Alongside the announcement of the new Sapphire Radeon RX 9070 XT Crimson Desert Edition graphics card, AMD has also launched its latest game bundle. For the next couple of months, anyone buying an eligible Ryzen processor or Radeon graphics card, or an eligible AMD-powered laptop, will be eligible for a free copy of Pearl Abyss's new single-player action game.

In Crimson Desert, fans will play as Kliff, a member of the Greymanes who survives a deadly ambush from a rival clan, the Black Bears. Over the course of the game, you will travel a large world to reunite your fallen group and fight back against deadly bosses. While the game shares a similar name, it is not connected to Pearl Abyss's previous title – Black Desert.

You can see the full list of eligible products in the table below:

AMD Ryzen CPUs	AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
AMD Radeon GPUs	AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT AMD Radeon RX 9070
Supported Laptops (AMD Ryzen processors)	ASUS TUF Gaming A14 ASUS ROG Strix G16 ASUS ROG Strix G18 ASUS ROG Flow Z13 HP OMEN MAX 16 HP OMEN 16 Lenovo Legion Pro 5 Lenovo Legion Pro 7 Lenovo Legion 5 MSI Raider A16 MSI Raider A18 MSI Crosshair A18 Gigabyte Aero X16 Razer Blade 16 Razer Blade 14
AMD Ryzen AI Series	AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series AMD Ryzen AI 9 300 Series AMD Ryzen AI 7 300 Series AMD Ryzen AI Max Series AMD Ryzen 9000HX / 9000X3D Series AMD Ryzen 8000HX Series AMD Ryzen 7000HX / 7000X3D Series

You can see the full list of eligible products and participating retailers, along with the terms and conditions for claiming your copy of the game, HERE. The bundle will end in late April, so you have plenty of time to get your upgrade in.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of AMD's latest game bundle? Will you be taking advantage of it while it lasts? 

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The Corsair Makr Pro 75 attempts to bridge the gap between high-end custom mechanical keyboards and the gaming market. With a £219.99 price tag, a CNC aluminium case, and Hall Effect switches, it looks like a heavyweight contender on paper. But does this hybrid design offer the best of both worlds, or does it compromise too much on both fronts?

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
01:10 Carlos Thoughts
01:40 Highlight Specs / Battery
02:38 Is this too much?
04:32 Gasket mounted design?
05:35 Metal poles
06:12 Keycap quality
06:50 Stabilisers and switches
08:40 RGB implementation
09:17 Ghost key presses and calibration
10:56 Gaming experience after calibration
11:47 8000Hz?
12:25 Good value?
13:35 Sound tests

Specifications:

• Media and volume controls: Yes
• Keyboard report rate: Up to 8,000 Hz with AXON
• On-board memory: 8 MB
• Onboard profiles: 5
• Keyboard product family: N/A
• Adjustable height: Yes
• Wired connectivity: USB Type-A
• Keyboard connectivity: Wired
• Keyboard cable material: Braided
• Win lock: FN shortcut
• Key rollover: Full key (NKRO) with 100% anti-ghosting
• Key switches: CORSAIR MGX V2
• Keyboard layout: UK (UK)
• Keyboard warranty: 2 years
• Keyboard compatibility: PC, Mac®; Windows® 10 or macOS® 10.15; internet connection required for iCUE software download; CORSAIR Web Hub
• Weight: 1.282 kg

Closing Thoughts

The Corsair Makr Pro 75 is a keyboard with a split personality. From a build perspective, the full aluminum chassis has undeniable quality, and the exterior design lines are sleek and inviting. However, Corsair's decision to pack the case with over 200g of foam and silicone results in a “dead” sound profile that removes all character from the sound. Furthermore, while it technically uses a gasket mount, the tightly packed interior and 14 standoff screws result in a stiff typing feel that lacks the bounce I personally tend to prefer. It doesn't have to be a trampoline, but some space for movement helps you feel like you are not typing against a hard surface.

On the performance side, the Hall Effect implementation is a mixed bag. Once properly set up, the gaming experience is fantastic. The Rapid Trigger implementation is responsive, and for competitive titles, the difference is night and day compared to traditional mechanical switches. However, the out-of-the-box experience was marked by calibration issues where keys would ghost-press themselves, requiring a tedious manual calibration process to fix. The 8000Hz polling rate exists, though we're still not sure about any real-world performance benefits compared to 1000Hz.

Ultimately, at £219.99, the Makr Pro 75 sits in an interesting spot. It offers premium materials that gaming brands usually lack, but falls short of the typing feel found in custom boards of similar price. It is still a solid choice for a gamer who wants a metal board without the hassle of sourcing parts, making it worth buying overall, but for the pure enthusiast or the budget-conscious gamer, it won't be a top choice.

You can buy the Corsair Makr Pro 75 for £219.99 HERE.

Pros:

• Excellent gaming performance and Rapid Trigger implementation (post manual calibration).
• Premium CNC aluminum case with easy internal access for customization.
• Smooth out of the box switches.
• Hot-swappable with other Hall Effect switches

Cons:

• High price compared to specialized competitors.
• Over-dampened sound profile lacks character.
• Out-of-box calibration bugs (ghost inputs).
• Stiff typing feel despite gasket mounting.

KitGuru says: The Makr Pro 75 delivers on raw gaming performance and build materials, but it is let down by some software bugs and an only “OK” typing experience.

The post Corsair Makr Pro 75 Keyboard Review (Hall Effect + Aluminium Case) first appeared on KitGuru.

AGON by AOC has added the 23.8‑inch 24G4ZR and 27‑inch 27G4ZR to its G4 lineup, combining 260Hz overclocked performance and sub‑millisecond response times with entry‑level pricing. Tilt‑only versions, the 24G4ZRE and 27G4ZRE, will follow for buyers who want the same panel performance at even lower cost.

