Sony has been making a habit of producing remasters that nobody asked for during the current console generation. We've already seen remasters for both The Last of Us titles, Until Dawn is about to re-release and next, it looks like Horizon Zero Dawn will be getting a fresh release.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered has now been rated for both PS5 and PC by the ESRB, indicating that an announcement and release date is just around the corner. Sony has long been rumoured to be holding a State of Play later this month, so this new remaster should appear during that stream.
Unfortunately, we don't know much else about this remaster at this stage, or how comprehensive it will be. While Zero Dawn's sequel, Forbidden West, did have a decent number of graphical upgrades, we're more likely to see something along the lines of The Last of Us Part 1 in scope, which didn't deliver all of the extra graphical goodness found in The Last of Us Part 2.
With LEGO Horizon Adventures also just around the corner, Sony will be looking to cash in on renewed interest in the series.
KitGuru Says: Horizon Zero Dawn launched on PC just a few years ago, so the need for a remaster is already drastically reduced. At least in the case of The Last of Us Part 1, that was the first time the game had ever been made available on PC. However, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered will not have that same luxury.
Some users have observed significant latency between cores in the Ryzen 9000 series processors with dual-CCD. Before the release of AGESA 1.2.0.1, cross-CCD core-to-core latency was measured at approximately 200ns, marking a substantial increase compared to the previous generation of Ryzen CPUs. However, the new AGESA firmware update reduces latency to double-digit figures.
Core-to-core latency results are interesting in some reviews of the Ryzen 9000 series processors using a BIOS with AGESA 1.2.0.1. When going from one core to another within the same CCD, latency rarely exceeds 25ns. However, when moving from one core to another in a different CCD, latency shoots up 200ns.
Previously, Geekerwan stated that AMD would fix this in an upcoming firmware, but it wasn't clear when that would happen. As it seems, it's already here. Some motherboard manufacturers have already launched a beta BIOS with AGESA 1.2.0.2 firmware for their 600-series motherboards. Despite its unofficial status, enthusiasts who flashed this firmware have reported a notable improvement in core-to-core latency on the Overclock.net forum (via HXL).
Data from “domdtxdissar” using the CapFrameX core-to-core latency tool indicates a reduction to 75 ns at peak. This data was gathered using the Ryzen 9 9950X and the Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Gene motherboard. However, it's important to note that results may vary across different Ryzen SKUs and motherboards. For example, HardwareLuxx also tested the beta BIOS with the AGESA 1.2.0.2 firmware, reporting a decrease in core latencies from 200 to 95ns.
KitGuru says: Do you expect any noticeable performance gains from this fix?
Logitech has introduced its latest Pro Series gear at Logi Play, updating and expanding its lineup of professional-grade peripherals. The new lineup includes the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex gaming mouse, the Pro 2 Lightspeed gaming mouse, and the Pro X TKL Rapid gaming keyboard.
Starting with the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex gaming mouse, it features an asymmetrical, right-handed design based on feedback from esports players (Counter-Strike and Valorant). The mouse uses the upgraded Lightspeed wireless technology, a re-engineered Hero 2 Sensor, and Lightforce switches, making it a technical powerhouse with unparalleled performance.
Expanding its offerings further, Logitech G has introduced the Pro 2 Lightspeed gaming mouse, which builds upon the original ambidextrous design of the original Pro wireless gaming mouse. Featuring the same eight programmable buttons and Lightforce switches, the updated version takes some of the best features of the original model, adding the Hero 2 sensor to make it more precise.
Lastly, we have the Pro X TKL Rapid gaming keyboard, Logitech G's first magnetic analogue keyboard with customisable actuation points and quick trigger capabilities. Key Priority (Logitech's SOCD) is another key feature of this keyboard, allowing users to assign one or more pairs of keys to measure and compare actions (travel distance, last press, and neutral or absolute priority). This, alongside other settings, can be configured via G Hub. Alternatively, actuation points and rapid trigger settings can be adjusted without G Hub.
