S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing six million players just over three months after its release. This success is particularly noteworthy given the game's tumultuous development, which was marked by numerous delays and challenges faced by Ukrainian developer GSC Game World.

The long-awaited sequel, released in November 2024, is the fourth mainline entry in the STALKER series, arriving 15 years after 2009's Call of Pripyat. Players once again step into the boots of “stalkers”, exploring the atmospheric post-apocalyptic exclusion zone surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Various updates have been released since the game launched, squashing thousands of bugs and improving AI, balancing, optimisation, and various systems.

GSC Game World expressed its gratitude to the community for its support. The game's development was fraught with difficulties, including conflict, cyberattacks, and a devastating fire, leading to multiple delays. This milestone is a testament to the team's resilience and the enduring passion of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. fans.

Players have praised the game's immersive atmosphere and gameplay, with many commenting on the feeling of returning to Pripyat. The community has also expressed excitement for the game's upcoming DLC and provided valuable feedback, including requests for a New Game Plus mode. GSC Game World previously announced it would share a content roadmap for the game, but nothing has been shown yet. While some details are still pending, this roadmap was supposed to include post-launch content, including a free PvP multiplayer mode and at least two paid DLC expansions.

KitGuru says: Have you already tried S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2? Does it stand on par with its predecessors?

The post S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has reached six million players first appeared on KitGuru.

New reports suggest that Nvidia is gearing up to announce the RTX 5060 series in the next two weeks, potentially as early as March 13th. While this date hasn't been officially confirmed, sources indicate that Nvidia has informed its board partners about the upcoming announcement.

Leaker MEGAsizeGPU has also reported that the reveal will occur within ten days, while VideoCardz points to March 13th. Nvidia has reportedly confirmed to its AIB partners that the GeForce RTX 5060 series will consist of three models: the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB, RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB, and RTX 5060 (8 GB). The availability dates have not been shared yet, but MEGAsizeGPU claimed they'll be coming out in April.

Rumours suggest that the RTX 5060 Ti will have a 180W TDP, though it's unclear whether this applies to both the 16 GB and 8 GB variants. The 5060 Ti is expected to use either the GB205 GPU, a cut-down version of the chip powering the RTX 5070, or the GB206 GPU. The latter seems to be the likely candidate for the non-Ti RTX 5060, which is rumoured to feature 8 GB of GDDR6 memory.

While previous rumors pointed toward an April launch for the RTX 5060 series, it remains to be seen whether all three models will be released simultaneously or if Nvidia will opt for a separate release.

KitGuru says: Are you planning to upgrade your GPU with one of the upcoming RTX 5060 series GPUs? If so, which one were you planning on buying?

The post Nvidia RTX 5060 launch reportedly scheduled for April first appeared on KitGuru.

Nvidia's RTX 50 series ROP issue continues. Laptop manufacturers are reportedly facing the added burden of ensuring their upcoming RTX 50-powered laptops are free from the same defect. As such, these companies are implementing additional testing measures to avoid shipping defective GPUs to customers.

This extra scrutiny comes in response to Nvidia's request to inspect RTX 50 Laptop GPUs, which, according to Heise (via VideoCardz), are believed to originate from the same production line as the affected desktop models. Moreover, the same report states that laptop manufacturers are now working extended hours to prevent complications with their upcoming laptops.

The RTX 50-powered laptops, initially unveiled at CES 2025, have faced delays, with pre-orders pushed back from late March to April. It's unclear whether laptop manufacturers will be able to meet these revised deadlines, and the delay could have broader implications, impacting production schedules for Intel, AMD, and other companies involved in the laptop supply chain.

In addition, laptop manufacturers reportedly received the final VBIOS only recently, hindering their ability to commence mass production. However, this additional testing should, at the very least, ensure that consumers don't receive laptops with compromised GPUs.

KitGuru says: Are you planning on buying an RTX 50-powered laptop, or have the delays made you change your mind?

The post Nvidia RTX 50 Laptop GPU series also affected by missing ROPs issue first appeared on KitGuru.

Endorfy has expanded its power supply lineup by introducing the Supremo FM6 1000W and Supremo FM6 850W. These new PSUs are designed to meet the demands of modern high-performance systems, offering full compliance with the latest ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards, gold-level efficiency, and quiet operation.

The Supremo FM6 1000W and 850W are built to the ATX 3.1 specification, delivering improved performance, stability, and resilience against power fluctuations compared to previous standards. Including a 12V-2×6 connector ensures full compatibility with the latest PCIe 5.1 graphics cards, eliminating the need for adapters. Traditional PCIe 8-pin connectors are also provided for wider compatibility. Both models feature fully modular cabling for clean and efficient cable management.

Both PSU models feature an 80 Plus Gold certification, guaranteeing high energy efficiency and reduced operating costs. They operate quietly and maintain low temperatures even under heavy loads, increasing longevity and reliability. High-quality Japanese capacitors ensure consistent performance and stability, even at high temperatures, making these PSUs suitable for demanding applications and operating environments.

The integrated Fluctus 120mm fan is optimised for maximum airflow and efficiency while minimising noise. This quiet fan features an FDB bearing and psychoacoustically optimised fan blades, reducing noise levels and making the sound profile more pleasing to the human ear. Moreover, Endorfy has engineered these PSUs for maximum reliability and safety, incorporating a comprehensive suite of electrical and thermal protection features. Safeguards against voltage spikes, short circuits, overloads, and overheating ensure the protection of your components.

Endorfy backs the Supremo FM6 1000W and 850W with a 10-year warranty, demonstrating its confidence in the quality and reliability of these PSUs. These PSUs are available for purchase now at €119 (850W) and €145 (1000W).

KitGuru says: For their pricing, the new Endorfy Supremo FM6 PSUs seem worth checking out if you're looking for a new PSU, especially considering their 10-year warranty.

The post Endorfy launches new 80-Plus Gold Supremo FM6 modular PSUs first appeared on KitGuru.

Early retail listings already tipped us off to a March 12th retail launch for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 9950X3D processors, but now, the company has made things official – complete with pricing details.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D processors will become available at stores starting on the 12th of March. The MSRP for these processors is set at $599 for the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and $699 for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

As the X3D in the name suggests, both of these high core-count processors utilise AMD's 3D V-Cache technology, which has proven very popular amongst gaming enthusiasts since its debut during the Ryzen 5000 generation.

Ryzen 9 9950X3D key specs include 16 cores and 32 threads, a boost clock speed of up to 5.7GHz, 144MB of cache and a 170W TDP. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D offers 12 cores and 24 threads instead.

KitGuru Says: Will you be picking up one of AMD's latest X3D processors?

The post AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D launches next week for $599, 9950X3D for $699 first appeared on KitGuru.

Lossless Scaling, a popular third-party tool for upscaling and frame generation, has just received a significant update with the release of version 3.1 Beta. This new version introduces Adaptive Frame Generation (AFG), promising smoother frame pacing.

For those unfamiliar with Lossless Scaling, it's a paid tool that offers an alternative to native upscaling and frame generation technologies like DLSS and FSR, which developers typically integrate directly into games. While DLSS and FSR generally offer superior performance and image quality due to their game-specific optimisations, Lossless Scaling caters to titles that lack native support for these technologies.

Image credit: Reddit

Lossless Scaling's latest update (via Reddit) introduces Adaptive Frame Generation, a feature designed to dynamically adjust frame generation multipliers to maintain a target framerate. Instead of generating a fixed number of frames, AFG only generates the number of frames needed to achieve an FPS target. The developer notes that with AFG, GPU load may increase, and image quality may be slightly lower than with fixed multiplier mode enabled.

This approach contrasts with Nvidia's recently released Smooth Motion technology and AMD's Fluid Motion Frames, both of which operate at the driver level and typically utilise fixed frame generation multipliers. The latter, however, will soon be updated to version 2.1, which could introduce new features.

KitGuru says: Have you ever tried Lossless Scaling? While it remains a paid tool, the ability to purchase it on Steam with the option for a refund provides a degree of reassurance for those who are curious to try it out.

The post Lossless Scaling 3.1 update introduces new Adaptive Frame Generation first appeared on KitGuru.

It looks like the wait for AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D CPUs is almost over. While AMD previously confirmed these Zen 5-based processors for a Q1 2025 release, they've remained tight-lipped about the exact launch date until now. However, AMD's Chinese store might have revealed more than it should, pointing to a release on March 12th.

The listings shared by HXL include the specifications for both CPUs, which were in line with previous reports. The 16-core Ryzen 9950X3D will feature a boost clock speed of 5.7 GHz, 144 MB of cache (L2+L3+3D V-Cache), and a 170 W TDP. The 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D has a boost clock speed of 5.5 GHz, 140 MB of cache (L2+L3+3D V-Cache), and a 120 W TDP.

