These ads get cringier by the episode

Ryan is great but these days this podcast is just a round of high fives for Microsoft.

IGN as a company has turned into a bunch of woke activists now pushing an agenda through entertainment. They will eventually fade into obscurity because of making video games into a political/ideological propaganda instead of serving their clients (people who want a break from all the garbage and just want to play fun games)

I love that Ryan and the crew talk about the biz behind Xbox and seem to be in touch with the overall Xbox community opinions.

The video game community would be better without IGN. There are far better and more knowledgeable Xbox podcats out there, I would recommend The Xbox Two or Kinda Funny Xcast.

They hate Xbox

Podcast Unlocked used to be an absolute must-listen podcast for me for a looong time, even back in the dead xbox one years. But it feels to me like over the last couple years something has been lost. No longer are the panel members actually knowledgeable of xbox games or are even xbox fans. Ryan McCaffrey is still an absolute treasure in the Xbox community, but for some reason he’s chosen to surround himself with some panel members that truly do no know xbox games. Instead these members will wax poetic for minutes saying seemingly nothing substantive just to fill podcast minutes, and we’re missing the interesting takes and deep knowledgeable dives into xbox history and speculation that we were given regularly for so many years. Even though these panel members are very nice people (and I do truly mean that), nice doesn’t get me to listen to the podcast every week. Kind of interesting that as we exit the dark era of xbox we’ve entered a lull in podcast unlocked. I hope this too shall pass and someday we’ll have rich informative discussions regularly on Podcast Unlocked again.

I would listen every week to a show that was just Ryan and Destin. This current version of the podcast I check out every few weeks to see who the lineup is. And usually check out. I do not hate the other hosts or guest hosts, far from it, but simply don’t add much to the conversation. I want to hear what the old guard fan boys (or fan girls) have to say about the x-box eco system. I checked out on Stella, (with no hard feelings or hatred towards her) when she was brought on as the “FPS expert” of ign, and on the first episode she said she had never played halo. ALL credibility on X-box and FPSs gone. I do not know why she’s still on the show. To break down, Ryan and Destin show 👍👍👍 Ryan and Destin and almost anyone else 👎👎👎

They tend to talk more about the business side of gaming, but that’s mostly because Xbox doesn’t produce a ton of their own games for them to talk about. Cast: Miranda is great. Destin is great. Ryan is a good dude but tends to be way too long winded. Stella has got to learn how to talk without laughing.. geezus please.

I don’t know if their editor is absolutely incompetent or if they’re just that desperate for runtime, but the skipping back 1 minute every 5-8 minutes is obnoxious and completely ruins whatever they might have had going for them.

Accidentally listens to this pod before I knew it was IGN. My mistake. I don’t think IGN has ever correctly reviewed a game or given it anywhere near the correct score. Hot takes for the sake of hot takes and that’s about it.

The recent IGN US Starfield review just confirms to me IGN’s long-standing anti-Xbox sentiment. IGN knows their bread is buttered by other dominant platforms & their fans. There is a well documented pattern of instances where IGN’s organizational culture showcases their anti-Xbox bias. Allowin Dan Stapleton, a well known Xbox, and Bethesda, critic (who has on numerous occasions dipped his toe in the so-called console wars) to take the lead on this most recent review is baffling. Most concerning to me is seeing his colleagues damage control the flaws in his assessment. In short, if you “live and breathe Xbox”, you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone at IGN, including those on this panel, that feel the same.

If you’re looking for an XBOX podcast where the hosts play and enjoy the XBOX brand, this is not the podcast for you.

Listen/watch shows such as: Double-Barrel Gaming, Xbox Two, Dirt Griggity, Fun Speculation, and Colt Eastwood podcasts/shows instead of this garbage if you want good Xbox/gaming news and I used to listen to this show and visit the IGN site regularly. Hey, Destin, leave IGN, you’re doing well on your own channel.

in episode 605 i think they said that it would be impossible or hard for you to join. i feel if you have any past knowledge on realistic games it is quite east to get started. i joined siege a year back and i had my friends to guide me. it can be a very sweaty place but can also be a friday night game. if you play quick match it’s often times very fun and chill axed it’s definitely harder when your friends a higher rank then you and your playing ranked but if you play unranked or quick match it can very much be a goofy fun game but can quickly turn into a sweaty 1v1 it just depends on where your skill level is and who your playing with

I’ve been listening since the Mitch Dyer days, so I’ve seen my fair share of hosts cycle through. Ryan is a fair mediator and host who’s a pillar in the Xbox community at this point. Destin is good for a change of pace and wholesome, dad-joke humor. Khalif has been a great addition to the show in Miranda’s hiatus. But I’ve officially had enough of Stella. She mains a PC and rarely knows what’s going on in the Xbox ecosystem. She’s constantly making missteps in her comments involving games, dates, and the basic facts. She’s a poor host when given the opportunity in Ryan’s absence. I’m sure she’s a nice enough person and Apex player but maybe it’s time to cycle in some new faces in her place.

