Xbox is making major changes to backward compatibility, Achievements, game preservation, and the overall Xbox experience — while Gears of War: E-Day may be shaping up to be something special.

This week on The Expansion Pass, Luke Lohr and Captain Logun break down Xbox’s expanding backward compatibility plans, including what they could mean for original Xbox and Xbox 360 games across console and PC. We also discuss the latest Achievement updates, Xbox’s renewed focus on its existing community, physical game preservation, and where the platform may be heading next.

Then we get into our hands-on impressions of the Gears of War: E-Day beta. Horde Siege has us impressed, but can The Coalition convince players outside the existing Gears audience to give E-Day a chance?

Plus, QuakeCon 2026 delivers new Quake content, Grounded 2 prepares to head Into the Abyss, Nintendo shows more Fire Emblem, Ghost Recon Wildlands gets a substantial update nine years after launch, and Luke has a warning for anyone considering Jotunnslayer on Nintendo Switch 2.

Topics include:

• Xbox backward compatibility and game preservation
• Xbox Achievement updates
• The future of the Xbox ecosystem
• Gears of War: E-Day beta impressions
• Horde Siege and the evolution of Gears
• QuakeCon 2026 and Quake: Dawn of the Machine
• Grounded 2: Into the Abyss
• Fire Emblem and Nintendo Switch 2
• Ghost Recon Wildlands’ new update
• Jotunnslayer on Switch 2

The Expansion Pass delivers thoughtful gaming discussion without the console-war noise.