New details about Intel's next-generation desktop platform have just surfaced in a shipping manifest, giving us another glimpse at the upcoming “Nova Lake-S” architecture. The documentation mentions a 52-core CPU, likely the flagship of the series, as well as the 28-core variant that we previously reported on. 

The NBD manifest (via VideoCardz) explicitly lists the new socket as LGA-1954 and confirms its dimensions as 45 x 37.5mm. This is identical to the size of the current LGA-1851 socket used for Arrow Lake-S. While this doesn't mean the CPUs will be cross-compatible between the two sockets, the mounting mechanism could be the same, meaning it should support coolers designed for its predecessors. This is good news for anyone who has invested in a high-end air or liquid cooler for their current system and wants to update to a more recent CPU.

The appearance of the 52-core chip in the manifest corroborates earlier leaks. If those previous reports are accurate, this flagship CPU will feature a configuration of 16 P-cores, 32 E-cores, and an additional 4 LP E-cores on the SoC tile. The document also lists the 28-core variant that was spotted last week.

This leak is a strong indication that Intel's roadmap is on track for the 2026 launch of Nova Lake-S, which is set to be the desktop debut of the company's 18A process node. While the performance of the new architecture remains a mystery, the possible confirmation of cooler compatibility is a welcome development that will make the eventual upgrade path much smoother for enthusiasts.

KitGuru says: A 52-core CPU in the mainstream market is definitely interesting. However, we wonder how many users can actually take advantage of this many cores.

The post An Intel Nova Lake-S processor with 52 cores has leaked first appeared on KitGuru.

Philips has announced the launch of its new Brilliance 27E3U7903 monitor, a 27-inch 5K display that looks to be a direct competitor to Apple's Studio Display. With a similar high-resolution panel and a robust feature set, Philips aims to tempt creative professionals with a more reasonable price tag.

The new Brilliance 27E3U7903 monitor features a 27-inch 5K (5120×2880) IPS panel, providing an impressive 218 PPI. Built for colour-critical work, it covers 99.5% of the Adobe RGB and 99% of the DCI-P3 colour spaces. Additionally, it's ‘Calman Ready' for easy hardware recalibration and VESA DisplayHDR 600-certified, with a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and a typical brightness of 500 nits (peaks at 600 nits).

Connectivity is a major strong point and a key advantage over the competition. The monitor features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, providing a single-cable solution for video, data, and up to 96W of power delivery, as well as support for daisy-chaining a second display. It also functions as a full workstation hub, with a built-in KVM switch, a 1GbE LAN port, and an integrated 5MP Windows Hello-compatible webcam for secure logins. Moreover, the included Philips ‘SmartErgoBase' provides full ergonomic adjustment, including height, tilt, swivel, and a 90-degree pivot into portrait mode right out of the box.

The Philips Brilliance 27E3U7903 is set to launch in early September with a suggested retail price of just £849.

KitGuru says: Compared to the Apple Studio Display, which it seems to rival, the new Brilliance 27E3U7903 appears to be a much better deal.

The post The latest Philips Brilliance monitor has specs to rival Apple Studio Display first appeared on KitGuru.

The Seagate FireCuda 540 has been on the market for a while, but it still offers decent Gen 5 performance. It is based on the Phison E26 controller, paired with Micron TLC NAND flash and a DRAM cache. In our testing we saw impressive sustained write performance from the SSD.

Alesh Slovak, the developer behind the popular HTPC gaming distribution ChimeraOS (a SteamOS-like operating system), has just unveiled a new project called Kazeta. It's a new, lightweight Linux-based operating system designed to replicate the simplicity of a classic games console by using SD cards as physical game cartridges.

Brought to our attention by GamingOnLinux, Kazeta was designed to be as simple as possible. Users manually load a single DRM-free game from a source like GOG or itch.io onto an SD card, which then acts as a game cartridge. Then, you insert the card into your PC and boot it up. Lastly, the OS launches you directly into the game, with no launchers, online accounts, or internet connection required. Game saves are written to the PC's internal storage, keeping the “cartridge” itself clean. If you boot without a card inserted, you're greeted with a 90s-style console BIOS menu.

 

Image credit: Kazeta

According to the developer, the project was born out of a desire to combat the growing complexity of digital storefronts and to help with the long-term preservation of games through DRM-free media. It's a direct response to the cloud-dependent, always-online nature of modern gaming, offering a completely offline, plug-and-play experience.

