Intel is in for another big change behind the scenes. In an unexpected move, Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger, officially stepped down and left the company today, leaving the company to search for a replacement.

Gelsinger took over the CEO position at Intel around four years ago and kicked off a roadmap to regain chip market leadership, a plan that also involved spending billions on setting up new fabrication facilities to compete with the likes of TSMC and Samsung. Gelsinger officially resigned on the 1st of December, leaving before his original 5-year roadmap can be completed. During that time, Intel has been looking to speed up the pace of innovation, with a new node being utilised for CPUs each year.

Unfortunately, with the tech market shifting over to AI accelerating hardware, Intel has not managed to keep up with giants like Nvidia, which has dominated the AI hardware market and outpaced rivals over the last five years. With that said, Intel did recently get on board with AI, shipping the first Intel CPUs with AI-accelerating cores in 2023.

Following the news of Gelsinger's departure, Intel share prices rose by three percent, according to Reuters. The company's CFO, David Zinser, along with Michelle Jongston Holthaus, will take over as interim co-CEOs. A search committee is also now in place while Intel seeks out a new full-time CEO.

KitGuru Says: Intel will quickly replace these headlines, as the next generation of Intel Arc graphics cards are due to launch this month. 

Intel's Arc Battlemage GPUs are almost here, and a new leak has revealed the full specifications for the B580 and B570 models. Most of what we heard about the B580 seems correct, but the details on the B570 were still scarce, at least until now.

A leaked spec sheet for the ASRock Arc B570 Challenger OC shared by Gaw (via VideoCardz) reveals that the card will feature 144 XMX Engines and 18 Xe2-Cores, two fewer than the B580. More importantly, the B570 will pack 10 GB of GDDR6 memory across a 160-bit memory bus, delivering a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 380 GB/s. This is roughly 16.7% less bandwidth than the B580, which is expected to feature 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus.

Image credit: Gaw (via VideoCardz)

Interestingly, the spec sheet mentions a PCIe 4.0 interface for the B580 and B570. This confirms the suspicions that the cards would use a PCIe x8 connection. Both cards will support DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1, although the specific DisplayPort 2.1 standard remains unconfirmed. The leaked specifications also reveal factory overclocked speeds of 2.6 GHz for the B570 and 2.8 GHz for the B580, a significant increase compared to the previous generation.

Intel has officially announced that the Arc Battlemage series will be unveiled on December 3rd. While an official release date is still unknown, we expect the cards will be available starting December 12th or 13th. Regarding pricing, the first leaked listings suggest the B580 will cost around $250-260. As such, expect the B570 to cost less than that.

KitGuru says: Given the B570's leaked specs, how will it compare to the B580 and other entry-level gaming GPUs from Nvidia and AMD? What pricing would be appropriate for the B570?

Intel's next generation of mobile processors is on the horizon, and a new leak has given us a sneak peek at what to expect. The Core 7 240H, believed to be part of the rumoured Core 200H family, has surfaced on Geekbench, and based on the entry, it looks like it's a refreshed Raptor Lake processor.

Spotted in an Acer Nitro ANV15-52 gaming laptop equipped with an RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (via Benchleaks), the Core 7 240H packs a 10-core (6 Performance + 4 Efficient) configuration with 16 threads. The Geekbench listing refers to it as “Raptor Lake”, suggesting a refresh of the Raptor Lake mobile architecture. As such, don't expect it to feature an NPU like the Lunar Lake processors.

With a base clock of 2.5 GHz, a boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz, and 24 MB of L3 cache, the Core 7 240H appears to be pretty much a refreshed Core i7-13620H with higher boost clock speeds. The Geekbench entry also shows the Core 7 240H achieved a single-core score of 2,689 and a multi-core score of 13,330. These figures put it on par with the Core i7-13620H in multi-core performance but slightly ahead in single-core capabilities.

Based on Intel's Xe architecture, the integrated graphics of the Core 7 240H also show promising results. With 64 EUs (equivalent to 8 Xe-Cores) and a maximum clock speed of 1.5 GHz, the iGPU achieved OpenCL scores close to 13.5K points, offering solid performance for everyday tasks and general computing. Intel hasn't officially announced the Core 200H series, but that will likely change at CES 2025.

