Xbox creator Seamus Blackley joins us for a special episode commemorating the 20th anniversary of Xbox. He shares stories from the early days of building the Xbox at Microsoft, discusses what he thinks of Xbox and the gaming industry now, and much more!

Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, to our new YouTube channel, or grab an MP3 download of this week's episode. For more awesome content, check out our special Xbox 20th anniversary episode, featuring a candid interview with Xbox creator Seamus Blackley:

Oh, and you can be featured on Unlocked by tweeting us a video Loot Box question! Tweet your question and tag Ryan at @DMC_Ryan!

For more next-gen coverage, make sure to check out our Xbox Series X review, our Xbox Series S review, and our PS5 review.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Square Enix has shared new details and screenshots for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, the new, souls-like Final Fantasy game from Nioh studio Team Ninja.

Stranger of Paradise is a new interpretation of the original Final Fantasy and focuses on the hero Jack and his quest to destroy Chaos and return light to the crystals of Cornelia. Today, Square Enix introduced Captain Bikke, a pirate who Jack and his companions will encounter.

They'll run into Bikke at a pirate ship moored in the Pravoka Seagrot, a new location in the game. The pirate captain swings a two-handed axe in battle. Other characters introduced include Cornelia's royal family comprised of the King, Queen Jayne, and their daughters Sarah and Mia.

Square Enix also went over the break gauge system in combat where combos and abilities will reduce the enemy's gauge. Once depleted, you can defeat the enemy with a single blow. There's also a new ability called the Soul Shield, which absorbs an enemy's attack and allows you to fire it right back at them.

And, much like Dark Souls, Jedi Fallen Order, and other games in the genre, healing Jack at a checkpoint cube will also resurrect all monsters in the area. If you fall in combat, you respawn at the last cube you healed at.

First announced at E3 2021, Stranger of Paradise is not a direct continuation or prequel to Final Fantasy 1. Instead, it sounds like a remix of the first game, using the same setting and some elements of the original's story.

After a rough demo period where the game was unplayable, we were able to try out Stranger of Paradise, where we said the game is, "actually shaping up to be a very promising looking action/soulslike spin on the Final Fantasy franchise." And, it could get even better, as the developers are implementing changes made based on player feedback. You can check out what comes in each edition of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin here.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, have surged in prominence online. There's a whole community of NFT enthusiasts out on the internet, but some are cautious about the new technology. Xbox's Phil Spencer feels that they are currently more exploitative than creative.

In an interview with Axios, Spencer says that he is cautious about how NFTs are currently being considered in gaming. "What I'd say today on NFT, all up, is I think there's a lot of speculation and experimentation that's happening, and that some of the creative that I see today feels more exploitive than about entertainment," explained Spencer.

Spencer went on to clarify that he doesn't think every single NFT game is exploitative, but that the space is still new and people are on a journey trying to figure it out. He also understands the early controversy surrounding NFTs in gaming isn't necessarily an aspect you want to have in the Xbox Store.

“I think anything that we looked at in our storefront that we said is exploitive would be something that we would, you know, take action on,” Spencer added. “We don't want that kind of content.”

NFTs have taken the world by storm, and have already crept their way into the gaming ecosystem. Last month, Steam put forth a policy that banned any games utilizing blockchain technology that allows for NFTs and cryptocurrencies, while Epic Games embraced them, given that they follow relevant laws.

Big publishers such as EA and Ubisoft have decided to welcome NFTs as well. EA believes that NFT technology will play an important part in the future of gaming, while Ubisoft plans to create blockchain games.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

Today I'd like to highlight a game that's near and dear to my heart. Party Golf—the criminally underplayed local multiplayer king—can be yours for less than 2 bucks. Get it, keep it handy on your PC for when people come over, and thank me later. It's basically Mario Kart / Bomberman levels of pick-up-and-battle-for-hours hilarity.

Notable Sales for Nintendo Switch

Purchase Cheaply for PC

Exciting Offers for XO/XS

New to backwards compat catalogue!

Product Savings for PS4/PS5

Adam's an Aussie deals wrangler who is the king of Party Golf at his house. He's also @Grizwords.

With Daniel Craig relinquishing the role of James Bond after a 15 year run as the British superspy, many other stars are throwing in their hat for the role. The latest is Dwayne Johnson, who brings some unique credentials to the table.

Speaking with Esquire, Johnson discussed his unique connection to the Bond universe. As it turns out, Johnson's grandfather, Peter Maiva, was a Bond villain in You Only Live Twice, where he played a henchman who tries to kill Bond with a mix of wrestling moves and a katana (it doesn't work, obviously).

"Yes, my grandfather was a Bond villain in You Only Live Twice with Sean Connery," Johnson said. "[It] was very, very cool. And I would like to follow in his footsteps and be the next Bond."

It would be a bit of stretch given that Johnson isn't British, and British fans are very protective of the iconic spy, but he certainly has the action chops for the role. One thing is certain: Johnson doesn't want to be a villain.

"I don't want to be a villain. Got to be Bond," Johnson says.

In the meantime, Tom Hardy is reportedly the betting favorite to be the next Bond, with Henry Cavill and Idris Elba also touted for the role. Even Edgar Wright says he has some ideas on where Bond can go next.

As for Johnson, his next big role is Black Adam, where he will play the titular antihero. It's scheduled to release July 29, 2022.