The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex, Pro 2 Lightspeed, and Pro X TKL Rapid Gaming Keyboard will be available in pink, black, and white colour options. The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex and Pro 2 Lightspeed will be available on September 17th for $159.99 and $129.99, respectively. The Pro X TKL Rapid is set to be available in December for $169.99.
KitGuru says: Looking to upgrade your keyboard or mouse? Are you interested in any of Logitech's new Pro gaming peripherals?
Leo reviewed the original Fractal Eraover four years ago and he quite liked the case for its stylish good looks and excellent build quality. However, the thermal performance – especially with the solid top panel option installed – wasn’t ideal to say the least. So now Fractal has gone back to the drawing board and completely redesigned the internal layout to improve cooling and hardware support, giving us the Era 2.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:42 The Era 2 pricing and details
01:44 James Thoughts
02:18 Removing panels – a look inside
03:45 Radiator / Fan support
04:59 ‘Central spine’ system / riser cable
06:28 GPU install
07:10 Fan intakes / cooling
07:56 Up close inside / PSU
10:27 Accessories
10:36 Test System / Install
12:23 Thermal & Noise Performance testing
13:49 Closing Thoughts
Fractal Era 2 Features:
Compatible with 3 slot graphics cards up to 326mm long and 63mm thick in max GPU configuration mode.
Optimised for AIO CPU cooling with support for up to 280mm radiator installation.
ERA 2 features tool-free chassis access, a single-piece slide exterior panel, and a push-to release top bracket for quick and simple assembly.
Equipped with a sliding central wall offering 15mm of movement for build flexibility allowing for larger graphics cards or taller CPU coolers.
Included with the Era 2 is a PCIe Gen4 riser cable, dedicated mounts for up to four 2.5-inch storage drives and a front I/O panel with two USB 3 type-A ports and a USB Type-C 20Gbps port.
Specifications:
Case Type: Small Form Factor
Dimensions (WxHxD): 366mm x 165mm x 314 mm
Net Weight: 4.64 kg
Material: Steel, Aluminium, Plastic, Walnut
Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX
Expansion Slots: 3
Storage Bays: 4 x 2.5”
Max GPU Length: 326mm
MAX GPU Height: 137mm
MAX GPU Thickness: 63mm (Max GPU Config) 48mm (Max CPU Cooler Config)
Max CPU Cooler Height: 70mm (Max GPU Cooler Config) 55mm (Max CPU Cooler Config)
Max PSU Size: Standard SFX/SFX-L
Pre-installed fans: 2 x 120mm Fractal Aspect 12 PWM(Floor)
Fan Support: (Front) N/A (Top) 2 x 120/140mm(Side) N/A (PSU Shroud) N/A (Bottom) 2 x 120mm (Rear) N/A
Font I/O: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x CTIA Combined headphone/mic audio jack, Power button with LED
LCD Screen: N/A
Thermal Performance Testing
To simulate thermal demand we run the Cinebench R23 multi-thread benchmark and 3DMark Speed Way stress test simultaneously in a loop for 30 minutes to load the system fully. This gives the CPU and GPU enough time to reach constant steady-state temperature. With this data, we can compare how the system handles the thermal demand and measure peak noise levels.
Thermal performance is measured with the case in various configurations, such as the default, with the tempered glass left-hand side panel removed and with the front panel removed to see how these configurations affect the CPU and GPU temperature. During testing, only stock case fans are used unless otherwise specified. All water pumps are set to maximum RPM and fans are set to a custom RPM curve by the Motherboard software/BIOS.
All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – meaning the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data shown in the charts represent the average component temperature over the length of the test as measured by HWiNFO and then the last 15 minutes of the data are calculated to get the average. The ambient temperature during thermal tests is between 19-20⁰C.
We tested the case thermals with a 240mm AIO CPU cooler installed in the roof and with the case in several different configurations.