KitGuru says: If you were going to buy a laptop now, would AI performance matter to you, or would something like the Core 7 240H be good enough?

Fortnite's latest live concert, “Remix: The Finale”, has blown past all previous attendance records, drawing, at least for a moment, over 14.3 million players simultaneously to witness an unforgettable musical experience.

Featuring performances from artists like Juice WRLD, Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, and Eminem, the event captivated audiences with its visuals and high-energy music. While Epic Games hasn't released the exact figures, you can see over at fortnite.gg that on November 30th, the concurrent player count surpassed 14.3 million players, making it the most attended Fortnite event in the past two years. As far as we know, there was only one time where the player count was higher, and that was in the Galactus event with over 15 million players.

The event was a fitting tribute to the late Juice WRLD, whose music and legacy were celebrated throughout the experience. Players were treated to in-game performances by massive animated versions of each artist, each with their unique stage and visual style. Snoop Dogg rocked an amusement park, Eminem battled a mecha version of himself, Ice Spice took over a cityscape, and Juice WRLD delivered a moving performance on the water.

While the focus was primarily on the musical performances, Epic Games also offered a sneak peek at the new Chapter 6 map, teasing the changes and additions that await players in the upcoming season. More details about Chapter 6 will be revealed in the coming days.

KitGuru says: Did you watch the “Remix: The Finale” concert live? Did you enjoy it? Do you think other game studios should do more events like this one?

Marvel Rivals is now set to launch on December 6th with a staggering 33 playable characters, offering a diverse lineup for fans of the Marvel universe. We already knew most of the heroes coming at launch, but the recent trailer showed a few more, including one of Marvel's most iconic superheroes – Wolverine.

The upcoming hero shooter from NetEase has been generating quite some buzz. Scheduled to release later this week, the full roster of heroes has finally been revealed. A new cinematic launch trailer showcases the impressive lineup, including fan favourites like Captain America, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, and the Winter Soldier, alongside some surprising additions.

Black Widow, Iron Fist, Wolverine, Squirrel Girl, and the unique duo Cloak and Dagger are the latest characters to join the roster, and considering the game's launch is right around the corner, we don't expect any more to be announced before that. The rest of the rost can be found below:

• Adam Warlock
• Black Panther
• Captain America
• Doctor Strange
• Groot
• Hawkeye
• Hela
• Hulk
• Iron Man
• Jeff The Land Shark
• Loki
• Luna Snow
• Magik
• Magneto
• Mantis
• Moon Knight
• Namor
• Peni Parker
• Psylocke
• Punisher
• Rocket Raccoon
• Scarlet Witch
• Spider-Man
• Star-Lord
• Storm
• Thor
• Venom
• Winter Soldier

Marvel Rivals will launch with nine maps, including iconic locations like Wakanda and Asgard. Eight of these maps are designed for traditional game modes, while one is specifically crafted for the Conquest mode.

This amount of content at launch surpasses what was available in the recent beta, and NetEase has promised even more free updates in the future. New heroes and maps will be added regularly, ensuring the game remains fresh for players.

KitGuru says: Are you interested in Marvel Rivals? What other Marvel characters would you like to see in the game?

Last week, we reported on the boost in sales seen by the poker-themed Balatro following its Game of the Year (GOTY) nominations at the TGAs. It seems Balatro wasn’t the only nominee to see a healthy uptick in sales, with the likes of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth growing by over 250%.

As reported by Christopher Dring of Gamesindustry.biz, per the GSD, sales for many of the GOTY nominees saw a major week-on-week increase in Europe following the announcement of the TGA contenders.

Beyond Balatro, 4 of the other 5 Game of the Year nominees saw double digit sales growth at the minimum.

Elden Ring sales increased by 38%; Astro Bot units jumped up by 61%; Metaphor ReFantazio saw a huge 172% uptick; and last but certainly not least, sales for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth grew by 268% week-on-week.

With these titles seeing such boosts based solely on their nominations, it will be interesting to track whether the winner will see another spike in game sales following the show.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the nominees? Have you picked up any of the GOTY contenders recently? Which game do you want to win? Let us know down below.

