G.Skill announced a significant milestone in collaboration with the Asus ROG team. Together, they have successfully pushed the boundaries of the new DDR5 CAMM2 form factor, achieving Memtest-stable operation at DDR5-10000 memory speed with a 64GB capacity CAMM2 module.
This groundbreaking feat was accomplished on a modified, custom Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Hero CAMM2 motherboard, powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K desktop processor.
This achievement represents an early but important step in exploring and enabling extreme memory overclocking parameters on future hardware platforms. The demonstration showcases a 64GB CAMM2 module, overclocked to DDR5-10000 with CL52 timings, completing 100% Memtest coverage, proving it was completely stable running at this speed.
The CAMM2 (Compression Attached Memory Module) form factor is designed to potentially replace traditional SO-DIMM and even UDIMM modules in certain applications. It offers advantages in terms of physical footprint, signal integrity, and potentially higher speeds. Its flat, compression-mounted design allows for a thinner profile, which is particularly beneficial for compact computing devices and laptops.
KitGuru says: Do you think the CAMM2 memory modules will be the future memory form factor standard for all types of computers?
While DICE had previously attempted bringing Battle Royale to Battlefield with Battlefield V's Firestorm mode, it didn't quite take off. This time around, EA is adopting an approach that closely resembles Call of Duty Warzone, by spinning off the Battle Royale mode into a free-to-play game.
Through datamining the early Battlefield 6 files available to testers via Battlefield Labs, Temporyal has been able to report a number of early details about the game. Recently, they uncovered evidence of a new Battle Royale mode for Battlefield 6, which includes a new map based on the US state of California, and a ‘destructive ring' that forces players to move and shrinks the bounds of the map as the match progresses.
According to Insider Gaming, the Battle Royale mode for Battlefield is going to be free-to-play. That would suggest that Battlefield is adopting an approach closer aligned with Call of Duty, with the Battle Royale experience being free and driving sales of the main game for its campaign mode and exclusive competitive multiplayer modes.
EA has not yet officially announced its plans for Battlefield 6 but an announcement is expected later this summer. The game is confirmed to be releasing before March 31st 2026.
KitGuru Says: Do you think the Battle Royale mode for the next Battlefield game will go free to play?
Techland has announced to investors that it has cancelled two unannounced projects. The cancellations follow back-to-back years of financial losses for Techland, despite continued sales of Dying Light and Dying Light 2.
Techland announced the cancellations in a press release. While they did not reveal specific details about the cancelled games, Insider Gaming reports that one of them was an Action-RPG with a fantasy setting, which began development in 2022. However, there are no details on what the second cancelled game was.
The report also claims that Techland is now working on a Call of Juarez sequel, the first game in the series since 2013, back when Ubisoft held the publishing rights to the series. Techland now owns the publishing rights to the IP, so the new game is expected to be self-published.
It is likely that Techland cancelled these projects due to a few factors. One being a lack of progress and another being financial losses in 2023 and 2024. Techland expects things to turn around with the upcoming release of Dying Light: The Beast, which aims to please fans who preferred the darker themes and gameplay style of the first game.
KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up Dying Light: The Beast in August?
Intel's new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, is reportedly exploring ceasing marketing its 18A process technology to external foundry customers. Instead, it would focus on the 14A process node.
This potential shift, first reported by Reuters, represents a departure from the previous strategy of focusing on 18A, which saw substantial investment poured into development and promotion. Since taking the helm in March, Tan has actively sought to streamline operations and revitalise the company's financial performance. By June, he had apparently voiced concerns that the 18A process was struggling to attract the anticipated level of new external clients.
Industry analysts suggest these changes could amount to hundreds of millions in losses.Intel reported a net loss of $18.8 billion in 2024, marking its first unprofitable year since 1986, underscoring the urgency of Tan's efforts to find a more efficient path forward.