Thermal performance with the case in its default configuration with all panels installed is good. The CPU temperature average of 68°C over ambient means that it's just 9 or 10°C hotter than the 7800X3D in our launch review, but this is using a smaller radiator inside an enclosed case with GPU heat introduced.
Removing the top panel and bottom dust filter had little effect on the temperature of both the CPU and GPU so they are not too restrictive. Even removing all the side panels to make the case an open frame did little to the CPU or GPU temperature so the case in its default configuration does a good job of keeping internal components cool and running at optimal speed.
Noise Output
During the noise tests, we noticed some unusual resonating or vibrational noise which meant that the case showed some high readings under load.
When fan speeds increased due to component temperature rising the noise output with this resonating noise hit 60dBA, which became quite distracting. At lower fan speed when the system was idle the noise dropped back to a normal reading of around 36 decibels.
Closing Thoughts
Taken as a whole, we like the Fractal Era 2. It still has excellent build quality and a premium feel with the anodised aluminium shell and solid walnut top panel like its predecessor, but now Fractal has improved hardware support, especially for larger graphics cards. The quick panel removal process means it's very easy to take apart to install and access internal hardware. It's also a fairly simple case to build in albeit quite tight for space, which is expected in compact ITX cases.
The lack of ATX power supply support isn’t a problem as the cost of SFX/SFX-L units is coming down and the power rating of SFX is increasing all the time, it is not uncommon now to see SFX power supplies rated for 1000W or more (like this Corsair SF1000 unit) which should be more than enough for any ITX build. Removing ATX PSU support has opened up the possibility of installing bigger, better and faster hardware which is always a positive.
The only minor negatives are noise levels that can be high using certain fans due to a resonating/vibrating noise being transferred to the chassis. This isn’t the case with all fans though and may just be limited to the Cooler Master SickleFlow Edge 120 fans we used in thermal testing. We later tried some Fractal Aspect 12 fans on the AIO and the resonating noise was almost eliminated so it was more of a problem with the case/fan combination rather than just the case.
Other than that there is little to complain about, only that the cable management can throw up some complications during the build process. Some pre-managed cables may need re-routing depending on motherboard connector locations and the front panel power button cable was a little short for us to do a neat job of routing it using the MSI MPG B650i Edge WiFi motherboard, but that was not a big deal.
Era 2 is compact with a relatively small footprint so good for fitting in small desk spaces. Thermal performance is good, hardware support is improved from the previous Era chassis and the case still has the premium look and feel that we have come to expect from Fractal. The only problem with that is the Era 2 comes with a premium price tag of £195 MSRP. However the case is very well built, it uses high quality and natural materials and comes with a PCIE Gen4 riser cable so it may be worth paying that little extra for.
The Fractal Era 2 is expected to be available in October 2024 in the UK. However, there's no specific date set yet for sales to go live.
Effortless side panel removal – this can be done one-handed.
Good thermal performance.
Cons:
Cable management can be tricky.
Unusual resonating noise using an AIO cooler with some high-speed fans.
A little expensive.
KitGuru says: The Fractal Era 2 is a stylish compact ITX PC case with good hardware support, so it's ideal for those who need to minimise size but without compromising on performance or looks.
Biwin has unveiled the DW100 RGB DDR5 OC memory, featuring a unique CUDIMM technology that allows it to operate up to 9200 MT/s with CL42. Moreover, the memory received a Red Dot 2024 award and a French Design Gold Award for its design.
To operate at such high speeds, Biwin's OC Lab uses CUDIMMs (Clocked Unbuffered Dual Inline Memory Modules), allowing the memory to adjust clock frequency and voltage based on the workload. While the standard DDR5 speed is 6400 MT/s, the Biwin DW100 RGB DDR5 can be overclocked to 9200 MT/s with CL42.
These modules use a 10-layer PCB that reduces electromagnetic interference and mitigates the risk of instabilities. Additionally, the Biwin DW100 RGB DDR5 memory offers good thermals through its three-fin cooling design, maximising air contact area with the heatsink. Reinforced by an electrophoresis coating, the aluminium alloy heatsink dissipates heat and allows the memory to deliver consistent performance even under high loads.
