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Artwork for The Expansion Pass

The Expansion Pass

The Expansion Pass
Xbox
Game Pass
Playstation
Gears Of War
Xbox Game Pass
Avowed
Starfield
Fable
Call Of Duty
Doom
Sea Of Thieves
Nintendo
Xbox Showcase
Fallout
Dead By Daylight
Halo
Activision Blizzard
Grounded 2
Forza Horizon 6
Summer Game Fest

Welcome to The Expansion Pass (XP) — your place for clear, thoughtful discussions on gaming without the console-war noise.

Hosted by Luke Lohr (InsipidGhost) and Captain Logun, XP covers the biggest stories in gaming across Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC, and Game Pass through weekly news analysis, in-depth reviews, and long-form developer interviews.

Formerly Xbox Expansion Pass, the show has ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes250Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesGamesLeisure

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Artwork for The Expansion Pass

Latest Episodes

The Expansion Pass crosses over with The Nerd Chat for a late-night discussion covering GTA 6, Xbox’s evolving strategy, new hardware, and what everyone has been playing.

The crew digs into reports that GTA 6 could arrive on PC in Q1 2027, whether R... more

YouTube

Mathieu Côté of Behaviour Interactive returns for his third conversation with The Expansion Pass to discuss the future of Dead by Daylight.

Mathieu shares new details on the 2027 overhaul, including how long it has been in active development, how Be... more

The Coalition joins The Expansion Pass for a launch-day conversation about Gears of War: E-Day.

Nicole Fawcette, Aryan Hanbeck, and Matt Searcy discuss making the Locust frightening again, building and destroying Kalona, and developing Marcus and Do... more

Gears of War: E-Day takes center stage as Captain Logun is joined by Jesse Norris from Day One and Joseph Moran from The Trophy Room: A PlayStation Podcast.

Jesse breaks down his review of E-Day, including the campaign, multiplayer, Horde Siege, vis... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Nicole Fawcette
Coalition developer on Gears of War: E-Day
The Coalition
Episode: INTERVIEW: Gears of War: E-Day — The Coalition on Horror, Horde Siege & More Gears
Aryan Hanbeck
Art Director / Lead on Gears of War: E-Day
The Coalition
Episode: INTERVIEW: Gears of War: E-Day — The Coalition on Horror, Horde Siege & More Gears
Matt Searcy
Creative/Development lead on Gears of War: E-Day
The Coalition
Episode: INTERVIEW: Gears of War: E-Day — The Coalition on Horror, Horde Siege & More Gears
Shawn Layden
Former chairman of PlayStation Studios, former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Episode: Shawn Layden on PlayStation’s Future, Physical Games, Xbox & the Changing Industry
Jampack Sam
Content creator on YouTube specializing in news and shorts about gaming
Episode: Is Gears of War: E-Day a Winner? Xbox's Strategy Shift & PlayStation's Digital Gamble | XP 331
Andrew Hulshult
Legendary gaming composer known for Doom Eternal, The Ancient Gods, Prodeus, Dusk, and more
New Blood, id Software, Bethesda
Episode: Andrew Hulshult Interview | DOOM, Iron Lung, DUSK & The Dark Ages Story
Dan (DaddyDwally)
The Nerd Chat
Episode: Xbox Studio Closures, Bungie Trouble & Summer Game Fest Favorites | XP 326
Freight Conductor
Guest from Spreading the Nerd, regular contributor
Spreading the Nerd
Episode: Fable Delay, Modern Warfare 4 & Steam Deck Price Increase | XP 323
John Rairdin
Nintendo World Report journalist
Nintendo World Report
Episode: Xbox Elite Controller 3 Leaks, Star Fox Returns, Forza Horizon 6 Reviews | XP 321

Hosts

Luke Lohr
Host of The Expansion Pass (InsipidGhost) with deep expertise in Xbox ecosystem and developer interviews
Captain Logun
Co-host discussing gaming news and insights; partnership in cross-platform coverage

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 252 ratings
  • XEP works extremely hard to bring weekly gaming coverage from across the industry. There are regularly developer interviews and they do not encourage console wars.

    Podchaser
    5
    insipidghost
    9 months ago
  • Smart, honest gaming discussions

    I started listening to Xbox Expansion Pass fairly recently, and it’s stayed in my rotation ever since.

    Luke and Logan do a great job breaking down gaming and industry news in a way that feels thoughtful and measured rather than reactionary. The discussions are honest, well-informed, and never talk down to the listener. You can tell both hosts genuinely care about the quality of the conversation, not just getting through the headlines.

