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Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed series to be set in Ancient Rome

We've known for quite some time that Ubisoft is working with Netflix on a new live-action adaptation of Assassin's Creed. Since then, little about the cast or production plans has been revealed. According to recent leaks though, we now know which time period this new Assassin's Creed series will be set in. 

Each of the Assassin's Creed games have targeted a different period of history. We've seen Ancient Egypt, 1800s London, Civil War-era America and many more. For the new Netflix series, it looks like the writers will be targeting a time period never featured before in the games.

According to Nexus Point News (via IG), the Netflix Assassin's Creed series will be taking place in Ancient Rome, during the same time period that Emperor Nero ruled. This means we will be getting a very different look at Italy compared to Assassin's Creed 2, which was set during the Renaissance era.

It is still unclear when the Netflix Assassin's Creed series will release but filming is due to begin in Italy next year, so we should get more news over the next 12 months.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to the Netflix Assassin's Creed series? 

The post Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed series to be set in Ancient Rome first appeared on KitGuru.
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Team Cherry discusses Silksong post-launch plans

Australian developer Team Cherry has finally shed light on its post-launch roadmap for Hollow Knight: Silksong, confirming that cut content from the original game's development will eventually make its way into the sequel. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, co-creators Ari Gibson and William Pellen discussed how the studio intends to support the title with additional content, drawing direct parallels to the expansive updates released for the original Hollow Knight.

In an interview with Bloomberg (via IGN), the developers mentioned their plans include the Steel Assassin Sharpe, a character first teased a few years ago. Gibson described Sharpe and his companions as having been waiting for the right moment to appear. While the character was initially cut due to the sheer density of enemies in the base game, the team is now keen to reintroduce him. Gibson noted that Sharpe and his companions still require polishing, but the studio is committed to finally bringing the assassin and his team into the fold to hunt down Hornet.

Silksong Hollow Knight

When discussing the broader philosophy for Silksong's DLC, Gibson emphasised a balance between fulfilling old promises and exploring new creative avenues. He assured fans that the team intends to deliver on their obligations, citing the “Village of Lions” as a specific example, but also noted that they have their own internal ideas for expanding the universe. The scale of these updates will vary, with Gibson hinting at the possibility of larger expansions similar to Godmaster, which added a dedicated boss rush mode to the original game. The developers also highlighted how the shift to Hornet as a protagonist fundamentally changes how they approach new content. Unlike the silent Knight, Hornet has a distinct voice and personality, which dictates the narrative flow of any expansion.

On the topic of communication, which has historically been a point of contention for the fanbase, Pellen suggested that the studio would be more vocal moving forward. He stated that the silence was simply a result of having nothing concrete to announce, but with multiple projects now in the works, the cadence of updates is expected to improve. However, regarding specific feature requests, Gibson confirmed that a “New Game Plus” mode has not been discussed internally, so don't expect it anytime soon.

KitGuru says: Have you liked Hollow Knight: Silksong? What kind of post-launch content would you want for the game?

The post Team Cherry discusses Silksong post-launch plans first appeared on KitGuru.
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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake to be re-revealed at The Game Awards

Despite originally being announced in 2020, Ubisoft was forced to take its remake of The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time back to the drawing board after fans lambasted the artistic direction shown in the reveal trailer. Now all these years later, it looks like the wait for the new and improved version is finally ending. 

According to Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming, the Prince of Persia remake is set to launch in mid-January. The re-reveal of the game is said to be one of the major announcements planned for The Game Awards this year.

Ubisoft has been very quiet publicly about the remake and considering how much time has passed since the original announcement, it seems likely that they throughout the original version entirely and started over from scratch, explaining the five-year gap.

The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake was co-developed by Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Toronto. If this information is all accurate, then we should finally see the new version of the remake during The Game Awards on December 11th.

KitGuru Says: The original reveal was a disaster so hopefully Ubisoft managed to get things right this time around.

The post Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake to be re-revealed at The Game Awards first appeared on KitGuru.
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Pulsar reveals Bruce Lee 85th Anniversary peripheral collection

Pulsar has announced a renewed collaboration with Bruce Lee Enterprises to commemorate the martial arts icon's 85th birthday. This new limited-edition product line follows the company's previous partnership three years ago, which saw the release of a yellow-and-black X2 mouse.

While the previous collaboration leaned into the classic Game of Death tracksuit aesthetic, this 85th Anniversary collection draws inspiration from a different chapter of Lee's filmography. The visual identity features a navy and white colour scheme, modelled after the sparring gear worn by Lee during the famous “boards don't hit back” scene in Enter the Dragon.

The centrepiece of the collection is the Pulsar X2 CrazyLight mouse, which will be available in both Mini and Medium sizes to suit different grip styles. For keyboard enthusiasts, the collection includes the Pulsar PCMK3 HE, a magnetic switch keyboard that supports the rapid trigger features increasingly common in competitive play. This keyboard will be available in ANSI, ISO ND, ISO DE, and JIS layouts.

