2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the Persona franchise – a sub-series of the popular Shin Megami Tensei games which ended up far surpassing its progenitor in sales, critical reception and public consciousness. With the franchise going stronger than ever 3 decades on, ATLUS appears to have big plans for 2026, starting with their first wave of announcements next week.

Publishing a new website dedicated to the series’ 30th anniversary, ATLUS have teased that the first drop of information relating to Persona’s 2026 plans will arrive on the 8th of January – though it is unknown what exactly will be revealed.

As mentioned, the Persona series has gone from strength-to-strength, with the latest entry – Persona 5 – surpassing 10 million copies and the expanded P5 Royal being publisher SEGA’s highest-selling game of the 2020s.

With Person 5 now being over 9 years old at this point, it is high time that we begin to hear about the inevitable Persona 6. That said, with SEGA claiming previously that they hope to turn Persona into an annual franchise, it’s just as likely they'll unveil yet another P5 spin-off.

Of course, there’s also the previously announced Persona 4 Remake which is also in the works and could very well be shown off. We won’t have to wait long to find out.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for 2026? Will this be the year we finally learn about Persona 6? What else do you think they have planned for its 30th anniversary? Let us know down below.

The post ATLUS to kick-off Persona’s 30th anniversary celebrations next week first appeared on KitGuru.

Each month, Sony offers 3 titles for ‘free’ as part of the console maker’s PlayStation Plus Essential subscription service. Kicking off 2026 with a decent selection of games, January’s PS Plus titles include the fun and highly stylised open-world street racer Need For Speed Unbound.

Making the announcement via the PlayStation Blog, Sony confirmed the full list of titles being given away in January to all those with a PS Plus Essential (or above) subscription. Despite stating previously that they would be deprioritising PS4 titles beginning in 2026, two of the three offerings for this month are in fact available on last-gen (albeit with PS5 versions also).

With that said, your PS Plus Essential offerings for this month – available from the 6th of January – are as follows:

• Need For Speed Unbound [PS5]
• Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed [PS4|PS5]
• Core Keeper [PS4|PS5]

Need For Speed Unbound is the latest entry in the long-running and iconic street racing series. Released back in 2022, Unbound set itself apart from the other entries with its heavy focus on offering stylised graffiti-esque visuals, particularly when it came to various smoke and particle effects.

Though not for everyone (and can be mostly turned off), NFS Unbound’s aesthetic choices help to add to the overall sense of speed, momentum and impact. While many deem it to be a weaker entry in comparison to series highs, NFS Unbound is still a fun open-world racer worth giving a spin.

Epic Mickey: Refurbished meanwhile is a remake of the 2010 3D platformer released for the Nintendo Wii during the Disney Interactive Studios era (prior to the publisher’s closure in 2016). Though far from the peak of 3D platforming, the remake took steps to improve the overall package, adding a bunch of new content alongside additional gameplay mechanics such as dashing and ground pounding.

As mentioned, all three titles will be available to claim from the 7th of January, and will remain so until 2nd of February. Additional details on these games can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of January’s offerings? Is it a good way to kick off 2026 or were you expecting more? Let us know down below.

The post January 2026’s PlayStation Plus line-up announced first appeared on KitGuru.

As they have done for a few years now, the final weeks of 2025 saw Epic Games give away a different title for free every single day as part of its end-of-year promotions. While the hectic multiplayer first-person slasher Chivalry II is available to claim right now, Epic has revealed that they are concluding this year’s edition of the program with two free games.

As mentioned, from now until 4PM UK time, the fun and frantic multiplayer FPS (first-person slasher) Chivalry II is available to claim for free via the Epic Games Store and will remain in your library forever once added.

The game has you take part in massive 64 player battles in which you are little more than a pawn on a battlefield, trying to take down as many enemies as you can before you fall. With its unique gameplay and medieval setting, Chivalry II is certainly worth picking up – especially for free.

Come 4PM however, Chivalry will be replaced by two as-of-yet-unknown ‘mystery’ games, ending Epic’s two weeks of free games promotions. In case you missed it, this year’s program kicked off (sort of) with the addition of Hogwarts Legacy, a pretty major and relatively recent AAA title, and so here’s to hoping that Epic will end 2025 in an equally as big way.

