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KRAFTON announces PUBG: Black Budget, closed Alpha set for December

Krafton and PUBG Studios have officially revealed PUBG: Black Budget, a new tactical extraction shooter that is moving the franchise beyond the classic battle royale format. The game will be a PvPvE extraction shooter built around tension, survival, and a unique supernatural premise.

Players will take on the role of a contractor sent to a remote 2.5×2.5 km island to recover top-secret technology. The twist is that the island is trapped in a time loop and is being consumed by a supernatural phenomenon known as the Anomaly. The longer a player stays in a session, the more unpredictable and difficult extraction becomes.

PUBG: Black Budget supports up to 45 players per session in three-player squads, featuring dynamic PvPvE encounters against both other Contractors and hostile entities. Unlike traditional battle royales, the focus is on extracting valuable artifacts and uncovering the truth behind the black-budget initiative named Sapiens, with progression tied to expanding a personal base, crafting new equipment, and improving character skills.

The system requirements have also been published. The minimum requirements are reasonably accessible, comprising an Intel Core i5-8400 CPU (or AMD Ryzen 5 2600), 16 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics card. As for the recommended specs, it includes an Intel Core i5-12400 CPU (or AMD Ryzen 5 5600) and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800, along with 16 GB of RAM. The game will require 30 GB of storage space. You can find the detailed specifications below:

MINIMUM:

  • OS: Windows 11
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-8400, AMD Ryzen 5 2600
  • Memory: 16GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia RTX 2060 8GB, AMD Radeon RX 6600
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 30GB available space
  • Sound Card: No Recommendation

RECOMMENDED:

  • OS: Windows 11
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-12400, AMD Ryzen 5 5600
  • Memory: 16GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3070, AMD Radeon RX 6800
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 30GB available space
  • Sound Card: No Recommendation

Krafton will launch a Closed Alpha Test next month, running over two weekends: December 12th–14th and December 19th–21st. PC players interested in participating can request access via the game's Steam page.

KitGuru says: Did you play the original PUBG? Will you register for PUBG: Black Budget's closed alpha?

The post KRAFTON announces PUBG: Black Budget, closed Alpha set for December first appeared on KitGuru.
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Intel Nova Lake may use mix of Xe3 and Xe3P GPU cores

The integrated GPU architecture for Intel's upcoming Nova Lake processors has been subject to conflicting leaks. While initial Linux kernel patches suggested the CPUs would feature Xe3P graphics, an architecture also used by the Crescent Island datacenter GPU, a new report claims otherwise.

Coelcanth's Dream has shared a list of changes for most Nova Lake device IDs, including the low-power U-series, desktop-class S-series, and the standard H-series. These IDs were mapped to GMD 30.4.4 and 30.5.4, which referred to the Xe3-LPG architecture, the same one confirmed for Panther Lake. No mention of Xe3P (GMD 35.11.0) was present in this patch, suggesting Nova Lake iGPUs would be based on Xe3 instead. Still, Coelcanth's Dream believes Nova Lake's iGPU will have more advanced display and media engines than those of Panther Lake and Wildcat Lake, as the initial Linux kernel patches imply.

However, VideoCardz cited its own sources stating that Nova Lake will use a mixed GPU architecture across its product stack. Apparently, a small number of top-tier mobile parts, specifically the high-end Nova Lake-H chips, will feature the true Xe3P graphics tile. This top configuration will reportedly use 12 Xe3P cores and is slated to succeed the highest-end 12 Xe3 setup found in Panther Lake.

This dual-architecture strategy means that the Nova Lake lineup will likely see a split in branding. Given that the current Xe3 iGPUs are launching under the Arc B-series moniker, and Xe3P is confirmed to use the high-performance Arc C-series branding, the overall family could feature a mix of both Arc B and Arc C integrated graphics solutions, depending on the specific SKU.

KitGuru says: Even if some Nova Lake SKUs use Xe3P GPU cores, do you think the difference over standard Xe3 GPU cores will be significant or just a slight improvement?

The post Intel Nova Lake may use mix of Xe3 and Xe3P GPU cores first appeared on KitGuru.
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PlayStation games have generated $1.5B through Steam

Sony has been selling its games on PC for a few years now and at this point, many are expecting more and more PlayStation-published titles to release day-one on PC alongside consoles. How much money has Sony made by opening up its games to the PC market? Well according to new analysis, the number should be over $1.5 billion. 

Alinea Analytics has published its research on PlayStation games sold via Steam, the biggest PC games store. Judging by the numbers, Helldivers 2 is far and away the biggest PlayStation-published game on Steam, having sold just shy of 13 million copies.

Sony's single-player games have achieved muted numbers by comparison, but the top-sellers are all in a pretty close range. Horizon Zero Dawn has reportedly sold 4.5M copies on Steam, while God of War (2018) is just behind at 4.2M. After that, Days Gone is the fourth bestselling game at 3.4M copies, which must have people at that studio scratching their heads after Sony cancelled all plans for a sequel. Marvel's Spider-Man is the 5th bestselling game at 2.7M copies sold.

As far as overall revenue goes, PlayStation Studios is said to have brought in as much as $1.5B through the Steam platform, across 43M games sold. Valve does take a cut of Steam revenue but given that most PlayStation titles have accrued more than $50M, the cut will be a minimal 20%, rather than the full 30% cut Valve typically takes from Steam sales. Ultimately, that means Sony's take-home pay was around $1.2B overall, while Valve received over $300M for providing the platform.

KitGuru Says: I am surprised that Spider-Man isn't a bit higher. Interestingly, Helldivers 2 is the only current-gen game in the top 5, but that could be in part due to the higher prices for titles like God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man 2. This shows that PC gamers are typically more patient and willing to wait for deep discounts before buying a game. 

The post PlayStation games have generated $1.5B through Steam first appeared on KitGuru.
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Xbox Series X prices could climb higher due to AI-driven memory shortages

Despite debuting with a $499 price tag in 2020, an Xbox Series X now costs as much as $650 when bought new at retail thanks to multiple price hikes. It turns out, there could be another major price increase coming, as Microsoft didn't plan ahead for the current RAM shortage. 

The current AI boom has seen large companies like Microsoft partner, OpenAI, buying up much of the global memory supply, leaving just a sliver of the supply chain for consumer electronics. According to Moore's Law is Dead, this will soon lead to global shortages in the consumer market, which could send Xbox Series X prices skyrocketing even higher.