Pricing information has also surfaced, though it's better to take it with a grain of salt. According to HXL, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is currently listed at 5,599 RMB (£600), which is higher than the launch price of the 7950X3D in China (5,299 RMB) and even higher than the initial price of the 9950X (4,899 RMB). However, note that this is not official pricing from AMD but rather information extracted using a third-party tool. The same tool lists a price of 4,599 RMB (£492) for the 9900X3D, 100 RMB more than the Ryzen 9 7900X3D.

AMD China has not made any official announcements regarding pricing or availability, suggesting that these listings were likely unintentional and premature.

KitGuru says: Are you waiting for the release of the Ryzen 9 9000X3D series processors? Which processor are you more inclined to get?

The post Early AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D listings point to mid-March launch first appeared on KitGuru.

Microsoft is giving its AI-powered Copilot app for Windows 11 a major makeover, shifting from a web-based approach to a fully native experience. The redesigned Copilot app, currently in preview for Windows Insiders, features a modern UI that aligns with Windows 11's design language, with enhanced visuals like mica blur effects, integrated context menus, and a streamlined sidebar for managing chat sessions.

The app's core functionality remains unchanged. Users can still engage in text chats, use Copilot Voice, and access previous conversations. However, as Windows Central notes, the redesign brings enhanced aesthetics and improved usability. Built on Microsoft's native UI framework, the new Copilot delivers faster startup times and smoother interactions, offering a more seamless and visually consistent experience.

Image credit: Windows Central

A dedicated “new chat” button and a new sidebar streamline navigation and encourage more frequent use of Copilot's AI capabilities. The update also retains other settings, such as launching Copilot at startup and activating it with the Alt+Spacebar shortcut.

This move towards a native experience follows last week's surprise release of a native Copilot app for macOS, which surprised many, considering Microsoft's historical focus on the Windows ecosystem. As things stand, it seems Microsoft is embracing a new strategy that focuses on providing a more consistent Copilot experience across different operating systems. The preview version (1.25023.106.0) is available through the Microsoft Store, and Windows Insiders are encouraged to explore the redesigned app and provide feedback. A public release is expected, but a release date hasn't been shared yet.

KitGuru says: Do you use the Copilot app on Windows 11? Do you think these improvements will drive more users to use Copilot?

The post Windows 11 is getting a redesigned Copilot app first appeared on KitGuru.

Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us is set to premiere in just over a month’s time on the 13th of April. In anticipation of this, Sony has now announced a Last of Us themed PS5 DualSense controller – available just in time for the impending influx of new fans.

Making the announcement on the PlayStation Blog, The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog Graphic Designer Megan Mehran wrote:

“We were excited by the chance to memorialize The Last of Us franchise in a controller that fans and our own team would love. We wanted to ensure that both installments of The Last of Us are represented, via trophy icons printed in black gloss across the controller body.”

They continued, “Among the trophies, three particular images will immediately stand out for TLOU fans: The firefly, moth, and wolf. Players will recognize the Fireflies’ iconic spray-painted logo that originated in Part I, while the moth and wolf represent the intertwining lives and duality between Ellie and Abby in Part II.“

Set to launch on the 10th of April, the controller will be a limited edition release and as such will be slightly more costly than the standard DualSense – going for £74.99 instead of £64.99 (or £69.99 for more exciting colour variants).

With The Last of Us Part II coming to PC on the 3rd of April; the DualSense on the 10th and episode 1 of Season 2 on the 13th, TLOU fans will have plenty to enjoy next month.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the design? Is it to your liking? How does it compare to the Last of Us DualShock 4? Let us know down below.

The post Limited edition The Last of Us DualSense controller announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Regular readers of Kitguru will have seen news we published yesterday regarding dutch retailer Your Game Specialist (HERE). Today we wanted to follow up on this story after we received multiple emails from unhappy customers of the same etailer overnight. Right now, we are working our way through the emails showing screenshots and communications with the etailer and while we need to be careful what we publish from a legal standpoint I felt it was worth addressing some potential concerns I have based on what has happened so far.

We all know that Nvidia RTX 50 pricing has been very high, that is when stock is actually available. This is not exclusive to the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, it is a global issue.

Any company quoting an ‘MSRP' will argue that pricing is not their concern after all this (conveniently) is just a ‘Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price'. In reality this means that if stock is low and demand is high – any etailer can charge whatever they want, if people are willing to pay to get the product. Any etailer will be happy maximising their profit margins for an in-demand product. Sometimes I feel this is killing the industry that means so much to us all, but that is a discussion for another day.

While I could turn this editorial into a detailed piece on pricing and concerns, especially some of the prices we have seen in the United Kingdom for Nvidia partner RTX 5090 cards, I wanted to focus on something important as I feel could impact a lot of people.

After we received a lot of confirmed confidential information from one of our readers Ben detailing his experiences with (uwgamespecialist.nl) – and possible RTX 5090 ‘recalls' after their customer support team quoted ‘fire hazards' – we felt this was worth a story and further analysis.

This retailer told Ben, (a customer who spent 3399 euros in January on a custom MSI RTX 5090 GPU) that all 5 of their samples were recalled “Nvidia has recalled a large number of video cards due to various safety issues. We currently have five units of this model in stock, but they all have to be returned due to an increased fire hazard. In this situation, we do not give priority to anyone; all customers are treated equally based on the ranking when pre-ordering or ordering the video cards.”

Nvidia got in contact with me later claiming to know nothing about this recall and MSI said their custom card had not been recalled. I then spoke to uwgamespecialist CEO Jeroen Vukkink directly in email and he retracted the claims one of his customer support staff made in email to customer Ben. KitGuru then published a follow up story last night which detailed the latest experiences. In this updated editorial I ensured that people could reach out to me directly at allan (at) kitguru.net if they were experiencing any issues with the same, or any other etailer. That offer is still open.

It was rather telling at this point that Ben emailed me to say that uwgamespecialist got in touch with him claiming he would now in fact get his RTX 5090 next week. At least our story hopefully pushed this etailer to get this customer his very expensive graphics card – but why should this be needed?

I then went to bed.

I woke early this morning to several emails from other customers of uwgamespecialist.nl who said they bought RTX 5090 cards around the same time as Ben and still were waiting on shipment. They sent me some emails of communications and one of the customers called Jaap reached out to me to explain that while he paid for his MSI card in January (3399 euros same as Ben) – he had not yet received it, after being told he would get it in February.

So far this doesn't seem like much of a story update, however this is when it gets interesting.

Jaap also sent me screenshots of the card being sold on the uwgamespecialist.nl website in March – showing stock available now of the exact same MSI RTX 5090 32G Suprim SOC at a much higher price of 3999 euros.

Both Ben and Jaap have subsequent order numbers of #8004 and #8005 and while Ben said uwgamespecialist.nl emailed him yesterday to say his card would be shipping soon, Jaap has had no email. We have other customers claiming their cards have not shipped yet either even though stock has shown on the company's website at higher prices from time to time.

This raises multiple concerns for me, because while I appreciate that an etailer wants to make as much money as possible, is it ethical to take customers money at 3399 euros, make them wait for an indefinite period of time, get stock available of the exact same card, and then sell it to someone else for 3999 euros? Should the customers who paid 3399 euros in January not get the cards first?

Of course they should.

Is this etailer telling customers that the cards they ordered are showing in stock but they have to be ‘recalled as a fire hazard' because they are selling them to other people?

We wonder if this is becoming a more common practise now with etailers, but we hope this issue is isolated. I would advise any reader seeing this story to keep tabs on the website of the etailer if you are waiting for an ‘in demand' product such as an RTX 5090. If you see it in stock at a higher price while your card has not shipped then you need to take action. Take a screenshot with a time stamp in the image and save it. Contact the etailer and issue a complaint, keep all the emails and if you run into issues, then let me know. These kind of shady practices need to stop.

We would hate to think that taking money from a customer for an in-stock product and withholding it to sell at a higher price is a common practise, but it has certainly raised some concerns for us recently. While this kind of practise is likely not just related to RTX 50 graphics cards, we have a lot of correspondence from readers highlighting that this seems to be a specific problem right now. Likely due to the margins.

If you are in the Netherlands it might be worth checking out customer feedback for uwgamespecialist.nl on this page.

MSI have been quick to distance themselves from this etailer and sent us a public statement over HERE

KitGuru says: Are you waiting on a graphics card for a long time now after an etailer has taken your money? If so, be sure to check the website you bought it from to see if the card is back in stock, and at a higher price. if it is, then take action. Stand up for your rights as a consumer. If you run into problems then email me directly – allan(at)kitguru.net

The post Bought an RTX 5090? – be aware of etailer ‘price hiking stock scams’ first appeared on KitGuru.

Following on from yesterday's report about a Dutch retailer informing customers of an MSI RTX 5090 recall, MSI has responded, denying that any recall is in progress and sharing a list of authorised resellers.

