Biwin has partnered with OC Lab to launch the new OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 RGB DDR5 memory kits, the world's first dual EXPO profile DDR5 memory sticks. Whether you choose the EXPO DDR5-8000 CL34/36 profile or the DDR5-6400 CL28 profile, changing between the two is as simple as flipping a switch.

According to TechPowerUP, the Biwin OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 DDR5-8000 is available in CL34 and CL36 with a 32GB (2x 16GB) capacity. For those seeking a balance of speed and responsiveness, the kits also include a secondary EXPO profile at DDR5-6400 CL28, prioritising low latency for smoother gameplay and faster application loading.

Biwin claims these kits have undergone rigorous tests and die selection to minimise the trade-off between frequency and latency that often plagues high-performance memory. The company added that these modules can be manually overclocked even further, reaching an impressive 8400 MT/s with CL34 latency. The secondary EXPO profile at DDR5-6400 CL28 adds another layer of versatility. Optimised timings and efficient voltage control provide further overclocking headroom while maintaining stability, allowing users to achieve even lower latencies. As per Biwin, reaching 8000MT/s at CL30 and 6400MT/s at CL26 under optimal conditions is possible.

Beyond raw performance, the Biwin OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 prioritises stability and reliability. A sophisticated 10-layer PCB design minimises electromagnetic interference and ensures stable data transmission. An unlocked PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit) dynamically adjusts voltage based on demand, guaranteeing consistent power delivery and aiding in thermal management. The three-fin heat spreader design further enhances cooling, maintaining optimal operating temperatures even under heavy loads. Stress testing at 1.45V and 1.50V revealed average temperatures below 50°C, showcasing the kit's exceptional thermal performance.

The Biwin OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 series also makes a visual statement with its sleek black design accented by gold elements, adding a touch of luxury to any build. Customisable RGB lighting with eight zones allows further personalisation, creating a cohesive and dynamic aesthetic. These new kits will join the Biwin DW100 family and will be available in late March, starting at $169.

KitGuru says: Should other companies follow the approach of adding distinct EXPO profiles for different use cases?

The post Biwin launches the world’s first dual EXPO profile DDR5 memory first appeared on KitGuru.

In the past week, Marvel Rivals saw its first major controversy when it was revealed that one of the support studios for the highly-successful live-service title was pulled from the project, with its developers being laid off as a result. In the wake of this, publisher NetEase has shared its latest fiscal earnings reports, with revenue surpassing $11 Billion.

As part of the company’s latest fiscal earnings report, NetEase revealed that during FY2024 the publisher made over $11.5 billion in revenue. Of course, this didn’t all come from the success of Marvel Rivals, but the live-service hero shooter was certainly a major component – with them confirming the title has been downloaded over 40 million times so far.

In discussing Marvel Rivals specifically, during the company’s conference call CEO Ding Lei stated: “If we launch a game product that isn't suited for market demand, we will aggressively and decisively discontinue it; we will also boost our investment in projects that meet quality and efficiency standards.”

Lei continued, “Game production is time-consuming and it may take three or more years to ship a game. So, during the entire process, from the start of the project to its completion, it is critical to constantly adapt to the market. Depending on the circumstances, support for a project may be increased or withdrawn entirely.”

The lack of a more concrete and candid response is a shame to see, but not surprising. Hopefully this won’t be the last time that NetEase addresses this disturbing situation.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the whole Marvel Rivals situation? Has it soured your opinion of the game? Let us know down below.

The post NetEase responds to Marvel Rivals layoffs first appeared on KitGuru.

In the past few years, publisher Nacon has developed a following thanks to their string of unique and fun games which typically manage to do a lot on a AA budget. As part of their annual tradition, the publisher/accessories manufacturer has confirmed their next Nacon Connect is set to go live in a week’s time.

Releasing a teaser trailer onto YouTube, the team at Nacon officially announced the 2025 edition of their Nacon Connect livestream.

Set to go live on the 6th of March at 6PM UK time, the stream will include many upcoming games, including but not limited to:

• Hell is Us
• Edge of Memories
• Dragonkin: The Banished

Being a hardware manufacturer, fans can also expect a couple new accessory announcements – in particular on the controller front.

As mentioned, Nacon has amassed a reputation in recent years for their high quality AA releases. That said, the publisher has had a few stinkers in the past, most recently the critically panned Lord of the Rings: Gollum.

On the other hand, the company has also been responsible for the likes of The Sinking City; the WRC series; Steelrising and RoboCop: Rogue City – so all-in-all a mixed bag, but an interesting one nonetheless.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the showcase? What are your expectations for Hell is Us? What’s your favourite 3rd party accessory manufacturer? Let us know down below.

The post Nacon Connect 2025 officially announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Call of Duty recently saw itself in some hot water when it was discovered that a number of the game’s voice actors were replaced in response to their requests for protections against AI. Unfortunately, it seems as though wanting to replace VAs with AI is the latest trend, as EA’s Apex Legends has now found itself in a similar controversy.

As posted by the French voice actor for Apex Legends character Wraith (Pascale Chemin), the artist claimed that a new agreement was shared which would require the actors to allow for their performances to be used for generative AI purposes, writing on Instagram (as translated by ResetEra user Rouk’):

“Before being even called in for a recording session of a video game, the studio sent me (and the 31 other VA in the casting) a mail containing an annex of confidentiality and handover directly from the publisher. I needed to accept these terms before being able to go work. I thought so when I read through them and a legal expert specialised in audiovisual confirmed it: these terms weren't acceptable. I was now forced to give up the role I had been working on for almost 6 years. In no way could I force the rest of the casting members to do the same, but one thing was certain: if we all refused, it could maybe have an impact. Otherwise, it would have been in vain.”

Chemin continued, “Without any hesitation, the 31 other VAs all refused to sign this annex. We wrote a collective letter of refusal that we sent to the publisher and are waiting for an answer. If we aren't united now so that a clause that protects our voices can be officially added in our contracts – and not just for us here, but for every video game dubbing studios – we'll never get one and we'll be heading for a disaster.”

The message concluded with: “Of course, to refuse to work in the present day is nonsensical. There is barely any work available for some (many) of us, if any, and we are increasingly struggling with money. Yes, a salary would be welcome. But we aren't simply asked to work. We are asked to give up our expertise to train the generative AI that will replace us tomorrow. We are asked to agree to what we specifically fight against. We are asked to shoot ourselves in the foot. We are asked to support AI.”

While the VA didn’t explicitly name the game being referred to, the claim that the title released 6 years ago (and the list of other French VA’s named) all but confirms that they are referring to Apex Legends.

As mentioned, it seems as though all major game publishers are now pushing for any and all uses of AI in their games for the sake of money. Hopefully those affected continue to speak out against it.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the recent influx of generative AI? Will this cause the bursting of this current gaming bubble? Let us know down below.

The post Apex Legends reportedly trying to replace its voice actors with AI first appeared on KitGuru.

Biwin has entered the Gen5 SSD arena with the X570 PRO, a drive which sits in the company's Black Opal premium gaming product line. Rated at up to 14,000MB/s for Sequential reads, it is the current flagship of the company's SSD range.

Powered by a Silicon Motion SM2508 8-channel controller, the X570 PRO uses 232-layer 3D TLC NAND together with an LPDDR4 DRAM cache chip (the size of which is based on drive capacity at the ratio of 1GB per 1TB). At launch, the X570 PRO range consists of three capacities; 1TB, 2TB and a flagship 4TB (the drive we are reviewing here) model.

Biwin rates the Sequential read performance of all three capacities as up to 14,000MB/s. As for Sequential writes, the 1TB and 2TB drives are rated up to 13,000MB/s and the 1TB drive, 10,500MB/s.

Random reads are quoted as up to 2000K IOPS for the 4TB and 2TB drives with the 1TB drive getting a rating of up to 1600K IOPS. Random writes are quoted as up to 1600K IOPS for all three drives.

The endurance figures quoted for the range are impressive with the 4TB drive getting a 3,000 TBW rating, 1,500 TBW for the 1TB drive and 750 TBW for the 1TB model. The drives are backed by a 5-year warranty.

Physical Specifications:

• Usable Capacities:  4TB.
• NAND Components: 232-layer TLC NAND.
• NAND Controller: Silicon Motion SM2508.
• Cache: 4GB LPDDR4.
• Interface: PCIe Gen 5 x4, NVMe 2.0.
• Form Factor:  M.2 2280.
• Dimensions: 80 x 22 x 2.5 mm.
• Drive Weight: 9g.