Rounding out the setup are several surface options. The release includes a standard Bruce Lee 85th Anniversary Gaming Mousepad in an XL size, alongside two Superglide3 glass pad options. The Superglide 3 Pad XL will be offered in a matching Navy colourway as well as a “Picture” edition featuring the martial artist's likeness.

The Bruce Lee 85th Anniversary Edition collection is now available, coinciding with Lee's birthday. The X2 CrazyLight mice cost $139.95/€159.90 and the Pulsar PCMK3 HE keyboards cost $179.95/€199.90. As for the mousepads, the Superglide3 ones cost $99.95/€119.90, and the standard gaming mousepad costs $24.95/€29.90.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of Bruce Lee's work? Are you planning to get any of the Bruce Lee 85th Edition's peripherals?

The post Pulsar reveals Bruce Lee 85th Anniversary peripheral collection first appeared on KitGuru.
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GFXBench and CompuBench are moving to open source after 21 years

After more than two decades of serving as a staple in the cross-platform benchmarking scene, Kishonti has announced the immediate discontinuation of its active services for GFXBench and CompuBench. The announcement marks the end of a 21-year journey that began in 2004 with JBenchmark, a tool that evolved from testing early mobile feature phones into one of the industry's most widely cited suites for evaluating GPU performance across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

According to VideoCardz, the creator, Laszlo Kishonti, confirmed that the source code for both suites is being made available under a BSD license on various GitHub repositories. This transition effectively hands the tools over to the community a decade after the majority of the original engineering team spun off to form the self-driving software startup aiMotive. While the software itself remains accessible for those willing to compile it, the centralised service infrastructure is being dismantled.

As part of this shutdown, the ability to upload new results has been disabled, and the extensive public database on the gfxbench website is being replaced with a static placeholder. The mobile applications for GFXBench and CompuBench are also scheduled to be removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play over the next month.

To preserve the historical data of previous entries, Kishonti has released a snapshot of the benchmark results (not a full dump), along with the code. The data is organised by OS, hardware type, and API, providing aggregated maximum, median, and average values for the most popular resolutions.

KitGuru says: While the days of CompuBench and GFXBench live rankings are over, the open-source release ensures the tools themselves remain available for local testing and historical comparison.

The post GFXBench and CompuBench are moving to open source after 21 years first appeared on KitGuru.
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SEGA sets January release for free-to-play ‘Football Club Champions 2026’

After a delay that pushed its launch out of 2025, SEGA has finally confirmed a release date for its upcoming cross-platform management title. SEGA Football Club Champions 2026 is officially scheduled to launch on January 22nd, 2026. The game will be available across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC, Android, and iOS.

Previously titled SEGA Football Club Champions 2025, the game underwent a necessary name change following the delay announcement back in October. This title represents a new direction for SEGA's football portfolio, positioning itself as a free-to-play game distinct from other “Manager” titles. SEGA frames this as a more accessible entry point into the genre, sitting somewhere between EA's FC games (manager mode) and Football Manager

SEGA has confirmed the game utilises the Football Manager engine, but the gameplay loop differs significantly from it. Early details suggest a streamlined experience closer to mobile management sims, prioritising accessibility and strategy over granular control. The game features officially licensed data via FIFPRO, alongside specific leagues such as the J League and K League, offering training schedules, transfer scouting, and tactical setups.

However, the free-to-play model brings expected changes to the structure. The game includes stadium construction, global PvP leaderboards, and gacha-style player recruitment, suggesting a heavy reliance on microtransactions. The game will also feature cross-platform support, meaning club progression will carry over between console, PC, and mobile devices, allowing users to manage their team on the go. This connectivity confirms the game's live-service nature, with seasonal content updates expected to drive long-term engagement.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of Football Manager? Would you like to have a more accessible version of FM? Maybe Football Club Champions 2026 can offer that.

The post SEGA sets January release for free-to-play ‘Football Club Champions 2026’ first appeared on KitGuru.
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Chieftec launches Stealth Series ATX 3.1 PSUs with Platinum efficiency

Chieftec has announced the immediate availability of its new Stealth Series power supplies, a high-end lineup designed for enthusiast systems that demand substantial power delivery. The new series launches with 1000W and 1200W models, both boasting 80 Plus Platinum certification and full compliance with the latest ATX 3.1 and PCIe Gen 5 standards.

The Stealth series is built around a new platform featuring an LLC Half-Bridge converter with DC-to-DC technology and high-quality Japanese capacitors. This internal design allows the units to achieve Platinum-level efficiency, minimising heat and energy waste under load. To keep thermals in check, Chieftec has equipped the units with a 135mm Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) fan, which is managed by Automatic Fan Speed Control (AFC) to balance airflow and noise.