Humble bundles are a great way to get a bunch of games for a relatively low price. Available now as part of an extended Black Friday deal, the Disney Classics bundle comes packed with decades worth of titles.

Available to purchase for the next two weeks or so, the Disney Classic Black Friday Humble Bundle is offered in just one single form. That said, it’s a good one as paying a mere £7.78 will net you 17 games in total from across the history of Disney and LucasArts, including:

• STAR WARS Rebellion 
• STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed Ultimate Sith Edition 
• STAR WARS Republic Commando 
• STAR WARS Galactic Battlegrounds Saga 
• Star Wars Jedi Knight – Jedi Academy 
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords 
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 
• Star Wars Empire At War: Gold Pack 
• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
• LEGO Star Wars – The Complete Saga

Despite what it may seem, there are some non-Star Wars games included in the bundle, with the remainder of the titles being as follows:

• Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb 
• Monkey Island 2: Special Edition 
• The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition 
• The Curse of Monkey Island 
• LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures 
• LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues 
• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean The Video Game

As always, a portion of the money will go to charity, with this bundle supporting Starlight Children’s Foundation – providing gaming and entertainment to hundreds of children's hospitals across the US.

While the bundle misses out on many of Disney’s actual classic games, it still offers a rich library of titles which hail mostly from a bygone era.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the bundle? Will you pick it up? Should this have been called the LucasArts bundle? Let us know down below.

Garry’s Mod is arguably one of the most influential platforms for user-generated-content, with the ‘mod’ inspiring near-infinite creativity to this day – including birthing some of the biggest current memes. 18 years since its release and Garry's Mod continues to thrive, having now surpassed over 25 million copies sold.

Making the announcement on Twitter in celebration of the game’s 18th anniversary, Garry Newman of Garry’s Mod fame revealed the latest sales stat, saying:

“When Valve first floated the idea of selling Garry's Mod on Steam I said no because.. ‘who would pay for that?’. Well 18 years later, it turns out that 25,560,290 people would. Glad to have been wrong on this one.”

The previous milestone of 20 million copies was reached back in September 2021, and so to see it continue to sell over a million copies year almost two decades on from launch is impressive to say the least.

As mentioned, Garry’s Mod has had a long-lasting impact, especially thanks to its creative/viral potential – with some of 2008’s best memes and 2024’s biggest all being created with its tools. Here’s to 25 million more copies. Garry’s Mod is on sale right now for 40% off (£4.19).

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: How many years have you been playing Garry’s Mod? What’s your favourite meme made using it? Let us know down below.

Released over a decade following its first entry, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launched in September to a wave of success; both critically and commercially. Just 3 months on and the game has already hit its first major milestone of 5 million copies sold.

Making the announcement as part of their November community update, the Space Marine 2 team at Saber Interactive celebrated the milestone, saying:

“5 million Space Marines have joined our ranks to purge Xenos & Chaos! Huge thanks to everyone who's joined the fight. It’s been incredible to see the community grow (and to keep seeing it grow)! Here’s to many more battles ahead.”

The full post can be found HERE and includes details on the game’s upcoming patch 5.0 / the Dark Angels Chapter Pack.

Space Marine 2 managed to sell an impressive 2 million copies in its first 24 hours, however given how front-loaded many game sales are, it having pushed a further 3 million since is impressive indeed.

Hopefully the game only continues to improve with time and as more content gets added.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you one of the 5 million marines? When did you hop on board? Is the Warhammer brand bigger than ever? Let us know your thoughts down below.

For Day 2 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with DeepCool to give THREE lucky readers some shiny new hardware.

Our prize list today includes the MYSTIQUE 360 ARGB, AK620 DIGITAL and one final winner will get a CH170 DIGITAL PC case with PIXEL 10 to customise your case.

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – do you prefer air cooling or liquid cooling?

This competition is open WORLDWIDE.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 3rd, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 3. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open worldwide, starting at 11AM GMT on December 2nd and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 3rd. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winners and reveal the next giveaway. 

