Destin Legarie Podcast | Save State Plus

Valve has confirmed that its upcoming Steam hardware lineup is still planned for release in 2026. In its Steam Year in Review 2025 post, the company acknowledged supply challenges but said it expects to ship three new products this year. These include new Steam ecosystem hardware that could expand Valve’s push beyond the Steam Deck and further integrate PC gaming with its platform. In this video,...

PlayStation PC ports may be slowing down as Sony reportedly pulls back from releasing PlayStation games on PC. If Sony focuses more on PS5 exclusives again, it could shift the Xbox vs PlayStation strategy and bring back a more traditional console war. A new report suggests Sony may scale back some PlayStation PC releases, which would mark a major change after years of expanding PS5 games to PC. At...

Xbox has revealed new details about its next generation console, codenamed Project Helix. The upcoming Xbox hardware is expected to play both Xbox and PC games, signaling a major shift toward a more PC-style ecosystem for Microsoft’s next console. Reports suggest the new Xbox platform could function as a hybrid between a traditional console and a gaming PC, giving players access to a wider range o...

Highguard is officially shutting down. The developers confirmed the free-to-play hero shooter will permanently go offline on March 12, only weeks after launching in January 2026.The PvP raid shooter from Wildlight Entertainment, a studio formed by veterans from Apex Legends and Titanfall, struggled to maintain a sustainable player base despite millions of players trying the game at launch. This vi...

Xbox all-hands meeting details are starting to surface, and they may reveal hints about Xbox’s new plans. Microsoft Gaming leadership addressed the team behind the scenes, signaling possible shifts in Xbox strategy, console focus, and long-term platform direction. This Xbox news update breaks down what the internal messaging could mean for Xbox hardware, Xbox exclusives, Xbox Game Pass, and the fu...

Former Xbox executive Peter Moore explains why he believes Xbox still has a real chance to succeed, even after years of criticism, strategic missteps, and shifting leadership. Moore discusses the importance of listening to players, lessons from Xbox’s past, and what the platform needs to do to regain trust with gamers. This video breaks down Moore’s comments from his GamesBeat interview and what t...

Highguard’s failure happened faster than almost anyone expected. New reporting reveals the internal decisions, development challenges, and business factors that led to the game’s collapse shortly after launch. This breakdown from Bloomberg covers what went wrong with Highguard, including leadership decisions, production scope, live-service expectations, player retention issues, and why financial s...

Ex-Microsoft Game Studios head Ed Fries says he’s not worried that new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma doesn’t have direct gaming experience — and he explains why her leadership can still work for Xbox’s future. We dig into the leadership shift at Microsoft Gaming, Spencer’s legacy, and how this transition could shape Xbox going forward. Read the original GamesBeat interview by Dean Takahashi here: https://g...

First reviews of Resident Evil Requiem are in, and after spending a limited amount of time with the game myself, it’s already left a strong first impression. This is not a full review, but the opening hours showcase confident design choices, smart pacing, and a tone that feels very deliberate for the franchise. In this video, I break down what’s working so far, how Requiem compares to recent Resid...

Breaking news. Xbox’s new CEO, Asha Sharma, has given her first major interview, and her message is clear. Nothing is off the table. In a wide-ranging conversation, Sharma discusses Xbox’s future, leadership changes, console commitment, and how the company is reassessing its strategy after months of uncertainty. She addresses fan concerns, the idea of a “return to Xbox,” and whether anything is tr...

Former Xbox creator Seamus Blackley is sounding the alarm, claiming Xbox is being quietly “sunsetted” inside Microsoft. In a new interview, Blackley argues that Microsoft’s leadership priorities have shifted away from traditional console gaming and toward AI, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise services — with Xbox increasingly treated as a legacy business rather than a growth pillar. He points t...

A bombshell report from Tom Warren at the Verge suggests Sarah Bond was pushed out of Xbox following internal tension, leadership friction, and concerns from people familiar with the situation. Insiders describe her as “tough to work with,” raising bigger questions about Xbox’s culture, recent leadership changes, and the broader shakeup happening inside Microsoft Gaming. In this video, I break dow...

Phil Spencer is officially retiring after more than a decade leading Xbox, marking the end of one of the most influential eras in Microsoft Gaming history. Microsoft confirmed Spencer will remain in an advisory role through the transition as new leadership takes over. At the same time, Sarah Bond is also departing Microsoft, closing the chapter on a leadership team that helped shape Xbox’s platfor...