Firmware Version: FWX1221A

The post Biwin Black Opal X570 PRO 4TB Gen5 SSD Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Sonic Rumble is SEGA’s take on the party game genre, with the upcoming free-to-play title adapting the Fall Guys style of gameplay – but with a heavy dosage of Sonic. Initially planned to release sometime during this past Winter season, the team has now confirmed that Sonic Rumble is instead launching in Spring.

Making the announcement on the game’s official site, SEGA confirmed that “Sonic Rumble is coming this spring! Before it crosses the global release finish line, we're packing it with some exciting new content and features to deliver the best experience for our players.”

They continued, “We would like to extend a huge thank you to our players and Sonic fans for their patience in waiting for the global launch of Sonic Rumble. The team is committed to delivering a memorable experience for Sonic fans with even more new game mechanics, new features, and more exciting content to look forward to.”

Alongside the delay, the team shared an updated roadmap, showcasing some of the features planned ahead of and during the global launch, including but not limited to:

• Quick Rumble (single round quick play)
• Rival Rank (ranked mode)
• New Crews feature (aka clans)

Given that this is the first game from the Angry Birds team (Rovio) since they were acquired by SEGA, it will be interesting to see how Sonic Rumble performs when it launches on mobile and PC some time this Spring.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to Sonic Rumble? Could it be a success? What’s your favourite Sonic mobile game? Let us know down below.

The post Angry Bird studio’s Sonic Rumble has been delayed to Spring first appeared on KitGuru.

be quiet! is breathing new life into its popular Pure Rock CPU cooler series with the launch of five new models: Pure Rock 3 Black, Pure Rock 3 LX, Pure Rock Pro 3 Silver, Pure Rock Pro 3 Black, and Pure Rock Pro 3 LX. This refresh introduces exciting new features, including the company's first foray into dual-tower air coolers for mainstream systems, new fan configurations, and enhanced compatibility with the latest CPUs.

Leading the charge are the Pure Rock Pro 3 models, marking be quiet!'s first dual-tower air coolers designed for mainstream users. Despite their compact size, these coolers boast a 250W TDP, thanks to a combination of six high-performance heat pipes, a nickel-plated base, and optimised fan configurations. The standard Pro 3 has a silver and black aesthetic, while the Pro 3 Black offers an all-black stealthy look. Both models feature two Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM fans with funnel-shaped air inlets for enhanced airflow and quiet operation. The Pro 3 LX, also sporting an all-black design, comes equipped with two Light Wings LX 120mm PWM fans, featuring ARGB lighting while packing similar cooling performance. Even at full speed, all Pure Rock Pro 3 models maintain a maximum noise level of 34.8 dB(A).

Thanks to a user-friendly mounting kit, installation is a breeze. The asymmetrical design and adjustable front fan height ensure excellent compatibility with RAM and VRM heatsinks. AMD AM5 users can use the offset mounting option, which centers the cooler's base plate over the CPU's hotspots for optimal thermal performance. Moreover, the Pure Rock Pro 3 coolers can be used with liquid metal thermal paste for those looking to improve their cooling setup further.

For those seeking a more traditional single-tower design, be quiet! offers the Pure Rock 3 Black and Pure Rock 3 LX. Both models feature an all-black aesthetic and four high-performance 6mm heat pipes with HDT technology, delivering a 190W TDP cooling capacity suitable for many modern CPUs. The Pure Rock 3 Black includes a pre-installed Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM fan, while the Pure Rock 3 LX has a Light Wings LX 120mm fan with customisable ARGB lighting, complementing the all-black heatsink and heat pipes. Given they only come with one fan, the noise level is lower, as both models generate no more than 31.2 dB(A) at maximum fan speed.

Installation is straightforward, thanks to a pre-installed mounting bridge and convenient screw placement. Offset mounting is also supported to enhance compatibility with the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs. The Pure Rock 3's compact footprint maximises compatibility with RAM and VRM heatsinks, making it an ideal choice for space-constrained builds. The entire Pure Rock 3 lineup will be available for purchase starting March 11th starting at £27.99/$34.90/€34.90.

KitGuru says: Of all new Puro Rock 3 CPU coolers, would you consider any as an upgrade for your setup?

The post be quiet! launches Pure Rock 3 CPU cooler first appeared on KitGuru.

Klevv's CRAS C910 is a Gen 4 SSD aimed at the mainstream market. It combines decent performance at a competitive price point, landing at under $100 for the 2TB model we are reviewing today. UK availability is more scarce, but is this drive one to consider?

The CRAS C910 model range consists of four capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB (the drive we are reviewing here), and a flagship 4TB model. The drive uses Essencore-branded 3D TLC NAND, which is looked after by a Realtek RTS5772DL, a PCIe 4 x4 eight-channel controller with a rated interface speed of up to 1600MT/s.

Klevv rates the C910 Sequential read performance as up to 5,000MB/s for the 500GB and 1TB drives and up to 5,200MB/s for the 2TB and 4TB models. Sequential writes are quoted as up to 3,700MB/s for the 500GB drive and up to 4,800MB/s for the other three models.

Random 4K read performance is rated as up to 545,000 IOPS for the 500GB drive, 620,000 IOPS (the fastest of the range) for the 1TB drive, up to 560,000 IOPS for the 2TB drive and 540,000 IOPS for the 4TB drive. When it comes to random writes, the 1TB and 2TB drives are the fastest at up to 615,000 IOPS, next up is the 4TB drive at up to 600,000 IOPS and the 500GB drive gets 510,000 IOPS.

The endurance for the 2TB drive is rated as 1,400 TBW.

Physical Specifications:

• Usable Capacities: 2TB.
• NAND Components: Essencore 3D TLC NAND.
• NAND Controller: Realtek RTS5772DL.
• Cache: none, HMB technology.
• Interface: PCIe Gen 4 x4, NVMe 1.4.
• Form Factor: M.2, 2280.
• Dimensions: 80 x 22 x 3.4mm (with heatshield).
• Drive Weight: 10g (with heatshield).

Firmware Version: VF001C4E.

The post Klevv CRAS C910 2TB SSD Review first appeared on KitGuru.

China-based games publisher NetEase has been on a bit of an acquisition spree in recent years, picking up a bunch of international studios across the US, Europe and other regions. Unfortunately, NetEase is now rethinking its investments, putting a number of studios at risk of closure. 

According to Venturebeat and GameFile, NetEase is apparently ‘offloading' a number of its overseas holdings, as it looks to reduce the amount of money spent developing titles overseas. This is in part due to the high cost of running a US-based game studio.

One source told GameFile that if some of these studios are unable to get outside funding, they will face closure as NetEase looks to reduce costs. These concerns arose following the firing of NetEase's Seattle-based team that worked on Marvel Rivals. The studio was closed despite the game's incredibly successful launch, which has brought in over 40 million players so far.

Studios like Quantic Dream (Star Wars Eclipse) and Rebel Wolves (Blood of Dawnwalker) are thought to be safe at this time.

KitGuru Says: We'll have to wait and see how things shake out but since this story initially broke, it is worth noting that a few studios have released statements to say that they are still operational and have not yet heard anything. 

The post NetEase-owned US studios reportedly facing closure first appeared on KitGuru.

Corsair's streaming-focused brand, Elgato, is now a Diamond-level sponsor of the OBS project. OBS, otherwise known as Open Broadcaster Software is a tool used by thousands of creators to record and livestream content to sites like Twitch, YouTube, Kick, Rumble and others. The free open-source platform relies on partnerships to fund further development and Elgato is stepping up to provide exactly that, alongside more integration for OBS with Elgato products to make getting started as a content creator easier than ever. 

Speaking on the new partnership, Elgato ecosystem director, Taylor Ward, said: “This partnership builds on a long history of collaboration. Elgato tools and OBS Studio have always gone hand in hand—now we’re taking that connection to the next level. Together, we’re excited to bring creators new ways to enhance and streamline their workflows.”