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Welcome to Podcast Unlocked, where we’ll beat the same dead horse over and over again: how do we fix Halo?, who should MS acquire next?, the Xbox game drought is over! Or let’s speculate about some topic for a needlessly long time and show everyone how insightful we aren’t. I don’t even own a PS5, but Beyond! is such a better product at this point, with topics that go past the PlayStation brand to cover popular games and franchises in a meaningful way. On top of that, the conversations go way outside anyone on the show’s comfort zone. We’ve been taking about this Activision merger for over a year and Ryan can’t even remember which branch of the government is challenging it. Stella is so pro-women in gaming, she doesn’t even know who Amy Hennig is. Please, guys, take a long, hard look at the show and retool it.

This podcast is fine, the hosts are fine and the show is fine. Not horrible but not extraordinarily memorable.

Tired of the wokeness. Had to stop listening after a couple years because of it.

Have been listening for years, but have to give this low review for completely ignoring one of the best, most anticipated games of the year…Hogwarts Legacy. IGN is supposed to be game journalism. Leaving Hogwarts Legacy out of this podcast is GLARING, demonstrating a lack of objectivity in journalism of video games. It’s an obvious political statement that goes against the sentiments of the majority opinion of your listeners and the population. How many people have to complain in the reviews, forums, comments, and via direct contact before this company learns to leave their San Fransisco politics out of game journalism? There should be enough moderate or conservative people within your company who can fairly record a podcast on this game without political bias. If you can’t even get four people together to do this, then clearly you have a different kind of diversity problem…no diversity of thought.

There were 2 shows left from ign that wasn’t pushing this woke poc lgbtwpir stuff down our throats, unfortunately there’s only 1 now and I know the time is coming unless Damon can stand up for what I’m assuming he believes and keep GAMEscoop focused on video games and not preaching to his listeners. You were great Ryan. Thanks for the many years of content but I just can’t anymore. I hope you leave IGN one day and do your own thing, I know people will follow you. I know I will unless you keep this nonsense up.

The show was great but ign has recently started placing adds throughout their shows and unlocked in particular has trouble with these adds. The adds mess with the timestamps and run time and usually cause the audio to time skip towards the end. Usually it jumps backwards and you relisten to content you just heard, but sometimes it skips forward and you miss a big chunk of the discussion. Either way it's not enjoyable and makes listening to the show a bit of a hassle.

Ryan McCaffrey is always on top of his game. Great voice and smooth professional delivery. He really keeps this show interesting. Destin is always very knowledgable and usually has a smart and interesting perspective. Miranda is also good. I like that she brings a unique take on things and isn't afraid to challenge the guys. I like her! It is important to bring in diverse opinions on things. It makes it more interesting.

Been listening for years, love the show, but my god the latest episode had so many obnoxious ads littered throughout that it was infuriating. Please just put all of these at the start or at the end or make them all an even :30 so they’re skippable without missing content from the show.

Ryan is a good host but Miranda somehow manages to single-handedly submarine the show with her complete lack of self awareness and out of touch takes. Unfortunately her presence makes the show completely unbearable and despite Ryan’s (and others) contributions I can’t recommend this podcast to anyone.

Updated May 2022 - Since I wrote the below the podcast has just gone down hill and is full-blown following IGN’s woke, illiberal agenda. Ryan and Destin have tremendous knowledge but rarely are allowed to speak because the focus has to be on Miranda and Stella, who both continue to feel the need to giggle while they talk. Neither contributes to the show. Their role model needs to become Tina on Game Scoop who always has something intelligent to say. And guest host, well it amazes me they ignore inviting people from the community who have knowledge and would have something useful to contribute. I’m out. A good Xbox podcast, generally with interesting insights. Occasionally will lapse into the illiberal woke-ness that has overrun IGN, but certainly not to the extent of the PS podcast. Wish Miranda didn’t feel the need to giggle at everything she says, or is said. On the plus side, Ryan’s experience with the platform and insider knowledge shows.

Ryan does a great job as host but I just can’t get behind the newer supporting cast. Still a well done podcast.