Veteran games journalist Stephen Totilo from GameFile.news joined me for a conversation about the evolution of gaming journalism, parenting in a digital gaming world, and the rise of platforms like Roblox. Totilo and I discussed what was and the rise of publications like GameFile, and why modern games media is more fragmented than ever. The discussion covers online safety for kids, how social medi...

I sat down with Andrew Eiche, studio head at Owlchemy Labs, to talk about why the games industry is struggling right now and what this moment of contraction actually means. We discuss how funding expectations have warped game development, why investors chase only massive breakout hits, and how that pressure stifles innovation across both VR and traditional games. Andrew explains why this downturn...

I sat down with Devin Reimer, co-founder of Astrobeam and former Owlchemy Labs co-founder, to talk candidly about where VR gaming stands today and what developers believe comes next. We discuss why Devin left Owlchemy to start Astrobeam, the importance of VR-native controls, and why the industry feels stuck in a holding pattern right now. Devin also shares his three-year outlook for VR, thoughts o...

In this interview, Denis Dyack explains why innovation disappeared from AAA games and why he’s trying to build something that can outlive servers, platforms, and shifting business models. We talk about Deadhaus Sonata, player ownership, live-service shutdowns, why modern games feel disposable, and how AAA development became risk-averse despite unlimited resources. Dyack also reflects on Silicon Kn...

Anthem is now offline forever. In this exclusive postmortem, BioWare Executive Producer Mark Darrah explains what really happened to Anthem, what Anthem NEXT was supposed to be, and how the game’s failure reshaped Dragon Age Veilguard Mass Effect 5 and the future of BioWare. This Anthem retrospective covers the internal fallout from BioWare’s live-service experiment, why Anthem NEXT was canceled,...

I sat down with Mikey Spano, Chief Creative Officer at Squanch Games, to talk about High on Life 2, launching February 13. We dig into the realities of finishing a comedy-driven game, why humor is one of the hardest things to pull off in games, and how Squanch balances creative ambition with the risks facing modern studios. We also talk about funny games that actually work, why big studios struggl...

Netflix’s planned buyout of WB Games has taken a surprising turn, with Paramount now emerging as a potential challenger to the deal, adding new pressure to one of the biggest gaming acquisitions in years. This comes alongside major industry shifts across Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, and PC: Microsoft is expanding Xbox manufacturing with Foxconn ahead of GTA 6, Sony has partnered with Bad Robot Gam...

I sat down with Path of Exile 2 Game Director Jonathan Rogers to talk about everything coming in the next major update, including the long-awaited Druid class, the design challenges behind Wolf, Bear, and Wyvern forms, and how 0.4 moves POE2 closer to full release. Jonathan also explains how the team is improving performance, expanding endgame goals, and preparing players for what comes next. We a...

I sat down with Dean Hall, CEO of RocketWerkz, to talk about Kitten Space Agency, its surprising public pre-alpha launch, and the tech powering it. We get into the Brutal framework, KSP comparisons, monetization, fundraising, platform strategy, AI in development, the Steam Machine reveal, and the broader shift happening across the games industry. Check out Kitten Space Agency https://ahwoo.com/sto...

The next generation of gaming hardware is starting to take shape — and Valve might be the one pushing everyone forward. With the Steam Machine revealing early pricing expectations, anti-cheat updates, the 8GB VRAM debate, and AMD’s new FSR Redstone announcement, the industry is already shifting. Xbox and PlayStation aren’t far behind as both companies prepare their own next-gen strategies. In this...

Valve’s new Steam Machine dropped and instantly set off alarm bells. Between the 8GB VRAM debate, developer concerns, early reactions, and what this means for the PC and console market, the question is simple. Should Xbox be worried right now? In this episode of Save State Plus, we break down the Steam Machine reveal, the industry response, and where Xbox fits into the picture. Plus.• Fallout Seas...

Rockstar confirms Grand Theft Auto 6 is delayed to November 19, 2026, citing the need for more polish. But inside the studio, tension is boiling over with protests, firings, and union-busting accusations making headlines. Meanwhile, Nintendo raises its Switch 2 sales forecast, Halo Infinite announces what could be its final major update, and BioWare celebrates N7 Day with new Mass Effect teasers....