Chieftec's Stealth series PSUs were designed to make it easier for builders to manage the cabling. The series is fully modular and uses ultra-soft embossed cables, which are designed to be more flexible than standard ribbon or braided cables, simplifying the routing process in tight chassis spaces.

Connectivity is robust across both models. Users get a native 16-pin 12V-2×6 connector for the latest Nvidia graphics cards, alongside three traditional 8-pin PCIe connectors. The CPU power delivery is handled by one 8-pin EPS and one 4+4-pin EPS connector. For storage and other devices, the units provide eight SATA connectors and four Molex connectors.

The Chieftec Stealth Series is now available, starting at €170 for the 1000W model at some retailers. The 1200W variant is priced slightly higher at €190. Both units are backed by a 5-year warranty.

KitGuru says: Considering their price and feature set, would you consider a Chieftec Stealth PSU to power your PC build?

The post Chieftec launches Stealth Series ATX 3.1 PSUs with Platinum efficiency first appeared on KitGuru.
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Hytale will launch into early access in January

Less than two weeks on from the announcement that Hytale has been saved from cancellation, the now restored development team has revealed their plans for the early access launch. 

Hytale will now release into early access on Steam on January 13th 2026. Recently, the developers have also revealed their plans for modding, noting that while it will be supported from launch, its tech isn't quite there yet so some issues and limitations are expected in the early days.

In the early access announcement, the Hytale team also warns that the game is still “very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while”. If you do really want to support the project in its early stages though, then pre-orders will begin in mid-December.

Hytale was a very different game under Riot, so all of that has been scrapped since going independent. The restored creative team is picking up a much older version of Hytale with plans to rebuild to its own vision. There is no word on how long that will take but we can hope for regular updates along the way.

KitGuru Says: After many years of waiting, fans will at the very least have a chance to play the game now. This is a move that's been a long time coming. 

The post Hytale will launch into early access in January first appeared on KitGuru.
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Battlefield 6 devs give anti-cheat update

EA has revealed some new stats gathered over the month since Battlefield 6 launched. So far, the new Javelin anti-cheat system has been highly effective. 

So far, the anti-cheat team says it's had multiple detections for 190 cheat related programs, as well as various hardware and vendors. This has caused some of the providers to shut down their cheats. For the ones that remain up, their users are receiving detection notices and, in some cases, the cheats are not functioning as intended.

Insider Gaming notes that there have been as many as 2.4 million blocked cheating attempts.

Of course, cheats are always a cat and mouse game but so far the Javelin system has had a high success rate in blocking attempts. Different cheats will eventually pop up and the developers will have to react but so far, the track record is good, The developers continue to keep updating it too, with new features and tools to effectively ban cheaters.

KitGuru Says: Have you had any issues with cheaters in Battlefield 6? I played a lot around launch and didn't have any issues, but quite some time has passed since then. 

The post Battlefield 6 devs give anti-cheat update first appeared on KitGuru.
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The Witcher 4 will be a no-show at The Game Awards

We had a surprise look at gameplay from The Witcher 4 earlier this year, but CD Projekt Red is warning fans ahead of The Game Awards this year that the game will not be making a second appearance.

The Witcher 4 had its cinematic reveal trailer at The Game Awards 2024 and then, our first look at gameplay was shown months later at an Unreal Engine 5-focused event hosted by Epic Games. However, we won't be seeing The Witcher 4 again this year, as confirmed by CDPR's co-CEO, Michał Nowakowski.

Nowakowski shared the following message on social media after seeing fans speculating about a potential new reveal at The Game Awards in early December: “I'm very happy to see The Witcher 4 nominated in the Most Anticipated Game category at The Game Awards. Thanks to everyone who has already voted – your support means a lot to us. We won't be bringing any new content to TGA this year, but we're, as always, excited to watch the show”.

While we did see more of The Witcher 4 at this stage than we expected, other CD Projekt Red executives have previously warned that the game is not close to release. At this point, the game is not expected to release until around 2028.

KitGuru Says: It would have been cool to see more Witcher to cap off the year but with the game still in the middle of production, I feel that it would be best for CDPR to let the game cook for a while longer before showing it again. Fans will quickly get impatient if we keep seeing chunks of the game each year. The next reveal should only take place when the game is much closer to coming out.

The post The Witcher 4 will be a no-show at The Game Awards first appeared on KitGuru.
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ASUS Black Friday deals are live, including £85 off a 9070 XT

It is officially Black Friday and for the next few days, Asus is offering significant discounts across a range of products – including up to £85 off an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card, making now a good time for anyone shopping for an upgrade. 

ASUS is offering multiple price cuts across its line-ups, with some of the biggest discounts coming to AMD Radeon graphic cards.

Leading the charge is the PRIME Radeon RX 9070 XT (16GB), which drops from £660 to £575, a reduction of £85. The standard PRIME RX 9070 16GB sees £100 off, while the TUF variant comes down by £50.