The video claims that Microsoft “didn't plan ahead at all” and failed to acquire plentiful stocks of GDDR6 memory ahead of time, despite being well aware of the moves in the AI space, being partnered with OpenAI, amongst other companies. Apparently, Microsoft sales reps are already warning that this memory market squeeze will soon impact consumer pricing for Xbox Series consoles.

The video also claims that Sony did plan ahead and currently has plentiful memory resources to avoid raising the price of PlayStation 5 consoles. This is what is enabling the company to offer Black Friday discounts this year, while Xbox consoles may not see a discount at all.

KitGuru Says: Microsoft is well aware of what's happening in the AI world, so the lack of foresight here seems like a major blunder, assuming the report is accurate. 

The post Xbox Series X prices could climb higher due to AI-driven memory shortages first appeared on KitGuru.
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False Alarm – Naughty Dog’s next game won’t be releasing in 2026

Just ahead of this weekend, a rumour began doing the rounds claiming that Naughty Dog's next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, would release in 2026. As is often the case, a quote was taken out of context, causing many insiders to jump in and state that the game definitely won't be coming out next year. 

On a recent podcast, Colin Moriarty speculated that Naughty Dog's new IP may release in 2026. Unfortunately, redditors took this quote out of context and what was presented as speculation suddenly became a reported rumour. After the news began doing the rounds, Moriarty wrote on his X account to clarify that he has not heard some any sources that the game would be coming out next year.

Jason Schreier, perhaps the most credible industry insider, also commented on the viral Reddit thread to say “I can assure you that Intergalactic is not coming out in 2026”. Jeff Grubb, another games reporter, said something similar (via IG), saying that after seeing the rumour, people reached out to him to say that the game would not be ready for a 2026 release.

Naughty Dog hasn't released a new game since The Last of Us Part 2 back in 2020, so fans are eager to see their next work. Unfortunately, the situation at Naughty Dog has been a little complicated in recent years. The studio spent much time working on ‘remasters' for both The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2 and wasted several years working on The Last of Us Online, only for the game to be cancelled after a Bungie-led review of live-service projects.

With that in mind, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet likely hasn't been in full production for very long, meaning it could easily be another two or three years before the game is ready to release. If that is accurate, then the game could very well end up being a cross-generation release for PS5 and PS6.

KitGuru Says: It will be a long time before we see Naughty Dog's next game first-hand. Even if the game had been planned for a Holiday 2026 release, the recent delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 to November next year would have likely blown those plans up. 

The post False Alarm – Naughty Dog’s next game won’t be releasing in 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.
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Intel teases Core Ultra 3 debut for CES 2026

Intel has somewhat confirmed the unveiling of its highly anticipated Panther Lake CPU family, scheduled for the first week of January to coincide with CES 2026. The launch event is officially slated for January 5th, signaling a broad, mainstream introduction for the new processors.

Spotted by @momomo_us (via Wccftech), Intel is planning to reveal the new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Processors on January 5th. Seeing there's a literal panther in the imagery for the event, it seems pretty clear that we're talking about Panther Lake.

This architecture is set to be one of the most important consumer launches of next year, as it will be the first CPU family to adopt Intel's cutting-edge 18A manufacturing process, which incorporates innovations such as RibbonFET and PowerVia. The new lineup is expected to deliver significant architectural advancements, including new P/E-core designs, the ‘Celestial' Xe3 iGPU architecture with up to 12 cores, and a 5th-generation NPU designed to push edge AI capabilities.

Intel will be using a slightly modified naming strategy this time, introducing the ‘Core Ultra X' branding. This designation is reportedly reserved for SKUs that feature the full 12-core Xe3 iGPU. These models will range from Core Ultra 9 down to Core Ultra 5 SKUs.

KitGuru says: What are your expectations for Panther Lake? Do you think it will help Intel turn the tide back in its favour?

The post Intel teases Core Ultra 3 debut for CES 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.
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From Budget to Beast: PC Builds Using MSI Black Friday Deals

MSI has rolled out a huge number of discounts across a wide range of components this week. If you are new to PC gaming and looking to build your first gaming rig, sorting through all of these components can be a bit of a daunting task, so we're here to make that process easy for you with a list of PC builds to suit different budgets, giving you a great starting point for your Black Friday shopping list.

Build 1 – Powerful AAA gaming for £1000:

The Case:

The right PC case is the foundation of any PC build. The space afforded to you on the interior can dictate future upgrades and the amount of cooling supported will also have an impact on component selection. MSI has a great starting point here with the MAG PANO 100L PZ, available in both black and white colour options for £99.99 during the current sales. This case supports full-size ATX motherboards, with room for a 360mm liquid cooling radiator in the roof, side or bottom of the case. It also has a 270-degree panoramic tempered glass panel, so when your build is finished, you can marvel at your craftsmanship from multiple angles.

The Motherboard:

If you are looking to go with an AMD Ryzen processor, then you can pair this with a MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI motherboard, which supports Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000 and Ryzen 9000 series desktop processors. It has a WiFi module built-in, so you'll be able to get connected to the internet as soon as your build is ready, without the need for any additional gear such as dongles. It also has a premium heatsink design for efficient M.2 SSD cooling, and support for fast DDR5 memory (up to 7600MT/s), giving you headroom for future upgrades. During the sale period, this motherboard can be found for £129.99.

For an Intel alternative, you could go with a B860 Gaming Plus WiFi instead, which offers a similar feature set, but with support for Intel Core Ultra desktop processors instead, and support for even faster DDR5 memory (up to 8800MT/s), priced at £169.99.

Pair one of these motherboards with either an Intel Core Ultra 5 or an AMD Ryzen 5 series processor and you'll be well on your way to having a solid gaming machine.

The Cooler:

As the MAG PANO 100L PZ case listed here supports 360mm radiators, we would opt to maximise that space with an MSI MAG CoreLiquid I360 AIO cooler, discounted to £89.99 during the Black Friday sales period. This should be plenty of cooling capacity to reign in the CPUs we suggested above, but it will also give you headroom for future upgrades, so if you decide to jump up a tier to a Core Ultra 7 or Ryzen 7 processor in the future, you won't have to re-invest in a new cooler.

The Graphics Card:

The graphics card is the heart of any gaming PC and is where the bulk of your gaming performance will come from. As this is a more cost-conscious build, we would recommend going for the MSI RTX 5060 Gaming OC, which is currently down to £289.99 during the sales period. This graphics card will pack plenty of punch for 1080p gaming and in titles that support DLSS 4, you'll be able to supercharge your frame rates with Multi-Frame Generation, allowing you to fully maximise your monitor's refresh rate, even in blockbuster AAA titles.