KitGuru says: What did you think of 2025’s free Epic Games Store giveaways? How many titles did you claim? How many games do you have in your Epic library at this point? Let us know down below.

The post Chivalry II is free on the Epic Games Store as two titles are teased for later today first appeared on KitGuru.

Dell raised its prices by roughly 10-30% on December 17th, and ASUS will be following suit on January 5th, per a report from TrendForce. As the report notes, this is not an unexpected move—and previous statements from Acer and ASUS indicate that "passing on soaring memory costs has become an industry-wide consensus". It's not just PC makers,

You may or may not recall that Roccat has always been a part of Turtle Beach, and why this is the Burst II Pro as the original model was sold under the…

It's been quite a year for computer hardware, with the RTX 50xx series and Radeon RX 9000 cards arriving and impressing us with their performance, albeit not the price points.  There were…

Amazon has been dominant in the e-ink tablet space for ages and further bolstered its position with the introduction of updated Kindle Scribes earlier this year. That dominance is about to be tested, with TCL jumping into the fray with an e-ink tablet of its own, the Note A1 NXTPAPER. The device seems to deliver a strong feature set that includes

Coming from the early days of computing when we had half-a-dozen interfaces on a standard PC, none of which were compatible and few of which carried power, USB is a revelation. You can plug almost anything into a USB port and most of it will "just work". However, we feel that most users aren't really getting the full value out of their PC's

Sudokoo aims to make a strong impression, pairing a highly customizable display with solid, well-rounded performance that works well on both Intel and AMD platforms. Combined with a strong warranty and a thoughtful set of quality-of-life design features, the Proteus 360 stands out as a compelling AIO that’s well worth a closer look.

Thermalright continues its relentless pace of launches with the unveiling of the Levita Vision AIO series, a liquid cooling lineup that seemingly wants to turn your CPU socket into a tablet.

Looking at the new Levita Vision AIO series, what stands out the most is undoubtedly the massive 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display mounted atop the water block, boasting a 2400 x 1080 resolution. While we have seen plenty of LCD-equipped coolers recently, Thermalright is pushing the boundary by offering a screen size and clarity that outclass most of the premium competition. This display is magnetically attached for ease of installation and can be fully customised with real-time monitoring data, custom images, or video playback via the company's dedicated software.

Builders should take note of the physical presence this unit requires, as the inclusion of such a display results in a water block height of 113.9 mm. This makes it one of the tallest blocks on the market, which will certainly present compatibility challenges for those trying to squeeze it into compact SFF chassis or cases with limited top-mount clearance. Under the hood, the cooling is driven by a high-efficiency pump rated at 3000 RPM. Available in black and white, the series is launching in two distinct variants: the Levita Vision UB and the Levita Vision Classic.

The primary difference between these models lies in the fan configuration. The UB variant uses the TL-UB36, a single-frame 360mm fan unit designed to minimise cable clutter and simplify the mounting process. These fans operate at up to 2150 RPM, delivering 69.0 CFM of airflow and 2.87 mmH2O of static pressure at a rated noise level of 27.0 dBA. For those who prefer traditional individual fans, the standard version uses the TL-M12Q, which spins at 2000 RPM, with a rated noise of 28.2 dBA and a static pressure of 2.21 mmH2O. Compatibility is extensive, covering everything from Intel LGA 115x and 20xx sockets to LGA 1851 and AMD's AM5 platforms.

KitGuru says: Thermalright is making a serious play for the high-end market while likely maintaining its reputation for aggressive pricing. The 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is quite impressive, though you will need a fairly spacious case to accommodate it.

The post Thermalright unveils Levita Vision AIO with massive 6.67-inch AMOLED screen first appeared on KitGuru.

Sony has begun rolling out a new hardware revision for the PlayStation 5 Pro, moving from the launch-day CFI-7000 series to the new CFI-7100B01 chassis. While the external aesthetics remain identical to the original Pro model, there are some internal changes to improve power efficiency, thermal management, and acoustic profile. This refresh follows Sony's long-standing tradition of iterating on hardware to reduce manufacturing costs and improve long-term reliability without altering the baseline performance metrics.