The funding will help OBS out in a few areas, allowing for the hiring of additional developers to fix bugs, create new features and expand the plugin infrastructure. Some of those new tools are already available through the new Elgato OBS Studio plugin, Marketplace Connect, which links OBS with your Elgato products to make workflows faster and easier. The Elgato storefront also now includes a dedicated OBS section, where creators can browse full scene collections and install them directly to OBS Studio, taking the setup process down from a multi-hour affair to just a few clicks.

Creators can also share their own OBS setups too thanks to an export tool that automatically gathers files and settings to bundle together. Creators can test out a number of these through the Elgato Marketplace.

KitGuru Says: OBS is an incredibly useful piece of software and thanks to support from companies like Elgato, YouTube and Nvidia, it has been able to remain free for all users. Now with Elgato's new integrations, setting up a stream should be easier than ever for anyone wanting to dip their toes into content creation. 

The post Elgato partners with OBS for plugin integration and future feature development first appeared on KitGuru.

FSP has impressed us greatly with its latest generation PCIe 5.0 power supplies. The company is launching its most efficient yet with the new MEGA TI PSU series, offering up to 1650W capacity, ATX 3.1 compliancy and dual PCIe 12V-2×6 connectors for the latest generation graphics cards.

The MEGA TI series is built for uncompromising performance, featuring Interleaved PFC topology and high-performance MOSFETs and SiC diodes from Infineon for exceptional power regulation. With FSP’s proprietary Micro Tolerance Load Control technology, voltage regulation is maintained at an ultra-precise ±0.5%, surpassing Intel’s ATX 3.1 standards. Certified with 80 PLUS Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium ratings, these PSUs ensure minimal power loss, lower heat output, and near-silent operation, making them an optimal choice for high-performance systems.

To ensure support for the latest generation graphics cards, the Mega TI PSU series features two PCIe 12V-2×6 connectors, alongside additional 8-pin options. The PSU features a fully modular design, so you only need to plug in the cables you need, reducing clutter in your case. As far as noise goes, the FSP MEGA Ti PSU is one of the first to achieve the Cybenetics LAMBDA 230V A++ certification for offering best-in-class acoustic performance.

As you would expect from a high-end PSU, these units are built with high-quality Japanese capacitors, and feature a host of protection measures, including OCP, OVP, SCP, OPP, UVP and OTP.

The FSP Mega Ti 1350W PSU will be available priced at $399 and the 1650W version will go for $459, not including taxes.

KitGuru Says: Are you in the market for a high-capacity power supply for a new build? Are you considering FSP for it? 

The post FSP debuts its most efficient power supply yet – the Mega Ti first appeared on KitGuru.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the eagerly anticipated remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, is due to launch in late August, so it is a bit soon to be talking about PC system requirements. Still, that hasn't stopped Konami from releasing PC specs well ahead of time, and confirming that the game will require a ray-tracing capable graphics card. 

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will have ray-traced lighting by default, meaning you'll need at least an RTX 20 series GPU, or an AMD RX 6000 series GPU in order to play. This isn't uncommon in the current gaming landscape, as other major titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws have also launched with ray-traced lighting effects as the default option. As a result, the need for an RTX series or AMD equivalent GPU is growing by the day, leaving those still running on a GTX series GPU, or an older AMD Radeon GPU in a difficult position.

In the table below you can find the full minimum and recommended PC system requirements for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. At this point in time, Konami does not have an AMD graphics card listed but we expect that to change closer to the August launch date for the game.

	Minimum	Recommended
OS	Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required)	Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required)
Processor	Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory	16GB RAM	16GB RAM
Graphics	RTX 2060 Super (or newer)	RTX 3080 (or newer)
DirectX	Version 12	Version 12
Storage	100GB	100GB
Additional notes	SDD recommended	SDD recommended

Like most other modern games too, the install size is large, coming in at 100GB and an SSD is recommended. While many modern games can still be played on a hard drive, issues like crashes, stutter, mismanaged textures and others are much more noticeable when running today's storage and memory-hungry games on an HDD.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will release for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on the 28th of August.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up the MGS 3 remake? What do you think of the PC system requirements?

The post Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater PC system requirements revealed first appeared on KitGuru.

The latest episode of the Official Xbox Podcast has dropped, and it has brought around one particularly big headline – Fable has been delayed from 2025 to 2026. As it turns out, this could have something to do with Microsoft's evolving multiplatform strategy, as rumour has it that Fable will now launch on PC, Xbox and PS5 simultaneously. 

During Microsoft's battle with the FTC to secure permission to acquire Activision Blizzard and the Call of Duty IP, Microsoft made it clear that it had no plans to make Call of Duty exclusive and spent much time painting the picture that exclusives are actually bad for business. In 2024, Microsoft took things a step further, bringing titles like Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment and Grounded to rival console platforms. since then, titles like Forza Horizon 5, Doom: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones have also been confirmed for release on PS5.

Speaking on Microsoft's expanding multiplatform games strategy, Xbox Game Studios head, Craig Duncan, said on the latest Xbox Podcast that this approach is “good for gamers” and that it is “good for our studios”. Microsoft's approach now is to give its first-party games “the chance to reach the broadest audience possible”, which means taking a step back from its singular device approach to include the likes of PS5 and Nintendo Switch, as well as PCs.

Interestingly, it has been claimed by a few sources that Fable, which was just pushed back from 2025 to 2026, was already planned to come to PS5 next year. As a result, it is now expected that Fable will be one of the first Xbox titles to launch on PC, Xbox and PS5 simultaneously, doing away with the ‘timed exclusive' approach we've seen from Microsoft so far with titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The iffy part? Microsoft still wants to sell Xbox consoles and is planning a new generation, which seems somewhat pointless given the company's SEGA-style approach moving forward.

KitGuru Says: Would you still buy an Xbox console if Microsoft were to start bringing its first-party games to rival consoles day-and-date with PC and Xbox? 

The post Xbox Studios head confirms multiplatform strategy amid rumours of Fable for PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.

We are just days away from the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom's massive next-gen follow-up to Monster Hunter Worlds, which launched back in 2018 and went on to become the franchise's biggest game in the west so far. There are high hopes for Wilds to capture that same level of interest and now with pre-loading available, the unlock times for the game have been revealed. 

If you want to play Monster Hunter Wilds as soon as possible, then you will need an Xbox Series X/S or PS5 console. Due to concerns around datamining, the game on PC will have a global unlock time, while on console, the game simply unlocks at midnight on the 28th of February in whatever region you are in.

For those of us on PC, the game will unlock at 5AM UTC. Here in the UK, that means the game will become playable at 5AM on the 28th of February. In the US, that works out to 12AM EST on the 28th of February or 9PM PST on the 27th of February if you are on the west coast.

If you have the game pre-ordered and are looking to dive in as soon as possible, then you will be happy to know that you can download it ahead of time. Pre-loading for the game is now live on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, so you'll only have to sit through a quick patch download at launch, rather than waiting for the entire game to install.

KitGuru Says: Are you picking up Monster Hunter Wilds this week? Have you already got the game preloaded and ready to go? 

The post Monster Hunter Wilds preloading now live, global unlock times announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Given the massive $300 million hole left in WB Games' balance sheet in 2024 due to the unsuccessful launches of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Quidditch Champions and Multiversus, we had a feeling that some form of restructuring would be taking place. Now, WB Games has confirmed plans to close down three of its game development studios, including Monolith Productions.

Monolith Productions, Player First Games and WB Games San Diego are all closing down. Whatever projects they were working on, like Monolith's Wonder Woman game, have been cancelled but the likes of NetherRealm, TT Games and Rocksteady have survived the fallout. The biggest shock here to fans is the closure of Monolith, who developed excellent games like Shadow of Mordor and its innovative Nemesis system, as well as classics like F.E.A.R. and Condemned.

Speaking on the studio closures, a Warner Bros spokesperson gave the following statement to Kotaku:

“We have had to make some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises – Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones. After careful consideration, we are closing three of our development studios – Monolith Productions, Player First Games and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them.”

“The development of Monolith’s Wonder Woman videogame will not move forward. Our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions. As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world class studios and getting our Games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.”

Unfortunately, this likely means that the Nemesis system, which Warner Bros locked down with a patent, will not be used again for at least another decade. The patent is due to expire in the 2030s and Warner Bros just fired the very people responsible for building it, so they are unlikely to get much use out of it themselves.