Here is the statement in full:

“We had the unpleasant surprise of learning on 03/06/2025, through an article on the Kitguru website, that a Dutch retailer—UW GAME SPECIALIST [https://uwgamespecialist.nl/]—allegedly informed a customer that they were unable to fulfill their order because 5 Geforce RTX 5090 32G Suprim SOC from our brand had supposedly been recalled due to a fire hazard. With this statement, we would like to make it clear that these allegations are absolutely false, that no recall program is in progress, and that our products present no such risk. Furthermore, we would like to specify that this retailer is not one of MSI’s partners, and we do not work with them. We reserve the right to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible for these highly defamatory allegations, which harm our brand’s reputation, as well as against anyone contributing to their dissemination”.

Below is a list of authorised MSI resellers offering GPUs throughout the Benelux region:

• Megekko
• Azerty
• Alternate NL
• Alternate BE
• SHS
• CPS
• PDC
• Bol
• Coolblue
• Copaco

KitGuru Says: If you are looking to buy an RTX 5090, make sure you check the list of authorised etailers. Above, you can find the list of MSI's authorised resale partners. 

The post MSI denies claim of RTX 5090 Suprim recall first appeared on KitGuru.

Each month, those who are subscribed to Amazon Prime are able to acquire a wide range of ‘free’ games as part of the company’s Prime Gaming initiative. Over the course of March, subscribers will be able to claim 20 different titles, including but not limited to Mafia II; Saints Row: The Third and Mortal Shell.

Available as a staggered release throughout the month, March’s Prime Gaming offerings range from AAA open world titles to small indies, with the following games being added:

Available Now:

• Saints Row: The Third Remastered [GOG Code]
• Mafia II: Definitive Edition [GOG Code]
• Crime Boss: Rockay City [Epic Games]
• Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master [Amazon]

Arriving on the 13th of March:

• Wall World [Amazon]
• Syberia: The World Before [GOG Code]
• Endling — Extinction is Forever [Amazon]
• Dark Deity: Complete Edition [GOG Code]
• Beholder 3 [Amazon]

Available on the 20th:

• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood [Microsoft Store]
• Mutazione [GOG Code]
• Figment 2: Creed Valley[Amazon]
• Legacy of Kain: Defiance [GOG Code]
• Mortal Shell [Epic Games]

Dropping on the 27th of March:

• The Forgotten City [Amazon]
• Deus Ex: Invisible War [GOG Code]
• Session: Skate Sim [Epic Games]
• Let's Build A Zoo [Epic Games]
• Gamedec — Definitive Edition [GOG Code]
• The Wisbey Mystery

While it would be preferable that all of the games given away were made available through a single platform, it is still welcome to see Amazon continuing to give subscribers a massive pool of titles to obtain and play every single month.

KitGuru says: Are you subscribed to Amazon Prime? Do you like the current system or would you rather they offer fewer-but-higher-quality games? Let us know down below.

The post March’s free Prime Gaming line-up includes Saints Row: The Third and much more first appeared on KitGuru.

Nacon recently held its Connect showcase where the publisher announced and detailed a ton of titles, both known and unknown quantities. One of the most exciting games to come from the showcase was the unveiling of RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business; a standalone expansion launching this Summer.

Making the announcement during the Nacon Connect Showcase, RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is a standalone expansion for the 2023 cult-hit FPS which is set to introduce a bunch of new additions including weapons; special missions; finishing moves and more.

The aforementioned missions will be of particular interest to long-time fans of the franchise, allowing you to “play as Alex Murphy for the first time in a video game” through “intense flashbacks.”

Neither a price nor release date was given for the expansion, though we do know it will launch sometime this Summer – and given the base game costs
£44.99 the expansion should hopefully be a little bit less.

The description for Unfinished Business reads as follows: “OCP’s latest project, OmniTower, a massive complex built for the residents of Old Detroit has been seized by a group of highly trained mercenaries who shoot first and ask questions… well never.”

KitGuru says: Did you watch the Nacon Connect showcase live? What was your favourite announcement? What aspect of the base game would you like to see them build upon with this standalone expansion? Let us know down below.

The post RoboCop: Rogue City gets standalone expansion ‘Unfinished Business‘ first appeared on KitGuru.

The First Descendant launched last year to an influx of players thanks to its free-to-play nature and looter-shooter mechanics. Though the game did receive some criticism for its monetisation methods, publisher Nexon has promised to support the title despite its dwindling player base. Unfortunately for last-gen players however, the updates are set to cease in just a few months.

Making the announcement during their recent developer livestream, the team at Nexon revealed that the PS4 and Xbox One versions of The First Descendant will soon be discontinued.

Following an official in-game notice planned for the 20th of March, come the 19th of June The First Descendant will be delisted from digital storefronts and no longer playable – a fate common to many live-service titles.

Of course, The First Descendant isn’t going anywhere yet, with the team claiming that this shake-up is in order to allow for bigger updates with greater scope, saying (as translated by TheGamer):

“Since season 3 is a ‘mega season' update for us, we wanted to focus our development team on increasing player satisfaction.”

While the PS4 and Xbox One have been clinging on for dear life for years now, this particular situation is somewhat odd as it comes less than a year on from the game’s initial release.

At the very least, thanks to cross-save, those who do want to keep playing The First Descendant will be able to pick right back up where they left off on a more modern system.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the announcement? Are you surprised to see it discontinued so soon? Could better updates bring more players back? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Last-gen versions of The First Descendant to be delisted in June first appeared on KitGuru.

Earlier today, a KitGuru reader reached out to us to let us know about a rather bold claim from a retailer based in the Netherlands. Our reader Ben, who spent €3399 on an MSI RTX 5090 Suprim more than a month ago, was informed by the store that they would not receive their graphics card anytime soon due to a ‘product recall'. Specifically, the claim was made that Nvidia had recalled a number of RTX 5090 graphics cards due to a potential fire hazard. Naturally, this piqued our interest, so we began getting in touch with our industry contacts to find out what was going on – MSI claimed to know nothing about the issue. We also reached out to Nvidia to get a statement.

To be clear, a product recall is a very serious claim and is usually a last resort in response to a very severe safety issue and public announcement is a requirement of any recall, for any product. We were surprised to see the message claiming that a product recall had been issued, as nothing had been announced publicly and our board partners and UK retail contacts had not heard anything about this.

Here is what the retailer email told Ben, their customer, translated from Dutch to English: “Nvidia has recalled a large number of video cards due to various safety issues. We currently have five units of this model in stock, but they all have to be returned due to an increased fire hazard. In this situation, we do not give priority to anyone; all customers are treated equally based on the ranking when pre-ordering or ordering the video cards.”

We got in touch with Jeroen Vukkink, CEO of the retail outlet Your Game Specialist, based in The Netherlands to find out exactly what was going on. When I detailed the email that Ben had received from customer service representative Robbe detailing a ‘fire hazard recall' it appeared that the CEO was not aware of this email and it ‘could not be found in our system'.

Obviously the images above could be faked, but Ben not only sent us the original email he received from uwgamespecialist, but also details of the payment to the company for the graphics card. CEO Jeroen at this stage did confirm that Ben was in fact a customer who did purchase an MSI Geforce RTX 5090 32G Suprim SOC for 3,399.00 euros on the 30th of January 2025. Ben confirmed with us the money was taken from his bank account more than a month ago and showed us images.  This completely validated Ben's side of the story. He still has not received the RTX5090 – as it was claimed 5 in stock were ‘recalled'. What on earth was going on?

After a little back and forth in email Jeroen claimed that ‘is correct that the customer purchased this MSI RTX 5090, and there are no issues with the card. We will further investigate the emails and see what we can find. However, these emails are private, and at this stage, it appears to be a miscommunication.'

Our last email from Kitguru Editor In Chief Allan Campbell, said ‘We will update our story now. However I would consider telling a customer that 5x MSI RTX5090 cards returned due to a fire hazard recall is a little more serious than a simple 'email miscommunication'.

Jeroen ended the email chain stating they would be thoroughly investigating this matter and apologised for the situation. Ben has since emailed us tonight to say he will be getting his MSI RTX5090 next week which seems fortuitous. We asked Ben to let us know if he doesn't receive the card.

As of right now, there is no product recall on RTX 50 graphics cards, and the retail outlet has retracted the claim made by their customer service representative. We can't (legally) speculate on why this happened, but further investigation is taking place according to Jeroen. We will likely not get any update on exactly what happened internally at https://uwgamespecialist.nl/

We should also note that this situation is completely separate to the issue with defective GPUs going out to customers with missing ROPs. It also has nothing to do with earlier reports of RTX 5090 connectors melting due to overloading cables – an issue that so far, has impacted very few RTX 50 GPU buyers.

KitGuru Says: At the end of the day, KitGuru is here to support the enthusiast hardware audience. We would never want to see one of our readers getting ripped off and if we can help by leveraging our own reach – we absolutely will. Be sure to contact our editor in chief allan(at)kitguru.net if you need any help.

The post Dutch Retailer talks to Kitguru and retracts ‘RTX 5090 recall’ claim first appeared on KitGuru.

Samsung has been showcasing its foldable display technology at events like CES for over a decade, long before the first foldable smartphones hit the market in 2018. Now, Samsung looks to be showcasing a new use for this technology, with a prototype foldable handheld games console. 