This competition is now CLOSED! Our winner today is… Stef Fie! If you missed out this time then keep an eye out as we have a new competition each day throughout December. The giveaway for Day 2 can be found HERE. 

For Day 1 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with AOC to give one lucky reader a brand new Agon Pro gaming monitor! 

Our prize today is the AOC AGON PRO AG456UCZD, this is a 45-inch ultrawide OLED gaming monitor, boasting WQHD resolution and a blazing fast 240Hz refresh rate, making it perfect for both immersive single-player games and competitive multiplayer. Typically, this monitor goes for around £800, but we'll be giving one to a lucky reader for free.

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – what resolution do you currently game at?

This competition is open in the UK and EU.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 2nd, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 2. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open in the UK and EU, starting at 11AM GMT on December 1st and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 2nd. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winner and reveal the next giveaway. 

The KitGuru Advent Calendar is returning for 2024. We have an entire month of daily giveaways lined up for our readers. This year for prizes, we have graphics cards, gaming chairs, hardware bundles and more!

The KitGuru Advent Calendar is a simple concept. Over the last couple of months, we've been in touch with companies and partners across the industry to organise daily giveaways for the month of December. Each day, we will announce a prize (or multiple prizes in some cases), and ask a simple question related to the giveaway on our Facebook page. To enter, all you need to do is comment your answer on that Facebook post. A winner will then be picked randomly and contacted by the KitGuru Facebook page to organise shipping.

Don’t worry about missing out, each competition will be announced here on the main website, as well as on our other social channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even our YouTube Community page.

As each prize will be shipped directly by the company involved, shipping restrictions will vary each day and are out of our control. Each competition will clearly state which regions are eligible for entry, so be sure to read each competition's terms of entry.

We’ll be back tomorrow at 11AM with the first competition!

KitGuru Says: The 2024 KitGuru Advent Calendar is about to begin! Tune back in tomorrow for the first competition of the month! 

8BitDo, a brand well-known for retro-themed gaming peripherals, is tapping into nostalgia once again with a new collection inspired by the iconic translucent green of the original Xbox. With the refreshed Retro 87 mechanical keyboard and the brand-new Retro R8 mouse sporting the classic Xbox aesthetic, 8BitDo has created a set of peripherals that any diehard Xbox fan would love to get.

These latest additions to the 8BitDo family feature translucent green enclosures with red, yellow, blue, and green buttons/keys, capturing the essence of the original Xbox controller's ABXY buttons. While the Retro 87 keyboard retains the most functionalities of the original Retro keyboard, it also features Kailh Jellyfish X switches for a more pronounced translucent look, updated keycaps, and a matching green casing.

8BitDo has even added modern flair to the Retro 87 keyboard with per-key RGB lighting and eight customisable lighting modes. The keyboard retains its convenient mode selection and volume knobs, and you can further personalise its settings using the 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2 on Windows.

The Retro R8 mouse marks 8BitDo's first foray into the gaming mouse market. This ambidextrous mouse features a classic design with eight customisable buttons, a comfortable shape, and a mere 77g. Connectivity options are plentiful, with support for USB-C wired mode, 2.4G wireless, and Bluetooth LE. The Retro R8 also includes a matching charging station that doubles as a signal extender.

Under the hood, the Retro R8 packs impressive specs, including Kailh Sword GM X switches rated for 100 million clicks, a PAW 3395 optical sensor with up to 26,000 DPI resolution, and an 8K polling rate in wired mode. Like many modern gaming mice, it also offers adjustable DPI settings and a USB-A receiver that can be stored within the mouse.

The Xbox Edition of the Retro 87 keyboard and the Retro R8 mouse are now available for $119.99 and $59.99, respectively.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of the Xbox brand? Would you like to get any of these peripherals?

MSI's next-gen gaming handhelds, the Claw 7 AI+ and Claw 8 AI+, will be released in December with a starting price of $799. That's according to the recently spotted online listings, which have revealed the full specifications of the upcoming handhelds and confirmed many of the rumours we've heard in recent months.