KitGuru Says: I'm not shocked to see some WB Games studios closing down, but I am shocked that Monolith Productions got caught in the crossfire. With that said, it sounds like development of the Wonder Woman game wasn't going to plan behind the scenes, as it had just been rebooted in 2024.

The post WB Games shuts down Monolith Productions, cancels Wonder Woman game first appeared on KitGuru.

I often get emails in my inbox showcasing interesting stats about the games market, the titles dominating playtime and the threat they pose to other entertainment mediums, like video streaming services (Netflix, Disney+ etc). There is just one problem, these are often coming from online casino websites looking to boost their SEO. Today, I have interesting numbers we can actually trust, thanks to the analysts at Circana. 

As reported by games industry analyst, Mat Piscatella, the latest Circana Player Engagement Study has revealed that over 70 percent of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players in the USA are actively playing one of the top ten live-service games. Of that subset of players, over 40 percent spend all their gaming hours in one of those top live-service games, never venturing out to try other titles.

The top ten live service games on console in the US include the likes of Call of Duty, Fortnite, Roblox, GTA Online, NBA 2K25, Marvel Rivals, Minecraft and Madden NFL, with other titles like Destiny 2, Apex Legends and Rocket League dropping in and out of the top ten depending on the month.

If you've ever wondered why so many publishers are obsessed with trying to capture a piece of the live service game market – this is why.

KitGuru Says: Live service games often get ragged on, but unfortunately, the numbers show that these games are popular. However, the statistics also show that it is incredibly difficult for a new game to dethrone any established title already in the top ten. Will that stop executives from funding these projects? Probably not, but hopefully after disasters like Concord and Suicide Squad, we'll start to see a fairer balance. 

The post 70% of US console gamers are playing live service titles first appeared on KitGuru.

At this point, all of the Xenoblade Chronicles games are available to play on Nintendo Switch, with one notable exception – Xenoblade Chronicles X. Nintendo quietly announced a Switch port for the game back in November and now, just ahead of its re-launch next month, we have an extensive overview trailer for the game. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is heading to Nintendo Switch on the 20th of March, completing the collection of Xenoblade Chronicles titles on the system. This game originally launched exclusively for the Wii U back in 2015, and due to that console's lacklustre sales record, not many fans had the chance to experience this one.

 

Fans have been asking for Xenoblade Chronicles X on Nintendo Switch ever since the console's first year on the market, which saw the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This release will mark the first time that the complete Xenoblade Chronicles collection will be available on one platform. As the Nintendo Switch 2 is confirmed to be backwards compatible with Switch 1 titles, that means all of these games will remain playable well into the future.

In Xenoblade Chronicles X, you play as one of the last surviving members of the human race following Earth's destruction. Players will find themselves on the planet Mira, learning to pilot Mechs to survive and join the ranks of the BLADE organisation. It acts as a prequel to the later Xenoblade Chronicles games and was well received by fans for its gameplay and large open-world.

KitGuru Says: The Xenoblade Chronicles games are some of my favourite JRPGs but due to Xenoblade Chronicles X only being on Wii U, I never had the chance to play it. I'm glad to see that finally change next month and hopefully, all of the Xenoblade games get a performance update for the Switch 2, as they look particularly rough on the original system in handheld mode. 

The post Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition shown off in extensive gameplay trailer first appeared on KitGuru.

March is shaping up to be a surprisingly big month for PlayStation Plus. Despite releasing less than six months ago, BioWare's latest RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is already hitting subscription services. 

Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PS5) is the headliner for next month's set of PlayStation Plus monthly games. Anyone with a PS+ Essential tier (or higher) subscription will be able to add the game to their digital library to play in full whenever the mood strikes. While Dragon Age: The Veilguard made some rather stark changes compared to previous games in the series, it was still a fun game and is certainly worth claiming if you have a PS+ subscription.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is the second game available to claim in March 2025. In this game, Sonic must head to Eggman's new interstellar amusement park in order to free the Wisps, an alien race captured by Eggman and forced to power his big space theme-park. This is the PS4 remaster of the original game, offering upscaled visuals, a new game mode and other enhancements.

The final game on our list is a personal favourite of mine. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection packages together 13 classic TMNT games, some of which are from the early arcade days. Each title has been updated with a range of QoL features, online support has been added, and you can also play local co-op.

All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on March 4 until March 31. That means you have until the end of March 3rd to claim February's PS+ monthly games, which include High on Life, Payday 3 and Pac-Man World Re-Pac.

KitGuru Says: Will you be installing any of this month's PS+ titles? 

The post Dragon Age: The Veilguard already being given away as part of PlayStation Plus first appeared on KitGuru.

We've known for quite some time that Valve has been quietly working on a new VR headset. At one point, it was thought to be a Meta Quest competitor, bringing costs down and offering cable-free VR. However, the plan appears to have changed, with the new headset, codenamed ‘Deckard', poised to go for as much as $1200. 

According to reliable Valve leaker, GabeFollower, who also accurately leaked details about Deadlock and Counter-Strike 2 ahead of announcement, Valve's new VR headset should launch by the end of 2025. Like previous rumours suggested, this new headset is believed to be a wireless headset, but the price tag will not make it competitive with the likes of the Quest 2 or Quest 3.

It is thought that the new Valve VR headset will release in a $1200 bundle that will also include some ‘in-house' games. At its core, the headset will utilise a new version of SteamOS adapted for VR headsets, which could open the door for expanded game compatibility, perhaps through an easily accessible ‘Big Screen' mode where non-VR games can be played in-headset on a giant virtual cinema screen.

Valve has not yet announced any plans for a new VR headset. Currently, Valve still sells its original Index headset at £999 for the bundle including controllers and tracking stations.

KitGuru Says: I feel like interest in VR headsets is at a low point currently, in part due to a lack of ambitious games. We are five years on from Half-Life Alyx and yet, it remains unchallenged as the best single-player VR game on the market. With that in mind, I do question how much interest there will be in a new headset. That could of course change if Valve has a new Half-Life game up its sleeve for 2025. 

The post Valve reportedly planning new VR headset for 2025 first appeared on KitGuru.

At CES, Razer unveiled its latest Razer Blade 18 and 16 laptops, powered by RTX 50 graphics. Now, both are up for pre-order. The new Razer Blade 18 utilises the world's first dual-mode laptop display with 4K/240Hz and 1080p/440Hz modes, while the new Razer Blade 16 is Razer's thinnest laptop ever. 

Here are some of the key features for the new Razer Blade 18 (2025):

• Big Screen Experience Made Faster: The world's first 18″ dual mode display letting you switch seamlessly between UHD+ 240HZ for detail and FHD+ 440Hz for maximum speed.
• The Most Powerful Laptop Graphics: Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU – Unlocking the maximum Total Graphics Power (TGP) available for the most demanding tasks and games.
• Latest Desktop-Grade Processing: Intel® Core Ultra 200HX series processors give gamers, creators, and professionals enthusiasts level performance for consuming and creating on the go.
• 280W of TPP (Total Package Power): Pushing mobile compute to the max with our most advanced thermal engineering solution ever.
• Desktop Features Made Portable: Bringing advanced connectivity, enhanced audio-visual experience, and gaming keyboard features to portable computing.

Here are some of the key features of the smaller Razer Blade 16:        

• Reimagined Design
  • The thinnest gaming laptop ever designed by Razer achieving a slim 0.59-inch profile at its thinnest point.
  • New thermal hood design that effectively manages thermals with a new vapor chamber cooling solution that covers 57% of the motherboard and features 0.05 mm thin exhaust fins for greater heat dissipation.
• Peak AI-Powered Performance
  • Features up to a NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, with 24 GB of GDDR7 VRAM and pushes up to 160W of maximum graphics power.
  • First Blade First Blade 16 to be powered by an AMD Ryzen processor, up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, with an NPU that features up to 50 TOPS for access to Copilot+ experiences, including powerful image creation tools with Cocreator, live translations when watching international content with Live Captions, and improved Windows Studio Effects to boost their presentations.
  • Packs a crystal clear QHD+ 240Hz OLED display offering Calman Verified color profiles and a blazing fast .2ms response time.
• Best-in-Class Experience
  • Redesigned keyboard with a deeper 1.5mm travel distance, for 50% more travel vs the last generation Blade 16, and ~63g of actuation force for a more responsive typing experience.
  • Upgraded 6-speaker audio system for a richer listening experience featuring THX Spatial Audio.

