bit . . .
Larry Hryb: Can you do it Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, no.
Larry Hryb: You know what I'm talking about.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know exactly what you're . . .
Larry Hryb: You know flip it around, it's like a spinner, anyway.
Laura Massey: No, but this is something that you got, you were talking to.
Larry Hryb: I was talking to some interns. Yeah, we had Xbox interns and of course I tweeted that and everyone is how do I get to be an intern. There's actually an official intern program, because Laura you are a result of that.
Laura Massey: I am.
Larry Hryb: You are a direct result of that.
Laura Massey: Exactly, I'm a direct result of the intern program.
Larry Hryb: I remember you as an intern.
Laura Massey: I remember . . .
Larry Hryb: We're not going to have this conversation again are we?
Laura Massey: The first time I was on the show.
Larry Hryb: It makes me feel old.
Laura Massey: Well, I also feel old, because it was 11 years ago.
Larry Hryb: Was it 11 years ago?
Laura Massey: It was 11 years ago.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh my god, oh my god.
Larry Hryb: Wow, okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, I just going to go ahead and link over to the careers page.
Larry Hryb: Yes, if you would please.
Jeff Rubenstein: Microsoft. Clink of students that graduate.
Laura Massey: .com/college.
Jeff Rubenstein: You too could be.
Laura Massey: Yeah, Microsoft hires out.
Larry Hryb: I'm sorry, before you say it. You could be the next host/co-host with me on this show, so anyway go ahead.
Laura Massey: Start as an intern and work your way up.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Hey, it worked for me.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Microsoft hires thousands of interns every summer and all throughout the year. It is microsoft.com/college, I believe.
Larry Hryb: Not only that, but they get a heck of a program.
Laura Massey: They get amazing. It's gotten significantly better.
Larry Hryb: They hire A list bands to play for them.
Laura Massey: Yes and they get amazing gifts and fidget spinners and all kinds of trips and things like that.
Larry Hryb: I'll tell you this and I can't speak for Jeffrey. Jeffrey and I are very similar in our backgrounds, except he grew up in Florida.
Jeff Rubenstein: We were grinders.
Larry Hryb: Laura, you were, I've always said you're the smartest person in the room. You were able to get an internship. I don't think back in the day, I could have ever gotten, they would not even return my calls. Right Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: I couldn't code my way out of a wet paper bag.
Larry Hryb: Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, so.
Laura Massey: I think there are all kinds of interns now, like business interns, marketing interns. There might even be a media intern.
Larry Hryb: There could be that too.
Laura Massey: There could be.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: You've just got to go and look at the website and see what . . .
Larry Hryb: There'll be a link in the show notes that Jeffrey is going to put on there.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah, I just put it on there.
Larry Hryb: Anyway interns. We're getting back to E3 a little bit.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: You're favorite moment, I interrupted you, Laura.
Laura Massey: Right. Mine . . .
Larry Hryb: No, no keep that fidget spinner please.
Laura Massey: Okay. Mine was the reveal of the Xbox One X, because that's that everyone had been looking forward to. That was the biggest moment of the show by far.
Larry Hryb: Easily.
Laura Massey: Easily.
Larry Hryb: Easily.
Jeff Rubenstein: My favorite moment that was not a repeat of that, because for me it was the reveal of the Xbox One X, was actually the reveal of player Battlegrounds.
Larry Hryb: Ah, player unknown battlegrounds.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's coming to Xbox One. It's just awesome. That's a game so many people are playing. Very much looking forward to playing with a controller.
Larry Hryb: 42 games we showed on stage Laura.
Laura Massey: You showed a lot of games.
Larry Hryb: 42 games. In fact, somebody did the math. Our briefing alone was longer than Sony's and Nintendo's combined.
Laura Massey: Oh really?
Larry Hryb: Yeah. It was one of the longest we've ever done.
Laura Massey: Yes, I did notice that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah.
Laura Massey: It was very cool.
Larry Hryb: To the point of I think we should have had an intermission to take a bathroom break, so you didn't miss anything. Right Jeff, you could have ushered everybody back in.
Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 00:12:03].
Laura Massey: That's the benefit of being on Sunday.
Larry Hryb: Yes, that's the benefit of going on Sunday and just a lot of other things. Hopefully you enjoyed it. What about you Jeffrey, what was your favorite moment.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well other than player and player unknown. Actually I got to play a couple of games. The first game I got to sit down and play was Crack Down Three.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was awesome. They had sore of a mode during E3, where it was just kind of cause as much mayhem as you can in ten minutes. You know what, you can cause quite a lot of mayhem. I used like a singularity gun that would shoot essentially a small black hole that would just pull everything into it. That was really fun. Jumping around collecting orbs, very much . . .
Larry Hryb: Did you play that game prior to working here?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Crack Down?
Jeff Rubenstein: The original Crack Down came when I was still in media and I remember writing an article that said, I bought Crack Down for the Halo 3 beta access.
Larry Hryb: That's right. We had the Halo. I remember that. I'll tell you that story in a minute.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, but it stands on its own and in its own is an incredible game.
Laura Massey: Yes, I remember that too.
Larry Hryb: Do you remember that? Because, I remember the bungee guys were upset, because we don't want to be connected with this game. Nobody knew what the game was and they thought it was going to be a stinker and it turned out to be Crack Down and it was huge.
Jeff Rubenstein: When you saw that they were touching it, oh they must not have faith that this is going to be good. Everyone is going to buy it for the Halo 3 access and then it was like no, this game is phenomenal and I got the Halo 3 access.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I think I've got the orb sound effect here some place. I should drop it.
Laura Massey: I'm sure you do. I think you've got all the sounds.
Larry Hryb: Actually here it is, hold on. (Plays sound). Yeah, there you go. That's not so nice. I'll link to that. I have it uploaded as a ring tone on my site.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's up there with the achievement noise. It just makes you feel.
Laura Massey: Do people still have custom ring tones these days?
Larry Hryb: I do.
Laura Massey: Do you?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I think I have one for you.
Laura Massey: I feel like that's something that you did . . .
Larry Hryb: Really?
Laura Massey: In the early 2000's.
Larry Hryb: Most people use vibration mode right now.
Jeff Rubenstein: What does Drew use? We kept hearing it. Oh he uses the Zelda sound when you lift a sword up. Like the da, na, na.
Laura Massey: Oh yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: We were playing Overwatch with him and it went off 50 times. It was like dude put the phone on your lap and put the vibrate on.
Laura Massey: Exactly.
Larry Hryb: I've got the loser horn from the Price Is Right. (Plays sound).
Laura Massey: What's that for?
Jeff Rubenstein: That is my favorite sound.
Larry Hryb: Really?
Jeff Rubenstein: TPIR Fail Horn.
Larry Hryb: Really?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's just baa, BA, baa, baa.
Laura Massey: What do you? What triggers that?
Larry Hryb: I have so many in here. This is (plays sound), got to have a sad trombone. I don't know, because I am an audio guy I have all these weird.
Laura Massey: I hope that's not mine.
Larry Hryb: No, that's not yours.
Laura Massey: Text message sound.
Larry Hryb: This one is actually a classic one. This one is a great one, (plays sound). Ah, Fall Out fans that was the mysterious stranger.
Jeff Rubenstein: Stranger.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I don't know where I got that one. Yeah, I've got a bunch of different ones in here. My favorite one though, I don't know how we're getting on ring tones, Laura.
Laura Massey: I asked a simple question.
Larry Hryb: Ring tones are, like this one is my ring tone (plays sound). I've talked about this a lot. That's the Harajuku Station in Tokyo, because all of the stations have a different . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: Have different sound effects.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think it was to wake you up.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: So that you know when you get there.
Larry Hryb: My understanding is the reason that it's that is the cars, the train cars are so packed, you can't seen what station you're pulling into.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ah, that also makes sense.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: The station I always stay at in Rappongi Hills was a bird tweeting in just a particular way, kind of like in The Witness. It just had like the right, I can still here it.
Larry Hryb: A friend of mine gave me this one and Jeff you, Laura you probably haven't heard this one, but this one is a famous one for those of you on the East Coast. "Please stand clear of the doors." (Spanish version). That's what you hear when you get on the Walt Disney World Monorail. I don't know why I . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: Take the New York ones. Stand clear of the closing doors.
Larry Hryb: I don't know why I have that, but here we go. Anyway, we can go through my collection Laura and you can . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we just did.
Larry Hryb: No, trust me, we did not. Ahh, ring tones.
Laura Massey: I don't think I can remember the last time I heard my ring tone.
Larry Hryb: How did we get to that?
Laura Massey: Because the Crack Down orb.
Larry Hryb: Oh the Crack Down orb, yes, thank you. Thank you and the achievement sound and all the rare achievement sound and all the rest of those. I posted all these on my blog at majornelson.com. E3, we had a great show. Thank you to all the fans that participated in Fan Fest, it was fantastic to see you all there. It was a real, real wonderful, wonderful, scene. Than thank you to all the fans, even if you didn't join Fan Fest, because it was open to the public this year that came by the Xbox booth, saw me during the show. Hopefully, you weren't behind me during the live show.
Jeff Rubenstein: Did you get to play anything?
Larry Hryb: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, oh.
Larry Hryb: We had to do the live show. We did rehearsals. We had to get the shows written and editing. I was booked, I said from the moment I was wheels down to the moment I was wheels up, in I think 30 minute to 15 minute blocks.
Jeff Rubenstein: The president.
Larry Hryb: I was just can't stop, won't stop.
Laura Massey: Did you get a chance to walk around at all?
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: I have to know, what was it like for the first time having . . .
Larry Hryb: Packed, packed.
Laura Massey: Fans?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, have you ever been to Games Com?
Larry Hryb: No.
Laura Massey: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay. Have you ever been on a packed Tokyo Subway train?
Laura Massey: No, I've not been to Tokyo.
Jeff Rubenstein: Or New York, or where?
Laura Massey: I've been to Pax.
Larry Hryb: No.
Laura Massey: No, not even.
Jeff Rubenstein: Pax is a rolling prairie in Montana.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Nary a soul to be seen.
Larry Hryb: You could definitely tell, you can definitely tell.
Jeff Rubenstein: I thought it brought a lot of energy.
Larry Hryb: Oh sure it did.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think in future years, I think you'll see better adaptation to that. You take an already busy event and you add 15,000 people. You're going to feel that difference, but I think it was good.
Larry Hryb: No, we had a lot of people that stopped by the booth. One of the games they loved playing was Lucky's Tale?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. They had a good giveaway on that one too.
Larry Hryb: Of course Thieves.
Jeff Rubenstein: Did you play Artful Escape? I played that one.
Larry Hryb: I did not play that one.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you imagine Queen, like the band Queen, not like Queen Elizabeth The Second, making a video game. I wonder what kind of video game she would make, waving simulator.
Larry Hryb: What's in my purse. Does she even carry a purse?
Laura Massey: I think she does.
Jeff Rubenstein: Tic-Tacs. What's in there? Does she need money?
Larry Hryb: I don't know. Does she need the keys to the Range Rover?
Jeff Rubenstein: She's all in the money. The face is the money.
Larry Hryb: That's her ID.
Laura Massey: Can you imagine someone carding the Queen?
Larry Hryb: That's a really good question, yes. Can somebody please ask the Queen. I know we have some listeners in Buckingham Palace? Could you please get to the bottom of this?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm sure you have some informants there, yes. Anyway we had a great idea at Xbox lineup. Congrats or kudos to Chris [inaudible 00:18:43] and the ID Xbox team for creating just really awesome list. Ashen was one that people were really into, but this one I think was one of the one that was most talked about, not the most talked about at our booth and that was Artful Escape. It was just like a platformer where when you double jump you can glide by playing guitar. It doesn't make sense, but it doesn't need to make sense, not really.
Larry Hryb: It's games.
Jeff Rubenstein: The music was really cool. There's some elements like, it was like the band Queen meets Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but in a platforming video game.
Larry Hryb: Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da.
Jeff Rubenstein: Worth playing when that comes out. I don't think we have a date yet, but it definitely turned a lot of heads.
Larry Hryb: Da, da, da, da.
Jeff Rubenstein: I also got to go to the Behind Closed Doors on a sequel to one of my favorite Xbox games ever, State of Decay II.
Larry Hryb: Yes, I was down there at the studio.
Jeff Rubenstein: I kept trying to sneak in to see it. Many of you may or may not know this, but away from the show floor we sometimes give media or other folks a bit of a deeper dive on some of the mechanics of a game, so they get to learn a little bit more than you would learn in the briefing.
Larry Hryb: Uh-huh.
Jeff Rubenstein: One of them was State of Decay II.
Larry Hryb: Uh-huh.
Jeff Rubenstein: I kept trying to sneak in and I kept getting kicked out, because the room was too full. It was just a group of three or four or five people at the time, but I finally got it. Just to see the enhancement of the systems and everything like that. Very excited. If you're a fan of State of Decay, the original one . . .
Larry Hryb: They really upped the RPG elements.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. There's co-op and there's just all kinds of stuff that I think, if wanted a lot more of everything, I think you're going to find that, very exciting.
Larry Hryb: E3 2017 is in the books now and we're thrilled and now we're focused to deliver all those great games this holiday and of course Xbox One X coming this holiday, coming in November.
Jeff Rubenstein: November 7th.
Larry Hryb: November 7th, Laura.
Laura Massey: Very exciting.
Larry Hryb: Got a lot of questions about when are pre-sales going to go on as people want to buy. I will will you know the moment I know. The moment we have it confirmed and you can do a click and pre-order. I will let you know. I assure you that. I just want to let you know.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's your job.
Larry Hryb: That's one of my . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: If you didn't let us know.
Larry Hryb: One of my many jobs.
Jeff Rubenstein: There would be a Major somebody else.
Larry Hryb: That would be not good, no. It would be a major something, major problem.
Jeff Rubenstein: Private First Class.
Laura Massey: Major problem.
Larry Hryb: I wonder if someone has ever said that before. Why did it take me?
Laura Massey: Why did it take you?
Larry Hryb: Why did it take me. Anyway, so that's what's going on. E3 has come and gone. Why don't we go through some of the headlines, because we've had a lot going on. We talked about Game Pass launched to everyone.
Laura Massey: Oh cool, great.
Larry Hryb: Is now available, which is for those of you that don't know, it's an an incredible value. Get access to a hundred plus games.
Jeff Rubenstein: Actually Larry.
Larry Hryb: Yes, Jeffey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Hot off the presses.
Larry Hryb: This just in.
Jeff Rubenstein: More games are being added to Xbox Game Pass on the 1st of July. That is potentially tomorrow depending on when you're hearing this, or it may have already passed. These are great games.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Coming into the Xbox Game Pass stable will be the definitive edition of Dead Island, Evil 6, Flame and the Flood, Guacamelee. I'll call that one my sleeper hit, which is a game by Drink Box. A good group up there in Toronto. This is a really awesome like metroid venue platformer, that is just fantastically done with amazing music. It's super smooth. Absolutely a must play as far as I'm concerned.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: That and other titles I'll just link off to that on majornelson.com. The Xbox Game Pass best deal in gaming getting better.
Larry Hryb: Dun, dun, dun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Then on a similar note. Games With Gold also announced, it's July. Come July 1st. Just more to play than . . .
Larry Hryb: Ever before.
Jeff Rubenstein: Time is your most precious resource.
Larry Hryb: Make sure you get outside and enjoy the good weather wherever you are.
Jeff Rubenstein: Not for too long, you'll get a sunburn.
Larry Hryb: If it's too hot come inside.
Jeff Rubenstein: Come in and play some games. A couple of games. Here's what's been announced for the first part of July. A game called Grow Up on Xbox One, I believe that's debuting directly into Games With Gold. Also Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days. This is a game form Xbox 360 of course coming to you through the magic of backwards compatibility. This is a game that was really lauded for doing some very clever stuff in co-up multi-player game platforms.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: We should play through some of that Larry.
Larry Hryb: Yes. You know what we didn't talk about?
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Larry Hryb: I just realized. We didn't talk about one of the big moments at E3, which was one of the original Xbox . . .
Laura Massey: Right, that's right.
Larry Hryb: Crimson Skies and others coming soon.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're going to have more details on it in the future, but that was a huge moment. I saw that, I got a demo for that before we announced it. I was like what?
Laura Massey: Uh-huh.
Jeff Rubenstein: They had this thing where they took an original Xbox playing Crimson Skies, system linked it to an Xbox 360 playing Crimson Skies [inaudible 00:23:44] and then system linked it to an Xbox One playing, so it's like the entire family playing Crimson Skies, playing Wild Chicken. Do you remember Wild Chicken? Do you remember who worked on it, Apollo? There was a guy who has, I think he's still got the game Wild Chicken. He worked on the game and he invented that particular mode. I was thinking of you Apollo, wherever you are. I never played Crimson Skies. I had it. What happened is I got my Xbox for Halo. I was going through a period in my life.
Larry Hryb: The original?
Jeff Rubenstein: I wasn't for the original. I wasn't playing a lot of games. I don't think I even had a system at the time. I was over at a friend's house and he put the Duke in my hand. We started just messing around with Halo, just riding in a map even. I'd never played a first person shooter with a controller before. They kept going on and I may have even left the house, and I just sat there transfixed and just kept playing Halo. The next weekend I went and bought an Xbox with Halo and with I want to say an Interguiden.
Larry Hryb: Interguiden, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Had just come out. I'd never even . . .
Larry Hryb: Midtown Madness.
Laura Massey: Yeah, that's right.
Larry Hryb: SSX.
Jeff Rubenstein: Radio Future. I had Crimson Skies, because you bought Xbox Live was in a box at the time and it came with the game and a headset, if I recall right, is that correct.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: I immediately jumped into Halo and then didn't come up for air.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: If I remember I've heard the video, you were demanding chocolate milk, that was you?
Jeff Rubenstein: That wasn't me, no. Oh, also Games With Gold. We talked about the first half of July Grow Up, Kane and Lynch, Dog Days. Second half Runbow, that will be available. I think that may also be debuting too in Games With Gold, I'll have to double check that. That'll be available July 16th, Xbox One.
Larry Hryb: All right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Pirates of the Caribbean, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.
Larry Hryb: All those Lego games are always fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Perfect timing with the movie.
Larry Hryb: Kiddos.
Jeff Rubenstein: That will be available July 16th. Yet, if somehow, you say I need more.
Larry Hryb: I need more Jeff.
Jeff Rubenstein: I need more to play.
Larry Hryb: Jeff, I need more games.
Jeff Rubenstein: We've got you covered.
Larry Hryb: Yes, we do.
Jeff Rubenstein: The ultimate game sale.
Larry Hryb: UGS.
Jeff Rubenstein: This may be the first time you hear some of the titles. I just had . . .
Larry Hryb: They're starting to bust out, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I was handed a . . .
Larry Hryb: Sealed envelope.
Jeff Rubenstein: Sheet yes.
Larry Hryb: Hold on let's open it up, let's open it up. All right there you go Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Thank you, thank you so much. Number of sales that range anywhere from 25% all the way up to, what's the highest number I've got 67, 80% off. 80% off, Super Ultra Dead Rising Arcade Remix. Some amazing sales here. You always will save more if you have gold. Some of the biggest deals I saw here, the Witcher. Witcher 3 Definitive. I think it's the game of the year version, I would call it the game of the generation version. How low would you go?
Larry Hryb: Jeff, how low would you go?
Jeff Rubenstein: Hundreds of hours, I gave $25.00.
Larry Hryb: I want to point something out. What Jeff and I have here is an early list. The prices may be a little bit lower, maybe, but this is the content that will be on sale, just check out my blog at majornelson.com for title pricing and information.
Jeff Rubenstein: There are just some incredible deals here. Basically, all of our first party games that you can think of Halo Wars 2, Dead Rising 4, 50% off on that one. Sunset Overdrive, State of Decay, Year One Survival edition, Rise, Recore, Quantum Break. Quantum Break is 67% off. Well worth your $19.00.
Laura Massey: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's really every major game that you can think of that has come out in the last few years is on sale at a dramatic discount. Definitely check out majornelson.com. I'm scrolling so much my hand hurts.
Larry Hryb: Ow.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a real problem Larry. There's too many games on sale. Somebody stop it.
Larry Hryb: I'll make sure I tweet out. I'm sure that we'll have one of our partners may have some storage on sale. Usually with Xbox One all you need to do is . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: You're going to need a bigger . . .
Larry Hryb: Plug in. You're going to need a bigger boat, plug in an external HD, hard drive, USB 3 hard drive.
Laura Massey: USB SSD.
Larry Hryb: It can be SSD. I have one on my box.
Laura Massey: Yeah, I've seen it.
Larry Hryb: It's great.
Laura Massey: You should put that in the link.
Larry Hryb: I've got an 8 terabyte external and then an SSD that I do the games which are on there, so I can load quicker and things like that. Anyway. You're definitely going to need some more storage between Game Pass and this. One of the other things that's coming out very soon. A lot of people ask me about this is Custom Gamer Pictures. We've been beta testing it for some time. I've had it on my profile for a while, which nobody's figured out. I'm really disappointed.
Jeff Rubenstein: They always think you have ways.
Larry Hryb: No, no they haven't figured out what the image is, because it's not me.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah, I have no idea what that is.
Laura Massey: I meant to look, because I can't, I have not noticed either.
Larry Hryb: If anybody were to get it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, I know what it is. I know what it is. It goes back hint, we kind of just talked.
Larry Hryb: It was a callback. It was a callback from my earlier moments.
Jeff Rubenstein: From your ring tones.
Larry Hryb: There you go. Anyway, if you think you know what that is, hit me up on Twitter and let me know. Yeah, I'll tell you what it is after the show Laura. It's a deep cut. I'll just say that.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Although I do need to change it again. Anyway, hopefully we'll be rolling that out sometime in the future, but keep an eye on it on majornelson.com. We'll have all the details there. Had a great time hosting all those shows at E3 on Mixer. If you're not streaming on Mixer, what are you doing? Why aren't you streaming. Jeff and I co-streamed a little bit. Could we do that again?
Jeff Rubenstein: Sure.
Larry Hryb: How about tonight?
Jeff Rubenstein: I think that could work.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, do you want to co-stream with us?
Laura Massey: What are you co-streaming.
Larry Hryb: Probably Overwatch.
Laura Massey: Could we co-stream?
Larry Hryb: Could we co-stream? We will, but I have to solve that problem we talked about.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: That technical issue that I'm having. Anyway. Actually we should talk about that for a minute. We haven't talked about what we're playing Laura.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was a news bit anyway, that Diablo 3, the Eternal collection. Now available on Xbox One. Take it away.
Larry Hryb: Laura, you're playing Diablo. This is the necromancer.
Laura Massey: Yes, can you see that I have been waiting this whole show.
Larry Hryb: I was going to ask you about it.
Laura Massey: Containing my excitement.
Larry Hryb: I wanted to ask you, what about that glow you have, so what is that glow Laura.
Laura Massey: That is the return to Diablo 3 glow. Something, I've been waiting for for a long time. The necromancer DLC has now been released.
Larry Hryb: Woo.
Laura Massey: Go to your Xbox. You can find it. It is $15.00 and is well worth it.
Larry Hryb: Is it? With all the bones coming up out of the ground?
Laura Massey: Exactly.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, it's cool.
Laura Massey: There is a new character along with patch 2.6.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, you need to roll a new character.
Laura Massey: You do have to roll. You can if you want to.
Larry Hryb: Because, the character is Necromancer.
Laura Massey: Yeah, but it's a brand new character class. Also the patch adds new additional [inaudible 00:30:39] and locations, so it's not just the new character class. There's a bunch of extra stuff in there as well. There's a new rift type called challenge rift which you play a rift with a, I don't know if it's a template of body kit, like the different stuff you can wear and different weapons and stuff like that. You have to use that kit to play through the challenge rift, to beat it at a certain time and you'll win the challenge.
Larry Hryb: I have to ask you a question.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Are you playing Hard Core?
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: What?
Laura Massey: Hard Core is Hard Core.
Larry Hryb: Yes, I'll play Hard Core with you.
Laura Massey: Wow, I only have one character that ever played in Hard Core and she's still alive.
Larry Hryb: You're keeping her that way.
Laura Massey: I'm terrified to keep her alive. No, I'm playing.
Larry Hryb: What level is she.
Laura Massey: She is either 14 or 24.
Larry Hryb: Okay. That's okay.
Laura Massey: Yes, I've been playing the last couple nights.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: Necromancer.
Larry Hryb: Why don't you stream. Just go to Beam and stream.
Laura Massey: That's simple.
Larry Hryb: It is, it's that simple. You just go right there.
Laura Massey: I don't know if there's new achievements.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm actually looking right at.
Larry Hryb: They're hard to get, it's a long road.
Jeff Rubenstein: The last time I played it, September of 2014.
Larry Hryb: That's before you joined the team.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I joined in . . .
Larry Hryb: 2013, that's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: We played together.
Larry Hryb: Never mind, that's right.
Laura Massey: Though recently this May was the five year anniversary of Diablo 3 being released.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: It's been out for five years.
Larry Hryb: Uh-huh.
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like we'll be playing, we'll be playing Overwatch in five years.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, right, right.
Laura Massey: I think this officially is the longest game.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah. Complete five with Necromancer, reach level seven with Necromancer. There are new achievements.
Larry Hryb: You may have just sold me.
Laura Massey: Yes, so I am level 31, I think of Necromancer.
Larry Hryb: Oh wow, you're cooking through it.
Laura Massey: Yeah, it's not my first rodeo.
Larry Hryb: Oh I know, no, no, no it's not.
Laura Massey: I have all the special gear that helps you level faster and get through things faster. Like hell fire ring that just makes everything just much much faster, you get tons of life and extra experience and you level pretty quick. I just beat the skulls and king, if that tells you where I am in the campaign, which is at the very very beginning.
Larry Hryb: Correct.
Laura Massey: I've got all the awesome gear that makes you level up faster.
Larry Hryb: You've got a lot ahead of you though.
Laura Massey: I do.
Larry Hryb: Good for you.
Laura Massey: It's super fun if you like a chaotic character. A character that has lots going on, the Necromancer.
Larry Hryb: You have an army of skeletons.
Laura Massey: Yes and this has a focus on corpse explosions.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: After you kill something.
Jeff Rubenstein: Hey, you put that on the back of the box. I'd love to see that e-mail at Blizzard feature subject line corpse explosions. Then the e-mail.
Larry Hryb: Hey, is there any way we can get a few more corpse exploding in there?
Jeff Rubenstein: Explosions not quite where we need to be. Honey, what did you do today. Well, I really amped up the corpse.
Larry Hryb: Dismemberment, yes.
Laura Massey: There's one skeleton that you can choose which is a massive ghulum, that follows you and of course punches . . .
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I've seen him.
Laura Massey: His special skill is that he will go and die for you and create three or four corpses that you can then explode. You hit the Y button and he goes and he jumps and dies . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: Backing out of the room slowly now. This isn't for me.
Larry Hryb: Laura's down to . . .
Laura Massey: There's a whole category on what you can do with corpses. No just explode them. You can do other things with them.
Larry Hryb: Categories, categories of corpse issues.
Laura Massey: What I have right now, is you can revive them. Say, you just killed a bunch of bats, then you revive them and then you have a bunch of bats following you.
Larry Hryb: That's what you want, you want a bunch of bats.
Jeff Rubenstein: You really do. Do they live under a bridge like in Austin.
Laura Massey: No, not in this one.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah, thank you. Thank you very much. There's the bat cave.
Larry Hryb: Yes, that's right. Okay, sorry. That was a deep cut.
Laura Massey: That was super deep, but yes I'm having a lot of fun with the DLC.
Larry Hryb: Good for you.
Laura Massey: I highly recommend it.
Larry Hryb: Good for you.
Laura Massey: If you need an excuse to get back into Diablo, this is it.
Larry Hryb: What else have I, boy I don't know. Overwatch the golf game.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh you're playing the Golf Club Two just came out.
Larry Hryb: Which we did in the video, which airs on Friday. I had to dress in my golf outfit. Check that out, this week on Xbox.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: One could say, you're often dressed in golf appropriate outfits.
Larry Hryb: I was, the look of disapproval.gif. I actually, I'm in jodhpurs, I'm in quite a golf outfit, you'll see.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: All right, you'll see.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll have to try that.
Larry Hryb: Ah, this week on Xbox, you can see it every Friday on your console, or you can find it on Twitter, so anyone moving along. Jeffrey, what are you playing?
Jeff Rubenstein: In addition to Overwatch like we do, my family is out of town.
Larry Hryb: Ah-oh.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a real rager.
Larry Hryb: You're running amok.
Jeff Rubenstein: I poured myself a glass of Rose, like I do. I started up Dishonor 2.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is my biggest, I would say stack of shame. It's the most shameful that I haven't played it. I loved the first Dishonor. I thought it was an amazing game back in 2012. I somehow let 2 pass me by and I am rectifying that now and you know what, it's amazing. You're not the only one causing mayhem with your corpses.
Larry Hryb: Please.
Jeff Rubenstein: Because, I've decided to play high chaos. Actually I basically decided, I'm not going to reset the game, the way I played the first one. There's probably a subset of us who do this, who it's like you want to do full stealth. I think I killed three or four people in the entire game.
Larry Hryb: Now what?
Jeff Rubenstein: It was accidentally, in the first one. First level 19.
Laura Massey: Ooh.
Jeff Rubenstein: A lot of blood on my hands, but you know what Emily Caldwin, who's one of the two characters you can choose from, along with Korver. She's wrong. These people, I've got to be honest, these people deserve to die. These nonexistent real people deserve to die, and so it's . . .
Larry Hryb: This is not like you Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's not like me. I don't think I killed anyone in Deus Ex.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: I like to go through. I like to leave no trace. It's like I'm going camping in a national park, you don't want to leave anything behind. It was like you were never there. I'm a different person here. Mowing, leaving a path of destruction. You will know me by the trail of the dead. I think that's a band or something or like that.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Not really my type of thing. I'm still playing EverSpace, so on Windows 10. EverSpace is a rogue like space battle game where ultimately you're just trying to make it from one end of the galaxy to the other, but you don't have enough gas. You keep making stops and each stop is sort of like self-contained level. You never know what you are going to get there, because it is procedurally generated. You might come in there and there might be like a lot of fuel and there might be some friendly traders. You might get in there and immediately be beset upon by enemies. You either, if you have enough gas, you can hightail it out of there, or you may have to, I've never beaten the game.
Every time you die you bring your money back and you get to sort of re-roll, but you get a little bit faster, a little bit stronger. A little bit more efficient at mining or whatever it is. Really fun game. Really pretty. This was part of the game preview program that 1.0 a month or two ago. I've just been getting a ton of fun out of that one. That's EverSpace.
Larry Hryb: EverSpace.
Jeff Rubenstein: The 800 pound talking gorilla in the room.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is still Overwatch and [inaudible 00:37:54] specifically. It's still amazing.
Larry Hryb: I'm staying on.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, we've got the lunar colony back now.
Larry Hryb: Which we've been playing.
Jeff Rubenstein: We've been playing with mixed success.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, absolutely.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think I've won one match on that. I got a loop box for that too.
Larry Hryb: I think I'm 50/50.
Laura Massey: That's still such a great game.
Jeff Rubenstein: Do you want to play tonight.
Larry Hryb: Co-stream.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, let's do it.
Larry Hryb: Hey, you know what I forgot to mention during the E3 segment is we announced some new Xbox Design Labs colors. Did you see my new console, or my new controller, Laura.
Laura Massey: That's right. I saw your E3 special.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, did you notice the number?
Laura Massey: Of course I did.
Larry Hryb: Did you see the number Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, I saw.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I got 360.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's pretty good.
Larry Hryb: They actually asked me what number I wanted. I said, I'll take 360 please.
Jeff Rubenstein: Very smart.
Larry Hryb: Old school. Check those out, the metallic triggers and . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: I've seen people that are big Overwatch fans making Diva SK or Soldier 76 SK controllers.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: I made a Florida Gator one. My first one. I need to make a new one.
Larry Hryb: A Syracuse one, you could.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is very similar to Syracuse.
Larry Hryb: They are . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: I have nothing against Syracuse campus.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: We're all orange by the way.
