Initially released back in 2015 as a paid product, Rocket League is a highly popular Soc-Car title which went on to be played by over 75 million people prior to it going free-to-play in 2020. Since then, the game has continued to truck along, maintaining a consistent playerbase. That said, in a surprise resurgence, Rocket League has now reached a new major milestone – surpassing 1 million concurrent players for the first time in half a decade.
Last week, the official Rocket League Twitter page revealed that the game had reached a major player milestone, writing: “Today has been a wild ride: more than 900,000 of you hit the pitch in Rocket League at the same time!”
In terms of why the game has seen a sudden influx in players, it appears as though Rocket League has the popular YouTuber ‘Jynxzi’ to thank – who started streaming the title a couple weeks ago.
Additionally. Rocket League also recently got its Switch 2 update, which did contribute some amount to the 1 million concurrents – albeit only by an additional 39k players.
Given the sudden rise in interest pertaining to Rocket League, it will be interesting to see whether the team at Psyonix choose to capitalise on this moment, or whether things will remain business as usual.
KitGuru says: What do you think of Rocket League in 2026? Is the game still a fun time so many years later? Let us know your thoughts down below.
The Reigns series of games offers players the chance to take on the role of a leader who has to address and solve the issues of its people, all the while trying not to end up with your head on a chopping block. Since the first game’s release back in 2016, Reigns has received a number of crossover titles. In a surprise announcement, Reigns: The Witcher has been officially confirmed – launching on PC and mobile next month.
Published by Devolver Digital in partnership with CD Projekt Red, Reigns: The Witcher has you play as Geralt, fighting for “survival within the drunken ballads of his dear friend, Dandelion the bard. Will you hunt monsters, upset the locals, or run a hot bath? Navigate the moral meanderings of the world through the eyes of the bard, and compose an inspiring epic to perhaps, one day, claim immortality.”
Launching on the 25th of February for PC and mobile (Android + iOS), players can head over to the official website for a small taste of what you can expect from the game when it launches in a month’s time.
The previous Reigns entries have been pretty hardcore, with every choice having potentially major consequences – something which the Witcher series does quite well. As such, it will be interesting to see exactly how the game is formatted and whether it resonates with fans when Reigns: The Witcher officially arrives on the 25th of February for $5.99.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the Reigns series? Is a Witcher collab of interest to you? What other franchise would you like to see receive a ‘Reigns’ treatment? Let us know down below.
The start of 2026 suggests that Apple is continuing to accelerate its pace of introducing new generations of Apple Silicon. Following the introduction of the M5 in October of last year, there are increasing indications that its successor, the M6, could also appear earlier than the classic annual cycle would previously have suggested. These speculations […]
The start of 2026 suggests that Apple is continuing to accelerate its pace of introducing new generations of Apple Silicon. Following the introduction of the M5 in October of last year, there are increasing indications that its successor, the M6, could also appear earlier than the classic annual cycle would previously have suggested. These speculations […]
Microsoft has released unscheduled security updates for Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise after a previously unknown vulnerability was actively exploited. Such emergency patches are rare and are only rolled out when there is an immediate threat to a large number of systems. This is precisely the situation here, as the attack does […]
What is emerging here is less a technical failure than a sober business decision. According to the well-known leaker SquashBionic, Intel’s planned consumer flagship of the Battlemage generation, the Arc B770, is apparently on the brink of collapse. The reason is both banal and brutal: it is not profitable. With the Arc B570 and B580, […]
The warning comes as no surprise, but it is clear. According to current analyses by security firm Eset, almost every second private Windows PC in Germany continues to run Windows 10, even though regular support expired in October 2025. Around 21 million devices are affected. The term “sleeping beauty,” which Eset uses to describe the […]
With the “Headwinds” update, which will be released on January 27, 2026, Embark Studios is deliberately making a statement with Arc Raiders. The update is less of a classic content drop and more of a strategic intervention in the game mechanics. It’s not about making the game more enjoyable, but clearer, harder, and more predictable […]
Microsoft has unveiled Maia 200, a new, specially developed AI chip that further sharpens the company’s strategic course in the field of artificial intelligence. Unlike classic high-performance accelerators, Maia 200 is not designed for training large language models, but is consistently tailored to inference tasks, i.e., the efficient execution of already trained AI models. This […]
"Starting" in Horizon OS v85, the new 'Navigator' UI will become the default, and Horizon Feed will be "gradually" removed from the OS.
In a Meta Community Forums post, a 'Community Manager' with the handle h.taylor announced the upcoming changes, set to arrive in the next version of the Horizon OS of Quest headsets:
As announced during Connect, we’ve been testing Navigator and will ramp up the rollout later this year, starting in v85. As Navigator rolls out, we’ll also begin gradually sunsetting the Horizon Feed in VR.
What’s changing
• Navigator will become the default landing experience when users turn on their headset.
• Navigator brings experiences, friends and settings together in one place.
• As part of this shift, we’ll be sunsetting the Horizon Feed in VR.
Horizon OS v83 started rolling out in November, and there's no set date for the arrival of v85.