Available in black and white in 48 GB kits (2x 24 GB), the DW100 RGB DDR5 modules offer a range of vibrant colours and lighting effects through their RGB light strip, allowing users to personalise their modules according to their aesthetic preferences. The Biwin DW100 RGB DDR5 OC CUDIMM is set to launch in select regions in Q4, with the pricing yet to be confirmed.
KitGuru says: Do you like the aesthetics of the new Biwin DDR5 modules? Which colour option do you prefer?
While in no way the biggest IP in the world, there are many who have enjoyed the Darksiders series over the past 15 years or so. By far the most popular entry in the series is Darksiders II. Following a PS4 remaster back in 2015, the publishers at THQ Nordic have announced an upcoming and surprising free current-gen upgrade.
Making the announcement via a press release, the team at THQ Nordic said “We know many of you are eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the Darksiders saga, teased during THQ Nordic’s 2024 August Showcase. Well, we have news—but this isn’t that announcement! With that anticipation set aside, let’s focus on what’s coming very soon: a remastered and enhanced version of Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition, arriving on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on October 15th.”
Given just how long it’s been since the release of the Deathinitive Edition, this PS5 / Series X update brings with it a bunch of interesting enhancements, including “4K resolution, ray tracing, and enhanced lighting and shadows to harness the power of today’s consoles” – with the PS5 also benefiting from more advanced haptics.
Of course, we will have to wait and see exactly what kind of ray-tracing is being used, but regardless, this update has come as an unexpected yet highly-welcome surprise. It’ll be interesting to see whether they enhance the first Darksiders next.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the Darksiders series? Which entry is your favourite? Let us know down below.
Each month, just as how they bring a bunch of new titles to the PS Plus service, Sony also removes a number of games. For the month of October, subscribers will unfortunately lose access to 8 titles in total – including a bunch of Dragon Quest games.
In going to the PlayStation Plus tab on your PS5, you’ll find a list of 8 titles under the ‘Last Chance to Play’ section. Leaving the service at some point in October (likely mid-month) are the following:
Ultra Street fighter IV
Gotham Knights
LittleBigPlanet 3
Dragon Quest XI
Dragon Quest Builders 1 + 2
Dragon Quest Heroes 1 + 2
Toukiden Kiwami
The Evil Within
It’s interesting to see The Evil Within on the list, as it was previously added and then removed from PS Plus Extra – only to be added once again a couple weeks ago.
Of course, as with all of these titles (first party games included) we are not privy to the specifics of the PS Plus deal, and so any game could theoretically leave at any point.
At the very least Sony does give a bit of warning ahead of time. Still, if you were planning on playing any of these games, you might want to hurry up.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the games leaving? Are you sad to see any of them go? Why do you think Little Big Planet 3 is being removed? Let us know down below.
With Dragon Age: The Veilguard set to release next month, the team at Bioware and EA have been more open regarding the last entry in the series – the now decade old Dragon Age Inquisition. While the game was known to have done well for the publisher, we did not have concrete long-term sales figures…until now.
In a response to one post on Twitter discussing the game’s performance, the executive producer of 2014’s Dragon Age Inquisition – Mark Darrah – surprisingly revealed just how successful the RPG was for EA, saying “Yeah I'm not sure where ‘DAI was a commercial failure’ came from…It's over 12 million at this point. MASIVELY [sic] oversold the internal EA projections.”
Given just how long it's been since the last Dragon Age game, it will be interesting to see how The Veilguard performs – especially in a post Baldur’s Gate 3 world.
KitGuru says: What did you think of Inquisition back in the day? Was it your 2014 GOTY? What are your expectations for The Veilguard? Let us know down below.