Larry Hryb: That's right. Just that you're burnt orange.
Jeff Rubenstein: I always felt like Texas was like creamsicle. It's sort of like with the white.
Larry Hryb: It thought it was more rust.
Laura Massey: It's more rust.
Jeff Rubenstein: Maybe.
Laura Massey: Dark orange.
Jeff Rubenstein: I just really like creamsicle.
Larry Hryb: You're right Laura, I just never realized. We have this orange blood flowing through all of us.
Laura Massey: That's right. We're all orange.
Jeff Rubenstein: The fates align.
Larry Hryb: The corpses explode. Getting back to the news.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I just want to call out a few games that have either released recently or have been given release dates. One of them, a very popular game on PC, which had been announced some time ago to be coming to Xbox One is Conan Exiles. It's going to be coming to Xbox Game Preview on August 16th and it will come with a free expansion.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll look forward to that. I always like to play, it's a good time of year to start a new game, maybe a little bit out of your wheelhouse, before like the heavy hitters start hitting in September.
Larry Hryb: COD.
Jeff Rubenstein: Everything.
Larry Hryb: Battle Front.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh Battle Front looks so good.
Larry Hryb: The list goes on and on.
Jeff Rubenstein: Another one for the Diablo fan in you, Pillars of Eternity. That's going to be coming to Xbox One on August 29th, the complete edition. This game I was watching it. I saw it at the booth. It looks really good. It is a dungeon crawling, hack and slash RPG if that sounds familiar. It comes from one of the most successful Kickstarters of all time. I think that this is something that you may enjoy. Pillars of Eternity, again end of August, so really not that far away. Another game that came out this week is Valkyria Revolution. I haven't had a chance to play this yet. Valkyria Chronicles is one of my favorite games of all time.
It's a last gen PS3 PC, so I was very happy to see Valkyria Revolution come to Xbox One. It's more of a dynasty warriors take on this world. I'm sorry, I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but when I do, I'll let you know what I think about that. Broken Age, this is another that I'm glad has come to Xbox One.
Laura Massey: Yes, finally.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that is from Double Fine.
Larry Hryb: Ah good friends at Double Fine.
Jeff Rubenstein: This also came, actually I think this was there, this was the game that came from that first Kickstarters. Like the first game at Kickstart, that made it like a viable thing. It's coming out on Xbox. It actually came out on Windows 10 again this week, as well this week, and I happen to see a sale, $3.99. I just went ahead and picked it up.
Larry Hryb: I have a Tim Schafer story.
Jeff Rubenstein: Let's go.
Larry Hryb: Who of course . . .
Laura Massey: Did you see at E3?
Larry Hryb: I did. What happened was we were back stage. On Tuesday I had hosted a panel with Albert Penello who of course is a guest of the show. We have had someone from the Coalition, some from Turn Ten. We were talking about developing for Xbox One X. It was a panel. It's a funny story actually. It was Jeff Keley who had the panel going from this particular feeder, so all day he had a bunch of different panels. The panel before us was with our friends at Insomniac who are working on the Spider Man game.
Jeff Rubenstein: (Laughing). I remember.
Larry Hryb: Okay, so we're back stage and I'm in the green room. We're getting ready. We're going through. Everybody has an hour and I notice out of the corner of my eye, there's something going on on stage with the Spider Man panel. I look up and a light had caught on fire on stage. They cleared the stage and all the Insomniac people come back stage. The smell is terrible, because it's burning electrical. I'm talking. I know most of the guys at Insomniac. We're just kind of hanging out. We're talking. The agent from Marvel was there.
Jeff Rubenstein: Good old Ryan.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, he was there, because he was moderating. We were chatting. This was like ten minutes. I said, well it can't be that bad, because the fire marshal's not here yet. Three, two, one and there goes the fire marshal right by us, as if on cue. Okay, never mind. They go back on stage. They finally end up finishing. We had to cut unfortunately because of that the whole time was off and we couldn't do Q and A, because we had to cut our segment short. We come back stage and they're getting ready for the second one. I hear this ruckus coming down the stairs in the back stage area. I turn around and I see Tim Schafer coming down and right behind him is Jack Black.
Laura Massey: Really.
Larry Hryb: Whom I've know for a while. Jack looks at me and kind of did that oh, I've got you stare. Apparently Jack was a little on something, but it was, but it was good to see Tim back stage, ever so briefly. Grrr, go on Jeffrey. I'm sorry to interrupt.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm still looking at this ultimate game sale list and it's just phenomenal. One of the games that really jumped out at people was the new Metro, new open world looking Metro that debuted in our briefing. Metro and what was the name? Any way. What I've noticed is that a lot of folks were going back and playing Metro 2033 and all these other games.
Larry Hryb: Right, the Metro's.
Jeff Rubenstein: There was the Metro Redux.
Larry Hryb: Have you ever been to?
Jeff Rubenstein: Exodus, that's the one.
Larry Hryb: I'm the only one that's been to Russia, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. Ethnically it's in me all the time.
Larry Hryb: I know, but I'm just saying. I've down in the Metro system in St. Petersburg. I could understand how they could put a video game down. It's beautiful, but you go down forever and you can realize it's a bomb shelter. You look around and that's like yeah, that's what this is.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you were enticed by what you saw with Metro Exodus during our briefing and you may want to take a look. You can pick up Metro 2033 Redux, is that how you say it?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, redo, Redux.
Jeff Rubenstein: Redo, five bucks. You can pick up Last Light for five bucks or you can get them both for $7.50.
Laura Massey: Wow, that's a deal.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think that's a heck of a deal.
Larry Hryb: Such a deal. Jeffrey, that's such a deal. How can you go wrong?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: We'll cut some bells and everything will be fine.
Jeff Rubenstein: Would you like to share it off my back, Larry? Definitely worth taking a look. I'm just going through this whole list. I'll link out to it, but these are just phenomenal. Even in the under, I want to spend less than ten bucks.
Larry Hryb: We've got you covered.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's plenty of games.
Larry Hryb: We've got you covered. Ultimate game sale, all the details on my blog at majornelson.com. I'll take that post. Pin it to the top. You can sort it by percent off and price.
Laura Massey: Nice.
Jeff Rubenstein: Look at you. You're really using sale.
Larry Hryb: Look, I'm just trying to provide. This is a service I provide you the Xbox community.
Laura Massey: That's fantastic.
Larry Hryb: What other news you got Jeffrey, because otherwise we're going.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we're, I think we're.
Larry Hryb: We're getting in the homestretch.
Jeff Rubenstein: Used out.
Larry Hryb: We're getting in the homestretch.
Jeff Rubenstein: One last game I wanted to call out that is now available Dungeon Defenders 2. I've been waiting for this one for a while. It's got a four player online co-op.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's like an action tower defense game.
Laura Massey: Yes, it is.
Jeff Rubenstein: A lot of fun.
Laura Massey: Co-op tower defense super fun.
Larry Hryb: Tower of defense has never been my thing.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's not. It's tower of defense where you control the characters.
Larry Hryb: Oh, I know, I know.
Laura Massey: It's first person.
Larry Hryb: You're not a mouse cursor as a character.
Laura Massey: Should we talk about me and my game.
Larry Hryb: Oh boy should we ever. We have a problem, Jeffrey.
Laura Massey: Uh-huh.
Larry Hryb: Laura and I discussed it, we had a meeting.
Laura Massey: We had a meeting about it.
Larry Hryb: The only way to sum it. You can name the game of course is a feature that we've been doing on the show for a long time. For the first time ever.
Laura Massey: No one's gotten it right.
Larry Hryb: No one's gotten it right Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Really.
Larry Hryb: The last show which was hanging out there for four weeks.
Laura Massey: Four weeks.
Jeff Rubenstein: Can you play the clip for me, I want to see if I can . . .
Larry Hryb: This is the . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know the answer.
Larry Hryb: This is the clip from the last name the game. We're going to play it again and we're going to keep it going until somebody guesses it. Here's the clip and we'll give you a hint on the other side. Ready Laura?
Laura Massey: I'm ready, let's go.
Larry Hryb: (Plays video clip).
Laura Massey: That was name the game from four weeks ago?
Larry Hryb: There's actually more.
Laura Massey: Was it more than four weeks ago?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, because we had the Mixer guys on four weeks ago.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Larry Hryb: Then you weren't with us.
Jeff Rubenstein: I've got to tell you guys, I have no idea what that is, but it sounds like something I would listen to.
Larry Hryb: I will say this Laura. Laura and I discussed it. We consulted the judges. We are allowed to give you a hint.
Laura Massey: Uh-huh.
Larry Hryb: What would you like that hint to be, Laura?
Laura Massey: Let's go with it's a space game.
Larry Hryb: Okay, there you ago.
Laura Massey: Because, that will narrow it down for you.
Larry Hryb: Yes, so if you . . .
Laura Massey: That's right, so we will continue with this name the game.
Larry Hryb: Yes, exactly.
Laura Massey: Until somebody gets it right.
Larry Hryb: Until somebody gets it right.
Laura Massey: Good luck listeners.
Larry Hryb: Get good, get good. All you need to do is e-mail us, major@xbox.com, lollipop@xbox.com. Do not hit us up Twitter. You're welcome to do that, but it doesn't qualify as an entry.
Laura Massey: Should we give people another guess, because it has been over a month.
Larry Hryb: Well, we just played it.
Laura Massey: Like if they guessed last for the last while.
Larry Hryb: Oh absolutely, yeah, yeah, I'm sorry.
Laura Massey: You get to enter.
Larry Hryb: If you sent us one and obviously now you know it's not right, you are welcome, I'm going to wipe that whole inbox out and you can start again.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: Everybody from this point forward can enter again. You will not be disqualified if you enter.
Laura Massey: Right, good luck again.
Larry Hryb: It is a space game.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: The password is space game. All right.
Laura Massey: Very good. Good luck to the listeners.
Larry Hryb: Good luck to you everybody and I think you'll get it this hope.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: It's a space game. What kind of game is it Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: Space.
Larry Hryb: Game. All right, I tried. All right, thank you guys. All right moving along. We're kind of wrapping things up here.
Laura Massey: Are we going to have a gadget session?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, we do. We have a gadget, I have a brand new gadget here.
Laura Massey: You have a big gadget.
Larry Hryb: I have a couple gadgets. I'm going to talk about this one now.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Surface . . .
Laura Massey: That's new gadget?
Larry Hryb: Well this thing, that's the mouse.
Laura Massey: Ah-hah. I didn't know it came with one.
Larry Hryb: That's the matching mouse with my probably goosy finger on it. This is the mouse for the . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: Are you resting french fries on it?
Larry Hryb: I don't know what it was. It was that lunch we had. I don't know what's, this is a Surface Notebook.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: We announced this last last month.
Jeff Rubenstein: Surface laptop.
Larry Hryb: Surface laptop. I don't know, what's the official color of this Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: That is, oh man I used to know. It's . . .
Larry Hryb: It's blue.
Laura Massey: Space blue.
Larry Hryb: Space blue.
Jeff Rubenstein: Cobalt.
Larry Hryb: Cobalt blue.
Jeff Rubenstein: Cobalt.
Larry Hryb: Thank you very much.
Laura Massey: It's very nice. It looks gorgeous.
Larry Hryb: This is a beautiful laptop that I got from the Surface team. I'm going to be headed down to Comicon. I will be down at Comacon doing a little bit of work. They wanted me to have this to take. I love the screen. It's fantastic.
Laura Massey: It has a beautiful metallic sheen.
Larry Hryb: I know you came in and you, we didn't even get a hello from you, before it's like ooh.
Laura Massey: I absolutely love that.
Larry Hryb: You were mollified by the shiny object.
Laura Massey: Uh-huh.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's a good word Larry.
Larry Hryb: Thank you.
Laura Massey: Yes and there's a matching mouse.
Larry Hryb: Then I have a matching mouse.
Laura Massey: Is it one that goes flat? That flattens out yes. It's like the . . .
Larry Hryb: What's it called Jeffrey?
Laura Massey: Surface mouse.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's the Surface ah, something mouse.
Larry Hryb: Touch mouse. Surface mouse. Anyway this is . . .
Laura Massey: I've seen them before.
Larry Hryb: This is the newest one.
Laura Massey: This one matches the color.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: Of the laptop. It must be a cobalt blue.
Jeff Rubenstein: Surface arc mouse.
Larry Hryb: This is the Surface Arc.
Jeff Rubenstein: Not the Arc touch.
Larry Hryb: You can put it into . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: Arc mouse.
Larry Hryb: I'll have that with me when you see me. I may be hosting a panel at Comicon. You'll see that up there. On stage with me, so I'm very excited about that. Jeffrey, you've coveting this.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, no I really want that.
Laura Massey: It's gorgeous.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just watch your back Larry.
Larry Hryb: I know and how. It won't recognize you. I'll tell you the Windows Hello. Once you get used to Windows Hello.
Jeff Rubenstein: I couldn't do it if I wanted to.
Larry Hryb: Windows hello. You have it on your laptop, on your Surface book. Jeff has it. I love Windows Hello.
Laura Massey: It's very fascinating.
Larry Hryb: It's like bam.
Laura Massey: It's one of those that encourages you to forget your password.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, right, which I guess is . . .
Laura Massey: It's hard.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: Because, when he goes to password change day, remember what your old password was. I'm like, what was my password.
Larry Hryb: Password change day.
Laura Massey: It's a big day.
Larry Hryb: In everyone's life, Laura. It's a big day. Jeff, you seem to be slightly distracted over there.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I'm just getting blown up on my phone. The show has gone too long.
Larry Hryb: Has it? Oh no.
Laura Massey: Oh no.
Larry Hryb: All right.
Laura Massey: It has been a long time.
Larry Hryb: We've got a bunch of other gadgets we need to discuss. We talked pretty much about the Surface laptop which is just delightful. I have a bunch of other things that I'm working on that we'll talk about in the future. I've got an updated Ero system at home.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: That's my Wi-Fi system. I've got brand new. The newest version. I'll talk about that on a future show. A bunch of other stuff. We've got a lot going on this summer. By the way, summer's here.
Laura Massey: Finally.
Larry Hryb: Finally. We've been enjoying it here in North America, sorry in the United States. We'll be celebrating the July 4th weekend.
Jeff Rubenstein: Canada Day.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's Canada Day.
Larry Hryb: When is it?
Jeff Rubenstein: July 1st.
Larry Hryb: July 1st.
Jeff Rubenstein: Of course Larry, I knew that.
Larry Hryb: They always want to get it in before us.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just like Thanksgiving.
Larry Hryb: I know, they want to get it before us. I want to thank you Jeff, because I noticed you wore your complete American flag shirt and shorts today.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well you know they have it at Old Navy for four bucks every year.
Larry Hryb: Jeffrey is shopping and he's channeling his inner Florida man as we know. Anyway have a great weekend everybody. We'll be play, Laura will be playing Diablo, not with me.
Laura Massey: Well, we have to fix your tech SU first.
Larry Hryb: Would you play with me really?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Hard core?
Laura Massey: Maybe.
Larry Hryb: Maybe.
Jeff Rubenstein: Why would you play hard core, unless you really want the achievement.
Larry Hryb: I don't know. I just feel like that's what everybody is doing. All the cool kids are doing it, Laura.
Jeff Rubenstein: Larry, if the cool kids were jumping off a bridge and saying it was hard core.
Larry Hryb: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: I guess that's all you'd have to day.
Larry Hryb: No. All right, I want to thank everybody for listening. It's really a pleasure to have you join us every week. This is the longest running podcast at Microsoft, I believe. Did you know that? I did some research.
Laura Massey: I bet that's true.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't think anyone is challenging that one.
Larry Hryb: The longest running and it's all . . .
Jeff Rubenstein: Episode 602.
Larry Hryb: Who knows, we've been going as Laura, at least 11 years.
Laura Massey: We have, that's true.
Jeff Rubenstein: Sometimes it feels like 11 years between episodes.
Larry Hryb: It does.
Jeff Rubenstein: We need to get better at that.
Larry Hryb: Sometimes each episode feels like 11 years. You never know. All right gang, we'll talk to you next time. Laura, have a great time. You can find Jeff on social media at?
Jeff Rubenstein: Jeff Rubenstein.
Larry Hryb: On Twitter and Laura can follow her at?
Laura Massey: Laura Lollipop.
Larry Hryb: I'm Major Nelson, hit me up at majornelson.com. See me every week. This week on Xbox and we'll see you next time. Thanks for listening.
Laura Massey: Good bye. (Music playing).

All right, here we go. It's about a day before the, uh, 2017 XBOX briefing. I'm sitting here in Phil Spencer's dressing room with Phil Spencer.
Phil Spencer: Wait a minute, wait a minute. Where are we?
Larry: We're in your dressing room.
Phil Spencer: This is not my, this is Larry's dressing room.
Larry: No, this is actually, this is a dressing room cause you were busy having, you, you, you a ... We're here, we're here at the Venue.
Phil Spencer: (laughs)
Larry: We're in Los Angeles, California.
Phil Spencer: Nice recovery.
Larry: We're at the, uh, we're at the Galen Center, which we've, we've been here for quite a few years.
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: Um, and we're-
Phil Spencer: It's a great venue for us.
Larry: We're, we're a little, little more than 24 hours away from you walking out on stage and revealing some cool stuff to the world.
Phil Spencer: Yeah. Yeah, this is, uh, this show's really come together. Uh, it, uh, I'm really proud of this-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: And I think about my own personal taste and style and games that I love, and I feel like, uh, this is a show that I can, I can really get into.
Larry: And I'll say this. I mean, we're just, you, we only have you for a few minutes, and normally, we've done this like three years now, I think.
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: To get you out here and we just kind of chat right before the show. We're not, we're not-
Phil Spencer: You can fit me in. You gotta fit me in. It's hard. You're a busy man.
Larry: Dude, dude.
Phil Spencer: (laughs)
Larry: You, I sat through the rehearsal today. You were up on stage. You looked great. Everything was great. There's, there's a lot of film in this show. I can say that.
Phil Spencer: There's too much film.
Larry: Uh, but it, but more importantly, there it a blank-ton of games.
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: I mean that's, I'm really excited.
Phil Spencer: That's why we're here, right?
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: I mean E3, we usually don't do a lot of strategery on stage. We don't do a lot of pricey stuff.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: We don't do a lot of-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: We went, we used to do that.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: We used to kind of show you how we built every feature, and what our deals were and stuff, and-
Larry: Power Point slides, (laughs) and all that stuff.
Phil Spencer: Yeah, and I'm like, "Let's make this show-"
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: "About what people care about."
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Which is the games, and, uh, we have, obviously, Project Scorpio that we wanna show and kind of unveil to people.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: But, um, we're gonna get into the games really quickly, and the game line-up is, uh, I think it's special.
Larry: Is it, is it an unveil or re-unveil? Cause you kind, we kind of did it last year. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: We did. And, uh, it's, I'm, I'm proud of the way, I mean, you know cause you've seen this show. Um, I'm proud of the way it kind of bookends what we did last year.
Larry: Yeah, yeah.
Phil Spencer: And then how it's gonna, you know, come out. You know this, what I'm kind of talking about.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: I think people will get it when they see it.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Um, yeah, maybe this is, I think it's a reveal.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: I think, you know, people are gonna ... they're gonna be able to understand now what we've been talking about for the last 12 months.
Larry: And you and I have been talking about, I think we first started talking about this E3 when we were, went down to Mexico last year.
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: I remember we were talking about that in the airport a little but, but I wanna ta, just let, let folks know, and you and I have tweeted about this, and certainly Aaron has and Mike has. We've been planning for this E3 for months and months and months and months.
Phil Spencer: That's right.
Larry: Yeah, I mean the first, the first big rehearsal, I think it was, I remember the exec review was like in December.
Phil Spencer: Yeah. Well, you know the, the thing about this show, and this isn't just true of our show, it's true of the other, uh, third parties, the other platforms selling Nintendo.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: You know, you go back and look at it, these shows are viewed like 50 million, 60 million times.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Right? If you think about all the different places where they get put, and, so this is a serious place for us to tell our story.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Um, I even think, in a certain extent, it's cool to go back and look at these like five years later, so I think about, these are really cool ways to memorialize where the platforms were at a certain time, and-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Um, so I, I think we, I think the, the shows are important. Being on stage, kind of, getting the creators out there. I'm glad we spend the time we do.
Larry: Yeah. Yeah, it's kind of a-
Phil Spencer: We use a lot of time. You're absolutely right. It's a lot of time.
Larry: You know it's funny you say that about, you know, every year you go back and look at it. It's almost like we do a yearbook every year.
Phil Spencer: That's right.
Larry: Like a high school yearbook.
Phil Spencer: It's a time capsule.
Larry: Right? And we can go back-
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: And look at it and say, "Wow, that's, that's, that's a lot of stuff."
Phil Spencer: I mean I'll go back and I'll look at like the Halo 2 one, and you know-
Larry: That was amazing.
Phil Spencer: That, but at the time, and it's also just so funny to look at those old ones and realize how little production value there was. (laughs)
Larry: Well how sophisticated things are now.
Phil Spencer: Yeah, I mean it's a TV show now.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: And, and more than TV, online is way bigger than the TV viewership.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Like, like you're all over the place with these things, and all the different languages, and we've got mixer here, we're going to be doing a lot of interesting things that. We're going to be broadcasting in 4K.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: How fantastic is that?
Larry: And not only that, but we, you know, the other thing is I, I've been tweeting this out as well, is, um, I'll be co-hosting a live show on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from, uh, from here on the show floor.
Phil Spencer: I've see, is that the, the crows nest-thing?
Larry: I think that, I think that's up there, but I think, you know, Tina's got us over on the show floor as well.
Phil Spencer: Oh, OK, yeah.
Larry: Right?
Phil Spencer: Right.
Larry: Right. When the show opens on Tuesday we'll be over there.
Phil Spencer: Cause you do go where Tina tells you to go.
Larry: Well yeah, Tina's, so for those-
Phil Spencer: (laughs)
Larry: Tina's the stra, who's Tina? Tina's, Tina's the producer of the, of the show, and she's great. But, uh-
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: We're really excited to-
Phil Spencer: What about our screen?
Larry: Cou, could we talk about that?
Phil Spencer: No, but we should just say, "What do we think about that screen?" We won't say what it is, or-
Larry: It is jaw-dropping.
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: That's all I'm gonna say. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: It's ridiculous.
Larry: (laughs)
Phil Spencer: It's stupidly good.
Larry: Yeah, it's-
Phil Spencer: That is, uh-
Larry: (laughs)
Phil Spencer: I think maybe it'll be close on when we talk about what the screen is, and when this gets posted-
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: So I think if people get confused when they see this, and-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Like, if we haven't talked about it yet just wait a little bit.
Larry: Yep.
Phil Spencer: And we'll talk about it so it's somewhat close, but I'm really proud of the work that the team did to do something new.
Larry: Yep.
Phil Spencer: Um, and the investment we put in that, and I think the way it's gonna pop for both. People at home have the, the streams that we've talked about for people in the arena, which, you know-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Is so incredib, important to us.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Our fans are here, the Fanfest, like all that stuff.
Larry: There's energy in the room, cause when you walk out on stage, you, you know, you're sitting 20 feet, 10 feet from some of the fans and some of the members of the audience, right?
Phil Spencer: Well and the cool thing for me now, I know those people. Like-
Larry: Yeah you do. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: There are people every year-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: This is when I see them.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: And I don't see them other times of the year, but I see them, I recognize them by face.
Larry: Yep.
Phil Spencer: Uh, and, you know, then when I'm online at nights playing whatever I'm playing, like there they are. I'm playing with the people.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: Uh, the fans that I've met here, and this is like, you, you know, you talked about your yearbook.
Larry: Yes.
Phil Spencer: Like, this is a little like family reunion-thing-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: That happens. And every year the Fanfest gets a little bigger and better as we kind of learn how to do it. Um, but I love the fact that all the, the Xbox Fanfest people are right there on the floor. We know who they are. There's new people every year. Families come, and it's-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: So it's, I think it's a real special time-
Larry: They have picnics out on the floor.
Phil Spencer: (laughs)
Larry: They're having a good time.
Phil Spencer: See that? (laughs) Yeah. They are having a good time.
Larry: Well the reason they have to, they have to pack a picnic lunch is because this is a long show. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: This is a long show.
Larry: Right? (laughs)
Phil Spencer: We just had that-
Larry: (laughs)
Phil Spencer: Cause I ... We usually go 90 minutes.
Larry: Yep.
Phil Spencer: We all know that. TV broadcast, 90 minutes, you kind of get the time booked with the broadcaster. All that stuff's important. Um, we were back in Redmond, we're kind of grinding on it. I'm like, "No, I really want these games in."
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: "We're gonna go long. So let's go talk to the TV, television. We're gonna, we're gonna go long."
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: And we just ran it today, and, and it's longer than even it was when I tweeted out that we're gonna be a little long.
Larry: Right, right.
Phil Spencer: So, uh, maybe I'll be talking fast (laughs) in certain sections.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Or something. But, uh, I just think that there's, I mean you've seen it.
Larry: There's so many games to show.
Phil Spencer: I don't know what you would take out. And I'd feel bad.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: And it's not like we're reaching five years in advance to go pull something into the show.
Larry: No.
Phil Spencer: I mean, most of the things that are in the show, and this is kind of a principle I've learned is let's focus on the things that are kind of the here and now and we can put our hands on.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: And even that I can't fit this stuff in the show.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: So, um, show's gonna go long, and I will apologize for people if it happens to run past your DVR if that's the way you watch this.
Larry: But, but if it doesn't matter. Even if it runs past your DVR, which is, you know, which is unfortunate, you can always go get it online.
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: Or there's the VOD, the Video on Demand, and-
Phil Spencer: Which would be in 4K.
Larry: Yeah, and you know-
Phil Spencer: That's the way we'd go see it anyway.
Larry: Go, go to Mixer and you can, you can see, you'll be able to see the whole thing, and it's, it's, it's gonna be an extraordinary show.
Phil Spencer: Cause we had some new people in the arena today, and I was, cause I've seen, you, you and I have seen the show probably multiple times.
Larry: A few times, yeah.
Phil Spencer: And, and it always changes, and we tweak it a little bit, but, you know, it's always great to get the impressions of the new people that are here.
Larry: Fresh eyes.
Phil Spencer: And, yeah. People always, they kind of hit new things that maybe we've become kind of accustomed to.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: But the impression's really been great. I mean, in the end what's important is what our fans and customers think, and-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Uh, we'll know that Sunday night, and-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Onto the week. But it's gonna be a great week. And E3, I know, is a time that you and I both love.
Larry: Now I gotta ask you this question. You, you're out on stage. I'll, I will say this. You're out on stage a couple of different times.
Phil Spencer: (laughs)
Larry: A few different times.
Phil Spencer: Too many times. This is, yeah.
Larry: Now are you gonna go backstage? Are you gonna flip your phone open and see what's going on on Twitter? Do you want me to text you? I mean, how do you want to handle that? Cause, I mean, that's-
Phil Spencer: No, I-
Larry: Do you, cause it gets distracting. You, you know, cause you're focused on making sure you can hit your marks.
Phil Spencer: I-
Larry: (laughs)
Phil Spencer: I get so nervous in coming out. I'm actually less nervous now, and most people think it's just cause I've done it more times.
Larry: Right. You're comfortable.
Phil Spencer: It's actually, again, because the people around me.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: You know, when I'm down there, and I see th, and they're like, "Oh OK." It's, and I always have this thing. I come out and I'm like, "How long can I go?" You know, you think it's gonna be perfect. It's like buying a new car.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: No scratches, no dents or anything.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: And all of a suddenly I'm going to mess something up in the first five minutes.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: And then kinda once you get your first door-
Larry: You're comfortable.
Phil Spencer: Then you're like, you just go.
Larry: You just have fun.
Phil Spencer: So you, so, uh, you roll with the thing. I try not to figure out socially, like, what's going on.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Because I wanna stay ...
Larry: In the game.
Phil Spencer: Yeah.
Larry: (laughs)
Phil Spencer: And this is going longer, but let me, like, one ... The games that are in our show this year mean something to me.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: And that's not to say they haven't in past years.
Larry: Sure.
Phil Spencer: But I really wanted to put, um, certain developers, certain ideas into this show.
Larry: Yep.
Phil Spencer: So I really, like I have something to say, and it's why I'll apologize for how many times I, I'm saying something about a game. But I'm, I have something I wanna say about certain games, and why is this game here? And what does this game mean to us? And why do I think it's an important part of the portfolio? Third party games, exclusive games, like ah, it's not about-
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Uh, being exclusionary of anybody. Um, so, like, I wanna have my head in the moment. Like when I'm looking at some of these assets that the game, these game developers have, again, some of the game play and stuff, it's like jaw-dropping.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Where we are. So I'm gonna stay in the moment, and uh, if you wanna text me like, "Hey, your fly's down," or something. (laughs)
Larry: I'm not going to bother you. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: (laughs) I appreciate that.
Larry: I don't wanna bother (laughs) ... your, your shoes ... Yeah, I was gonna say your shoes are untied, but you didn't even have shoelaces. I'm just looking at your shoes. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: (laughs) This is not the outfit. I'm not exactly sure what I'm wearing yet.
Larry: Right.
Phil Spencer: Uh, but this is, this is not the outfit. We'll figure that out probably tomorrow.
Larry: Well it's, just a reminder to folks, uh, if you're, if you're, you wanna watch this one the air, it's on, gonna be on Mixer.com/xbox. You can watch it at 2 o’clock. That's Pacific Time.
Phil Spencer: It is, yeah.
Larry: And that's 5 o'clock Eastern. I'll have, I'll have the links on my blogs, and, of course, I'll be tweeting it out. If they follow you at XboxE3 I'm sure you're going to be a backstage photo or something.
Phil Spencer: Major, what's Major Nelson at now on Twitter followers? A couple billion or something?
Larry: I, oh, one in, 1.6 million or some point? Awesome, awesome.
Phil Spencer: I don't, I don't know, I just, I just, you know-
Larry: Good job.
Phil Spencer: I'm just-
Larry: Hey, it's, it's, it's, it's, this is the, you know. You know better than anybody. We have an incredibly passionate audience, and I-
Phil Spencer: Yes.
Larry: I love waking up every day and coming to work with you, for you, um, with you, and the team members that we have. Cause we have some incredibly smart people that work with us that just want to make great games and great systems and great, great experiences.
Phil Spencer: Yeah, I, I appreciate you saying that. And I, I love working together. I think, you know, we've had a long history of working together.
Larry: Yeah. Yeah.
Phil Spencer: And going into this week, a lot of people don't see this. I see this. Um, nobody works harder at E3 than you do. Nobody works harder at Xbox than you do.
Larry: Oh you're kind, man. You're very kind.
Phil Spencer: But this week I know-
Larry: (laughs)
Phil Spencer: You've probably slept for the last month kind of trying to save up energy-
Larry: To get ready, yeah. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: But I, as, like, as a member of the Xbox community, as somebody that loves their games, loves our platform, honestly the work that you do-
Larry: You're very kind.
Phil Spencer: Through the year, but during this week, I know, is just a, is, is, like, a, a lot of hours.
Larry: Yeah, it, well I really appreciate that.
Phil Spencer: Thanks for that.
Larry: Thank you, man. I appreciate it. And I just want, I just get, I have fun because like you, you and I get to represent the, the thousands of people that work in Redmond, and around the world on Xbox.
Phil Spencer: That's right. That's right.
Larry: So we're, we're just fortunate-
Phil Spencer: That's how I feel.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: When I'm out there, it's as a member of the team.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: It's somebody who represents the work of the team. I do very little work on my own. Like, you know, it's, I'm a figurehead in a lot of ways. Um-
Larry: Yeah. Well you, you make a lot of decisions. (laughs)
Phil Spencer: (laughs) If somebody needs a decision and they're looking for somebody that ... Like, I have no problem, uh, making decisions that the team needs made.
Larry: Yeah.
Phil Spencer: Like, I think that's my job. But, um, but yeah, you know, the, the team ... some of them get to come down here, most of them don't. Um, so yeah. Being, uh, a representative of the team there. But you, you're just fantastic, and I appreciate that.