Both monitors use Fast IPS panels with a native 240Hz refresh rate, 0.3ms MPRT, and Adaptive‑Sync with official NVIDIA G‑SYNC compatibility. MBR Sync allows backlight strobing and variable refresh rates across a 48Hz–260Hz range, keeping motion sharp without tearing or stutter. Overclocking to 260Hz is enabled through the OSD or AOC’s G‑Menu software. Colour performance remains strong, with the 27‑inch models rated at 121.5% sRGB and 92.3% DCI‑P3, and the 23.8‑inch versions at 111.7% sRGB and 87.7% DCI‑P3. All models offer 300 nits brightness and 178° viewing angles.

The 24G4ZR and 27G4ZR include full ergonomic stands with height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustment, plus a compact esports‑style base and a three‑sided frameless design suited to multi‑monitor setups. Connectivity includes 2× HDMI 2.0 and 1× DisplayPort 1.4, while flicker‑free operation and hardware low‑blue‑light modes aim to reduce eye strain. The ZRE variants retain the same panel and specs but use a tilt‑only stand.

AGON positions the 23.8‑inch models for players who prefer a compact competitive layout, while the 27‑inch versions offer a larger view without sacrificing speed. All four monitors share identical refresh rates and response times, letting buyers choose purely on size and ergonomics.

The AOC GAMING 24G4ZR, 27G4ZR, 24G4ZRE, and 27G4ZRE launch in February 2026 at £129, £149, £109, and £129 respectively.

KitGuru Says: At these prices, the latest AOC Agon monitors look to be an absolute bargain. 

The post AOC’s latest Agon G4 monitors push 260Hz speeds into budget territory first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD announced a new graphics card game bundle earlier today and now, Nvidia is also throwing its hat into the ring. The latest GeForce RTX 50 game bundle will grant anyone upgrading soon with a free copy of Capcom's latest survival horror game, Resident Evil Requiem.

The Resident Evil Requiem bundle is now available at participating retailers, counting for anyone who buys an RTX 5070 or better. RTX 50-powered laptops are also included, also applying to RTX 5070 laptop models or better.

Aside from the new game bundle, today Nvidia is also announcing the next round of DLSS-supported titles, including the likes of Yakuza Kiwami 3, High on Life 2, and Reanimal, all of which are launching in the coming days.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of the latest RTX GPU game bundle?

The post Nvidia rolls out new GPU game bundle with Resident Evil Requiem first appeared on KitGuru.

Sapphire is back with another collaborative, limited edition graphics card. This time, Sapphire is teaming up with Pearl Abyss, producing a limited edition RX 9070 XT with a fresh coat of paint to match the upcoming game, Crimson Desert.

Crimson Desert is an open‑world, single‑player action‑adventure game from Pearl Abyss set in the harsh, war‑torn continent of Pywel. You play as Kliff, a member of the Greymanes, who sets out to reunite his scattered comrades after a devastating ambush. The game blends fast, visceral combat with exploration, horseback travel, large‑scale boss encounters, and a wide range of side activities such as crafting, hunting, and cooking.

The new limited-edition graphics card features iconic game artwork on the Quick Connect MagniPlate. The ARGB light strip can be customised to match the game’s atmosphere with your preferred colour aesthetic, and remains completely unobstructed thanks to the STEALTH Hidden Power Cable, which seamlessly conceals external power cables.

You can see the full specs for the graphics card in the table below:

Model	SAPPHIRE NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT OC Crimson Desert Edition GPU
GPU Architecture	AMD RDNA 4 Architecture
Stream Processors	4096
Boost Clock	Up to 3060 MHz
Game Clock	Up to 2520 MHz
Ray Accelerators	64
AMD Infinity Cache	64MB
Compute Units	64 CUs (3rd Gen RT + 2nd Gen AI Accelerators)
Memory Size/Bus	16GB / 256‑bit GDDR6
Memory Clock	Up to 20 Gbps
Displays	Maximum 4 Displays
Resolution	HDMI® 2.1b: 7680×4320 DisplayPort 2.1a: 7680×4320
Interface	PCI‑Express 5.0 x16
Output	2x HDMI® 2.1b 2x DisplayPort 2.1a
BIOS Support	UEFI
Game Index	4K
NITRO+ Features	Crimson Desert Edition Quick Connect MagniPlate STEALTH Hidden Power Cable 12V‑2×6(H++) External Power Connector (3×8‑pin power adapter included) Honeywell PTM7950 Thermal Interface Material (TIM) AeroCurve Fan Blade Free Flow FrameDefense Integrated Cooling Module Cold Rolled Steel Frame Tri‑X Cooling Technology High TG Copper PCB Optimized Composite Heatpipes Metal Backplate ARGB Light Bar Fan Quick Connect Two‑Ball Bearing Fans Premium 16‑Phase Digital Power Design Fuse Protection Intelligent Fan Control Precision Fan Control TriXX Supported Performance vs. Efficiency Quicksets Glow! Fan Check TriXX Boost External RGB LED MB Synchronization
Accessories Bundled	L‑Shape Support Bracket 3‑pin 5V ARGB Cable Crimson Desert Edition Magnetic Backplate 12V‑2×6(H++) to PCI Express 3×8‑pin power adapter

Naturally, this graphics card is also part of the latest AMD game bundle, so if you buy the graphics card when it hits shelves this month, you'll also get to redeem a free copy of the game. Full details on that can be found HERE.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of Sapphire's latest limited-edition GPU? What game would you like to see them collaborate with next?

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Known best for their work on anime-related games, CyberConnect2 has amassed a repertoire of adaptations, from titles based on Demon Slayer; JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure; Naruto and Dragon Ball – to name a few. In celebration of the studio’s 30th anniversary, CyberConnect2 have teased that they will announce their most ambitious project yet next week.

Taking to Twitter to make the announcement (and translated by the publication Gematsu), studio CyberConnect2 confirmed that they will be hosting a special anniversary stream on the 16th of February at 8:09PM JST (11:09 AM UK time).