Pro-style gaming peripherals are attractive but often carry premium price tags. If you're in the market for a mouse, keyboard, headset etc – then it might be worth checking ASUS' reductions across several ROG peripherals.

The ROG Azoth NX Red keyboard sees one of the larger cuts, moving from £269.99 to £184.99 (£85 off). The ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless – NX Snow is discounted by £60, and the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition (White) comes down by £45. Additional savings appear on the ROG Raikiri Pro (£40 off), ROG Keris II Ace (£35 off) and ROG Gladius III Wireless Aimpoint (£35 off).

Most experienced users will agree that OLED monitors offer a step-up on quality from previous generations of display technology. ASUS has also applied sizeable reductions across its OLED models – a category that normally sees fairly stable pricing across the year.

The PG32UCDMR drops from £1,249 to £799, which is a substantial £450 reduction. Other 32-inch and 27-inch ROG Strix and ROG Swift models see cuts ranging from £150 to £225, including the XG32UCWMG (£225 off), PG32UCDMZ (£200 off), XG32UCDS (£190 off) and PG27AQDP (£150 off).

A smaller, but still useful set of reductions, has been applied to ASUS networking hardware with the ROG Rapture GT-BE19000 (WiFi-7) router down by £57. The BD4 2-pack mesh kit drops £45, while the RT-BE86U, TUF-BE3600 and TUF-BE6500 see reductions between £10 and £28.

You can check out all of the ASUS Black Friday Deals on their special discounts page until 1st December.

KitGuru Says: With several component categories trending upward in Q4, these temporary reductions may suit anyone planning an upgrade or new system. Whether you’re looking at networking gear, gaming peripherals, OLED displays or a new GPU, it’s worth checking these ASUS deals while the pricing remains in place.

The post ASUS Black Friday deals are live, including £85 off a 9070 XT first appeared on KitGuru.
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Cherry to move keyboard and MX switch manufacturing out of Germany

The era of the “Made in Germany” Cherry MX switch has officially come to a close. Facing severe financial pressure, Cherry has confirmed it is ceasing all production at its headquarters in Auerbach, Germany, while simultaneously looking to sell off one of its core business divisions.

According to a report from German outlet Heise, the decision follows a net loss of over €20 million (about £17.5 million) in the first nine months of 2025 alone. To stem the bleeding, switch manufacturing will now be handled entirely by partners in China and Slovakia. The Auerbach facility will remain open, but its role will be reduced to development, logistics, and administration rather than manufacturing.

The restructuring efforts go beyond just factory locations. The board has initiated a process to sell one of its two remaining business units: either the Peripherals division (covering gaming and office devices) or the Digital Health & Solutions sector. The company intends to use the proceeds from this sale to provide the liquidity needed to focus on and stabilise the remaining division.

Considering Cherry was the company that effectively birthed the modern mechanical keyboard market, this news is quite surprising. However, since its original MX patent expired in 2014, Cherry has faced relentless competition from Asian manufacturers like Gateron and Kailh.

KitGuru says: It would be a shame to see Cherry-made peripherals go away, though its real strength always seemed to be as an OEM. 

The post Cherry to move keyboard and MX switch manufacturing out of Germany first appeared on KitGuru.
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Destiny director admits Edge of Fate expansion missed the mark

It is no secret that Destiny 2 has been having a bad year. The Edge of Fate expansion didn't land well with long-time players and did very little to bring new players on board. Now, Destiny 2's director has admitted that the expansion failed to deliver.

In a recent interview with IGN, current Destiny 2 director, Tyson Green, admitted that The Edge of Fate failed to meet expectations, both internally and amongst players. Interestingly, he also addressed how the business side of Bungie had different expectations for the game after The Final Shape.

“The Final Shape brought things to a crescendo, where it’s like a fantastic ending that tied off a lot of the threads”, Green said, before acknowledging that a “big” drop in population came immediately after, as players left after being satisfied with the ‘end' of the story in that expansion. However, he then adds that this “wasn't the plan from the business perspective”. Bungie still “want to keep making Destiny” and still has “many stories to tell in this universe”.

Those stories began with The Edge of Fate, kicking off a new ‘saga' for Destiny focused around The Nine, ethereal, godlike beings in the Destiny universe who essentially pull the strings of time and reality. Unfortunately the transition to this new era of Destiny “was not gracefully managed”.

“I think we’ve been taught a bunch of hard lessons about what our players want, and there are really two kinds of live games – those that listen to the players and respond, and those that don’t. And we don’t want to be a dead live game, we want to keep building Destiny.”

We will start to see Bungie adapting to the player base next week with the launch of the game's next major expansion, Renegades. Initially, players may be put off by the idea of Star Wars in Destiny, but based on what we've seen so far, Bungie's writers have interwoven the two series quite well, using the powers of The Nine as the conduit for this mash-up campaign that will see Guardians donning lightsabers and attempting to stop a superweapon.