Larry: Thanks, man, I appreciate it. Well listen, I'll, I'm gonna let you go. I know you gotta g, get ready, and I'm looking forward to seeing what people think.
Be sure to tune in, uh, at Mixer.com/xbox at, uh, 2 o'clock Pacific. That's 5 o'clock Eastern. I'll put a link for all the times around the world. And if you miss, don't worry about it. Video on Demand-
Phil Spencer: There you go.
Larry: You can watch it anytime. It's gonna be, it's gonna be a long show. I'll say that. So all right. Phil, thanks, man.
Phil Spencer: Thanks Larry.

Larry Hryb: Welcome to show number 600. My name is Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson. Sitting across from me is-
Jeff Rubenstein: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 600!
Larry Hryb: Yes, 600. Well, there's an asterisk there you know.
Jeff Rubenstein: Wind-aided.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, it's 600-ish.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's number 600. It's not necessarily the 600th show.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, and we were thinking about doing something special here but we said, "No. No, we're not going to do that."
Jeff Rubenstein: No, it's Friday. There's a long holiday coming up here.
Larry Hryb: We got a long holiday, a bank holiday on Monday.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. I'm thinking about going on annual leave.
Larry Hryb: Are you? Apparently, that's the thing now.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's that time of year.
Larry Hryb: Apparently that's the thing now, but it's great to see you, Jeff. You and I haven't seen each other all week. This is the one time this week that we've seen each other. I didn't tell you what happened this week, did I?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I just know that you've been feeling great.
Larry Hryb: Oh man, we did a bunch of stuff on Monday. I left the office, went home, slept until Thursday morning.
Jeff Rubenstein: How much NyQuil did you take?
Larry Hryb: I don't know what it was. My body was just so exhausted. I caught some weird flu when I was down at 343. I'm blaming 343 by the way.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's called Halo fever.
Larry Hryb: I don't know what it was, man, but it just wrecked me but I'm back.
Jeff Rubenstein: And better than ever.
Larry Hryb: You'll hear a little bit of it in my voice, but it's been a busy week this week. Later on in the show, we've got the gentlemen from Mixer coming by, Matt and James.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. In case, you've missed the news, Beam is now Mixer.
Larry Hryb: Mixer, the service formerly known as Beam.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, with all of the wonderful things in terms of subset, second latency, and interactivity, and all of these things. We'll be talking about the future, really, of Mixer and where they're going.
Larry Hryb: Those guys will join us later.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I'm really excited.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know Matt live.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I've talked to Matt before. We did a live show on Thursday. When I got into bed Monday night, I crawled out of bed two hours before that broadcast. Apparently, the internet liked my wardrobe.
Jeff Rubenstein: They always do.
Larry Hryb: I don't know why.
Jeff Rubenstein: Because your wife has good taste.
Larry Hryb: She does. She does. Anyway, here we are, it's Monday, you and I played what?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's show number 600. How many shows would you say have we done or have you done?
Larry Hryb: Easily 500.
Jeff Rubenstein: Easily 500.
Larry Hryb: Easily 500.
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like I've probably been on close to 100 at this point.
Larry Hryb: You've been here for quite a long time.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I'm in the, not the golden age of Major Nelson.
Larry Hryb: I'm not going to do like they do on Saturday Night Live where if you host five episodes, you get a jacket.
Jeff Rubenstein: Five timers club, 500 timers club.
Larry Hryb: Five timers, whatever it is.
Jeff Rubenstein: I still get to bring you breakfast. I've stolen that role from you.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. So you're all that. So thank you for that, by the way.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, of course.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Last week, we didn't do a show. I was down in Los Angeles for the Destiny II event.
Jeff Rubenstein: You played a little Destiny, didn't you?
Larry Hryb: Yes I did. Played it on PC.
Jeff Rubenstein: All right. How'd it look, how'd it feel?
Larry Hryb: Yes, yes, and yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm very excited.
Larry Hryb: Had a nice chat with Luke Smith, who I've known for a long time. We're real excited. Of course, it's coming to Xbox One, coming to PC, it'll be in other consoles, the other console as well, PlayStation.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Yeah. I think it's always funny when ... because Bungie is right down the street and-
Larry Hryb: From us, right.
Jeff Rubenstein: -I was in a series of meetings literally across the street from them all week, but you got to go down to LA to see them.
Larry Hryb: Right?
Jeff Rubenstein: And how many people ... We have E3 coming up in a few weeks and it's like, "Oh, all these people from right nearby."
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a tremendous amount of game development that happens in Seattle and specifically in Bellevue for some reason.
Larry Hryb: I find this hard to believe, but I think it's a little more affordable than Seattle.
Jeff Rubenstein: Maybe.
Larry Hryb: I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's very rapidly going away.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, anyway. Enough about that inside baseball stuff. You don't [crosstalk 00:03:52] that, do you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, maybe I do.
Larry Hryb: Do you? Like I said, it's been a busy week. I was down at Destiny II, went down and back in that day. Last Friday did something we've never done before. That was a live This Week on Xbox.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I saw that.
Larry Hryb: That was a lot of fun. Did it from the studio, brought in Bill and Toby. We talked about the latest update for Xbox One, some cool stuff. So, thinking about maybe doing that because again Beam, now Mixer.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I mean-
Larry Hryb: Sub-second delay with the Q&As.
Jeff Rubenstein: You've been over 100 episodes. You got to mix it up. You do a live one.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Then you got to do an episode where you get a dog, and then a baby or something. A skateboarding dog. You should do that. Poochie, I hear, is available.
Larry Hryb: Poochie's still available?
Jeff Rubenstein: Poochie's available. Yeah. It didn't really take off. But you know, if you need a radical cohost, I recommend-
Larry Hryb: Yes. I have one. You.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, on this week on Window ... The one or two times a year where you're either on vacation ... You never take vacations, by the way. You really should take vacations.
Larry Hryb: Well yeah, you're right.
Jeff Rubenstein: You should. You should. You're never going to look back and say, "You know what? I'm really glad I worked every day." There's no perfect attendance award.
Larry Hryb: Well, if I do take these annual leaves, would you fill in This Week on Xbox for me?
Jeff Rubenstein: I would be more than happy to do that.
Larry Hryb: Would you? Because there are so few people ... I mean, everyone wants to do it, but there's not a lot of people that I would trust holding the show. I mean, it's really our show as the community.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is.
Larry Hryb: But I just carry the mantle forward.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly. You just have the teleprompter handy.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But I feel like Graham's taking all the vacation.
Larry Hryb: He is.
Jeff Rubenstein: You should take some of it too, after he-
Larry Hryb: I don't know if you saw the back and forth he and I were having on Twitter, is he's ... I don't know if it's a threat, but he's threatening to wear a kilt to E3 this year.
Jeff Rubenstein: And he would probably do it properly.
Larry Hryb: As a proper Scot, he would, and I have nothing to do to that.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm happy for his culture. I think if he's going to do it true Seattle style, it needs to be a Utilikilt, with the big boots.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Or actually, maybe the toe shoes.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Those are pretty popular. The Vibrams, yeah. Those are ... It's a thing. Yeah.
Larry Hryb: No. Can we get out of here?
Jeff Rubenstein: We should probably talk about games.
Larry Hryb: Let's talk about games. You and I, of course the big news this week, lot of news this week, but you and I played the new Overwatch Anniversary Edition.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, we did.
Larry Hryb: Did you unlock some skins?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, not the two that I wanted.
Larry Hryb: Which ones?
Jeff Rubenstein: I want the D.Va. Of course, I want the D.Va skin.
Larry Hryb: Which one?
Jeff Rubenstein: The one that's sort of, she looks like ... it's like the greaser, like the '50s one.
Larry Hryb: So the blue one?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, the blue one.
Larry Hryb: I have that one.
Jeff Rubenstein: Of course you do.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I liked it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I saw Michael McWhertor, who's a writer for Polygon, good writer. He just tweeted out, as I was driving in here, at a red light, looking at Twitter. In one loot box, he pulled two of that skin.
Larry Hryb: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I mean, that is like, "Play the lottery tonight, Michael." Because you've already won. You've already defeated those odds.
Larry Hryb: You know my favorite thing is, we were talking about when we were playing last night, is that all of the characters now have a dance.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I have to get that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, and they may not call it just dance. They call them different things. I think one of them, I think Pharah does the Hustle. Do do do do do do do do do, do do do do do do.
Jeff Rubenstein: I kind of know that.
Larry Hryb: You do?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, a little bit.
Larry Hryb: All right, here we go.
Jeff Rubenstein: Do the Hustle. Yes. And then I really want Cyborg: 76. I've been playing more. It's a year old now. I've been playing more of this game than ever. Not too many games mature like that.
Larry Hryb: It's one of those games, and you and I have played them on our various services over the years, where you and I, we have our work lives and we spend a lot of time together at work. We have our families. We love our families. But it's like, "Hey. We want to get together and kind of hang out." And it's an easy game, because we've played it so much, and it's second nature.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's sort of like a standing date, is what my wife calls it. She's like, "Do you have a date tonight?"
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And then it's like I look online and it's like you and Treit and True, and-
Larry Hryb: [Jervis 00:07:44].
Jeff Rubenstein: -Litheon, and Rabbit, a few others. It's like, "Okay, we have a quorum. Yeah, I got a date tonight."
Larry Hryb: Let's go. My wife does the same thing. It's funny, because we were playing the other night, and when we were playing the other night, she peeks in my office, says, "Who's the woman you're playing with?" And I was like, "There's no ..." And she was hearing ... because normally I have the voices turned down, so I play through my headset, and she's like, "Oh, okay."
Jeff Rubenstein: We're going to have to get my kid in here at some point, just so you can hear.
Larry Hryb: Winky face.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly. Everything she says, like an emote.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Your daughter speaks like-
Jeff Rubenstein: Like D.Va.
Larry Hryb: It's frightening.
Jeff Rubenstein: And she keeps hitting the "Is this easy mode?" Over and over.
Larry Hryb: She does not. I told you that. Remember when it came out, I'm like, "That sounded like your daughter."
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm like, "You can only do that if you like hit 20 eliminations or something like that." What else have you, when you were out, were you just completely ... You were just kind of ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I was incapacitated. I wasn't really on Twitter that much. I was just doing a little bit of thing on Twitter. What was I playing? I don't think I was playing anything. Seriously.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's when you know you're really sick.
Larry Hryb: I couldn't even get to my console. I couldn't even get out of bed.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. There's times where I fantasized, I was like, "I just wanna be sick enough to not have to come into work, but feel good enough that I can just bang out games for like a week straight."
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just to catch up.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Because I'm so far behind already.
Larry Hryb: My wife was so upset with you, by the way.
Jeff Rubenstein: Why? What did I do?
Larry Hryb: Because we did the show a couple weeks ago. And you know, I tweeted out the show was available, and you tweeted out few hours later, you were talking about my bedroom habits. She was like, "What did you say of me?"
Jeff Rubenstein: Is she not proud of her heat air vent thing?
Larry Hryb: The BedJet?
Jeff Rubenstein: The BedJet.
Larry Hryb: Got to call it by its proper name, dude.
Jeff Rubenstein: I went home and I showed that to my wife.
Larry Hryb: And what did she say? She kind of shook her head because you were-
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: Your wife is not amused by me, is she?
Jeff Rubenstein: She respects you. I think she doesn't necessarily have the tolerance for tinkering that your wife has.
Larry Hryb: I'll be clear. A lot of the tinkering I do in a sandbox. In other words, I don't expose her to it until it's kind of ready for prime time.
Jeff Rubenstein: If I put a 10 horsepower engine at the foot of the bed-
Larry Hryb: Oh no, it's under the bed.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, it still might be a bit more than she's willing to handle.
Larry Hryb: Fair enough.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm happy when she leaves the window open.
Larry Hryb: Tell her she needs to be more open in the bedroom.
Jeff Rubenstein: I ...
Larry Hryb: I caught you off-guard, didn't I?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, you did. She's not listening.
Larry Hryb: Good, so what are we playing?
Jeff Rubenstein: What are we playing? You know, I want to call attention to a game. People are always sending us information about titles they want us to play, and then hopefully talk about it on the show. I don't get too many of those from an @microsoft.com address.
Larry Hryb: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: And an engineer, someone who works here.
Larry Hryb: A coworker?
Jeff Rubenstein: A coworker who, he has designed a game in his own time, and it has now released. It's part of the ID@Xbox Program. It's an Xbox Play Anywhere game called A Walk in the Dark. And this is a puzzle platformer, sort of in the style of Super Meat Boy or VVVVV, you know that game where you flip upside down?
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Where it's like very short levels where you have to get through most of them. If you do it right, you can beat them in 30 seconds or less.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But there's well over 100 levels, and it's about just getting through. Everything's like a one hit kill, so it's about doing these perfect speed runs time and time again. I played the first few levels, and it was kind of hard, and I died a few times, and I was like, "Oh, I gave it a shot." And for whatever reason, I picked it back up again.
Larry Hryb: Oh no. That's when you know it's scratching some itch.
Jeff Rubenstein: It did. It was enough to-
Larry Hryb: "I can do this better."
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, like, "You know what?"
Larry Hryb: "I can do this."
Jeff Rubenstein: "Let me give this one more go." And I was playing on a laptop, and with the Xbox Play Anywhere, just the save ported right over, and my wife was watching, and I ended up just playing for a good long time. Probably got up to about level 50. It's a fun game. I would take a look at it. It's definitely I would say reasonably bargain priced. It's called A Walk in the Dark. It is Xbox Play Anywhere, and congrats to our coworker for ... It shows that anybody can-
Larry Hryb: What was his name? Do you remember?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll have to look it up.
Larry Hryb: It's funny, because I just want to explain to everybody, Jeff and I work at Microsoft. Microsoft's a big company.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well over 100,000.
Larry Hryb: When I joined the company, I think it was at 30. 30,000. But as Jeff said, it's well over 100,000 now, and unfortunately we just ... I know there's a lot of people that internally listen to this, and we just don't know everybody.
Jeff Rubenstein: Bruno Pereira Vidal.
Larry Hryb: So Bruno, there you go. Thank you for the game.
Jeff Rubenstein: Thanks for sending it over.
Larry Hryb: Thank you for giving us a heads up.
Jeff Rubenstein: And great job.
Larry Hryb: We've never met Bruno, but now we feel like he's now part of the family.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Absolutely.
Larry Hryb: There you go.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think it just shows that anybody can, if they put their mind to it, and the ability to make a game is no longer something that, "Well, I've got to make this a full-time job. I have to join a major company that is creating games." One person can make a game, and make a good game. I think that's kind of awesome.
Larry Hryb: Hey, speaking of games, which is what we do here, big news this week. Game Pass-
Jeff Rubenstein: Xbox Game Pass.
Larry Hryb: Launches on June 1st with over 100 games, and if you're a gold member, you can get in now.
Jeff Rubenstein: Already have it now. So over 100 games. I was looking through. There's a huge variety of games between major blockbusters like Halo 5 or Saints Row 4, NBA 2K16. Also, a lot of really cool Xbox 360 games, strategy games, stuff that I've enjoyed playing over the years like Defense Grid, there's Banjo-Kazooie's in there, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. There is a Bioshock, all of the Bioshocks are in there. Never been a better time to catch back up on those if you've never played them. It's pretty awesome how many ... Give you a little bit of inside baseball here, for media and folks that we work with, we're sending out hard drives. You're going to need ... There's so much to play, it's just like, "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which is kind of great for [crosstalk 00:13:52].
Larry Hryb: And anybody can ... Everyone calls it like Netflix for gaming, because it's you pay one monthly price, one low monthly price, you get access to a boatload of titles.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, all you can play. More [crosstalk 00:14:03].
Larry Hryb: I want to be clear. There's been some questions out there. This is not streaming. You are downloading it and playing it, right there offline. So once you download it, you're good to go.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, you don't have to worry, "Oh, I don't have fast internet," or something like that. "Is that going to impact gameplay?" Absolutely not.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Once you've got it, you're playing it.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, you're playing it and there you go, and of course your save goes with you, it's ... You essentially own it, for all intents and purposes. So anyway, Game Pass is big. Check that out. We'll put a link into the-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, yeah, dropping that in now.
Larry Hryb: We'll put a link in there, and you can figure that. What else came out this week, Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, you know, in addition to Mixer, which we'll be talking about a little bit-
Larry Hryb: We'll do that later.
Jeff Rubenstein: Xbox Game Pass, you went and you played Destiny.
Larry Hryb: I did.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's been pretty busy. How about The Culling? You know these battle royale games?
Larry Hryb: Yes, I do. I've heard about them.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a very, very big, very popular genre on the PC.
Larry Hryb: It's a genre that you haven't quite rung its bell.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well here's the thing, is I am terrible with mouse and keyboard. I've played The Culling at PAX East. At that point, I knew someone who was working with that team, and they'd let me know it was coming to Xbox, and I was so happy about that. Actually, we talked about that at the show.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, we did, at the show.
Jeff Rubenstein: I've messed around with Battlegrounds, PlayerUnknown's, I'm terrible at it, Rust, because mouse and keyboard. But now I get to play, starting June 2nd exclusively on Xbox One, the Culling is going to be bringing Battle Royale to console [crosstalk 00:15:33]
Larry Hryb: Mad Max is in Game Pass.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah-
Larry Hryb: I'm sorry. I was just looking through the [crosstalk 00:15:37]
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a lot of really good stuff. Why don't I just link-
Larry Hryb: Fable 3.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a page, and I'm just going to link directly to it, that has just every title. So take a look. If there's more than a few games in there that you haven't played, it's probably going to be a great deal for you.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, sorry.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, so The Culling's going to be coming, how about GWENT public beta? You've been playing this, haven't you?
Larry Hryb: I have played. I did a video for it. I got my kegs, so loot crates, they call them kegs there. It's a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to that. That'll be a Play Anywhere title. It's not now. It's in public beta, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's in public beta, but it's free, and everyone's invited to download it, so I'll put a link to that. Yeah, GWENT was something I got very into playing The Witcher, and there's a lot of potential there.
Larry Hryb: Did you finish the DLC?
Jeff Rubenstein: No. I haven't even started the DLC.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I started ... I finished one. I've got to go back and do the other one. You've heard me rave about it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm so far behind, I've been playing Mass Effect. I've gotten into that one, but that's a huge game.
Larry Hryb: I've been playing Prey a lot.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I need to get to Prey.
Larry Hryb: You do.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's right up my alley, but I have to finish one game before I start the next one.
Larry Hryb: I know, I know. You're probably the same way I am where you can have one single player going and one multiplayer.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's exactly it. It's Overwatch or Mass Effect, and then in between there I'm trying to get in ID games whenever I can. Speaking of more ... The Circus of Values continues. So it's not just Xbox Game Pass.
Larry Hryb: "Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the Circus of Value." You know who did that voice?
Jeff Rubenstein: You told me once.
Larry Hryb: Ken Levine.
Jeff Rubenstein: Really?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, from Bioshock. I remember you telling me about that.
Jeff Rubenstein: "The Circus of Values."
Larry Hryb: That's maybe the most memorable soundbite out of all those games. With all the little [crosstalk 00:17:11] sounds, and ...
Jeff Rubenstein: We should buy more things out of vending machines. The Japanese have it right, Larry.
Larry Hryb: They've got a lot of weird stuff in their vending machines too.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, the canned coffee, I was mostly talking about.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know, I booked a trip. I'm going to be going for a good long time this winter.
Larry Hryb: Are you going to Japan?
Jeff Rubenstein: For two weeks.
Larry Hryb: Oh that's ... Where are you going to go? Go to Tokyo?
Jeff Rubenstein: Of course we're going to Tokyo.
Larry Hryb: Flying to Narita?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. We're also going to go up to Sapporo and up to Hokkaido in the northern island.
Larry Hryb: Oh, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a lot of cool stuff up there.
Larry Hryb: I want to go up there.
Jeff Rubenstein: We were on a family trip a couple years ago, and I ran out of stuff to watch. There wasn't a lot I really wanted to watch on the TV that's built into the seat, and they had just a bunch of five minutes touring, "Oh, visit this city."
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Travelodge.
Jeff Rubenstein: I just love watching the one in the city I live in, because then I'm like, "No, that's not true. No. They're completely ... the traffic's terrible. They wouldn't be talking about it."
Larry Hryb: Right. Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Or, occasionally you see something you like. But I watched one on Sapp-o-ro or Sap-poro, I'm probably saying it wrong. This thing's like, it had just the most happy voiceover person, and I'm like, "My life is deprived by not having gone here to this snow festival and all." Anyway, so apparently they've ... We're going. I've never planned a trip this early.
Larry Hryb: I was going to say, that is not like you at all. Yeah, we haven't been to Japan ... You and I have never been together when we were working together.
Jeff Rubenstein: No. We should go on up. Yeah. No.
Larry Hryb: But I would love to go back to Japan.
Jeff Rubenstein: We've probably been to the same Tokyo Game Show before.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Last time I was there was actually when the PS Vita was revealed. I was there for work.
Larry Hryb: Was I there for that?
Jeff Rubenstein: You would not have been invited.
Larry Hryb: No, I wasn't at the event. I'm just saying that year.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, it was a stand-alone event.
Larry Hryb: Because you guys were doing it off ... You do it at a hotel in downtown.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. It was near the Tokyo Tower, if I recall.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I do remember that.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was like six years ago.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. So, anyway, a lot has changed in that time, which brings us back naturally, of course, to Games with Gold. So Xbox Games with Gold is really good. Whenever we reveal, I love just going to Reddit, and just seeing the thread.
Larry Hryb: Well, I want to be very clear. Let me just tell you a little bit more inside baseball. I usually get an email about what they are a little bit before we announce them, and I always forward it to you. Because I have my own thoughts, and I never comment, because I want to see what your comments are, and you and I are pretty much dead on.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. This is a great month. This is a month just rife with AAA. At the first half of the month, June 1st through 15th, Assassin's Creed III.
Larry Hryb: AC3.
Jeff Rubenstein: Through the magic of backwards compatibility, and SpeedRunners, which will debut in-
Larry Hryb: It's a brand new title.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: You don't even own it yet.
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: And you'll already have it for free.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly.
Larry Hryb: If you're a Gold member.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's a cool looking title, I think a combative speed running game. Those all tend to be single player games, so it's cool. Second half, so we have Dragon Age, the original Dragon Age-
Larry Hryb: Which you loved.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which you might not have also played, through the magic of back compat. Watch Dogs, the original Watch Dogs, set in Chicago-
Larry Hryb: Which I finished, yep.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was the first game I ever bought for this generation.
Larry Hryb: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: I preordered it before I even worked here.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was a lot of fun.
Larry Hryb: Do you remember that trailer?
Jeff Rubenstein: I do remember. That made a big impact. That was, I remember everyone standing around saying, "How is that possible?"
Larry Hryb: Right, "What?" Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And then, also some DLC for a free title that I've also been playing, and that's Phantom Dust.
Larry Hryb: Phantom Dust. Classic OG style, OG Xbox.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I played a bunch of that last night, and I had never played the original.
Larry Hryb: Right. Right. Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, it's really fun.
Larry Hryb: It is a lot of fun, isn't it?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. It's very different, but the combat is really cool, and once you sort of get used to the fact that it's an older style game with some conventions from 10, 15 years ago, there's a lot there. And considering it's free, you have no reason not to play.
Larry Hryb: All right. What else do we have?
Jeff Rubenstein: All right, so a couple games coming out. This one was announced this week, Hello Neighbor, a stealth horror game. I'm looking at the art, and I'll link to it, and it just reminds me if like 1987 Tom Hanks vehicle The 'Burbs was turned into a video game. It looks like that.
Larry Hryb: Okay. That's a call back.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. It's a movie that my grandparents rented for me a lot that they should not have rented for me, because it involves a grisly murder, when I was single digit age.
Larry Hryb: Yes. They still living in Philadelphia?
Jeff Rubenstein: Of course. Well, those things were kind of like not uncommon.
Larry Hryb: It's funny you brought up Tom Hanks, because when I was sick, I was watching, I was flipping through Netflix or Hulu or whatever, HBO Go, and I ended up on Cast Away.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know, I never watched Cast Away.
Larry Hryb: It has one of the most horrifying plane crashes.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's why I don't ... I travel a lot. Someone told me that, and I travel on planes a lot, and I refused to watch it.
Larry Hryb: As do I. But I watch it, and I'm like ... I had a 100 degree fever, and I was sweating, I was like, "Oh my God." It was terrible.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's why I will never watch that movie.
Larry Hryb: Seriously, it is one of the most ... Anyway, Tom Hanks.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, when you fly a lot, you kind of just have to ...
Larry Hryb: I don't know why it doesn't bother me.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, this is what I always say. I look around at the flight crew smiling, the flight attendants, the pilot. Would they have shown up for work if they thought there was any real risk, if they thought it was anymore dangerous than taking the bus? And the answer is no.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's the way I look at it. They're here.
Larry Hryb: Did I tell you what happened when I was going down, did you see-
Jeff Rubenstein: No, don't tell me if it was bad.
Larry Hryb: No no, this is completely different. So it's famous. It's known globally that my travel karma is terrible. Okay, you've witnessed it.
Jeff Rubenstein: The worst, yeah.
Larry Hryb: So we're going down to the Destiny 2 event.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's a two hour flight? What could happen?
Larry Hryb: That's what I thought. So we get on board, I look to my right, I sit down at my seat, I look to my right, and did you see what I ... here, I'll show you the picture.
Jeff Rubenstein: I did see it.
Larry Hryb: There's a guy, all I see is the rear end of a guy in a jet engine.
Jeff Rubenstein: But all the way into it.
Larry Hryb: All the way, and clearly it just, and there was one guy, and then two, and then three, and then a supervisor, and then a lot of tools.
Jeff Rubenstein: I saw some fan blade box, something.
Larry Hryb: All of a sudden, we're on the ground for an hour. Oh, by the way, and that doesn't even include the live trout eggs that were being loaded on.
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Larry Hryb: You didn't see that photo, did you?
Jeff Rubenstein: I missed that one.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, that was a weird one. I don't know what it was, but I looked out, and Jeff, you'll see this. Look at the-
Jeff Rubenstein: Did they need to fly the trout eggs down? Is there an emergency trout situation in-
Larry Hryb: Look at that. Could you look at that? Tell me what you see there.
Jeff Rubenstein: It says "hatching eggs." I wonder what they're-
Larry Hryb: It's not even just ... they're not live eggs, it is actively hatching.
Jeff Rubenstein: You're in the middle of it. You can hear, like, omelets being made in the-
Larry Hryb: And I'm going to hear this in the hold.
Jeff Rubenstein: Wow. Yeah, if you ever watch what they load onto ... If you ever just, as they're loading the plane, if you're sitting near the baggage ramp where they're putting stuff in there-
Larry Hryb: Like I was.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. It's like there's suitcases and all that stuff that you'd expect, but then there's always a bunch of other stuff. Like hatching eggs.
Larry Hryb: You know what I've not seen, that I hear is on a lot of planes?
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm?
Larry Hryb: Caskets. Because they're carrying the deceased somewhere.
Jeff Rubenstein: I guess so.
Larry Hryb: Anyway. Okay, way to bring the show down, Larry. Nice work.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was you.
Larry Hryb: Nice work.
Jeff Rubenstein: I shouldn't have brought up Tom Hanks. I really regret it now. Another bit of news.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is, again, a great weekend for bargain folks. If you don't want to spend any money at all, yes, you can play Phantom Dust, you can also, if you somehow haven't, you could play Fallout 4.
Larry Hryb: Ooh, and Overwatch.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. So there's a free ... And Overwatch?
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Overwatch is free this weekend too?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, this weekend.
Jeff Rubenstein: So Overwatch, Fallout 4-
Larry Hryb: If you are on Xbox One, this is what you should be doing.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, from the time that we've recorded this all the way up through midnight on Sunday the 28th, you can play Fallout 4. It's the first ever free weekend exclusive to Xbox Live Gold members. So good.
Larry Hryb: And of course, you download it, you play it, and if you decide you want to keep it, of course your progress ... You want to purchase it, it's available for a reduced price, and your progress is saved.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's about 67% off. And this was just about Game of the Year.
Larry Hryb: I love that game. You know I do.
Jeff Rubenstein: Two years ago? So there's no way you're going to beat it in a weekend. If you-
Larry Hryb: I haven't talked to Todd Howard in a while, which is always ... yeah he's always working on something.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, I'm sure you'll have the occasion to run into him at some point, but yeah, Overwatch Game of the Year Edition. There's too much to play. We're coming up to E3, and I know we're going to be traveling a lot.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: We got to buckle down, and we've got to beat some games. You got to beat Prey. Tell me about Prey.
Larry Hryb: All right. So I'll tell you a little about Prey. I'm enjoying it. I obviously am playing a lot of it. It reminds me a little bit of Dead Space, there's some open world elements to it. You know, the way they do the open world is, it's like you have a level to go through, and it doesn't matter how you get ... And there's multiple ways to get through this level. But one thing, there's this interesting ... You can go thought the space station and go to different areas, Jeff. What's interesting, there's also this other mechanic is, if you get to a certain area, you'll find an airlock that you can unlock to go outside and come around-
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, you do a lot of that stuff in Dead Space.
Larry Hryb: -to go to another unlocked airlock. So you actually have to discover it first-
Jeff Rubenstein: So once you do it from the inside-
Larry Hryb: It's kind of like a fast travel, but not really.
Jeff Rubenstein: And there's probably some hazards out there, aren't there?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, of course.
Jeff Rubenstein: That game looks really good.
Larry Hryb: You should try it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know. I have it.
Larry Hryb: Really great, the puzzles are fun, the environment's fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: I hear it's scary.
Larry Hryb: Well, that it is.
Jeff Rubenstein: With these mimics, these coffee mugs that will attack you. Is that a thing?
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Yeah. It is.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, as someone who drinks a lot of coffee, that's frightening.
Larry Hryb: So, any who.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just a couple of other games I just wanted to talk about that are out now. Shadow Warrior 2, I'm hearing this one get some nice buzz, and anything from Devolver Digital is usually worth taking a look at. That's an ID@Xbox title.
Larry Hryb: Yep.
Jeff Rubenstein: And DLC for Halo Wars 2, Sergeant Johnson is fighting again, and that is of course an Xbox Play Anywhere title. So you buy that, you get that DLC on Xbox One, it also will be there for Windows 10.
Larry Hryb: Hey, you know what? We should cover this in the gadget section, or we can do it right now. You know what else happened this week is new Surface.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Do you have any details on that?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. So it's the Surface Pro, it's got four times the amount of battery life, or 3.5 times, that's a lot more. As someone who used a Surface Pro as their daily driver, Surface Pro 3 before I got my Book, it already had pretty good battery life, so more than tripling that's pretty awesome.
Larry Hryb: And the I5 is fanless?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, and the I5 is fanless. The engineers here, they're always working under the hood. So I think if you were to just glance at the Surface Pro, the new Surface Pro, you might not know all the things that it does, but I think that-
Larry Hryb: That's why Panos needs to peel it back and romance it.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is the kind of stuff that people ask for. They're like, "I want more battery life."
Larry Hryb: Who doesn't?
Jeff Rubenstein: And that doesn't always happen.
Larry Hryb: Look, here's a few things. You want to have more money, you want to be thinner, you want to be younger, and you want more battery life. Who doesn't want those?
Jeff Rubenstein: Maybe not in that order.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, you choose what order you want.
Jeff Rubenstein: I would put battery life a little higher up than that, but ... Yeah, and there's some new Alcantara type covers. The same colors, they match up with the Surface Laptop.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which I was-
Larry Hryb: Did you like the burgundy?
Jeff Rubenstein: You know, the burgundy's very nice, but I'm a teal man, and the cobalt blue, that's the one that caught everyone's eye.
Larry Hryb: Yeah the cobalt blue. I think I'm going to swing that way too, because I just really like that. The burgundy's just a little too ...
Jeff Rubenstein: It's very rich the burgundy, and I think in different lighting it's going to look very nice. I think those are going to be your two most popular. I wouldn't sleep on the more champagne-ish color. I can't remember exactly what it was called right now, but it's ... You have your silver, which we've had in all of our Surface products, but there's more of a gold color.