What if the Nintendo Switch could fold in half? I'm sure none of you have asked yourself that question but the team at Samsung certainly has. At Mobile World Congress this week, Samsung began showing off its new concept device – the Samsung Flex Gaming.

The Samsung Flex Gaming uses foldable OLED screen, so you can snap it shut to fit into your pocket, and then unfold it for a full picture while gaming. The design honestly reminds me a little of the Gameboy Advance SP, but with the ability to fold out into the size of a standard Gameboy Advance with more convenient controls at the sides.

Whether or not Samsung ever releases this device still remains to be seen. While Samsung doesn't have the biggest presence in the gaming market, its Odyssey gaming monitors have become quite popular in recent years and the company has embarked on a number of mobile gaming initiatives, including a partnership with Microsoft for Xbox Cloud Gaming.

KitGuru Says: What do you all think of the Samsung Flex Gaming? Would you like to see gaming handhelds evolve into this form factor? 

The post Samsung is now prototyping foldable gaming handhelds first appeared on KitGuru.

When Microsoft first launched the Xbox Series X/S consoles, it also introduced an option for customers to pay a smartphone-style monthly contract to obtain the console and two years of Game Pass for a monthly fee, rather than buying the console outright. Now, Sony has also adopted this idea for PS5, PS5 Pro, PS VR2, PS Portal and other products. 

On the PS Direct UK website, Sony now offers the option to ‘lease' a console. Depending on the product chosen, the monthly fee could be as low as £6.50 or as high as £20.

Those opting for this can choose between a 12-month, 24-month or 36-month contract. Below you can find the full list of products and the starting monthly price for each:

• DualSense Wireless Edge Controller – starts at £7.99 per month
• PlayStation Portal Remote Player – starts at £6.49 per month
• PS5 Digital Edition console – starts at £10.99 per month
• PS5 Slim – Starts at £11.99 per month
• PS5 Digital Edition with Two DualSense controllers – starts at £13.49 per month
• PlayStation VR2 headset – starts at £18.49 per month
• PlayStation VR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle – starts at £19.99 per month
• PlayStation 5 Pro console – starts at £18.95 per month

While Microsoft received some online criticism for doing this back in 2020, it is also worth noting that the leased consoles did sell out pretty quickly. I expect that with Grand Theft Auto 6 coming out this year, PlayStation will see quite a bit of interest for this too.

KitGuru Says: Obviously, I wouldn't recommend anyone ‘rent' a console, but the option is now there. Console makers have been trying to garner the same level of repeated revenue as smartphones for quite some time, so to see a literal console contract system is not too surprising and could lead to more frequent generational upgrades in line with the graphics card and CPU market. 

The post Sony now offers PS5 consoles, controllers and VR headsets on monthly contract first appeared on KitGuru.

Recent evidence shows that the PlayStation Store has been updated with a hidden listing for the Gears of War Collection. Typically, these PSN Store backend leaks are legitimate, so it appears that after a decade of appearing in rumours, the Gears Trilogy will finally return in remastered form. 

As reported by Detective Seeds, the Gears of War Collection has now appeared on the PlayStation Store backend, revealing an apparent mid-August release date. The collection will include the three original Gears of War games, giving fans a chance to catch up and relive the story ahead of next year's prequel, Gears of War E-Day, featuring a much younger Marcus Fenix fighting in the first locust invasion, before being popped in a cell, leading directly into the events of the original Gears of War.

According to Jez Corden, fans should not expect multiplayer to be part of this collection. While the Gears of War PvP and Horde modes have always been popular, for this release, Microsoft appears to be focused purely on the campaign and bringing the trilogy to new players who never owned an Xbox 360 or Xbox One console.

With this collection set to arrive later this year, Microsoft will have more time to polish up Gears E-Day for 2026, although some rumours have suggested that the prequel could also potentially arrive this year.

KitGuru Says: The Gears of War trilogy is incredible and will be well worth playing for anyone who never got to experience it before. Hopefully this collection spruces up the graphics a bit though, rather than just delivering a resolution and frame rate bump. 

The post Gears of War collection leaks via PSN first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD's RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 graphics cards officially hit store shelves today but it appears that demand is astronomically high. Due to the sheer number of people trying to buy one of these graphics cards, OCUK has had to put a queue system in place just to access the storefront. 

Currently if you go to the OverclockersUK website, you will be placed in a queue due to “high volume of traffic”. For an idea of how high demand is, I've been sat in the queue to get onto the store for around 30 minutes at the time of publishing and my wait time just shot up from two minutes to an hour and 30 minutes – chances are, there'll be no graphics cards left by the time I am able to get onto the store to assess the pricing situation.

Alternatively, you can get straight onto the SCAN UK store and find RX 9070 XT graphics cards available. However, they are all going for well above the £599 MSRP set by AMD. The closest we can find in stock is a Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming GPU at £570, but from there, prices for other models shoot up to £670 and some models are going for more than £700.

We have had better luck on Scan with the standard RX 9070, with several PowerColor listings to be found around the £525 mark, but other models are going for over £600, which puts it well into RX 9070 XT pricing territory. Be sure to double check you are ordering the correct version, as we would hate for any readers to spend £100 over MSRP just to get the standard, non-XT version of this GPU.

KitGuru Says: Have you been looking to pick up an RX 9070 graphics card today? What do you think of the pricing situation, and have you had any luck placing an order? 

The post AMD RX 9070 prices rise to over £600, over £700 for RX 9070 XT models first appeared on KitGuru.

UPDATE: Your Game Specialist has retracted the claim that Nvidia has issued an RTX 5090 recall. The customer who was told that they could not receive their graphics card due to the recall is now getting their unit next week and the retail outlet is conducting an internal investigation. The new story can be found HERE. 

UPDATE 2: MSI has responded, here is their statement in full: 

Here is the statement in full:

“We had the unpleasant surprise of learning on 03/06/2025, through an article on the Kitguru website, that a Dutch retailer—UW GAME SPECIALIST [https://uwgamespecialist.nl/]—allegedly informed a customer that they were unable to fulfill their order because 5 Geforce RTX 5090 32G Suprim SOC from our brand had supposedly been recalled due to a fire hazard. With this statement, we would like to make it clear that these allegations are absolutely false, that no recall program is in progress, and that our products present no such risk. Furthermore, we would like to specify that this retailer is not one of MSI’s partners, and we do not work with them. We reserve the right to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible for these highly defamatory allegations, which harm our brand’s reputation, as well as against anyone contributing to their dissemination”.

Below is a list of authorised MSI resellers offering GPUs throughout the Benelux region:

• Megekko
• Azerty
• Alternate NL
• Alternate BE
• SHS
• CPS
• PDC
• Bol
• Coolblue
• Copaco

There have already been a few RTX 5090 graphics cards sold only to burn out due to the amount of power going through the 12V-2×6 power connector. When this happened with the first RTX 4090 graphics cards two years ago, the issue was primarily pinned on user error due to the power cable not being pushed all the way in. However, this time around, it may not have anything to do with the user at all, as we have received reports of a recall in direct relation to a potential fire hazard.

Your Game Specialist, a retailer in the Netherlands, has emailed customers stating that “Nvidia has recalled a large number of video cards due to various safety issues”. One of our YouTube channel viewers reached out to us to supply us with a copy of the email along with proof of their RTX 5090 order. This viewer specifically ordered an MSI RTX 5090 Suprim graphics card.

Here is what the retailer email said, translated from Dutch to English: “Nvidia has recalled a large number of video cards due to various safety issues. We currently have five units of this model in stock, but they all have to be returned due to an increased fire hazard. In this situation, we do not give priority to anyone; all customers are treated equally based on the ranking when pre-ordering or ordering the video cards.”

 

 

Based on the email, the recall in question appears to have more to do with fire hazard concerns rather than the other situation currently going around – defective GPUs with missing ROPs, hampering performance by double digit percentage points.

The confusing part to us is, there have been no announcements and nobody we've spoken to has been made aware of any recall plans. We reached out to one of our contacts at MSI, but they did not have any information on the apparent recall. Nvidia has also not made any public announcement about a recall at this stage. In a conversation with a representative for UK retailer SCAN, we learned that there has been no recall announcement for the UK at this point in time. With that in mind, we also have to wonder if Your Game Specialist was mistaken.

We should also note that this situation is completely separate to the issue with defective GPUs going out to customers with missing ROPs. It also has nothing to do with earlier reports of RTX 5090 connectors melting due to overloading cables – an issue that so far, has impacted very few RTX 50 GPU buyers.

KitGuru Says: Have you managed to grab an RTX 50 series graphics card already? Have you faced any issues with yours so far?

The post UPDATED: Retailer claims Nvidia is recalling ‘large number’ of RTX 5090 graphics cards first appeared on KitGuru.

Apple has refreshed its popular MacBook Air lineup, bringing a welcome performance boost, a fresh new colour option, and an improved camera to its ultra-portable laptops. While the overall design remains unchanged, these key updates enhance the MacBook Air's capabilities and appeal.