The Power Supply:

While this will make for a powerful 1080p gaming system, you won't need a massive amount of power to get it up and running. You could get away with a 650W power supply here like the MAG A650BN (£47.99), but we would opt for a 750W model like the MAG A750GL PCIE5 (£59.99) to give you some extra headroom if you ever want to upgrade to a higher-tier GPU like an RTX 5060 Ti or RTX 5070.

The Cost:

Pricing all of this up, you can get all of the MSI components listed here for a total of £639.95 (AMD) or £679.95 (Intel) during the promotional period. An Intel Core Ultra 5 245 or AMD Ryzen 5 9600X will cost you around £200 at the moment, and you'll also need some DDR5 memory, we'd suggest a 32GB kit, which can be found for around the £130 mark if you forgo RGB lighting. You will also want to add in at least a PCIe 4 M.2 SSD for current-gen games, which will add a further £70 to the build cost for a 1TB model.

Adding on those extras brings the total build cost up to just over £1000. The end result is a well-rounded gaming PC that will far outperform a current-gen console, with headroom for future upgrades later down the line.

Build 2 – The Project Zero build

The Case:

For this build we are going for a more compact Micro-ATX system, centred around the new Back-Connect motherboards like the MSI Project Zero, allowing you to put together a system with minimal cables visible at the front of the case. The chassis of choice this time is the MAG PANO M100R PZ, which despite its compact size, still has room for a 360mm AIO liquid cooler and as many as ten 120mm case fans to aid with airflow. It also has a 270-degree panoramic tempered glass window to show off your near cable-free build, all for £74.99 during the sale.

The Motherboard:

As this is a Micro-ATX build, we will naturally be opting for an M-ATX motherboard here, specifically, the MSI B650M Project Zero. This is an AMD motherboard, supporting Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 series desktop processors, DDR5 memory up to 7600MT/s and with lots of heatsinks covering most of the bare PCB area, creating a cohesive look all around.

Project Zero in this instance means Back-Connect power sockets, so you'll run all of your power cables and plug them in at the back of the motherboard, allowing you to hide all of your cables behind the motherboard tray. The only cable you'll need to route around the front is your graphics card cable.

The MSI B650M Project Zero motherboard is on sale for £199.99.

The Cooler:

As this case can support a 360mm AIO cooler in the roof, we will maximise our cooling with a MAG CORELIQUID i360 cooler, filling up the space nicely. This cooler embraces the philosophy of simplicity with its clean lines, which fits well in a Project Zero build. Currently, this cooler can be found for £89.

The Graphics Card:

This time around we are making the jump up from an RTX 5060 to an RTX 5060 Ti 16GB graphics card. The extra VRAM will help you out if you are running games at higher resolutions, and the extra power afforded by the Ti variant will get you comfortably into QHD gaming territory.

During the Black Friday sale, MSI's RTX 5060 Ti 16G Ventus 3X OC graphics card can be found for £429.99.

The Power Supply:

For the PSU, we'll go with the same MAG A750GL PCIE5 featured in the previous build. This offers plenty of headroom if you'd prefer to go with a Ryzen 7 CPU over a Ryzen 5 model, and you'll have plenty of power left for things like extra fans and storage drives. As noted earlier, this power supply can be found for £59.99 during the sale.

The Cost:

The total cost of the MSI components here comes to £824.95. Add on £200 for a Ryzen 5 9600X, £130 for 32GB of non-RGB DDR5 memory and £120 for a 2TB PCIe 4 M.2 SSD and we have a total build cost of £1,274.95, a reasonable price considering the upgrades made here compared to the £1000 build.

Build 3 – High-end 4K gaming rig

The Case:

With this build, we are moving up a performance tier, so we've opted for the MSI MPG VELOX 300R AIRFLOW PZ instead. This case supports dual 360mm radiators, so if you ever want to make the jump to liquid cooling for both your CPU and GPU, you'll have room to do so. This case also supports larger E-ATX sized motherboards and comes with two large 160mm dual-layer blade fans behind the mesh front panel, bringing lots of cool air into your system to battle the heat generated by high-end components.

The MSI MPG VELOX 300R AIRFLOW PZ is currently on sale for £99.99.

The Motherboard:

The AMD option for this build is the MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI, which supports Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 series desktop processors, and DDR5 memory up to 8400MT/s. This board stands out thanks to its 14+2+1 Duet Rail Power System, making it a good choice for those who want to squeeze out some extra CPU performance through overclocking. Currently during the sales period, this motherboard can be found for £229.99.

If you are looking to build your PC around an Intel processor, then the MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI is our choice here. This motherboard supports the latest generation Intel Core Ultra desktop processors and DDR5 memory with speeds up to 9200MT/s. It has a 16+1+1+1 Duet Rail Power System and is built to last using server-grade materials. This motherboard can currently be found for £239.99.

As this system falls into the higher-end tier of gaming PCs, we would recommend going with a Ryzen 7 9800X for an AMD-based system, or an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, both of which can be found for under £300.

The Cooler:

For this system, we are going with the MAG CORELIQUID I360 AIO cooler. This cooler comes with enhanced aesthetics thanks to its dual-sided infinity mirror on the CPU block, and the cooler comes with a fan cable management cover so you can hide your cables and keep the system looking clutter-free. The fans are equipped with LDB bearings, improving the total lifespan and keeping operation stable.

The included mounting hardware supports both current-gen Intel and AMD sockets, so you won't have to worry if you ever decide to make the move from one CPU vendor to the other. This cooler should also be perfectly capable of transitioning with you through future CPU upgrades. Currently, it is discounted to £89.99.

The Graphics Card:

For this system, we want to make sure it is capable for high refresh rate QHD (1440p) gaming, so we've opted for the MSI RTX 5070 Ti 16G EXPERT OC, which is currently down to £799.99. If you prefer the look of the MSI Gaming TRIO cooler, then the MSI RTX 5070 Ti Gaming TRIO OC is also on sale for £849.99.

With an RTX 5070 Ti, you'll have plenty of VRAM for high-resolution gaming and as we've seen in our previous reviews, this GPU is more than capable at both 1440p and 4K resolutions, even when turning on performance-hitting effects like ray-tracing. With DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Generation, you can supercharge frame rates even further to enable 120Hz-240Hz gaming in supported AAA titles.