Larry Hryb: If you want to take a look at any of them, just go to your local Microsoft Store.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: They have the new Surface Laptops, and probably by the time you listen to this, they may have the new-
Jeff Rubenstein: Surface Pro.
Larry Hryb: The Surface Pro as well. At least for you to look at. They'll be available in June, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. That's correct. June 15th.
Larry Hryb: Okay, well there we go. So that's our gadget section, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I need to get it, and they we can really talk about it.
Larry Hryb: Sorry about that. I still got a little bit of cough going on. What other news do we have here, Jeffrey? Again, if you missed anything, just go to my blog at majornelson.com. Follow me @majornelson and you'll hear all the details. You know what I really want to talk about? Far Cry 5, available for pre-order now.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. You know, if you want a lot of hot takes on the internet, then the Ubisoft team definitely obliges. Looks really cool. I saw a lot of stories coming out this morning. So after the reveal of the key art, we know it takes place in Hope County, Montana. It's very interesting. I was reading a lot about it. I'll link out to a story that talks a little bit more about what they're attempting to do with the game. We're big Far Cry fans. The thing that jumped out at me the most is that you could play coop for the entire game. Larry.
Larry Hryb: I'm sorry. I'm just looking at a piece of email that came in that's exciting. Go ahead.
Jeff Rubenstein: No way, so-
Larry Hryb: Coop the whole game, which you and I have done.
Jeff Rubenstein: So you've always been, since 3 and definitely in 4, you were able to play coop when you're attacking the bases or something like that, but then when it came to story missions, you couldn't play those in coop. Apparently, you can play the entire game in coop.
Larry Hryb: Which is what we love.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which is what we're going to be doing.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: So looking forward to that, and you can also customize your character. You can change, while it's a first person game, so I guess we'll see how that plays out, but you can play as both a man or a woman. You can change a number of different features there.
Larry Hryb: Do do do do do do do ...
Jeff Rubenstein: So I want to know who's doing the voice.
Larry Hryb: Do do do do do do do ... Take a walk on the wild side.
Jeff Rubenstein: I've never been to Montana.
Larry Hryb: That was more about you can change the play as a man or a woman.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh okay. Yes.
Larry Hryb: I haven't been to Montana either.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. We're not far from Montana.
Larry Hryb: Have I? Well, you were almost there when you went out to Idaho.
Jeff Rubenstein: I went to Idaho.
Larry Hryb: Right?
Jeff Rubenstein: I should have just kept on driving.
Larry Hryb: You should have just kept on going.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Well maybe tourism will tick up.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, Montana.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm assuming we'll see more on this game. I don't know much, but I have to imagine we'll be seeing more soon, and as big of a Far Cry fan as I've been for the last couple, looking forward to it.
Larry Hryb: Alright. We're going to take a break now, and I'm going to go grab the guys from Mixer, and we're going to talk all about the Mixer news this week. You ready for that, Jeff?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, I've never been more ready.
Larry Hryb: Here they are. Matt and James from Mixer.
Matt Salsamendi: Yo, what's up?
Jeff Rubenstein: How you guys doing?
Matt Salsamendi: Doing good.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a lot of crowd noise in the back.
Larry Hryb: Just imagine that it's post. Now you guys have had a busy week. First of all, I want to back up a little bit, because we've chatted a little bit before. Matt, you and I have chatted before. James, I've never really had you on the show.
James Boehm : Yeah. Thanks for having me today.
Larry Hryb: This is way overdue, so I apologize. So it's great to have you guys. But I want to back up a little bit. You guys are the founders of Beam, which is now known as Mixer, right?
James Boehm : That's right.
Larry Hryb: So let's talk a little bit about that, how you guys started the company, and then of course, what an amazing week you guys have had.
James Boehm : Yeah, so in 2014, Matt and I were working with a group of content creators that voiced concerns over the state of the streaming industry. There wasn't really an option out there that allowed them to connect with their audiences in the way that they wanted to.
Larry Hryb: Sure.
James Boehm : So we, Matt and I, saw an opportunity to create something that we were personally really passionate about. We love streaming, we love watching streamers. So it started out as a passion project for us. That we were able to get a couple of our friend and content creators. We had worked on the platform and start growing it.
Larry Hryb: And there you go. And then a few years later, now just be clear, Microsoft bought your company lees than a year ago.
James Boehm : Yeah. It's been super fresh. We just launched in early 2016. We announced the acquisition in August of 2016, so-
Larry Hryb: I remember that.
James Boehm : You can imagine that it's been a bit of a wild ride, and we're so excited for what's next.
Larry Hryb: And then this week was a big week because you've relaunched the service as Mixer, which is the new name for the service. Can you tell us a little bit about why the name change? I mean, I know you posted something on ... Matt, and for both of you guys I'll put a link off to you Twitter accounts. I saw you posted something on Twitter the other day, which really a lot of people are like, "Oh, okay. I get it."
James Boehm : Yeah, for sure. We wanted to pick a name that represented everything that we've been building in the communities that were on Beam in the past.
Larry Hryb: Sure.
James Boehm : We wanted a name that represented us bringing people together. We wanted a name that represented communities, and the Mixer name really does that, right? We're bringing people together. We're creating a fun environment where people can interact with broadcasters, discover new content. What I think is really important, though, is we wanted a name that we could market globally. We wanted a name that we could take to the world. We wanted things like the dot com, and those weren't things that we could do with the Beam name.
Larry Hryb: Right.
James Boehm : Right? So the Mixer name really marks our passion for evolving the Beam community, growing it, bringing it to more people, more audiences across the world.
Jeff Rubenstein: So a lot of times, when I was first getting introduced to Beam, there was a lot of talk about the tech, sub-second latency ...
James Boehm : And FTL.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, all this stuff, but when I hear you talk about it, it's about community and how the tech sort of serves that. So you talk about how you're using your advanced tech to actually make it better for streamers, better for viewers.
James Boehm : Yeah. I think the important thing is the tech, like you said, is just the enabler. Right? At our core, we're about community building, and one of the most important things that you need to build communities is the ability to interact, right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
James Boehm : And that starts with chat interaction, and on Beam, you have ... I'm sorry, on Mixer, you have super low latency chat interaction, so you can go in and with less than one second of delay be having a conversation. It's almost like you're on a Skype call with your viewers. And that makes it so much easier to hold really deep connections with your community. It makes it easier to grow them in the first place, and that's really important, but it goes further than that. As a community grows, you've got thousands of people watching. It's difficult to maybe read every single chat message, so we provide an interactive STK that allows game developers to interact directly into the games themselves.
Larry Hryb: Nice.
James Boehm : So what that means is that if you're playing Minecraft as a streamer, if you're playing the Java version of Minecraft, for example, you can install a mod that allows your viewers to create weapons for you, choose what enemies you have to fight, and really morph the game environment to be more fun and interactive.
Larry Hryb: And to take you places as frankly that you as a streamer just may not have thought you could go.
James Boehm : Absolutely.
Larry Hryb: Based on the audience.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, I thought that was incredible. So we're pretty friendly with a guy down at Telltale Games, Job Stauffer. And I'd ran into him about a year ago. He was just coming back from the UK where they had done something where they allowed people to, in a live theater, play through one of their Telltale games-
Larry Hryb: I remember that.
Jeff Rubenstein: And it was like "Whatever the crowd chose, then that's what we did." And I was like, that completely changes the single player experience. So I was very excited to see you guys announce crowd play. Talk about that.
James Boehm : We did. So, Job's a great guy. Job at Telltale Games, they've all been working super hard to bring crowd play to life. The idea behind crowd play is that the Telltales game series, you're picking, essentially it's like choose your own adventure, choose your own outcome.
Jeff Rubenstein: Option A, B, C, whatever, right?
James Boehm : Yeah. And the options are pretty cool. So you've got games like The Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy, and they had events where they would bring people into a room, and everybody shouting at the TV, everybody shouting at the content creator, like, "Hey. Let's go do this, let's go here-"
Larry Hryb: "No, no, no, let's do that."
James Boehm : "Save this person," right? So what Telltale Games crowd play does on Mixer is it allows the viewers to actually have a say in what ends up happening, and the way that works is we've got buttons beneath the stream that pop up in real time that correspond to what's going on in the game, and the viewers get to vote on different things, talk through the options, and it all happens super seamlessly and with super low latency.
Larry Hryb: And the democracy takes over, and the majority wins.
James Boehm : Exactly.
Jeff Rubenstein: Because in those games, you have to make those decisions quickly, and that could only happen though that tech.
James Boehm : Exactly.
Larry Hryb: Wow.
James Boehm : Yeah, so I think Job was telling us a lot of those decisions are only like five seconds or less, and that just wasn't something they could provide on other platforms, where it's 10 to 15 seconds of delay.
Larry Hryb: It's perfect for Mixer.
James Boehm : Exactly. With that 200 millisecond delay, you can instantly see what's happening and make decisions on the fly.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, well 200 milliseconds. That sounds like a lot when you say 200. 200 of anything can be a lot.
James Boehm : It can be.
Larry Hryb: But that's not.
James Boehm : It's about a fourth of a second.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
James Boehm : That's actually how fast it is.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, that's crazy.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think it's also interesting, because those types of games weren't necessarily good stream fodder before, because ... This all of a sudden makes it so much more ... I'm more interested now anyway, going back to some of the titles that I haven't played, and doing it that way, because you're playing in a room with other folks. I want to talk about this page, and I'll link to it in the show notes, which is-
Larry Hryb: What are we looking at?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's on your About Platform, and it's all these other things that you guys have either done or are thinking of doing. I don't know if there's any particular things you want to call out. Co-streaming is something that we're particularly, as Overwatch players, incredibly excited about doing, and I think we maybe we should start talking about co-streaming.
Larry Hryb: But we should always talk about, you know, you had a big week this week. We talked about the name change, we talked about that, but also it dovetailed with a lot of new features that are going to be available to the streamers, so I wanted to have you guys go though that.
Jeff Rubenstein: You said it better than I did, Larry. That's why you're the host.
Larry Hryb: Well, that's just trying to get it through there faster.
James Boehm : Yeah. We launched co-streaming, which is an industry first feature that allows up to four broadcasters to join their streams together, and have one consistent chat experience across all four of those streams.
Larry Hryb: Yup.
James Boehm : So as a broadcaster, if you're playing, let's say Overwatch, and you want to invite your friends, you can join your streams. All of your viewers can see those streams on one page, and get to chat with the other people from the other streams, but through one chat.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
James Boehm : So it's a really cool experience.
Larry Hryb: It seems simple, and it seems obvious, but no one's really done it properly before.
James Boehm : Exactly. So we're making it incredibly easy to get started co-streaming, and we've already seen some amazing, amazing streams out of it.
Larry Hryb: Oh, we need to do this, Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: See people follow you, you have the audience, but then when we play Overwatch, then they'll see who's actually carrying the team.
Larry Hryb: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. We should play with these guys. Do you guys play Overwatch?
Matt Salsamendi: I do.
James Boehm : I don't yet.
Larry Hryb: Okay, that's all right.
James Boehm : I do play some PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.
Larry Hryb: See now that's something that Mikey Barr has been getting me into and I saw that you are going to play with him. He's been after me, in fact, he barged in. I was streaming on Mixer last week. Did you hear about what happened?
James Boehm : I didn't but I can take a guess.
Larry Hryb: I apologize in advance, things are gonna get a little weird here.
Jeff Rubenstein: They were weird before you walked in, by the way.
Larry Hryb: Yeah and starting with I don't know how I ended up here but I ended in this weird esoteric forum about weather. I like weather, I'm a weather nerd. This guy had taken this ... Remember the Weather Channel back in the day? The Weather Channel had this automated thing that you could put up that local cable-
Jeff Rubenstein: Local on the 8's.
Larry Hryb: Local cable companies would insert every 15 minutes. Anyway, the guy basically released that code into the wild and you could run your own. So I was running it on my Windows 10 machine and it popped up and said, "Is this game? Do you want to stream it?" With Windows 10, you guys, Mixer is built into Windows 10. I said, "Yes, I do." So I started streaming this Weather Channel, which is just a weather report and it filled up with about 200 people. Mikey Barr comes in, he's like, "What are you doing?" I said, "I don't know. Come play player." It just kind of went side, I told you, you wouldn't know where it went.
James Boehm : You're right, I didn't know where that was going, but I would've loved to see it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, people were a little confused in the chat. I got the notice that you were streaming and I didn't know what you were doing.
James Boehm : Can you make that a thing? I would watch that if you were to do that.
Larry Hryb: I'm telling you, it was quite ... I'm going to see if I can find, while we're talking here, I'm going to kind of pull it up because I can pull up my video OnDemand and it was kind of crazy.
Matt Salsamendi: I know music is ... There you go. I know music is popular on Mixer and I've seen channels as like Monstercat that's always doing. I think it's about time for a Weather Channel that happens all the time.
James Boehm : Yeah, I've seen an auctioneer, like live stream auctioneers.
Larry Hryb: What's he auctioning? Or she?
James Boehm : They're auctioning stuff from this website. It's super random but-
Larry Hryb: Is this internal? [crosstalk 00:40:33] There was a bunch of stuff missing from my office. I think somebody was doing it from my office.
James Boehm : Quite possibly.
Matt Salsamendi: Larry Hryb's exclusive Xbox.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, here it is.
Matt Salsamendi: Here on Mixer.
Larry Hryb: I want to ask you guys a question though because for your launch, you did something really interesting. It was the first ever interactive fireworks show.
Matt Salsamendi: That was cool.
Larry Hryb: So this is not like fireworks like a screensaver on your PC. This is real pyrotechnics. Tell me, James, tell me about that.
James Boehm : Yeah, so it's an event we called Mixer Works where we launched actual fireworks that you'd see at any big event, controlled by the chats through Interacto. Matt was talking about interactive, how you can influence theme play but we took that model and that interactivity to the real world-
Larry Hryb: You brought it into real life.
James Boehm : With real fireworks. Not with just sparklers but huge, huge fireworks. People spent their sparks, they filled up to a certain cap, and then we launched off the fireworks.
Matt Salsamendi: Yeah, I think something over like four million sparks were spent during that event, which was like absolutely crazy.
Larry Hryb: Where do you guys set them off?
Matt Salsamendi: It was in the desert near LA.
Larry Hryb: Oh, like the Mojave?
Matt Salsamendi: I think so.
Larry Hryb: That's where we did Zero Hour for the Xbox 360.
James Boehm : That's cool. Maybe, I don't know.
Larry Hryb: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: You might have found like an old HDMI cable or something.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I could've. Who knows?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm sure because of all the attention that Mixer is getting right now, there's probably people thinking, "Hey, I would love to start but I don't know how to start streaming. I've never done it before."
Larry Hryb: Everybody is streaming, I'm too late to the game. What do I do?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, what would you advise for just getting started?
Matt Salsamendi: That's one of the great things about Mixer, is just the ease of getting started. We're actually integrating into the Xbox One, through the guide. You just open your guide, go down to the broadcasting tab, and you just click start broadcasting.
Larry Hryb: It's that easy.
Matt Salsamendi: It's that easy to get started. You can setup some settings from there and then go live, and you're already live on Mixer. It's incredibly easy to get started on the Xbox One, and also if you're on PC, you can press Windows G which opens the game bar. That's also the ability to get started with just a few clicks.
Larry Hryb: Just a half a billion people have Windows 10, no big deal, so.
Jeff Rubenstein: For those who maybe aren't ready to create yet but want to know, what are some interesting channels to view?
Larry Hryb: Besides my Weather Channel.
Matt Salsamendi: That's where you start.
Larry Hryb: That's where you start, right.
Matt Salsamendi: That's where you start.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is there any new and exciting stuff or interesting things you've been seeing besides weather?
Larry Hryb: Auctioneer. [crosstalk 00:42:49]
Matt Salsamendi: Yeah, where you should actually start is our new Mixer channel one stream.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Matt Salsamendi: We announced that yesterday along with all the other awesome changes. The idea is that we're curating tons of awesome content across the platform, and providing one stream for new users, new community member to go and hang out and understand kind of who we are, what we're about, and hopefully find some cool content in the process.
Larry Hryb: I want to also be very clear is that when you're on Mixer, you talked about community at the beginning of the interview, and never more have I felt that. When I start streaming, and James, you've dropped into my chat, Matt, you've been in there, I don't know how you guys find out. I'm sure you have some tools that say, "Hey these people are broadcasting, and you just kind of go through." But it's great because you start connecting with people. Certainly, I work with you guys and a lot of your team, which are great, but I've also met a lot of other people that normally wouldn't discover what we're doing. You've got the discoverability, first of all it's the ease on the Xbox 360. One thing I wanted to bring up, it's like don't worry about it if you don't have an account on Mixer. If you have an Xbox Live account, when you go through the console, James, right? It handles that on the backend.
James Boehm : Yep, that's absolutely right.
Larry Hryb: You just go click, click, click, done.
James Boehm : Does it for you.
Larry Hryb: It does it for you and then obviously the same thing with Windows 10. You guys must have seen an incredible uptick in traffic. We talked about the auctioneer and just seeing different things that the-
James Boehm : It's been really cool.
Larry Hryb: Tell us what else you've got up your sleeve. You talked about some new mobile apps and things like that, right?
James Boehm : We launched a very exciting new mobile app called Mixer Create. The idea is it allows you to stream from your phone. It's in a beta on both iOS and Android. For iOS it's a closed beta with partners and staff, but for Android, anybody can actually go download it today and give us feedback. We're excited to get both of those rolling out wider. The cool thing about them in particular is the fact that you still have that same sub-second latency as you do across all of our other platforms.
Larry Hryb: Sure.
James Boehm : So if you're used to streaming on Windows 10 with sub-second latency interacting with your chat-
Larry Hryb: You now have it in your pocket.
James Boehm : You get the same thing in your pocket.
Larry Hryb: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: We'll link out to that.
Larry Hryb: We'll link out to that? The other thing that's exciting, you guys, is I'm terribly jealous because I love what you guys do but now you have a world class studio in the heart of Manhattan at the Flagship Microsoft Store on 5th Avenue, which I've been to, into that studio. It's unbelievable. You guys have been there, right?
Matt Salsamendi: Yeah, I have.
Larry Hryb: It's unbelievable.
Matt Salsamendi: It's very nice.
Larry Hryb: Tell us a little bit about that.
Matt Salsamendi: Yeah, so like you said, out of New York, out of the Flagship Microsoft Store there, we have our very own Mixer studio where we've been broadcasting eSports tournaments to just a ton of different content out there. We've had a bunch of our Mixer partners that are in the, I guess, the tri-cities area up there.
Larry Hryb: Tri-state.
Matt Salsamendi: Or tri-state, yeah. I'm not from there.
Larry Hryb: That's okay. Jeff and I are.
Matt Salsamendi: I've heard that term. We've had partners in that area go up there and get to actually broadcast out of there. Actually today we're launching Paladins Tournament.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah.
Matt Salsamendi: We've got like six or seven of our partners up there right now recording out of that studio. It's really cool for our partners to get to leverage that and broadcast out of that studio.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I always love going back east and going home. I'm so excited to go back there and do that. Last week, I don't know if you guys, I'm sure you guys knew this, we did This Week on Xbox. We did a live version from the studio here. Jeff, I think we need to take that on the road. Will you go with me?
Jeff Rubenstein: I would love to do that.
Larry Hryb: I'd love to have you guys go with me too but it's so great to see. Mixer is everywhere. I mean look, the company you started, when did you start, 2014?
Matt Salsamendi: It was late 2014 that we started working on the project.
Larry Hryb: Right and then here we are a couple years later, three years later, and you have the CEO of Microsoft tweeting about your stuff. I saw Satya tweeted that the other day. Not bad gentlemen, not bad. It speaks to the incredible passion that you have for this and the technology and the roadmap. Can you give us a little hint about where we're gonna go from here?
Matt Salsamendi: I think the exciting thing with the new Mixer name is it allows us to bring the platform to more places, right?
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Matt Salsamendi: One of the important things is we're streaming E3 from Mixer, which is gonna be crazy.
Larry Hryb: No, no, no, you're not doing E3. You're doing it in 4k.
Matt Salsamendi: We're doing it in 4k. You know it.
Larry Hryb: Okay, that's big.
Matt Salsamendi: Yeah, so it's gonna be crazy. We're really excited for that and the technology that we're building around that event is ultimately going to help all the broadcasters on the platform expand their reach, expand their audience to more places. That's really going to be our focus.
Larry Hryb: I just want to apologize on behalf of everyone that if you do see me in 4k, I apologize. Okay, it's gonna be ... It's really exciting to see what we're going to do with year at E3 and you're going to be able to see some great stuff. You have an Xbox One S, you'll be able to see it in beautiful, and of course you need the TV and the whole Magilla.
Jeff Rubenstein: The TV with the thing and the screen.
Larry Hryb: The screen and the HDMI. I don't know. You gotta have all that stuff and seriously, if you have 4k at home you are gonna just love it. It's gonna be phenomenal and that's addition ... Are you guys doing sub-second streaming on 4k?
Matt Salsamendi: That's the goal so we're trying to get as many people on the sub-second pipeline as possible.
Larry Hryb: My God that's a lot of bits.
Matt Salsamendi: It's pretty crazy. We want it to be stable obviously for people, and it's a huge event, so we're working hard to optimize across a variety of different paths. The goal is to deliver as much of it as possible in less than one second of latency so people can hear all of our cool announcements right as they happen.
Larry Hryb: Great. Real time style. All right. Tell me, anything else you want to go over? Because you guys have a busy day ahead of you.
James Boehm : You know, Jeff you were talking about finding content earlier.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, oh right.
James Boehm : There's one thing we didn't mention that we're launching a tab on the Xbox dashboard through Mixer to showcase some of the very best content on the platform.
Larry Hryb: When you sign into your console, you go home, then you'll see a couple-
Jeff Rubenstein: Hit the bumpers there.
Larry Hryb: You hit the little bumpers at the top and you'll see some different tabs. Community, there's gonna be one there called Mixer and people are gonna find what under there, James?
James Boehm : Like I was saying, just featured content. The best content-
Larry Hryb: Auctioneers?
James Boehm : Maybe. It's not unlikely, well probably unlikely but it's a possibility.
Jeff Rubenstein: James, just be prepared for him to say he wants a permanent spot.
James Boehm : Yeah, he wants a permanent spot.
Larry Hryb: I'm not asking for my Weather Channel. I've already got a permanent spot with This Week, but if you're gonna give it to me ... You can actually go in there. I was showing it off on the stream. You can go in there and look and say, "Hey, here are the popular games right now." You can just click on Destiny and all of the sudden, here's everybody streaming Destiny and what's going on. There's just tremendous excitement in this space and it's exciting to see that with Mixer now available to millions of people worldwide now, that anybody can do this. I ask you, listener, why are you listening to this show? Why aren't you streaming?
Jeff Rubenstein: Why aren't we streaming this show on Mixer?
Larry Hryb: I don't have an answer for that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Well you did the first live this week on-
Larry Hryb: I did This Week on Xbox.
Jeff Rubenstein: We talked about, so-
Larry Hryb: We want to bring a podcast to Mixer. We just haven't figured out the right way to do it.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's too fast for us.
Larry Hryb: No, we can figure it out. We got faces for radio, we'll leave it at that. All right gentlemen, well thank you guys.
Matt Salsamendi: Thank you.
Larry Hryb: Matt, James, it's always good to have you in here. Looking forward to seeing what you guys have cooking up, and as you heard straight from these guys, tune in E3, Xbox E3 in glorious 4k. So go out and get that TV. Go out and get that Xbox One S. Gentlemen, we'll talk to you next time.
Matt Salsamendi: All righty.
James Boehm : Thanks so much Larry.
Matt Salsamendi: Thanks Larry.
Larry Hryb: Thank you Matt and James. It's always good to have those guys in the studio.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's good to have them on the team. It's nice having that stuff in here. I'm more motivated to stream then. We really got to do this co-streaming Overwatch. We need to do this. I'm very motivated.
Larry Hryb: What you don't like my Weather Channel?
Jeff Rubenstein: I think that could be a subchannel under the Major Nelson streaming umbrella mega corp.
Larry Hryb: It was so bizarre.
Jeff Rubenstein: There was people watching it though.
Larry Hryb: There was people watching, I just don't know what was going on, but anyway-
Jeff Rubenstein: That was a strong line of thunderstorms. People like to watch that. That could lead to tornadic activity.
Larry Hryb: Now here's the deal, see now you appreciate it because you did weather. I think I told you the story when I was in college, like when I was a freshmen year in college my dad's like, "What are you gonna major in, in university?" He says, "Weather." I said, "What Dad?" He's like, "There's always gonna be weather so there will always need to be weathermen." Or weather women.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's some truth to that. The thing is most people, I mean I've done this. I was on the track to become a weatherman. So everyone, they go through it, they don't know what they're doing. You just look, whatever the AccuWeather, whatever sort of subscription service we had tells you. Then once you get the job and you're already on TV and have been doing it for a while, that's when you go back and it's like through Mississippi State or something. Everyone gets a degree in meteorology well after they've been a weather person. When you're watching TV, they'll have that seal-
Larry Hryb: Do you have your degree?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I didn't do it because I got out. You know what I need?
Larry Hryb: The AMS seal?
Jeff Rubenstein: The AMS seal. You get that after you're already on TV.
Larry Hryb: How hard is it to get that?
Jeff Rubenstein: There is some studying involved.
Larry Hryb: I'm sure there is.
Jeff Rubenstein: You learn about the different clouds and vortices and this-
Larry Hryb: Cumulus.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's the fluffy one, yes Larry. I found myself, and I was like 22, doing weather. "Hurricanes are coming in."
Larry Hryb: They're not stopping.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm like, at this point I'm just going to read ... Yeah, I'm like, "I am not trained to forecast this. Here's what the experts are saying."
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Here's what it's going to say on the crawl tonight.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I was like, "Please don't, just please don't hit us." I was not gonna stand out there like they do, you know?
Larry Hryb: Oh, no.
Jeff Rubenstein: You can hit by a lawn chair or something flying through the air.
Larry Hryb: Getting blown away.
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: You can get struck by lightening.
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a lot of things that can happen.
Larry Hryb: It's deadly.
Jeff Rubenstein: You stay inside. I boarded up the windows and I stayed inside.
Larry Hryb: In front of your green screen.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, we're gonna wrap up the show here because I know you got to get going. I've got to get going. I've got to do-
Jeff Rubenstein: We have a nice long weekend. I got a lot of catching up to do. I've got to start playing [crosstalk 00:52:34]
Larry Hryb: In the US, in the United States it is Memorial Day Weekend.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is.
Larry Hryb: Which is a big, which is kind of the unofficial official start of summer.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, we went straight from winter into summer here in Seattle.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, everywhere else it was more of a gradual ascension in the temperature. For us it was like-
Jeff Rubenstein: It was 40 degrees last week and it's 80 degrees this week. Why not?
Larry Hryb: Seattle, why you do this? So we're gonna be playing this weekend. Maybe we'll stream this weekend. Do you have any gadgets you want to talk about? We talked about the new Surface Pro coming out.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm hoping to get ahold of one of those. It comes out mid June. I'm going to get ahold of both the Pro and the laptop and I'll be happy to talk to you about them. I'm excited.
Larry Hryb: I think I may get the laptop next week.
Jeff Rubenstein: Why do you get it first? This is literally my job.
Larry Hryb: I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: And they give it to you.
Larry Hryb: They reached out to me and I told them I'm going-
Jeff Rubenstein: Who's they? Let's talk off camera.
Larry Hryb: Okay. Okay. Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: I want one.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so-
Jeff Rubenstein: I have gadget lust.
Larry Hryb: We've got that coming in. We've got a few other things to do but next week don't think they'll be a show because I actually have to travel back east. I'm going to my niece's high school graduation. I'll be in Providence.
Jeff Rubenstein: The week after that we're gonna be down to E3 already.
Larry Hryb: The week after that we're going to E3 so it's-
Jeff Rubenstein: Is this the last show before E3?
Larry Hryb: This may be the last show because we're doing some rehearsals for some things. I can't really talk about much.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know you can't.
Larry Hryb: Neither can you.
Jeff Rubenstein: You're very well disciplined this year. I've seen no rumor posts saying Larry hints at this or that. That's good. I don't know, maybe we can find some time, maybe in the hotel. Maybe a pre-E3 stream.
Larry Hryb: Or even a post one. I can bring my little Mevo and we can do something. Maybe we can go up to do something right to Beam or Mixer.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that would be great. Let's do that.
Larry Hryb: Okay, we'll do something. You guys want to see us from Mixer, let me know. Promise, no weather. Maybe a little.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah a little bit. We can't help ourselves.
Larry Hryb: Just to keep it local.
Jeff Rubenstein: I've got to keep my mom happy. Believe me, she was like, "Why aren't you a weatherman?" She liked my friend who is a weatherman.
Larry Hryb: You have a friend that-
Jeff Rubenstein: She's like, "Why can't you be more like Nick?"
Larry Hryb: So she gave up on you ever being a doctor?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, very quickly. I let her down.
Larry Hryb: That ship sailed. You could've been selling hot dogs like I was.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's true. I was bagging groceries where shopping is a pleasure.
Larry Hryb: Publix?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. That's my first job.
Larry Hryb: Which, by the way, I take it on good authority you claim they have the best sandwiches.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah, Publix subs. We were down visiting my sister a couple weeks ago.
Larry Hryb: What's the secret?
Jeff Rubenstein: It's just Boar's Head meat.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, which [inaudible 00:54:55]
Jeff Rubenstein: It's just really good. You make it exactly how you want it. I love it. I love it.
Larry Hryb: Publix. There's no Publix out here.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're as far from Publix as you can get in the continental US.
Larry Hryb: You know who eats at Publix? A Florida man.
Jeff Rubenstein: All of them do.
Larry Hryb: All of them do.
Jeff Rubenstein: They're just chugging sweet tea.
Larry Hryb: All right gentlemen and ladies, and everyone who's listening in between, I want to thank you for finding the time to download the show.
Jeff Rubenstein: For making it this far.
Larry Hryb: For making it this far and God bless you. We are going to go away and do E3, so we will talk to you maybe before, maybe after, I don't know. If you follow me on Twitter @majornelson, and Instagram. I apologize in advance because I will be chatting during E3. Jeffrey, you can find him at ...
Jeff Rubenstein: @jeffrubenstein.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, that's how you do it. All right gang, we'll see you. If we don't see you before, we'll see you at E3. Thanks for listening and have fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: See you in June.

Larry Hryb: Hey there, welcome to the show. My name's Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson, joined by Jeffrey Rubenstein, hello Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Why, thank you for-
Larry Hryb: Jeff, Jeff, not Jeffrey, I'm sorry.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mom, is that you? Is it time for school?
Larry Hryb: I know, I know. Apparently I'm the only one that calls you Jeffrey [inaudible 00:00:37].
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, just my mom, thank you.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, thanks for joining us, this is show 599 and we are currently, as we record this, Laura-less. She may join us, as we like to say in broadcasting, in progress.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, we're being stood up right now.
Larry Hryb: She's got some important stuff. She's working on a lot of cool projects and, unfortunately, she had some things she had to fix up that needed her immediate attention. So she may join us mid-stream, we'll see.
Jeff Rubenstein: We should have my mom in.
Larry Hryb: I have not met your mother. She's down there in, where is she again?
Jeff Rubenstein: She's in Fort Lauderdale area.
Larry Hryb: South Florida.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Right on the border of the Everglades.
Larry Hryb: Eyyzzzrrrr.
Jeff Rubenstein: You're just gonna bring up a Florida man story now, and I know exactly which one. No, we've never been to Sebring. Interesting story there.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But she's a big fan of yours. I was down there a few weeks ago and, always, first thing-
Larry Hryb: Does she listen to the show?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, but she does follow you on Twitter. How's Captain Morgan doing?
Larry Hryb: That's right, [crosstalk 00:01:33]
Jeff Rubenstein: And she knows, she knows now.
Larry Hryb: She knows, she's just funning me.
Jeff Rubenstein: She's just teasing.
Larry Hryb: You're so funny. I've had my mother on this show. Maybe we should have your mother on this show?
Jeff Rubenstein: I think that ...