Navigator Becoming Default
Since the release of Oculus Go over seven years ago, Meta's standalone VR operating system has seen numerous visual changes, but the general interface architecture remained essentially the same.
You had a floating horizontal menu bar slightly below you, called the Universal Menu, showing the time and your device battery levels and containing shortcuts to key system interfaces, as well as a combination of your most recent and eventually a few of your favorite apps. All 2D interfaces, including system features like the app Library, Quick Settings, and Notifications, opened as 2D windows, treated like any other.
Then, in May last year, Meta started a very slow rollout of a full Horizon OS UI overhaul, called 'Navigator', which moves the main system interfaces like Library, Quick Settings, Notifications and Camera into a new large overlay that appears over both immersive and 2D apps.
With Navigator, system interfaces no longer shift around when opening other windows, and it's easier to launch new apps. Navigator's library also allows you to pin up to 10 items, somewhat akin to the Start Menu on Windows.
At launch, Navigator also had a murky gray background with an oval shape. It was seemingly intended to improve contrast. But as well as obscuring your view of what was behind it, be it passthrough or a virtual world, it just didn't look good. So Meta got rid of that and made bringing up Navigator dim the background instead.
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Meta presenting the evolved Horizon OS Navigator UI.
With Horizon OS v83 PTC in October, Meta started rolling out an evolved version of Navigator, which it teased at Connect 2025.
The evolved Navigator has a new Worlds tab for Horizon Worlds destinations, and you no longer see worlds in your app Library at all. Speaking of the Library, it now features interleaving offset rows, similar to Apple's visionOS.
The new Navigator also has a new overlay-level People tab with shortcuts to your friends, as well as a You tab that shows your avatar and lets you change your active status.
Finally, the new Navigator lets you easily hide or show all your 2D windows by double pressing the Meta button on the right Touch controller, or for hand tracking, opening your right palm and double tapping your thumb to your index finger.
Horizon Feed Being Removed
Horizon Feed is the default 2D app that launches when you cold boot your Quest headset.
Originally simply called 'Explore', the feed shows you suggested Horizon Worlds destinations, store apps, VR videos, Instagram reels, and online followers, as well as suggested friends to "catch up" with and apps to "jump back in" to.
Screenshot by UploadVR.
The Community Forums post tells developers that the version of Horizon Feed inside the headset "is not a high-intent surface, and users often see it without a specific intent to browse or purchase apps".
"Because of that, it historically has not driven strong entitlement conversion, and we don’t expect significant revenue impact for the vast majority of developers", the post reads.
That essentially seems to be Meta admitting that Horizon Feed is something that most Quest owners just close immediately on booting the headset, like an unwanted popup, and wasn't successful at getting people to buy the apps that it suggested.
The coming removal of Horizon Feed from Horizon OS comes as Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth suggested that the company's repeated push to Quest owners to use Horizon Worlds came at "an expense of user experience", vowing to "let VR be what it is, what it does" and "focus a lot more on the third-party content library, the ecosystem that's developed there".
The star of Intel's CES 2026 show was of course its new Core Ultra 300 series processors, code-named Panther Lake. We have our review up if you haven't read it already, but the short version is that they offer all-around impressive performance—particularly the Xe3-based integrated graphics. Well, those graphics just got a fresh performance
Microsoft is rolling out a preview of an updated look and feel for its Xbox Cloud Gaming web experience as the company eyes opening up the service to more users with an ad-supported tier. It’s a necessary refresh, because while the current web-based interface is serviceable, it still has plenty of pain points that needed to be smoothed out
SoundCloud, best known as a home to indie musicians including the popular "SoundClown" comedy remixers, has been hit with a major data breach that includes the avatars, email addresses, names, usernames, locations, and profile statistics of nearly 30 million (29.8 million) accounts. This breach follows demands from an extortion group that
The Thermaltake View 600 TG is their largest chassis offering with 45° beveled glass, managing to impress with a focus on a sturdy, functional core, wrapped in that unique exterior shape. Besides the unique color choices, the chassis also manages to offer several engineering highlights to make it stand out more as well.
Some chilling news has crept through the wire for those who prefer physical games or are starved for SSD space—apparently, Grand Theft Auto 6 is due to launch as a digital-only title. This news stems from at least one European game distributor, who reports that Take-Two Interactive is not planning a physical version of the next Grand Theft
Using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have been able to compile the most detailed map of dark matter ever produced, exposing the ghostly scaffolding that has guided the growth of our universe for billions of years.
With JWST, astronomers have produced one of the most detailed maps to date of dark matter. The overlaid
For all of the advancements in modern TVs, including brighter and more vibrant display panels (hello, OLED and mini LED), thinner profiles, and more capable built-in smarts, the one consistent weakness is audio. Sure, some TV models fare better than others. But none of them truly rival a discrete home theater speaker setup. If you've been
If Apple is good at one thing, it's the length of software/firmware support for its devices. To wit, within a large iOS and WatchOS update dump this week, owners of the 13-year-old iPhone 5s received a nice little gift that allows users to use iMessage and Facetime after certificates expire at the end of this year.