According to VideoCardz, the Claw 8 AI+ will be available in two configurations powered by Intel's Lunar Lake platform. The top-tier model boasts a Core Ultra 7 258V processor with 8 CPU cores (4P+4E), Arc 140V graphics with 8 Xe2-Cores, 1 TB storage, and 32 GB of LPDDR5X-8533 memory. A more affordable option with a Core Ultra 7 256V CPU and 16 GB of RAM will also be available. The Claw 8 AI+ also boasts an 8-inch display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of peak brightness. Moreover, MSI has packed a beefy 80Wh battery into the device. While the Claw 8 AI+ retains a similar design to its predecessor, it's slightly larger and heavier, weighing 794g. Connectivity has also been improved with the addition of two Thunderbolt 4 ports located on the bottom of the device.

MSI is also releasing a refreshed version of the Claw 7, aptly named the Claw 7 AI+ (via VideoCardz). This 7-inch handheld looks more like the original Claw 7 but features the same Lunar Lake platform as its larger sibling, with the top-tier model sporting the Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, Arc 140V graphics, 512 GB of storage, and 32 GB of LPDDR5X-8533 memory. The Claw 7 AI+ also benefits from dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and a similar design language to the Claw 8 AI+. A Core Ultra 7 256V/16 GB version of the Claw 7 AI+ hasn't been spotted, but considering the Claw 8 AI+ has a variant with that SoC, there's a good chance MSI will eventually release one for the smaller handheld.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ are expected to be released next month. The Claw 7 AI+ looks to be the first of the two, with a release on December 1st for $799. The Claw 8 AI+ should come a bit later, on December 25th, priced at $899.

KitGuru says: Do you believe the new MSI Claw handhelds will get a better reception than the original Claw 7?

InWin, renowned for its innovative and unique-looking PC cases, has just unveiled its latest creation: the Infinite. This limited edition chassis from InWin's Signature Series redefines what's possible with PC case design, featuring a 180-degree curved glass panel and a host of premium features.

First teased at Computex earlier this year, the Infinite is a testament to InWin's philosophy. In this case, the first thing that stands out is the curved glass panel, which wraps around the chassis in an arc. The glass itself is 6mm thick and chemically strengthened for enhanced durability. It's then coated with a protective layer to resist scratches and damage. The aluminium frame that houses the PC components is equally impressive, featuring a counter-fold that aligns with the curved glass.

The Infinite is packed with features that enhance both functionality and aesthetics. A motorised hinge connects the chassis to a hand-forged aluminium base, allowing the entire structure to rotate from vertical to horizontal with the push of a button. This mechanism provides easy access to the interior and allows the system to be showcased from different angles. Integrated edge lighting enhances its visuals through a glow on the curved glass.

Cooling is also a priority, supporting up to three 120mm intake fans on the front, a 120mm fan on the rear, and a semi-open frame design. CPU tower coolers can be up to 180mm tall. Alternatively, there's space for a 360mm radiator (up to 65mm thick). Moreover, you can mount GPUs up to 370mm in length, Mini-ITX to E-ATX motherboards (305x330mm), a 250mm long PSU, and two 2.5-inch drives. Lastly, the front I/O includes a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 2x USB-A 3.2, and a HD-Audio port.

As a limited-edition chassis from InWin's Signature Series, each sample is individually numbered, emphasising its exclusivity and collectable status. This case is now available for a whopping €6,776.

KitGuru says: It's clear this isn't a PC case for everyone, especially looking at its pricing. However, those looking to spend that much money on a case can rest assured that you'll have an extremely rare product.

When Riot launched Valorant, it also launched a deeply rooted anti-cheat system, Vanguard. This anti-cheat system requires kernel-level access, so maintaining its security is of the utmost importance. To support that, Riot is putting up some big money for its new Vanguard bug bounty program. 

The bug bounty program asks white hat hackers to root out exploits in Vanguard for both Valorant and League of Legends. The program is being handled by HackerOne, the most well-known bug bounty site. Payments for reported exploits can reach as high as $100,000.

Riot is offering up to $35,000 for exploits that enable privilege escalation, or up to $75,000 for exploits that attack the network while relying on user interaction to enable the attack. Up to $100,000 will be paid for exploits that can attack the network with zero user interaction.

Programs like this should help Riot keep Vanguard's kernel-level driver secure, which is necessary given how dangerous a kernel-level backdoor can be.