Larry Hryb: And then we should have Laura's mother, if we can even get Laura to ... You know what, Laura's mom you can come sit in because your daughter's never here anyway.
Jeff Rubenstein: We can have therapy, we can talk about how like she told me that I'll never get a job playing video games.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And pretty much now my entire career path has been-
Larry Hryb: Video games.
Jeff Rubenstein: Fueled by spite.
Larry Hryb: Well I've done the same thing with my mom. It's like, "Hey mom, you were wrong."
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I'm playing right now Mom.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, you and I have been, I'll be the first to tell you. Me, I am incredibly lucky and fortunate.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah.
Larry Hryb: And Jeff I think you share the same sentiment I do. You know we worked hard and we worked with cool stuff. But now we get to work on cool gaming stuff here. And ...
Jeff Rubenstein: You should do what you love if you can.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, you know what, 'cause it doesn't feel like work. I have always been blessed when I've worked in radio. I've had jobs, you know the various jobs I've had, I've owned a hotdog wagon, I've washed dishes. I used to work in a retail store.
Jeff Rubenstein: We both done it. Yeah, yeah.
Larry Hryb: I've done all sorts of that stuff.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, all that.
Larry Hryb: And that stuff is important because you learn, frankly how to be an employee. And what you need to do. So, oh boy. We just ...
Jeff Rubenstein: That's it. The more you know.
Larry Hryb: The more you know. What are you playing?
Jeff Rubenstein: What am I playing? We're playing, of course we are playing Overwatch. There is no need to dwell on it.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's still really good.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But in between matches ...
Larry Hryb: But, but could we talk about this other interesting Overwatch development. Are you okay with that?
Jeff Rubenstein: Which one? Oh, yeah let's do that. If you want.
Larry Hryb: You are apparently, a couple weeks ago, I think it was just about two weeks ago. You're daughter showed interest in playing Overwatch. And how did that go?
Jeff Rubenstein: I've been sort of planning this for a long time. Started with the first first person game she ever played.
Larry Hryb: It's the long game.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was Minecraft.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And first thing I ever did was before she ever picked up the controller was make sure it was inverted.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: So that we could be consistent as a family. The last thing I want to do is pick up a controller in my own home and be an alien in my own home. And not have it be inverted. So all she knows, down is up.
Larry Hryb: She's younger. How old is she?
Jeff Rubenstein: She's seven.
Larry Hryb: She's seven, okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: And so you know, I figured nature versus nurture.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I couldn't make her a left hander, like me. It's bad enough. But I can make her an inverter and there she is. But I figured there is a lot of like, we play a lot of the mini games where you are throwing the snowballs. The Minecraft mini games are so much fun, you should try it. The Elytra Racing. So she is just getting used to maneuvering in a 3D space. She's gotten quite good at it. So at one point I was like, okay we gotta get her into a shooter. And someone that used to work here, Josh Kerwin, his kid, his whole family as a group they wait and they play Overwatch.
Larry Hryb: And he's now a Blizzard.
Jeff Rubenstein: He now works at Blizzard. The role he was meant to have. And at some point she was watching me play. And she was wanted me to just sort through the player sorter. The player gallery. Where you can see everyone. And I was like, "Let's see who do you want to be, who do you want to be?" And she fell in love with Mercy.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Everyone needs a healer.
Larry Hryb: Yep.
Jeff Rubenstein: So we jumped into a bot game. And with the easy bots and her being Mercy. You know she's figuring out that whole thing. And then she started noticing the play of the game. And that ...
Larry Hryb: How do I get that down?
Jeff Rubenstein: How do I get that? How do I play the game?
Larry Hryb: What is that? Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I've been spending a lot of time with Soldier 76. We are getting real close these days. And so she was like, well let me try him. And so we put her into practice.
Larry Hryb: Uh ...
Jeff Rubenstein: First time she uses a sim she got play of the game.
Larry Hryb: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: This is against the bots. It's not exactly high level play. But she got a good series of kills. And that was it. And she was like, "Oh my god that was great!" And then she was like, "I want to use Diva now." So she used Diva and she got play of the game on a self destruct.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And there is no going back. I am like, "Hey we could always use a healer." And she is like, "Nope." And so now the way it ends up working is I am Mercy.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And it's my job to keep her alive.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And so we're running. She's upstairs, I'm downstairs. And we're both running a lot of multi players.
Larry Hryb: Good.
Jeff Rubenstein: So hopefully she'll be, I feel like you start them at seven.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know she could go pro. She could get into some Overwatch leaguing career.
Larry Hryb: She could probably retire by 11.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's what I aiming ...
Larry Hryb: Now what's interesting is that you were telling me this other story about how you went into, you were playing against the bots, or whatever the mode it is where there is humans versus bots.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, yeah it's like training.
Larry Hryb: And somebody chose the character she wanted. And she got very upset.
Jeff Rubenstein: Very upset!
Larry Hryb: And she didn't understand that mechanic, did she?
Jeff Rubenstein: No it was the first time. So she has learned to get very fast at picking Diva. Did I tell you about the other thing where we had to ground her off of Overwatch?
Larry Hryb: Tell this story, it's a good story.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'd been traveling. I don't know if you saw the Microsoft Education event where we announced the Surface laptop. I was in New York.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And so I was gone and you know you get there a few days early. So I missed the weekend, I was in New York. And my wife was telling me like, "Oh she is waking up at like 7 in the morning." And my wife sleeps in. And she comes down stairs and she's like, "How long have you been playing Overwatch?" And it's pry been a couple hours. And so this weekend, this past weekend, we are awoken by the sounds of controller movements. She is playing on mute but we can hear that the game is on. And God knows how long she has been on it. And so we try to regulated that at least a little bit. So we yell downstairs, "Hey, turn it off. Go do something." Go play with blocks, I don't know.
Larry Hryb: Go read.
Jeff Rubenstein: Read, yeah. And she said, "Okay." And then we still feel like we are hearing clicking sounds of the controller. So I walk downstairs. We are above her. And I guess she hears my footsteps cause I go down there and the TV is off and she is just sitting there staring at a blank TV But the controller is right next to her and the controller is still lit up.
Larry Hryb: That's called a smoking gun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. And I am like, "Playing are you?" And she is like, "No." And I am like, "Okay, go do reading." So we go back up and I give it like five minutes. And then what I do is open up the Xbox app on my phone and I can see she is playing Overwatch.
Larry Hryb: Because she has different Gamer Tag than you.
Jeff Rubenstein: Exactly, yeah. So I am looking at her Gamer Tag and she is clearly playing.
Larry Hryb: Sure.
Jeff Rubenstein: So ...
Larry Hryb: You should have sent her a message, "I'm coming downstairs now."
Jeff Rubenstein: I really should have done that. That's a great idea. So I go to go again. And then this time, like very quickly, she scrambles and hits the receiver so it turns everything off.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I am like, "Were you playing?"
Larry Hryb: Uh oh. Teachable moment.
Jeff Rubenstein: And then I go, "Tell the truth here or it will be much worse." And she thinks about it and she goes, "No." And I hold up the phone and I go, "Yes, you were."
Larry Hryb: Busted!
Jeff Rubenstein: And now you are grounded off of Overwatch. I created a monster and now I've got to reign it in.
Larry Hryb: Now you've got to deal with it, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But she wants to be Diva for Halloween.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: She wants me to be Soldier 76.
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:08:10]
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm a little old to start cosplaying. But Soldier is old.
Larry Hryb: I disagree.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well thank you.
Larry Hryb: I disagree.
Jeff Rubenstein: I am going to be Daddy 76.
Larry Hryb: Did you see the cosplay I had to do in the latest episode of This Week on Xbox?
Jeff Rubenstein: The last one I saw I think you were dressed as a farmer?
Larry Hryb: No, you will see this. The one that airs now, depending upon when you listen to the show, the latest one was a record this is a ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Why don't I just link to it?
Larry Hryb: No, no yeah. Just look for it on my Twitter. Don't worry about that. Or look for it on the YouTube channel.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh no, we are going to find it.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so anyway you are playing Overwatch.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: You are also playing a few other things.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, so Forza Horizon 3, we talked about it I think on the last show two weeks ago. The Hot Wheels pack it is available now.
Larry Hryb: Now, I got to tell you. If you haven't played this, first of all, everybody loves Hot Wheels. I don't care who you are, what you are, but everybody loves Hot Wheels. You can not find anything wrong with this pack. It's just, it's awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is not just a couple extra cars. This is not like a mode. This is a full map. Like in the vein of like Blizzard Mountain. Which is also fantastic. But it is like, I've never seen anything like this. It takes place as a couple of islands off the coast of Australia. And everything is like giant Hot Wheels tracks, bright orange with the blue junctions.
Larry Hryb: Right. Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: There is like spinny things that like sort of speed you up. It changes the mechanics in a way.
Larry Hryb: And of course, the loops.
Jeff Rubenstein: The loop to loop. I mean giant dinosaurs.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's just a joy to play.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And it's challenging.
Larry Hryb: It will unlock that inner child in you. You and I were talking about this, we all had at least in my family, we all grew up with Hot Wheels. And running those orange tracks through the living room and under the couch and around the dog. And all that other stuff. So it was great.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's yeah. I feel like this has definitely captured something a lot of people, a lot of the folks that we talk to, YouTubers and such have been jumping on it. And it's a lot of fun. I know we linked to the trailer before. But if you ever played Hot wheels before, or toy cars, Matchbox even, whatever it might be.
Larry Hryb: Check it out.
Jeff Rubenstein: Check it out. This is probably for you.
Larry Hryb: So there you go.
Jeff Rubenstein: So yeah, so spending a lot of time with that. Also started playing Thimbleweed Park.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, this came out on ID@Xbox of course.
Larry Hryb: About a month an a half ago.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, something like that. Yeah, yeah, Ron was on the show. It just in the past week has also ... It's an Xbox Play Anywhere Title. And the Windows 10 version of that is now available. So if you bought it on Xbox One, if you go over to any Windows 10 computer, you'll launch the store and you look at your downloads. You are going to see hey, I can get Thimbleweed Park now. So I did that. And I am just playing not even on a gaming PC. Just on a Surface Book. And of course it plays great. That's a funny, funny game. I haven't played an adventure game like this since, I think it was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Atlantis or something like that.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is like 1991 or something when I was in middle school. And I remember playing with a friend and it was really fun. It's cool going back but it's a very funny game. It's very self aware. They are constantly referring to the fact that they are in a game, and how people play games. Like before I was talking to someone dangerous, like one of the dialogue options was, "Should I save now because I really don't want to lose my progress?" And it was going into a whole conversation about how they made the game play friendly. And the voice is fun. I definitely recommend checking that one out, Thimbleweed Park.
Larry Hryb: Like I say, if you bought it on Xbox you know when it came out a month and a half ago you've already go it on Windows 10.
Jeff Rubenstein: You've already got it.
Larry Hryb: Just go over to the store. Go to your, I think you go into your library and there it is.
Jeff Rubenstein: And your save game, everything. Achievements, it all carries over.
Larry Hryb: What are you waiting for?
Jeff Rubenstein: That's a great question, Larry.
Larry Hryb: It's waiting for you right there.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we should do something where you get to choose your dialogue options.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a funny game. We talked about Voodoo Vince a couple weeks ago. I beat that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I am still playing Mass Effect Andromeda.
Larry Hryb: I got to bring you over to meet Clayton. You haven't met Clayton yet, the original.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh no, I've met him.
Larry Hryb: Oh you have?
Jeff Rubenstein: I met him at Pax East.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah, he's great.
Jeff Rubenstein: Doing a demo it was the first time I got to go hands on and I knew right away that this was going to be something I was going to want [crosstalk 00:12:13]
Larry Hryb: Well there is also something about getting a demo from the game from the game developer, the writer, the creator.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: There is a certain je ne sais quoi about that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, tres bonne.
Larry Hryb: Oui, oui.
Jeff Rubenstein: So I know what you've been playing besides Overwatch.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Tell us about Prey.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I've been playing Prey. It's one of those games I got into and I thought I would like it. But boy do I like it. I am having a good time with it. There is a great Skill Tree. It feels good. You know, throw those head phones on and it's great.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's scary? Because it kind of looks a little scary to me.
Larry Hryb: It does have those moments. It's kind of weird because I am playing it and feels a little like Bio Shock because you are on an abandoned Space Station. So it's kind of like that. And then you got these creatures, so it's got this Mass Effect meets Dead Space. Well maybe more Dead Space than Mass Effect.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So yeah there's just a lot of these elements, and I'm churning away having a great time with it.
Jeff Rubenstein: You beat the Aliens games.
Larry Hryb: Yeah I did beat the Aliens game that's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: There is interesting mechanic. And this really isn't a spoiler but each level is part of the ship. And you can either get through them by going to these doors and hitting it and you will load the next section. Or they've got this, it's not really fast travel because it's actually not fast at all, but you can open up these airlocks that go to the outside of the ship. You have to unlock them from the inside.
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh huh.
Larry Hryb: Unlock them and then you can go outside with your space suit and go to another part of the spaceship.
Jeff Rubenstein: So once you've unlocked it the first time, then you can go back.
Larry Hryb: Then you go outside.
Jeff Rubenstein: You can take the short or direct one.
Larry Hryb: Right, right. And there is things that happen outside that you have to deal with. So it's actually really kind of cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: It definitely sounds like a combination of Bio Space.
Larry Hryb: Bio Shock.
Jeff Rubenstein: Bio Shock and Dead Space. I guess Bio Space.
Larry Hryb: So I am playing that and that's a lot of fun. We talked about Forza Horizon 3. I'm playing a little bit of Gwent. You know that card game. You know, 'cause that's in Beta. So I am really enjoying that as always. I finished, since we last talked, I finished Little Nightmares.
Jeff Rubenstein: Another scary game, right?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, very scary but also very bite size. I think it took me four hours, maybe. I don't remember I kind of took my time on it. You should really play this Jeff. It kind of gives up the achievements pretty easy.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's good [crosstalk 00:14:21]
Larry Hryb: There is like, I think there's a 50 pointer for walking up and down a piano.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that sounds like ...
Larry Hryb: That sounds like right up your alley.
Jeff Rubenstein: You know me pretty well here. I've been putting up some good numbers on the achievements.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, you have.
Jeff Rubenstein: I want to catch you. I don't think I am going to. You are coming up really close on the century mark.
Larry Hryb: I am, I am. Yeah, so I am getting close. I play it to play it, I have fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, well yeah. But it's also nice to get those achievements.
Larry Hryb: Well especially with, again I don't want to give too much spoilers, but there's certain achievements that would have been way easier had I known about them in Little Nightmares.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Larry Hryb: You know you can get them as you go through certain areas but then I had to go back and go through those areas again and get to them. And it was a little more challenging. But yeah, so Little Nightmares is just, oh boy, just play it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Play it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay, I can do that.
Larry Hryb: It can be a little bit disturbing because there's nightmare material in here. There is nightmare fuel. You won't be surprised by that because of the title. But it's definitely a lot of fun. So check it-
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, you know the word little makes you think that's not so scary.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so check that out. I am probably going to churn through Prey. One of the reasons I wanted to get us into the studio this week, even if I don't even know where Laura is, because next week I'll be headed down to Los Angeles. I will be going to the Destiny 2 event, Bungie slash Activision's Destiny 2 event. So I got to go down and that will be on Thursday so we won't be able to do a show next week. That's just a slight programming note.
Jeff Rubenstein: I am looking forward to that event.
Larry Hryb: Are you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Just to see what comes out of that. Destiny was my most played game in 20 ...
Larry Hryb: 14, 15
Jeff Rubenstein: 14 and 15 I want to say.
Larry Hryb: I don't remember.
Jeff Rubenstein: I know it's Overwatch this year. But I am very interested to see what they are going to be doing.
Larry Hryb: Why don't you come down with me? I know you're busy.
Jeff Rubenstein: I would love to.
Larry Hryb: I would love to.
Jeff Rubenstein: You talk to my boss?
Larry Hryb: I am actually, here is something interesting, I am actually coming ... I don't know if I can even talk about this but I will.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is going to be trouble. Alright do it!
Larry Hryb: I know, I know. I am going down to do the Destiny event and then I have to get on a plane early Friday morning. So what is that, Friday the 19th?
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Larry Hryb: On Friday the 19th I am going to come back up here. We are going to do, I hope so I mean I shouldn't say this but I will. We are doing a live version of This Week on Xbox Friday afternoon.
Jeff Rubenstein: Really?
Larry Hryb: Pacific Time, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: You are doing it live.
Larry Hryb: We are doing it live!
Jeff Rubenstein: Someone's got to do it live.
Larry Hryb: We are doing it live! So yeah, we are going to do that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Can you play us out Larry?
Larry Hryb: I don't even know what that means.
Jeff Rubenstein: Never not funny.
Larry Hryb: But yeah -
Jeff Rubenstein: I am looking for your Cosplay. Where is your Cosplay at?
Larry Hryb: It's going to be, okay listeners you are going to get a little inside scoop here because Jeff clearly hasn't figured out what's going on. We are recording the show on Thursday. The show goes, This Week on Xbox Live [crosstalk 00:17:01]
Jeff Rubenstein: I am like I always see these. How would I have missed this? Man, I am really bad friend.
Larry Hryb: So by the time this show goes live it will be available. I am doing some time travel on you, sorry.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh that was a great cosplay. Well done, Larry.
Larry Hryb: So we are doing This Week on Xbox, if all goes well we are going to do a quickie live episode, like 30 minutes.
Jeff Rubenstein: 30 minutes, that's a long episode.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, it is. Do you want to come by?
Jeff Rubenstein: I would love to.
Larry Hryb: Friday afternoon?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So yeah, we're going to do that. We're working on some cool stuff. We're testing some cool tech up. You know what? I can't say any more Jeff.
Jeff Rubenstein: Alright, well I am excited.
Larry Hryb: I've said too much. I've said too much.
Jeff Rubenstein: Let's do it.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, let's go through some of the news headlines if you have them handy. And then we'll get cooking along here.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is a big week for basketball. Yes, the NBA playoffs are happening.
Larry Hryb: Remember whenever we go to E3, it's like the playoffs are right, assuming the Lakers are in.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah you don't need to worry about, certainly not the Lakers and you don't need to worry about the Clippers either. We're not going to have any issue. I know hockey, I don't think we have to worry about it either. E3 will be blissfully playoff issue free for the third year in a row. But a couple of basketball games. So one came out. So my favorite player of all time is Allen Iverson. We have the same birthday. And he's older.
Larry Hryb: I thought it was Jeffery Dean Camillionaire.
Jeff Rubenstein: Jeffery Dean Camillionaire I would say this generation's Allen Iverson. You know I lived in Philly and you know he sort of symbolizes the city; young, scrappy and ultimately unsuccessful. NBA Playgrounds, of which he is on the cover, is sort of like a classic NBA. Like in the vein of an NBA Jam, 2 on 2. So that is out and I know a lot of people have been having fun with that. But also NBA 2k18 is now available actually for pre-order Xbox One. But it's always a big deal when they announce who is going to be on the cover and it's going to be Shaq. And there's two versions, there's Shaq from the Miami Heat, Shaq from the LA Lakers.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: No Shaq from the Orlando Magic.
Larry Hryb: Those were big times down there. Weren't they?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah.
Larry Hryb: You were there when he was playing.
Jeff Rubenstein: I was in South Florida. But I never liked the Heat but I did like the Magic
Larry Hryb: You always had those, if I go back and watch those grainy VHS tapes, I see you sitting on the court side.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I'm there court side.
Larry Hryb: With your glasses on.
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:19:16] Yes, exactly, and a giant foam finger. But I did have that Orlando Magic Shaq jersey. That was a big deal, you know. He was larger than life. I don't know that we've had an athlete that has come into the NBA where like, before they're even drafted it's that big of a deal.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Even Lavar Ball, well Shack did not have $500 sneakers. But that's a whole other story.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: So anyway that's been announced. You have NBA Playgrounds now, you have NBA 2K down the line. When that's going to be coming out in September. So plenty of basketball to keep you busy during the playoffs and into next season.
Larry Hryb: Basketball Jones ...
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Larry Hryb: I don't know what's going on, I'm sorry.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is what happens when Laura's not here.
Larry Hryb: It's who we are. It's just ...
Jeff Rubenstein: So a game coming out that is an ID@Xbox game, that is something we had shown at GDC recently that I thought was really a cool game. So I am looking forward to getting into it again. In fact it will be out by the time, actually today. So by the time you hear this, it's called Human Fall Flat. And it's sort of like a [inaudible 00:20:25] space platformer.
Larry Hryb: What's it about?
Jeff Rubenstein: So you're like this 3D model of a human, it's completely featureless and whatever. And you do like a lot of physics based puzzles. Almost like, let's say like Bridge Constructor, but you're like bringing someone along.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Sort of how the physics lead to some crazy, wonky things. And some of the rag doll stuff is just really funny. So the human does only what you have them do. And you sort of control their grip and stuff like that. I'll play it this weekend and I'll let you know. But it was something that I had a lot of fun with at GDC. Actually, year before last. So good to see that one come out.
Let's see we had just a couple of other games ... Oh my gosh!
Larry Hryb: Ladies and gentlemen, Laura, that door you hear opening and closing. Hi, Laura!
Laura Massey: Hello!
Larry Hryb: Jeffrey and I were just running terribly amok.
Laura Massey: What was happening?
Larry Hryb: We're not quite sure. You'll have to ask the listeners. And they can't respond so you are on your own. We don't know. We just ended up in a swamp in Miami.
Laura Massey: Oh no.
Jeff Rubenstein: We did, we talked about it.
Laura Massey: Were there alligators there?
Larry Hryb: Could be, we ended up in a very strange place. It's just been very strange.
Jeff Rubenstein: Boa Constrictors
Larry Hryb: Thank you, you're back and we will try to behave now.
Laura Massey: Okay, back on rails.
Larry Hryb: So welcome!
Laura Massey: Thank you!
Larry Hryb: I let the folks know that you were ...
Laura Massey: Running late.
Larry Hryb: Had some last minute stuff that needed your immediate attention.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And of course the audience is incredibly understanding so they're like okay.
Laura Massey: Thank you, buddy.
Larry Hryb: Again, they can't really say anything.
Laura Massey: I appreciate [crosstalk 00:21:47]
Jeff Rubenstein: I think they mostly just turned off the podcast as soon as they heard that you were not here yet.
Larry Hryb: Click!
Laura Massey: Keep you on track.
Larry Hryb: Was that that clicking sound?
Jeff Rubenstein: We heard it and the dial tone, didn't we? Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. Anyway.
Larry Hryb: Anyway.
Jeff Rubenstein: Do phones still do that?
Larry Hryb: Do they?
Jeff Rubenstein: I haven't had a phone that plugged into the wall in ...
Larry Hryb: Do you have a home phone Laura?
Laura Massey: No, I haven't had one ...
Larry Hryb: Forever.
Laura Massey: Ten years maybe.
Larry Hryb: Right, since you moved up here, right?
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Larry Hryb: We have one.
Laura Massey: I don't know.
Larry Hryb: I think they still make a dial tone.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know.
Larry Hryb: That's a good question.
Jeff Rubenstein: Shoot, someone look into this.
Laura Massey: I know. So the other day I was calling somewhere, I can't remember, but like a landline. And it was busy. What is that tone?
Jeff Rubenstein: How is that possible?
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:22:20]
Jeff Rubenstein: What are you calling a radio station? You're not the 100th caller.
Larry Hryb: Click, sorry Laura. Wow! Yeah, that's interesting because I remember ... I was telling somebody about, I was explaining to somebody how Xbox Live is like the dial tone of gaming. A younger person and they looked at me like, "Dial tone?" They didn't know what it meant.
Laura Massey: Oh no!
Larry Hryb: Cause you're right. You don't hear dial tones on mobile phones.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:22:45]
Jeff Rubenstein: And then you said, "In my day ..."
Larry Hryb: Back in my ...
Jeff Rubenstein: We picked up the phone and we didn't know who was calling.
Larry Hryb: We didn't
Jeff Rubenstein: And we just said, "Hello?"
Larry Hryb: It was relaxed.
Jeff Rubenstein: Every time.
Larry Hryb: "Hello?"
Jeff Rubenstein: And then it was like, "Oh it's grandma."
Larry Hryb: Thank you for calling the Hryb residence may I ask who is speaking, this is Larry.
Laura Massey: Right.
Larry Hryb: And remember your mom taught you how to answer the phone.
Laura Massey: Exactly! And your mom taught you how to, when you are calling somebody's house, how to ask for the person -
Larry Hryb: Did you have rules? Like you couldn't call your friend's house after a certain time of night.
Laura Massey: There's always the nice rules, after 8.
Larry Hryb: What were the rules? Oh, it was 8?
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Larry Hryb: I think we ran 9.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Jeff?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah it was probably about 9 o'clock. Depending on who it was.
Larry Hryb: Now it's texting. Laura and I were texting last night at like 11 o'clock. Right? It's just like ba, ba, ba, ba, ba
Laura Massey: Whatever.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, whatever, whenever.
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like texting is the new calling. I am only going to text someone if I really need to talk to them. Like, a call is almost like having a presidential summit.
Larry Hryb: Summit! Because if someone calls your house, especially at night, something bad happened.
Jeff Rubenstein: Always.
Laura Massey: Not good.
Larry Hryb: God forbid, right?
Laura Massey: Not a good thing.
Larry Hryb: Like I always felt bad when I was down in Florida, Jeff, and I called you. Remember I called you?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Because I was on my way back and my dog had died.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, that was a serious [crosstalk 00:23:53]
Larry Hryb: I don't remember why I called you. I was like ...
Jeff Rubenstein: You needed to talk to somebody. And I was there.
Larry Hryb: I did. I was in Florida and I didn't know where to go in Orlando.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: You didn't help. So, no, no. Anyway so, yeah, calling is strange. I don't know how ... See this is what happens Laura, we just dragged you in. It's like quicksand.
Jeff Rubenstein: Actually what were we wondering? Oh, before we started recording we were listening to like R and B hits of the 90's.
Larry Hryb: Bell Biv DeVoe
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, do you know that song Poison?
Laura Massey: Oh yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: We were debating whether or not you did.
Larry Hryb: She does!
Laura Massey: Yes, I do.
Larry Hryb: Wow!
Laura Massey: It was ...
Larry Hryb: Da, da, da, da ...
Laura Massey: Oh my gosh, that's my jam. Because that was one of the first songs in Dance Central. Back when we were testing out Kinect we were also testing out Dance Central.
Larry Hryb: Yes!
Laura Massey: And there was three or four songs.
Larry Hryb: But did you know it when you were growing up?
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Okay, okay.
Laura Massey: Poison was the hardest one.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: Poker Face was the easiest one.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: And if you could make it to Poison then you were good.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: And so we would have Poison dance offs in the office.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: I failed Poker Face more than once.
Larry Hryb: Speak for yourself. Yeah, wow I guess ...
Jeff Rubenstein: We should have put stakes on it. [crosstalk 00:25:00]
Larry Hryb: We could have laid some money down on that one.
Laura Massey: What? Who would have bet against me?
Larry Hryb: Um ... I don't remember how that fell on either side.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we were both just like, well we didn't know if that song was big in Texas.
Larry Hryb: That's what it was. Because we started talking and that's exactly what I said. I said, "Jeff and I both grew up in the east coast. Do you think Laura knows that?"
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: A lot of weird things happen in Texas. When you grow up in the East Coast, Texas is like a completely different country.
Laura Massey: What is so funny is that, speaking of music and being in Texas, I had cousins that lived in California and we went to visit them for the first time when I was in 9th grade. And they were shocked that I had heard of the Backstreet Boys.
Larry Hryb: Oh!
Laura Massey: They were like, "How did the Backstreet Boys make it to Texas?"
Larry Hryb: Yeah!
Laura Massey: And we're like, "It's another state just like yours. It's not any different."
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: There's not actually ...
Larry Hryb: I don't know how you ...
Jeff Rubenstein: The Backstreet Boys if they were going to get to California from Orlando they would have to go through Texas.
Larry Hryb: Maybe ...
Jeff Rubenstein: You probably knew first.
Larry Hryb: We just didn't know if you could hear them over all that gunfire.
Laura Massey: Oh come on.
Larry Hryb: So ...
Laura Massey: We still have high school dances and middle school dances where all these songs are played.
Larry Hryb: Well, [inaudible 00:26:08] when you were in high school and middle school.
Laura Massey: It's all the same.
Larry Hryb: So where you a Backstreet Boys fan?
Laura Massey: I was the perfect target demographic.
Larry Hryb: I know you were.
Jeff Rubenstein: Who was your favorite one?
Laura Massey: I don't remember their names.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was A.J. wasn't it?
Laura Massey: I don't know.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm going to just say it.
Larry Hryb: Because some of them, we had a couple of them on campus recently.
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Laura Massey: What?
Larry Hryb: You didn't know this story?
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: You didn't know this story? So one of our good friends who produces The Daily Show, Tina. She grew up in Orlando.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's right. Edgewater High School.
Larry Hryb: She knew some of the guys. It wasn't Howie. It was one of the other ones, was out here. They were on tour. And they came through Seattle. I think it was like last summer.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, yeah. My wife went to that.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: I did not.
Larry Hryb: And Tina happened to bring the Boys out here.
Laura Massey: Really?
Larry Hryb: And we had a great chat because I used to promote their records when I was working in radio in the 90's. Anyway, I didn't realize, I feel terrible I let ...
Laura Massey: You didn't tell me they were here.
Larry Hryb: I know.
Laura Massey: I could have given [crosstalk 00:26:59]
Larry Hryb: I know you probably had a really cool sequined jacket you could have worn or something. Or brought in your action figure.
Jeff Rubenstein: Signed your copy of Tiger Beat.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, right next to Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
Laura Massey: Oh my goodness.
Larry Hryb: I apologize listeners apparently Laura is not going to help us getting random. You are just going to exacerbate it.
Laura Massey: I'm sorry. It's just a very interesting conversation for me.
Larry Hryb: Yes, I know. Now I feel bad. So next time they are in town we'll talk to ...
Laura Massey: Yeah, I know.
Larry Hryb: I remember Tina called me and they called me like, "Hey do you want to come down to the Kia Arena? Do you want to come down and we'll put you backstage on the show." And I was so tired that I'm like, "No that's okay. I saw you guys in Lake Compounds in Bristol."
Laura Massey: I'm sure you saw them in their heyday.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah. Lots of screaming. You were a screaming girl. I just realized it.
Laura Massey: No, I never went to any of their concerts or anything like that. I just knew of them. Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Radio.
Laura Massey: Radio.
Larry Hryb: And the videos.
Laura Massey: And the videos.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's never too late. We can, we'll have to get you on the next run.
Larry Hryb: Get you back, back, back.
Laura Massey: Oh goodness gracious. Wow! Wow! That one's to save for later.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's a shame you control the recording. Because now we can't take that and ...
Larry Hryb: We were in the middle of doing the news and I figured we stop if you have anything you want to share. Because we kind of went past the what we're playing part. I don't know if you had anything you wanted to share.
Laura Massey: Not too much. It's been a super busy two weeks for me.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah.
Laura Massey: As you all know.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: I have just been playing the normal things.
Larry Hryb: You know Mini Metro came out with an update.
Laura Massey: It did?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, just FYI I saw that earlier.
Laura Massey: Download update now. Download update now.
Larry Hryb: Download update now.
Laura Massey: Yes, so I have just been playing the same things that you guys have always seen me play.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's fine.
Larry Hryb: Oh, oh. That reminds me I have something for you.
Laura Massey: Ah! Really, what do you have?
Larry Hryb: Hold on, hold on.
Laura Massey: I am holding while I download the Mini Metro update.
Larry Hryb: Jeff keep talking.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is great radio by the way.
Laura Massey: I know it is.
Larry Hryb: Here. That is from a friend of mine at Blizzard sent that up for you. Why don't you describe what that is.
Laura Massey: No way!
Larry Hryb: Why don't you describe what that is.
Laura Massey: This is a keychain from Diablo 3.
Larry Hryb: Yes. It is.
Laura Massey: And it is of Diablo.
Larry Hryb: Yes, so there you go. I didn't know, it's just a little something.