According to the studio, this new project is said to be a “completely new game title” which will act as the “culmination of the technology, strength, and courage [CyberConnect2] has cultivated thus far.”

What this means exactly is unknown, especially with CyberConnect’s titles being relatively small in scope typically. That said, the team is certainly talented and so it will be interesting to see what this announcement winds up being.

KitGuru says: Do you have any expectations for this announcement? What IP do you think it’ll be based on? Let us know down below.

The post CyberConnect2 celebrates 30th anniversary with upcoming game announcement first appeared on KitGuru.

be quiet! have already been quite active in 2026 and today we check out another one of their power supplies – the Pure Power 13 M. be quiet! are releasing six models in this series across various capacities, and we have the flagship 1200W model on our test bench. These power supplies are fully modular and both 80 Plus and Cybenetics Gold rated.

These new Pure Power 13 M power units are ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 compatible and offer semi-passive cooling. be quiet! are offering a 10-year warranty and while they aren't made in Germany, they claim ‘product conception, design and quality control in Germany'. I doubt they mean they are checking every unit made in China in their offices in Germany later, but it's a point be quiet! want to push. Make of it what you will.

Overall pricing certainly seems quite competitive based on the chart we were sent above.

Product Features (from be quiet!'s marketing materials):

Compatibility and Convenience

• ATX 3.1 form factor with up to 5 PCIe connectors for current- and next-gen GPUs.
• Full PCIe 5.1 and PCIe 6+2 compatibility with both cables in scope of delivery.
• Handles massive power excursions.

Exceptionally Quiet Operation

• Pure Power 13 M is a semi-passive PSU, only cooled actively when necessary, for a quieter operation.
• Exceptionally silent 120mm be quiet! fan is temperature-controlled to strike the best balance between effective cooling and quietness.
• Airflow-optimized fan blades reduce turbulence, allowing for best-of-class quiet functioning with excellent airflow.

Engineering and Efficiency

• 80 PLUS® Gold certification means very high operating efficiency for its class of up to 94.4%.
• Advanced stability and voltage regulation thanks to LLC technology.
• Up to 1200 Watts of continuous power.
• Modular cable management for maximum flexibility.

Outstanding Service and Support

• 10-year manufacturer's warranty.
• Product conception, design and quality control in Germany.

The post be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1200W Review (2026) first appeared on KitGuru.

Following insider claims that Sony would be hosting a State of Play presentation sometime this month, the console manufacturer has now officially confirmed as much, with the hour-long show set to go live this Thursday. Ahead of the event, leakers have offered some insight into what fans can expect from the upcoming showcase.

Just yesterday, Sony officially announced that they would be hosting a State of Play showcase on Thursday the 12th of February. As expected, very little was given in the way of what to expect, with them simply stating: “February’s State of Play will spotlight eye-catching third-party and indie games headed to PS5, along with the latest from teams at PlayStation Studios.”

Since then however, multiple insiders have come out to offer titbits of information on what to expect, with Shinobi602 claiming that the long-awaited next project from Sony Santa Monica’s Cory Barlog could be present, stating it “wouldn't be super surprising given the target release window,” though clarified that “this isn't a confirmation it'll be there.”

What will be there however (according to insider Paul Tassi) is the upcoming Marathon; likely announcing the date for their pre-launch free beta period.

Far more exciting however is the somewhat dubious claim that none other than Capcom’s Devil May Cry 6 will be announced this year – possibly at the State of Play. Capcom does have a pretty strong relationship with Sony and so this could make sense (especially with DMC 5 having released back in 2019 and recently surpassing 11 million copies sold).

As always however, take all of these rumours with varying levels of salt. Regardless, an hour long State of Play will likely offer plenty to be excited about.

KitGuru says: What do you think of these rumoured announcements? Do you believe any of them? What one title do you hope will be announced / shown off? Let us know down below.

The post Multiple titles ‘leak’ ahead of PlayStation State of Play first appeared on KitGuru.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen Amazon begin to release its casting line-up for the currently-in-development live-action God of War Prime show. Following the official castings for the likes of Kratos; Mimir; Brok; Sindri and more, the BOY himself – Atreus – has now been officially unveiled.

As reported by the publication Variety, Amazon have officially cast Callum Vinson to portray Atreus in the live-action God of War adaptation. Being just 10 years old, Vinson hasn’t appeared in too many projects, however he does have some acting roles under his name, and so hopefully he will be able to portray the complexities of Atreus with competence.

Child actors are always a bit of a coin flip, and so we will have to see whether the performance will be enough to keep viewers engrossed in the story. Either way, it will be interesting to see Atreus’ actor grow throughout the two seasons in the same way that the character does in-game.

Regardless, with Atreus now being officially announced, we have pretty much the entire main line-up of characters cast. Full details on the rest of the God of War line-up can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the casting choice? Are you glad to see them going with an age-appropriate actor, or would you rather they hired someone older but more seasoned? Let us know down below.

The post Atreus officially cast in live-action God of War first appeared on KitGuru.

As a creator of art, Remedy Entertainment have gone from strength to strength, with many of their recent releases being critical darlings (FBC: Firebreak aside). Unfortunately, their titles have been slow burners sales-wise, with CEO Tero Virtala stepping down late last year. Now, Remedy has officially revealed that Jean-Charles Gaudechon will serve as the company’s new CEO.

Making the announcement via a press release, the team at Remedy Entertainment officially unveiled their new CEO appointee, writing: “Remedy Entertainment Plc’s Board of Directors has today appointed Jean-Charles Gaudechon as the CEO of Remedy Entertainment Plc as of 1st of March 2026.”