As you might expect from a new and ambitious project, there are some limitations in its current state. The OS does not yet support Bluetooth controllers, dual-booting, or hybrid graphics setups, and the process of creating the game cartridges is entirely manual for now. However, the developer has noted that features like Bluetooth support are planned for future iterations. Below you can find the system requirements for Kazeta:

REQUIREMENTS

• 4 GB or more RAM
• 32 GB or larger internal storage device
• AMD Radeon RX 400 series or newer GPU required (Strongly recommended for the best experience)
• NVIDIA GTX 1600 series or newer GPU required
• Intel GPUs released since 2017 may work, but have poor game compatibility
• A single connected TV or monitor
• Virtual machines are not supported
• A keyboard is usually required to select the boot disk and start the installer
• Secure boot must be disabled
• Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) must be disabled
• Legacy/bios is not supported

SUPPORTED HARDWARE/CONTROLLERS

• Geekom A5 2025 Edition Mini PC
• 8Bitdo Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller connected wirelessly via the included dongle or wired

The operating system is now available for download, along with complete installation instructions on the project's GitHub page.

KitGuru says: Have you ever considered changing your system to a Linux-based OS? Do you think Kazeta would motivate you to do so?

The post New Linux-based OS Kazeta takes inspiration from 90s game consoles first appeared on KitGuru.

Last week, we reported on a new round of lay-offs taking place at Crystal Dynamics. At the time, I reported that this was likely impacting the Perfect Dark team, as Microsoft/Xbox opted to cancel the game this year. Now, we have confirmation on that and as it turns out, the reason for the delayed impact at Crystal Dynamics was due to a deal that was brewing between Microsoft, Embracer and Take-Two, which would have seen Take-Two taking over the game and funding it through to completion. 

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier published his report on the Crystal Dynamics layoffs this week, confirming that it was the Perfect Dark team impacted. On top of that though, Schreier also learned that Crystal Dynamics and its parent company, Embracer Group, were in talks to try and keep the project alive.

The deal being discussed would have seen Take Two acquiring the rights to the game and funding the project in lieu of Microsoft. While Microsoft was open to this, the company did not want to part with ownership over the IP. Take Two wasn't going to fund a game for a franchise it has no ownership over and as a result, the deal fell apart.

Unfortunately, it is looking like Perfect Dark will be shelved for a long time. It took Microsoft over a decade to return to Perfect Dark after the release of Perfect Dark Zero, which was an Xbox 360 launch title. On top of that, Microsoft burned through millions setting up ‘The Initiative', which was based in one of the most expensive cities in all of the US, and spent even more money recruiting top talent from around the games industry, only to ultimately decide to contract development of the game out to a third-party. The whole thing was a massive waste of time and money and due to those lost funds, it is doubtful that Microsoft is keen to invest more into the Perfect Dark IP.

KitGuru Says: Perhaps this is why Microsoft is so keen on buying studios, because it clearly can't set up one of its own and manage it effectively. The Initiative didn't even get close to releasing a game. 

The post Perfect Dark was almost saved by Take Two but Microsoft wouldn’t give up IP first appeared on KitGuru.

A few months ago, a leak revealed a few new classic games due to join the Nintendo Switch Online library. Now, just ahead of next week's rumoured Nintendo Direct showcase, Nintendo appears to have confirmed this leak. 

In an announcement this week, Nintendo confirmed that Forsaken 64 will be joining the Nintendo Switch Online library. This was one of four games leaked for the service over the summer. As noted by VGC, this lends credibility to the previous leak and likely indicates that the other titles mentioned are also on the way.

For those who didn't catch the original leak, a blurry image of four game box arts revealed a set of new titles coming to the Nintendo 64 emulator, which is only accessible via the Nintendo Switch Online service. Aside from Forsaken 64, the other games mentioned included Super Smash Bros, Donkey Kong 64 and Glover.

Given how massive Super Smash Bros and Donkey Kong are, it is possible that Nintendo is saving the announcement of these titles for a segment in an upcoming Nintendo Direct. Recent rumours have claimed that a new Nintendo Direct stream will take place around September 12th.

KitGuru Says: Are there any classics that you would like to see added to the Nintendo Switch Online service? Personally, I'd like to see a massive expansion to the Game Boy Advanced library. 

The post Nintendo may have just confirmed a Nintendo Switch Online leak from earlier this year first appeared on KitGuru.