Both the Razer Blade 18 and Razer Blade 16 models are now available for pre-order, but you'll need deep pockets to afford one. The Razer Blade 16 is starting at £2699.99, while the Razer Blade 18 is starting at £3099.99.

KitGuru Says: Are you considering an RTX 50-powered laptop for 2025? How much would you be willing to spend on a gaming laptop?

The post Razer’s latest Blade gaming laptops now available starting at £2699 first appeared on KitGuru.

Back in 2014, Monolith Productions impressed us all with Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and its central game mechanic – the Nemesis System. The technology allowed for dynamic NPCs that would hunt the player character down and level up if it managed to beat you, adding an interesting twist to gameplay that could be used to improve hundreds of other games. Unfortunately, WB Games patented the technology and as a result, developers aren't able to produce a similar system for at least another decade. 

Warner Bros filed the patent for the Nemesis System back in 2016, one year ahead of the release of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. As the patent was approved, that means Warner Bros has exclusive rights to use this technology for 20 years after the filing date. The patent will not expire until August 11th 2036.

The situation goes a little beyond that though. This week, Warner Bros made the decision to shut down Monolith Productions and cancel the studio's upcoming Wonder Woman game, the only other title in production to make use of this technology. With the studio shutting down and the developers behind the system being forced to find work elsewhere, it is unlikely that even WB will make use of this patent again anytime soon.

Warner Bros could potentially license out the patent, but most publishers don't exactly like giving out a piece of their pie to a third-party. A good example of this is NetEase with Marvel Rivals, as we recently learned that the game was almost scrapped due to the company's CEO not wanting to give Disney their licensing fee.

KitGuru Says: This is a good example of the patent system being used for the wrong reasons. Rather than locking down an innovative technology and making good use of it, WB has squandered its opportunity and taken something cool away from the gaming community, much like Namco did back in the 90s with its patent on ‘playable mini games during loading screens'. 

The post Warner Bros ‘Nemesis System’ patent won’t expire until 2036 first appeared on KitGuru.

Delidding your CPU is often the best way to get the absolute best temperatures and overclocking potential, but the process of doing it is a daunting one and can potentially void warranty. Thermal Grizzly is looking to make it as easy as possible moving forward, with its own series of TG Delidded CPUs and better yet, Thermal Grizzly will assume the manufacturer's warranty, so you'll be just as protected as if you were to buy directly from Intel or AMD.

Offering everyone from beginners to veterans a gateway into the world of maximum cooling performance, the new TG Delidded CPU series is now available, delivering the ability to use direct-die cooling solutions without having to go through the risk of delidding the processor yourself. By delidding a CPU, you remove the heatspreader, allowing for a CPU cooler to be mounted directly to the chiplets of the CPU for the best possible cooling.

However, not just any cooler will do. CPU dies are susceptible to damage, which is why processors are typically sold with a heatspreader protecting the die underneath. With that in mind, you'll want to ensure you pair your delidded CPU with an appropriate direct-die cooler, such as the Mycro Direct Die liquid cooler. You could also opt for a third-party high-performance heatspreader and a more traditional AIO cooling solution.

Since delidding a CPU voids the manufacturer’s warranty, Thermal Grizzly assumes the warranty and tests the processors after delidding. A screenshot of this functionality test, along with a microscope photograph of the chip, is saved on a USB stick and included with the purchase.

The TG Delidded CPU series launches with the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and will later be expanded to include additional processors such as the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D. It is unclear if delidded Intel CPUs will also soon become part of the lineup.

KitGuru Says: Would you prefer to buy a pre-delidded CPU over going through the process yourself? It would certainly make a good start to a high-end liquid-cooled build.

The post Thermal Grizzly now sells delidded CPUs backed by warranty first appeared on KitGuru.

Samsung has recently announced its new consumer flagship 9100 Pro series SSDs, designed to deliver next-generation performance for demanding users. These PCIe 5.0 drives boast blistering speeds and improved power efficiency, making them ideal for everything from gaming and content creation to AI applications.

The 9100 Pro series leverages its PCIe 5.0 x4 interface to achieve sequential read/write speeds of up to 14,800 / 13,400MB/s, a significant leap over its predecessor. Random read/write speeds also significantly boost, reaching up to 2,200K/2,600K IOPS, ensuring rapid access to large files and applications.

Power efficiency is another key focus. Thanks to its 5nm controller, the 9100 Pro series consumes less power than previous models. The 9100 Pro with Heatsink promises to take this a step further, adding an extra layer of thermal management for even lower power consumption and improved drive longevity while maintaining a slim profile of just 0.9 cm. Capacity is also a highlight, with the 9100 Pro being Samsung's first NVMe SSD to offer up to 8TB of storage, providing ample space for even the most demanding workloads.

Samsung's Magician Software further enhances the user experience, providing tools for drive optimisation, data protection, and firmware updates, ensuring your drive remains in peak condition. The 9100 Pro series will be available in March with 1TB ($199.99), 2TB ($299.99), and 4TB ($549.99) capacities. The 9100 Pro with Heatsink will be offered in 1TB ($219.99), 2TB ($319.99), and 4TB ($569.99) options. The 8TB variants are expected to arrive later in 2025.

KitGuru says: Do you think Samsung's new 9100 Pro will top performance charts like some of its predecessors?

The post Samsung’s new 9100 Pro PCIe 5.0 SSD boasts a whopping 8TB of storage first appeared on KitGuru.

Roughly a year ago, Montech launched their first keyboard, the MKey, and we liked it here at KitGuru. Well, now the MKey has been given the ‘Pro' treatment – bringing 3 way connectivity, MacOS support and QMK/VIA functionality to the company's peripheral lineup. The MKey Pro improves on almost every aspect of the original, with new Gateron G Pro 3.0 switches and double shot PBT keycaps – is this the new sub $100 keyboard king?

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:45 The changes
01:53 Design / controls
03:50 RGB implementation
04:50 Switches / stabilisers / keycaps
06:50 Taking the keyboard apart
07:20 Sound test and thoughts
07:47 Typing experience / polling / battery
08:30 Build Quality
08:52 Software
09:40 Pricing and closing thoughts

Specifications:

• Colour – Darkness / Freedom
• Type – Mechanical
• Matrix – 81
• Switches – Gateron G Pro 3.0 Yellow Switch / Brown Switch
• Keycap Material – PBT
• Printing Method – Double-Shot
• Keycap Profile – OEM
• Adjustable Height – 3 Levels
• Keyboard Rollover – 100% Anti-Ghosting
• Connectivity – Tri-Mode (Bluetooth 5.2 / Wireless 2.4GHz / USB-C Wired)
• Form Factor – Tenkeyless
• Keyboard Dimension – 323*137*43mm
• Package Dimension – 406*216*62mm
• Keyboard Weight – 900g
• Package Weight – 1492g
• RGB Lighting – 22 Modes
• Cable – 190cm / Braided / Removable
• Warranty – 1 Year
• Software – VIA / QMK
• Battery Life
  • Up to 308 Hours of Battery Life (Usage without ARGB Lighting)
  • Up to 40 Hours of Battery Life (Usage with White Light at Max. Current)

You can buy the MKey Pro for $89.90 from Amazon US HERE – we will update the page with more information regarding UK/EU stock if and when we find out more.

Pros:

• Excellent sound.
• Three-way connectivity.
• Great factory lubed stabilisers.
• QMK/VIA support.
• Solid battery life.
• Appealing price.
• Great improvement over the original Montech MKey keyboard – including now offering a UK ISO layout.

Cons:

• Dial wobble.
• No included MacOS modifier keycaps.
• UK availability is patchy.

KitGuru says: The MKey Pro improves on many aspects that fell short on the original MKey keyboard. It sounds and feels great to use but is ever so slightly let down by a poor quality dial and a lack of MacOS suitable keycaps. 

The post Montech MKey Pro Keyboard Review first appeared on KitGuru.

be quiet! is expanding its popular Pure Base 501 case lineup with two new models: the Pure Base 501 LX and Pure Base 501 DX. These additions cater to users seeking stylish aesthetics and enhanced cooling capabilities while retaining the core features that made the original Pure Base 501 a favourite among PC builders.

