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

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

HOW TO ENTER:

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

This competition is open in the UK and EU.

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

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

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

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 1: Win an AOC Agon Pro OLED Gaming Monitor! first appeared on KitGuru.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar 2024 Announced! first appeared on KitGuru.

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

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

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

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

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

The post Riot offering up to $100,000 to find Vanguard anti-cheat bugs first appeared on KitGuru.

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

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

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

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

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

The post Lies of P studio is working on a Sci-Fi horror game first appeared on KitGuru.

Tencent has announced its latest game, Light of Motiram, promising an open-world with survival gameplay and “animal like” creatures. The issue? It looks an awful lot like Horizon Zero Dawn. 

Tencent subsidiary studio, Polaris Quest, has created its own game, clearly heavily inspired by Horizon Zero Dawn. As you can see in the comparison between the images for both games below:

Light of Motiram on the left and Horizon Zero Dawn on the right. 

Aside from the bow and arrow equipped main character and mechanical animals running around, it also has building mechanics and co-op, making it a multiplayer-focused game, versus the cinematic-campaign focus of the Horizon games.

This isn't the first time we've seen a Tencent game release with similarities to another popular IP. There are plenty of League of Legends clones, for example.

KitGuru Says: This game sneaking out ahead of Guerrilla Games' upcoming multiplayer Horizon game is sure to not go unnoticed. So far though, Sony and Tencent have not commented on the comparisons between these two games. 

The post Tencent studio’s new game looks a lot like Horizon Zero Dawn first appeared on KitGuru.

GeForce Now has cut prices for its premium tiers, so if you are between GPUs right now, or have access to decent internet but don't have a powerful gaming PC, now is a good time to subscribe. On top of that, six more games are joining the library this week. 

During this holiday period, all new GeForce NOW members can get their hands on either a Performance membership for £4.99 or an Ultimate membership for £9.99. With a Performance membership, gamers can look forward to a crisp 1440p streaming at 60FPS. The Ultimate membership features an RTX 4080 GPU and up to 4K at 120FPS or 1080p at 240FPS.

Currently, GeForce Now members can also get a 30 percent discount on SteelSeries hardware.

Here are the games joining GeForce Now this week:

• New Arc Line (New release on Steam, Nov. 26)

• MEGA MAN X DiVE Offline Demo (Steam)

• PANICORE (Steam)

• Resident Evil 7 Teaser: Beginning Hour Demo (Steam)

• Slime Rancher (Steam)

• Sumerian Six (Steam)

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, which launched via Xbox Game Pass last week, is coming to GeForce Now, but Microsoft and Nvidia are still working on bringing it over.

KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of subscribing to GeForce Now for a month to give it a try?

The post Nvidia slashes GeForce Now prices for Black Friday first appeared on KitGuru.

The launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was ambitious but did not come without issues. The latest version of the game incorporates new streaming technology. This meant that a lot of people faced problems accessing the game initially, but a patch has now fixed things up. 

Team Asobo has pushed out a new patch for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. In this update, “the distribution layer capacity has been increased”, boosting the servers to 99.9% reliability, according to the developers. With this patch, everything is now performing “as expected”.

While access and server problems have been fixed, Team Asobo is aware of some other issues. Third-party add-ons, including MSFS 2020 non-aircraft content and some other content ported over from the previous game, are causing problems and in some cases, preventing gameplay. Due to this, certain content from MSFS 2020 will be deactivated while the issue is identified.

A future update will also add the ability for users to disable and enable content on their own, which seems like a sensible move, as it allows for players to work around compatibility errors.

KitGuru Says: Have you tried the latest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator? 

The post Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 patch resolves server issues first appeared on KitGuru.

Black Friday sales are upon us and Lexar, a company that has scored highly in our recent reviews testing, has some excellent deals lined up for the next few days. Here we round up the best deals for Lexar ARES and THOR memory, as well as speedy M.2 high-capacity SSDs.