Following the release of several horror games to a reception ranging from positive to mildly negative, sometimes due to how particular sensitive themes were addressed, Polish developer Bloober Team has risen considerably in the estimation of survival horror fans for the excellent work the studio has done with the Silent Hill 2 remake, a faithful adaptation of the classic Konami game enhanced by some modern features that make it a joy to play. While the Polish studio is set to continue this fruitful collaboration with the development of the remake of the first entry in the series, Bloober Team is […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/review/cronos-the-new-dawn-such-is-our-calling/

Dying Light: The Beast is just a few weeks away and now, Techland has revealed the PC system requirements. Despite this game spinning off from a Dying Light 2 DLC to its own standalone game, the PC system requirements have made a bit of a jump compared to Dying Light 2. 

Dying Light: The Beast puts players back in the shoes of Kyle Crane, the protagonist of the first Dying Light game. After being forced to undergo a series of brutal experiments, Kyle's DNA has evolved, giving him access to a range of new abilities.

In the table below, you can see the PC system requirements for Dying Light: The Beast –

Tier	Resolution & FPS	Graphics Settings	GPU	VRAM	CPU	RAM	Storage	OS
Minimum	1080p @ 30fps	LOW	GTX 1060 / RX 5500 XT / Arc A750	6GB	Intel i5-13400F / Ryzen 7 5800F	16GB	70GB SSD	Windows 10+
Recommended	1440p @ 60fps	MEDIUM	RTX 3070 Ti / RX 6750 XT / Arc B580	8GB	Intel i5-13400F / Ryzen 7 7700	16GB	70GB SSD	Windows 10+
High	4K @ 60fps	HIGH	RTX 4070 Ti / RX 7900 GRE	12GB	Intel i7-13700K / Ryzen 9 7800 X3D	32GB	70GB SSD	Windows 10+
Ultra	4K @ 60fps + RT + FG	ULTRA	RTX 5070 / RX 9070 / Arc B580	12GB	Intel i9-14900K / Ryzen 9 7950 X3D	32GB	70GB SSD	Windows 10+

The key differences between Dying Light 2 and The Beast are higher RAM requirements, moving the minimum up from 8GB to 16GB, and a target for higher resolutions. Dying Light 2's PC system requirements were all designed around 1080p gaming, while Dying Light: The Beast opts for 1440p and 4K requirements.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up Dying Light: The Beast in a few weeks' time? 

The post Dying Light: The Beast PC system requirements announced first appeared on KitGuru.

The long-rumoured “Arrow Lake Refresh” for Intel's desktop platform has been a source of much debate, but a new leak may have finally shed some light on its official branding. A new processor, identified as the Core Ultra 7 365K, has recently appeared in the Geekbench database, suggesting that the upcoming refresh will indeed be marketed as part of the Core Ultra 300 series.

The benchmark entry (via Benchleaks) shows the Core Ultra 7 365K as a 20-core, 20-thread part, featuring 8 P-Cores and 12 E-Cores with a base clock of 3.9GHz. The chip was tested on an MSI Pro Z890-A WiFi motherboard with 48GB of DDR5 memory. According to the listing, the cache structure appears to be unchanged from the current Arrow Lake CPUs.

However, don't read too much into the performance numbers just yet. The chip scored just 2,140 points in the single-core test and 19,744 in the multi-core test, both of which are notably lower than the average scores for the existing Core Ultra 7 265K. This is almost certainly an early engineering sample running with unoptimised drivers and is not representative of the final product's expected performance. Given it's a refresh, it only makes sense that it will perform similarly to or better than its predecessor.

This leak comes after months of evolving rumours about the Arrow Lake Refresh. What started as speculation about higher core count parts and NPU upgrades has now settled on the much more sober expectation of a minor clock speed bump for a few select K-series SKUs. The main point of contention was whether Intel would brand this as a new 300-series or keep it under the 200-series.

KitGuru says: This is unlikely to move the needle much for Intel considering the small upgrades. 

The post Intel Arrow Lake refresh may release under ‘Core Ultra 300’ series as Core Ultra 7 365K leaks first appeared on KitGuru.

Earlier this year, we heard from a number of readers who had issues obtaining their paid-for product after pre-ordering RTX 5090 graphics cards from uwgamespecialist.nl, a tech retailer in the Netherlands. Following our initial report, the CEO of uwgamespecialist claimed that an internal investigation would be launched but by July of this year, we learned that the company was in fact still scamming customers. Now another couple of months later, the company appears to have shut down.

