We're in the midst of the season of giving, but that doesn't mean you can't also treat yourself. There are plenty of deals to take advantage of too—be sure to check out our ho-ho-hot tech gift roundup with a curated selection of items from each us here at HotHardware, and if you own a Switch or Switch 2, have a gander at some deeply discounted
The countdown to Christmas is quickly winding down with now just a handful of days to get your holiday shopping finished for the big day. After you've perused our ho-ho-hot tech gifts selections compiled by all of us here at HotHardware, turn your attention to a big sale going on for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 consoles, with some discountsFor Day 20 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with Thermaltake to give one lucky reader a big prize bundle. The winner today will receive a Thermaltake View 290 TG case, along with a set of ARGB Sync fans, a ToughLiquid 360 EX AIO liquid cooler and a Toughpower GF A3 power supply, creating a perfect starting point for a new build.
The Thermaltake View 290 TG ARGB is a mid‑tower chassis built around a curved tempered‑glass front panel and a full glass side panel. Thermaltake’s Toughpower GF A3 PSU is an ATX 3.0–ready power supply designed for modern GPUs, while the Toughliquid 360 EX AIO fits neatly into the case’s top‑mount radiator support, offering ample thermal headroom for high‑performance CPUs. The ARGB‑sync fans will allow you to add some extra colour to your rig.
To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is head over to our competition announcement post on Facebook, HERE. In the comments, leave an answer to the following question – What was your most played game this year?
This competition is open worldwide.
The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 21st, and a new competition will be announced for Day 21. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.
Terms and Conditions: This competition is open worldwide, starting at 11AM GMT on December 20th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 21st. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.
KitGuru Says: Good luck to all who enter, we'll be back tomorrow morning to announce a winner and turn the calendar over to Day 21!
The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 20: Win a Thermaltake hardware bundle! first appeared on KitGuru.
Game preservation is a tricky thing, especially without resorting to emulation or dubiously-obtained ROM files. System 3 Software, however, put in the effort for fans of ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64-era games by bringing its Last Ninja trilogy and a number of its other games to Steam. The games have full support for modern controllers, and
Players of Riot Games on the PC are familiar with the Vanguard kernel-level anti-cheat software by now. However, even with it installed and updated, gamers may have received a notice that their system is restricted from launching the popular game Valorant. This isn't an accident—per a blog post from Riot Games, a key vulnerability in modern
This past Wednesday, AMD quietly published what appears to be the first official technical documentation for its upcoming Zen 6 CPU architecture, codenamed Morpheus. This document offers early insight into several notable architectural changes. While the company has not formally announced Zen 6 products yet, the document provides strong hints
Earlier this week there was an uproar among LG TV owners over the inclusion of what most thought was a Microsoft Copilot app that couldn’t be removed, which was bundled with the latest WebOS platform update. WebOS is the operating system that runs on LG's current range of televisions. The company has responded to the backlash to clarify theSquare Enix has confirmed that its Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series has officially surpassed six million units sold worldwide. The collection, which revitalises the first six entries in the long-running RPG franchise, has proven a commercial success since its initial rollout in 2021, validating the publisher's strategy of preserving its back catalogue with uniform standards for modern platforms.
While Square Enix has often faced criticism for its handling of legacy ports, the Pixel Remaster initiative appears to have struck the right chord with gamers. The project involved a complete overhaul of Final Fantasy I through VI, unifying the visual style across the NES and SNES eras. The original pixel artist, Kazuko Shibuya, returned to redraw the 2D character sprites, ensuring the new assets remained faithful to the source material. On the audio front, legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu supervised and orchestrated arrangements of the soundtracks, replacing the synthesized tunes of the 8-bit and 16-bit hardware.
The sales figures shared by Square Enix reflect performance across a staggered release schedule spanning multiple years and ecosystems. The first wave hit Steam, iOS, and Android between July 2021 and February 2022. Following sustained demand from console players, the collection was released on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in April 2023. Most recently, the series landed on Xbox Series X|S and the Microsoft Store in 2024, making the collection playable natively on all major current-gen hardware.