The Power Supply:

As this is a more powerful system with plenty of capability for overclocking, we will also need a higher capacity power supply. Based on the suggested CPUs, paired with an RTX 5070 Ti, you'll need at least an 850W unit, but that won't leave much headroom if you decide to upgrade to something like an RTX 5080 later on. As a result, we are opting for the MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 power supply for this build. With 1000W of power, you'll have plenty of headroom for overclocking your CPU and GPU, and you won't have to swap out the PSU if you later decide to move up to a higher tier GPU.

Currently the MSI MAG A1000GLS PCIE5 PSU can be found for £129.99.

The Cost:

Pricing all of this up, you can get all of the MSI components listed here for £1,399.95 for the AMD motherboard variant, or £1,409.95 for the Intel motherboard version. Add on an extra £300 for your CPU, £150 for some RGB-lit DDR5 memory and £120 for a high-speed 2TB M.2 SSD and we're looking at a total build cost just under £2000, less than the price of a single RTX 5090.

If you have a bit more money on-hand, then you can upgrade the RTX 5070 Ti to an MSI RTX 5080 Gaming Trio OC for £999 during the current sale.

If you do opt for an MSI build, then you'll also be eligible to take part in several promotions. Many of the products listed here are part of the MSI Shout Out campaign, which you can participate in to earn up to £35 in Steam credit. The ‘Empower your Final Quest‘ promotion is also running concurrently, offering additional opportunities to obtain free Steam codes from your purchase. With the next Steam sale just around the corner, now is a good time to have some spare Steam credit handy to boost your library.

If you need a gaming monitor to go with your new system, then MSI also has a ton of discounts there too, including massive price cuts on their best OLED displays.

You can find all of MSI's Black Friday deals and promotions, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up some new hardware during the Black Friday sales this month? 

The post From Budget to Beast: PC Builds Using MSI Black Friday Deals first appeared on KitGuru.
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JEDEC introduces CQDIMM standard for 128GB 4-rank DDR5 modules

JEDEC has updated its classification system for DDR5 memory modules as higher-capacity unbuffered variants begin entering production. The organization is replacing the previous general CUDIMM label for 4-rank designs, introducing the new, specific term: CQDIMM (Client Quad-Rank Unbuffered DIMM).

Brought to our attention by Guru3D, this new terminology is being made to distinguish 1- or 2-rank modules from the much higher-density 4-rank designs, which include the upcoming 128 GB and eventual 192 GB variants. Previously, all unbuffered DDR5 DIMMs fell under the CUDIMM umbrella. However, 4-rank modules pose distinct challenges for memory training and compatibility due to the higher load they place on the memory controller and bus.

The new classification will be useful to motherboard manufacturers and system integrators. It allows for greater precision when developing firmware and Qualified Vendor List (QVL) entries for next-generation platforms like AM5 and the upcoming LGA-1851, where rank structure directly impacts stability.

Manufacturers have already begun migrating their engineering sample documentation and roadmaps to the new CQDIMM label, confirming the industry's move toward standardised nomenclature for high-capacity builds.

KitGuru says: Although CQDIMM will easily find its way into the professional segment, most mainstream consumers won't have to worry about the new nomenclature for a few years.

The post JEDEC introduces CQDIMM standard for 128GB 4-rank DDR5 modules first appeared on KitGuru.
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Episodic superhero game Dispatch hits 2 million players

Dispatch consistently garnered more and more hype as each episode dropped over the past few weeks. Now with all eight episodes out, the game has hit a new sales milestone, achieving over two million players. 

The milestone, shared on BlueSky, is particularly notable given the developer's pedigree. AdHoc Studio was founded by former talent from Telltale Games and Night School Studio, with expertise that is clearly resonating with fans of the narrative adventure genre.

The current season, which has consistently grown its audience throughout October and November, wrapped up with its final episode just a week ago. The finale left a few threads open for a potential sequel, although a season two has not yet been confirmed.

As of now, the game has over 84K reviews on Steam with a user score of 97%, making it one of the highest-rated games of the year on the platform. Critics received the game equally well, with a score of 88 (94% recommended) on OpenCritic.

KitGuru says: Have you already tried Dispatch? Do you think it deserves the praise it's getting?

The post Episodic superhero game Dispatch hits 2 million players first appeared on KitGuru.
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Gamdias Athena mATX Featured Build (9070 XT + 9800X3D)

Gamdias has been expanding its lineup with a focus on airflow inside a small form factor, but what happens when you combine the Athena M4M chassis, a full setup of Notus M1 ARGB fans, a Chione P5 360 AIO and the Helios P2A 1300G power supply? You get a compact system with cooling ready to take on anything from gaming to heavier workloads, all within the Gamdias ecosystem. Join us to see how it comes together in our latest featured build video!

Timestamps:

00:00 Smoke intro
00:19 Unboxing the Case: Gamdias Athena M4M
00:42 B Roll Of Empty Case
01:21 Unboxing the Fans: Gamdias Notus M1 ARGB
01:41: B-Roll Of fans
03:03 Motherboard: MSI B650M Project Zero
03:07 CPU Installation: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
03:13 RAM Installation: 32GB XPG Lancer RGB DDR5-6000MT/s
03:30 M.2 SSD Installation: 1TB Corsair MP700 PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD
04:28 AIO Unboxing: Gamdias CHIONE P5 360
05:16 AIO B Roll
08:03 Power Supply Unboxing: Gamdias Helios P2A 1300G
08:40 PSU B Roll
09:57 Graphics Card Installation: ASRock Taichi Radeon RX 9070 XT

Case: Gamdias Athena M4M – Available to purchase now from Amazon UK priced at £66.99 HERE.

  • Mesh Front Panel with Lighting Strip – Athena M4M features a fully perforated front panel, allowing for strong airflow. It’s also equipped with a built-in lighting strip that adds a clean, modern aesthetic.
  • Three Pre-Installed NOTUS M1 Fans – Pre-installed with three 120 mm NOTUS M1 PWM fans, providing solid out-of-the-box airflow without the need to purchase additional fans immediately.
  • Front-Mounted PSU Design – Front-mounted PSU design helps with cable management for a clean build and contributes to a more efficient airflow path.
  • Dual 360 mm Radiator Support – Two 360mm radiators supported — one at the top and one at the bottom for flexibility when running a high-performance liquid cooling setup.