Intel plans to present these strategic options to its board later this month. However, due to the complexity and financial implications involved, a final decision is unlikely to be reached until autumn. Regardless of any changes to its broader strategy, Intel has affirmed it will honour existing commitments for 18A production. This includes manufacturing limited quantities of chips for confirmed clients like Amazon and Microsoft and producing its own “Panther Lake” laptop CPUs, which are slated for late 2025. Beyond the standard 18A, Intel is also developing two enhanced versions: 18A-P, set for release in 2026, and 18A-PT, expected in 2028.
Intel believes the 14A process will enable it to compete more effectively against TSMC and potentially attract major clients such as Apple and Nvidia, who currently rely on the Taiwanese company for chip fabrication.
KitGuru says: If this proves true, it would mark another major shift in strategy since Gelsinger left.
Sony has confirmed that its PlayStation 5 Pro console will receive an AMD FSR4-like algorithm in 2026, replacing the current version of the PSSR upscaler.
As noted by Tom's Guide, the upgrade resulted from “Project Amethyst”, a collaborative effort between Sony and AMD that began in late 2023 and launched alongside the PS5 Pro. PlayStation's chief system architect, Mark Cerny, stated that the jointly developed algorithm will be implemented on the PS5 Pro, mirroring the PC counterpart released in March. This means PS5 Pro customers will receive the complete feature set of FSR 4 without any restrictions.
AMD brought Sony into its quality assurance processes and helped establish a dedicated team focused on upscaling performance. Sony plans to deliver the FSR 4 upgrade as a free system update to all PS5 Pro owners in 2026.
Furthermore, AMD will incorporate the lessons learnt from Project Amethyst into its next RDNA 5/UDNA graphics architecture, which is expected to power future GPUs and potentially next-generation consoles like the PlayStation 6 and the next Xbox. The results from this collaboration are not restricted, allowing third-party developers and hardware partners to benefit from the advancements. For current PS5 Pro owners, the upcoming patch is expected to provide a notable boost in visual quality without compromising performance. Upscaling optimisations for future RDNA 5/UDNA GPUs will also be refined based on the work done for the console.
KitGuru says: Do you have a PS5 Pro? Are you glad the PSSR upscaler is getting a significant upgrade next year?
Helldivers 2 launched last year as a PlayStation console exclusive, even the PC version of the game is published by PlayStation. With that in mind, it was assumed that the game would never come to Xbox, but as it turns out, it will be, and it will be releasing very soon.
Helldivers 2 for Xbox Series X/S consoles will be available starting on August 26th. Funnily enough, around that same time, Gears of War will be releasing on PlayStation for the first time, so this is almost like a rare trade of exclusives.
Helldivers 2 game director, Mikael Eriksson, expressed excitement to recruit more Helldivers with this release, saying: “We know gamers have been asking for this for some time and we are so excited to bring more Helldivers into our game. We have so much more in store for the future months and years – and the more players we have the more stories we can tell! The fight for Super Earth has only just begun.”
Helldivers 2 and Helldivers 2: Super Citizen Edition will both be available on Xbox Series X/S starting on the 26th of August. The game features crossplay for all platforms, so you'll be able to team up with friends on Xbox, PlayStation and PC.
KitGuru Says: This certainly came as a surprise but more games going multiplatform is always welcome. It would be interesting to see this game on Switch 2 as well, assuming Nintendo's latest console has the power needed to run it.
The first GeForce Now library update of the month has arrived. There are just a handful of games joining GeForce Now today, but 20 more games will be joining the library over the course of July, like the day-one release of Killing Floor 3, Dreadzone and more.
This month will see bring 20 more titles to GeForce Now, 12 of which are brand new, day-one releases. That list includes HunterxHunter NenxImpact, Killing Floor 3, Dreadzone, RoboCop: Rogue City Unfinished Business, Wildgate and more. This month will also see the Xbox app version of The Ascent joining GeForce Now, as the game will be joining PC Game Passs on the 8th of July.