Beyond the audiovisual facelift, the commercial longevity of the bundle is likely aided by the inclusion of modern convenience features that respect player time. Square Enix implemented toggle-based boosters, allowing users to adjust experience gain, automate combat, or disable random encounters entirely. These optional tools have made the notoriously grind-heavy 8-bit entries significantly more palatable for a contemporary audience accustomed to faster pacing.
KitGuru says: It took Square Enix a few tries to get these ports right, but the sales numbers don't lie. With six million copies sold, the Pixel Remaster series stands as one of the publisher's most successful attempts at leveraging its heritage.
The post Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster surpasses 6 million sales first appeared on KitGuru.This year's Game Awards has once again proven its dominance in the gaming calendar, setting a new viewership record for its 2025 broadcast. According to data reported by the organization, The Game Awards secured an estimated 171 million global live views, marking an 11% increase over the 154 million figure recorded in 2024.
Note that this figure represents strictly live tune-ins for the main show. It excludes the long tail of trailer views, social media clips, and viewership from premium partners like Prime Video. The data is aggregated across major open platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, TikTok Live, Steam, X, and Facebook, as well as major regional players such as JioHotstar in India and various Chinese streaming services.
Platform-specific metrics paint a picture of steady growth rather than explosive spikes. On YouTube, the official 4K stream saw an 8% rise in concurrent viewers, contributing to a total platform peak of over 2.4 million when co-streams are factored in. Twitch performance remained good as well, with peak concurrents climbing 5% to settle just above 1.8 million.
This trajectory continues a decade-long trend for the event, which has grown from a modest 1.9 million viewers in 2014 to the juggernaut it is today. The most significant historical leaps occurred in 2018, when it jumped to 26.2 million, and in 2020, when it hit 83 million. The 2025 numbers suggest that while the growth curve is flattening, the ceiling has not yet been reached.
KitGuru says: Did you watch the show? What platform were you watching it on?
The post The Game Awards 2025 breaks records again with 171 million live views first appeared on KitGuru.Started all the way back in 1997, One Piece is one of the longest-running and most popular anime of all time – going stronger than ever after a quarter of a century. As with many successful anime franchises, One Piece has gotten plenty of video game adaptations over the years. One of its most popular series is the Pirate Warriors sub-franchise, with Bandai Namco now confirming that it has sold over 10 million copies.
Releasing a trailer thanking fans, publisher Bandai Namco confirmed that the One Piece Pirate Warriors series has sold a total of 10 million copies.
Beginning in 2012, One Piece Pirate Warriors is a musou-styled game similar in vein to the likes of Hyrule Warriors, Persona 5 Strikers and of course Dynasty Warriors. Since the first entry’s release, we’ve gotten 4 Pirate Warriors games in total with the most recent being Warriors 4 – arriving in 2020.
Despite being arguably the biggest anime/manga series of all time, One Piece has not had the best track record when it comes to video games, with a majority of their releases receiving relatively mixed reviews from critics (though fans are more lenient).
Still, with Pirate Warriors 4 alone selling 4 million copies – and the series as a whole having now exceeded 10 million – there is clearly plenty of demand for more video games set in the world of One Piece.
KitGuru says: What do you think of One Piece as a manga/anime? Are any of the games worth checking out? In your opinion, what’s the best video game of all time based on an anime? Let us know down below.
The post One Piece Pirate Warriors series officially passes 10 million copies sold first appeared on KitGuru.Recently, we learned that Sony and Bungie had resolved a plagiarism dispute over Marathon with an artist. Coincidentally, the game's original art director has now left the company.
Joseph Cross, who had a long career at Bungie spanning work across Destiny and Marathon, has left the company. Most recently, Cross had served as the art director on Marathon. As spotted by The Game Post, Cross has updated their LinkedIn profile to confirm that they are no longer working at Bungie.