Interim CEO / co-founder Markus Mäki will continue to serve the role in the meantime. Speaking on this new position, Gaudechon wrote:

“I’m excited and honored to join Remedy at a pivotal time. The studio has a unique creative identity and a strong pipeline. My commitment is to protect what makes it special, deliver exceptional games, and scale Remedy in a way that builds lasting value. Remedy has the voice and the ambition to be a pillar of the industry’s future.”

As mentioned, Remedy Entertainment have been behind some of the most creative games in the AA/AAA space, and so it is unfortunate to see them struggling somewhat to make it big – necessitating a variety of deals in order to ensure the studio's future. Hopefully this latest appointment will give them the guidance needed to achieve long-term success.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Remedy’s current situation? Are you surprised by their lack of commercial success? Let us know down below.

The post Remedy Entertainment appoints new CEO first appeared on KitGuru.

The PC memory industry's landscape is shifting as industry titans like Asus, Acer, Dell, and HP explore unconventional supply chains to keep their production lines moving. According to recent reports, these manufacturers are looking toward the Chinese memory maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) as an alternative to the traditional trio of Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.

According to Nikkei Asia (via Wccftech), this decision is being taken as a direct result of the ongoing global memory crunch, in which the dominant suppliers are prioritising high-margin High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for AI infrastructure, leaving the consumer PC market with a significant supply deficit.

Late last year, CXMT demonstrated its advancements by unveiling homegrown DDR5-8000 and LPDDR5X-10667 modules. These modules are said to offer competitive speeds that meet or even exceed official JEDEC specifications, potentially making them a viable drop-in replacement for standard OEM laptops and desktops. CXMT manufactures these chips on a 16 nm node, which is roughly 3 years behind the cutting-edge processes used by the “Big Three”.

Assuming these qualification phases are successful, many PC makers might start integrating CXMT memory into products for non-U.S. markets to avoid rising costs and shipping delays. While some analysts cite potential national security concerns or the possibility of future trade restrictions, for the average consumer, the source of the DRAM in their system is likely less important than whether the machine is actually available and affordable. With CXMT already shipping its 12 Gb and 16 Gb LPDDR5X modules, the company could become a “lifesaver” for the consumer electronics sector, which the AI boom has increasingly marginalised. However, Digitimes report suggests pricing might not be that much lower than what we've seen from the competition.

KitGuru says: It is fascinating to see how the AI gold rush is forcing even the most established Western PC brands to rethink how they operate. If Samsung and Micron continue to divert their wafer output toward HBM and enterprise contracts, we might soon find that Chinese memory becomes the standard for mainstream laptops and gaming rigs alike.

The post PC manufacturers are reportedly turning to Chinese memory as global shortage bites first appeared on KitGuru.

The PC cooling market is reportedly bracing for a price adjustment. Alphacool and be quiet! have claimed that the rising cost of raw materials has reached a breaking point, with the former confirming that it will implement a 5% to 10% price increase across its product catalogue by the end of February. German manufacturer be quiet! also issued a statement, albeit more positive. Instead of climbing prices right away, it will only do so if the current cost of raw materials remains.

As Der8auer mentioned, the primary culprit behind this shift is the global surge in copper prices, which have reportedly risen from approximately $9,000 per tonne to over $13,000 per tonne over the past twelve months. Besides copper, tin also saw a 60-80% increase, depending on the currency used. On the other hand, aluminium and nickel prices have remained largely unchanged, while steel prices have actually dropped about 7%.

Because copper is the standard for thermal conductivity in premium PC components, forming the baseplates of water blocks and the fins of high-end radiators, cooling manufacturers are uniquely exposed to these market fluctuations. While both companies have supposedly spent months absorbing these extra costs to shield consumers, the sustained high pricing of industrial metals has made current margins unsustainable.

As some might have already concluded, the increase in raw material costs is due to the massive infrastructure required for AI data centres, which reportedly consume up to three times as much copper as traditional facilities for power and specialised cooling. With major copper mines in South America and Indonesia facing operational setbacks, a global deficit is expected to persist throughout 2026. For enthusiasts planning a new custom loop or a high-end air-cooled build, the next few weeks represent a final window before these adjustments hit retail shelves, with high-copper components like full-metal radiators and GPU blocks expected to see the most immediate impact.

KitGuru says: As if the memory shortage alone wasn't enough, the rising price of copper in 2026 is an unfortunate reality for a market already suffering.

The post Copper scarcity now forcing price hikes in the PC cooler market first appeared on KitGuru.

Nvidia might not launch any gaming GPUs in 2026, according to recent reports. Unsurprisingly, due to the ongoing global memory crisis, the company is reportedly reallocating its entire supply of high-performance RAM to its significantly more profitable AI server accelerators. This shift has apparently resulted in the cancellation of the long-rumoured RTX 50-series Super refresh, which were previously expected to debut with substantial VRAM upgrades.

According to The Information (via Tom's Hardware), the delay reportedly extends into the next generation of hardware as well, with the GeForce RTX 60-series supposedly being pushed back. While the Blackwell successor was originally aimed at a mass-production start in late 2027, the current bottlenecks in GDDR7 and HBM supply mean we are unlikely to see a launch until sometime in 2028.

This potential four-year gap between generations would mark the longest drought in modern gaming history, leaving the current RTX 50-series as the primary enthusiast offering for the foreseeable future.

To further complicate matters for PC builders, previous reports also indicated that both AMD and Nvidia are to focus their gaming production on 8GB cards moving forward in an effort to navigate memory shortages. For the RTX 50 series, this would mean less supply for the RTX 5070 Ti and up, but an increased number of RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 graphics cards on shelves.

KitGuru says: The news that Nvidia might skip 2026 entirely is a bitter pill for gamers to swallow, but from a purely financial perspective, it makes sense. When the operating margins for AI chips are considerably higher than for gaming, and every stick of VRAM is precious, it was only a matter of time before the enthusiast market took a back seat. 

The post Nvidia GeForce RTX 60 debut might be delayed first appeared on KitGuru.