As spotted by Tweakers, the uwgamespecialist webshop is now closed and is no longer accepting any orders, the company's LinkedIn page has been taken down and the company owner declined to answer any of Tweakers' questions. The website now states that “unfortunately Your Game Specialist is no longer available”. The company listing on Google has also been marked down as closed.

In the image above, you will see one of several screenshots we received from verified customers a few months ago, in which the uwgamespecialist website falsely reports RTX 5090 GPUs as being ‘available', only for customers to be left waiting for months.

One commenter on the article, Joostbakker, claimed to have reached out to Jeroen Vukkink, the former CEO of the company and learned that a bankruptcy petition has begun. This means that customers with pending orders likely won't have their purchases fulfilled. However, if you are impacted, you may be able to contact your bank and have the charge reversed after explaining the situation.

KitGuru Says: We've been following this story closely for months, having reported on the initial RTX 5090 recall claim, which we quickly learned was a lie. Months later, they were still up to dodgy antics. If you had a pending order with this company, we would love to hear from you about your experience. You can reach us by going to our Contact Us page (HERE) and selecting the Editorial option. 

The post Dodgy tech retailer closes down after scamming RTX 5090 buyers for months first appeared on KitGuru.

In this video I'll be taking a look at the highly anticipated DeltaMate GPU water block for the Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 from Thermal Grizzly. If you watched our Computex coverage you will have seen that Leo got a first look at the block, alongside the lowdown on how it's made from Thermal Grizzly's own Joe Robey. Today, I get to do the fun stuff and install this beast of a water block on the RTX 5090 Asus ROG Astral and take it for a spin.

Timestamps

00:00 The DeltaMate and Pricing
02:00 The Incredible backplate! / dummy plate
03:56 PCIe Bracket / PCB Removal
05:30 Copper Coldplate / Up Close
07:00 Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090
07:33 New Deltamate Fittings
08:55 Getting some ‘stock’ results
09:41 Installing the deltamate block
11:36 DeltaMate results!

Specification

• Dimensions (L x W x H): 282 x 135 x 28mm
• Weight: 2142g
• Port Spacing: 28mm
• Port Threads: 2 x Female G1/4″ (1/4″ BSPP)
• Backplate Thickness: 4.5mm
• Number of PCIe Slots: 1.5
• Coolant Capacity: 76ml
• Cold Plate Material:  Copper
• Coldplate Design: 86 x 0.2mm Micro Fins
• Terminal Material: Brass
• Exterior Material: Aluminium (6082)
• O-Ring: EPDM
• Lighting: D-RGB 3-pin 27 diodes

Thermal Grizzly unveiled the DeltaMate GPU block for RTX 5090 Asus ROG Astral at Computex this year. We got our hands on the very same block that was on show at Computex, installed it on the Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 and ran some thermal load tests and checked out the performance in 3DMark Speed Way.

 

This is still a pre-release version of the block, so these are early performance figures. However, we are assured by Thermal Grizzly that this version of the DeltaMate waterblock is identical in terms of specification and manufacturing process as the retail version. You can check the progress of the final retail version availability via the blog on the official Thermal Grizzly website.

KitGuru says:  If you have an Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 and want to squeeze a little more performance from it or think it's time to delve into serious overclocking, then this waterblock could be ideal for you!

The post Thermal Grizzly DeltaMate RTX 5090 ROG Astral Water Block first appeared on KitGuru.

Over the past few months we’ve seen a number of live-service titles announce that they will no longer support last-gen consoles – with the likes of Genshin Impact and PUBG leading the charge. It therefore comes as a bit of a surprise that the current-gen exclusive Hero Shooter Marvel Rivals is reportedly set to get a release on PS4.

As reported by PlayStation data miner ‘PlayStation Game Size’, a listing for a PS4 version of Marvel Rivals has popped up on Sony’s back-end servers, suggesting that a last-gen version of the game is gearing up for release – likely around the launch of Season 4.

As mentioned, this move would be a rather interesting one as many other live-service titles are doing the complete opposite; ceasing last-gen support for their games.

Furthermore, in being a competitive multiplayer title, Marvel Rivals on last-gen would need to have some level of solid performance for it to be viable – a tough ask given Rivals’ Unreal Engine 5 roots and destructible environments.