Back in September of last year, EA officially announced that they were working on a game known as ‘Project Rene’ – aka Sims 5. Since then however, it seems the publisher has pivoted its priorities, now announcing that Sims 4 will continue to live on with new multiplayer expansions and more.
As reported by Variety, EA has confirmed that despite being a decade old at this point, there are no plans for a 5th Sims game, with the publisher instead focusing on bringing more content to Sims 4 via Creator Kits.
Explaining why they have decided not to go ahead with The Sims 5, Kate Gorman – EA's vice president and general manager of the Sims – stated:
“The way to think about it is, historically, ‘The Sims’ franchise started with ‘Sims 1’ and then ‘Sims 2,’ ‘3’ and ‘4.’ And they were seen as replacements for the previous products.”
Gorman continued, “What we’re really working with our community on is this a new era of ‘The Sims.’ We are not going to be working on replacements of previous projects; we’re only going to be adding to our universe. With that, you’ll see there are more ways to experience ‘The Sims’ on different platforms, different ways to play, transmedia, and lots of great offerings within this universe.”
Further explaining exactly what this means, they added, “So absolutely, we’re still continuing to support [The Sims 4] more than ever. Still continue to deliver expansion packs and updates and fixes. But what this is to say is, the way we’re going to do things going forward is a little different. And it’s really exciting and it’s really the most expansive iteration of ‘The Sims’ yet.”
The full interview can be found HERE, but in essence it seems as though the switch to a free-to-play model for the Sims 4 has extended its lifecycle by quite some time – for better or for worse.
KitGuru says: What do you think of this decision? Were you looking forward to a Sims 5? What features would you like to see added to the current game? Let us know down below.
Seagate has been launching external Game Drives for consoles for around a decade now, starting in the Xbox One and PS4 generation. We've moved up to external SSDs for the new-gen Game Drives for Xbox Series X/S and now, there is a PlayStation 5 Game Drive SSD hitting the shelves as well.
The Game Drive SSD is an external drive solution for those who want to take their games on the go or easily transfer them between systems. The PlayStation Game Drive from Seagate is officially licensed by Sony, and you'll get capacities up to 2TB, so you'll easily be able to keep your digital games accessible when Black Ops 6 eats up all of your free install space in October.
Setting the SSD up takes less than two minutes through the PlayStation OS, and you'll benefit from the latest connectivity standards, including USB 3.2. Out of the box, you'll also get a USB-C to USB-C cable, and a handy USB-A to USB-C cable, so you should have no issues plugging the drive into a console or PC. However, do note that current-gen PS5 games will still need to be installed on one of your internal PS5 SSDs. The Game Drive should primarily be used to hold PS4 games, which can run directly from the external drive. It can also be useful to PS5 owners who need extra storage space for saving gameplay clips.
As you would expect, the new PlayStation Game Drive is designed to fit right in with the console, including the sleek blue light bar we've all come to know from the PS4 and PS5. The Seagate Game Drive for PlayStation is available now, priced at £139.99 for the 1TB version and £229.99 for the 2TB version.
Crucial is back with a new high-speed Gen 4 M.2 SSD. This time around, we have the new P310 2280, featuring 3D NAND from Micron, and speeds that make this an ideal drive for current-gen gaming, whether you are on PC, or a console like the PS5.
These new SSDs offer more than double the performance of an older PCIe Gen 3 SSD, so you'll see big gains in loading times for games, as well as every day tasks, like booting into Windows, launching programs, saving projects etc.
In the table below you can see the specs for each SSD at 500GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities:
Capacity
Sequential Read
Sequential Write
Random Read
Random Write
Heatsink
500GB
6,600MB/s
3,500MB/s
520K IOPS
890K IOPS
Yes
1TB
7,100MB/s
6,000MB/s
1M IOPS
1.2M IOPS
Yes
2TB
7,100MB/s
6,000MB/s
1M IOPS
1.2M IOPS
Yes
The big upgrade with this new SSD over Crucial's previous model is in efficiency. These new SSDs offer up to 40% better performance to power ratio compared to the previous generation from Crucial.
While Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launched with more than a few performance issues on current-gen consoles and PC, much of that has been worked out after a full year of patches. Even now, the PC version is still getting optimisations and just recently, Denuvo DRM was also removed from the game. Now as of today, the game can also run on an Xbox One or PS4.
Back in August of last year, EA revealed that they were planning to port the current-gen exclusive Star Wars Jedi: Survivor to PS4 and Xbox One, but it was only last month that we got an update on that, with EA announcing a September launch date for the new versions of the game.
Considering the fact that Jedi Survivor on the PS5 and Series X|S struggled with a number of performance woes at launch, it is hard to imagine what compromises were required to get the game to run on these now decade-old consoles, but for better or worse, Respawn has managed to get it running. Don't expect it to look pretty though, with sub-HD resolutions and a 30FPS cap. I'll be particularly interested in seeing how well the last-gen systems handle the game in its open world areas.
KitGuru says: I'm not sure I'd recommend playing this game on an Xbox One or PS4, but if that is your only option, there is now a version of this game available to you.
In the last couple of months, there have been a growing number of signs pointing to Red Dead Redemption finally landing on PC. The latest is our best indication yet, with SteamDB being updated with Red Dead Remastered.
As spotted by long-time Rockstar leaker, Tez2, SteamDB now has a listing for the Red Dead Redemption 1 app. However, the store page is not yet live to publicly view, so we're still awaiting final confirmation from Rockstar.
Rockstar accidentally included the metadata for #RDR1 PC with today's launcher update too.
If true, the launch here will likely be similar to Red Dead Redemption on PS4 and Nintendo Switch in 2023. At that time, Rockstar announced the game for both platforms and made it immediately available. It would seem that Rockstar is planning a similar shadowdrop for the PC version of the game.
Red Dead Redemption Remastered includes both the base game and its expansion, Undead Nightmare, which transforms the entire game into a zombie survival experience. While Red Dead Redemption has been available on consoles for over a decade, it has never been made available on PC.
KitGuru Says: While I did play some Red Dead Redemption on the PS3 back in the day, I never owned the game for myself, so this PC version will be my first opportunity to experience the game in full, at a sensible frame rate. Will you be diving into RDR for the first time once the PC version arrives?
Final Fantasy 16 is now officially available on PC and fans are already swiftly thinking about the modding potential for the game now that it has been freed from the console walled garden. The game's director, Hiroshi Takai, has just one request of modders – don't dive into ‘inappropriate' territory.
In an interview with PCGamer going over the PC launch of Final Fantasy 16, Takai was asked about potential mods the developers would like to see. As answering such a question could be viewed as a request, Takai elected not to answer, however, he did make one comment to discourage the creation of ‘offensive' or ‘inappropriate' mods.
“If we said ‘It'd be great if someone made xyz', it might come across as a request, so I'll avoid mentioning any specifics here! The only thing I will say is that we definitely don't want to say anything offensive or inappropriate, so please don't make or install anything like that.”
We will no doubt see some crazy mods for Final Fantasy 16, most of which are likely to be character model replacements. We will no doubt be watching Clive fighting Thomas the Tank Engine by this time next week.
Back in 2022, EA announced plans to bring back its cult-hit sports game, Skate. The new game has been going through extensive playtests, some of which have leaked in their entirety, for a couple of years and now, the official release is just around the corner.
Officially titled ‘skate.’, the new game in the series will be free to play with “cosmetic and convenience items”, which likely equates to some kind of XP boost in addition to different deck designs in the game.
Skate will be launching in 2025, initially as an ‘Early Access' title, in fact, this might be EA's first true ‘early access' release, a tool that the company likely should have used a few times in the past after a string of day-one issues for high-profile games, most notably, Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 2042.
With this new Skate game, EA will be going in a ‘live service’ direction, with this title expected to act as a platform for future content updates for years post-release.