Specifications

  • Case Type: Micro Tower
  • Dimensions (L x W x H): 446 x 235 x 347mm
  • Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX、Micro-ATX
  • Expansion Slots: 5
  • Storage Bays: 1 x 3.5″ + 1 x 2.5″ or 2 x 2.5″
  • Max GPU Length: 395mm
  • Max CPU Cooler Height: 175mm
  • Max PSU Size: ATX up to 150mm
  • Pre-installed Fans: 2 x 120mm BK PWM (Front), 1 x 120mm ARGB PWM (Rear)
  • Fan Support: Top 3 x 120mm, Bottom 3 x 120 mm, Front 2 x 120 mm, Rear 1 x 120mm
  • Radiator Support: Top 360 mm, Front 240mm, Bottom 360mm
  • Dust Filters: Bottom, Front, Top, Side
  • Front I/O: USB 3.0 x 2, Type C x 1, HD Audio x 1, LED Control x 1

CPU Cooler: Gamdias CHIONE P5 360 – Available to purchase now from Amazon UK priced at £126.37 HERE.

  • Pump Top Mounted IPS Display – with 480 x 480 resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate. The screen can be customised to show real-time system info, as well as custom images and can be manually rotated for always correct orientation.
  • High-quality Performance Fans – Included fans feature hydraulic bearings and hidden daisy-chained cabling routing so cable clutter is kept away from view, as well as built-in ARGB lighting effects.
  • A high-performance pump – featuring a 12-slot 10-pole motor with rotational speed up to 2700rpm and optimal fluid circulation as well as quiet operation.

Specifications

  • CPU Socket Compatibility: LGA2066 / 2011-v3 / 2011 / 1851 / 1700 / 1200 / 1151 / 1150 / 1155 / 1156 / AM5 / AM4 / AM3+ / AM3 / AM2+ / AM2 / FM2+ / FM2 / FM1
  • Radiator Material: Aluminium
  • Radiator Dimensions: 396 x 120 x 27 mm
  • Radiator Tube Length: 400mm (Approx)
  • Cold Plate Material: Micro-Skived Copper
  • Pump Connector: 4-Pin PWM
  • VRM Fan: N/A
  • Fan Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm
  • Fan Speed (PWM): 400 – 2200 RPM±10%
  • Fan Max Airflow: 81.81 CFM
  • Fan Max Air Pressure: 3.15 mmH2O
  • Noise (dBA): 11 – 34.91 dBA
  • Fan Bearing: Hydraulic
  • Fan Connector: 4-Pin PWM
  • LCD Screen: 3.4-inch IPS
  • Warranty: 5 Years

Fans: Gamdias Notus M1 ARGB – 3 pack available to purchase now from Amazon UK priced at £12.99 HERE. (Black Friday deal, normally £19.99)

  • High airflow/performance design — delivers up to 57.56 CFM maximum airflow for powerful cooling.
  • Closed-loop control system + advanced P/Q curve — optimises performance across different speeds and loads.
  • Quiet operation — labelled “whisper-quiet” by GAMDIAS, making it suitable for noise-sensitive builds.
  • Optimised tip clearance — the design minimises air leakage around the blade edges for more efficient airflow.

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm
  • Colour Option: Black
  • Speed: 400 – 1600 RPM±10%
  • Max Noise Output: 25dBA
  • Max Airflow: 57.56 CFM
  • Max Air Pressure: 1.75 mmH2O
  • Bearing Technology: Hydraulic
  • Lighting Effect: ARGB
  • LED Number: 8
  • Connector: 4Pin PWM Connector 3Pin ARGB Connector
  • Swappable Blade: Yes

Power Supply: Gamdias Helios P2A 1300G – Currently unavailable in the UK

  • 80 PLUS Gold Efficiency — The Helios P2A 1300G is certified to the 80+ Gold standard, meaning it delivers high efficiency and less wasted power.
  • Fully Modular Design — All cables can be disconnected, helping to provide cleaner builds and easier cable routing.
  • Native 12VHPWR Connector — Includes a 12 + 4-pin 12VHPWR cable, making it ready for latest gen graphics cards and power demands.
  • Heavy-Duty Protection Suite — Equipped with comprehensive safety protections including over-voltage (OVP), under-voltage (UVP), over-power (OPP), short-circuit (SCP), over-current (OCP), and over-temperature (OTP).

Specifications

  • Type: ATX 3.1
  • Dimension: 150 x 150 x 86 mm
  • Certification: Meets 80 PLUS Gold efficiency
  • Power Factor Correction: APFC with PF value of 0.99
  • Peak Power: 1690W
  • Protections: OVP / UVP / OPP / SCP / OCP / OTP
  • Fan: 135mm Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) silent fan
  • Silent Mode: Yes
  • AC Input: 100-240V~ / 15-8A / 50-60Hz
  • DC Output: +3.3V / +5V / +12V / -12V / +5Vsb
  • Modularity: Fully Modular
  • Warranty: 7 Years

Build Specification:

  • CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
  • Motherboard – MSI B650M Project Zero
  • Graphics Card – ASRock RX 9070 XT Taichi
  • Memory – 32GB (2 x 16GB Modules) XPG Lancer RGB DDR5-6000
  • Storage – 1TB Corsair MP700 PCIE Gen 5 NVMe M.2 SSD
  • CPU Cooler – Gamdias Chione P5 360
  • Power Supply – Gamdias Helios P2A 1300G
  • Case fans – Gamdias Notus M1 ARGB
  • Chassis – Gamdias Athena M4M
  • Operating System – Windows 11

KitGuru says: Gamdias might not be a familiar name for all, but the company has an extensive range of reasonably priced hardware. Will you check Gamdias out for your next build?

The post Gamdias Athena mATX Featured Build (9070 XT + 9800X3D) first appeared on KitGuru.
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Vampire Survivors studio reveals spin-off Vampire Crawlers

Poncle, the developer behind the breakout hit Vampire Survivors, has unveiled a spin-off game called Vampire Crawlers. The announcement, teased with a satirical trailer promising high-fidelity graphics before revealing more 2D pixel art, shows the studio is applying its unique chaos engine to an entirely new genre.

Set for a global rollout next year on Xbox and Steam, Vampire Crawlers is described as a deckbuilding dungeon crawler played from a first-person perspective. Poncle founder Luca confirmed that the game will reimagine characters, enemies, and artifacts from Vampire Survivors as cards, but the pace is entirely up to the player. As per the developer, “it's about mowing down hordes of enemies with cards while exploring dungeons, playing as slowly or as quickly as you want”.