Here are the titles joining GeForce Now today:
Little Nightmares II (New release on Xbox, available on PC Game Pass, July 1)
Figment (New release on Epic Games Store, Free July 3)
Clicker Heroes (Steam)
Fabledom (Steam)
Rogue: Genesia (Steam)
Schedule I (Steam)
This is also the last week that you can take advantage of the GeForce Now summer sale, where 6-month Premium tier memberships are half price.
KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to any of this month's new games?
After weeks of speculation, Microsoft began a new round of mass layoffs yesterday, with many teams across Xbox studios being impacted. We already learned that Rare had been forced to cut staff and cancel Everwild, now, Rare has also lost one of its longest-tenured creative leaders.
Gregg Mayles, a game director who has worked at Rare for more than 35 years, has left the studio following the cancellation of Everwild, as reported by VGC. This week as part of a mass layoff effort at Microsoft, Rare was forced to let go of an undisclosed number of employees, and their long in-development adventure game, Everwild, had been cancelled.
Previously, Mayles had worked on Nintendo classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country, along with many other Rare classics. In more recent years he had worked on Sea of Thieves and Everwild.
The scope of the layoffs at Xbox studios continues to astound. Following the closure of The Initiative and several game cancellations, it has come to light that Turn 10 has been forced to fire half of its staff.
Turn 10 is the studio behind the Forza Motorsport games. Despite these games often being highly reviewed and pillars of the Xbox library, Turn 10 was one of the studios hit the hardest by this week's layoffs.
According to Jason Schreier, around half of the Turn 10 team has been let go as part of this week's layoffs. Understandably, those left behind aren't too pleased about the situation, with one source saying it is “unclear where things go from here”, especially in regards to an unannounced game in development.
The Forza Horizon team at Playground Games was not affected.
KitGuru Says: It is unclear how many developers Turn 10 had to begin with, but losing half of a workforce is going to lead to delays and heavily impact current plans for projects.
As part of Microsoft's mass lay-off announcements yesterday, the Xbox team made another shocking decision. First-party studio, The Initiative, is closing immediately and the Perfect Dark reboot has been cancelled.
The Initiative was announced by Microsoft back in 2019. The studio was billed as Microsoft's ‘AAAA' studio, that's right, quadruple A. Things started off promisingly with the hiring of veteran developers from studios like Naughty Dog, Sony Santa Monica, Rockstar and more. Somewhere along the way though, plans changed, and The Initiative was shrunk into a smaller project-management team and Crystal Dynamics was brought in to do the bulk of the development work.
Now, two years on from the announcement of that partnership with Crystal Dynamics, Perfect Dark has been cancelled. The move also comes just one year after we got out first proper trailer for the game. As it turns out, this was essentially a fake trailer, as the game was not taking shape behind the scenes.
Speaking on the closure of The Initiative and cancellation of Perfect Dark, Xbox Studios head, Matt Booty, said:
“These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.”
It is unclear if Microsoft will attempt another revival of Perfect Dark. They have plenty of studios under them that could take the project on, including the original creator of the franchise, Rare Studios, which was also impacted by yesterday's layoffs.
KitGuru Says: Over the past two console generations, there have been two Xbox exclusives I've been primarily interested in. For Xbox One, it was Scalebound, and we all know how that turned out. Now, that same thing has happened with Perfect Dark. With Perfect Dark and Deus Ex both being on ice now, fans of spy-themed immersive sims don't have much to look forward to in the near future.
The KitGuru Reader Awards return for 2025. This is where we ask you to tell us which brands you think are doing the best job in the tech space and as a thank you for entering, we are also running a giveaway, with the winner getting their choice of an RTX 5070 Ti or an RX 9070 XT graphics card!
Voting is now open for the KitGuru Reader Awards 2025, and it takes just a few minutes to have your say.
Whether you're loyal to a specific chassis manufacturer, think a certain monitor brand deserves more love or have been blown away by your latest motherboard purchase, now is the time to make your opinion count.
Why vote?