KitGuru Says: Destiny 2: Renegades launches on December 2nd but don't expect all the most important changes to come all at once. Bungie has shown in the past that it can be painfully slow to implement certain features. For instance, an in-game Group Finder was announced prior to Lightfall in 2022, but didn't end up in the game until early 2024, just ahead of The Final Shape expansion.

The post Destiny director admits Edge of Fate expansion missed the mark first appeared on KitGuru.
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Remedy appears to be gearing up to reveal Control 2

Remedy has been making steady progress on the sequel to its 2019 hit action game, Control. We still don't have a release date or an official title for the sequel yet, but a new leak suggests that a reveal will be happening very soon. 

MP1st has spotted a new trademark filed for something called “Control Resonant”. The trademark is linked to Remedy despite their name not appearing on the filing, as the legal firm used is the same one used by Remedy for all of its previous trademark filings.

Remedy has been working on the sequel to Control for a few years already and is now considered to be in ‘full production'. The trademark filing suggests that a reveal for the game will be happening very soon. Considering that The Game Awards take place in early December, it is likely that the announcement happens there.

While the Control sequel may be announced at The Game Awards, we aren't expecting a 2026 release date/ After all, Alan Wake 2 only came out two years ago and the Control sequel has only been in ‘full production' since earlier this year. We would anticipate a 2027-2028 launch window for this one.

KitGuru Says: As much as I would love to see Control 2 coming out next year, I don't see it happening. Still, it will be exciting to get a teaser for what to expect. 

The post Remedy appears to be gearing up to reveal Control 2 first appeared on KitGuru.
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The KitGuru Advent Calendar is back for 2025!

We are pleased to announce that the KitGuru Advent Calendar is returning for 2025! We have yet another full month of daily giveaways lined up, starting on Monday, December 1st at 11AM GMT. 

This year we have some of our biggest prizes yet, including graphics cards, gaming monitors, peripheral bundles, SSDs and for the very first time in our advent calendar, a full gaming PC. Each day throughout December we will offer a different prize, so keep checking back at 11AM each day to see what we've got.

To enter the competition each day, you will need to visit our Facebook page. Each giveaway will have its own announcement post, asking you to answer a simple question related to the giveaway. A winner will be picked randomly the very next day and the next giveaway will be revealed. As each prize will be shipped directly by the company involved, shipping restrictions will vary each day and are out of our control. Each competition will clearly state which regions are eligible for entry, so be sure to read each competition announcement carefully.

Don’t worry about missing out, each competition will be announced here on the main website, as well as on our other social channels, including FacebookTwitterInstagram and even our YouTube Community page. All of our public pages are verified, so if you don't see a verification tick, then there is a chance that someone is trying to trick you. We will only ever contact competition winners through our verified Facebook page, we do not use any secondary accounts, send friend requests, or request that winners click on specific links to claim a prize. If you see an imposter account, please block and report it.

We’ll be back on Monday with the first competition!

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all who participate – mark your calendars for December 1st! 

The post The KitGuru Advent Calendar is back for 2025! first appeared on KitGuru.
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SplitGate 2 is returning next month after being ‘unlaunched’ last July

Back in 2022, the team at 1047 Games announced that they would be shutting down their popular Halo-like arena shooter SplitGate in order to focus work on a dedicated sequel. After years of waiting, SplitGate 2 was finally unveiled and released earlier this year in June – to a mixed reception. This ultimately led the team to taking down the game in order to focus on improvements, with plans to return in 2026. Though slightly earlier than expected, the team have now confirmed that SplitGate 2 is officially coming back before the end of the year.

Taking to their blog to discuss SplitGate 2’s final playtest, the team at 1047 Games confirmed that the arena shooter is set to make an official return next month, writing: “Since launching the beta in May, this game has majorly transformed. We started with factions and abilities, and we've rebuilt the entire foundation around what makes Splitgate special: portals, movement, and pure gunplay.”

Discussing the changes made in greater detail, the team continued, “We removed factions entirely and reimagined abilities as power-ups. We brought back classic roundless modes like King of the Hill, Domination, and Team Deathmatch. We added Classic Arena, an even-starts mode that captures the spirit of original Splitgate. We've introduced new maps, new weapons, reworked the menus, and refined systems constantly based on your feedback.”

SplitGate 1047

That’s not all however, with 1047 noting: “we've also added portal overloading and EMPs, fundamentally changing how map control works. We've streamlined equipment to improve combat clarity. We've tuned our controller feel. We've fixed critical bugs and made countless optimizations.”

While SplitGate 1 succeeded thanks to its relatively basic yet solid mechanics, the sequel suffered from 1047 Games trying to do too much, from the aforementioned faction abilities to general pacing – and of course the addition of an unwanted Battle Royale mode (alongside ridiculously overpriced cosmetics).

Much of the franchise’s goodwill was burned with the launch of SplitGate 2, and so it will be interesting to see whether this relaunch will come with much fanfare. We won’t have to wait long to find out.