Luca notes that the design borrows from the largely forgotten ‘blobber' genre, which was popular on PC in the 80s with titles like Eye of the Beholder and Legend of Grimrock. In essence, the game presents a first-person, grid-based dungeon interface married to a fast-paced card combat system.

The concept has been in development for roughly 4 years, stemming from the founder's desire to create genre spin-offs shortly after Vampire Survivors' success. Luca clarified that exploration will not be “a too heavy component” of Vampire Crawlers. Instead, the dungeon layout is intended to add structure and provide “interesting choices about what to do in between fights”, offering more dynamic decisions than simple menu navigation.

KitGuru says: Did you try the original Vampire Survivors? Will you be trying Vampire Crawlers when it gets out?

The post Vampire Survivors studio reveals spin-off Vampire Crawlers first appeared on KitGuru.
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You can finally send gifts to friends through the Epic Games Store

Back at the start of 2025, Epic Games released their annual year-in-review, revealing a ton of stats from the past 12 months, including the fact that the storefront was nearing a total user base of 300 million. In looking forwards towards the future, Epic confirmed that game gifting would be coming to the platform at some point. The future is now finally here, with Epic announcing that “Gifting is live on the Epic Games Store.”

Making the official announcement on their blog, the Epic Games Store team finally unveiled this long-awaited feature, writing:

“Gifting is live on the Epic Games Store. Players can now purchase and send games directly to friends on their Epic friends list, making it easier to celebrate special occasions, share favorite titles, or just surprise a friend with a new game.”

As with many Epic Games Store transactions, gifting a friend with a game will net you Epic Rewards which can then be further used for gifting (or whatever else you wish to use them for).

Epic Games Gifting

Going into specifics, Epic explained that “recipients have 14 days to accept the gift. If they already own the game, the gift cannot be accepted, and the purchase is refunded. Gifts can also be rejected, in which case the sender will receive a refund.”

Finally, Epic made sure to note that not everything on its store can be gifted, with free games; pre-purchase offers; subscriptions; and in-game currency or other consumable items being ineligible.

Of course, gifting has been available on other PC storefronts/launchers for years now, and so this addition is nothing new. That said, it is encouraging nonetheless to see the feature finally available on the Epic Games Store.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Epic Games Store in 2025? Is it a robust enough platform at this point? What other missing features would you like to see introduced next? Let us know down below.

The post You can finally send gifts to friends through the Epic Games Store first appeared on KitGuru.
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Dragon’s Dogma 2 has officially sold 4 million copies

Dragon’s Dogma is one of Capcom’s more interesting franchises. While the first game failed to set the world on fire due to a variety of reasons, it managed to achieve cult-hit status in the years following – eventually leading to the surprise announcement and release of a sequel last year. Though the game suffered from a similar number of issues, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has continued to find new audiences, with the game having now officially sold over 4 million copies.

Making the announcement on Twitter, the official Dragon’s Dogma team wrote: “Thank you to the 4 million Arisen around the world! We’re grateful to share the immersive fantasy world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 with you all, where freedom and adventure await.”

While this represents just over half of the total sales witnessed with the first entry in the series (7.9 million), the original Dragon’s Dogma launched all the way back in 2012 compared to DD2’s arrival back in March of 2024.

Dogma 2 million

For some further context, Dragon’s Dogma 2 was confirmed to have surpassed 2.5 million copies back in early April of last year – less than two weeks after the game’s official launch.

Of course, as mentioned, the game was far from perfect, with players noting a plethora of both visual and performance issues at launch, leading to an overall ‘mixed’ rating on Steam.

Despite this, it appears as though the unique series has continued to find an audience. Whether it will manage to surpass the first game’s total sales, we will have to wait and see, but so far Dragon’s Dogma 2 seems to be on a solid sales trajectory.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Dragon’s Dogma 2? Are the various issues a dealbreaker to you? Will we ever get a Dragon’s Dogma 3? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Dragon’s Dogma 2 has officially sold 4 million copies first appeared on KitGuru.
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Tales of Berseria Remastered announced for PS5, PC, Series X|S and Switch

The ‘Tales' franchise is a long-running though oft-forgotten series of JRPGs which started its life all the way back in 1995. In the 30 years since, we’ve seen well over a dozen titles released across a plethora of platforms. While the last mainline entry ‘Tales of Arise’ launched back in 2021, publisher Bandai Namco has kept the series alive with a bunch of remasters; the latest of which will see 2016’s Tales of Berseria come to modern platforms – including Xbox and Switch for the first time.

Releasing a surprise announcement trailer, Bandai Namco officially unveiled Tales of Berseria Remastered. Set to launch on the 27th of February 2026 for the PlayStation 5; PC and for the first time the Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch, the remaster includes the base game alongside its MANY different cosmetic DLCs (aside from some select licensed items).

Beyond this, not much was shared regarding enhancements, with the only confirmed improvements being the addition of “new quality-of-life updates including destination icon, the ability to toggle encounters, early grade shop access, and more!”

Interestingly, it appears as though Berseria Remastered has been developed with the OG Switch in mind – at least when it comes to Nintendo consoles – with Bandai noting that “we are currently testing compatibility of the Nintendo Switch 2.”

While the Tales of series may feel daunting due to the sheer number of entries, a majority of the titles are able to be played and understood as standalone experiences, and so if you have not tried Tales of Berseria, this upcoming remaster presents a great opportunity to do so.

Tales of Berseria Remastered arrives on the 27th of February 2026 for the relatively low price of £34.99.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Tales of series? Which entry is your favourite? What other enhancements do you hope to see included with this remaster? Let us know down below.

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Borderlands 4’s first DLC pack is now being given away to all players for free

Borderlands 4 is in many ways the best entry in the series while also suffering from a ton of issues – both technically but also content-wise. Following a highly disappointing free Halloween event, Gearbox has made some alterations to its DLC plans – now making the first ‘Bounty Pack’ free for all to claim.

Making the announcement on their blog, the team at Gearbox wrote: “It's a Mercenary Day miracle! We’re making the first Bounty Pack for Borderlands 4 free for all players! And we’re just getting started.”

Going into more depth, the team confirmed that those who bought Borderlands 4’s Seasonal DLC will still receive the promised 4 paid packs, with a new 5th Bounty Pack being announced to replace the now-free offering.