This has always been one of the better IGN podcast. Ryan is a good host and the topics are solid. Some of the guest hosts are difficult to listen to sometimes and Destin, a series regular, is REALLY hard to listen to. So I listen semi-regularly.

IGN podcasts are like the Fox News of video games.

IGN’s Xbox podcast Unlocked is a must listen for fans of not only Xbox, but gaming in general. The panel does a great job touching on the biggest Xbox news, while also doing a great job keeping the less flashy stuff in the show as well. Ryan is a great interviewer and the panel is all ridiculously informed which makes for great shows. Miranda and Destin work great with one another and I’m excited to learn more from the shows new regular, Stella! Unlocked is a great listen and I highly recommend, BAM!

As I get older and have less time for video games this podcast fills that void in my life, it helps me keep up with the Xbox news with Ryan’s well balanced views. Occasionally they may go off on nostalgic tangents for a little too long but I can’t blame them because they genuinely love video games. Side note: it makes me sad that some other reviewers have mentioned that they hate that the podcast became “too woke” by just starting to bring on guests of color in 2020 and I honestly applaud Ryan for this, at first I thought it felt forced, but after a while I thought, “why shouldn’t gamers of different ethnic backgrounds be represented?” We’re all gamers here, all of our views and opinions matter, and for Ryan to share the spotlight with them just shows that he’s genuinely trying for inclusion. And this continued through 2021 with bringing on a permanent new female host (Stella). And if you’re genuinely upset to see and hear from people that don’t look and talk like you, then you need to ask yourself why.

Politics gave the hosts brain worms

I like this podcast, I can’t give 5 stars because the hosts hate COD ghosts and I therefore cannot fully trust their judgement lol but this is a great podcast

Seven02 Gaming podcast loves Unlocked! The IGN podcast are just the best but please check out our new podcast on YouTube or your streaming app!!

Destin is good & some game talk, otherwise the rest is woke BLM trash. HAVING A GUEST BECAUSE OF SKIN COLOR!? Pathetic, unsubscribed.

I really like this podcast. I love how the talk about the business side as well as just the games in general. It’s a amazing podcast for anyone who wants to hear about everything xbox.

Followed Ryan over from KOXM and thrilled that he's kept the same basic format. If you want comedy, subscribe to a comedy podcast. I want my game info in a concise, but fun way and this definitely does it. Like the other usual panel members as well - Destin, Miranda, & Brandon - plus any fill-in hosts. Keep it up as I'll be a continuous subscriber.

Like it when they present both the good and the bad when it comes to Xbox.

Wokeness infects everything

Love the business aspect. Great insight into the behind the scenes. Just got done listening to this episode about Microsoft losing money on their consoles in the epic Apple lawsuit. Please bring the British guy back he was awesome.

If you are only listening to a podcast to hear what you already know, and have your opinions confirmed, this isn't your pod. If you want interesting conversation with diverse viewpoints, listen to Unlocked.

I’m disappointed in the fact that I’ve been listing to this podcast for over 5 years. Loved looking forward to this each and every week. Now since this pandemic started all its been is them pushing to wear a mask, stay home, and go get vaccinated. People are allowed to have their own opinions but this isn’t the platform to do this. This is a gaming podcast not a political podcast. Used to listen to get my mind off the world now all I hear is what’s going on in the world.

I love the variety of these gamers opinions.

Too much liberal woke politics

Poisoned political pandering

I really love this podcast, and I was happy when they were bringing in black content creators and uplifting their voices and content creation through IGN’s massive platform. It’s however incredibly performative and fake to stop doing that and instead just have 2 hosts while the other fill-ins (Marc and Destin) just come and go. Why go through the trouble of having black creators on your show all of 4 times, just to stop? Lol. This is why people think IGN is cringe and fake woke. Commit to it or don’t do it at all.

Used to be a great show. Now it’s just Xbox Game Pass propaganda. Every week, same old thing. Ryan is great at what he does. Just sad to see him pushing this narrative that Game Pass is the greatest thing to happen to Xbox.

I enjoy this podcast and many other IGN podcasts but they simply have technical issues on Apple Podcasts. I cannot get any of the recent episodes for Unlocked, Game Scoop or Beyond or Unfiltered to play. It seems to be something with how they are uploading the podcast. All other podcasts play without issue, just not anything from IGN.

Definitely an informative, worthwhile show. Sometimes they allow politics to creep into a show where it doesn’t belong. It’s not a huge deal to me, but is distracting enough to take it out of my #1 gaming podcast list and lose a star. Games are supposed to be fun and without that stuff, therefore podcasts should be as well. A liberal slant to some things is distracting. I listen every week and will continue to! Thanks for the podcast!