Lexar ARES RGB 6400MT/s DDR5:

This 32GB DDR5 memory kit was recently reviewed by us. This kit is one of the few to be both Intel XMP and AMD EXPO certified. In terms of technical specifications, it offers 6400MT/s memory and CL32-38-38-76 timings out of the box. You can see our full review for in-depth testing figures.

Normally this memory kit retails for over £120 but until the 2nd of December, it is discounted to £98.99, making it an ideal pick-up for someone making the jump to a DDR5-capable PC.

Lexar THOR RGB 6000MT/s DDR5:

This is another 32GB DDR5 memory kit, but it comes in at a cheaper price of £86.99. The THOR RGB DDR5 memory is also XMP and EXPO compatible and offers CL38 latency at 6000MT/s speeds.

For RGB enthusiasts, there is s sleek RGB light bar sitting over the top of a black heatsink with gold accents, inspired by the Mjolnir hammer.

Lexar PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs:

Lexar has a few high-capacity M.2 SSDs currently discounted by up to 19 percent. The biggest of which is the Lexar NQ790 4TB which is down to £205. Alternatively, there is the 2TB version, which sits at just under £108. A 1TB version can be found for just under £60. These SSDs offer read/write speeds up to 7000MB/s and 6000MB/s respectively. Better yet, they are suitable for both desktop PCs and PS5 consoles, so if you want to upgrade your console storage, one of these should be worth picking up at current prices.

There is one final SSD to mention here, the Lexar NM790, which offers read/write speeds of up to 7400MB/s and 6500MB/s respectively, with 2TB of capacity for £105. As it is a speedy PCIe 4.0 SSD with a slim heatsink, it is compatible with both desktop PCs and PS5 consoles. We previously reviewed the 4TB version of this SSD, scoring it highly for its balance of high-performance and large capacity.

All of the deals mentioned are available directly through Amazon with Prime shipping, so if you do decide to nab an upgrade during the sale, you'll have it delivered next-day.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up any new PC hardware during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales? 

The post Buyer’s Guide: Lexar DDR5 RAM and SSD Black Friday deals first appeared on KitGuru.

Samsung is reportedly looking to overtake LG with its next QD-OLED panel. Samsung Display is claimed to be producing a new QD-OLED 500Hz panel, which would beat out LG's current fastest OLED display.

According to South Korean outlet, ETNews, Samsung Display is set to debut a 500Hz QD-OLED panel in the near future. This would beat out the current fastest OLED panel on the market, which top out at 480Hz.

The first 500Hz QD-OLED monitors using Samsung's latest panels are expected in 2025, as they are said to be in the final stages of development. We could potentially see an official announcement at CES in January, where Samsung is known to show off new display technologies. For example, Samsung showed off its foldable display prototypes at CES years before the Galaxy Fold smartphone was announced.

LG will no doubt have some impressive displays at CES next year too. It is shaping up to be an interesting couple of months in the world of gaming monitors.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: How fast is your current monitor? Are you thinking of upgrading?

The post Samsung reportedly set to launch 500Hz QD-OLED displays first appeared on KitGuru.

After launching Cyberpunk 2077 in late 2020, CD Projekt Red restructured its studios to reduce crunch and even swapped out its in-house development tools for Unreal Engine technology to smooth out development of future games. Since then, the studio has also been very open about its roadmap. In the latest update, we've learned that The Witcher 4 is now in full production. 

Back in July, CD Projekt game director, Pawel Sasko, confirmed that The Witcher 4 was due to go into ‘full production' later this year. Now, as part of CDPR's Q3 earnings report, the company has confirmed that the game is now in “the most intensive phase of development”.

The game's director, Sebastian Kalemba, added a statement, saying: “With new challenges just around the corner, it’s the talented and hard-working people who make me believe we can together make the upcoming Witcher Saga a remarkable experience. No stopping now! Stay tuned for what’s on the other side of the coin.”