The most important change in the CFI-7100B01 revision (via Guru3D) lies in a new stepping for the AMD-designed APU. By refining the silicon, Sony has shaved approximately 4% off the total system power draw during intensive gaming. While a 4% reduction might sound marginal, the lower power consumption directly translates into less heat. To complement this, the internal cooling solution has been redesigned with a more efficient heatsink and a revised fan curve. These modifications result in a measurable 2dB drop in fan noise.

Perhaps the most important improvement for the end-user comes packaged with the console rather than inside it. The revised DualSense V2 (CFI-ZCT2W) controller, now shipping with these new bundles, features a revamped internal circuit board and an optimised battery configuration. Early teardowns and user reports suggest a roughly 50% increase in battery life, pushing the controller's runtime closer to 12–15 hours. This improvement is achieved partly through hardware optimisation and the removal of the secondary noise-cancelling microphone, a trade-off that most gamers will likely find acceptable in exchange for significantly fewer trips to the charging cable.

Despite these internal advancements and the inclusion of the revised controller, Sony is maintaining the console's price tag. For those looking to identify the new version in the wild, the model number CFI-7100 on the packaging is the key indicator of the refreshed internal hardware.

KitGuru says: While existing PS5 Pro owners certainly don't need to rush out for an upgrade, the combination of a quieter fan and a DualSense that actually lasts through a long Sunday session makes the CFI-7100 the best version of the console for new adopters.

The post Sony quietly refreshes PlayStation 5 Pro with more efficient ‘CFI-7100’ revision first appeared on KitGuru.

Thermaltake is updating its mainstream TH series with the new redesigned V3 family. The most immediate change is a departure from the circular “porthole” aesthetic of the previous generation in favour of a cleaner, more industrial square pump head. The series continues the trend of offering two distinct versions: one featuring an LCD segment for real-time monitoring and another utilising an infinity mirror.

The “Ultra” equivalent in this new lineup is the TH-S V3 ARGB Sync, which features a 3.95-inch LCD that displays data such as CPU temperature, clock speed, and power consumption. It is powered by the new TT Segment Code software, which allows for quick setup without the heavy resource overhead of more complex suites. For those who prefer a non-display aesthetic, the standard TH V3 utilises a multi-layered infinity mirror with a central TT logo.

A nice touch added to the new V3 family is the magnetic detachable top cover. This allows users to physically rotate the pump cap to ensure the display or logo is oriented correctly, regardless of which way the tubes are facing. Thermaltake is also leaning heavily into cable management with the TH V3, shipping both the 240 mm and 360 mm models with fans integrated into a single-frame unit. While it mimics the look of separate 120 mm fans, it is a single structural piece that significantly reduces the number of PWM and ARGB cables required.

These fans seem quite capable, reaching speeds of 2500 RPM and pushing a massive 85.29 CFM of airflow with 3.86 mmH2O of static pressure. At full power, the fans are rated at 37.8 dBA.

KitGuru says: Do you think it was a good idea to switch from individual fans to a single-frame set in the new V3 series?

The post Thermaltake brings back square CPU blocks with new TH V3 AIO liquid cooler first appeared on KitGuru.

Last week, Ubisoft was forced to take Rainbow Six Siege offline after a hacker breached systems to doll out bans, unbans, game-wide system messages and even free premium skins. Now after several days of downtime, Siege if back online. 

Ubisoft has confirmed this week that after conducting some live tests, Rainbow Six Siege is now back online for all players. At this stage, services are fully ramped up again, so players should have no more issues connecting to the game.

This update also means that the rollback to December 27th's market conditions is complete. No players will be banned for spending the free credits that were gifted by hackers but with this update now complete, your balance and inventory will also be reverted to whatever it was on December 27th before the hack.

We still don't know much about the attack or how it occurred. Ubisoft is still going through its investigation although the specific outcomes of that investigation may not be made public.

KitGuru Says: Have you jumped back on Rainbow Six Siege since the attack? Have you faced any issues? 

The post Rainbow Six Siege is now back online while Ubisoft continues investigating hack first appeared on KitGuru.

As part of the latest update for Monster Hunter Wilds, dataminers discovered code relating to a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version being in the works currently. While neither Capcom nor Nintendo have officially commented on the matter, further datamining has uncovered even more details pertaining to a Switch 2 release for MH: Wilds.