The most significant upgrade lies under the hood. The new MacBook Air models are now powered by Apple's latest M4 processor, which debuted last year in the iMac and Mac mini. This powerful chip boasts ten CPU cores and eight or ten GPU cores. Apple claims the M4 delivers significant performance gains over the previous M1 models, with up to 1.6 times faster performance in Excel, 2 times faster in iMovie, and 2 times faster in Adobe Photoshop.

Beyond raw performance, the M4 chip also enables enhanced external display support. The new MacBook Air can now drive up to two 6K external monitors at 60Hz, a significant upgrade from its predecessor's single external display support. Adding a touch of style, Apple has introduced a blue colour option for the MacBook Air.

The front-facing camera also gets an upgrade. The new MacBook Air models now feature an improved 12MP camera, also found in the latest MacBook Pro models. Its ultra-wide focal length enables features like Center Stage, which keeps you centered in the frame as you move around, and Desk View, which captures both you and a perspective-corrected view of your desk.

Besides these updates, the 2025 MacBook Air retains its predecessor's sleek design and features, including the display, keyboard and trackpad, RAM and storage options, speakers, and microphone array. The battery has seen a slight increase in capacity, from 52.6Wh to 53.8Wh, but battery life estimates remain unchanged. The updated MacBook Air with the M4 chip is available in 13-inch and 15-inch configurations, starting at £999/$999/€1249 and £1199/$1199/€1549, respectively.

KitGuru says: Given their specs and price, the new Air laptops sure look worth considering if you're on the market for a new MacBook.

The post Apple introduces M4-powered Macbook Air first appeared on KitGuru.

While they are known best for bundling a bunch of games into one relatively cheap package, Humble Games has been increasingly stepping into the publishing space over the past many years (despite some controversial lay-offs). Gearing up for its next major event, the Humble Games Showcase has now been announced – set to go live on the 12th of March.

As reported by Gematsu, Humble have announced their next ‘Humble Games Showcase’. Set to go live on the 12th of March at 5PM UK time, the stream will be hosted on YouTube and will include a pre-show featuring the likes of Akupara Games, Alawar, and more.

Following this will be the main event, which according to Humble will include both new and previously-announced games, including:

• “New reveals from Lost Skies and Monaco 2
• An exciting new reveal from upcoming 2.5D JRPG Threads of Time
• Updates from the recently released On Your Tail and Wizard of Legend II
• A toe-tapping new look at Billie Bust Up
• Two never-before-seen world premieres
• And more!”

As mentioned, Humble Games have suffered from a number of controversies in recent months, with the publisher greatly restructuring itself last year due to “challenging economic times for indie game publishing” – leading to a bunch of lay-offs.

While this remains a bit of a stain on the company’s reputation, it will still be interesting to see what the publisher has planned for the upcoming showcase, and what exactly these two surprise world premieres will be.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the Games Showcase? Which of the announced games are you most excited to see? Let us know down below.

The post Humble announces upcoming games showcase first appeared on KitGuru.

Nvidia and AMD have launched their new graphics cards and we are all set for gaming in 2025, however there have been some shocks along the way. Naturally we expected Nvidia would soak us for a fortune but who would have predicted that Nvidia RTX 50-series would turn out to be an utter disaster? Or that AMD RX 9070 XT looks good? Wow!

00:00 Start
01:19 Unboxing
03:00 The GPU
03:45 The power connectors
06:20 Reasons why
06:35 Missing ROPS – Nvidia reply
08:15 Decision was made easy for Leo

I was so confident that Nvidia's new GPUs would be great that I placed my order for an RTX 5080 Founders Edition before Jensen took to the CES stage for his keynote address, and by the time he finsihed speaking I knew I had made the correct decision. By contrast AMD mucked things up by delaying their launch of RX 9070 XT and that made me sad.

Once the Nvidia reviews started to flow I had to rethink my position. Nvidia 50-series delivered less performance than I expected, despite the huge power draw, and we had reports of melting 12V 2×6 power connectors and chips that were missing ROPs. In the blink of an eye I cancelled my unfulfilled order – availability of Nvidia graphics sucks, hard – and ordered a PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil 16GB Limited Edition instead.

KitGuru says: Nvidia has run into a series of problems with RTX 50-series while AMD RX 9070 XT looks like a winner

The post Goodbye Nvidia, Hello AMD – Leo buys PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil Limited Edition first appeared on KitGuru.

When The Last of Us released in 2013, it offered a highly emotional and compelling story which managed to stand on its own as a great experience, but also left room for a potential sequel. Of course, a sequel would come in the form of TLOU Part II in 2020. While the team at Naughty Dog have expressed interest in doing a 3rd title, game director Neil Druckmann has now told fans “Don't bet on there being more of Last of Us.”

Ahead of the upcoming Season 2 premiere of HBO’s The Last of Us, game director Neil Druckmann sat down with Variety to discuss all manner of topics.

When asked about “the long-whispered possibility of The Last of Us Part III” Druckmann offered a rather surprising response:

“I was waiting for this question. I guess the only thing I would say is don't bet on there being more of ‘Last of Us.' This could be it.”

Just as with the original game, TLOU Part II works well as the end of Joel and Ellie’s story should no more games in the series be made. That said, as we saw with Part II, the world of The Last of Us holds a great deal of potential and so could totally see further entries made if they so desired.

However, with game development taking longer and longer with each passing generation – and Naughty Dog now being able to flex their TLOU muscles with the show, it’s possible that Druckmann and co. feel as though they have done as much as they wish to with The Last of Us for the time being. We will have to wait and see.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Part II? Does the game lend itself to more stories in the future? What would you like to see from a potential 3rd TLOU? Let us know down below.

The post “Don’t bet on there being more of Last of Us” claims Neil Druckmann first appeared on KitGuru.

It seems as though the Until Dawn series is slowly becoming a bit of a cursed IP, with any and all who touch the project suffering from lay-offs. Following the release of the Until Dawn remake last year, Ballistic Moon – the team behind the project – have now reportedly been “effectively closed.”

In a report by known leakers insider-gaming, the publication revealed that Ballistic Moon Studios – the team behind last year’s Until Dawn Remake – are now little more than a skeleton crew, with sources claiming:

“People are sharing bugs they've found in the game to make the team aware but there is no one working on patch support for the game anymore. The studio has effectively closed now.”

According to the sources, all that remains from Ballistic Moon are the studio founders and “possibly” a handful of employees “at most.”

In terms of why things panned out the way they have, the studio was said to have been pitching projects while looking for funding – but unfortunately nothing managed to stick.

Given the fact that the Until Dawn remake was the first project from Ballistic Moon (a studio founded by ex-Supermassive Games devs), the current state of the studio is unfortunate to see. Hopefully the team are able to build themselves back up (though given the volatility of the industry this seems unlikely).

KitGuru says: Are you surprised by the news? Did you have high hopes for Ballistic Moon? Is the Until Dawn IP dead and buried at this point, or can the upcoming film save it? Let us know down below.

The post Until Dawn Remake studio Ballistic Moon has “effectively closed” according to reports first appeared on KitGuru.

DRM is the bane of many PC players, with DENUVO being the most famous (or infamous). While almost all games with DRM eventually get cracked by fans, developers have begun taking it into their own hands, patching the DRM out soon after launch. While it took a bit longer than usual, Square Enix has now removed Denuvo from a number of its games – including Final Fantasy XVI.

As discovered by ResetEra user ‘nsilvias’ the Steamdb pages for both Final Fantasy XVI and Visions of Mana have been updated highlighting the removal of Denuvo from both titles.

Based on the timing of its removal, it appears as though the publisher had a 6 months deal with Denuvo, and so now following its expiration the controversial software has been removed.

For the uninitiated, major video game releases are typically front loaded sales-wise, with a large portion of the game’s revenue being amassed from pre-orders and day-one sales – leading publishers to feel as though they need to protect these early sales through the likes of DENUVO.

DENUVO in particular has historically been the cause of many issues, both performance and graphics related and so its removal only serves to benefit the gaming experience overall.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you that bothered by DRM? What about Denuvo specifically? If DRM must be implemented, how many months do you think strikes the right balance? Let us know down below.

The post Denuvo DRM removed from Final Fantasy XVI first appeared on KitGuru.

While Capcom was crowned as the best publisher in 2023 thanks to its high-ranking game releases, another Japanese publisher usurped them in 2024. Metacritic has now revealed that Sega was the highest-rated publisher of 2024. 

Sega released several projects in 2024. It kicked off the year strong with the release of Persona 3 Reload and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a fantastic sequel to Yakuza 7 that further reinvented the franchise by taking our core group of characters to new parts of the world. Sega had another hit on its hands over the summer with the multiplatform release of Shin Megami Tensei V, which had previously only been available on Nintendo Switch. Sega's best game of 2024 was a brand new IP from Atlus – Metaphor: ReFantazio, which won a number of awards for its story and gameplay.