Currently, there are around 400 people working on the next Witcher game, making it the largest project currently going at CD Projekt Red. The company also has smaller teams working on the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, a new Witcher spin-off game, and a remake of The Witcher 1.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The production phase is the longest part of development, so it will still be a few years before the game is ready. From the sounds of it, we will continue getting updates right up to that point. 

The post CD Projekt Red enters full production on The Witcher 4 first appeared on KitGuru.

Fans were shocked to learn that Arcane Season 2 would be the finale for the show. The series garnered a ton of critical acclaim upon its debut and brought many more eyes to the League of Legends universe. While Arcane won't continue, Riot will continue producing new League of Legends shows. 

Arcane showrunner, Christian Linke, has confirmed that they are now working on three more series set in the League of Legends universe, focusing on new locations from the lore not previously explored in Arcane. Rather than focusing everything on one show, Riot is developing its own little ‘cinematic universe'.

The next League of Legends shows will be set in Noxus, the homeland of a pivotal Arcane character, Mel Meldarda. Other areas of focus will be Demacia and Ionia. These new shows will tell new stories, but there will be connections back to Arcane.

During a stream with content creator, Necrit94, Linke said: “We're really going wide, we're looking at every region and we really now have the ability to build a slate to tell many more stories – and continue some of them”.

Production on the next League series began a year ago, so there won't be a three-year wait like there was between Arcane Season 1 & 2.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I'm not a League of Legends player but Arcane was fantastic and easy for a newcomer to the lore, like me, to get into. Hopefully that remains the same for the other shows coming up. 

The post Riot to follow up Arcane with three more shows first appeared on KitGuru.

Back in 2021, former BioWare lead and director of Mass Effect, Casey Hudson, started up a new studio with the goal of creating a new AAA Sci-Fi RPG. We've been keeping a keen eye on this project ever since, but unfortunately, the studio is closing down before the game can see the light of day. 

This week, Casey Hudson announced that his studio, Humanoid Origin, will be closing down due to “an unexpected shortfall of funding”.

“Earlier today, we informed our staff that Humanoid Origin will be shutting down. Despite efforts to shield the studio from broader challenges in the industry, an unexpected shortfall of funding left us unable to sustain operations”, Hudson wrote in a statement. “We’re heartbroken that we will not be able to bring our new science-fiction universe to completion. Our main concern at this time however is for our team, and we are committed to supporting them in their transition to new employment.”

Hudson said that the team made “incredible progress” on the game, but fans will not get the chance to see what the team was cooking, unless someone leaks further details.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The games industry has widely been undergoing cost-cutting measures, making it a particularly difficult time to start up a new AAA studio. 

The post BioWare legend Casey Hudson shuts down his new studio first appeared on KitGuru.

Midway through the Xbox One generation, Microsoft launched the Xbox Avatar Editor, essentially a higher quality version of the Mii from the Nintendo Wii. However, due to low engagement, Microsoft is now shutting down the avatar editor.

Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Avatar Editor app will be shut down on January 9, 2025, due to low engagement. This means that users will no longer be able to access or edit their Xbox Avatars, and any purchased cosmetic items for the avatars will be lost. However, Microsoft will refund any money spent on avatar items between November 1, 2023, and January 9, 2025.

The shutdown only affects the newer Xbox Avatars introduced in 2018 for the Xbox One era. The original Xbox 360 Avatars, now called Xbox Original Avatars, will remain unaffected and will continue to work in supported Xbox 360 games1. These original avatars were more integrated into the Xbox 360 ecosystem, with some games allowing players to use their avatars and offering cosmetic rewards1.

Microsoft has stated that players can still personalize their gaming experience with dynamic backgrounds, profile colours, and Xbox Original Avatars on Xbox consoles and PC.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Part of the reason for the low engagement could simply be the fact that the Xbox console hasn't grown its marketshare. Those already in the ecosystem likely set up their avatar years ago and left it at that. The fact that there are no games where you can use your avatar as a character, like you could with the Mii on certain Nintendo games, could also play a factor here.

The post Microsoft is shutting down the Xbox Avatar Editor first appeared on KitGuru.