All that said, assuming the team wanted to bring Marvel Rivals over to Switch 2 eventually, then optimisations would need to take place; so perhaps this port is partially being done in order to prep for the inevitable Switch 2 release.

We likely won’t have to wait too long to find out as Marvel Rivals Season 4 is expected to go live in just under two weeks’ time.

KitGuru says: What are your opinions on backporting current-gen games? Will Marvel Rivals on PS4 be a solid enough experience? How do you think the console will handle Dr. Strange’s portals? Let us know down below.

The post Marvel Rivals reportedly coming to last-gen consoles first appeared on KitGuru.

Each month, all those subscribed to Humble’s Choice membership can get their hands on a solid 8 or so titles for the ‘low’ (though recently-raised) price of just £11.49. For the month of September, subscribers can look forward to a variety of titles – ranging from Destiny 2: Legacy Collection to WWE 2K25; The Plucky Squire and more.

Available to add to your library from now until the end of September, this month’s Humble Choice line-up features the following:

• WWE 2K25
• Destiny 2: Legacy Collection (2025)
• The Plucky Squire
• SpellForce: Conquest of Eo
• Return to Monkey Island
• Eastern Exorcist
• Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks
• Grapple Dog
• One Month of IGN Plus

Though in some ways less exciting than August’s offerings (which included the likes of Persona 5 Royal; Banishers: Ghost of New Eden and more), this month’s Choice line-up features plenty of variety.

Perhaps the most notable is Destiny 2’s Legacy Collection. For the uninitiated, this 2025 edition of the Collection includes a majority of the past content from Destiny 2, including:

• The Final Shape; Lightfall and The Witch Queen Expansions
• Beyond Light; Shadowkeep; Forsaken and 30th Anniversary Packs
• Pit of Heresy; Shattered Throne and Grasp of Avarice Dungeons

In essence, this Collection should include all of the content from the past 8 years of Destiny 2, with the main exceptions being the likes of the Red War Campaign, the Forsaken Story and other vaulted items/planets – as well as the most recent Edge of Fate Expansion (and select Dungeon Keys).

Outside of Destiny 2, this month’s Humble Choice offers plenty to enjoy, with the likes of The Plucky Squire giving you a fun, and visually unique 2D/3D platformer, and Return to Monkey Island throwing you back to the early days of video games.

In case you missed it, Humble are currently also offering a bunch of themed bundles, including the WB Play The Legends Bundle and the Duo of Justice – Ace Attorney and Mega Man bundle; the full details of which can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this month’s Choice line-up? Which title are you most excited to check out? Have Destiny 2’s Collections become too confusing for the average person? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post September’s Humble Choice line-up officially announced first appeared on KitGuru.

There was once a time when Rayman was easily Ubisoft’s most recognisable character, with the platforming mascot sitting alongside Crash Bandicoot, Spyro and the like during the 1990s and 2000s. That said, we’ve not seen a new mainline entry in over a decade – with the most recent attempt being the cancelled project from 2021. That said, fans now have something official to look forward to, with Ubisoft confirming that they are currently working “on the future of Rayman.”

Making the official announcement as part of Rayman’s 30th anniversary celebrations, the publisher confirmed that “A very talented team at Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milan are currently working together on the future of Rayman.”

For the uninitiated, Ubisoft Montpellier’s very first game was the original Rayman from back in 1995. In the decades since, the studio has worked on many different Ubisoft franchises, with their most recent release being the highly-underrated Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

That said, while it’s been quite some time since the team worked on their founding franchise, the last mainline entry – 2013’s Rayman Legends – did hail from Montpellier, proving that the team still has what it takes to make an excellent platformer.

In the wake of this official announcement, known leakers Insider-Gaming offered some early details on this upcoming title, with codename ‘Steambot’ said to be a remake currently targeting a “late 2026” release.

Assuming things go to plan, Ubisoft is set to further invest in Rayman, with Insider-Gaming claiming that the publisher “has already made preliminary plans to develop Rayman 4…but will depend on Steambot’s success,” adding that “If put into production, it is expected to be released by the end of the decade.”

Following a solid 10 years of little more than various Far Cry, Assassin’s Creed, Tom Clancy and Just Dance entries, it is exciting to see Ubisoft finally returning to many of the franchises which made the publisher what it is today.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for this upcoming project? Would you want it to be a 2D or 3D platformer? What’s your favourite entry in the series? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Ubisoft announces new Rayman game during franchise’s 30th anniversary celebrations first appeared on KitGuru.