Metacritic takes the average metascore for each publisher's games, then factors in the percentage of good reviews versus bad reviews to calculate which publisher fared best each year. Sega ended up scoring 325.5 points based on this system, catipulting it from 9th place in 2023 to 1st place in 2024.

Capcom almost repeated as Metacritic's best publisher. After winning the award in 2023, the publisher went on to score 323 points in 2024, putting it just shy of Sega's total. This year also saw Microsoft rising through the ranks, achieving 9th place with 301 points.

KitGuru Says: Sega certainly released some great games last year, but for me, Square Enix was the best of 2024, in large part thanks to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, as well as the excellent PC version of Final Fantasy 16, which is a personal favourite of mine. 

The post Sega crowned as Metacritic’s best publisher of 2024 first appeared on KitGuru.

Bungie had to scale back pretty heavily on Destiny 2 content last year following the release of The Final Shape. This happened, in large part, due to the need for additional resources to get their next game ready – Marathon. Following multiple delays, Bungie appears to finally be set for a big launch in the coming months. 

The Steam backend has been updated, showing that Bungie is making behind-the-scenes changes to the Marathon store page. The new changes include extra ‘game editions', as well as pre-order bonuses. One of those free pre-order bonuses is exactly what you would expect – a set of Marathon-themed skins for Destiny 2. While the two games are not connected, Bungie looks to be planning on leveraging its multiple IPs to cross-promote each game. With that in mind, we wouldn't be surprised to see some type of promotional event for the game within Destiny 2 as well.

According to industry insider, Jeff Grubb, Bungie is going to announce Marathon details in April, during its own event, separate to Sony's State of Play streams for PlayStation first-party games. This would be in line with Bungie's usual schedule, as the company often makes announcements in April and August, with smaller updates from the studio sprinkled in-between.

Marathon is a PvP focused shooter with extraction-based gameplay, pitting teams of three players against each other to gather loot and get out of the zone alive. The game is set to release for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

KitGuru Says: Given how little Bungie has done with Destiny's PvP mode, I do wonder how many fans are going to be willing to pay more money to finally get a decent PvP experience. 

The post Bungie is preparing for imminent Marathon launch announcement first appeared on KitGuru.

Ubisoft has a lot riding on the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows later this month. Ahead of the March 20th launch day, the publisher has now announced details on pre-loading, as well as global unlock times for digital copies of the game across PC, PS5 and Xbox. 

Following on from two delays, Assassin's Creed Shadows is due to launch on the 20th of March. While fans have been asking for an Assassin's Creed game set in Japan for decades, much of the discussion around the game pre-release has been negative. This launch day will tell us whether or not that was a vocal minority, or if fans are, by large, done with Ubisoft.

It wouldn't be unprecedented to see this game do incredibly well despite the negativity online. After all, there was also a lot of negativity surrounding Hogwarts Legacy prior to that game's launch, but ultimately, that game went on to be the best-selling game of the year.

Those who have pre-ordered Assassin's Creed Shadows can begin pre-loading on March 4th for Xbox, March 17th for PC and March 18th of PS5. The game will unlock early for those on Ubisoft Connect, with the game becoming available at 10PM GMT on March 19th, those buying the game on Steam will have to wait several hours longer, with the game set to unlock at 4AM GMT on March 20th. On consoles, the game will unlock at midnight local time.

Assassin's Creed Shadows releases on March 20th for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

KitGuru Says: I have a feeling that this game is going to review better than expected and ultimately do well enough to keep Ubisoft afloat for a bit longer. 

The post Assassin’s Creed Shadows pre-load details announced – game unlocks early on Ubisoft Connect first appeared on KitGuru.

It has been almost six years since the release of Gears 5, leaving fans with a lengthy wait for the next entry in Microsoft's famed third-person shooter franchise. While initially announced for 2025, it is now being reported that Gears E-Day will now be coming in 2026. 

According to reliable leaker eXtas1s, Gears of War E-Day is now targeting a 2026 launch date. This lines up with another recent delay from Xbox, with the company confirming that Fable is also now releasing in 2026.

According to the source, this delay also lines the game up to release day-one on PS5, alongside PC and Xbox. Fable is also rumoured to be releasing day-one on PS5 now, following its delay to 2026. There is no word on a version for the Nintendo Switch 2 and it is unclear if any Microsoft studios have development kits for Nintendo's next console.

It is also suggested that the long-rumoured Gears of War Collection, packaging together the original trilogy, plus Gears of War Judgement, is due out this year. However, we've been hearing that for about a decade now, so I wouldn't hold my breath for that one.

KitGuru Says: Gears of War E-Day was a great surprise when it was announced last year. Given how packed this year is about to be, in no small part thanks to the impending release of GTA 6, I wouldn't be surprised to see more Xbox titles being pushed to 2026 to give them a better chance of making a big splash. 

The post Gears of War E-Day tipped for 2026 launch for Xbox, PC and PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.

Former Uncharted writer and director, Amy Hennig, has been working away on a new Marvel game for quite some time. Her new studio at Skydance revealed more details about Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra last year, including a 2025 release window. Unfortunately, the game is going to arrive much later than anticipated and is likely to be delayed due to its proximity to Grand Theft Auto 6. 

Marvel, DC and Star Wars-focused news outlet, The Direct, spoke with Khary Payton, one of the voice actors involved in the project, revealing that the studio is planning on a Christmas-time release, meaning we are unlikely to get our hands on the game until December. Typically when games target a release that late in the year, it means that a delay is also being considered. However, the situation might not be that simple in 2025 due to one large elephant in the room.

Few studios have announced their planned release dates this year due to the looming threat of Grand Theft Auto 6, a game that is expected to break sales records and actively take sales away from other popular franchises. It is one of the reasons Microsoft recently delayed Fable from 2025 to 2026, and it is rumoured that Gears of War: E-Day has suffered a similar fate.

In an interview published in December last year, Marvel 1943 director, Amy Hennig, confirmed a few story details about the game, which is set to feature a young Captain America, and a Black Panther looking to shield Wakanda from the effects of World War 2.

KitGuru Says: If this release window is accurate, then I do expect a delay for this game. It would have to be out months before GTA 6 to avoid the impact that game is going to have on the market. A 2026 release date several months later could serve them better, particularly if you factor in the rise in current-gen console sales that is likely to take place alongside the launch of GTA 6. 

The post Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra reportedly targeting December release window first appeared on KitGuru.

A few weeks ago, EA officially announced Battlefield Labs, a new testing program intended to show more transparency on plans for future Battlefield titles and allow developers to gather feedback much earlier in the development process. Thousands of fans have already signed up to participate and now, the first playtest is ready to begin. 

According to Insider Gaming, the first Battlefield Labs playtest is set to begin this Friday (March 7th). However, you'll have a very limited time window to get in on the action, as the first test is reportedly planned to last just two hours, and it will only be playable on PC, which is common for alpha-phase playtesting.

EA previously called Battlefield Labs its “most ambitious community development collaboration ever”, but we'll have to wait and see how frequently these playtests appear. One two-hour session a month – on a weekday no less, likely isn't going to garner the level of feedback required to really get a finger on the pulse of what fans are looking for.

The next Battlefield game is expected to release later this year, so we would anticipate many more Battlefield Labs playtests to pick up steam in the months ahead.

KitGuru Says: Did any of you sign up for Battlefield Labs? Were you invited to this week's playtest? 

The post Battlefield Labs playtests begin this week first appeared on KitGuru.

Nacon has unveiled its latest wireless gaming headset: the RIG 900 Max HS, officially licensed for PlayStation 5. This headset boasts dual-mode wireless connectivity and promises exceptional audio quality and a comfortable, lightweight design, making it an ideal choice for gamers seeking a premium gaming audio experience when playing on PlayStation 5 consoles.

The 900 Max HS offers the best of both worlds regarding wireless connectivity. Its low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection, via a dedicated base station or USB adapter, ensures low latency, while Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity offers seamless compatibility with mobile devices and other Bluetooth-enabled platforms.

This headset has high-sensitivity 40mm drivers, providing enhanced bass and exceptional clarity. A tuned acoustic chamber refines the audio experience, reducing listening fatigue during extended gaming sessions. The headset also features a chat-optimised omnidirectional microphone with noise-canceling technology, ensuring clear communication with teammates and friends. A convenient flip-to-mute function allows for quick and easy muting without interrupting gameplay.

Comfort was also considered when designing the 900 Max HS, which is crafted with reinforced steel for durability and features a lightweight and flexible design, weighing just 290 grams. Snap-Fit earcups with breathable fabric and a sling headband provide exceptional comfort for all-day gaming sessions. Battery life is equally impressive, offering up to 50 hours of playtime on a 2.4GHz connection and up to 60 hours via Bluetooth. To recharge the headset, simply dock it on the included base station.