Laura Massey: It's a Diablo key chain!
Jeff Rubenstein: It kind of looked like a Scorpion.
Laura Massey: It does.
Jeff Rubenstein: And so I thought it was some sort of Scorpio thing. But ...
Larry Hryb: No, flip it over.
Laura Massey: It's like mini caricature.
Larry Hryb: It's not that obvious, it says "Diablo 3" all over the back.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well now I can see. It's also not purple.
Laura Massey: Yeah, it's like a caricature. Because he's got really short legs and a really long tail.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: But it's awesome! Thank you for this!
Larry Hryb: My pleasure, you know it's the least I could do.
Laura Massey: It's a very thoughtful gift.
Larry Hryb: For all that you do, it's the least I could do. Showing up late.
Laura Massey: Sorry, sorry.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so you're playing the normal stuff. You're playing your Diablo.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: You know Jeffrey sent you an invite for Overwatch. You didn't join us.
Laura Massey: I didn't. I know. My schedule has been a bit weird lately.
Larry Hryb: That's not going to go unnoticed. That will go down in your permanent record.
Laura Massey: I know.
Larry Hryb: Just like running in the third grade.
Laura Massey: Running? What's wrong with running?
Larry Hryb: In class? You know, when you were in, you know-
Laura Massey: Running in the hallway?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, remember when the principal would go, "It's going to go on your permanent record!" I guess you never got yelled at. Jeff, I think you and I shared a similar life. Laura, she was a do be, we were a don't bes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, apparently you are not supposed to fire a fire extinguisher into the English class.
Laura Massey: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: I hung out with some of the wrong kids.
Laura Massey: Oh no.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: A fire extinguisher? That's pretty serious.
Jeff Rubenstein: It wasn't a foam one, it was one that actually shot water.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:30:07]
Jeff Rubenstein: I am pretty sure.
Larry Hryb: The kind you flip upside down?
Jeff Rubenstein: It was metal and huge. And it shot actual water.
Larry Hryb: Wow!
Jeff Rubenstein: And so we shot the water out.
Laura Massey: The three stooges, shooting water.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, that's ...
Jeff Rubenstein: It was not like seltzer thing.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: But not actually that much different.
Larry Hryb: Hey, hey, hey!
Jeff Rubenstein: But now that you mention it not that much different. Yeah, like [crosstalk 00:30:23]
Larry Hryb: Krusty the Clown what are you doing? Hey, hey, hey!
Jeff Rubenstein: Any more Borscht Belt jokes you want to throw out there?
Larry Hryb: Oh boy.
Jeff Rubenstein: Anyway that happened.
Larry Hryb: Alright, so moving right along if Laura doesn't have anything to play why don't we just go and continue with the news Jeffrey.
Laura Massey: Continue with the news.
Larry Hryb: Continuing with the news. Over to the news desk.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh boy, no. But that's actually kind of it. You know we have a recap of the Gears Pro Circuit, Paris action that was taking place. But the big news really is the Hot Wheels, the Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels expansion. That's your top story.
Laura Massey: Leading the way. I really want to try that out.
Larry Hryb: Did you play with Hot Wheels?
Laura Massey: I did not.
Larry Hryb: I think we talked about this last week.
Laura Massey: I really want to though.
Larry Hryb: No when you were young you did have Hot Wheels.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:31:07]
Larry Hryb: Right, you did. Did they make like a tractor Hot Wheel?
Laura Massey: That would be the best.
Jeff Rubenstein: They had to have.
Laura Massey: That would be the best.
Larry Hryb: With the flames coming out the back.
Laura Massey: Yes! Oh my gosh I want that so bad now.
Jeff Rubenstein: I had a tractor Transformer. It was a Bone Crusher.
Laura Massey: They had 18 wheelers.
Larry Hryb: Did you have Matchbox too? Hot Wheels was always the souped up crazy fancy cars. And then Matchbox were always like the realistic cars.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: We had both.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I think we talked about this last time. I am sorry. We are re-doing ourselves. Jeffrey continue.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, that was it. Just play that. You should play that.
Laura Massey: Yeah. I really want to give it a try.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, you should.
Laura Massey: I've heard really, really good things about it.
Jeff Rubenstein: And how's the cars? So they have the souped up cars also.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: So it's like bringing it up into real life. But you can race it against a Lambo or something like that. Which I think I went back through. I finally afforded the Centenario.
Larry Hryb: Centenario.
Jeff Rubenstein: Centenario and the Coca Lite.
Larry Hryb: I told you ... [crosstalk 00:32:04] Stop it! I had to take lessons on how to say, "Centenario" last year.
Jeff Rubenstein: You probably had to talk about it.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, when we were announcing it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: You're making fun of me. My wife has been yelling at me. You are the only two people in my life that make fun of me when I do that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well you call me Jeffrey and you get [crosstalk 00:32:19]
Laura Massey: Ahh ...
Larry Hryb: That's because I think I travel more with you than I do with my wife sometimes.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's true. You know what, I should go with you to L.A. Let's get back on the wagon.
Larry Hryb: Alright, now.
Laura Massey: That was really, really funny. Thank you for sharing that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Of course. Yes.
Laura Massey: That made my day.
Larry Hryb: Glad I could amuse you. Alright, that's pretty much the news. We talked to, Laura before you came in we are not going to have a show next week I am going out to L.A. for the Destiny 2 reveal.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: So I'll be down there and then I am coming back and we are going to do ... I didn't even tell you this. I haven't talked to you in forever. I just told everybody else. So if you missed it the first time listeners, which you didn't because you were listening. We are doing a live episode of This Week on Xbox net Friday. Like live in studio.
Laura Massey: No way.
Larry Hryb: We are going to do it live!
Laura Massey: Doing it live!
Larry Hryb: Yep, so we are going to do that and details on that next week.
Laura Massey: Exciting!
Larry Hryb: It may get canceled, I don't know. I probably shouldn't have said anything. Whoops.
Laura Massey: Whoops.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well now they can't. So well played.
Larry Hryb: Too late now, too late now. So yeah, that's what's going on. And then after that we probably have one more show because then we are in the shoot for E3.
Laura Massey: Yep.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Larry Hryb: We're excited about E3 happening this year as always. We got our event on Sunday. I'll be hosting a few live streams as always. I got a couple of cool surprises for the live stream. That's all I can say. That is all I can say.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't even know. I'll save it.
Laura Massey: I don't know either. It must be pretty good.
Jeff Rubenstein: I am going in pretty blind. I am just going to enjoy the show.
Larry Hryb: I mean, certainly we will have all the stuff we'll talk about it with Project Scorpio. But I mean I'll have you know, some new wardrobe things and some other cool stuff that I am going to be rolling out.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh!
Larry Hryb: Just keep it interesting.
Laura Massey: Yeah. Oh my goodness.
Jeff Rubenstein: Right.
Larry Hryb: I think I may take this thing with me, the streaming.
Laura Massey: Which one is that, the Amiibo?
Larry Hryb: This is the one that streams to periscope and what not.
Jeff Rubenstein: Or you could bring your Snapchat Spectacles.
Laura Massey: Yeah, I've seen ...
Larry Hryb: Did you see my videos? I sent them to you on Snapchat didn't I?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And Twitter.
Jeff Rubenstein: The thing that is weird about is that if you move the phone they wobble.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And then I spend the entire length of the chat, the snap, just doing that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so if you are interested to see I have Snapchat Spectacles. Which are pretty much exactly what they sound like. And you can find me on Snapchat and it's pretty easy. I think I am the real major nelson. I don't even know what it is over there. I am just the major nelson.
Laura Massey: The.
Larry Hryb: The Major Nelson, so you'll see that. Yeah, but I'll be Snapchatting from the ... In fact I'll do that next week. I should bring them to Destiny.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: That'd be great.
Larry Hryb: I got enough to do, I got enough to work down there.
Laura Massey: You have a lot of things to stream, Amiibo, the spectacles.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think people will appreciate that though.
Larry Hryb: Amiibo and the spectacles. I got a couple other things. Anyway so yeah E3 is coming up, so next week no show. Maybe a show the week after. But we won't have much to talk about. Because we go quiet so we can save all the news for E3.
Laura Massey: Yeah, right up to E3.
Jeff Rubenstein: We haven't been quoted yet this year but I am sure there will be the opportunity for it.
Laura Massey: At some point.
Jeff Rubenstein: For some point for people to read into something that you say. It happens every year.
Larry Hryb: Well they do it on this show.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's what I am talking about.
Larry Hryb: Right, yeah exactly. Big announcements! Anyway ...
Jeff Rubenstein: You're just asking for it.
Larry Hryb: I know.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: You want to talk gadgets?
Larry Hryb: Yes, yes!
Laura Massey: Wait, before we move to that do you want to play Name the Game?
Larry Hryb: No we haven't done that. Oh, would you like to do that?
Laura Massey: I think it's time for a Name the Game.
Larry Hryb: Well you know what? If you're here.
Laura Massey: I am here.
Larry Hryb: The planets have lined up.
Laura Massey: The listeners are here.
Larry Hryb: And then ...
Laura Massey: So let's do Name the Game from last time.
So that was Name the Game from last time. And it was Little Nightmares.
Larry Hryb: Which we talked about earlier. You haven't played that yet have you?
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: Oh, you should.
Laura Massey: I've seen everybody talk about it on Twitter.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It looks really good.
Larry Hryb: Yep.
Laura Massey: So the winner.
Larry Hryb: Who is it?
Laura Massey: Is Tom from Lincoln in the U.K.
Larry Hryb: Lincoln? There is a U.K. place named Lincoln?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I thought that was just Nebraska.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ah, no. Yeah, Lincoln City has a soccer team.
Larry Hryb: Does he have his Gamer Tag?
Laura Massey: Yeah his Gamer Tag is Phaser to Stun.
Larry Hryb: Phaser to Stun.
Jeff Rubenstein: I like that, cool. What did he win?
Laura Massey: Oh my goodness. There is so many things here.
Larry Hryb: I don't know where you find my stuff.
Laura Massey: I ransacked your office.
Larry Hryb: I know you do this all the time.
Laura Massey: Yes, I don't know if I am going to find more things, I have just taken so many things for Tom.
Larry Hryb: There is more of those. It's packed in there.
Laura Massey: It's like one of those magical offices where things just accumulate. And you don't know how it gets there.
Larry Hryb: Good stuff though!
Laura Massey: Yeah, great stuff!
Larry Hryb: It's like some people call ... it's like the candy room in Willy Wonka.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Because there is all cool stuff in there. Anyway go ahead.
Laura Massey: Maybe games grow from the wall.
Larry Hryb: No, I can't show you photos of it because there is stuff in there you can't even see.
Laura Massey: Wow!
Larry Hryb: Right? Okay, go on.
Laura Massey: Okay, so Tom you have won a copy of Human Fall Flat which is a new ID@Xbox Title. Narcosis, which is also an new ID@Xbox title. NBA Playgrounds, also an ID@Xbox title.
Larry Hryb: We were just talking about that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Exactly. And that's not all, you also get a copy of Dark Siders: the Fury Collection.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: War and Death, which is a bundle featuring Dark Siders One and Two.
Jeff Rubenstein: A lot of people talking about three.
Laura Massey: Pretty awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's good timing.
Laura Massey: And that's not all.
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Laura Massey: You also get a copy of Forzer Horizon 3 Ultimate Edition. And ...
Larry Hryb: Yes, we are going to throw it in aren't we?
Laura Massey: Throwing in the Hot Wheels add on.
Jeff Rubenstein: Woo!
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: There you go Tom, enjoy.
Larry Hryb: Congratulations. Now there's all sorts of cool prizes you can win whenever we do a show. We like to do shows as frequently as possible.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Larry Hryb: And it's really simple. Laura explain to people how they play.
Laura Massey: It's super easy. All you have to do is listen to the sound effects I am just about to play.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Laura Massey: Think really hard and then guess what game those are from. And send us an email. That's all you have to do.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: So why don't you go ahead and roll the tape.
Larry Hryb: I guess the only thing left to do now is ...
Laura Massey: Roll the tape!
Alright, so if you think you know what game those sounds are from all you have to do is send us an email. Lollipop@xbox.com and cc major@xbox.com.
Larry Hryb: Delightful!
Laura Massey: If you can hear our voice you can enter to win.
Larry Hryb: Woo hoo!
Laura Massey: Exactly. Super easy.
Larry Hryb: Alright.
Laura Massey: And for all the people who guess it right we are going to choose a random winner.
Larry Hryb: We'll take all the correct entries and put them into a virtual hat and then randomize, RND, parentheses, something, something, something.
Laura Massey: Something, something, winner.
Larry Hryb: Equals winner [inaudible 00:39:39]
Laura Massey: Exactly..
Larry Hryb: So good luck. Good luck to you lovely winner.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: You're a winner right now you just don't know it.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Larry Hryb: Right? Right?
Laura Massey: All you have to do is send us an email.
Larry Hryb: Send us an email. Alright Jeffery, I'm sorry, we were talking about gadgets. You obviously have something ...
Jeff Rubenstein: No I jumped the gun. I am sorry.
Larry Hryb: No, you have something you wanted to share.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well yeah, I just want to ... I don't get that many things but I did get a new device that I am kind of enjoying.
Larry Hryb: Tell me.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which is the Fitbit Blaze.
Laura Massey: Ooooh! I haven't seen one of these.
Jeff Rubenstein: So I like to track. As somebody who is not in great shape but likes to track the few things I do so I can rationalize not actually working out consistently. I had 10,000 steps today time to go get some ice cream. The Fitbit Blaze, it checks all the boxes I was looking for. One, it does everything without you having to talk about it. Like specifically saying, if I go for a walk it just knows. If I go to sleep it tracks that sleep.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which is really awful because ...
Larry Hryb: If you have ice cream it knows.
Jeff Rubenstein: It does, it's like your hand is moving towards your mouth. You know? It takes the temperature.
Larry Hryb: Tap, tap, tap.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah exactly. But I guess one of the best parts about it, in addition to like that functionality is that it pops out. This is the actual device. And you can replace these bands. It comes with what looks like reasonably functional wrist watch, like any sort of Timex or something would have. But you can swap it out for better looking bands. And they're actually pretty inexpensive for that type of thing.
Larry Hryb: That's been out for a while, hasn't it? The Blaze?
Jeff Rubenstein: There's a number of them. I think the newest one is smaller. And I had tried out the really thin one. The Alta and it just wasn't for me. It didn't do all the stuff I wanted it to do. The best part about this actually is that it's really good at syncing with your phone so that when I get texts, if I'm driving, they just pop up on here really nicely. So I don't have to reach for my phone when I see it. I use it as my alarm clock. It does like all of the ... It's funny, I haven't talked anything about exercise.
Larry Hryb: Does it play Snake?
Jeff Rubenstein: I wish it played Snake. It doesn't have a keypad.
Laura Massey: Does it tell you the time?
Jeff Rubenstein: Indeed it tells you the time. So yeah, I'm a pretty big fan of this. So it's the Fitbit Blaze.
Larry Hryb: Put a link to that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I can do that.
Larry Hryb: I actually used to have Fitbits when they first came out. I basically gave up on them because I kept losing them.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, yeah.
Larry Hryb: And I am convinced to this day, I'm actually convinced that that's part of their business model.
Laura Massey: Possibly. Or them going in the washing machine.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, that's there.
Laura Massey: That's what happened to mine.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well that's the other thing. The battery lasts about five days.
Laura Massey: Nice.
Jeff Rubenstein: Some of the other smart watches out there are like, you're lucky to get a full day.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: While it's not quite as full functioned, not having to think about it is real nice.
Larry Hryb: That's great.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well I'm happy.
Larry Hryb: That's great.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's why I shared it.
Laura Massey: So how many steps have you done today?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's a good question. It looks like I have gone 3,506. I would have more but it was raining and I didn't walk here.
Larry Hryb: No ice cream for you.
Jeff Rubenstein: No I did not earn that.
Larry Hryb: Well then you know what we are going to have to do? Laura, you and I have never done this, he and I used to do this all the time. Through the Microsoft Campus we have a walking path.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Larry Hryb: That goes around and Jeff, you and I should go out and take that sometime. Because it actually goes right through by this office over towards the other. Basically all the offices we work in.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I mean normally I do walk around. You get some good steps. But Seattle being what it was, we had like five days of really nice weather.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And now it's raining again in [crosstalk 00:42:54]
Larry Hryb: It was like raining sideways.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It's super windy.
Larry Hryb: I was like, this is not ... Anyway. It's going to come back. I've got an interesting gadget. It is a ... So Laura, I don't know if you know this, I think you do know this about me. I like to do different projects in my house.
Laura Massey: Yeah, I know this.
Larry Hryb: I like to, I mow my own lawn and do all those things because I like doing that stuff. It's fun.
Laura Massey: Sometimes you help out others, like me.
Larry Hryb: That's right, that's right.
Laura Massey: Install a Nest.
Larry Hryb: Or not, that didn't go well.
But I have two things. One of them is a battery powered lawn mower.
Jeff Rubenstein: Buh?
Larry Hryb: Exactly.
Jeff Rubenstein: How can a battery, like-
Laura Massey: Last that long?
Larry Hryb: It does. So I have what's called, it's called the Ego Power Mower, and you can get them at Home Depot or Amazon, and it's actually one of the top rated if not the top rated non-gasoline mowers on Consumer Reports.
Laura Massey: Even above the corded mowers?
Larry Hryb: That's what I recall, yeah.
Laura Massey: Wow.
Larry Hryb: This is, I mean it's ... I needed a new lawn mower. My lawn's not that large, but I needed a new lawn mower, and this one will go about 40 minutes.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Larry Hryb: Which is more than enough for what I need. But what's interesting is my favorite feature of this mower is the lawn mower, when you're all done, it folds down and then it can stand upright in my garage, which you can't do with a gasoline mower because it's all the liquids, the oils, and the gasoline inside. And it's great!
Laura Massey: So how compact does it get?
Larry Hryb: It gets, I'll show you. Here's a picture of it, I don't think I have a-
Laura Massey: 'Cause storage of a mower is a big deal.
Larry Hryb: It gets about that big.
Laura Massey: Oh wow.
Larry Hryb: Without this, and then it flips up on the side.
Laura Massey: So the handle completely flips down.
Larry Hryb: Yep.
Laura Massey: Turns more into a rectangle.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, and it's got a big huge battery in it that you can drop in, and obviously you have to charge it, but it keeps it going. And it's great.
Laura Massey: That's very cool.
Larry Hryb: So it's a lot of fun. Here's a bonus, you ready for this? 'Cause it's electric, it even has headlights.
Laura Massey: So you can mow in the dark.
Larry Hryb: I can mow in the dusk. To really irritate my neighbors.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: But actually it's very quiet.
Laura Massey: Yeah, how loud is it?
Larry Hryb: It's not loud. I mean, it's loud. You don't hear the put, put, put, put, put. But you hear the blade whirring. I mean, it's not dead quiet but it's not as loud as a gasoline. So that makes, you know, so I've got an electric car. I have an electric mower.
Jeff Rubenstein: And an electric personality.
Larry Hryb: Aah, hello everybody! So anyway, it's one of the interesting projects. And then the other one is we're redoing one of our bathroom in our house, so I'm putting in a whole LED lighting sequence under the cabinets.
Laura Massey: Oh, nice.
Larry Hryb: So it's a whole series of hue lights that change color based on the time of day, when they sense somebody, what the weather's like outside. That's not done yet, that one's in progress.
Laura Massey: That sounds super cool. Do you control it with your phone like [crosstalk 00:45:35] lights?
Larry Hryb: You can. Yeah, I can do it right now.
Laura Massey: Wait. Right now, like when you're not on your home network?
Larry Hryb: Yeah. We'll see if it'll pop up here. I think it'll say like "out of home mode" or something.
Laura Massey: Wow. You can scare the people that might be in you're house.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, my wife would not like it. So yeah, see, it says "out of home connection" and I can just turn them on or, well I just turned the kitchen on. Okay, I'm going to get a call in a minute, turn them off.
Laura Massey: Why are you doing that?
Larry Hryb: Why are the lights going? My wife, I love my wife, she's very tolerant of my ridiculous, goofy smart home stuff. And she's like, "Make it stop." Like, I told you the Nest, you remember the Nest story right?
Laura Massey: Oh yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Laura Massey: With the fire alarm.
Larry Hryb: When they all started going off and she put them at the end of the driveway. Like, "Nope, we're done here. We're done here." We fixed that. Anyway, so that's my ... So, yeah, the electric lawnmower. It's ridiculously cool.
Laura Massey: That is [crosstalk 00:46:21]
Larry Hryb: And of course they make their whole line of stuff, so I can take the same battery and use it in a blower and a string trimmer and all the rest of that stuff.
Laura Massey: Do you have those things?
Larry Hryb: I don't, I don't. I've just started doing this, I was just so excited because it saves all that space in my garage, right? And it just flips right up.
Laura Massey: And all the maintenance.
Larry Hryb: So I have all my electric side with my battery, anyway. That's all. So if you have any questions on that let me know.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ego!
Larry Hryb: It's called the Ego.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll look for that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, look for that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, the home automation stuff. Like, eventually ... Like, certain parts of it are really cool. All I know is like to turn the lamp off in my living room I have to talk to it, and I have to say the exact right word otherwise it'll turn on the light in the bedroom. So if I'm up late playing games and I want to turn it off but if I say the wrong thing it's going to wake up my wife.
Laura Massey: Whoops. Dangerous.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which is not great.
Larry Hryb: Well, here's the problem Laura, I'm going to hand you my phone.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: So there's two here. Those are all the apps that are required for my home automation. It's all these little islands of technology that may or may not talk to each other.
Laura Massey: That's true, there are-
Larry Hryb: I think I've got like 15 different apps. You know, I've got the Heal app, I've got my home automation Z Wave system, I've got the Zigbee system, I've got my Iro, I've got ... It's ridiculous. Oh, that's my Bed Jet.
Laura Massey: Yeah, what's that.
Larry Hryb: I never told you about the Bed Jet?
Laura Massey: No.
Larry Hryb: Oh, this is one of those weird things. I think you and I talked about this off the air.
Laura Massey: Did we? Is this ...
Larry Hryb: This is the electric blanket replacement.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Larry Hryb: This guy was on, the inventor of Bed Jet, you gotta put this in the notes, was on like Shark Tank or something. And he pitched it and he got denied but he ended up raising funding anyway, and apparently it's quite successful. This is a device that instead of an electric blanket, I'm always cold, you said you're always cold when you're sleeping. My wife's always hot. And so I got this thing called the Bed Jet which essentially is a blower and it blows hot air or cold air in your ... Jeff's looking at it like I'm crazy.
Jeff Rubenstein: No, 'cause, well here's the thing. Well, first, it's a nice piece of machinery. But like with that, like I think a lot of couple's vastly different temperature requirements.
Larry Hryb: Body temperature.
Jeff Rubenstein: I want to be cold when I'm sleeping, and she's fine in the middle of summer with a down blanket.
Larry Hryb: No, listen to me.
Jeff Rubenstein: All right.
Larry Hryb: Listen to me. I know it's going to sound like an ad, but they are not paying, I bought it.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we should like, FTC, we are not getting paid for these.
Larry Hryb: Hashtag no ad. So this device, you can have one for you wife too and you can have one on each side of the bed, it can blow warm air or cool air.
Laura Massey: So it's an air conditioner and a heater.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: It's and air conditioner for you bed.
Larry Hryb: Well, it's not really an air conditioner because it doesn't cool the air, it just takes room temperature air.
Laura Massey: It looks like a vacuum cleaner.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, it does. And, anyway, it blows warm air, and anyway, so that app, so I've got the app on my phone.
Laura Massey: You can control it with an app.
Larry Hryb: More importantly you can do the biorhythms.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Because it knows, well it doesn't know, but the body as you go to sleep at ten or eleven o'clock at night or whatever, at a certain like two o'clock your body will get cold or maybe warm again, so you can set it up. Jeff is making fun of me now.
Jeff Rubenstein: I just, you ever watch Last Man on Earth? So Carol, who was like a very funny comedian, she's been in a lot of stuff, and they always make a big deal of how she sleeps with this giant apparatus to like prevent snoring, but anyway, I'm seeing this giant thing.
Larry Hryb: Well what's funny is I got it when my wife was out of town, and I put it under the bed. So it's got the hose coming up and the whole thing. She's never seen this thing under the bed. She knows something, she knows there's like a [inaudible 00:49:59], but if I were to bring it up she's like, "Get that out of the house 'cause it's kinda large." So now you know. Now you've embarrassed me Laura, you've brought up the Bed Jet.
Laura Massey: I thought it was really, I had to click on it.
Larry Hryb: It's cool isn't it.
Laura Massey: Yeah, it sounds pretty cool.
Jeff Rubenstein: If you just have the name Bed Jet, like your mind can go a lot of places.
Larry Hryb: I'm telling you Jeff, it would work for you and your wife.
Jeff Rubenstein: All right.
Larry Hryb: Laura, it would keep you warm.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Larry Hryb: I'm telling you, this thing. And it's great because if you're really warm and all of a sudden you get really hot, you hit the cold, ten seconds you're cooled down.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ooh, I do like the idea of that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: See, back when I grew up I had a more primitive version of the Bed Jet. It was called a blanket.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: And when it was cold I got a heavier blanket, and when it was hot I took it off.
Laura Massey: And opened a window.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. But I will try the Bed Jet, because-
Larry Hryb: It's not cheap. But it solved a problem because we always had an electric blanket and I really don't like having electric wires over my body.
Jeff Rubenstein: It seems dangerous.
Larry Hryb: It just seems like, and then I had one that was underneath. And then they make this other thing, unrelated to the Bed Jet, which is like this mattress cover that has like liquid in it to cool and heat you up. But it just feel like liquid is, you know ...
Laura Massey: Yeah, liquid inside the house on a carpeted floor.
Larry Hryb: I mean, in your mattress, right? It just feels like that's ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like we're like two glasses of wine away from like, Kathie Lee and Hoda, you know. We're just sitting there talking about stuff we don't really understand, passing judgment.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, so that's my-
Jeff Rubenstein: Time to get into the Chardonnay.
Larry Hryb: So the long and the short of this, Laura, now that we've been distracted, is that the home automation is, I think, ripe for a lot of development and consolidation. It's really just frustrating because I've got cameras on one system, cameras on another. Now to be clear, the Bed Jet is not, you notice it was in my home automation folder but it's just in my home folder. There's no automation ... That I'm aware of.
Jeff Rubenstein: I want to say, "Cortana, cool me down."
Larry Hryb: So I've got, then of course we've got Alexa, we've got the hue lights, I've got the Nest stuff, got the doorbell, I've got the front, the whole fricking this is just, it's crazy.
Laura Massey: I didn't know you had an Alexa.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: What do you use her for?
Larry Hryb: Do you want to know one of the best things I use her for? I'm serious. You can ask her weather all day long. Play the Jeopardy Skill. My wife and I play every night at dinner.
Laura Massey: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Larry Hryb: So what it is, it's an official Skill from Jeopardy, you know the TV show.
Jeff Rubenstein: You have to download that separately?
Larry Hryb: You download the Skill, it's free. And the writers apparently, because they have how many categories do they have? Six categories?
Jeff Rubenstein: Something like that.
Larry Hryb: I think yeah, in Jeopardy they have six categories. They take whatever extra question or two they have and they ask it in Jeopardy. So that day, they have that same category but it'll be basically related to that day, and you play it and you have to answer it and it has Alex Trebek. The only thing she-
Jeff Rubenstein: Wait, Alex Trebek reads it?
Larry Hryb: He doesn't read it. She reads it, but he intros it, "Very good, players, let's see how you did."
Jeff Rubenstein: All right.
Larry Hryb: The only problem with it is, they changed it recently so you say, "Hey, Alexa, let's play Jeopardy." And it's like, there's that moment of silence while she's thinking, and then it says, "Let's play!" It just screams at you. And my wife like shudders and jumps and it's he worst ... They don't like have a little musical, "Let's play Jeopardy!" They're like screaming at you.
Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 00:53:12] Gilbert would never have stood for that.
Larry Hryb: No, it is not ... Anyway, but other than that it's a great, do you have one?
Laura Massey: I do.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so I'm serious. Add the Jeopardy Skill. And then at the end, depending on how you do, and to be honest with you my wife does way better than I do, it'll tell you like, "Hey congratulations, you got six out of six right, you did better than 20 percent of the people."
Laura Massey: Oh no way.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so it kinda-
Laura Massey: A leaderboard.
Larry Hryb: And you can play it Monday through Friday, 'cause it's all related to the show. It's a lot of fun. So, play the Jeopardy. And then I also have it hooked up to the hue lights so I can say, "Alexa, please turn the kitchen lights on." Boom, they come on, "Turn them off," off. You know, the whole routine.
Laura Massey: You're very polite with your AI.
Larry Hryb: I am.
Laura Massey: Yes you are.
Larry Hryb: You wanna do something? Here, wanna do this? I'm serious, my wife found this one out. "Alexis, sing me a song."
Laura Massey: Does she sing Daisy?
Larry Hryb: No. She sings this country tune that you are gonna love. It is phenomenal, my wife loves that one.
Laura Massey: Alexa sing me a song, is it?
Larry Hryb: Yep.
Laura Massey: Okay. I'll have to give that one a try.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's Oasis. Just, you know, just a spoiler alert.
Yeah, no, in my house it's constantly, "Alexa, tell me a joke." Then it's followed by me having to explain the joke to a seven year old. So Alexa will just tell you endless amounts of pun based jokes.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so we use that. Of course we have Cortana because that's Windows 10 stuff. So yeah, we're playing around with that stuff. But it's the home automation.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're in a golden age, Len.
Larry Hryb: I'm just, you know, I'm at the point now where I don't know what else I can ... I mean, I've got my garage automated. The garage doors are automated. The whole thing.
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: So when my car is on its way down the street the garage doors open.
Laura Massey: That's pretty cool.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: The car doesn't do that? That's your garage that does that?
Larry Hryb: It's a combination of the car talking to the house talking to the garage door, so it's at least two or three things happening, it's just complicated.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I think I'm done with this project for now though, because I don't know what else I could possibly do.
Laura Massey: You have a doorbell.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, the doorbell.
Laura Massey: You have cameras.
Larry Hryb: Cameras. And then of course there's Sonos for days.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: So I got that all going on. So yeah, there's all of that stuff. Currently right now, I'm trying to figure out how to code my Harmony remote when my wife turns the TV on to shut all the Sonoses off in the house. I can't figure that out.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative), that's a good one.
Larry Hryb: That's my current tech challenge.
Laura Massey: To turn it off.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. There's got to be a trigger I can-
Laura Massey: There must be a way to do it.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so if you figure that out let me know. If anybody's done it let me know, hit me up at Major Nelson. All right, anything else now that I've completely brought you into my bedroom and given you a tour of my home? Do you have any home automation stuff Laura?
Laura Massey: The only automation I have is my Bluetooth smoker.
Larry Hryb: Oh, your smoker, right. For some reason I had this mental image of you sitting in a lounge in the back just puffing and dragging, and I was like what?
Jeff Rubenstein: Bluetooth Hookah.
Laura Massey: No, it's my smoker where I cook meats.
Larry Hryb: Which, has it yielded anything?
Laura Massey: Deliciousness.
Larry Hryb: I wouldn't know. Would you know Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: We wouldn't know that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is it working well?
Laura Massey: It's working very well.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay, what's your specialty?
Laura Massey: Right now it's ribs.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Laura Massey: Baby back ribs.
Larry Hryb: Those are good to smoke.
Laura Massey: Yes, they're really good to smoke.
Jeff Rubenstein: Low and slow.
Larry Hryb: Poor baby.
Laura Massey: That's the way. Five hours, 225. I should have, ha ha ha, I should keep a barbecue journal but I don't. Of like, what I did, what worked well, what didn't work well.
Larry Hryb: You're already opening the app to do something. Can't you like tag it with a note or something?
Laura Massey: Yeah, that's a good point. I think there should be.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: Find a way to do that.
Larry Hryb: I will say this though, I did get a few emails in the major@xbox email account asking if and when Nerd Trivia would ever come back, speaking of the ... 'Cause that to me is one of the best gadgets we had.