KitGuru says: What did you think of SplitGate 2? How did it compare to the original? Why do you think the sequel failed? Let us know down below.

The post SplitGate 2 is returning next month after being ‘unlaunched’ last July first appeared on KitGuru.
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Sapphire Edge AI Mini PC Review (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370)

When we think of Sapphire products, we’re almost certainly thinking of good quality AMD-based graphics cards. Sure, we’ve seen some of the company's Embedded and Edge+ solutions at Computex over the years, but we've never looked too closely. The new Edge AI series could change that however, offering a tiny barebones mini PC that packs in AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with integrated Radeon 890M graphics, on sale for just £650 here in the UK. Let’s take a closer look…

00:00 Intro
00:57 Pricing and spec details
02:17 Design + first impressions
03:01 Connectivity options
03:46 Sapphire’s party trick for accessing internals
04:38 Key spec refresh + BIOS
05:20 CPU behaviour / power modes
06:08 Noise levels in the different modes
06:46 General system performance
07:03 WiFi speed investigation
08:06 AI performance, iGPU VRAM testing
09:51 Gaming test setup
10:05 Counter Strike 2
10:33 Cyberpunk 2077
10:49 COD: Black Ops 6
11:07 F1 25
11:26 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
11:44 Marvel Rivals
12:02 Thermals, thermal imaging camera
12:45 Closing thoughts

Specification:

  • Model name: SAPPHIRE EDGE AI™ 370, SAPPHIRE EDGE AI™ 350, SAPPHIRE EDGE AI™ 340
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370
  • Type: Dual Channel DDR5 SO-DIMM
  • Capacity: Supports up to 96 GB
  • Interface: Supports M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD slot
  • Expansion Slots:
    • 1 x M.2 2280 PCIe slot
    • 1 x M.2 2242 PCIe slot
    • 1 x M.2 2230 PCIe slot (default use for WLAN module; supports Wi-Fi 6e and Bluetooth 5.2)
  • Front I/O
    • 1 x Audio jack
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Type-A Gen 2
    • 1 x Power button with LED
  • Rear I/O
    • 1 x DC jack
    • 2 x HDMI 2.1
    • 2 x USB Type-C 4.0 (with PD 3.0)
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Type-A Gen 2
    • 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A Gen 2
    • 1 x RJ-45 (2.5G LAN)
  • Power:
  • Input: 19V, 6.32A
  • Adapter: 120W
  • Finish: Golden Black
  • Supported OS: Windows and Linux
  • Size (W x D x H): 117 x 111 x 30 mm
  • VESA Mount Compatibility: Yes

We don't yet have a confirmed retail links, but Sapphire told us stock will be landing at OCUK in the next few weeks. Pricing for the different models is as follows:

EDGE AI 340 – £439
EDGE AI 350 – £539
EDGE AI 370 – £649

Pros

  • Very compact chassis, under 0.4L volume.
  • Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is a strong all-round CPU.
  • Radeon 890M iGPU is capable for 1080p low settings gaming.
  • Being a barebones kit offers flexibility.
  • Dead easy to removable the magnetic top cover.
  • Spare M.2 2242 slot.
  • Up to 96GB memory is supported.
  • Good set of connectivity options.
  • BIOS allows users to adjust the memory available to the iGPU, up to 24GB.
  • Well-managed thermals.
  • Reasonable noise levels despite the compact chassis.

Cons

  • Lacks front USB-C, SD card reader and OcuLink.
  • Runs at lower power targets than Geekom's A9 Max.
  • DIY memory and storage installation won't be for everyone.
  • Plastic construction lacks the premium feel of other all-metal mini PCs.
  • WiFi 6E isn't the fastest going.

KitGuru says: If you're in the market for a new barebones mini PC, Sapphire's Edge AI series is well worth a look.

The post Sapphire Edge AI Mini PC Review (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370) first appeared on KitGuru.
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Ubisoft details the Switch 2 version of Assassin’s Creed Shadows

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to 3rd party titles. While some ports have gone above and beyond, others are barely even matching the visual quality of generations-old hardware. One publisher which has shown strong support for the Switch 2 so far is Ubisoft – with the company now fully detailing all the optimisations made for the upcoming port of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

The recent release of 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot on the Nintendo Switch 2 has been met with some controversy, with the tech analysts at Digital Foundry confirming that aside from a locked 60fps, the Switch 2 version of the decade-old game in some ways is inferior to the original release on PS3.

Whether it be as a direct result of this revelation, or simply good timing, Ubisoft have now published a blog post detailing all of the work which they have put in to make the upcoming Switch 2 version of Assassin’s Creed Shadows as close as possible to their PS5/Series X|S counter parts, writing:

“Behind the scenes, bringing such a large and detailed open world – originally developed for current-gen home consoles – to Switch 2 required one of Ubisoft's most ambitious technical undertakings to date. The result is a seamless, high-fidelity experience, whether you're playing in handheld or docked mode.”