While officially licensed for PlayStation 5, the 900 Max HS offers broad compatibility. The included USB-A 2.4GHz wireless adapter extends its reach to a PC, while Bluetooth connectivity enables pairing with mobile phones and portable gaming devices. To further personalise your audio experience, the 900 Max HS offers advanced customisation options via the 900 Max Navigator app for iOS and Android devices, including equaliser profiles (preset and custom). The RIG 900 Max HS is available now for €249.90/$249.90

KitGuru says: If you were in the market for a wireless headset that worked with PlayStation 5 consoles, would you consider Nacon's new RIG 900 Max HS?

The post Nacon launches new RIG 900 Max HS wireless headset for PlayStation 5 users first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD seems to be mirroring Nvidia's strategies in the mid-range segment. Following recent leaks suggesting that Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5060 Ti will launch with both 16GB and 8GB memory options, a new EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission) filing hints that AMD might be taking a similar approach with its Radeon RX 9060 series.

Acer's filing (via @harukaze5719) lists a range of AMD and Intel GPUs, including the upcoming RX 9070 XT and RX 9070. However, the most intriguing entry is the unexpected appearance of the RX 9060 XT, which, unlike its higher-tier siblings, has yet to be officially confirmed. The filing reveals that the RX 9060 XT will also be available in two memory configurations: 16GB and 8GB, both using GDDR6 memory.

This mirrors Nvidia's rumoured approach with the RTX 5060 Ti, which is expected to offer 16 GB GDDR7 and 8 GB GDDR6 variants. Considering the rumoured memory capacities of both RTX 5060 Ti and RX 9060 XT cards, there's a good chance both series will also use the same bus width (128-bit) for their respective mid-range offerings.

The EEC filing also reveals a broader range of upcoming AMD GPUs, including models from the Bifrost Predator, Nitro, and unnamed series. These additional models are likely intended for OEM pre-built systems.

While the specific GPU powering the RX 9060 XT remains unconfirmed, it's likely to be either a cut-down Navi 48 (the same GPU used in the RX 9070) with a 128-bit memory bus or, more likely, the smaller Navi 44 GPU, also featuring a 128-bit memory bus. AMD has previously stated that the Radeon RX 9060 series will launch sometime in Q2 2025, with rumors suggesting an April release, coinciding with the expected launch of Nvidia's RTX 5060 series.

KitGuru says: How do you think the Radeon RX 9060 XT cards will compare against the RTX 5060 Ti models?

The post AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT to come with 16GB and 8GB memory configs first appeared on KitGuru.

In a surprising turn of events, Nvidia has announced a last-minute delay for the Founders Edition of its GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card. While the RTX 5070 is still scheduled to launch today, the Founders Edition model will not be available until later this month.

This news, initially reported by Andreas Schilling, comes as a disappointment to those hoping to snag Nvidia's version of the card. The company has confirmed that the delay affects the Founders Edition worldwide.

While this delay doesn't mean the RTX 5070 launch is entirely canceled, it does raise concerns about overall availability. Custom models from board partners will still be released today, but recent reports suggest that stock levels might be lower than anticipated.

This delay creates an interesting opportunity for AMD, whose Radeon RX 9070 series is right around the corner. Early indications suggest that AMD has secured healthy stock levels for its latest GPUs, potentially giving it an advantage in this segment while Nvidia grapples with supply constraints.

KitGuru says: Were you planning on getting an RTX 5070 Founders Edition graphics card at launch? Without that possibility, will you wait for the Founders Edition cards to come in stock, go for an AIB partner card, or move on to another alternative?

The post Nvidia states RTX 5070 Founders Edition cards won’t be available at launch first appeared on KitGuru.

2024 didn't exactly go to plan for many teams across the PlayStation Studios business. Many ‘live service' games have now been cancelled, two studios have closed entirely and on top of that, there have been multiple waves of lay-offs. Unfortunately, things aren't quite turning around in 2025 just yet, as more lay-offs have been announced. 

Sony is undergoing a restructuring effort across its US-based studios. As part of this, employees at Sony's Visual Arts studio in San Diego have now been let go. This follows a series of cancellations in recent weeks.

As reported by Eurogamer, the cuts have something to do with the recent cancellation of the next game from Days Gone developer, Bend Studios. Additionally, Sony had Bluepoint working on a live-service game set in the God of War universe, which has also been cancelled.

Under previous head, Jim Ryan, PlayStation spent billions embarking on a mission to reinvent its studios as live service teams. At one point, Sony had more than a dozen live service games in development at first party studios. Now just a few years later, the vast majority of those projects have been cancelled, with Sony scaling back its live service ambitions.

KitGuru Says: Jim Ryan really made a mess of things with the acquisition of Bungie and the big push towards live service. We're now at a point where even mentioning the term leads to bad PR for your game, as we saw with the announcement and eventual failed launch of Concord. 

The post Sony cancels more live service projects and lets go of more PlayStation staff first appeared on KitGuru.

Today, at MWC 2025, Intel unveiled its new lineup of Intel Core Ultra 200U, 200H, 200HX and 200S series processors, alongside the Intel Core Ultra 200V series. This expanded portfolio is aimed at ‘AI PCs' and businesses looking to improve compute performance, efficiency and manageability across desktop and mobile form factors. 

Speaking on the launch, Intel Client Computing Group VP, David Feng, said: “2025 is a pivotal year for PC refresh, and with Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors, we’re delivering the most advanced commercial systems to date. Our AI PC processors cater to every form factor – from thin-and-light productivity devices to high-performance workstations – all backed by Intel vPro, which sets the industry standard in business computing with unmatched manageability and security.”

Compared with a four-year-old Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor, the new Intel Core Ultra 7 265H processor delivers up to 2.84x higher multicore performance in Cinebench 2024, up to 1.39x faster performance in Procyon office productivity tests and up to 1.97x faster video editing performance in Procyon tests.

Targeting the business sector, these processors use Intel vPro, which is built to provide advanced fleet provisioning and additional security.

Intel also introduced the Intel Assured Supply Chain (ASC) program, designed to provide customers with greater visibility and assurance in the silicon manufacturing process. This specialized client system-on-chip (SoC) solution, initially offered on select Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) mobile and desktop SKUs, ensures a digitally attestable chain of custody for each chip, leveraging a dedicated manufacturing pathway through specific production facilities. This added layer of transparency assures customers of the integrity and reliability of their silicon supply chain.

KitGuru Says: Intel Core Ultra 200 had a bit of a disastrous launch on desktop last year, but things have been fixed up at this stage and now, the rollout of additional chips is ready to kick off. Intel's future in the semiconductor segment is also starting to look up, as major tech companies have reportedly begun testing the Intel 18A process technology.

KitGuru Says: Intel's 2024 did not go to plan but perhaps things will turn around in 2025 now that Intel Foundry Services is beginning to get off the ground. 

The post Intel expands Core Ultra 200 line-up and launches Assured Supply Chain program first appeared on KitGuru.

Nvidia continues its rollout of RTX 50 series graphics cards today with the RTX 5070. While this card is decidedly an unambitious product, it can still serve a purpose on the market, particularly for those with an older RTX 20 series GPU, or a lower tier RTX 30 series GPU. We've rounded up details on UK pricing and availability, with a focus on GPUs targeting Nvidia's £539 MRSP price point. 

The RTX 5070 is launching at an MSRP price point of £539. Typically, we see very few GPUs actually meeting this price point, as we saw recently with the launch of the RTX 5070 Ti. There are a few more MSRP options available for the RTX 5070 at launch, coming from the likes of MSI, Asus, Palit and Zotac.

Over at SCAN, the MSI Ventus 2x OC RTX 5070, the Zotac RTX 5070 Solid, the Palit RTX 5070 Gaming Pro and the Asus RTX 5070 Prime cards can all be found at MSRP. The teams at CCL Online and ebuyer have the Asus RTX 5070 Prime in stock at this price too. Over at Overclockers UK, the Zotax RTX 5070 Solid can be found at MSRP.

What this does mean is that anyone looking for a higher-tier cooler, like the MSI Gaming Trio X, or an Asus Strix graphics card, should expect to pay a bit more, likely in the region of £100 to £200 more. It is also worth noting that we often see MSRP-level cards going up in price after launch depending on how quickly units sell out, so if you aren't ready right now on day-one, there is a chance that prices change by the time you go to make a purchase. With no RTX 5070 Founders Edition available on day-one either, board partners could use this opportunity to improve margins. We will assess the pricing situation further in future reviews over the course of the year.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up an RTX 5070? Are you happy with this card's starting price, or do you think it should go down a bit further considering its performance versus the previous-gen RTX 4070 Super? 

The post Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 launches at £539 first appeared on KitGuru.