Following on from yesterday’s leak which indicated that Capcom is working on a Switch 2 version of Monster Hunter Wilds, dataminers have now uncovered further evidence of its existence, including some of the compromises being made for the port.

According to the latest infodump, the Switch 2 version of Monster Hunter Wilds will feature its own bespoke DLSS preset similar to that of other Nintendo Switch 2 releases.

Though of course subject to change, the port also appears to cull its NPCs at a much more aggressive rate when compared to other versions.

That said, by far the most interesting revelation is the fact that MH: Wilds on the Switch 2 looks set to support local multiplayer. It’s worth noting that this does not mean split-screen multiplayer, but using two Switches on a local network.

Still, it will be interesting to see whether these cutbacks are enough to get the game running competently on the Switch 2. We will have to wait for an official announcement to find out.

KitGuru says: Have you been waiting for Wilds to come to Switch 2? How do you think the port will perform? Are you pleased with the current state of the PC version? Let us know down below.

The post New leaks indicate Monster Hunter Wilds on Switch 2 will support local multiplayer first appeared on KitGuru.

Have you been wanting to make the leap to OLED for your gaming setup? Let 2026 be the year that you ditch your old display and start gaming on OLED, which is now more attainable than ever. Driving the point home are some fantastic discounts on LG's UltraGear OLED lineup, including a 32-inch display that is on clearance for $699 off the MSRP. LG

ASRock is getting ready to blitz the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with a whole bunch of new products, and among them will be the company's first foray into the all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooling market. It's a crowded field for sure that keeps attracting new participants, though ASRock is an established brand with a fleshed out

NASA has released a new composite image of two spiral galaxies, NGC 2207 and IC 2163, as they begin a multi-billion-year process of merging into a single celestial entity. This event was captured with the combined power of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The two galaxies, located approximately 120

If your New Year's resolution to be more thrifty with your device purchases in 2026, then you'll be happy to know that Samsung is rolling out a couple of affordable new products. One is a $199.99 smartphone, the Galaxy A17 5G, and the other is a the Galaxy Tab A11+ tablet priced at $249.99. What's more, both are being released in the United

While a select few developers were able to get their hands on Nintendo Switch 2 dev kits far in advance of the console’s release, many others were left waiting for Nintendo to make additional units available. With the Switch 2 now over 6 months into its life however, it appears as though the console maker has managed to stabilise its production and release of Switch 2 dev kits.

In the months following the Switch 2’s launch, many developers revealed that they would love to bring their games over to Nintendo’s latest and greatest, however a lack of development kits were causing delays.

Fortunately, it appears as though the backlog has now been cleared, with known industry insider NateTheHate taking to the ‘famiboards’ forum to claim that “the [Switch 2] devkit delivery situation has largely been resolved.”

This response was made in reference to recent rumours which stated that Call of Duty could be coming to Switch 2 in the coming months, with Nate noting: “In the case of COD… it doesn't mean they got a devkit super late, either. Just late enough that they couldn't get the work done to launch the game sooner.”

Regardless, it is encouraging to see that more 3rd party developers are now able to properly start working on Switch 2 ports of their previous (or upcoming) releases. It will be interesting to see how long exactly we’ll have to wait for COD to get announced for Switch 2.

KitGuru says: Have you been disappointed by the relative lack of 3rd party support so far? What games do you hope are being worked on right now? Let us know down below.

The post Switch 2’s dev kits supply issues have “largely been resolved” according to insider first appeared on KitGuru.

With Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors, the ECS LIVA Z11 Plus delivers great performance, supports up to four displays, and includes nice extras like dual USB4 and Ethernet. You can do some light gaming, despite being noisy under load and offering limited storage options, but the system is optimal for productivity and multi-monitor setups.

Initially announced under the title Project L, Riot Games officially unveiled 2XKO back in early 2024 as their next big spin-off based on the ever popular world of League of Legends. Previously said to be launching on consoles in January 2026, a new trailer was prematurely published confirming the fighting game’s full release date.

As discovered by ResetEra user Neoxon, Riot Games temporarily published a trailer early which confirmed that the recently-released fighter 2XKO will indeed be hitting its January 2026 target for a console release – with the game said to be launching on the 20th.