Last week we reported on a rumour which claimed that the media giant Paramount was in talks with Microsoft/Activision to produce a film based on the publisher’s evergreen Call of Duty franchise. It seems as though these talks went well, with Paramount now officially announcing that they have obtained the rights to develop a Call of Duty film.

Making the announcement via a press release, the team at Paramount/Skydance announced that they have officially entered a partnership with Activision to “bring the iconic Call of Duty universe to life on the big screen, delivering an unforgettable cinematic event for fans worldwide.”

Little is known about the film currently, with the primary detail having been confirmed is the fact that it will be a live-action movie of some sorts.

Speaking on this announcement, Paramount chairman and CEO David Ellison said “As a lifelong fan of Call of Duty this is truly a dream come true. From the first Allied campaigns in the original Call of Duty, through Modern Warfare and Black Ops, I’ve spent countless hours playing this franchise that I absolutely love. Being entrusted by Activision and players worldwide to bring this extraordinary storytelling universe to the big screen is both an honor and a responsibility that we don’t take lightly.”

As mentioned by Ellison, Call of Duty’s identity is far from static, with the franchise’s annual releases covering everything from World War II, to modern day conflicts and even far future space wars.

As such, it will be interesting to see which era Paramount/Activision opt to go for – and whether the project will manage to differentiate itself from the MANY various war films which have been released over the past century or so.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this announcement? Is it too late for a COD film to make a splash in Hollywood? What era of COD would you want the film to be based on? Let us know down below.

The post Live-Action Call of Duty film officially announced by Paramount first appeared on KitGuru.

For years, gamers seeking the high contrast and low response times of an OLED display have had to opt for larger and more expensive screens of 27 inches or above. That might finally be about to change, as a new report suggests that Samsung is planning to produce a 24.5-inch OLED panel specifically for the mainstream gaming market.

The 24/25-inch form factor has long been the sweet spot for competitive and mainstream PC gaming. Many esports pros prefer its smaller size, as it offers a crisp, clear image at 1080p resolution, which is easier for mid-range graphics cards to drive. The lack of an OLED option in this popular size has been a notable gap in the market, forcing many gamers to stick with IPS and VA panels.

According to the report from Lonely City Hardware (via Notebookcheck), Samsung is looking to fill this gap with a 24.5-inch OLED panel. The panel will reportedly target a refresh rate in the 300-360 Hz range, which, combined with OLED's near-instantaneous response times, would make it a dream for competitive shooter players.

A smaller 1080p panel could be significantly cheaper to produce, finally bringing OLED technology to a more affordable price point. With 27-inch QHD OLED monitors currently starting at £400, these new 25-inch 1080p models could launch for less than £300, which would be a game-changer for the mainstream market.

KitGuru says: Would you consider getting a 1080p OLED monitor with a high refresh rate? If so, how much would you be willing to spend on it?

The post Samsung is reportedly planning to launch 24-inch QD-OLED panels in 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

If you take a look at the Steam reviews for Monster Hunter Wilds, you will probably come to the conclusion that the game's dwindling sales are due to unaddressed performance issues and a lack of optimisation. Capcom's leads think differently though, pinning the blame on the cost of PS5 consoles. 

In an interview with Japanese news outlet, Nikkei (via VGC), Capcom President, Haruhito Tsujimoto, was asked about Monster Hunter Wilds sales performance, saying that while the game did achieve Capcom's internal goal of 10-million copies sold in its first month, the company has run into trouble building on those initial sales. According to Tsujimoto, this is due to “barriers to the PS5”.

I struggle to understand this line of thinking. Yes, the PS5 is more expensive than a PS4. However, the actual sales numbers between the two consoles are very similar. Over its first five years on the market (2013-2018), the PS4 sold 82 million units worldwide. The PS5 has been on the market for just shy of five years and has sold over 80 million units so far. Clearly, Sony is having no trouble selling PS5 consoles, even at higher prices than the PS4, so I'm really not sure what ‘barriers to the PS5' Tsujimoto is imagining.

Monster Hunter Wilds (2025) was the follow-up to Monster Hunter World (2018), intended for high-end consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X/S) and PC. The game ultimately launched with dire performance issues, particularly on PC, where the game seems to entirely rely on Frame Generation to achieve decent frame rates. While Monster Hunter Wilds had great success at launch, negative word of mouth spread, and sales numbers have been dropping ever since.