Not only will your votes shape the KitGuru Reader Awards, but they’ll also feed directly into the European Hardware Association Reader Awards, which will be revealed in Cologne on Monday 19th August – the evening before Gamescom opens. With nine leading tech publications involved across Europe, this is your chance to help decide the biggest pan-European technology community awards of the year.
What’s up for grabs?
To thank you for taking part, we’re giving one lucky voter the chance to win a high-end graphics card worth £850. You’ll be able to choose your prize – for example, between a brand-new RTX 5070 Ti or a Radeon RX 9070 XT – depending on your platform preference.
Entering the draw is easy and you can choose to answer/skip as many categories as you like. If you want a chance to win – please fill in the email box at the end of the survey. Everyone who enters has an equal chance.
Important dates:
Voting opens: Now
Voting closes: Midnight, Saturday 20th July
Prize winner announced: Tuesday 23rd July
KitGuru Award Results published: Monday 12th August
EHA Reader Awards announced live in Cologne: Monday 19th August
KitGuru Says: Whether you're a regular commenter or a quiet observer, this is your moment to shape the narrative. Tell us which brands have earned your trust and admiration in 2025 — and maybe win yourself a serious GPU upgrade while you're at it. Good luck – and thank you for being part of the KitGuru community over the last 16 years!
For those who appreciate mechanical keyboards, you might have noticed the relatively new trend of wood casings. Sharkoon decided to join them and unveiled the Skiller SGK50 Wood Series. Available in three distinct form factors, these keyboards marry wooden casings with PBT keycaps, hot-swap switches, damping materials, and extensive customisation options.
The Skiller SGK50 Wood series effortlessly blends a gorgeous wooden shell with contemporary design elements like RGB lighting and a USB-C coiled cable, creating an attention-grabbing aesthetic. Beneath the PBT keycaps, the Gateron G Pro 3.0 Yellow linear switches come pre-installed. These switches, known for their smoothness and an operating force of 50 (±15g), ensure a satisfying and consistent typing experience right out of the box.
The Skiller SGK50 Wood series keyboards support any 3-pin or 5-pin mechanical switches, allowing enthusiasts to experiment and find their perfect typing feel. Conveniently, all the necessary tools for hot-swapping are included with the keyboard, making customisation a breeze. To ensure the keyboard sounds as good as it looks, Sharkoon has engineered the internal acoustics, incorporating a polycarbonate positioning plate and silicone damping to produce a deep and satisfying sound profile. In addition, the Skiller SGK50 Wood series allows for rapid, on-the-fly adjustments to RGB lighting and macros without additional software, as it's compatible with VIA and QMK.
As the news of mass layoffs at Microsoft continues to spread, more details about cancelled games are coming to light. This afternoon, it was reported that Rare's next game, Everwild, has now been cancelled. Now, it looks like the Perfect Dark reboot and a new MMO from Zenimax have also been cancelled.
Jason Schreier, who has been closely covering the layoffs at Xbox for weeks, has learned that Zenimax Online Studios has cancelled a new MMORPG that began development back in 2018. This game, codenamed Project Blackbird, was in development for eight years before being scrapped as part of the most recent cost-cutting measures.
This news closely follows the report that Rare Studios had also suffered a cancellation, with plans for Everwild being scrapped entirely after first announcing the game in 2019.
There is also a rumour going around claiming that the Perfect Dark reboot, a collaborative project between Microsoft studio ‘The Initiative' and Crystal Dynamics, has also been cancelled. However, there has yet to be a reliable source to back this claim up.
The full scope of the layoffs at Xbox is not yet fully understood and Microsoft has still not made any public statements, despite rumours floating around in the press for weeks.
KitGuru Says: The cancellations of Everwild and this MMO are disappointing but not entirely unexpected. Everwild was announced in 2019 and was not close to being released. The same goes for this MMO, which was first discovered by fans when Microsoft acquired Zenimax in 2020. As for Perfect Dark, that appears to just be a rumoured cancellation for now and has very little backing it up.
