Xbox skipping The Game Awards could be a good thing

Xbox Direct?

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight the crew discusses all those crazy announcements from The Game Awards. From Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon to Ken Levine’s long-awaited return with “Judas“. Let’s get into it!

One thing that can’t go untalked about is Xbox’s absence from The Game Awards. This is really surprising considering the company is coming off of an extremely lackluster year of first-party content. Not only that, but Xbox has three major AAA games launching in the first half of 2023. With Starfield, Redfall, and Forza Motorsport on the horizon.

Sure, Game Pass definitely delivered the goods throughout the year, but the first-party waiting game is getting a bit redundant. I’m truly hoping Xbox has something special up its sleeve after having such a quiet year. Aaron Greenberg hinted the publisher has ‘something’ coming soon. But that doesn’t change the fact that Xbox’s presence at The Game Awards was sorely needed.

My hope is that Microsoft has an “Xbox Direct”-style digital presentation planned for early next year. A new showcase following the likes of Nintendo’s Directs and PlayStation’s State of Play events. A one-stop-shop for all things Xbox, Xbox Game Studios, and Game Pass. If this is the case, then that’s a-okay with me. I’ve been longing for Xbox to follow the leader in this department. If not, well damn.

We have a lot planned to show and share about an incredibly exciting year ahead for 2023. Appreciate folks are eager to learn and see more. Timing is always key, but don’t worry you will not have to wait too long for what’s next from us. ???????????? https://t.co/d1dca2i2Nt

— Aaron Greenberg ????????‍♂️????U (@aarongreenberg) December 9, 2022

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show. Let us know in the comments!

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel! All future episodes will be live-streamed and uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

Brett Medlock

Head of video at Destructoid