Laura Massey: Oh, thank you. Very kind. Thanks to listeners who were fans.
Larry Hryb: Yes, there's still fans. There's a lot of fans out there.
Laura Massey: [crosstalk 00:56:49] someday.
Larry Hryb: I know, I would love it to come back. What about you Jeffrey, other than your-
Jeff Rubenstein: I would also like Nerd Trivia to come back.
Larry Hryb: Would you? Do you have a smoker at your house?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I've got a grill and I do some grilling. We just like kicked it back up. Because it's a pretty short grilling season here in Seattle. And so I bought more fuel and I feel like it's not getting as hot as it was.
Larry Hryb: Time for a new one.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't want to, I'd like to be able to fix it.
Larry Hryb: What happens?
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't know, the flames are not going as high as they used to.
Larry Hryb: Do you want me to come over?
Jeff Rubenstein: If you want to, come on by. Make some burgers.
Larry Hryb: I'll come over with my tool belt.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Like I take the whole thing apart to clean it. I just, for whatever reason when I put it back together it's just not as hot.
Larry Hryb: Well the flames are shooting out sideways.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's what I want. Yeah, probably, yeah.
Larry Hryb: Oh, here's your problem Jeffrey!
Jeff Rubenstein: It's got my cat. It's real small because we live in the city and we don't have like a ton of room for one of these giant things with the side burner and all that stuff. But, you know, I fancy myself a grillman.
Larry Hryb: I think that was a southern accent I just heard. Side burner.
Laura Massey: It was almost one.
Jeff Rubenstein: There was a little bit of a twang. I can kick into that, it might have been intentional.
Larry Hryb: All right, we're going to wrap the show up here. Again, we're not going to be here, thank you for coming in Laura, I know you're busy with some deadlines. You had your other, you know, your real job kind of pulled into effect here. But I want to thank you for coming by for that. No show next week, I'll be down at the Destiny 2 premiere, you can follow me at Twitter Major Nelson for all the details and updates on that. It's coming to Xbox One. And of course Scorpio, right?
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: That's right. Jeffrey, any final words you want to say?
Jeff Rubenstein: No. I'm looking forward to smoking some meats with you soon.
Laura Massey: Yeah, definitely. Any time.
Larry Hryb: If you're up early in the morning, like on a Saturday or Sunday and you want to know what's going on in the international football scene, follow Jeffrey Rubenstein.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I try to restrict the soccer ones to not being too much, but sometimes I can't help myself.
Larry Hryb: I understand.
Jeff Rubenstein: Season's almost over Larry.
Larry Hryb: I feel the same way about my home automation stuff sometimes.
Jeff Rubenstein: There we go. Laura what about you? Follow you at Laura Lollipop?
Laura Massey: That's right, on Twitter.
Jeff Rubenstein: Why don't you throw in some photos of your barbecue, you know, yield?
Laura Massey: I can. I have before, but, you know. Some people complain about seeing food on Twitter.
Larry Hryb: Well E doesn't care.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Larry Hryb: I remember when he was always complaining about people, and he's like, "I don't understand why people are taking," remember he complained about Twitter because he didn't understand Twitter, and why people take pictures of food. Now he does them both, so, anyway.
We gotta get Ian, Ian Stepto actually. I talked to Stepto the other day, they want to come back on the show.
Laura Massey: Yeah, that's fun.
Larry Hryb: So, if you're around Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Where were you last time? Oh, you were in Iceland.
Jeff Rubenstein: Was I?
Larry Hryb: I think so. Didn't you go to Iceland on a holiday?
Jeff Rubenstein: I did.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I think that's where you were. Anyway. All right gang, we'll talk to you guys next week. Follow us on Twitter, say hello to us. You can follow me on Xbox, Major Nelson of course, and feel free to send a note over there hello. And make sure you enter to win cool prizes with Name the Game, 'cause we would love you to win. And we will talk to you guys in a couple of weeks, buh-bye everybody!
Laura Massey: Bye!

Larry Hryb: Welcome to show number 598, my name's Larry Hryb - X-Box Live's Major Nelson. Uh, welcome to the show, I've got Laura with me, hi Laura.
Laura Massey: Hello.
Larry Hryb: Good to see you over there.
Laura Massey: Good to be here.
Larry Hryb: After you, you took a two-show hiatus ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: ... as we say in the business.
Laura Massey: For quite a while.
Jeff Rubenstein: Did you cruise through the panama canal? I can only assume.
Laura Massey: (laughs) That sounds a lot more interesting than what I did ...
Larry Hryb: Why, why would you say that?
Jeff Rubenstein: South Pacific? I ... just a nice ...
Larry Hryb: That's interesting ...
Jeff Rubenstein: [crosstalk 00:01:00]
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Jeff Rubenstein: I know somebody who did that recently.
Larry Hryb: I ... really?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that's why I'm like 'that's really weird'.
Larry Hryb: Small world.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Yeah it really is.
Jeff Rubenstein: And the Panama Canal makes it smaller.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: It's always fascinating how Jeff and I have found out how our worlds often collide.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: We share similar tastes in ...
Jeff Rubenstein: In really dumb arcana.
Larry Hryb: Yeah (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: You know?
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Anyway, uh, welcome back everybody, um, I wanna thank you guys for downloading the show ...
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: ... I know you have a lot of things to choose from. This is one of the very few family friendly gaming podcasts out there.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Larry Hryb: I was, I was doing ...
Laura Massey: Is that true?
Larry Hryb: ... a little bit of research.
Laura Massey: Interesting.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Yeah. There's, there's a few but generally it's, uh ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: ... you know, we try to run a pretty clean show so you can listen to it with the kids in the car, or ...
Laura Massey: Exactly.
Jeff Rubenstein: I showered this week, I'm gonna be real clean.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Well you were, you were, you are f ... always born family friendly. Uh, it's uh, woah what a week, what a couple weeks.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: I was in Florida.
Laura Massey: You've been all over the place.
Larry Hryb: Oh boy, haven't I ever, I'll tell ya. I was in the lovely state of Florida, Jeffrey ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, there's a man from Florida ...
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: ... he has a Twitter account.
Larry Hryb: (sighs).
Jeff Rubenstein: It's accurate.
Larry Hryb: And I believe you know this, this ...
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: ... Florida man quite well.
Jeff Rubenstein: I, well I ... there are things that I've done, uh, pre-twitter that probably would've qualified.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Yeah. I don't know about you Laura but, you know, we had pretty ... I had a pretty reckless youth and I'm glad that Twitter and Snapchat and the rest of these ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: ... recording devices were not around.
Laura Massey: To document said [crosstalk 00:02:14] ...
Larry Hryb: To document and stay with you forever and ever ...
Laura Massey: Exactly.
Larry Hryb: ... and ever and ever.
Laura Massey: Kids this days.
Larry Hryb: Ooh.
Jeff Rubenstein: I will say [crosstalk 00:02:20] ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah, kids these days.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... anyone, anyone who thinks 'kids today, they got it so easy' it's ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: ... can you imagine if your entire life had been record ... I mean it is now, all ... I mean, we're recording right this second.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, but we at least got to have a few precious years.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Larry Hryb: A modicum of privacy.
Laura Massey: Of privacy.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Yeah (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Anyway, uh, all right, so here we go. Um, we're gonna get into what we're playing, uh, what we're doing, how we're doing. We gotta name the game. I, I, I don't know if you listened to the show last week, Laura ...
Laura Massey: What happened?
Larry Hryb: ... but I did have Chris Charla do a 'name-the-game', cause he was ...
Laura Massey: Ouch.
Larry Hryb: Cause he was ... well it was an ideate X-Box game and he came in with a stack of ideate X-Box games to give away.
Laura Massey: He had lots of prizes.
Larry Hryb: So he's like 'hey, can I do ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: ... name the game?' And I'm like ehh ...
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: ... it was kind of awkward moment off the air ...
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: ... and I'm like 'okay'. So ...
Laura Massey: All right.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's a ... he really ... you don't wanna see a grown man beg like that.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Yeah, he was ... cause he was a big fan of the show and I said, 'well, Laura usually does it ...
Laura Massey: I'm sure he did it well.
Larry Hryb: ... but she's not here, okay'.
Laura Massey: I'm sure he did it well. (laughs).
Larry Hryb: (laughs). Anyway, but we'll do, we'll do that later on, we'll do name-the-game. We got a brand new winner and a brand new, uh, brand new prizes, brand new, brand new everything. Brand new show. You gonna go get ... (sniffs) can you smell that Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh.
Larry Hryb: Can you smell the plastic on the show? (sniffs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Its, uh ...
Larry Hryb: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Can I peel it off [crosstalk 00:03:25] please? I love doing it.
Larry Hryb: There you go, ooh, nothing better than a good show. All right, let's, let's ...
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: ... get into what we're playing (laughter).
Laura Massey: Okay, okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is almost like when Laura's not on the show ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I know.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: ... and we get stupid. But, you've been gone so long, I don't know how to get the ...
Laura Massey: You can't get back on the ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... professionalism back.
Larry Hryb: You know, we talked [crosstalk 00:03:39] a little, we talked a little bit about it last week, I think we did, Jeffrey?
Jeff Rubenstein: I think.
Larry Hryb: Yeah we did, with with Chris, but I thi ... I don't ... I wanna make sure you picked up on this, Laura. Um, I know that I talked about, about a month and a half ago, about the whole Dr. Pepper scenario here with Microsoft?
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: You talked about it on the show.
Larry Hryb: Diet Dr. Pepper, right.
Laura Massey: Yes I've seen, I've seen the saga.
Larry Hryb: So this is uh, it is, it has come to a close. A successful and happy conclusion.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: I have closure.
Jeff Rubenstein: You can make a bit ... you can fight city hall.
Larry Hryb: I do, I did, I just I did, I just sent email to the dining services people and said 'I ... this Diet Dr. Pepper thing ...'
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Well you, I sent you the letter, do you remember ...
Laura Massey: I think you did, you sent me the letter ...
Larry Hryb: You sent one of them.
Laura Massey: ... and then you sent me the results.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. (laughs).
Laura Massey: And I was like, 'congratulations, Larry'.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Laura Massey: 'You've moved mountains'.
Larry Hryb: That was one ... that was one of the letters, cause I sent a few of them ...
Laura Massey: I bet you did.
Larry Hryb: ... but that was one of them. Anyway, but enough about that.
Laura Massey: But you have moved mountains. And it's back.
Larry Hryb: It is back, it is back, we're ...
Laura Massey: Congratulations.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, thank you.
Jeff Rubenstein: Better than ever.
Larry Hryb: Uh, I do what you can do.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: All right, what are we ... Laura, what are you playing, what have you been up to?
Laura Massey: So, in my time off, a from ... from the show, I've played a few games.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, we're, I, can we talk about ...
Laura Massey: And ...
Larry Hryb: ... that for a minute?
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: There's only one person that can take annual leave and his name is Graham.
Laura Massey: Yes, true.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: He's probably on it right now.
Larry Hryb: Okay (laughs) exactly. [crosstalk 00:04:38]
Jeff Rubenstein: I just had a meeting with, for Monday cause it's a bank holiday (laughter), I'm like of course it is, of course it is.
Larry Hryb: Uh, move to the U.K., you don't have to work 40 hours a week.
Laura Massey: That'll be great.
Larry Hryb: Or, I don't know what they do over there. They just, they have a different view. Uh, this, anyway, go ahead.
Jeff Rubenstein: They're not doing it wrong.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Yeah apparent ... yeah, you know what? You're absolutely right Jeffrey. Somethings doing it wrong, so [crosstalk 00:04:55].
Laura Massey: So I have been playing a few ideate X-Box games.
Larry Hryb: Go on.
Laura Massey: The first one, we had him on the show the last time I was on the show - the creator of Thimbleweed Park.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh.
Larry Hryb: Absolutely.
Laura Massey: I've been diving into that and probably about six or seven hours in.
Larry Hryb: Yeah we, we had ... if you go back, you can actually listen to, it's Ron Gilbert: Thimbleweed Park.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: It's, uh, show number 595.
Laura Massey: Exactly. And it is super fun.
Larry Hryb: Did you play point and clicks? They were, they were, they were past that stage when you were getting into the computers right?
Laura Massey: Uh, I did play a lot of Monkey Island, too.
Larry Hryb: Oh, okay, okay, okay.
Laura Massey: I was a little, a little young, but right, you know, right when computers were getting big and we all wanna play computer games.
Larry Hryb: Is this before or after, was like your computer connected to the internet?
Laura Massey: Before.
Larry Hryb: Really, okay ...
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So you were, so there was no issues.
Laura Massey: No (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Okay. What?
Jeff Rubenstein: I just, I just remembered one that I played, and I was way too young to be playing at the time.
Larry Hryb: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: So the very first ...
Larry Hryb: Don't even tell, don't say it, don't say it.
Jeff Rubenstein: Point and click game ...
Larry Hryb: Please don't say it.
Laura Massey: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm gonna bring it on back around, it's Leisure Suit Larry.
Laura Massey: Oh, God.
Larry Hryb: I know, I know.
Jeff Rubenstein: And this was a game I think, my uncle who gave it to ... so, when we were like, I don't know I was maybe like 10 ...
Larry Hryb: I'm sorry Laura, he just t-boned your section.
Jeff Rubenstein: My uncle, I'm sorry.
Larry Hryb: Go ahead [crosstalk 00:05:59]. (laughter)
Jeff Rubenstein: I think this is ...
Laura Massey: Okay, let's finish this thought.
Jeff Rubenstein: I don't have a therapist but uh ...
Larry Hryb: Uh, yes you do.
Jeff Rubenstein: This is it.
Larry Hryb: It's us right here, this group therapy.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: When I was ten, my uncle got us a computer and he ... now a bunch of games and had like Family Feud and Jeopardy ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: And whatever.
Laura Massey: Oh, I like those games.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was an 80-88, I learned doss.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: And, um ...
Larry Hryb: This got [crosstalk 00:06:13].
Jeff Rubenstein: And one of the games was Leisure Suit Larry.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: On a, on a CGA four-color monitor and ...
Larry Hryb: He let you play it? Or did you ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, I don't think he realized ...
Larry Hryb: Oh.
Jeff Rubenstein: Either he had no idea what the game was about, or thought it was funny. I beat that game, and ...
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Hey now! (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: I learned a ... I learned a lot, in fact it really probably shaped my formative years.
Larry Hryb: That ex ... you know what? That explains a lot of what I know about you.
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Laura Massey: Explains a lot, yes.
Larry Hryb: Publicly and personally (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs). And my viewpoint of people named Larry.
Larry Hryb: Yes exactly (laughs).
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Thank you.
Uh, okay, sorry about that.
Laura Massey: No ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Sorry.
Laura Massey: Bringing it back to ...
Larry Hryb: Usually I'm the one that interrupts, I've been trying to stop doing that.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: So I'm ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm the worst.
Larry Hryb: On behalf of Jeffrey, I apologize. Go ahead my friend.
Laura Massey: All right, bringing it back to Thimbleweed Park.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: So, it is, really fun, I am super enjoying it, because it is very very funny. Yes, Larry?
Larry Hryb: Were, were, were you, were you an X-Files fan back in the day? Cause it has a little bit of X-Files-esque to it.
Laura Massey: It does, doesn't it?
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: There are two partners who are going to investigate ...
Larry Hryb: Yup. Yup.
Laura Massey: ... a murder.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: And they go to a town called ...
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: Thimbleweed Park.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: And try and figure out what happened.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, point and click.
Laura Massey: Exactly, and there are a few side adventures where you meet a character and then you play that character's back story.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: Which is super fun.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: And pretty funny.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: And again, the humor is right up my street. Cause it's, uh, nerdy humor, computer game humor.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: All kinds of things.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: So, if you're a fan of Monkey Island and any kind of point and click then be sure to try this out, try it out.
Larry Hryb: All right.
Laura Massey: Super fun.
Larry Hryb: Thimbleweed.
Laura Massey: I ...
Larry Hryb: Thimbleweed Park.
Laura Massey: Yup. Currently stuck, which is surprising cause I usually don't get stuck but, I'm trying to find a way through a particular puzzle, it's about six hours in.
Larry Hryb: In Thimbleweed Park?
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Okay. Do you want me to ...
Laura Massey: Where the agents get separated ...
Larry Hryb: If you want me to connect you with Ron just let me know. He may not tell you!
Laura Massey: Right.
Larry Hryb: He may say 'screw it, you're on your own'! That's what the games all about.
Laura Massey: Yeah, I'm worried that I screwed it up.
Larry Hryb: Uh oh.
Laura Massey: Because one of the agents gets trapped.
Larry Hryb: Uh huh.
Laura Massey: And that agent has something that I need.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: To solve a different ...
Larry Hryb: The puzzle.
Laura Massey: ... part of the puzzle.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: And I can't get that agent out.
Larry Hryb: Well, you know that reminds me, you know, Ron and I talked about in the interview ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Uh, in show 595, about, you know, there, there's ... and we've seen this over time, like back in the day like you, you described when you were growing up playing the game and I, I don't, I've never finished or played Leisure Suit Larry, Jeffrey, so, I don't know how ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Your loss.
Larry Hryb: I mean, I, I remember seeing it but ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Quite educational.
Larry Hryb: Well but there's certain points, games back in the 80s and 90s where you could screw up your game.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: And you would have to roll back or start over.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: So that, that's a ... I, I don't know if it's possible in Thimbleweed Park ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: ... but, but that's and old-school game mechanic, as it were. Right?
Laura Massey: Yeah, it was, it was. So, I hope that's not the case.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Where I can somehow solve my way out of this one, but um, I need, I need to, you know, maybe talk to someone and see, see how I might solve that one.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Cause I've ... I'm kind of stuck.
Larry Hryb: Mm-kay.
Laura Massey: So we'll see.
Larry Hryb: So, if, if you, if you have any ideas or if you ... sounds like you may know where Laura is, hit her up on Twitter.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: You can find her at ...
Laura Massey: If you have any tips, hit me up at Laura lollipop.
Larry Hryb: Thank you.
Laura Massey: On Twitter.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. But, the, you know, just, just make sure you tag it as 'spoiler'.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Or something like that, but do don't spoil.
Laura Massey: Or try, try not to spoil.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, try not to spoil, so.
Laura Massey: Say, 'oh I, I was similarly stuck ...
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: ... here's what you do'.
Larry Hryb: Yeah. Just, just, just ...
Laura Massey: Say 'look for this item'.
Larry Hryb: Just point her in a direction, don't, don't, don't lead her, okay?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Show her how to fish, don't fish for her.
Laura Massey: (laughs) Thank you.
Larry Hryb: As it were.
Laura Massey: As it were. Very good.
And, I played another game.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: It's on Windows. It's called Loot Rascals, have you guys heard of this?
Larry Hryb: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Laura Massey: It is a isometric dungeon crawler.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh (laughs).
Laura Massey: But, it's different, it's actually a turn-based dungeon crawler. So, the world is segmented in hexagons and you, when you move a hexagon then the rest of the world ...
Larry Hryb: What's it called? Loot ...
Laura Massey: Loot Rascals.
Larry Hryb: Rascals, I'm looking it up right now. Have I heard of it? Go ahead. Oh, it's new.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
So again, you, when you move a tile, the rest of the world moves. So there's, you know, baddies that you have to go kill. And when you do kill a baddie you get a card, and this card is how you increase your defense or increase your attack.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: And the meta-game of this is to arrange your cards in such a way that gives you more bonuses. And so that's what I really love about this game is, is the card arrangements.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: So, for example, a card might say 'does double damage if it's in an even slot', and you have to, you know, fill it out in the grid, and the grids have numbers, so you have to put that one in an even slot. And then there's another card that might say, you know, 'plus two to defense if it's in the bottom row'. And, there's all different kinds of rules that you have to follow to get ...
Larry Hryb: So,
Laura Massey: ... to get the most out of it.
Larry Hryb: So what is the game like? It's, it sounds like it's this ... I'm having trouble getting my ... I mean I'm looking at what it's about.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: But, how would you describe the game to somebody in terms of in, in, in a ... what's the elevator pitch for this, for this game?
Laura Massey: A turn ba .. turn-based isometric dungeon crawler.
Larry Hryb: With cards.
Laura Massey: With cards.
Larry Hryb: (laughs). Okay, there you go.
Laura Massey: With card bonuses.
Larry Hryb: Card bonuses, okay.
Laura Massey: And the loot is the cards.
Larry Hryb: Oh boy, there it is.
Laura Massey: Yup.
Larry Hryb: The loot.
Laura Massey: So every time ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Every game has loot these days Larry ...
Laura Massey: Yup.
Jeff Rubenstein: Your favorite game ...
Larry Hryb: I know, Overwatch.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... of like the last year, has ...
Larry Hryb: It's got crates. I know, crates, crates ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I bought 10 dollars worth yesterday.
Larry Hryb: Crates and crates and ...
Jeff Rubenstein: To get a intro.
Larry Hryb: You know what else has, uh, loot is, um, is the Guent beta. I'm playing the Guent beta.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, nice.
Larry Hryb: And ...
Laura Massey: Good for you, it has loot.
Larry Hryb: Well, it has kegs. And then you open up the kegs, you know.
Laura Massey: What are in kegs?
Larry Hryb: Cards.
Laura Massey: Okay you get more cards.
Larry Hryb: It's how you ... more cards, yeah. So ...
Laura Massey: In the kegs.
Larry Hryb: In fact, I just did a video on that last week.
Laura Massey: Oh.
Larry Hryb: Look for that soon.
Laura Massey: Oh, okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's really good. I, I've been playing it on, uh, on PC here and there, and it's just ... I, I enjoyed Guent ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: I, I played it a lot in the early game of the Witch hern ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: At some point I just needed to beat the game.
Laura Massey: Yeah, exactly.
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, but they really, like, made the most of it.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, anyway, sorry.
Laura Massey: Yeah, that's super fun.
Larry Hryb: My, my ... Larry interruptus again ...
Laura Massey: It's okay, it's just ...
Larry Hryb: I apologize.
Laura Massey: That's your nature.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I'm s ... I, I don't, it's, it's rude.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: It's your show, it's on the table.
Larry Hryb: No, it's our, it's our show, this is, this is group therapy.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: You know, that's what I'm gonna rename the podcast, 'Group Therapy'.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes.
Larry Hryb: (laughs).
Laura Massey: There you go.
Larry Hryb: Right?
Jeff Rubenstein: This way we can, uh, we can probably make it tax deductible.
Laura Massey: Yeah (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Right, exactly. And you the listeners can make it tax deductible too. It's mental health.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's volunteering.
Larry Hryb: (laughs). It's mental health.
Laura Massey: Oh my goodness.
Larry Hryb: All right, so you're playing that, what else you got?
Laura Massey: Yeah, just talking about mental health, I watched Shutter Island the other night, have you seen it?
Jeff Rubenstein: Cutter Island?
Laura Massey: Shutter.
Jeff Rubenstein: Shutter Island, oh!
Laura Massey: It's the old movie.
Jeff Rubenstein: You, you know this, because you pointed this out when we were flying ...
Larry Hryb: So, so ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... in past East.
Larry Hryb: When we, when you, when you fly into Boston you fly over some of those islands where they, where they ...
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: ... shot some of the exteriors.
Laura Massey: For Shu ... for that movie?
Larry Hryb: For Shutter Island yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Leo was on ... [crosstalk 00:12:07]
Larry Hryb: The Leo DiCaprio one, yeah.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: It's funny cause we, we, when, cause Jeff and I were sitting next to each other, remember?
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And I said, that, that's exactly what I said, so that's so funny.
Laura Massey: There's the island.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, like, 'hey look down there' and Jeff's like, 'what, what?'
Laura Massey: Oh man, what a terrifying movie.
Larry Hryb: Cause, cause if you remember correctly, he was too busy not throwing up to remember that (laughs).
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: [inaudible 00:12:23]
Laura Massey: That's true.
Jeff Rubenstein: By the time we got to Shutter Island, I was ...
Larry Hryb: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: ... my cookies were not tossed.
Laura Massey: (laughs). Oh, goodness.
Larry Hryb: Uh, anyway, what, what brought you to that?
Laura Massey: You mean why did I watch it, or ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah, what, what, how just ...
Laura Massey: I think, I don't know, someone said it was a good movie that I should watch, so we watched it.
Larry Hryb: You, you wanna watch a great movie?
Laura Massey: I do.
Larry Hryb: The Third Man.
Laura Massey: The Third Man? Not Birdman?
Larry Hryb: Third Man.
Laura Massey: Third ...
Larry Hryb: Thir, Thir, Third Man.
It is a Orson Welles film.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: It is, I think it's got like a meta-critic 100.
Laura Massey: Really?
Larry Hryb: It is unbelievable.
Laura Massey: It is out on like Netflix or ...
Larry Hryb: Oh, it's on Netflix, it's pretty much on all the major streaming platforms.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Seriously, go ... it's one of those where I'm like 'okay this is pretty awe ...' And I watch it, I couldn't stop watching it.
Laura Massey: Really?
Larry Hryb: That's all, that's all, I don't want to say anymore. Seri ... have you seen it?
Jeff Rubenstein: I have not.
Larry Hryb: Okay, this is ... anybody who has seen it, you'll agree with me, it's, it's phenomenal, it holds up.
Laura Massey: I will add it to my list ...
Larry Hryb: Yup.
Laura Massey: ... of things to watch.
Larry Hryb: So should I, I'm sorry, was there a story with Shutter Island or you just talking about a movie you watched?
Laura Massey: No, you were talking about mental health and ...
Larry Hryb: Oh, okay, oh, that's right, that's right, that's right.
Laura Massey: Don't take me down that rabbit hole.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, yeah.
Laura Massey: That's pretty terrifying.
Larry Hryb: Well you know, it seems like we've been talking about mental health cause in, in the ... well, nevermind, I was gonna talk about my, my days on the movie set with Kevin Bacon but you don't wanna hear that.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we do.
Larry Hryb: No, you don't.
Jeff Rubenstein: 'I'm only one degree away'.
Larry Hryb: That's, that's, what ...
Laura Massey: I'm only one degree away, too.
Larry Hryb: When, uh, when we shot, uh, Sleepers, it was at, it was at a ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: ... boys home slash mental institution.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: It was a very, very dark film.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that was a ...
Larry Hryb: I didn't, I didn't, I didn't at that ...
Jeff Rubenstein: That was the 90s right?
Larry Hryb: At that point in my career, I didn't have the ability to pre-read the scripts, so I had no idea.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: That it was as dark as it was.
Jeff Rubenstein: And you were, you were ...
Laura Massey: I think I've seen that one.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... quiet boy number two or something?
Larry Hryb: No I was, I am scorekeeper at the, uh, football game.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, okay.
Larry Hryb: Because I, I, I've, you've never heard this story?
Jeff Rubenstein: I feel like I might've.
Larry Hryb: We, we had to go in, we, where, where, I was, I was being cast as a guard, cause I had a certain look back then, cause I was a sturdy, young, New Englander.
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs). 'Sturdy'.
Larry Hryb: And I, um, please don't read the, please don't read that Laura, you're gonna get disturbed.
Laura Massey: Oh, I've seen it, it's a very disturbing movie.
Larry Hryb: Okay, uh, we, we went in there like 'hey, we, we need 'x' number of guards, you're gonna be a guard for the scene, wha, what part of the field do you want on?' And I, I, I basically said 'I want to keep score' because I knew, regardless of what the camera angle was, there was only gonna be one scorekeeper!
Jeff Rubenstein: Yup.
Laura Massey: Right.
Larry Hryb: So, I couldn't say left side, right side, you know, this side ... I was, so that's why the ... and I think I'm only in there for all of maybe 120 frames.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: If that.
Jeff Rubenstein: That, that's, uh, almost as much as the E.T. documentary.
Larry Hryb: That's right, which was, by the way, it's three year anniversary this week.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh my God.
Laura Massey: What? No way.
Larry Hryb: Some, somebody sent me an email that was 'three years ago, this week, you and I were in the middle of, uh, Alamogordo, New Mexico'.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, that sounds about right.
Larry Hryb: Time flies, Jeffrey.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was fun.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: That was a lot of fun.
Laura Massey: Wow.
Larry Hryb: Right?
Laura Massey: Three years?
Larry Hryb: Three years. In fact, I still don't think those clothes have lost their stench.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I've never been dirtier.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, all right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: All right, mental health, Laura, what else you playing?
Laura Massey: Okay. And the only other thing I'll talk about is, I did a lot of traveling on my time off and played a bunch of mobile games. And one particular mobile game has kept me coming back. And it's called Ballz - B A L L Z.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: And it's a combination of like Brick Breaker, where you're trying to break bricks at the top, and, I don't know, I guess like Snude, where you only get to shoot one ball, and when you break a brick, the ball will bounce around and once it hits at the bottom, you know, your, that turns over. But you can get more balls to follow.
Larry Hryb: Now this is not, now I'm looking, thi, this, there was ...
Laura Massey: Mobile game.
Larry Hryb: There was a fighting game in 1994 out on Super Nintendo in the 3DO, it's not that?
Laura Massey: No.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I feel like there's an energy drink that I had at like, at Roscoe's in LA one time.
Laura Massey: It's probably called that B ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Called Ballz.
Laura Massey: Probably B A W L Z, I bet.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh you might, you might be right.
Larry Hryb: How do you know energy drink names?
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: She knows her way around.
Larry Hryb: My God.
Laura Massey: I ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah, it's totally ...
Laura Massey: I work with ...
Jeff Rubenstein: B A W L S.
Laura Massey: Yeah, I work with computer programmers and ...
Larry Hryb: Ah, fair point.
Laura Massey: I am a computer programmer.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Yeah you are.
Laura Massey: They carry around power drinks all the time.
Larry Hryb: All right.
Laura Massey: So (laughs).
Larry Hryb: But you don't carry around a power drink?
Laura Massey: No, because that would probably kill me.
Larry Hryb: That would arrest you.
Laura Massey: That would make my heart stop.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, right.
Laura Massey: Too much caffeine.
Larry Hryb: Mm-kay.
Laura Massey: Bounce off the wall.
Larry Hryb: So Ballz.
Laura Massey: It would be the end of me.
Yeah, super addicting, if you need something on and airplane or on a bus, try it out.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Why don't we link to that ...
Laura Massey: Super addicting.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... so people, we don't, you know, we're a family friendly, you know ...
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ovre, we don't send people ...
Larry Hryb: By the way ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Searching for balls on the internet.
Larry Hryb: By the way, I love how we talked about family friendly and Jeff decided to steer right into the gutter with Leisure Suit Larry.
Laura Massey: Yeah (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Can I just point that out (laughs)?
Jeff Rubenstein: Look, I have, I take both hands on the wheel in the passenger seat ...
Larry Hryb: I know.
Jeff Rubenstein: And I drive ...
Larry Hryb: Yank it ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... right into the ravine.
Larry Hryb: Yank it over. Yeah, sorry about that.
Ballz! (laughing)
Laura Massey: Now you're the one.
Larry Hryb: What?
Jeff Rubenstein: You, you really gave it the rod-roddy on that one. [inaudible 00:16:47] (laughing). Ballz!
Larry Hryb: Ah. All right. Never a dull one here.
Laura Massey: All right, never a dull one, that's ...
Jeff Rubenstein: All right, I'm looking into that, I found it.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: That's, that's it for me.
Jeff Rubenstein: Please go.
Laura Massey: Move on.
Larry Hryb: All right. Uh, I am playing, uh, what am I playing Jeffrey? I'm playing, of course, Overwatch.
Jeff Rubenstein: What?!
Laura Massey: Surprise!
Larry Hryb: Playing Zelda.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well what, what, you wanna dive in? We haven't really talked about the, uh, the current, like mode du-jour of Overwatch.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, which we, we haven't gotten you ... we got you the achievement?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I haven't, I have never, I have not beaten it yet.
Larry Hryb: Oh, that's right.
Yeah, we're playing, we're playing a little bit ... I'm playing Overwatch of course with the, with the crew as much as we can, Laura you're always welcome.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's still ...
Laura Massey: Thank you.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... so good.
Larry Hryb: Uh.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'm like back into it again, I was playing during a meeting today.