Following initial rumours from last month, Microsoft has begun announcing its planned job cuts to internal studios. The full scope of the impact is still being determined but around 9000 layoffs are expected. Rare is reported as one of the studios affected, following the cancellation of Everwild.
Rare first announced Everwild at an Xbox event in 2019. At the time, we did get a lengthy cinematic trailer but it quickly became clear through interviews that Rare didn't have a solid plan in place yet for this title. Since then, there have been no official announcements regarding the game.
Now as it turns out, as part of Microsoft's ongoing cost-cutting measures, Everwild has been cancelled. Sources speaking with both Jason Schreier and Insider Gaming make this claim, but it is unknown how many jobs have been cut at Rare, which is expected to continue working on Sea of Thieves and other new projects.
Microsoft has not yet made a public statement about its layoffs but as more internal employees are informed, more information leaks out.
KitGuru Says: I wasn't particularly fond of the Everwild reveal trailer as it didn't really communicate anything about the game itself. Hopefully one day we do get to hear about the actual plan for this game before the cancellation.
Since completing the $70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in late 2023, Microsoft has been looking to pump up Xbox's profit margins. That effort has already led to several rounds of job cuts, with another now set to take place this week.
Last month it emerged that Microsoft was intending to announce another round of company-wide job cuts. Now, Bloomberg reports that several studios across the Xbox / Microsoft Gaming branch have now been informed of the cuts being made.
It is reported that King, based in Barcelona and a key part of the Activision Blizzard acquisition, will be reducing its job count by 10%, which will lead to around 200 people losing their jobs. Other Europe-based offices for subsidiaries like Zenimax are also beginning to inform employees of layoffs.
The full scope of the layoffs still needs to be established but Microsoft has begun informing employees, which means a public announcement is likely to roll in soon.
KitGuru Says: This is the fourth round of layoffs at Microsoft since completing the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Hopefully we don't end up seeing any studios shut down in this new shake-up.
Nvidia has confirmed a significant shift in its driver support strategy, announcing that the upcoming major driver branch (version 580) will be the final release to support three of its older GPU architectures: Maxwell, Pascal, and Volta. This move will impact a range of popular GeForce and professional products that have served gamers and professionals for over a decade.
As Nvidia states in its developer forum (via BlueGoliath), starting with the driver version following the 580 branch, Nvidia will no longer provide support for Maxwell-based GPUs, including the GeForce GTX 700 series (2013) and GTX 900 series (2014). The immensely popular Pascal-based GTX 10 series (2016) will also see its driver support cease. Additionally, the Volta-based GPUs are included in this deprecation plan.
While the announcement specifically references Unix systems, the underlying driver branches are shared across both Windows and Unix-based platforms, making it highly probable that this change will extend to Game Ready drivers for Windows users. If so, Nvidia will effectively discontinue Game Ready driver updates for some of its longest-supported GeForce GTX product lines. However, it's important to note that not all GTX cards will lose support. The GeForce GTX 16 series, which is based on the newer Turing architecture, will continue to receive support.
For users who don't play the latest titles or cannot afford immediate upgrades, their existing driver installations will continue to function. Nvidia has not yet provided a firm release date for the 580 driver branch, nor is there any information regarding the timing of the subsequent major branch that will drop support for these older GPUs. This indicates that the change should still be months away, minimising any immediate impact on users.
KitGuru says: This deprecation targets architectures 11 years old, well past their typical prime in the fast-moving hardware landscape. However, Volta-based GPUs are only about 7 years old, and considering they were the flagships at launch, it seems it could be a bit premature to end support on them.
We have been eagerly awaiting the launch of the Cooler Master MasterFrame 600 case which heavily features aluminium throughout its construction. It looks great and comes with four case fans at a reasonable price but it also comes with some drawbacks. Watch our video and you will learn all you need to know about the MasterFrame 600.
Time stamps
00:00 Start
00:54 Overview
01:44 Fans and Rad Support
01:56 Construction, panels, brackets and filters
05:11 The Modular system – Fan installation / Panels
07:55 Moving the Cooler Master Logo !?