KitGuru Says: It will be interesting to see if any truly serious bugs are discovered through this program, requiring the maximum payout. 

DeepCool has just unveiled its new LQ series of all-in-one liquid coolers. These coolers combine high-performance cooling with eye-catching aesthetics, thanks to integrated segment LCD screens and vibrant ARGB lighting on the fans and the pump/block.

The DeepCool LQ series takes cooling customisation to a new level with a unique segmented LCD built into the pump head. This display provides real-time monitoring of CPU metrics such as temperature and load using clear icons and colour-coded indicators. Using DeepCool's DeepCreative software, you can customise the display and synchronise lighting effects with system performance.

The LQ series has various performance-enhancing features, including DeepCool's 5th-generation pump. The pump packs a 3-phase, 6-slot, 4-pole motor that can reach speeds of 3400 RPM while maintaining a whisper-quiet 21 dBA noise level. Further enhancing cooling performance is a redesigned cold plate with 0.1mm high-density flow channels placed above CPU hotspots.

The LQ AIO coolers are equipped with DeepCool's FD12 ARGB PWM fans that can spin between 600 and 2400 RPM, offering a wide range of control for optimal cooling and noise levels. Each fan boasts six Gen 2 ARGB LEDs, allowing for customisable lighting effects. To complete this, the ARGB halo on the pump head synchronises with the fans and can be integrated with compatible motherboards and controllers for system-wide lighting effects.

The DeepCool LQ series is available in 240mm and 360mm radiator sizes. The LQ240 and LQ360 will be available on January 19th, 2025, with MSRPs of €129.99 and €149.99, respectively.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of LCDs on the pump/block? What do you think of DeepCool's segmented LCDs of the LQ AIO series?

Sony is about to give its PlayStation Portal remote player a sleek new look. According to a reliable leaker, a black variant of the device is on its way, offering a new alternative to the current white model.

Billbil-kun, known for many accurate leaks on Dealabs, claims that a black PlayStation Portal will be available in limited quantities soon. This new model will be priced the same as the existing white version, meaning it will come out at £199.99/$199.99/€219.99. This is great news for gamers who prefer a more understated aesthetic or want a device that better matches their other gaming gear.

In addition to the black Portal handheld, billbil-kun (via Dealabs) also reports that Sony is releasing a range of PlayStation 5 peripherals in black, including a DualSense Edge controller, the Pulse Elite wireless headphones, and the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds. And for fans of cooperative alien-blasting action, Sony is also reportedly releasing a Helldivers 2-themed DualSense controller, according to the same leaker.

The black versions of these peripherals will, like the black Portal, reportedly be priced the same as their white counterparts. This means you can grab the DualSense Edge controller in black for £209.99/$199.99/€239.99, the Pulse Elite Wireless Headphones for £129.99/$149.99/€149.99, and the Pulse Explore Wireless Earbuds for £199.99/$199.99/€219.99. The Helldivers 2-themed controller will be available for £74.99/$84.99/€84.99.

KitGuru says: With a new black PlayStation Portal and a range of stylish black peripherals on the horizon, Sony is giving gamers even more options to personalise their gaming experience.

Dave the Diver, the charming and addictive underwater adventure RPG, continues to reel in players, surpassing the 5 million copies sold worldwide.

Developer Mintrocket took to X to celebrate the milestone, highlighting the game's continued success since its launch in 2023. This impressive figure comes just after announcing 3 million sales in January, demonstrating the game's enduring appeal and steady growth.

Dave the Diver has garnered critical acclaim for its unique blend of genres, combining deep-sea exploration, fishing, restaurant management, and RPG elements into a surprisingly cohesive and engaging experience. Currently sitting at an Opencritic score of 90 with 100% recommendation by critics (one of the few games to achieve it), it's easy to understand how an indie game could sell these many copies.

Mintrocket has been diligently supporting the game with consistent updates, including crossover DLC content featuring popular titles like Dredge and Godzilla. This has undoubtedly also helped to keep the game relevant over a year after its launch.

Dave the Diver is now available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. While there's no word yet on a potential Xbox release, the game's popularity across multiple platforms suggests it could be a worthwhile addition to Xbox's portfolio.