The Pure Base 501 LX builds upon the existing Pure Base 501 Airflow Window model, adding a touch of brilliance with ARGB lighting. While it might appear similar to its predecessor, the LX variant shines once powered on. Instead of the standard two Pure Wings 3 fans, the Pure Base 501 LX has four Light Wings LX fans: three 120mm PWM fans in the front for intake and a larger 140mm PWM fan at the rear for exhaust. An included ARGB/fan hub further expands customisation options, supporting up to six ARGB devices and PWM fans.

The Pure Base 501 DX offers a redesigned front panel with integrated lighting for those who prefer ARGB strips over fans. The high-airflow intake front panel blends functionality and aesthetics, while three Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM fans (one more than the standard model) ensure the needed cooling performance. The front panel's RGB lighting extends inwards, creating a subtle yet captivating glow within the case.

The LX and DX variants retain the core features defining the Pure Base 501 series. They offer full support for ATX, microATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards, ample space for high-end graphics cards (including vertical mounting options), and support for versatile cooling configurations. A decoupled dual HDD cage provides flexible storage options, and the innovative cable routing system ensures a clean and tidy interior. Modern connectivity is provided with a front panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.

Like the Pure Base 501 Window models, the LX and DX versions feature a side panel window to showcase your components. However, these new models add a front-panel button to control the ARGB lighting effects. Available in both black and white starting March 11th, the Pure Base 501 LX and DX are backed by a three-year manufacturer warranty. The DX models will cost £89.99/$124.90/€124.90, and the LX will cost £99.99/$144.90/€144.90

KitGuru says: Do you prefer the standard-looking LX variant or the more unique ARGB strips of the DX model?

The post be quiet! expands Pure Base 501 case lineup with LX and DX variants first appeared on KitGuru.

At the start of the year, we first saw evidence that Capcom could be working on a bunch of ports for its Resident Evil titles, bringing them up to modern standards with current-gen remasters. Since then, further proof has surfaced, with a new ESRB rating now suggesting that Resident Evil Revelations could get an Xbox Series re-release.

As discovered by ResetEra user Bishop89, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board has published a new listing for an Xbox Series version of Resident Evil Revelations.

This follows on from two previous listings by the board, which suggested that RE6; the RE: Origins Collection; RE4; RE7 and RE5 could all be coming to modern consoles.

All of these games are of course playable on both the Xbox Series X|S and PS5, however – aside from RE7 – the games are all backwards compatible versions of their 8th-gen releases; and so it would perhaps be nice to have full 4K60fps upgrades for these titles.

All that said, it is interesting to see over half a dozen Resident Evil titles being rated one after the other – all without any official announcements.

It seems as though when we do finally get official confirmation, it could come as part of a massive Resident Evil blowout event. We will have to wait and see.

KitGuru says: What do you think of all these recent ratings? Which RE title do you think would benefit most from a remaster? Does this mean we are unlikely to get full remakes for any of these games? Let us know down below.

The post Even more Resident Evil games have been rated by the ESRB first appeared on KitGuru.

Just over a year ago, the much anticipated and long-awaited Tekken 8 finally released to the world, quickly going on to sell over 2 million copies. While the game’s growth has of course slowed down significantly since, Bandai’s latest and greatest fighter is still doing numbers, with the team now confirming that it has sold over 3 million copies.

During the most recent Tekken Talks livestream for the game’s second season, the team at Bandai Namco revealed that Tekken 8 has officially sold 3 million copies. While an impressive figure, this represents an increase of just 1 million copies over the past year, with the title initially selling 2 million copies in its first month.

That said, with 3 million in its first year, Tekken 8 is still ahead of its predecessors in terms of sales, meaning given enough time it could very well beat the current best-selling entry (Tekken 7 with 12 million copies sold).

Due to their continuous support, many fighting games wind up having very long shelf lives, aiding in their total sales figures over the course of many years.

Tekken 8 is a fun and polished fighter which in many ways feels like the best version of Tekken released yet, and so it would not be surprising to see the game continue to sell millions of copies for years to come.

Whether it will eventually surpass its predecessor is yet to be seen, but this does represent a strong start for Tekken 8.

KitGuru says: Are you one of the 3 million players? What do you think of Tekken 8’s first year on the market? Will it eventually surpass T7? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Tekken 8 continues to outpace its predecessors with 3 million copies sold first appeared on KitGuru.

The Pathologic series is a highly unique cult-hit franchise which, since the release of the first game back in 2005, has gained fame for its atypical story-telling and role-playing methods. In a surprise announcement last year, the team unveiled Pathologic 3: Quarantine, replacing the planned DLC for the second game. Said to be coming in 2025, we now have a concrete release date.

Releasing a trailer onto YouTube, the team at Ice-Pick Lodge officially confirmed that Pathologic 3: Quarantine will release in just under a month’s time on the 17th of March.

]for the uninitiated, despite being named Pathologic 3: Quarantine, the upcoming title will offer the long-promised Bachelor story path which was initially intended to be added to the second game – before complications with the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to significant delays.

That said, those who backed the Kickstarter for Pathologic 2 all the way back in 2014 will be given Pathologic 3 for free when it releases in a month’s time – however those who bought the game after the fact are seemingly out of luck (though a free prologue will be available to all).

The Pathologic series is an odd one, and so it is encouraging to see that the team at Ice-Pick Lodge are committed to its continuation. Hopefully the wait will have been worth it.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for Pathologic 3? Did you back the original Kickstarter? Will the series be able to maintain its particular and unique sense of atmosphere? Let us know down below.

The post Pathologic 3: Quarantine launches next month first appeared on KitGuru.

Over the past week, we’ve seen a ton of movement in the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater space. Following reports by one professional skater who claimed that a new entry in the series would be coming soon, we got an official teaser within the new Black Ops 6 map ‘Grind’. Ahead of its official announcement, a new listing for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 has been published by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore.

As reported by the publication Gematsu, The Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (the region’s ratings board) has published a new listing for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 coming to PlayStation 5; Xbox Series; PS4; Xbox One; Switch and PC.

While it was all-but-confirmed that a new Tony Hawk’s game would be announced soon, this marks the first piece of concrete evidence that the title in question is the previously-cancelled THPS 3+4 Remake.

For the uninitiated, following the success of 2020’s Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 (which went on to become the fastest-selling entry in the franchise), studio Vicarious Visions were working on a similar remake for the 3rd and 4th entries…until it was cancelled by Activision.

Whether Vicarious Visions (now known as Blizzard Albany) are working on this remake or not is yet to be seen, but the fact that THPS 3+4 is happening at all is welcome to see. Hopefully we’ll get a ton of details when the game is officially announced – likely on the 4th of March.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the new game? Do you think Vicarious Visions were placed back on the project? What’s your favourite Tony Hawk game? Let us know down below.

The post Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 has been rated in Singapore first appeared on KitGuru.

Asustor's second-generation Flashstor 6 NAS is a much more capable beast than the original. It brings much more capable hardware, with upgrades to the CPU, LAN, memory, and SSD architecture capabilities. It also sees improvements made to USB support. Today we find out if it is worth the £979 asking price.

The original Flashstor 6 is powered by an Intel Celeron N5105, a quad-cored CPU clocked at 2GHz (2.9GHz boost). For the new Gen 2 version, Asustor has moved over to AMD as the NAS is powered by a Ryzen Embedded V3C14 processor. The V3C14 is built on a 6nm process and has 4 cores, 8 threads and supports up to 20 lanes of PCIe Gen4. Two 10GbE ports and a pair of USB 4.0 ports are also supported. The V3C14 is rated at up to 2.3GHz (3.8GHz boost).

As for memory support, the FlashStor 6 Gen 2 comes with 8GB of DDR5-4800 which is an impressive upgrade on the original FlashStor 6's 4GB of DDR4-2933. The Gen 2 supports up to 64GB of memory via two SO-DIMM slots. Asustor has also improved SSD support with the Gen 2 as it now supports Gen4 SSDss rather than the Gen3 of the original units.

Physical Specifications

• Processor: AMD Ryzen V3C14 (2.3GHz burst up 3.80 GHz).
• Memory: 8GB DDR5-4800.
• Gigabit Ethernet Ports: 1 x 10GbE.
• Rear panel connectors: 1 x 10GbE RJ45, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 4.0.
• Front panel connectors: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2.
• RAID support: JBOD, RAID 0,1,5,6 and 10.
• Cooling: Active, 1 x 80mm system fan, 1 x CPU fan.
• Drive Bays Supported: 6 (Gen4 SSD).
• Internal File System support: EXT4, Btrfs.
• Dimensions (D x W x H): 193 x 308.26 x 48.3 mm.
• Weight: 1.4kg.