GSC Game World has been hard at work on the first patch for STALKER 2. The first update, rolling out soon, has now been detailed, with the developers targeting various progression-blocking bugs, game crashes and other adjustments, like fixes to NPC behaviour.

While STALKER 2 has a positive rating amongst Steam users, the game does have a number of issues and many reviewers have recommended waiting to pick up the game. The first patch for the game has now been detailed, and should be rolling out to PC and Xbox gamers soon, although updates will likely hit the PC version first due to validation requirements on consoles.

The new update will include the following changes:

Crash Fixes, including:

• Issues and memory allocation failures, which previously caused the game to exit unexpectedly, particularly around rendering,
• skeletal meshes, and quest-related cutscenes.

Main Quest Progression Fixes, including:

• Several bugs blocking the main quest progression, NPCs getting stuck in objects, incorrect quest markers, and issues with quest cutscenes.
• Revision of the main quests (like Visions of Truth or A Minor Incident) to ensure smooth transitions, avoiding rare cases of players not being able to proceed further.

Gameplay & Balance Adjustments, including:

• Fixing the price of the weapons with upgrades installed compared to their value without attachments.
• NPCs behavior, including the way they act when lacking a shelter during the Emissions.

Cutscenes & Visual Fixes, including:

• Rarely missing facial animations, misplaced NPCs, and visual inconsistencies like detached heads and clothes clipping.
• Quality and stability improvements of the visual effects.

Softlock Fixes, including:

• Issue where players were unable to close the trade screen after putting ammo in a wrong slot while playing on a gamepad.

User Interface Improvements, including:

• Quest notifications now showed correctly during dialogues.
• Corrected texts and missing interaction prompts.

In a future update, the team will fix issues with Analogue stick dead zones with the A-Life system.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Have any of you tried out STALKER 2 since its launch? 

The post GSC Game World details first STALKER 2 patch first appeared on KitGuru.

Cloud Imperium Games typically opens up Star Citizen a few times a year, inviting new players to check the game out for free for a few days. We're getting more than a few days this time around, with Star Citizen going free to play for nearly two weeks. 

From the 23rd of November to the 5th of December, you can install Star Citizen and jump into the game for free. This year, the developers have included a new tutorial to help new and returning players get up to speed.

This is all part of the annual Intergalactic Aerospace Expo, which invites players to test out Star Citizen and a number of the game's pricey spaceships, some of which most regular players would not be able to afford.

The event ends on the 5th of December, so if you've been wanting to see what Star Citizen is like now, 12 years into alpha development, then this is your opportunity.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Do any of you play and keep up with Star Citizen? How is the game shaping up after more than a decade in development? 

The post Star Citizen is free to play until the 5th of December first appeared on KitGuru.

A couple of months ago, Larian brought in-game modding functionality to Baldur's Gate 3, allowing mods to be used on the console versions of the game for the first time. Some of these mods can be quite comprehensive and the more mods you install, the more unstable the game can become. As a result, Larian is now limiting the number of mods that console users can install. 

In a blog post today, Larian confirmed that it will be limiting the number of mods that can be installed on the console versions of Baldur's Gate 3 to 100 on a single save. It turns out, quite a few players were starting up saves with too many mods installed, leading to unexpected problems, like crashes and slow loading times. The limit aims to ensure that those using mods on console don't go overboard and break the game.

“Unlike PC, consoles can only juggle so many files at once. The more mods you have installed, the quicker this file limit is reached. Now that some of you have been trying to play with more than 100 mods, you've been letting us know that you're experiencing slow loading times or even game crashes.”

“While we recommend only installing the mods you know you'll definitely continue playing with, to maximise stability, we're introducing a 100-mod limit for console platforms”

As far as crossplay goes, if you move a save that relies on more than 100 mods from PC to console, you will need to disable the number of active mods in order to load the save on an Xbox or PlayStation.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: How many Baldur's Gate 3 mods have you installed?