Intel is reportedly thinning out its upcoming Arrow Lake-S Refresh (Core Ultra Series 2 Plus) lineup before it even hits the shelves. According to recent reports, the previously rumoured flagship Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has been cancelled. Despite earlier Geekbench leaks suggesting a 10% performance jump over the current 285K, Intel has supposedly decided to scrap the “halo” chip to simplify its product stack and focus on more distinct upgrades within the series.

According to VideoCardz, the primary driver of this cancellation is product overlap. The 290K Plus was expected to feature the same 24-core (8P+16E) configuration as both the existing Core Ultra 9 285K and the supposedly upcoming Core Ultra 7 270K Plus. Differentiating three nearly identical top-end SKUs solely by minor clock-speed bumps would have been complicated, particularly when the performance difference between a 270K Plus and a 290K Plus would likely be minimal for the average consumer.

With this potential flagship chip out of the picture, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus reportedly becomes the new star of the refresh. This chip is expected to be a significant upgrade over the non-refresh 265K by adding four additional efficiency cores to match the 24-core count of the i9 tier. Leaked specifications suggest the 270K Plus will feature a maximum turbo boost of 5.5 GHz, with P-cores reaching 5.4 GHz and E-cores hitting 4.7 GHz. Beyond the core count, the refresh's main selling points appear to be improved platform tuning, including native support for DDR5-7200 memory and advanced “Intel Performance Optimizations” (IPO).

This approach also aligns with Intel's broader 2026 roadmap. With the massive Nova Lake architecture expected for a late 2026 launch on the new LGA-1954 socket, a leaner Arrow Lake Refresh allows Intel to maintain momentum on the current LGA-1851 platform without over-investing in a generation that will only be relevant for a few months.

KitGuru says: Launching a “KS” flagship so close to the end of a socket's lifespan rarely makes sense, especially when the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus already offers the same core density.

The post Intel reportedly axes Core Ultra 290K Plus to avoid overlap first appeared on KitGuru.

Fallout 76 came out just before the entire multiplayer games industry shifted towards multi-platform systems. As a result, Fallout 76 is still behind, with no crossplay features, but Bethesda is finally looking to change that. 

In a recent interview with Polygon, Fallout 76 Creative Director, Jon Rush, said that the team is “looking into” implementing cross-platform multiplayer for Fallout 76. However, it is not an “immediate” plan, as the team still needs to “scope out” how much work implementing it would take.

Bill LaCoste, the production director, added that there are “huge technical hurdles” that would need to be tackled before cross-platform multiplayer could be rolled out to the masses.

Obviously, Fallout 76 in itself was an experiment built on top of Fallout 4, so there are likely a lot of factors to consider in a programming sense. Whether or not cross-play ever happens remains to be seen, but hopefully they can figure it out in order to capitalise on the game's more recent popularity.

KitGuru Says: Fallout 76 is a bit behind other major multiplayer games due to its lack of crossplatform multiplayer. Hopefully they can figure out a way to close the gap. 

The post Bethesda is looking to bring cross-platform multiplayer to Fallout 76 first appeared on KitGuru.

A couple of weeks ago, two rumours surfaced, one indicating that a Nintendo Direct would be happening in early February and another claiming that a PlayStation State of Play would be happening later in the month. The Nintendo Direct rumour proved true last week when Nintendo went live with a slew of new game announcements. Now, Sony has also officially announced its State of Play plans as well. 

Just as rumoured, Sony will be holding its latest State of Play stream this month. The stream will be taking place on Thursday, February 12th. Unfortunately, it will be happening quite late for those of us here in Europe, as the stream will be happening at 10PM GMT / 11PM CEST.

The stream is going to be a big one, with over an hour of game announcements planned. This one isn't ‘partner' focused either, so there is likely to be a mix of both third-party game announcements, along with new first-party games from Sony's studios.

Two titles immediately spring to mind as potential first-party reveals. The first is Bungie's Marathon, which is finally dropping in March after a couple of delays. The other is Saros, the latest game from Housemarque, the studio behind Returnal, which went on to become an early-generation hit on the PS5.

KitGuru Says: What are you hoping to see announced at the State of Play this week? 

The post Sony announces hour-long State of Play for new PS5 games first appeared on KitGuru.

Last week, ASRock issued its first statement following reports that several users suffered no-boot scenarios while using Ryzen 9000 series processors in a number of ASRock motherboards. Today, ASRock is issuing its first beta BIOS update to address the issue.

The new BIOS is now available, labelled as V4.07.AS01, using the latest AGESA 1.3.0.0a version. This bios should improve system stability for AMD systems, as well as optimise memory compatibility and crucially, resolve a boot failure occurring with certain CPUs. That last note should fix the issues users were reporting on Reddit and get their systems back up and running.

“This update is specifically designed to address system no-boot scenarios, including cases where systems may fail to boot after being used for a period of time. Users who encounter such behavior are recommended to update to this BIOS version to help restore normal system boot functionality.”

The new BIOS update can be found HERE. If you need a guide on how to update your BIOS, ASRock has one that can be found HERE.

ASRock says it will continue to monitor the situation and aid users through its technical support team, while working with AMD to ensure product quality and platform stability.

KitGuru Says: If you've had any issues recently with an ASRock motherboard and a current-gen AMD processor, then this BIOS update should help.

The post ASRock issues BIOS update to address boot failure on AMD systems first appeared on KitGuru.

Capcom has officially updated its Platinum Titles list as of February 2026. According to the latest figures, the company has over 100 titles on this list, showcasing an immense catalogue of financial successes that continue to grow.