This means that Season 1 of 2XKO should also arrive on the same day, as the team previously claimed that its console launch will coincide with the game's first Season.

For the uninitiated, 2XKO is a free-to-play 2v2 fighter set in the world of League of Legends. Officially released back in September on PC, the game currently features a total of 11 playable characters, with more coming during the aforementioned Season 1.

Developing a fighting game is no easy task, and so it will be interesting to see what console players think of 2XKO when it arrives in just a couple weeks’ time – especially with Marvel Tokon also on the way.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the console release? Have you tried it on PC yet? Which characters do you hope are added early on in its post-launch life? Let us know down below.

The post 2XKO console release date accidentally confirmed via new trailer first appeared on KitGuru.

With 2025 almost at an end, Valve has now published its list of the highest grossing games of the year. Featuring a mix of both old and new releases, some of this year’s best-sellers include known quantities such as Call of Duty alongside indie hits like Schedule 1.

Available to view on their website, Valve has shared its official list of the best-performing games of 2025 across a number of categories. Though not offered in any particular order, the 12 highest-grossing games of the year by revenue were as follows:

• TES IV: Oblivion Remastered
• Civilization VII
• Borderlands 4
• Battlefield 6
• Arc Raiders
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• EA Sports FC26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Dune Awakening
• Hollow Knight Silksong
• Schedule 1
• Kingdom Come Deliverance II

As mentioned, while these are the top 12 for 2025, the games listed above were not given specific rankings within themselves and so it is unknown which exact game took the number 1 spot.

Alongside new releases, Valve also shared a list of the highest grossing games of 2025 irrespective of their launch year. While many of the top 12 remain the same, Marvel Rivals; DOTA 2; Apex Legends; PUBG; CS2; Call of Duty and R.E.P.O managed to kick Oblivion; Civ; FC26; Nightreign; Dune; Silksong and KCDII out of ‘platinum’ status.

The full breakdown for Steam’s 2025 can be found HERE and includes additional rankings for game demos; titles played on Steam Deck; VR and more.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Steam’s top games of 2025? Did your favourite make the list? Which of the top 12 do you think sold the highest number of copies? Let us know down below.

The post Valve reveals the highest-selling Steam games of 2025 first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our final winners for this giveaway are Francois Feuillard, James Riddiford and Kieran Williams! 

The KitGuru Advent Calendar is now officially over but watch this space, we will have some giveaways sprinkled throughout the new year, alongside our usual news coverage and in-depth reviews. 

For the final day of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with NZXT to offer up THREE prize bundles. Two winners today will each get a brand-new set of gaming peripherals, while a third winner will get a new case and AIO liquid cooler, creating a perfect starting point for your next build.

The Gaming Gear bundle includes four products – an NZXT Function Elite keyboard, an NZXT Lift Elite wireless mouse, an extra large mouse mat to go with it, as well as an NZXT Capsule Elite microphone to upgrade your in-game comms and give you the audio boost needed to get into something like livestreaming. One winner will receive an all-white set of these peripherals while another winner will receive a black set.

The second bundle in our prize list today includes the NZXT H9 Flow RGB+ chassis, a dual-chamber PC case designed to show off your hardware, with included RGB lighting and lots of airflow to keep components cool. The winner will also get an NZXT Kraken Core 360mm AIO liquid cooler, which is powerful enough for the latest high-end CPUs from AMD and Intel. The winner of this set will get to choose between black or white colour options.

How to Enter:

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is head over to our competition announcement post on Facebook, HERE. In the comments, leave an answer to the following question – What game are you most looking forward to in 2026? 

This competition is in the UK and EU. 

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT January 1st. As this is the last day of the Advent Calendar, there will not be another giveaway tomorrow. 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 UK and EU starting at 11AM GMT on December 31sr and ending at 10:59AM GMT on January 1st 2026. 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: This is the last giveaway of the 2025 KitGuru Advent Calendar so get your entries in! We'll be back tomorrow to announce the winners. 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 31: Win one of THREE NZXT hardware bundles! (Closed) first appeared on KitGuru.

It's easy to think of Cinebench as a purely synthetic benchmark given the way it works: you download a dedicated benchmark application, you run it from whatever folder, and it does its thing before spitting out a number that vaguely tells you how your system performs. That feels similar to synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark, which aren't directly