Switch 2 Shadows

Going into specifics, Ubisoft confirmed that the Switch 2 version of Shadows will retain many of the home console features, including “the same cloud and cloth simulation systems,” a slightly lower quality “solid baked Global Illumination” (similar to the Series S version) as well as DLSS – allowing for “a sharper image, with more accurate colors, improved textures, and fewer visual anomalies” while maintaining their target of 30fps.

Of course, there will be a bunch of various nips and tucks made in order to optimise the experience (such as slight adjustments to LODs, draw distance; texture resolution NPC counts and more), but overall it seems as though Ubisoft went through the game with a fine-toothed comb in order to ensure Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels like a comparable experience on Nintendo’s latest handheld. It will be interesting to get a more in-depth comparison when the game launches on Switch 2 in early December.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Ubisoft’s support for Switch 2 so far? Are they the best 3rd party dev in this regard? Let us know down below.

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Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed Shadows won’t be getting an expansion next year

Ubisoft games typically offer a similar level of post-launch support across the board, with a majority of their titles including a Season Pass with a couple expansions alongside smaller content updates. While the team already shared their year one roadmap for Assassin’s Creed Shadows promising that there will be more to come, it appears as though plans for a year-two expansion have now been cancelled.

In an interview with the RPG-focused YouTuber JorRaptor (transcribed by IGN), Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois confirmed that September’s Claws of Awaji expansion will be the only one of its kind for AC: Shadows, stating: “As of now, at this moment for Year Two, there is no expansion on the size of Awaji that is planned.”

Explaining this decision, Comtois continued, “We're still working on content for post-launch and supporting it, but it's not a full-on DLC the way a season pass would have had in the previous years,” adding that “we're trying to re-adjust for Year Two a little bit. There's learning from Year One we can apply to Year Two. Any content we want to do in Year Two will probably be more sparse, not a drip-feed… but chunkier updates that shake things up a little more. I'm not announcing anything at this point but our strategy for Year One was to be quick and reactive, so it means smaller drops often, but for Year Two we don't need to put fires out or anything, so it's more what good, chunky little piece of meat… we can drop and have people come back and enjoy it.”

Shadows Expansion

Additional comments on their post-launch mentality with AC: Shadows can be found HERE, including discussions surrounding the game’s engine, dev time and more.

The strategy taken with Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been rather different when compared to other AC entries. Be it due to low pre-orders, series fatigue or whatever other reason, Ubisoft made major alterations to their Season Pass plans, announcing prior to the game’s release that they would be making the aforementioned Claws of Awaji expansion free for all those who pre-ordered.

Whether this is the primary reason for their change in post-release plans is unknown, but it will be interesting to see what this means for year two of Assassin’s Creed Shadows – and whether breaking away from the formula will wind up working in their favour.

KitGuru says: What do you think of AC: Shadows’ post-launch so far? Do you enjoy the typical Season Pass model of prior Assassin’s Creed titles? Let us know down below.

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Dying Light: The Beast update adds ray-tracing, NG+ and more

One of Techland’s greatest aspects is the developers’ willingness to update their games for years following their release with both small and major enhancements, features and additions. It appears as though this strategy will not be changing for Dying Light: The Beast, with the game’s first big post-launch patch bringing over 400 improvements – including ray-tracing on PC.

Making the announcement on their Steam page, the team at Techland officially detailed patch 1.4 for Dying Light: The Beast. Described as “our biggest update to date” the patch brings with it a bunch of welcome additions, including but not limited to:

  • NewGame+
    • Keep all your gear, weapons and character progression
    • Tougher enemies
    • Higher-tier loot
    • Can be repeated for even better rewards
  • Legend Levels
    • Return of the classic Dying Light end-game progression system
    • Grants Legend skill points which can be used for passive upgrades
    • Includes 22 new weapon rewards, a dozen gear pieces and more
  • Ray-tracing (PC)
    • RT Shadows
    • RT Global Illumination (lighting)
    • RT Reflections
  • 3 new finishers
  • Tons of visual, UI and performance fixes

Dying Light The Beast

As mentioned, Techland are known for supporting their games for up to a decade, with the original Dying Light from 2015 recently receiving a massive free anniversary remaster and Dying Light 2 getting its big stamina update right before the launch of The Beast.

Assuming the team are planning a similar level of support for their latest game, The Beast could very well wind up being the be(a)st entry in the Dying Light series so far.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Techland’s post-launch support? Would you prefer they tweak the game less over time? Will you be hopping into NewGame+? Let us know down below.

The post Dying Light: The Beast update adds ray-tracing, NG+ and more first appeared on KitGuru.
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Noctua confirms current coolers will support upcoming Intel LGA1954 socket

One of the recurring frustrations for PC builders is the frequency of socket changes, which often renders expensive cooling hardware obsolete or requires the sourcing of new mounting brackets. However, Noctua has quietly confirmed that owners of its current air coolers can breathe a sigh of relief regarding Intel's future platforms.