According to data shared by Capcom (via Gematsu), total software sales for the period reached 34.64 million units, a significant jump from the previous year, with digital downloads accounting for 94% of all copies sold. The Resident Evil series remains the company's crown jewel, with the total franchise lifetime sales now reportedly surpassing 183 million units. The Resident Evil 4 remake led the charge during the quarter, moving another 1.1 million copies to reach a lifetime total of 12.2 million. Not far behind, Resident Evil Village climbed to 13.5 million, while Resident Evil 2 remake (16.8M) and Resident Evil 7 (16.4M) continue to prove the enduring appeal of the horror flagship. This surge could be linked to the anticipation surrounding the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem, scheduled for release on February 27th.

In the fighting game segment, Street Fighter 6 has officially moved past a major historical milestone. With 600,000 units sold in the last quarter, it has reached 6.3 million lifetime copies, effectively overtaking the lifetime sales of the original Street Fighter 2. Meanwhile, the Monster Hunter franchise hit a total of 125 million units, with Monster Hunter Wilds reaching 11 million copies. While Wilds has faced some criticism for performance issues on PC, it remains a pillar of Capcom's 2026 strategy alongside Monster Hunter Rise, which currently sits at 18.2 million units.

The full list includes 125 titles that have sold over 1 million copies. You can find all of these titles below:

• Monster Hunter: World – 22.00 million (Total with Iceborne Master Edition: 29.40M)
• Monster Hunter Rise – 18.20 million
• Resident Evil 2 (2019) – 16.80 million
• Resident Evil 7 biohazard – 16.40 million
• Monster Hunter World: Iceborne – 15.90 million
• Resident Evil Village – 13.50 million
• Resident Evil 4 (2023) – 12.20 million
• Monster Hunter Wilds – 11.00 million
• Devil May Cry 5 – 11.00 million
• Resident Evil 3 (2020) – 10.90 million
• Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak – 10.90 million
• Resident Evil 6 – 10.10 million
• Resident Evil 5 – 10.00 million
• Street Fighter V – 7.90 million
• Street Fighter 6 – 6.30 million
• Street Fighter II (SNES) – 6.30 million
• Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate – 5.20 million
• Resident Evil (Remaster/HD) – 5.10 million
• Resident Evil 2 (Original) – 4.96 million
• Resident Evil 0: HD Remaster – 4.90 million
• Monster Hunter Freedom 3 – 4.90 million
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy – 4.60 million
• Resident Evil 6 (PS4/XB1) – 4.30 million
• Monster Hunter Generations – 4.30 million
• Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – 4.20 million
• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (PS3/360) – 4.20 million
• Dead Rising 3 – 4.10 million
• Monster Hunter 4 – 4.10 million
• Dragon's Dogma 2 – 4.10 million
• Street Fighter II Turbo (SNES) – 4.10 million
• Resident Evil Revelations 2 – 4.00 million
• Resident Evil 5 (PS4/XB1) – 3.90 million
• Monster Hunter Freedom Unite – 3.80 million
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection – 3.80 million
• Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition – 3.70 million
• Street Fighter IV – 3.70 million
• Resident Evil 4 (PS4/XB1) – 3.50 million
• Resident Evil 3 Nemesis (Original) – 3.50 million
• Resident Evil 4: Ultimate HD Edition (PC) – 3.30 million
• DmC Devil May Cry – 3.30 million
• Dead Rising 2 – 3.20 million
• Okami HD – 3.10 million
• Devil May Cry 4 – 3.00 million
• Devil May Cry HD Collection (PS4/XB1) – 3.00 million
• Resident Evil Revelations (Multi) – 2.90 million
• Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – 2.80 million
• Resident Evil (Original) – 2.75 million
• Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS) – 2.60 million
• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (PS4/XB1) – 2.60 million
• Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite – 2.50 million
• Ultra Street Fighter IV – 2.40 million
• Monster Hunter Freedom 2 – 2.40 million
• Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin – 2.40 million
• Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition – 2.40 million
• Dino Crisis – 2.40 million
• Resident Evil 4 (PS2) – 2.30 million
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PS4/XB1) – 2.30 million
• Lost Planet 2 – 2.20 million
• Mega Man 11 – 2.20 million
• Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds – 2.20 million
• Devil May Cry – 2.16 million
• Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny – 2.10 million
• Onimusha: Warlords – 2.02 million
• Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition – 2.00 million
• Super Street Fighter II (SNES) – 2.00 million
• Monster Hunter Tri – 1.90 million
• Super Street Fighter IV – 1.90 million
• Street Fighter X Tekken – 1.90 million
• Dead Rising (Original 360) – 1.80 million
• DuckTales: Remastered – 1.80 million
• Mega Man Legacy Collection – 1.80 million
• Lost Planet Extreme Condition – 1.70 million
• Dead Rising 4 – 1.70 million
• Devil May Cry 2 – 1.70 million
• Street Fighter II' Special Champion Edition (MD) – 1.65 million
• Ghosts'n Goblins (NES) – 1.64 million
• Dead Rising (PS4/XB1) – 1.60 million
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection – 1.60 million
• Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition – 1.60 million
• Resident Evil Revelations Collection (Switch) – 1.60 million
• Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition (PC) – 1.60 million
• Resident Evil 4 (GC) – 1.60 million
• Remember Me – 1.60 million
• Onimusha 3: Demon Siege – 1.52 million
• Mega Man 2 (NES) – 1.51 million
• Strider (2014) – 1.50 million
• DmC Devil May Cry Definitive Edition – 1.50 million
• Dead Rising 2 Off The Record – 1.50 million
• Final Fight (SNES) – 1.48 million
• Resident Evil Outbreak – 1.45 million
• Dead Rising 2 Off The Record (PS4/XB1) – 1.40 million
• Resident Evil Code: Veronica X (PS2/DC) – 1.40 million
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Digital PS3/360) – 1.40 million
• Resident Evil Revelations (PS4/XB1) – 1.40 million
• Bionic Commando (2009) – 1.40 million
• Resident Evil (GC Original) – 1.35 million
• Mega Man Battle Network 4 – 1.35 million
• Dragon’s Dogma (Original PS3/360) – 1.30 million
• Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition – 1.30 million
• Monster Hunter Freedom – 1.30 million
• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (Switch) – 1.30 million
• Resident Evil 4 (Digital PS3/360) – 1.30 million
• Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles – 1.30 million
• The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles – 1.30 million
• Devil May Cry 3 – 1.30 million
• Resident Evil 0 (GC Original) – 1.25 million
• Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition – 1.20 million
• Dino Crisis 2 – 1.20 million
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PS3/360) – 1.20 million
• Devil May Cry HD Collection (PS3/360) – 1.20 million
• Resident Evil 6 (Switch) – 1.20 million
• Mega Man X Anniversary Collection 2 – 1.20 million
• Resident Evil Director's Cut Dual Shock – 1.20 million
• Mega Man X (SNES) – 1.16 million
• Resident Evil Code: Veronica (DC) – 1.14 million
• Commando (NES) – 1.14 million
• Resident Evil Director's Cut (Original) – 1.13 million
• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics – 1.10 million
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 – 1.10 million
• Resident Evil 4 (Switch) – 1.10 million
• Super Ghouls'n Ghosts (SNES) – 1.09 million
• Mega Man 3 (NES) – 1.08 million
• Final Fight 2 (SNES) – 1.03 million
• Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PS) – 1.00 million
• Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition (PS2) – 1.00 million