Kotaku spoke with Cross after the news began spreading and learned that they left Bungie of their own accord, so there was no firing. Cross is leaving Bungie just after the company solidified the release plan for Marathon, which will now be launching in March 2026, with a $40 price tag. As plans for the final game have been locked in, the lack of art director during these final months of development should have no impact on the release.
Marathon was originally supposed to release this year but had to be delayed while the team generated new assets to avoid plagiarism issues. With this extra time, Bungie was also able to address some crucial feedback from the game's closed alpha test, adding more PvE events into the maps and adding features like proximity voice chat for better in-game communication.
KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to Marathon? I'm still hoping for an open beta early next year so I can give it a try myself.
The post Marathon art director leaves Bungie first appeared on KitGuru.Global analytics firm Newzoo has provided an optimistic year-in-review for 2025 in gaming. The broader global picture shows an industry on the rise, driven heavily by a resurgence in PC gaming and the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2.
Newzoo (via VGC) projects that the global video game market will close 2025 with a total value of $197 billion, representing a healthy 7.5% increase over 2024. Although steeper than in recent years, analysts warn that looming economic factors like tariffs, the rising cost of living, and emerging memory shortages could dampen this momentum as we head into 2026.
The breakdown of this growth offers an interesting insight into current player habits. Mobile gaming remains the dominant revenue generator, expected to reach $108 billion, up 7.7% year on year. However, the PC sector has emerged as the growth leader, rising 10.4% to reach $43 billion. This expansion outpaces the console market, which is forecast to grow modestly by 4.2% to $45 billion.
Image credit: Newzoo
According to Michiel Buijsman, Newzoo’s Chief Market Analyst, the surge in PC revenue isn't necessarily due to a sudden influx of new players, but rather existing enthusiasts spending more deeply within the ecosystems they already inhabit. The top 10 PC games by revenue in 2025 were all released in 2025, and notably, none were free-to-play titles. This list included a mix of established brands and three completely new IPs, highlighting the platform's openness to system-driven design and varied experiences.
In contrast, the console market remains heavily reliant on established familiarity. The top 10 revenue generators on console were exclusively existing franchises, with half of the list comprised of annual releases. Electronic Arts appears to be the primary beneficiary of this trend, publishing nearly half of the top-performing titles. However, the standout success on the console front is undoubtedly Pokémon Legends Z-A, which managed to crack the top rankings despite being exclusive to a single platform.
Perhaps the biggest surprise taken from the engagement data is the reversal of fortunes between the industry's two biggest shooters. While Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 ranked only in the top 10 console titles by monthly active users (MAUs), Battlefield 6 has demonstrated remarkable staying power. EA's shooter appeared across all revenue and engagement lists for both PC and console, suggesting that 2025 will go down as the year Battlefield finally reclaimed the crown from its rival.
Significant structural changes and indie success also defined the year. Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 capped off a stellar year for independent developers by sweeping The Game Awards, proving that non-AAA titles can still dominate the discourse. Meanwhile, on the corporate side, the industry is grappling with consolidation, exemplified by EA's move to take the company private.
KitGuru says: If PC growth momentum continues over the coming years, the platform has a pretty good chance of catching up to consoles. If someone said this 20 years ago, it would probably be called crazy, but today, it's closer to reality than ever.
The post PC gaming growth outpaces console as global market hits $197 billion first appeared on KitGuru.Popularised by the likes of Spotify, most services nowadays offer their users a year-in-review of sorts, in which you can learn about your consumption habits from the past 12 months. While Xbox has offered wrap-ups for previous years, an insider is claiming that budget reallocations have led to Microsoft cancelling 2025’s Xbox year-in-review.
As reported by known insider Jez Corden, Microsoft is not planning to have their own year-in-review for 2025. While this decision is rather odd as it is unlikely to be too costly to temporarily host a site featuring stats which the console manufacturer already tracks on a daily basis, according to Corden:
“A lot of the ‘marketing budget’ that would've typically been allocated to something like an ‘Xbox Wrapped’ is being poured into efforts to celebrate [upcoming] major milestones for Xbox, its brands, and some of its games” (such as Xbox’s 25th anniversary, Blizzard’s 35th and Bethesda’s 40th).