If you want to play Skate even earlier than 2025, then you'll be pleased to know that the insider testing program is still live on PC and soon, it will be available to console gamers as well.
It's already known that Arrow Lake will use the Lion Cove architecture to power its P-cores. However, with its successor (Nova Lake), things will change and move on to a new core architecture named Royal Core 1.0, which is expected to be replaced by Royal Core 1.1 (Beast Lake).
Up until now, we didn't know what the successor to Royal Core would be, but an Intel employee's LinkedIn page shared by Gamma0Burst (via VideoCardz) revealed that it would be named Cobra Core. This Cobra Core would probably be used on an unnamed “Lake” CPU architecture.
Intel's upcoming Arrow Lake architecture is set to eliminate conventional hyper-threading and shift towards prioritising single-core performance. Following this trend, the Royal Cove x86 core architecture is expected to introduce Rentable Units, which should also lack hyper-threading in version 1.0.
However, subsequent versions, such as 1.1, may introduce a new approach to hyper-threading, potentially dividing P-cores into two smaller cores. The rumoured Beast Lake Next, featuring Royal Core 2.0, is speculated to support up to four threads per P-core, although concrete evidence for this claim is yet to surface.
GameSir has introduced the T7 wired controller in three colour options. The T7 boasts Hall Effect sticks and triggers, promising durability and precise control for gamers. Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Windows 10/11 systems, and Steam, the T7 combines functionality and style.
Equipped with GameSir's non-contact magnetic Hall Effect technology, the controller's sticks are designed to withstand up to 5 million cycles, reducing stick drift and ensuring enduring performance. The precision-tuned Hall Effect analogue triggers deliver a consistent pull, guaranteeing precise and responsive inputs.
The T7's vibration feedback system features four rumble motors with additional asymmetric actuators in the grips. The controller also supports profile swapping and gameplay style adjustments through simple button combinations, allowing gamers to adapt to different gaming scenarios with ease. Furthermore, the inclusion of a 3.5 mm headphone connector enables seamless headset connectivity.
Designed for comfort, the T7 features an ergonomic design with a textured surface on the grips, bumpers, and triggers, ensuring a secure and comfortable hold during gaming sessions. The GameSir T7 is now available for $34.99/£39.99/€44.95.
KitGuru says: Although it's wired, the new GameSir T7 brings some nice features you usually won't find in a controller priced below £50.
This is a big month for strategy games it seems. We've already seen Age of Mythology: Retold launch onto Steam and Game Pass. Now, Frostpunk 2 and Ara: History Untold are set to cap off the month.
There are just three games announced for Game Pass for the end of the month, including Wargroove 2, Frostpunk 2 and Ara: History Untold. However, there are rumours that an Xbox Final Fantasy announcement is due next week alongside TGS, so there could be another wave very soon.
Here is the full list of titles heading to Game Pass in the coming weeks:
19th September: Wargroove 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
20th September: Frostpunk 2 (PC)
24th September: Ara: History Untold (PC)
Aside from these new games, Microsoft is also finally bringing benefits to Game Pass subscribers for Blizzard's free to play games, starting with Overwatch 2. Starting today, Game Pass subscribers will get an instant one-time grant of 30 Mythic prisms, which can be used in-game to unlock a new mythic skin. In order to claim it though, you will need to ensure that your Game Pass and Battle.net accounts are linked by October 21st.
October is set to be another big month for Game Pass, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launching on the service.
EA has recently provided the first official concept art of the next Battlefield game, teasing a return to the modern-day setting and a departure from the divisive Specialists system in favour of traditional classes.
According to Respawn CEO and Battlefield head Vince Zampella (via IGN), the upcoming title will take a back-to-basics approach following the mixed reception of Battlefield 2042. Zampella emphasized the significance of returning to the essence of Battlefield, particularly the successful Battlefield 3 and 4 era.