KitGuru says: Capcom's current run is a masterclass in managing a legacy library while launching high-quality modern hits. By leveraging transmedia efforts and an aggressive “Switch 2” porting strategy for titles like Street Fighter 6, Capcom has ensured that its IPs stay relevant and profitable long after their initial launch window. With Resident Evil Requiem just weeks away, the company looks set to end its fiscal year on a high note.

The post Resident Evil franchise tops 183 million sales, SF6 surpasses Street Fighter 2 first appeared on KitGuru.

The normal rule of thumb is, if you want smooth, low latency gaming, you're better off with a wired network. But Intel reckons its Killer NIC technology can deliver the throughput and response for any kind of online entertainment – particularly when combined with WiFi 7. We explored what Intel Killer NIC has to offer, using an MSI laptop equipped with the technology and an ASUS router.

You probably won't be buying Intel Killer NIC WiFi technology on its own. You can purchase M.2 cards to upgrade your laptop, but the more likely approach will be obtaining the capabilities built into hardware from third parties. In our case, we based our review on an MSI Vector 16 HX AI A2XWIG laptop, equipped with Intel Killer BE WiFi 7 networking, and an ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 wireless gaming router. The latter has the the ability to prioritise traffic from client systems with the Intel Killer Prioritization Engine, of which more later in this review.

The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 is an extremely high-end WiFi 7 router. This has a BE25000 rating, implying an aggregate 25,000Mbps bandwidth. This is split between four WiFi radios. The 2.4GHz one delivers up to 1,376Mbps, then there are two 5GHz radios offering 5,764Mbps apiece, and finally a single 6GHz radio providing 11,529Mbps. With the right WiFi 7 client, extremely high bandwidths will be available.

The main benefits of Intel Killer NIC technology come from configurations that optimise for different use cases, particularly gaming. The Intel Killer Prioritization Engine lets you give certain websites and apps precedence. The Intelligence Engine lets you analyse WiFi performance. DoubleShot Pro enables aggregation of wired LAN and WiFi for increased bandwidth. Read on to find out how this all works in practice.

The MSI Vector 16 HX AI A2XWIG is available from Scan UK for £2,699.99 inc VAT.

The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 is available from Scan UK for £599.99 inc VAT.

Specification (ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98):

• Wireless protocols: MU-MIMO with 802.11b/g/n/be 2.4GHz, 802.11a/n/ac/ax/be 5GHz and 6GHz
• Performance: BE25000 (11,529 + 5,760 + 5,760 + 1,376 Mbits/sec)
• Antenna Configuration: 8×8 external antennas
• Ports: 1 x 10Gigabit LAN, 3 x 2.5Gigabit LAN, 1 x Gigabit LAN, 1 x 2.5Gigabit Ethernet WAN/LAN, 1 x 10Gigabit WAN/LAN, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1 x USB 2.0
• Modem Support: Fibre, VDSL/ADSL 2+ or cable

Specification (MSI Vector 16 HX AI A2XWIG):

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX 24-core processor
• Memory: 32GB DDR5
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
• Screen: 16in, 2,560 x 1,600
• SSD: 1GB NVMe M.2
• Networking: 2.5Gbit LAN, Intel Killer BE WiFi 7

The post Intel Killer NIC WiFi 7 Notebook Wireless Chipset Review first appeared on KitGuru.

In a historic move for the French video game industry, the Ministry of Culture has officially appointed the development team at Sandfall Interactive as Chevaliers (Knights) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters). The ceremony, held in Paris on February 6th, recognised the studio for its contribution to national culture following the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

This honour is rarely bestowed upon an entire studio, typically reserved for an individual. Some of those include Shigeru Miyamoto and Michel Ancel. Founders Guillaume Broche, Tom Guillermin, and François Meurisse, along with other team members, received the Order's medals. The studio later shared a statement on LinkedIn, noting that they hoped their journey would inspire other creators to take the plunge into ambitious narrative work. Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, who presided over the knighthood ceremony, emphasised that the decoration serves to validate video games as an “essential cultural industry” and a legitimate art form.

Set in a world inspired by the French Belle Époque, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has reportedly sold over 5 million copies since its April 2025 release, praised for its unique blend of traditional turn-based RPG mechanics and reactive, rhythm-based gameplay.

The award comes just months after Sandfall Interactive achieved a record-breaking sweep at The Game Awards 2025, where Expedition 33 took home nine trophies, including the prestigious Game of the Year. It was the first time a French-developed title won the top prize at the ceremony, prompting public congratulations from President Emmanuel Macron, who described the Montpellier-based studio as a “source of great pride”.