While Capcom's president does not acknowledge the complaints around optimisation, the Monster Hunter Wilds development team actually has, albeit six months late. The team is now working on properly optimising the game to reduce both CPU usage and GPU usage, which should in turn enable better performance. However, the developers also warned that these changes could take a long time to develop and implement.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Monster Hunter Wilds should have been gunning for GOTY this year but given how little progress has been made on the issues that have been present since launch, I'd be surprised if it got a nomination. 

 

The post Capcom head thinks PS5 prices are to blame for low Monster Hunter Wilds sales first appeared on KitGuru.

Developer Chasing Carrots has just announced a massive slate of new content for its hugely popular horde-survival game, Halls of Torment. In a triple-whammy of news, the studio has revealed that the game is coming to PlayStation and Xbox and will be receiving both its first paid DLC and a major free content update alongside it.

The hit indie title, which has been a success on PC, will be making its way to consoles in the future, with versions for both PlayStation and Xbox in the works. The console editions are set to launch with all the content currently available in the PC version, bringing the Diablo-esque survivors-like experience to a new audience.

The game's first paid expansion is titled “The Boglands”. This DLC will introduce a new swampy stage filled with new enemies, two new playable characters (Crone and the Alchemist), and a host of new items and mechanics, including a new ‘Earth' element and ‘Decay' status effect, along with over 50 new quests. Alongside the paid DLC, all players will be receiving a major free update called “Bardcore”. This update will add a new playable character named Bard, six new abilities, new end-game artefacts, new music tracks, and a new manual level progression feature.

Both the new DLC and the free update are scheduled for release sometime in Q4 2025. The release date for the upcoming console version is still undisclosed, but we know it will include the DLC and the “Bardcore” update.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Have you ever tried Halls of Torment? Are you planning on getting the paid DLC when it releases?

The post Halls of Torment is coming to consoles first appeared on KitGuru.

The Xbox team is kicking off September with a stacked line-up of games. Naturally, the headliner is a game that many fans have been waiting on for years- Hollow Knight Silksong.

Hollow Knight Silksong is a sequel to the 2017 platformer, Hollow Knight. In this sequel, you play as Hornet, an agile protector of Hallownest. Players will explore a vast new realm that is “ruled by silk and song”.

The game was originally planned as an expansion to the original game, but later evolved into a full sequel, all developed by a small team of three developers from Australia. The game has been in development for five years but finally launches on September 4th for Xbox, PC and Nintendo Switch. On the Xbox and PC side, the game will be included in the Game Pass library at launch.

Here is the full list of titles coming to Game Pass over the next couple of weeks, including platforms and dates:

• I Am Your Beast (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – Available Now
• Nine Sols (Xbox Series X|S) – September 3
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 4
• Cataclismo (PC) – September 4
• PAW Patrol World (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 10
• RoadCraft (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) – September 16

On September 15th, a few games will be leaving Game Pass for all platforms, including; All You Need is Help, Wargroove 2 and We Love Katamari Reroll+ Royal Reverie.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Will you be playing any of this month's new Game Pass titles? 

The post Hollow Knight Silksong headlines new wave of Game Pass titles first appeared on KitGuru.

The ASUS ROG Ally X has been around for a year now. While we are late to the party, we decided to put it through our testing suite and see whether it's still the best Windows PC handheld around.

It looks like there may be yet another surprise Cyberpunk 2077 update on the way, as CD Projekt Red has teased an announcement for later this week. 

In a post this week, CD Projekt Red posted a “message for N.U.S.A. citizens”, dated September 4th 2025. The letter invites everyone to take part in a netrunner recruitment test but does not reveal anything beyond that.

In the Cyberpunk universe, N.U.S.A. stands for New United States of America. If you've played the Phantom Liberty expansion, then you will have already met a few high-ranking N.U.S.A. government officials, including President Myers. In the base campaign, we also encounter Netwatch, the group responsible for tracking down rogue netrunners.

Most of Cyberpunk 2077's free updates over the past year have focused on expanding the base game. However, with this note coming from a character who prominently featured in the Phantom Liberty expansion, it is possible that this update brings something to Dog Town, the locked off section of Night City where most of Phantom Liberty was based.