KitGuru says: Did you play Dave the Diver? Do you think the game deserves the praise it gets?

The highly anticipated hero shooter, Marvel Rivals, is ready to assemble! With its official launch just around the corner, developer Second Dinner Studios has announced that the game has gone gold, signalling a smooth liftoff for the upcoming hero shooter.

While leveraging a popular IP like Marvel doesn't guarantee success, Marvel Rivals has generated significant excitement, even if it's often considered a third-person Overwatch. The game's recent betas have showcased its gameplay and diverse roster of iconic Marvel characters, leaving fans looking for more.

Now, with the “gone gold” announcement, players can be more assured that the December 6th launch date is locked and loaded. While the traditional significance of “going gold” has diminished in the age of day-one patches and ongoing updates, it still signifies a level of confidence and polish that gamers like to hear.

Marvel Rivals is already making waves on Steam, sitting at number six on the platform's most wishlisted games. The strong pre-release interest and generally positive reception of the betas suggest the game could face a massive influx of players at launch. Hopefully, the servers will be able to deal with it.

Second Dinner Studios hasn't been resting on its laurels since the beta concluded. They've continued to refine the gameplay, add new content, and bolster the already impressive roster of heroes. Recent announcements have confirmed the addition of Moon Knight and Hawkeye, increasing the total number of playable characters to 28 heroes.

Furthermore, the developers have committed to full transparency by displaying detailed hero metrics, including pick rates and win rates, to provide players with valuable insights into the game's balance and meta. Three new maps have also been revealed, including the planet of Klyntar, Intergalactic Wakanda, and a Hydra fortress. The game will be available free-to-play on December 6th for PC and consoles.

KitGuru says: Are you interested in Marvel Rivals? Will you be playing it at launch or will you be waiting for reviews before jumping in?

Round8 Studios impressed a lot of gamers with Lies of P. Now, the studio is ready for its next project, which is set to be a Sci-Fi survival horror game. 

While Lies of P falls into the ‘Soulslike' category, Round8's next game with be notably different, with a pivot over to horror and Sci-Fi. According to South Korean news outlet, EBN, this new game is targeting both PC and consoles and is being developed with Unreal Engine 5.

While this new game is on the way, the studio isn't quite done with Lies of P yet. It is also claimed that there are plans for a new Lies of P DLC in 2025.

Lies of P first launched in October 2023 and following its success, director Ji Won Choi confirmed plans for a sequel.

KitGuru Says: Lies of P ended up being fantastic, but I am going to be most interested in this new Sci-Fi horror game that seems to be on the way. 

Intel has confirmed to its partners that the Arc Battlemage series will be officially announced next week, with a release coming later in December. The B580 and B570 will be the first graphics cards of the series to be released, but more are expected to come later.

According to VideoCardz, Intel will officially unveil the Battlemage lineup and its new Xe2-HPG architecture on December 3rd. The initial launch will focus on two models, the Arc B580 and the Arc B570, both aimed at the budget-friendly GPU segment.

Intel will also be releasing its own Limited Edition version of the B580, often considered the reference design. Reviews for this card are expected to go live on December 12th, coinciding with its official launch. Interestingly, Intel plans to separate the review embargoes for its Limited Edition and custom designs from board partners (AIBs). Reviews for AIB models are scheduled to drop a day later, on December 13th.

While specific details about the B580 and B570 remain under wraps, leaks suggest that the B580 will boast 20 Xe2-Cores, while the B570 will pack 18 Xe2-Cores. We expect Intel to confirm these specifications and reveal more information about pricing and performance during the official announcement.

It's still unclear whether Intel plans to launch lower- or higher-end Battlemage GPUs alongside the B580 and B570. However, with Nvidia and AMD also gearing up to release new GPUs in early 2025, Intel might have a few surprises up its sleeve to capture the attention of budget-conscious gamers.

KitGuru says: Do you think Intel's new Battlemage desktop GPUs will disrupt the lower-end segment of the GPU market? How do you think these two new Intel GPUs will compare to AMD's and Nvidia's current lower-end GPUs?