The post Asustor Flashstor 6 Gen 2 (FS6806X) NAS Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Sony and Ultizero Games have lifted the curtain on the PC requirements for their upcoming action RPG, Lost Soul Aside, revealing both standard and ray-tracing specifications. Powered by Unreal Engine 4, the game promises stunning visuals and high-octane action, but you'll need a capable machine to experience it at its best.

For those looking to meet the minimum requirements, an Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with an Nvidia GTX 1060 or AMD RX 5500 XT will be enough. Regardless of the preset, you'll also need 16 GB of RAM and 80 GB of free storage space.

The recommended specifications bump things to an Intel i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and an Nvidia RTX 2060 or AMD RX 5700 XT. For those aiming for “High” settings, the developers suggest an Intel i7-11700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and an Nvidia RTX 3070 or AMD RX 6800 XT. While the developers haven't specified the target resolution for these settings, it's likely aimed at 60 FPS.

As previously confirmed, Lost Soul Aside will feature ray-tracing support. To enable it at “High” settings, you'll need an Intel i7-11700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and an Nvidia RTX 4080 or AMD RX 7900 XT. For “Ultra” settings with ray-tracing, the game will demand an Intel i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X (typo?) and an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti.

You can check the detailed system requirements in the table below:

Preset	Minimum	Recommended	High	High – Ray-Tracing On	Ultra – Ray Tracing On
GPU	Nvidia GTX 1060 or AMD RX 5500 XT	Nvidia RTX 2060 or AMD RX 5700 XT	Nvidia RTX 3070 or AMD RX 6800 XT	Nvidia RTX 4080s or AMD RX 7900 XT	Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti
CPU	Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel i7-11700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X	Intel i7-11700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X	Intel i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X
RAM	16 GB	16 GB	16 GB	16 GB	16 GB
OS	64-bit Windows 10/11	64-bit Windows 10/11	64-bit Windows 10/11	64-bit Windows 10/11	64-bit Windows 10/11
Storage	80 GB SSD	80 GB SSD	80 GB SSD	80 GB SSD	80 GB SSD

Sony has also detailed the PC-specific features for Lost Soul Aside, including customisable graphics settings, unlocked framerates, and support for performance-enhancing technologies. The latter means it will support both upscaling technologies like DLSS and FSR. Besides ray-tracing, PC gamers can expect HDR display support and compatibility with DualSense controllers. Lost Soul Aside is set to launch on PC on May 30th.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you interested in Lost Soul Aside? Based on the system requirements shared by the developer, how well will your system run it?

The post Lost Soul Aside PC system requirements announced first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD's Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) technology is evolving. According to a new report, AMD is working on AFMF 2.1, and its release could be right around the corner.

AFMF is a driver-level frame generation solution that boosts gaming performance by inserting interpolated frames between rendered frames. Unlike DLSS and FSR Frame Generation technologies, AFMF doesn't need any game integration, making it compatible with all games. However, this also means that AFMF upscales and interlaces entire frames, including menus and UI elements, which can sometimes impact visual quality.

Despite this trade-off, AFMF has gained significant traction, particularly for older games that lack built-in FPS-boosting technologies. The release of AFMF 2.0 in October further expanded its capabilities, adding support for OpenGL, Vulkan, DX11, and DX12 games, along with new performance and latency settings, improved compatibility with borderless windowed mode, and various optimisations for fast motion.

According to VideoCardz, AMD is gearing up for the next evolution of its frame generation technology with AFMF 2.1, slated for release alongside the Radeon RX 9070 series as part of a broader HYPR-RX update. The report claims that AFMF 2.1 will enhance the quality of generated frames, promising even smoother and more visually appealing results. AFMF 2.1, like its predecessor, shouldn't require dedicated tensor or AI cores, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of hardware, including the Ryzen AI 300 series' iGPUs.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Don't expect AFMF 2.1 to be on par with DLSS or FSR Frame Generation. Still, it's useful as a backup plan to boost your framerate regardless of the game.

The post AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2.1 is reportedly in development first appeared on KitGuru.

We've known about Microsoft's long-awaited Fable reboot since 2017. Fans were pleased to see the game listed on the release schedule for 2025 but now, just two months into the year, Xbox has revised its plans, pushing the game back to 2026. 

We won't be playing the new Fable this year after all. Today, Xbox Game Studios head, Craig Duncan, revealed on the Official Xbox podcast that the game has been delayed to 2026.

“So, I just want to start with, really excited, really excited about progress, really excited about where Playground are. We previously announced the date for Fable as 2025, we are actually going to give Fable more time and it’s going to ship in 2026 now.”

Duncan acknowledges that this isn't “the news people want to hear” but adds that “it's definitely worth the wait”. So far, Microsoft has revealed little gameplay for Fable, but we hope to see more of the game revealed later this year. We expect to see more of Fable during this year's Xbox Summer Showcase. In the meantime though, there is a small snippet of alpha gameplay available to view in the video above.

Duncan adds that he has “unequivocal confidence” in the Playground Games team, which is primarily known for the Forza Horizon series, rather than single-player RPGs.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to Fable? Do you think we'll see it in the first or second half of 2026? 

The post Xbox officially delays Fable, reboot now coming in 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

In recent weeks, early buyers of RTX 50 series graphics cards have discovered that their GPU does not meet the advertised specification. At first, it was thought that this issue was only impacting a limited number of RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti models, but this week, the first affected RTX 5080 was discovered. Now, Nvidia has responded with an updated statement.

In an updated statement given to The Verge, Nvidia said: “Upon further investigation, we’ve identified that an early production build of GeForce RTX 5080 GPUs were also affected by the same issue. Affected consumers can contact the board manufacturer for a replacement”.

A fully amended statement from Nvidia was also issued, saying: “We have identified a rare issue affecting less than 0.5% (half a percent) of GeForce RTX 5090 / 5090D, RTX 5080, and 5070 Ti GPUs which have one fewer ROP than specified. The average graphical performance impact is 4%, with no impact on AI and Compute workloads. Affected consumers can contact the board manufacturer for a replacement. The production anomaly has been corrected.”

Nvidia estimates that less than 0.5% of RTX 5090, RTX 5090D, RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti GPUs are impacted by the defect. Rather than going through a recall process, Nvidia is asking customers to go to the board manufacturer of their card for a replacement. However, stock isn't exactly in abundance right now, so securing a replacement could be a time-consuming process.

Nvidia also estimates that the average performance impact of the missing ROPs is 4 percent, adding that there should be no impact on compute or AI workloads. However, given the prices gamers are paying nowadays, any performance degradation over the advertised specification should be unacceptable.

We don't know how many of these cards were produced and sold for launch, so it is hard to gauge how many GPUs could have been affected. However, future stock should be unaffected, as the production defect that led to all of this has been identified and addressed at the supply chain level.

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KitGuru Says: This is an annoyance for sure, but hopefully those who were impacted can get their replacement expedited. 

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It has been three years since Valve first launched the Steam Deck, its own handheld gaming PC utilising custom AMD silicon and its own Linux-based operating system, SteamOS. Since then, a number of competitors have popped up on the market, some with even better specs than the Steam Deck, but according to market research, Valve's handheld has managed to maintain its number one spot on the market. 

As spotted by The Verge, market research firm, IDC, has analysed supply chain orders to estimate just how many gaming handhelds have shipped around the world. In 2022, it is estimated that 1.62 million gaming handhelds were shipped, a number that grew to 2.87 million in 2023, before dropping to 1.485 million in 2024. These figures combine the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go and MSI Claw handhelds.

All added together, around six million PC gaming handhelds have been sold by the big brands over the last few years. It is estimated that gaming handheld shipments will fall to under two million in 2025.

Despite other options having better technical specifications, the Steam brand name has carried its weight here. Of the six million handhelds sold between 2022 and 2025, it is estimated that almost four million of those were Steam Decks, putting Valve's system well ahead of the competition. With all of that in mind, despite the Steam Deck's chip being weaker than what can be found in more expensive options from the likes of Asus, MSI and Lenovo, Valve's combination of low-power gaming hardware and the SteamOS UI has won over the consumer in far greater numbers than a ‘Windows' based handheld.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Do any of you own a gaming handheld? Did you go with a Steam Deck or one of the more expensive competitors? 