In addition to this, the team offered some updates on their future endgame content plans, revealing that “we've started development on Takedown content that will be included in a free update for all players in 2026. In this Takedown, you can expect an extremely challenging gauntlet through a new area, including hordes of enemies and new boss encounters.”

As mentioned, Borderlands 4 has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. While the gameplay, world and overall RPG mechanics have seen substantial improvements, its endgame content; free updates and performance leave a lot to be desired – and so it is encouraging to see the team trying to make right by the fans. It will be interesting to see what this new 5th pack winds up featuring.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Borderlands 4 so far? Were you disappointed by the game’s launch? Is offering the first DLC for free an appropriate response? Let us know down below.

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Thermaltake launches S380 mid-tower with back-connector motherboard support

Thermaltake has expanded its mid-tower lineup with the S380, a new ATX chassis designed around maximum mesh and high airflow. The case is built to support the latest system architectures, including next-generation back-connector motherboards.

The S380 ships with four pre-installed 120mm fans from Thermaltake's new SF series, of which three are part of a single SF360 ARGB PWM Reverse Fan (a triple-fan unit) mounted on the PSU cover, acting as intake to push focused airflow directly onto the graphics card. A standard SF120 fan is placed at the rear for exhaust. This airflow design supports a 360mm AIO cooler at both the top and front panels.

The interior supports both standard ATX and the new hidden-connector boards from Asus BTF, MSI Project Zero, and Gigabyte Project Stealth. The S380 offers generous component clearance, fitting graphics cards up to 400mm long, CPU coolers up to 180mm tall, and PSUs up to 200mm long.

The chassis is fully modular, allowing panels to be easily detached for access and featuring extensive cable routing channels. It also includes an integrated, adjustable graphics card bracket to eliminate GPU sag. For connectivity, the top-mounted I/O panel includes one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and two USB 3.0 ports. The Thermaltake S380 is priced at €119.90.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: For its price and features, the S380 could be an interesting option in its segment. Of the two colour options, which one would you choose?

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Final Fantasy 7 Remake will require almost half of Switch 2’s storage

Despite being powerful enough to run many current-generation games, Nintendo opted to keep the internal storage for the Switch 2 relatively small to keep costs down. The console ships with just 256GB of storage, which is already presenting an issue, as big games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will eat up almost half of your available storage. 

Square Enix has issued a correction for the storage requirements for Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Switch 2. Initially, the install size was believed to be around 90GB, but Square Enix has since revised this to 95GB for the standard edition, and up to 99GB for the deluxe edition due to the extra addon content.

As pointed out by VGC, Final Fantasy Remake isn't the only game posing trouble for Switch 2 storage. Games like Assassin's Creed Shadows, HITMAN: World of Assassination and Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition all require 60GB of space each. Meanwhile, titles like Star Wars Outlaws and Hogwarts Legacy demand just over 20GB of storage.

Developers are going to have to think carefully and optimise file sizes for the Switch 2 in the years ahead. While the Switch 2 does have expandable storage via an SD Card slot, these are slower than the internal storage and will lead to longer loading times and potentially reduced performance, depending on the game.

Perhaps by the time the Switch 2 OLED rolls around, Nintendo will rethink its storage offering and give users a bit more space to work with.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: 256GB is not a lot of storage space in the modern gaming landscape, where many AAA titles breach the 100GB barrier. I dread to think how much space a full-fledged Call of Duty title will eat up by the time Microsoft brings the series back to Nintendo consoles. 

 

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Market research shows growing popularity of OLED gaming monitors

OLED gaming monitors have been growing rapidly in popularity amongst PC gamers over the past few years. According to new market analysis, around 12 percent of all 144Hz gaming monitors shipped will be OLED displays by Q4 2025.

A Context Sell market research report obtained by AOC shows that in Q2 2025, 9% of all 144Hz monitors shipped were OLED models. That figure is set to rise to 12% in Q4 2025. This is a rise from 8% volume in Q4 last year. The rise can be attributed to the latest QD-OLED panel technology, combined with reduced prices throughout 2025, making the technology more accessible to the PC gaming masses.

OLED displays grant many benefits for gaming, thanks to true blacks, vibrant colours, a near infinite contrast ratio, combined with ultra-low response times and high refresh rates, with some QD-OLED monitors hitting 500Hz, like the new AOC AG276QKD2.

AOC has several other competitive OLED monitors on the market too, like the AG276QZD2, which offers QHD resolution at 240Hz. For those making the jump to 4K, the AG276UZD and AG326UD offer UHD resolution at 240Hz in 27-inch and 32-inch display sizes. For fans of ultrawide displays, there is the AG346UCD, which has 3440×1440 resolution at 175Hz.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Have you made the jump to an OLED gaming monitor this year?

The post Market research shows growing popularity of OLED gaming monitors first appeared on KitGuru.
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Unity and Epic Games announce major partnership: Unity games coming to Fortnite

In a surprising move, former rivals Unity and Epic Games have announced a major collaboration that will expand opportunities for game developers across both ecosystems. The partnership, revealed today at Unity's annual developer conference, signals a significant step towards a more open platform philosophy.

The core of the collaboration is twofold. First, Unity games will now be publishable within Fortnite, which currently boasts over 500 million registered users. This move gives Unity developers direct access to Epic's massive ecosystem and allows them to participate in the Fortnite Creator Economy.

Second, Unity will bring Unreal Engine support to its new cross-platform commerce platform. This system, which lets developers manage digital catalogs, payment providers, and live operations from a single dashboard, will soon offer a new choice to Unreal Engine creators. Developers using Epic's engine will gain new options for managing pricing, promotions, and web shops across PC, mobile, and the web, with support rolling out early next year.

The CEOs of both companies framed the move as pragmatic and necessary for industry growth. Unity CEO Matt Bromberg emphasized that “choice and open systems create growth for everyone”, while Epic Games Founder Tim Sweeney stated that collaboration is required to build the “open metaverse in a way that's interoperable and fair”.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: How do you expect this partnership to affect Fortnite's growth?

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Valve says Steam Machine will be ‘priced like a PC’, not a console

We may need to brace ourselves for an unexpectedly high price for Valve's upcoming Steam Machine. While the system is marketed as a PC-based console alternative, Valve has said that it intends to price it “like a PC” rather than a console. 

While console prices typically come down over the course of a generation, this time, both the Xbox Series X/S and the PS5 have received repeated price increases since launching in 2020. At this point, an Xbox Series X will set you back around $650 and the situation is similar for the PS5. For Sony's PS5 Pro, the situation is even worse, with prices rising to $799, far above the launch price of last-gen's PS4 Pro console.