KitGuru says: The “knighting” of Sandfall Interactive is more than just a ceremonial pat on the back. While the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres has recognised gaming legends in the past, awarding the title of Chevalier to an entire team is unheard of. It effectively cements Expedition 33 as more than a commercial success but also as a permanent fixture of French cultural heritage.

The post France awards Knight status to Sandfall Interactive team first appeared on KitGuru.

The tale of Overwatch is one that begins with great success and was seemingly ending in relative failure, with the rebranding to Overwatch 2 ultimately doing more harm than good – especially as many of the ‘sequel’s promised features never came to be. Following the surprise announcement that the game is now dropping the 2 (among other welcome changes) Overwatch’s popularity has already seen a resurgence on Steam.

Despite the upcoming Season of Overwatch not yet going live, it appears as though many of the changes announced to be arriving with the relaunch have led to a great deal of excitement.

Though we only have one platform to go off of, in anticipation of the new Season 1, Overwatch has seen a major influx of players, with Steam concurrent numbers putting the title at 69,881 players – the highest figure since the game’s launch all the way back in 2023 (where it achieved a peak CCU of 75K).

Of course, of all platforms, Steam is likely one of the smallest for Overwatch, especially as Blizzard/Activision’s own Battle Net launcher takes priority on PC. That said, we will likely see a similar rise in interest across the board, especially once Season 1 actually launches. In case you missed it, full details on what to expect from this rebrand / overhaul can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the changes coming? Was the removal of the 2 necessary? Will this latest overhaul help them compete with Marvel Rivals? Let us know down below.

The post Overwatch sees massive surge in Steam players ahead of rebrand first appeared on KitGuru.

While many expect the next-generation PlayStation 6 to be somewhat inline with Sony’s current console strategy, Microsoft’s next console is set to take things in quite the different direction. While details surrounding Xbox’s next-gen plans have leaked out in the past, we’ve now gotten newly updated specifics.

As reported by known Xbox insider Jez Corden (via Windows Central), the next-gen Microsoft console will seemingly function somewhat similarly to the ROG Xbox Ally – meaning “the Xbox interface will sit on top of Windows, disabling unnecessary processes to create a gaming-first environment.” As with the Ally, you will also be able to “exit out to full Windows.”

Of course, plans are subject to change, with Corden noting that Microsoft’s work on Windows 11 is still ongoing, writing: “Microsoft hasn't fully internally committed to a hard 2027 launch window for the next-gen Xbox platform, since so much of it hinges on improvements to Windows 11 and other factors. Microsoft's Windows and Xbox teams are collaborating harder than ever to get the OS into shape for a polished, console-like experience on Xbox.”

Beyond the mainline console, Microsoft is reportedly planning to continue their relationship with hardware manufacturers in the development of partnered consoles like the aforementioned ASUS ROG Ally – though they are also apparently still interested in making their own first-party handheld.

Of course, all of this is subject to change, especially as Microsoft has been pretty fickle in recent months/years. Regardless, it will be interesting to see what the console maker’s plans are for Xbox in this post-exclusive era.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Xbox’s leaked plans? Will this strategy succeed? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Insider offers additional details on next-gen Xbox plans first appeared on KitGuru.

Team Ninja’s Nioh series has served as a solid take on FromSoftware’s Souls-like genre, with the first entry in 2017 doing enough to separate itself from other titles – though ultimately was not received as well as FromSoft’s soulsborne entries. While Nioh 2 was also received in a similar manner, it appears as though 3rd time was the charm, with the recently-released Nioh 3 achieving high praise and even higher player numbers.

With a Metacritic score of 86 and an OpenCritic rating of 85, Nioh 3 is right in line with its past two entries critically. However, when it comes to interest surrounding the title, the threequel is reaching new heights, amassing a concurrent player count of over 88k on Steam.

This marks a major record for publisher Koei Tecmo, with Nioh 3 seeing the highest peak CCU of any game on Steam from the publisher (with second place being the Team Ninja-developed Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty).

Nioh 2 meanwhile peaked at a CCU of 41k, with the original Nioh being all the way down at just 10k concurrents. It is worth noting however that Nioh 3 marks the first entry in the series to launch day-and-date on PC alongside PlayStation, and so this likely aided in its overall interest.

Regardless, Nioh 3 seems to be the step up that the series needed in order for it to be placed on almost-equal footing with FromSoftware’s own output. It will be interesting to see where Team Ninja goes from here.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Nioh 3? Is it a step up compared to the previous two entries? Does Team Ninja have the potential to go toe-to-toe with FromSoftware? Let us know down below.

The post Nioh 3 breaks records with highest Steam CCU in publisher history first appeared on KitGuru.

Following leaks and rumours, Guerrilla Games officially announced and unveiled Horizon Hunters Gathering: a co-op focused title in the vein of Monster Hunter. In the wake of its announcement, known insider Jason Schreier confirmed that the project is being developed by the core Horizon team – and so don’t expect a proper Horizon 3 any time soon.

Following the official announcement for Horizon Hunters Gathering, fans of the franchise took to BlueSky to ask known industry insider Jason Schreier as to whether this spin-off is “being made by a separate team from Horizon 3?”

According to Schreier, “most of the studio” is working on Hunters Gathering. When asked for clarification as to whether this means the next mainline entry is a “long time” away from release, Schreier simply responded: “yup.”

Given the fact that Horizon Forbidden West launched back in 2022 (and that games are taking longer and longer to develop) there was little expectation that a 3rd entry was right around the corner.

That said, with a majority of devs working on Hunters Gathering, it appears as though the focus right now is on ensuring the co-op title proves to be a success.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Hunters Gathering? Will it fill your Horizon itch? Are you more interested in it or the NCSOFT-developed Steel Frontiers? Let us know down below.

The post Don’t expect Horizon 3 to be announced any time soon first appeared on KitGuru.