Spotted by @momomo_us (via VideoCardz), an update to the official Noctua support FAQ explicitly states that all of its CPU coolers currently compatible with LGA1700 and LGA1851 will also be compatible with Intel's upcoming LGA1954 socket. The Austrian cooling company clarified that no additional mounting components are required, as the installation process will remain identical to the existing mechanism used for the last few generations.

Remember that the LGA1954 socket is claimed to be used by Intel's “Nova Lake-S” desktop processors, which are currently expected to be released in late 2026 at the earliest.

This is welcome news, particularly given the reportedly short lifespan of the current LGA1851 socket. While that platform only recently launched with Arrow Lake, and is expected to see a refresh announced at CES in January, Intel is already working on its successor. For those who have invested in premium Noctua hardware, this confirmation ensures their coolers will remain viable well into the Nova Lake era. Hopefully, other brands will follow suit.

KitGuru says: Are you running a Noctua cooler? Do you plan to upgrade and retain the cooler you're currently using?

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Splash Damage to undergo more layoffs following split from Tencent

Splash Damage has had a rough time in recent years. The company had joined Tencent as part of the Chinese conglomerate's push into the western videogame market. After Splash Damage's promising Transformers game was cancelled earlier this year, the company took steps to split off from Tencent but unfortunately, the company's financials are still in rough shape, so further redundancies are expected.

Splash Damage is a UK-based games studio, best known for games like Brink, Dirty Bomb, Gears Tactics and more. After the cancellation of Transformers: Reactivate back in January, the company moved to split off from Tencent with the help of unnamed private equity firms. Unfortunately, with new major cash injection on the horizon from a new game release, Splash Damage is now being forced to undertake more cost-cutting measures.

As noted by Eurogamer, the last game that Splash Damage successfully shipped was Outcasters, which was an exclusive to the now defunct Google Stadia cloud gaming platform. Staff were informed of company-wide layoffs at the studio earlier this week and now, Splash Damage has released its public statement, saying:

“This was a difficult step for us to take, but we believe it is necessary so Splash Damage can remain agile and adaptable in what has been a very challenging market”.

While there will be redundancies, the company says it is “exploring every option to retain talent and making sure those affected have meaningful support throughout”.

KitGuru Says: It is a real shame that Transformers: Reactivate got cancelled. The game looked promising and likely would have been shipping in the next year or so after extensive development.

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Microsoft may finally be working on COD for Switch 2

In the lead up to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company had to fight for regulatory approvals, forcing the company to hand out 10-year agreements to the likes of Nintendo and Sony, promising that Call of Duty would be available on their respective platforms for at least ten years. So far, Call of Duty has not returned to Nintendo consoles, but new job listings hint that progress is now being made. 

As spotted by Insider Gaming, a new job listing for a Senior Technical Artist at Sledgehammer Games specifically calls for developers with “AAA mobile or Switch experience”, indicating that Microsoft is finally working on bringing future COD games to the Switch 2 console.

This is a big step for Call of Duty, as the series has had little presence on Nintendo platforms. In fact, the last COD title to release on a Nintendo console was Call of Duty: Ghosts for the Wii U, and that was all the way back in 2013.

Currently, Sledgehammer is believed to be in charge of developing COD 2027, with Infinity Ward taking the reins in 2026, presumably with a new Modern Warfare game. It is unclear if COD 2026 will skip the Switch 2 like Black Ops 7 has, but at the very least, we know that COD 2027 should be on Nintendo's console.

KitGuru Says: Do you think Call of Duty will be successful on Switch 2? If they want a shot at getting the masses to download it, they may need to do something about the file size, as the Switch 2 only has 256GB of internal storage, and some past COD titles have demanded around 200GB of storage on platforms like PC. 

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World of Warcraft: Midnight is launching a little later than expected

In recent weeks, a number of leaks have claimed that the next expansion for World of Warcraft, Midnight, will release in late February 2026. Now with the recent beta test concluded, Blizzard has announced the date officially – and it will be a week later than originally anticipated.

World of Warcraft: Midnight is officially launching on March 2nd 2026, a week later than earlier leaks had claimed. The new expansion will introduce four more levelling zones for players to explore, alongside eight dungeons, three new raids and for the very first time in WoW history, player housing.

World of Warcraft: Midnight is the second chapter of the Worldsoul Saga, taking players back to Quel’Thalas and Silvermoon City to defend the Sunwell against Xal’atath and her Devouring Host. This expansion will also introduce a new Alliance-bound race to the game, the Haranir. Demon Hunters will also get a new specialisation to spec in to.

If Blizzard keeps up its current release cadence, then the third and final part to the Worldsoul Saga, titled The Last Titan, should release around late 2027 / early 2028.

KitGuru Says: Did you jump back into WoW for The War Within? Are you looking forward to Midnight?

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