    One of the highlights for me has been the interviews. They ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    brianeck85
    United States9 months ago
  • Best gaming podcast

    There is no better gaming podcast out there. Positive, insightful and fun. 2 great guys making fun content. A must listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Falconguy19
    United States9 months ago
  • Great!!

    Luke and Logan are some of the best! They keep you up to date on the gaming industry while staying away from the toxicity that others focus on

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SJDub5
    United States2 years ago
  • Harry Potter

    These people actually believe a man can be a woman. They actually think a man can have a monthly cycle like a woman. I know they’re not biologists but common sense tells you men are men and women are women.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    iRaUnSpokenHero
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Consistently high-quality analysis and interviews from developers and journalists
Positive, balanced insights with a focus on respect and clear takes on gaming ecosystems
A must-listen for Xbox fans and broader gaming listeners seeking deeper industry understanding
Thoughtful, well-informed industry discussion with interviews that add real context to news

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

INTERVIEW: Gears of War: E-Day — The Coalition on Horror, Horde Siege & More Gears
Q: What would you say to fans and newcomers about E-Day on release day?
Go play the game. It serves as a strong entry point for newcomers and offers a rich backstory for returning fans, with a focus on Marcus and Dom's relationship and a deep, lore-informed campaign that pays off for both groups as they experience the wider Gears universe.
INTERVIEW: Gears of War: E-Day — The Coalition on Horror, Horde Siege & More Gears
Q: What was the approach to sticking to Gears lore while modernizing the gameplay and making it fun for today's players?
The team continuously evaluates every element for its lore bar, choosing when to respect the original weight and when to adapt for modern fun. They prioritize maintaining the core feel of Gears while updating assets and systems (like weapon behavior) to support an engaging, modern experience without alienating longtime fans.
INTERVIEW: Gears of War: E-Day — The Coalition on Horror, Horde Siege & More Gears
Q: How canonical is siege mode, and should we expect long-time fan favorites to show up there?
Siege is not strictly canon, especially in terms of which characters appear, but we anchored multiplayer siege maps in Kalona to feel authentic to the world. The team aims for a balance: keep narrative coherence while allowing playful, canon-inspired freedom in multiplayer, so players can enjoy familiar vibes without being strictly bound to in-game lore.
Shawn Layden on PlayStation’s Future, Physical Games, Xbox & the Changing Industry
Q: Why is AI not a panacea for gaming, and how should studios think about it as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity?
AI is framed as an augmenting tool—helping with testing, iteration, and certain edge cases—but not a universal solution. The guest argues for retaining human creativity, editorial guardrails, and the craft of game design, suggesting that AI can accelerate parts of the process without substituting strategic, narrative, and artistic judgment.
Shawn Layden on PlayStation’s Future, Physical Games, Xbox & the Changing Industry
Q: What are your thoughts on physical gaming versus digital and the implications of disc drives in modern PlayStation strategies?
The guest notes that while digital downloads are incredibly convenient and have driven costs and logistics, a significant minority still values physical copies for ownership and collection. He emphasizes that ownership semantics matter and that a shift away from discs changes consumer behavior and marketing dynamics, even if digital remains dominant.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Expansion Pass

What is The Expansion Pass about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, multi-platform gaming show delivering weekly news analysis, hands-on previews, and in-depth developer interviews. Conversations cover Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC, and Game Pass, blending hands-on impressions with broader industry trends such as live-service strategies, first-party pipelines, and platform ecosystems. Notable strengths include long-form interviews with developers and creators from AAA to indie, and a consistent emphasis on clear, respectful discourse without fanboy shouting. The format often mixes reaction to current events with strategic context, helping listeners decide what's worth watching or playing and offering actionable insights for industry professionals seeking nuance over hot takes.

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How many listeners does The Expansion Pass get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Expansion Pass have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Expansion Pass has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Expansion Pass?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Expansion Pass:

1. Defining Duke: An Xbox Podcast
2. The XB2 — An Xbox & Gaming Podcast
3. The DayOne Show | A Video Games Podcast
4. XNC - Xbox News Cast Podcast
5. Unlocked

How many episodes of The Expansion Pass are there?

The Expansion Pass launched 7 years ago and published 250 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Expansion Pass?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Expansion Pass?

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What guests have appeared on The Expansion Pass?

Recent guests on The Expansion Pass include:

1. Nicole Fawcette
2. Aryan Hanbeck
3. Matt Searcy
4. Shawn Layden
5. Jampack Sam
6. Andrew Hulshult
7. Dan (DaddyDwally)
8. Freight Conductor

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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