The post Larian limits mod installs for Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox and PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ended up being one of the highest-rated games of the year. While Final Fantasy 7 Remake did end up getting DLC, Square Enix won't be doing the same for Rebirth, as the company is prioritising development on the third game.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director, Naoki Hamaguchi, recently told The Daily Star that there are no plans for Rebirth DLC, as they are now focused on completing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy for fans with a Part 3.

“We definitely do hear the desire from fans, the voices out there that want that kind of thing. I understand it completely, but I think, from my perspective, what the fans really want to see the most is not necessarily DLC. They want to see the third part of the series as quickly as possible.”

As a result, Square Enix has not focused development resources on creating extra content for Rebirth, and are instead putting all efforts into Part 3. While we don't know the title for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, the story is already written and ready to go, with the developers having big plans for exploration, teasing a pilotable Airship.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Square Enix seems to be developing at a much faster rate on Final Fantasy games at the moment. With that in mind, I hope that we will see Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 land around 2027-2028.

The post Square Enix prioritising FF7 Remake Part 3 over DLC for Rebirth first appeared on KitGuru.

It looks like the Nintendo Switch generation will be coming to an end very soon in China. This week, it was announced that the Switch eShop and all other online services will shut down in the region, starting in 2026. 

Like most other game companies looking to break into the Chinese market, Nintendo partnered with Tencent to manage its services in the region. This week, it was confirmed that it will be shutting down access to the Switch eShop and other Switch Online services on the 31st of March 2026 and the 15th of May, respectively. This only impacts China, so all other regions should continue to have access to Switch online services until Nintendo itself decides to pull the plug, which likely won't be until the company's next-gen console has been on the market for a number of years.

Due to the shutdown, Tencent is giving away up to four games from a list of Nintendo Switch titles to those in China with an active WeChat account, including:

• New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
• Super Mario Party
• Mario Tennis Aces
• Yoshi’s Crafted World
• Flexible Brain School
• Dr Kawashima’s Brain Exercises
• Kirby Star Allies
• New Pokémon Snap
• Pokémon Go! Pikachu
• Pokémon Let’s Go! Eevee

Interestingly, this comes at a time when Nintendo is widely expected to announce its next-generation Switch console, often referred to online as the Switch 2. The new console should launch in 2025, although a launch in China may take a while longer.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It seems a bit soon to be talking about Switch services being closed down. Hopefully Nintendo maintains access in other territories for significantly longer. 

The post Nintendo Switch eShop and online services to shut down in China first appeared on KitGuru.

Recently, massive Japanese media company, Kadokawa, revealed that it has received a letter of intent from Sony, notifying the board of directors that a serious acquisition offer is on the table. As it turns out, this isn't the first time that Sony discussed a merger with Kadokawa. 

According to a Bloomberg report, Sony and Kadokawa have been “testing the waters” over a merger for years at this point. However, Sony has apparently expressed interest in only acquiring parts of the company up to this point, whereas Kadokawa bosses would prefer to have the whole company purchased outright.

Predictably, Sony primarily wants Kadokawa's anime and manga related assets to strengthen its position. In recent years, Sony has also acquired massive anime companies, Crunchyroll and Funimation, so acquiring Kadokawa would give them even more of a grip over the anime market.

Obviously, Sony is also interested in Kadokawa's gaming-related assets, as they are the current parent company of From Software, creators of Elden Ring and Dark Souls.

It is worth noting that Sony acquiring Kadokawa outright would be no small feat, as Kadokawa (has a higher market cap than Sony. Due to this, despite Sony's strength in the anime market, the acquisition would be unlikely to raise monopoly concerns amongst regulators.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Kadokawa isn't well known outside of Japan, but the company is absolutely massive in Japan and has seen consistent growth for over a decade. With that in mind, Kadokawa probably isn't in a rush to sell. 

The post Sony has been trying to acquire From Software parent company for years first appeared on KitGuru.