While Valve has not officially confirmed pricing for its new Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR headset or the new Steam Controller, while speaking with LinusTechTips, a Valve representative did say that the Steam Machine will be “priced like a PC”.

If we look at Valve's current hardware line-up, which includes various Steam Deck LCD and Steam Deck OLED models, pricing for the top-end model there is $650, the equivalent of a current-gen console. The Steam Machine is said to be six times more powerful than the Steam Deck, thanks to its six-core Zen 4 CPU and custom RDNA 3 GPU. Considering all of that, we may well see the Steam Machine launch around or even above the $1000 mark.

Valve will confirm pricing for its new hardware closer to launch. Currently, the Steam Machine, Steam Controller and Steam Frame are all scheduled to launch in Q1 2026, assuming there are no delays.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As interested as I am in the Steam Machine, if its priced much higher than the PS5 Pro, I won't be pulling the trigger. It may have the capability of a full-fledged PC, but its GPU specs look fairly weak for 4K gaming on paper, and the majority will likely be buying one of these as a console replacement to hook up to a 4K TV. 

 

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Avalanche officially closes UK studio following Contraband cancelation

Avalanche Studios has officially shut down its UK office in Liverpool. The news follows on from the cancellation of a publishing agreement between Avalanche and Xbox Game Studios for the long in-development game, Contraband. 

Shortly after the cancellation of the publishing deal, Avalanche Studios said that it was pausing development to “evaluate the project's future”. That evaluation appears to have come to an end now, with the Avalanche Studio in Liverpool officially shutting its doors today.

In its announcement today, Avalanche said: “We can now confirm that this process has concluded, that the studio has closed and that we have parted ways with 31 people”.

Avalanche has still not publicly stated that Contraband is fully cancelled. However, with the team behind it now gone, it seems unlikely that the project will be revived. At the very least, development would likely need to be rebooted under a new creative team.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The recent shake-up at Xbox Game Studios has had far reaching implications, even impacting teams not directly under the Microsoft umbrella like Avalanche and Crytal Dynamics.  

The post Avalanche officially closes UK studio following Contraband cancelation first appeared on KitGuru.
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Nvidia issues hotfix driver to resolve Windows 11 gaming issues

Nvidia recently released new drivers for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, but it has now been forced to issue an emergency hotfix. The company confirmed that a significant performance regression in several games was caused not by its own software, but by Microsoft’s recent Windows 11 October 2025 update.

Nvidia's Hotfix Display Driver version 581.94 was released specifically to mitigate performance issues caused by installing the KB5066835 update (via Videocardz). This patch, which affects various Windows 11 versions, was causing lower frame rates and stuttering across multiple titles. Although Microsoft's official “Known Issues” list does not mention the problem, user reports immediately suggested smoother performance in games like Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6 after installing the hotfix.

The 581.94 hotfix is an emergency beta release based on the existing Game Ready Driver 581.80. Users who are not currently experiencing performance problems with the affected Windows update are generally advised to wait for the formal WHQL driver release for maximum system stability. However, if you want to download it right away, you can get it HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Did you update your Windows with the KB5066835 package? Have you noticed any performance degradation? 

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Noctua launches NH-D15 G2 and NF-A14x25 G2 fans in chromax.black finish

Noctua has finally released the all-black chromax.black versions of its G2 cooling products. Both the NH-D15 G2 CPU cooler and the NF-A14x25 G2 140mm fans now arrive in a sleek design.

The new NF-A14x25 G2 fan (Sx2-PP also available) features advanced aerodynamic engineering, including an impeller made from Sterrox liquid-crystal polymer (LCP) and a record-tight 0.7 mm tip clearance. The new design allows the G2 models to maintain a performance-to-noise advantage over their renowned predecessors in both high-impedance scenarios (radiators) and airflow-oriented case cooling. The fans also integrate the etaPERF motor and SupraTorque technology, ensuring rotational stability against back pressure.

The NH-D15 G2 chromax.black inherits the further refined heatsink design, which now has eight heatpipes instead of six. Paired with the new NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fans (available separately as a single unit or pair), the all-black version offers the same cooling efficiency as the original brown model. The full chromax.black treatment includes a black-coated heatsink and black fans, delivering the highly requested subtle aesthetic. The cooler ships with the Torx-based SecuFirm2+ multi-socket mounting system, NT-H2 thermal compound, and a full 6-year manufacturer's warranty. Builders can further customise the look with coloured anti-vibration pads, which are available separately.

The NH-D15 G2 chromax.black is available now for €159.90 in Europe or $189.90 in the US. The standalone NF-A14x25 G2 fans are also available in chromax.black finish starting at €39.90/$44.90 for a single unit and €76.90/$84.90 for a bundle of two. A full 6-year manufacturer's warranty backs all products.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you prefer Noctua's chromax.black finish over the typical brown-and-beige colour theme?

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Mafia: The Old Country ‘Free Ride Update’ officially arrives today

Mafia: The Old Country released earlier this year to a solid amount of praise – with one of its biggest detractors being the game’s redundant-feeling open world zone. As was promised, the team have now released a new free expansion improving on this aspect, with the Free Ride Update officially available from today.

Making the announcement, the team at Hangar 13 officially detailed today’s free update, writing: “Free Ride is a callback to the original Mafia’s Free Ride Extreme, as well as the Free Ride mode we shipped in Mafia: Definitive Edition. It’s a collection of Challenges separate from the main story that give players chances to revisit the world in a more self-guided way.”

Going into more depth, they continued, “This time, we’ve constructed several kinds of repeatable Challenges—including combat, stealth, and different race types—in a variety of new and familiar locations. Completing Challenges will earn you the Dinari in-game currency to spend on the new outfits, charms, weapons, and vehicles unlocked by progressing through this content (as well as on items unlocked via the campaign).”

Beyond this, the update is also said to include “a number of other fresh and exciting features” – though this was not elaborated upon.

Full details on the Free Ride update (including the developers’ thoughts on the addition of first-person driving, visual filters and more) can be found HERE, but for those who already own the game you might want to hop in and discover all the additions/improvements for yourself.

Mafia: The Old Country’s Free Ride Update is available from today.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Have you been looking forward to this update? Was it worth the wait? Does this affect your opinions on Mafia: The Old Country? Let us know down below.

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