In a significant shift from Battlefield 2042's large-scale battles, Zampella hinted at a more focused gameplay experience, potentially moving away from the 128-player battles. Highlighting the importance of enjoyable gameplay over sheer scale, he expressed a preference for well-designed, dense play areas reminiscent of previous Battlefield titles.
Also, the controversial Specialists system will not return in the new Battlefield game, with EA opting for a more traditional class-based structure. Zampella acknowledged that Specialists did not align with the core Battlefield experience and confirmed its exclusion from the upcoming title.
Following the troubled launch of Battlefield 2042, which was met with technical issues and gameplay criticism, EA and the development team are striving for a smoother launch for the next instalment. The project has undergone significant restructuring, with fundamental personnel changes and reevaluating the development process. EA has also assembled its largest Battlefield team, involving EA Motive, DICE, Criterion, and Ripple Effect. A release date for the new game hasn't been set yet, but Zampella said that the team will invite community members to shape up the game during 2025.
Today we look at the 1200W unit in NZXT's new Gold certified range – our last review in this series. NZXT are well known for selling white components so it made sense for them to update this range of power supplies. These units are fully modular, ATX 3.1 compatible and they ship with high grade Japanese capacitors. NZXT are backing them with a 10 year warranty.
NZXT told us that availability of these white versions is slated for the end of September, and there are three units up for sale in both black and white colours. A pricing update on all these is below for reference.
It is interesting to see that the white version has the same price as the black version in the UK, but the USA price is $5 more expensive. These figures below were sent directly from NZXT – we can't check white PSU prices as the units are not yet available.
With all the commotion going on at Bungie, the studio has been somewhat in disarray, with the Destiny maker’s future plans being influx. That said, according to a new report, the team’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon might be a premium-priced game – costing the same as the ill-fated Concord.
In a report by The Game Post, multiple sources have confirmed to the publication that “Bungie is considering a $40 launch price for Marathon”. As mentioned, this is the exact same price that the failed live-service shooter Concord launched at – indicating that repeating such a move could be a mistake.
That said, the incredibly successful live service shooter also from Sony – Helldivers 2 – similarly launched at $40 and went on to sell over 12 million copies in just a few months; so it’s a bit of a gamble either way.
One thing which Marathon might have over Concord is the fact that it won’t be a hero shooter, with the report stating “The ‘heroes’ in Marathon are classes, each with its own set of abilities (along with a ‘special’ ability), and very different playstyle compared to others.”
Of course, with the current state of Bungie being a bit all over the place, these details could easily change between now and the game’s eventual release. We will have to wait and see.
KitGuru says: Are you hopeful for Marathon? What do you think of the leaked details so far? Will they do a Destiny 2, launching as a premium game but eventually going free-to-play? Let us know your thoughts down below.
While many besmirch its existence, microtransactions have unfortunately wormed their way into becoming a staple of the video games industry – especially the AAA space. Despite its controversial nature, the added monetisation is clearly not going anywhere, with Diablo IV having reportedly earned Blizzard/Activision/Microsoft over $150 million since the game’s launch.
As reported by Eurogamer, thanks to a now-deleted LinkedIn page of Diablo IV’s senior product manager, we have learned that the “monetisation strategy of the store cosmetics, pricing, bundle offers, personalised discounts, and roadmap planning…have driven over $150m [in microtransaction] lifetime revenue.”
In total, Diablo IV has made the publisher over $1 billion since its launch last year. While $150 million in microtransactions may seem small by comparison, it is worth noting that Diablo IV is a full-priced game, and so all these microtransactions were on top of the $60 base price.
Back in 2020, we reported on the fact that in just 3 months, Activision-Blizzard had made over $1.2 billion from MTX – though this was of course aided by the likes of COD Warzone – and so the figure is somewhat less surprising.
Still, with each new success story, it is increasingly clear that microtransactions will not be going the way of loot boxes, and are likely here to stay for the long-term.
KitGuru says: Are you still playing Diablo IV? Have you purchased any of the microtransactions? What would be a more consumer-friendly replacement? Let us know down below.
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