While there is no denying that 2026 could be a big year for Microsoft, the optics of being unwilling to spend a bit of money on a community-focused wrap-up using pre-existing stats and some basic graphics is concerning to say the least.
In case you missed it, PlayStation’s 2025 wrap-up went live a couple days ago, the details of which can be found HERE.
KitGuru says: Do you enjoy checking out your wrap-ups each year? Is budget reallocation a good enough excuse? Let us know down below.
The post Xbox reportedly not doing a player wrap-up for 2025 due to marketing budget reallocation first appeared on KitGuru.Ahead of CES next month, Lian Li has introduced the Vector V100 MINI, a compact Micro-ATX case based on the original V100 design. The smaller form factor retains broad cooling support, with room for up to three 120mm side fans, three 120mm or two 140mm top fans, and one 120mm rear fan.
The case supports both standard and back-connect Micro-ATX motherboards. Front and side tempered glass panels provide a 270° view of the interior, while an integrated ARGB strip along the PSU shroud offers lighting control through motherboard software. Despite its reduced size, the V100 MINI accommodates high-end hardware. GPUs up to 415mm can be installed, supported by an adjustable anti-sag bracket. A cable opening in the PSU shroud helps maintain clean routing. Storage options include support for two 2.5″ SSDs or one 3.5″ HDD plus one 2.5″ SSD at the bottom, and an additional 2.5″ SSD behind the motherboard tray.
You can see the full spec sheet in the table below:
| Specification | Vector V100 MINI | Vector V100R MINI |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | (D) 436 x (W) 221.5 x (H) 443.9mm | |
| Color | Black | |
| Material | Steel, Plastic, 4.0mm tempered glass | |
| Motherboard Support | Micro-ATX / Mini-ITX | |
| Back Connect Motherboard | Micro-ATX | |
| Expansion Slot | 5 | |
| Storage | Behind MB Tray: 1 x 2.5” SSD Hard Drive Cage: 2 x 2.5” SSD, or 1 x 3.5″ HDD & 1 x 2.5″ SSD (If PSU over 150mm, only support 2.5” SSD x 1 or 3.5” HDD x 1) |
|
| GPU Length Clearance | 415mm (Max) | |
| CPU Cooler Height Clearance | 163.5mm (Max) | |
| PSU | ATX (Under 200mm) | |
| Fan Support | Top: 120mm x 3 or 140mm x 2 Side: 120mm x 3 Bottom: 120mm x 2 Rear: 120mm x 1 |
|
| Radiator Support | Top: 360 / 240 | |
| Included Fans | N/A | Side: 120mm ARGB/PWM Fan x 3 Rear: 120mm ARGB/PWM Fan x 1 |
| I/O Ports | Power Button x 1 Reset Button x 1 USB 3.0 x 2 USB 3.1 Gen.2 Type C x 1 Audio x 1 |
|
| Dust Filters | Bottom x 1 | |
| Warranty | 1-Year | |
The Vector V100R MINI variant ships with four pre-installed 120mm ARGB PWM fans: three reverse side intakes and one rear exhaust. Both versions of the Vector 100 Mini are available starting today, priced at $49.99/€49.90 for the standard version and $64.99/€64.90 for the Vector V100R Mini.
KitGuru Says: For builders on a budget, this case checks a lot of the right boxes, with plenty of pre-installed fans and the aesthetics to match higher-end options.
The post Lian Li expands Vector line with V100 mini and V100R mini first appeared on KitGuru.
For the second time this month, Apple's recently launched AirPods Pro 3 are down to an all-time low price with a 20% discount over MSRP on tap. If you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift idea, this is a fantastic option. It also underscores why we often recommend against paying full price for audio products, even ones that just launched,
SpaceX/Starlink has confirmed that one of its satellites suffered a major hardware failure in orbit, resulting in the release of debris and a total loss of communications with the vehicle. The errant craft is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere over the next few weeks.
On December 17, Starlink experienced an anomaly on satellite 35956,
Connexion