Much like Microsoft Solitaire in the early days of Windows, Balatro has achieved universal appeal with its addictive take on Poker. The game has gone on to be nominated for GOTY awards this year, and following its release on mobile platforms, it has managed to knock Minecraft out of the number one spot for the first time in years.

Minecraft held the number one spot on the iOS App Store for an impressive 1,645 days due to the game's wide mass appeal. On launch, Balatro dethroned Minecraft on iOS and Android, topping mobile app store charts.

Balatro is a poker roguelite game developed by LocalThunk. The game's rise in popularity began with its Steam release earlier this year, and it has since gained five nominations at The Game Awards. The game has players going through rounds of Poker, with special cards and boss fight conditions changing things up over the course of a run. This makes each run unique, creating an addictive gameplay loop that has players sinking hundreds of hours into the game.

Balatro managed to achieve this feat on mobile despite its high £9.99 price point. Typically, paid games don't sell that well on mobile, with AAA titles like Resident Evil and Assassin's Creed Shadows shipping just thousands of copies, compared to the millions of sales they accrue on PC and console.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I'm not much of a Poker player, but after picking up Balatro for the first time, I definitely had a hard time putting it back down. It is now a game I regularly pick up and play. Have any of you played Balatro already? Have you picked up the game on mobile since its release on iOS and Android?

The post Balatro dethrones Minecraft on mobile app stores first appeared on KitGuru.

Path of Exile 2 is set to launch into Early Access in December. The grand sequel to one of the most beloved ARPGs of all time, will kick off its early access period with a 25-hour campaign, and we have PC system requirements for those looking to jump in. 

Like the original game, Path of Exile 2 is set to be a free-to-play title. However, during the early access period, which will last six months, you will need to buy one of the early access packs, which start at around £25. Those who have spent $480 or more on the original Path of Exile will also get an invite to the early access period of Path of Exile 2.

The early access build launches on the 6th of December, with three out of its six campaign acts. After that, players will get access to a wealth of endgame content, which expands on many of the systems found in the first game. Over time, the developers will introduce League, which is Path of Exile's version of an ARPG season.

So far, the fan response to the Path of Exile 2 Early Access reveal has been universally positive. If you are planning on jumping in at launch, here are the PC system requirements:

Minimum:

• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: Intel® Core i7-7700 or AMD Ryzen 5 2500x
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960 (3GB), Intel® Arc A380, or ATI Radeon RX 470
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 100 GB available space
• Additional Notes: A GPU with at least 3GB of VRAM is required

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: Intel® Core i5-10500 or AMD Ryzen 5 3700X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2060, Intel® Arc A770, or ATI Radeon RX 5600XT
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 100 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Solid State Storage is recommended

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on jumping in to Path of Exile 2 in December? 

The post Path of Exile 2 PC system requirements and Early Access details first appeared on KitGuru.

Fallout New Vegas fans have been following the development of the Project Mojave mod for years. The ambitious mod aimed to bring New Vegas into Fallout 4, but after a few years, the original team behind it threw in the towel. A new group of modders picked up the project, retitling it “Project Mojave Revitalised”, but now, that version of the mod has also been scrapped. 

The Project Mojave mod did initially release in ‘early access' form back in 2021, which contained updated versions of four locations from New Vegas in the Fallout 4 engine, shortly after which the original team disbanded. Since then, another team, led by WolfeMan2077 on Nexus Mods, picked up the project, but that version has now been scrapped as well.

Writing on the Project Mojave Revitalised page on Nexus Mods, WolfeMan2077 confirmed that the project has come to an end. He also updated his bio on the site to say he's the “former project lead” of the mod.

Total conversion mods are often ambitious, take years of volunteer work and the majority of them don't see completion. Unfortunately for those who were looking forward to Project Mojave, this one has been added to that list. It isn't all doom and gloom though, as earlier this year we saw the launch of Fallout: London, an entirely fan-developed game set in the Fallout universe, taking place outside of the US for the first time.

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KitGuru Says: Were any of you keeping tabs on Project Mojave over the years? 

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