Larry Hryb: You were playing Overwatch during a meeting?
Laura Massey: What, you're playing during a meeting?
Jeff Rubenstein: I had a meeting, I had a meeting with, uh, with some folks in Asia, and so it was really early in the morning, our time. And, I knew I was not going to be ...
Larry Hryb: Winky face.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes. Uh, and so, uh, the meeting was not easy mode.
Larry Hryb: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: And, uh, and I knew I wasn't going to have anything that, that I was gonna have to say ...
Larry Hryb: Oh that's right cause you ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... for like the first half an hour.
Larry Hryb: ... you work from home, I was like what ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I was at home, so I was ... man I had a heck of a game, on mute.
Larry Hryb: Good for you.
Jeff Rubenstein: Turn your mind off ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And you just play ...
Larry Hryb: Yup.
Jeff Rubenstein: I, I had 28 kills with, uh, Hero 76.
Larry Hryb: Playing, uh, so playing ...
Laura Massey: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: [inaudible 00:17:52] 76. It's pretty ...
Larry Hryb: I'm playing uh, I'm playing that. I'm playing, uh, Zelda, I'm still churning through Zelda, that's my mobile game.
Jeff Rubenstein: That's also good.
Laura Massey: How far are you in?
Larry Hryb: Um, I don't want to give too much away, but I'm, I finished the 4 major things you need to do.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And that's all I wanna say about that. But I'm just, I don't want it to end.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: I have the weird, can ... k ...
Laura Massey: Are you about to go into ...
Larry Hryb: Well, I wanted to tell you ...
Laura Massey: ... more therapy?
Larry Hryb: ... about a bizarre quest that I had, but it's not really family friendly.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think we, we're gonna have a little 'E' ...
Laura Massey: Maybe in the after-show ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... next to this episode.
Larry Hryb: Should we flush that down the toilet?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So, so there's this one quest, Laura, where you have to do something.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And there's this professor, this individual who's like 'I don't believe you're Link'. Because Link has, uh, scars and tattoos. And I'm standing like what am I gonna do? Oh, I have to take off all my clothes.
Laura Massey: Oh no.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I did that one.
Larry Hryb: (laughs). Right, you know what I'm talking about right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yup. Yeah.
Larry Hryb: So is it ...
Laura Massey: To prove that you are Link?
Larry Hryb: Yes, so, I'm Link all right. So, uh, I, uh, I'm playing that. Uh, playing VooDoo Vince.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Jeffrey's been playing that.
Jeff Rubenstein: I beat it!
Larry Hryb: Laura have you been playing?
You, oh you did?!
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I, that game really clicked with me.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, um, like, just any time I had a free moment I would sit down and play it, and then it was probably about a good nine hours to ... nine, ten hours to beat it.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Definitely a good value for, I think it's $14.99.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, and it was really fun.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I played, I played that and I was just having, you're right, it was just so good to go back and, and hit that up again. Played a little bit of City Skylines, which is out.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Uh, Clicker Heroes, you should check that out Jeffrey, I think you'll love that.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay.
Laura Massey: What is Clicker Heroes?
Larry Hryb: All you do is press 'A' and you get achievements.
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Laura Massey: Yes, press 'A' for achievements!
Jeff Rubenstein: Downloading now!
Larry Hryb: Uh, we talked about playing Guent the card game, um, so I'm, you know, still, still churning through that. Uh, little bit of Fallout Shelter. Uh, there's just, there's just a lot going on right now, there's ...
Laura Massey: There sure is.
Larry Hryb: ... a lot to play. Um, and I'm just and then, what, what, we're, we're not gonna talk about that other game, you and I, we were talking about last night?
Jeff Rubenstein: What? Why not?
Larry Hryb: Well, I, cause I haven't played yet! I just signed up.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, I barely played as well.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay, then we'll, we'll talk about that ...
Larry Hryb: Let's, let's wait ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... next week.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: I, I would say, outside of that, uh, in, in my house, uh the big game right now is Overcooked.
Laura Massey: Oh, yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Um ...
Laura Massey: That's a good one.
Jeff Rubenstein: Because we're always at each others' throats.
Laura Massey: Yeah (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: So, now we're at each others' throats, you know, for c ... you know, for cause. Like (laughs) um ...
Laura Massey: For virtual threats.
Larry Hryb: Should we play that on the show here, maybe a packs?
Laura Massey: My God, that'd be amazing.
Jeff Rubenstein: It's really, it's really fun. Uh, and it, it's really, like the amount of yelling ...
Larry Hryb: Well, we'd need a forth. Who's a forth? Cause you have to play with 4 right?
Laura Massey: No, you can play with three.
Larry Hryb: Hmmm, okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Ro ... Ron Gilbert?
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Laura Massey: (laughs) I'm sure.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Come back, we could talk about it, we'll get the answer.
Larry Hryb: Well you know what, you know what, maybe for the, you know I'm thinking about this, maybe for this packs, we'll hire a real psychologist to come in and give us group therapy.
Laura Massey: Oh my goodness.
Larry Hryb: Right? (laughs).
Laura Massey: Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is an hour.
Larry Hryb: Uh.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, so that. And then, um, I've still been playing through, uh, Zelda, and, like you, and, uh, Horizon Zero Dawn, which is a fun game. So I'm playing a lot of stuff.
Laura Massey: Have you finished your four things in Zelda?
Jeff Rubenstein: No, I've only done two of those things.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: But, it's just so much fun to just wander around and say 'hey what's at the top of that mountain?' And oftentimes there's something [crosstalk 00:20:41] really cool.
Larry Hryb: So, so, I, I, I've described, I think I've described it on the show earlier right? It's the game that just says yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: Yes, that's true.
Larry Hryb: Right? Can I get struck by lightening? Yes you can.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Can I go fishing? Yes you can. Can I cook this? Yes you can.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Actually, I'm on on island right now, that I sailed to.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, they took everything away from me, so I'm trying to figure out ...
Larry Hryb: Ooh, I'll tell you how to do that.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... what to do.
I know there's like a work-around, where if I backed up the save I could've like stashed my stuff somewhere.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: But, right now, I'm just trying to figure it out.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll, I'll let you know if I get stuck.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I, I, I had a great, I had a really fun time on that particular quest.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: It was just a lot of fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Anyway.
Laura Massey: Lots of fun things happening.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Do you wanna hit the news or what do you wanna do?
Larry Hryb: Well, what are you planning? We haven't talked [inaudible 00:21:24], we didn't really go through ... I guess we kind of did.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're playing the same things.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, we are playing the same things.
Jeff Rubenstein: We're playing, especially, I, I'm like so back on the Overwatch train right now.
Larry Hryb: (makes music sound). Wanna play later?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: We'll play tonight?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, let's do it.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, easy mode.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: By the way, have you seen d ... apparently you play, is it, is it, Heroes of the Storm? What do you play?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, it's Heroes of the Storm, has I think a Diva and a Lucy.
Larry Hryb: The d .. the Diva skin?
Jeff Rubenstein: No ...
Larry Hryb: It's a, it's ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh! It's the police.
Larry Hryb: YES!
Jeff Rubenstein: Like a [inaudible 00:21:45].
Larry Hryb: I ha ... I emailed a friend of mine at Blizzard, I'm like 'must have now'.
Jeff Rubenstein: Well also, Jeff Kaplan, who does, you see him in ...
Larry Hryb: I know Jeff.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... the videos.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. I, I, I know of him.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh, but he, so, so many people want that, and they're like, 'well what if I'm not playing Heroes of the Storm?' So they did commit to, um, those will show up on Overwatch, in the game, wi ... you know, in some capacity later.
Larry Hryb: In the future.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah they figured it out but ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah that's such a, such a good ... Anyway.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yup.
Larry Hryb: All right, let's go through the news. And then we got some other stuff to talk about.
Jeff Rubenstein: So, I don't know if you saw this, um, li ... we, sort of like, a, a couple months in advance we tend to know things, and we'll see like on a, on a calendar, oh this announcement goes out this date, this announcement goes out that date. And I remember seeing a, a few weeks ago or a few months ago, something that said like 'Force the Horizon three Hot Wheels expansion'.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: I actually stopped a meeting and said 'wait a minute, what, what the what?'
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, well, I don't know just ...
Laura Massey: Hot Wheels, lead the way!
Jeff Rubenstein: Seeing the words 'Hot Wheels", it, it just was like, okay, okay, whatever, I get some Hot Wheels cars. And then I saw the trailer, which we released this week.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: And, that was a stop the presses moment ...
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Where it's like, oh my God, I don't if you, have you seen this trailer Laura?
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: It's so good ...
Larry Hryb: Did you ...
Jeff Rubenstein: It's like ...
Larry Hryb: Did you have Hot Wheels as a kid?
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, I had like [crosstalk 00:22:50] one of these things where you like ... yeah ...
Larry Hryb: Did ... and you had the orange tracks?
Laura Massey: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Did you like set them up through your house like through the living room and stuff?
Laura Massey: Oh, yes I did.
Larry Hryb: Yes you did, yeah you did!
Laura Massey: Yes I did!
Hot Wheels!
Jeff Rubenstein: So, if you haven't seen this, and I'll link to it, but imagine the Hot Wheels set you may or may not have had as a kid ...
Larry Hryb: Including ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... or you saw ...
Larry Hryb: Including the orange track.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Yes, and loop-de-loops and all the stuff, as a playable space within ...
Larry Hryb: Force the Horizon.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... Force the Horizon three, with Hot Wheels cars, and it just looks great, so I'm gonna link to that and ...
Laura Massey: It's super awesome.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... you definitely wanna watch that. Um, that, that definitely got a lot of attention this week.
Laura Massey: I'm sure it did.
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh, also getting a lot of attention this week ...
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... another trailer. Uh, Call of Duty World War two ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: ... was revealed. Now available, of course for pre-order on X-Box one, it'll be coming, uh, early this November.
Larry Hryb: It's gonna play great on Scorpio.
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh ...
Laura Massey: Oh yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Didn't even think about that.
Larry Hryb: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh, trailer looks great, it looks super intense. So, um, you'll definitely want to take a look at that, and I'll be happy to link to that as well.
Larry Hryb: Please do.
Jeff Rubenstein: And as far as new releases, big one this week, is one that I think, uh, I'm too chicken to be playing, and that is Outlast two.
Larry Hryb: Why?
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh, well, it's a scary game.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, but you don't, you like your scary games.
Laura Massey: You do.
Jeff Rubenstein: I kinda do.
Laura Massey: You played Resident Evil.
Jeff Rubenstein: I did, but I didn't finish it because I was too scared.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Me too.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was really freaking frightening. Going into that first person mode makes a huge difference.
Larry Hryb: Agreed.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Having played like most of the pre ... all of the previous Resident Evils ...
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, this one is one that I didn't, uh, or that I didn't get that far into.
Uh, another big release this week would be Sniper Ghost Warrior three. Uh, very different than Sniper Elite four, which ...
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... took place during World War two, this is a, sort of a future-looking ...
Larry Hryb: You and I played that.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: ... game. But, if you like sniping.
And then, uh, something that, if you had Halo Wars two, if you pre-ordered that uh ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: ... specific version of that, you would've already had this, but if you didn't, Halo Wars Definitive Edition is now available for X-Box one. So this is a, uh, a re-done version, uh, and improved version of the original Halo Wars. I played through this one.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Jeff Rubenstein: Uh, which was a lot of fun. Cause I've never ...
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... done it, the first time.
And, uh, just two quick more notes, one is Siberia three is now available for X-Box one, that's a long-running series, uh, that goes back to like the mid-90s I wanna say.
Laura Massey: Really, that long?
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, and then, uh Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite is now available for pre-order and pre-download. It's not hitting until, uh, September, but I'm just excited for that one.
You're not?
Larry Hryb: No, I'm just, I'm, I'm, I'm thinking about ... I'm actually thinking, I'm going through the mental index of E three.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And all the stuff we've got coming up at E three. So that, that was the blank stare. I was, I was, I was actually de-crypting the encrypted part of my brain, that that was the ...
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: (makes noise).
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: That was that look.
Jeff Rubenstein: Is that what that worrying ...
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... sound and the smoke coming out of the ears?
Larry Hryb: (makes noise). All right so those are some of the news headlines.
Jeff Rubenstein: Just a handful.
Larry Hryb: Hey, here's a little tip, you want a little tip Laura?
Laura Massey: Of course.
Larry Hryb: Um, so, we are in the process of rolling out on X-Box live ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: ... uh, custom gamer pictures.
Laura Massey: Huh, really?
Larry Hryb: Personal ones.
Laura Massey: Awesome.
Larry Hryb: So, uh, right now, it's to the X-Box insider program, but, here's a tip ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Okay? If you go download the X-Box beta, uh, the X-Box app that's beta app on Windows ten.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: So, in the Windows ten store, you have to have Windows ten, and in the Windows ten store, there's two different version of the X-Box app. There's a re-released one and then there's the beta.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Just search for X-Box beta, download that, and you can change your gamer picture in there which will ...
Laura Massey: No way.
Larry Hryb: Which will go right over the server. So I, did you notice I changed my gamer picture?
Laura Massey: I did.
Larry Hryb: You did?
Laura Massey: I didn't know that you didn't have to be in the insider program to do it.
Larry Hryb: That is the tip.
Laura Massey: That is the tip.
Larry Hryb: That is the tip. So you can go in there and change it. Now, I will say this, that you, to prepare yourself, make sure it is 1080 by 1080, and a lot of people saying 'why does it need to be that big?' Cause, we're making sure that everything's gonna look good on Scorpio later this year, so ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: 1080 ... what would you, what, what are you gonna have?
Laura Massey: Hmm, that's a good question.
Larry Hryb: Oh, I know the picture you should have. The one that you showed me once of you.
Laura Massey: (laughs) oh really? (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Yes. (laughs). You know which one I'm talking about?
Laura Massey: Yeah. In all my Texas regalia.
Larry Hryb: Yes, in your, with your hat and all of that stuff.
Laura Massey: (laughs). That'd be a good one.
Larry Hryb: Uh, you should, you should, you should customize your picture.
Laura Massey: Or maybe the lollipop that I [crosstalk 00:26:44] ...
Larry Hryb: The lollipop one, or maybe just the lollipop, right?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Anyway, Jeff, Jeff did his which is a selfie.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Which is, [crosstalk 00:26:51] ...
Laura Massey: Boring.
Jeff Rubenstein: What?
Larry Hryb: I don't, I don't do selfies.
Jeff Rubenstein: It wasn't a selfie.
Larry Hryb: That's right.
Jeff Rubenstein: It was, it was a ...
Larry Hryb: What was that?
Jeff Rubenstein: ... a screenshot from when we were on stage at Packs.
Larry Hryb: Was that our show or was that ...
Jeff Rubenstein: That was our show.
Larry Hryb: That was our show. Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, so I just took a, I went back, watched the archive version ...
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: And then I just took a couple freeze frames, it's hard to get a good one, so I look stupid in all of them but, uh, I just took one, I'll switch it later.
Larry Hryb: Okay. That's fine. Anyway, so that's my hot tip if [crosstalk 00:27:11] you wanna change your, if you wanna change your gamer picture now, anybody ...
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: As long as you have Windows ten and go download the free X-Box ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll, I'll, I'll link out to that.
Larry Hryb: Yes and the way you can you have the beta app is when you open the app ... first of all you download the beta, but when you open the app it'll say X-Box beta in the title bar.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative). That's a good tip.
Larry Hryb: So, it's pretty straightforward.
Laura Massey: Thanks for that.
Larry Hryb: But it's coming to everybody later this year, so.
All right we're, we're, we're hustling along a little bit the show, we've got a little bit of a time crunch, but we've got a name-the-game.
Laura Massey: Is it name-the-game time?
Larry Hryb: Uh, if you're ready, I'm ready.
Laura Massey: I'm ready.
Larry Hryb: Hold on. Jeff, are you ready?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, never been more ready.
Larry Hryb: Dear listener, are you ready? Because, Laura, are you ready, why don't you go ahead and fire it?
Laura Massey: All right, this is name the game from last time. (music plays)
So, that was name the game from last week, and it was VooDoo Vince. Pretty easy one I imagine.
Larry Hryb: (music noises).
Laura Massey: Exactly.
All right. Winner. Would you like to know who has won?
Larry Hryb: Why of course, I ... and more importantly I think all the listeners wanna know who won.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
The winner is: Bernard from Antioch, California.
Larry Hryb: Bernard!
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Congratulations Bernard.
Larry Hryb: Congrats.
Laura Massey: You have a bunch of prizes.
Larry Hryb: Oh yeah?
Laura Massey: And, no kidding, these are a bunch of ...
Larry Hryb: No kidding, a bunch of prizes.
Laura Massey: [inaudible 00:28:35] X-Box titles, so ...
Larry Hryb: All right Laura.
Laura Massey: Thanks to Chris Charla for covering the ...
Larry Hryb: He always, he always helps us out cause there's just so many, you know there are over 500 games on ideate X-Box right now?
Laura Massey: Really?
Larry Hryb: Yup.
Laura Massey: 500.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, listen to the show last week, you'd know that.
Laura Massey: Goodness.
All right, prizes.
Larry Hryb: Go.
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Laura Massey: Bernard, you have won a copy of VooDoo Vince.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: Lost Grim wares, Stolen Kingdom.
Larry Hryb: Yes.
Laura Massey: Which is a new ideate X-Box title.
De formers, a new ideate X-Box title.
Outlast two, which Jeff just mentioned.
And ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Frightening.
Larry Hryb: Play at your own risk.
Laura Massey: ... Little Nightmares, which is a new Van Di Manco title.
Jeff Rubenstein: I think that's also really scary as well, just little, just a little (laughing).
Laura Massey: Just a little bit. Just kind of. (laughs).
Little screams.
Jeff Rubenstein: Depending on what you're into, this may or may not be the best or worst prize pack.
Laura Massey: And that's not all ...
Larry Hryb: Oh!
Laura Massey: Bernard, you also win an X-Box wireless controller, a Recon Tech Spi ...
Larry Hryb: [crosstalk 00:29:23] that was off my desk, is that ... we're giving it to Bernard?
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Well, congratulations, I can't think of a better person to get to have it so.
Laura Massey: There you go Bernard, congratulations.
Larry Hryb: Congratulations Bernard, and that means that you, dear listener, are going to get ready for another name-the-game.
Laura Massey: Yes.
Larry Hryb: Which is a weekly feature we do on the show, it's very simple. We play sound clip from an X-Box game, uh, it can be, uh, any type of game, we're gonna, there's gonna be a clip here.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: It's not ... sometimes it's easy, sometimes its not.
Laura Massey: That's true.
Larry Hryb: And you send us an email and tell us, uh, what you think it is. So, why don't we roll the clorp ... clip Laura and then you can give away the uh or you can give out the email address [crosstalk 00:29:54].
Laura Massey: Sounds good.
Larry Hryb: Are you ready?
Laura Massey: All right, here's name-the-game for this week. (music playing).
So that was name-the-game for this week.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Like Larry said, if you think you know what game those sounds are from, super easy to enter this game, all you have to do is send us an email.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Email Lollipop at X-Box dot com and CC major at Xbox dot com and tell us what game that is.
Larry Hryb: Yeah don't, don't enter on Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook ...
Laura Massey: That's right.
Larry Hryb: We gotta have an email so that we can put all the correct answers into a virtual hat ...
Laura Massey: And then pull out a random winner.
Larry Hryb: And then RND parentheses something, I don't know, I don't remember what the ...
Laura Massey: You ... that was really good.
Larry Hryb: Thank you. Thank you.
Laura Massey: Yup, you know a little bit there.
Larry Hryb: I know just enough code to ...
Laura Massey: Be dangerous.
Larry Hryb: ... to be bug infested. (laughs)
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: So, anyway, thank you Laura, thank you for that.
Laura Massey: All right.
Larry Hryb: Good, good luck to everybody for name-the-game.
Laura Massey: Please.
Larry Hryb: We love to have you for show 598, which is this one right here. Jeff, what are you reading over there, you've got this intense look on your face?
Jeff Rubenstein: I'll tell you in a minute but you'll be excited. It's total, just, office stuff.
Larry Hryb: Okay.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Okay, we'll talk about that later.
All right, we're, we're gonna wrap the show up, we're running out of time here. I know you, dear listener, are not, but we are. We've got a lot coming up in the next few weeks, we have E three, we're getting ready for E three.
Laura Massey: I know, it's crazy, coming up soon.
Larry Hryb: Uh, coming up very soon. We've got a busy, busy, busy, busy, busy summer.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Leading up to launch. I'm working on some really cool stuff that I can't talk about yet.
Laura Massey: Yup.
Larry Hryb: I'm always working on cool stuff.
Laura Massey: You always are.
Larry Hryb: This is really, really cool. Uh, so doing that. Um, do you have any, do you, do you wanna talk about any, any fun stuff, talk about any technology gadgets and or otherwise, cause I got a couple things.
Laura Massey: You have a couple gadgets?
Larry Hryb: Well this is ...
Laura Massey: You always have the funnest gadgets.
Larry Hryb: Well this one's weird, um, and I Tweeted this out over the weekend, Jeff knows what I'm gonna talk about. I'm gonna talk about my water flow in my bathroom.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: So, I was really bothered because, you know, I, I travel the world.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: And I always take like design cues and ideas from the different places I stay within the hotels and what have you. And I noticed, I was like, I really don't like the aerated water.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: In my house. And apparently, I, I, there's this thing called the Laminar Flow, which is a physics which basically takes all the water molecules and lines them up in a straight line so it comes out in a pure stream.
Laura Massey: Really?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so I bought some of these on amazon.
Laura Massey: Is this for the shower or for the ...
Larry Hryb: Um, it's just for the hand wash ... the, the basins in the bathroom,
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: Um, and anyways so I bought a couple of those and then popped them in, its ten seconds, you know, unscrew, screw in, you're done. Anyways, so I, I, I learned all about fluid dynamics this past weekend.
Laura Massey: Interesting, so how's your water?
Larry Hryb: It's great! I love it!
Laura Massey: It's coming out straight?
Larry Hryb: And nice and quiet too, cause you don't realize how much that aerator ... aerated water is noisy. (makes noise).
Laura Massey: So where does the aeration come in?
Larry Hryb: It ...
Laura Massey: Is it ...
Larry Hryb: It's ... I think it's being, you know, Jeff had, Jeff had the same exact question and I don't have the ... I'm not a plumber so I don't know. Uh, but it, somehow it's introduced in the filter that's in there, the existing filter.
Laura Massey: Oh, that's in the tap?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, that's in the tap.
Laura Massey: Nice.
Larry Hryb: So, anyway.
Laura Massey: [inaudible 00:33:44]?
Larry Hryb: Yes, yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: With all this plumbing talk, I think we're, we're back to a clean broadcast.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: We could talk about wash lets.
Jeff Rubenstein: We could, oh, we could do that.
Larry Hryb: Um, so anyways, that was really about it, I'm working on a couple other, uh, new gadgets and things I'm working on.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: But, I'm not ready to talk about those yet.
Jeff Rubenstein: Did I talk about my TV?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, I don't ... You, well ...
Laura Massey: I wanna hear about your TV.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, why don't you tell us about your television.
Jeff Rubenstein: I, I, I joined the four K revolution.
Laura Massey: I saw on Twitter.
Larry Hryb: Did you get a color TV?
Jeff Rubenstein: I got a new color TV from color time.
Larry Hryb: (laughs) wooh!
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, yeah, it's uh, a Samsung KS 8000. And I was looking at a few different models, um, I really liked the look of the LG. Um, there's a LG 860 or something like that, and uh, and which is a O LED and it's amazing looking and one of the best TVs ever made according to C Net but it's also ...
Larry Hryb: It's also ...
Jeff Rubenstein: 3000 dollars. Um, so, uh, it like sort of cross ref ... cross-referencing how can I play a game that has great response time for games? Has HDR so I can take advantage of the X-Box one S now. Has four K so I can take advantage of four K gaming, uh, with Scorpio, and I ended up with the Samsung KS 8000. Uh, it's beautiful.
Larry Hryb: Can I just share this, Laura, I gotta share this with you.
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: We're playing Overwatch last night ...
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: All I, all I, I hear the ... and again, the stream of obscenities ...
Laura Massey: Oh no.
Larry Hryb: Apparently the TV decided to shut itself of ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh yeah.
Larry Hryb: ... in the middle of a multi-player game. (laughs).
Laura Massey: Oh no!
Jeff Rubenstein: I was having a heck of a game.
Larry Hryb: And he was ... it was on fire.
Laura Massey: Oh no.
Jeff Rubenstein: I, I, literally was on fire ...
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: ... in the game. And, uh, we were just, we were pressing the point, uh, we were on Route 66.
Larry Hryb: Yup. And I hear ...
Jeff Rubenstein: We ended up winning that one.
Larry Hryb: Right. But it was ...
Jeff Rubenstein: But it was harder than it needed to be.
Larry Hryb: Because you just decided you ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I, right at a crucial point ...
Laura Massey: Uh.
Jeff Rubenstein: The TV shut off.
Larry Hryb: (makes noise).
Laura Massey: Oh no! [crosstalk 00:35:23]
Jeff Rubenstein: So there's that, so you know what, you're hearing the full, unbridle ...
Larry Hryb: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: You know, I still love the TV.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: I ...
Larry Hryb: Even though it ...
Jeff Rubenstein: I would like to think maybe I sat on a remote somewhere or [crosstalk 00:35:29]
Larry Hryb: Well, you know, well I had this problem with my Samsungs, and I think I mentioned this, where we're playing and there's like 'you're gonna shut ... I'm gonna shut off in thirty seconds' 29, twent ... and I'm like ...
Laura Massey: No!
Larry Hryb: I'm like, why are you doing this?!
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: But this didn't even give you a pop-up. It's like, later!
Laura Massey: Aw. Black screen.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Maybe I should, uh, look for a firmware update or something like that.
Larry Hryb: I, I'm not gonna judge you.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah. Anyway.
Larry Hryb: Uh, and, well that's good, new TVs are always fun.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is, I am ready.
Larry Hryb: HDR right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, yeah.
Larry Hryb: Yeah you said ...
Jeff Rubenstein: So yes a mass spec looks really good on it.
Larry Hryb: Yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: And a few other titles.
Larry Hryb: Forest is gonna look phenomenal.
Laura Massey: Oh yes.
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, yeah, well Horizon, Horizon three already does.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so there you go with that. Uh, anything else Laura, before we wrap-up.
Laura Massey: So, when does the Hot Wheels pack come out? Have they announced that?
Larry Hryb: May ninth?
Jeff Rubenstein: Um, I think, yeah, yeah.
Larry Hryb: I think it's May ninth. Wow.
Jeff Rubenstein: It is.
Laura Massey: Awesome. I'm looking forward to that.
Larry Hryb: Really?
Laura Massey: It should be really fun.
Larry Hryb: Mm-kay. Did you have a favorite Hot Wheels?
Laura Massey: Hot Wheels.
Larry Hryb: You know, I told them ... and this, please, don't take this the wrong way, Laura, cause I, I made ...
Laura Massey: Okay.
Larry Hryb: I was talking with the guys in the production, were talking ... working on this week in X-Box and if they really ... if Matel really wanted to make it a Hot Wheels tag, it would be cool if they put it in like a Barbie camper.
Laura Massey: Yeah (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Right, like this little square, you know, that handles really poorly ...
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: Well, my favorite Hot Wheels car growing up was a, uh, Reno Le-car.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which ...
Laura Massey: Oh yeah.
Jeff Rubenstein: Which was like, uh, the tiny little hatch-back.
Larry Hryb: Right.
Jeff Rubenstein: That was like, probably, very poorly rated. But it had the doors opened, and so...
Larry Hryb: That was a ...
Jeff Rubenstein: ... that was my favorite.
Laura Massey: Particular interest.
Jeff Rubenstein: So you know that allows for [crosstalk 00:36:39] ...
Larry Hryb: I had one, I had, you know I had a bunch of those, but one of my favorite, uh, little mini cars was a Di Cass Corgie. Uh, Corgie had the license for the James Bond cars, so I had the one from Spy Who Loves me, which is the underwater lotus is free. The way ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Oh, I thought it was like a dog.
Larry Hryb: No, no, no, no ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Like Corgie.
Laura Massey: Yeah, like a dog car.
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Yeah, no no no no. So it was the, it was the coming ... at that point, I don't know who has the license now. So I remember cause it had little, it was like a little submarine.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah.
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: Fins popped out.
Laura Massey: Oh, fun!
Larry Hryb: And it was a ... it was just, it was awesome, it was a little white, little white lotus.
Jeff Rubenstein: And, and then, and then your imaginary little James Bond came out in the wet suit and he had a full tuxedo underneath?
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: No, he never had a wetsuit, cause he was in the car, they went underwater, and he came out, they never had a wetsuit. [crosstalk 00:37:16] In that particular one.
Jeff Rubenstein: Okay. Good.
Laura Massey: You have to have a wetsuit.
Larry Hryb: And, and I believe back in those days, when he was in the wetsuit, they used to call it, I think they called it Frog Men.
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Laura Massey: Really? I ...
Larry Hryb: Frog Men. No, okay.
Uh, hey, uh, before we wrap up I just want to thank everybody, um, for their very kind words, I had a very personal situation happen a couple weeks ago.
Laura Massey: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: My dog died, um, and I, I posted a note and a picture of she and I on Twitter and I want to thank everybody. It was, it was, the outpouring was just, it was overwhelming. So, you've heard me talk about my dog on this, she was 16 years old, and ...
Laura Massey: Yeah.
Larry Hryb: You, you've met her Laura.
Laura Massey: Yes. Sweet doggy.
Larry Hryb: And Jeff, I don't think you ever met her did you?
Jeff Rubenstein: No.
Larry Hryb: Yeah, so anyway, she was, uh, she was a delight and unfortunately. Uh, it always sucks where, where, where ... you know, I've always been an animal person, my sister's a veterinarian so we've ... animals are in my life and so it's just very nice to have that and so, that's all. I know anybody that's gone through it understands its and it's, uh, it sucks. But thank you for all ... thank you for all your kind words. You guys are awesome.
All right, well, on that down note, can you bring us back up, can you give me something to get us going here, anything, Jeffrey?
Laura Massey: Oh no!
Jeff Rubenstein: I cannot be entertaining on demand man!
Larry Hryb: I, I know you can, dance monkey dance!
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Uh, all right.
Laura Massey: Being entertaining on the spot is hard.
Larry Hryb: All right gang, we ... we'll talk to you guys later, have a great, uh, have a great time, we may be back next week, we may not. Uh, Graham may be here, he may not. Laura may be here, she may not.
Jeff Rubenstein: Wait, Graham might be here?
Larry Hryb: I don't know, if he's, if he's on holiday maybe he's gonna be [crosstalk 00:38:33] ...
Jeff Rubenstein: You never know half the time he comes here. (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Right, half ... exactly, he seems to be spending his holidays in America for some reason.
Jeff Rubenstein: Yeah, it's like, you know how close you are to the French Riviera, Graham?
Larry Hryb: Yeah, exactly, wrong way.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: Or what's that, what's that party place? The uh ...
Jeff Rubenstein: Ibitha?
Larry Hryb: Yes! Ibitha, that's it, you've been there right?
Jeff Rubenstein: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Larry Hryb: Younger Jeffrey's been there.
Laura Massey: (laughs).
Jeff Rubenstein: (laughs).
Larry Hryb: All right ...
Jeff Rubenstein: We don't talk about those times.
Larry Hryb: All right we'll talk to you guys, thanks for downloading, uh ...
Laura Massey: Yeah thanks for listening.
Larry Hryb: ... downloading the show. Thank you, you can find us on Twitter and everywhere else. Uh, Jeffrey, you can find Jeffrey at ...
Jeff Rubenstein: At Jeff Rubenstein.
Larry Hryb: And you can hit up Laura with her, uh, tips for getting her agents out of the jam at
Laura Massey: At Laura lollipop.
Larry Hryb: I'm Major Nelson, you can find me here, on the podcast, on Twitter, and every week this week on X-Box right on your console. We'll see you next time, goodbye everybody!
Jeff Rubenstein: Bye.
Laura Massey: Buh-bye.