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KitGuru Says: What are you hoping to see from the next Cyberpunk update? 

The post Cyberpunk 2077 update teased first appeared on KitGuru.

Hideo Kojima is getting ready to celebrate a major milestone for his independent studio. Kojima Productions has announced a special 10th-anniversary event called “Beyond The Strand”, set to take place in Tokyo on September 23rd, 2025. More than just a retrospective, the event promises to offer attendees “a glimpse into future projects”.

According to the official announcement, Kojima himself will host the celebration at Toho Cinemas in Roppongi Hills. For fans in Japan, tickets will be allocated via a lottery system that opens today, September 2nd, at 5:00 AM BST. While details on a potential livestream for international audiences have not been announced yet, the studio has stated that more information will be released at a later date.

This announcement comes just a couple of months after the successful launch of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in June. With that project now complete, all eyes are on what's next for the legendary developer. Fans will be hoping that this event is where we'll finally get an update on his other projects, including the Xbox-exclusive horror title OD and the recently teased “action-espionage” game, Physint.

For the past decade, since he departed from Konami, Hideo Kojima has cemented his studio's reputation with the help of the Death Stranding series. While the “Beyond The Strand” event will certainly be a celebration of that history, the gaming world will be watching closely on September 23rd for any clues about the studio's next ten years.

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KitGuru says: Will you be watching the “Beyond The Strand” event if it's publicly streamed?

The post Kojima will reveal future projects for Kojima Productions 10th Anniversary first appeared on KitGuru.

The Datamag is MSI's first external SSD storage device. The drive uses a USB 3.2 Gen2 x2 (20Gbps) interface and fits neatly in the palm of the hand. Priced at around £140 in the UK for the 2TB model, we put it through its paces and find out if it's worth buying.

The tiny drive (it measures 66 x 13 x 6mm) is available in three capacities: 1TB, 2TB (the drive we are reviewing) and the flagship 4TB drive. The Datamag uses a Phison PS2251-U18 controller, which looks after 3D TLC NAND. MSI quotes Sequential read / write performance figures for the drive of up to 1,600MB/s and 1,500MB/s, respectively, so a little short of the interface's maximum speed.

The base of the drive includes a magnet, hence the mag part of the drive's name. MSI bundles two steel rings with the drive so it can be attached to non-magnetic surfaces.

Physical Specifications:

• Usable Capacities: 2TB.
• NAND Components:  3D TLC.
• NAND Controller: Phison PS2251-U18.
• Interface: USB 3.2 Gen2 x2.
• Form Factor: External.
• Dimensions: 66 x 13 x 6mm.
• Drive Weight: 81g.

Firmware Version: PMAP.

The post MSI Datamag 20Gbps 2TB External SSD Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Back in late 2023, a brand new studio known as T-Minus Zero Entertainment was established. Made in partnership with gaming giant NetEase, the studio was co-founded by Bioware Austin’s Rich Vogel and included alumni from the likes of Bethesda and Bioware. Unfortunately, the studio’s life has now been cut short – with T-Minus Zero Entertainment shutting down before they were able to get their first game out the door.

As reported by the publication ‘GameDeveloper.com’ T-Minus Zero Entertainment co-founder and studio head Rich Vogel took to LinkedIn to announce that the recently-established studio would be shutting down; writing:

“Every journey has its twists and turns, and ours with NetEase is coming to an end. We deeply appreciate NetEase for providing us with both ample runway and support – from helping us find potential investors to giving us the time and budget to develop our game into a fully playable hands-on demo. It has generated a lot of interest. However, despite this progress, current market conditions have prevented us from securing the funding we need at this time.”

As mentioned, T-Minus Zero is shutting down before they were even able to get their first game out the door. That said, while we knew very little about what the team was working on, they were previously confirmed to be developing a “third-person online multiplayer action game based on a new sci-fi IP.”

Of course, NetEase itself is unlikely to feel the impact of this cancellation, with the Billion Dollar publisher already owning many popular multiplayer titles including but not limited to Marvel Rivals; FragPunk; Once Human and Naraka Bladepoint.

Still, it is a shame to see yet another studio comprised of industry veterans shutting down before getting the opportunity to launch their first game.

KitGuru says: Are you disappointed by the news? Did you have any expectations for T-Minus Zero Entertainment? Let us know down below.

The post T-Minus Zero Entertainment shut down by NetEase before they could ship their first game first appeared on KitGuru.