Almost lost in the hubbub
Micron has committed to investing $24 billion over the next decade to expand its NAND manufacturing complex in Singapore. As part of the massive investment, Micron broke ground on an advanced fabrication facility within the existing complex, and when finished, it will span 700,000 square feet of cleanroom space. Barring any delays, it's also
Nearly five years after introducing its first AirTag tracker, Apple is rolling out its second-generation iteration with key upgrades, including an expanded Bluetooth range and a louder built-in speaker. The core functionality remains the same and Apple is maintaining the same price points for its single pack and four-packs, though deals on
Intel's “Battlemage” generation might expand soon, though the supposed new graphics cards are primarily for professional users. New reports suggest that Intel is about to launch the Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65, targeting a Q1 2026 release. Both cards are claimed to be powered by the BMG-G31 GPU and feature a massive 32GB of GDDR6 memory.
As reported by VideoCardz, while the memory remains identical across both SKUs, the differentiation lies in the core counts. The Arc Pro B70 utilises the full die with 32 Xe2 cores (4096 FP32 cores), while the Arc Pro B65 is a cut-down variant featuring 20 Xe2 cores (2560 FP32 cores), matching the previous-gen B60 in core count but benefiting from the newer architecture.
Below you can find a table with the detailed rumoured specs for these two GPUs:
Arc Pro B70
Arc Pro B65
GPU Architecture
Xe2-HPG (Battlemage)
Xe2-HPG (Battlemage)
GPU Die
BMG-G31
BMG-G31
Xe-Cores
32
20
FP32 Cores
4096
2560
VRAM Capacity
32 GB GDDR6
32 GB GDDR6
Memory Bus
256-bit
256-bit
Target Launch
Q1 2026
Q1 2026
The situation for gamers remains much more uncertain. While board partners have the BMG-G31 chips for testing, they are currently restricted to the Pro form factors. Rumours suggest that Intel has placed the consumer gaming variant on hold, possibly due to volatility in the memory market.
KitGuru says: Do you think Intel should launch an Arc B7x0 GPU for the mainstream market?
Following on from last week's Xbox Direct stream, it appears that we'll be getting new game announcements from both Sony and Nintendo over the next month. According to multiple sources, there will be a new Nintendo Direct in February, as well as a new PlayStation State of Play stream.
NateTheHate is responsible for the Nintendo Direct rumour, pointing towards games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Metaphor ReFantazio and Final Fantasy 16 being announced for the Switch 2. These are just a handful of titles expected to appear though, as the Nintendo Direct should be ‘full length', so it should have around 40 minutes of announcements. This stream should take place in the first week of February.
On the other side of the aisle we have Jeff Grubb, who claims that a PlayStation State of Play will be happening on the week of February 12th. If this is true, Sony is likely to make an official announcement confirming the date and time just days beforehand, as they traditionally do.
Both of these sources have accurately leaked showcase timings previously, so there is at least some reason to put stock in these rumours.
KitGuru Says: Is there anything you would like to see announced at one of the upcoming showcases? Personally, I'm still rooting for a Switch 2 upgrade for the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy.
Xbox just made some big announcements during a developer direct stream last week, but it looks like another company under its umbrella will soon be making some reveals of its own. Over the next couple of weeks, Blizzard has a number of showcases planned, with each one focused on a different major franchise.
The World of Warcraft showcase will be happening on January 29th, giving fans a new look at upcoming content for the MMO, including more details on the Midnight expansion. Following that, Overwatch will get its own spotlight on February 4th.
Hearthstone will get new announcements on February 9th and then, things will wrap up with Diablo on February 11th, ahead of the game's next seasonal content update and the new expansion coming in April.
Unfortunately, despite rumours that Starcraft is going to be coming back, there was no mention of spotlight streams for the franchise, nor is there any word on new updates for Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard's short-lived MOBA game.
KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to new announcements from Blizzard in the coming weeks?
Nvidia has rolled out a new GeForce Game Ready graphics driver, optimising for new games like Arknights: Endfield and Highguard. This week's update also brings DLSS to more titles, alongside the rollout of the new RTX Remix Logic update.
RTX Remix Logic was first announced during Nvidia's CES showcase. The new update allows developers to implement dynamic graphics effects based on in-game events. For instance, you could trigger a certain weather or lighting effect when opening a door or flood the room with particle effects when interacting with a button. Overall, Logic supports over 30 in-game events, and there are over 900 Remix graphics settings, so developers will be able to get very creative.
This week's Nvidia update also brings DLSS to more games. Half Sword is launching with DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation, but through the Nvidia App, players can force-enable DLSS 4.5, which uses Nvidia's 2nd Gen transformer model for further visual enhancements. DLSS upgrades are also coming to Code Vein 2, Highguard, and Arknights: Endfield.
There is a new Game Ready driver rolling out alongside all of this. If you have the Nvidia app installed, you can install it through there. If you prefer a direct download and a manual install, you can find the new driver HERE.
KitGuru Says: As always, let us know how you get on with the latest drivers.
Connexion