Officially announced – at long last! – in a livestreamed event last week, AMD's RDNA 4 architecture is here with the RX 9070 XT leading the charge. Landing with a $599 MSRP, this GPU is firmly targeting Nvidia's RTX 5070 Ti, with AMD promising compelling rasterisation performance alongside huge improvements to ray tracing. FSR 4 also touts significant image quality improvements thanks to its new ML-powered algorithm, so on paper AMD looks to have ticked all the boxes. But how does that translate into the real world experience? We find out today…

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:41 Recap and spec overview
01:48 Test setup
03:02 Alan Wake 2
03:41 Black Myth: Wukong
04:11 Cyberpunk 2077
04:14 Final Fantasy XVI
05:14 Forza Horizon 5
05:47 Ghost of Tsushima
06:21 Horizon Forbidden West
06:54 The Last of Us Part 1
07:20 Plague Tale: Requiem
07:42 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
08:09 Starfield
08:36 Total War: Warhammer III
08:55 12-game average results
10:57 Cost per frame analysis
11:55 RT Alan Wake II
12:28 RT Black Myth: Wukong
12:57 RT Cyberpunk 2077
13:19 RT F1 24
13:40 RT Ratchet & Clank
14:00 RT Returnal
14:12 RT Shadow of the Tomb Raider
14:23 RT Star Wars Outlaws
14:43 RT 8-game average
15:18 FSR 4 analysis
18:56 Meet the Sapphire Pulse & ASRock Taichi
20:19 Thermals and acoustics
21:24 Power draw and efficiency
23:18 Closing thoughts

In lieu of an official AMD reference (or MBA) card, today we are using the ASRock RX 9070 XT Taichi for our testing. This card does come factory overclocked when using the default Gaming BIOS, but I did all my testing with the Quiet BIOS that runs at reference specifications.

It's also worth noting that while this is a standalone review for the RX 9070 XT, we do have a day one review for the RX 9070 (non-XT), and you can find that HERE.

	RX 9070 XT	RX 9070	RX 7900 GRE	RX 7800 XT	RX 7700 XT
Architecture	RDNA 4	RDNA 4	RDNA 3	RDNA 3	RDNA 3
Manufacturing Process	TSMC N4	TSMC N4	TSMC N5 GCD + N6 MCD	TSMC N5 GCD + N6 MCD	TSMC N5 GCD + N6 MCD
Transistor Count	53.9 billion	53.9 billion	57.7 billion	28.1 billion	28.1 billion
Die Size	357 mm²	357 mm²	300 mm² GCD 220 mm² MCD	200 mm² GCD 150 mm² MCD	200 mm² GCD 150 mm² MCD
Compute Units	64	56	80	60	54
Ray Accelerators	64	56	80	60	54
Stream Processors	4096	3584	5120	3840	3456
Game GPU Clock	2400 MHz	2070 MHz	1880 MHz	2124 MHz	2171 MHz
Boost GPU Clock	Up to 2970 MHz	Up to 2520 MHz	Up to 2245 MHz	Up to 2430 MHz	Up to 2544 MHz
ROPs	128	128	192	96	96
AMD Infinity Cache	64MB	64MB	64MB	64MB	48MB
Memory	16GB GDDR6	16GB GDDR6	16GB GDDR6	16GB GDDR6	12GB GDDR6
Memory Data Rate	20 Gbps	20 Gbps	18 Gbps	19.5 Gbps	18 Gbps
Memory Bandwidth	645 GB/s	645 GB/s	576 GB/s	624 GB/s	432 GB/s
Memory Interface	256-bit	256-bit	256-bit	256-bit	192-bit
Board Power	304W	220W	260 W	263W	245W

First, let's take a quick look at the specs. The RX 9070 XT is built on the new Navi 48 die, measuring 357mm², and it's worth pointing out this is a monolithic chip, so AMD is not using a chiplet-based design as per RDNA 3. In total, Navi 48 silicon packs in 53.9 billion transistors.

As a full implementation of Navi 48, the RX 9070 XT packs in 64 Compute Units, and each CU houses 64 Steam Processors, for a total of 4096 shaders. There's also 64 Ray Accelerators – one per CU – and 128 ROPs.

As for clock speed, the RX 9070 XT runs notably faster than its sibling, the RX 9070, given it sports a rated game clock of 2400MHz and a boost clock of up to 2970MHz.

The memory configuration is the same between both GPUs though, with 16GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at 20Gbps, operating over a 256-bit memory interface, for total memory bandwidth of 645 GB/s. 64MB of Infinity Cache is also present.

Power draw for the RX 9070 XT rated at 304W Total Board Power (TBP), but we are using our updated GPU power testing methodology in this review, so read on for our most detailed power and efficiency testing yet.

The post AMD RX 9070 XT Review ft. ASRock first appeared on KitGuru.

Launching alongside the RX 9070 XT, today we also have a full review of the slightly cheaper RX 9070 (non-XT). This cut-down Navi 48 GPU targets a $549 MSRP and, as such, is going head-to-head with Nvidia's RTX 5070 which we reviewed only yesterday. But with just a $50 gap between the RX 9070 and the XT model, does AMD's own product positioning make sense? All that and more is explored in this analysis.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:41 Recap and spec overview
01:48 Test setup
03:02 Alan Wake 2
03:41 Black Myth: Wukong
04:11 Cyberpunk 2077
04:14 Final Fantasy XVI
05:14 Forza Horizon 5
05:47 Ghost of Tsushima
06:21 Horizon Forbidden West
06:54 The Last of Us Part 1
07:20 Plague Tale: Requiem
07:42 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
08:09 Starfield
08:36 Total War: Warhammer III
08:55 12-game average results
10:57 Cost per frame analysis
11:55 RT Alan Wake II
12:28 RT Black Myth: Wukong
12:57 RT Cyberpunk 2077
13:19 RT F1 24
13:40 RT Ratchet & Clank
14:00 RT Returnal
14:12 RT Shadow of the Tomb Raider
14:23 RT Star Wars Outlaws
14:43 RT 8-game average
15:18 FSR 4 analysis
18:56 Meet the Sapphire Pulse & ASRock Taichi
20:19 Thermals and acoustics
21:24 Power draw and efficiency
23:18 Closing thoughts

In lieu of an official AMD reference (or MBA) card, today we are using the Sapphire RX 9070 Pulse for our testing. This card still comes at reference specifications, however, while there's a range of factory overclocked models set to launch at retail tomorrow.

It's also worth noting that while this is a standalone review for the RX 9070, we do have a day one review for the RX 9070 XT, and you can find that HERE.

	RX 9070 XT	RX 9070	RX 7900 GRE	RX 7800 XT	RX 7700 XT
Architecture	RDNA 4	RDNA 4	RDNA 3	RDNA 3	RDNA 3
Manufacturing Process	TSMC N4	TSMC N4	TSMC N5 GCD + N6 MCD	TSMC N5 GCD + N6 MCD	TSMC N5 GCD + N6 MCD
Transistor Count	53.9 billion	53.9 billion	57.7 billion	28.1 billion	28.1 billion
Die Size	357 mm²	357 mm²	300 mm² GCD 220 mm² MCD	200 mm² GCD 150 mm² MCD	200 mm² GCD 150 mm² MCD
Compute Units	64	56	80	60	54
Ray Accelerators	64	56	80	60	54
Stream Processors	4096	3584	5120	3840	3456
Game GPU Clock	2400 MHz	2070 MHz	1880 MHz	2124 MHz	2171 MHz
Boost GPU Clock	Up to 2970 MHz	Up to 2520 MHz	Up to 2245 MHz	Up to 2430 MHz	Up to 2544 MHz
ROPs	128	128	192	96	96
AMD Infinity Cache	64MB	64MB	64MB	64MB	48MB
Memory	16GB GDDR6	16GB GDDR6	16GB GDDR6	16GB GDDR6	12GB GDDR6
Memory Data Rate	20 Gbps	20 Gbps	18 Gbps	19.5 Gbps	18 Gbps
Memory Bandwidth	645 GB/s	645 GB/s	576 GB/s	624 GB/s	432 GB/s
Memory Interface	256-bit	256-bit	256-bit	256-bit	192-bit
Board Power	304W	220W	260 W	263W	245W

First, let's take a quick look at the specs. The RX 9070 is built on the new Navi 48 die, measuring 357mm², and it's worth pointing out this is a monolithic chip, so AMD is not using a chiplet-based design as per RDNA 3. In total, Navi 48 silicon packs in 53.9 billion transistors.

While a full Navi 48 GPU packs in 64 Compute Units, the 9070 is cut down to 56 CUs, and each CU houses 64 Steam Processors, for a total of 3584 shaders. There's also 56 Ray Accelerators – one per CU – and 128 ROPs.

As for clock speed, the RX 9070 runs notably slower than its sibling, the RX 9070 XT, and instead it sports a rated game clock of 2070MHz and a boost clock of up to 2520MHz.

The memory configuration is the same between both GPUs though, with 16GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at 20Gbps, operating over a 256-bit memory interface, for total memory bandwidth of 645 GB/s. 64MB of Infinity Cache is also present.

Power draw for the RX 9070 rated at 220W Total Board Power (TBP), but we are using our updated GPU power testing methodology in this review, so read on for our most detailed power and efficiency testing yet.

The post AMD RX 9070 Review ft. Sapphire first appeared on KitGuru.