The post Market research shows Valve’s Steam Deck has dominated handheld market first appeared on KitGuru.

Earlier this week, we learned that early copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows have been sold online, almost a month ahead of the planned launch date. Now, Ubisoft has responded to the situation, acknowledging the leak publicly for the first time.

Ubisoft is aware that a number of physical copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows have leaked. The company did not confirm if the copies sold were stolen from the distribution or retail channels, or whether a particular retailer elected to break street date and begin selling the game early. Still, Ubisoft says the leak is “unfortunate” and warns potential early buyers that the leaked version of the game won't be representative of the day-one experience.

“We are aware players have accessed Assassin’s Creed Shadows ahead of its official release. The development team is still working on patches to prepare the experience for launch and any footage shared online does not represent the final quality of the game. Leaks are unfortunate and can diminish the excitement for players. We kindly ask you not to spoil the experience for others. Thank you to our community for already taking steps to protect everyone from spoilers.”

Assassin's Creed Shadows is officially due to release for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on the 20th of March.

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KitGuru Says: Are any of you planning on picking up the latest Assassin's Creed when it drops next month? Have you seen any of the leaked footage so far?

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WB Games is in an odd position at the moment. Its two biggest studios, Rocksteady and Netherrealm, both failed to achieve sales targets with their latest games. At the same time, Warner Bros is trying to spin up the new ‘DC Universe', spanning films, games and other media. It would seem that the hopes of an expansive DC universe may keep both of these studios alive for the foreseeable future, as leaders from both are actively meeting with James Gunn to discuss future plans.

James Gunn was hired by Warner Bros to spearhead a new effort to put together a new cross-media DC universe, starting with a new Superman film, due to release later this year. As it turns out, Gunn has his hands in more than movies. According to ComicBook, who attended a recent DC Studios event, James Gunn has been meeting with Rocksteady and Netherrealm heads to discuss future plans for in-universe video games.

DC Studios co-head, Peter Safran, gave the following quote during the event: “It’s really the first time it’s ever been this way at Warner Bros. James and I sit with the guys that run the studios under JB Perette whether it’s NetherRealm or Rocksteady. We sit with them and we talk about characters and stories that we’re interested in and that they’re interested in.”

Gunn added that they see “designs for the projects in their very earliest stages” and then make suggestions on story direction based on what they have planned for the DC Universe at large.

However, it is said that the first true DCU game won't release for at least “a couple of years”. Given how long AAA development timelines are nowadays, I would say that a couple of years is an underestimate.

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KitGuru Says: We recently heard that Rocksteady is now trying to pitch a new single-player Batman game following the failure and shutdown of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The issue is, Rocksteady made some of the best Batman stories ever told, all on their own. Now, the studio has to also appease the directors behind the movies, which could ultimately hinder creativity. My worry is that certain characters will now be ‘off limits', with the goal of maintaining a singular canon and naturally, a film director will want the biggest moments reserved for the films, which would also hamper the impact of the stories these studios are able to tell in the video game format. I don't think it is going to work out the way they envision, but time will well.

The post James Gunn is actively working on new DC games with Rocksteady and NetherRealm first appeared on KitGuru.

While Geekbench results aren't always the most reliable indicator of real-world gaming performance, they can still be interesting to check out. The latest ones to be found were of Nvidia's upcoming RTX 5070, showing it performing on par with the RTX 4070 Super in the Vulkan and OpenCL tests.

The leaked benchmarks, conducted on a system with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, 32 GB of memory, and an X870E motherboard, show the RTX 5070 tested with Vulkan and OpenCL APIs (via Benchleaks). Interestingly, the reported memory speed for the system memory was 4000 MT/s, which is likely an error or a misconfiguration.

In the Vulkan test, the RTX 5070 scored 188,712 points, while the OpenCL test yielded 187,414 points. Comparing these results to the RTX 4070 Super, which scores around 180,000 in Vulkan and 190,000 in OpenCL, suggests that the RTX 5070 might offer performance roughly on par with its predecessor. Comparing the RTX 5070 to its more powerful sibling, the RTX 5070 Ti, reveals a more significant performance gap. The 5070 Ti scores approximately 236,850 in Vulkan and 240,750 in OpenCL, indicating that the non-Ti variant is roughly 20% slower.

Nvidia is expected to launch the RTX 5070 on March 4th, so we won't have to wait longer to see how these Geekbench scores compare to real-world benchmarks.

KitGuru says: Based on the Geekbench scores alone, is the RTX 5070's performance in line with your expectations?

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Recently, Valve updated its Steam policy, forcing developers to disclose when Generative AI tools are used to create games. This led Activision admitting that GenAI is already in use to create assets in Call of Duty, for instance. Now, gamers have gone to the Steam feature suggestion forum to request a way to filter games that use AI from the store. 

A Steam forum suggestion thread asking Valve to give gamers the ability to hide games that use GenAI from the store has garnered a lot of attention. Hundreds of comments have registered support for the idea and users have been making good use of their Steam points to also give the suggestion a number of awards, keeping the suggestion at the top of the forum.

Valve has already added some filters for the Steam Store, such as allowing users to automatically hide adult or NSFW games, and users can hide games on an individual basis too. However, a blanket filter would work best. Many of the commenters take issue with the fact that popular AI models have been trained on pirated content, effectively stealing the work of human creators in an effort to replace them.

Valve has not yet commented on the situation, but it did recently implement a policy change to ensure developers disclose the use of Generative AI tools. This disclosure has already appeared on the Call of Duty store page, and we will no doubt see more major games from publishers like Microsoft, Sony, EA, Ubisoft, Take-Two, 2K Games, Embracer and others carrying this disclosure in the year ahead.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As we saw with the initial pushback against DLC in the early days of the Xbox 360, and the pushback against microtransactions in premium games last generation, I feel like most publishers are simply going to ignore the backlash and push forward with their plans for AI tools. Ultimately, the use of AI tools can help a lot of studios reset to do away with ballooning studio sizes in favour of smaller teams that can work faster with AI assistance. There are ethical concerns for sure due to the fact that stolen work was used to train the biggest AI models, but if there is money to be made and a legal loophole to exploit, then I don't think the C-suite cares. 

The post Gamers call on Valve to add ‘AI games’ filter to Steam first appeared on KitGuru.

The Pan-European Game Information board (PEGI) has existed for years as a way to easily and quickly identify the relative age appropriateness of a game, with the system ranging from a PEGI 3 to PEGI 18. In a weird move by the board, the uncontroversial Poker-themed roguelike Balatro was rated as an 18+ experience despite its lack of any actual gambling. Following complaints, the board has now corrected this to the much more reflective PEGI 12.

Releasing a statement onto their website, the PEGI complaints board officially offered a ruling on the indie titles Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord.

For the uninitiated, despite both games having gambling-adjacent aesthetics, neither title features anything of the sorts – being single-purchase games with no further monetisation. That said, upon their release, both games were given 18 ratings by PEGI.

Following appeals placed by the publishers, both titles have now been re-evaluated, with PEGI stating, “The PEGI 18 rating for the game ‘Balatro’ has been changed to a PEGI 12 following a successful appeal submitted by publisher Sold Out Sales & Marketing. The Complaints Board concluded that, although the game explains the various hands of poker, the roguelike deck-building game contained mitigating fantastical elements that warranted a PEGI 12 rating.”

The board had this to say regarding Luck Be A Landlord: “The PEGI 18 rating for the game Luck Be A Landlord was also changed to a PEGI 12 following a successful appeal submitted by publisher Fangamer. The Complaints Board reasoned that the same arguments as above applied: although the game features a slot machine mechanic, there were no specific transferable gambling skills and the game can therefore be rated PEGI 12.”

While these inaccurate ratings alone were enough of an issue, the fact that the likes of EA’s FIFA / Sports FC games include actual gambling while still being rated a 3 showed a large disconnect between the games themselves and PEGI.

Hopefully this recent revision to Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord is just the start of PEGI’s inward reflection into how they rate all current and future video game releases.

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KitGuru says: What did you think of Balatro’s original rating? Are you glad to see it changed? Will FIFA ever have its rating altered? Let us know your thoughts down below.

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