11:13 200mm Fans and Accessories
15:37 A look at the Drive Cage
17:17 The Test System
17:50 Testing the Case
19:25 Leo's Closing Thoughts
Main features The MasterFrame 600 is a premium open-frame mid-tower chassis built for high-performance hardware, extreme cooling, and total customization. Designed with FreeForm 2.0 in mind, it supports ATX to E-ATX motherboards and offers full access to modular design files, empowering users to build and evolve without limits.
FreeForm 2.0 Exo-structure
The exposed frame structure enhances chassis adaptability and provides flexible configuration options for various scenarios.
Versatile & Maker-Driven
Its open source design and interchangeable panels offer endless personalization possibilities, transforming your chassis into a unique expression of style.
Flexible Motherboard Support
Supports Mini-ITX to E-ATX motherboards, offering compatibility with a wide range of builds and configurations.
Extensive Cooling Support
Can house up to eleven fans and multiple radiator sizes (up to 420mm), ensuring superior thermal performance.
Ample GPU Clearance
Accommodates graphics cards up to 485mm, offering plenty of space for high-end GPUs.
Tool-Free Panel Removal
Easily remove side panels and other components without tools for quick access and modifications during build or upgrades.
Included GPU Support Bracket
The included GPU support bracket prevents GPU sag and ensures stability during intense gaming or high-performance workloads, maintaining a clean and secure build.
Specification: Motherboard support: E-ATX up to 330mm, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX. Power supply support: ATX. Expansion slots: 8. Included fans: 3x 140mm Mobius front intake, 1x 120mm Mobius rear exhaust. Fan mounts: 3x 120mm/3x 140mm/2x 180mm/2x 200mm front, 3x 120mm/2x 140mm/2x 180mm/1x 200mm roof, 1x 120mm rear, 3x 120mm/3x 140mm side. Radiator mounts: 360mm/420mm front, 360mm/420mm roof (if you move the IO panel), 120mm rear, 360mm/420mm side. 5.25-inch optical drive bays: None. Internal drive bays: 2x 3.5-inch/2.5-inch, 3x 2.5-inch. Front I/O ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, audio. Dimensions: 544mm H x 531mm D x 244mm W.
Testing
To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, Palit RTX 5080 and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Cooler Master MasterFrame 600‘s cooling capabilities.
Test System: Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360 Atmos II Motherboard: Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero BIOS 1512 Memory: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 Graphics card: Palit RTX 5080 Gamerock OC 16GB Power supply: Seasonic Focus GX-1000 SSD: Crucial T700 Gen 5 M.2 NVMe OS: Windows 11 Pro
Cooling Performance
Cooling Performance Overview
We tested the Cooler Master MasterFrame 600 on an unpleasantly warm 27 degrees C day with high end gaming hardware and it passed the test tolerably well. Our main takeaway is the way the CPU temperature drops significantly as the fan speed ramps up. The fans supplied with the MasterFrame 600 appear to work well so we feel the the case filters are quite restrictive and require higher pressure to work adequately. The downside, as you will see in our video, is that high fan speeds result in high noise levels.
Closing Thoughts
In our video we dwell on the details of the Cooler Master MasterFrame 600 to give you a deeper understanding of the process that has clearly gone into the design of this case. The problem, as we see it, is that the details are fiddly and complicated and we predict you could spend an hour or two working with the Cooler Master build guide if you decide to move the major components around.
On the other hand, if you keep things simple, ignore the various accessories and simply build a regular PC with an AIO cooler in the roof (or perhaps with an air tower on the CPU) we are confident you will be happy with the results. The aluminium panels look very good and the build quality is solid, and while the black finish is a nightmare to video it looks great sat on the test bench.
You can buy the Cooler Master MasterFrame 600 for £169.99 HERE
Pros:
High quality look and feel with loads of aluminium.
Plenty of space for a large motherboard and extensive cooling.
Good value with four fans included.
Cons:
Endless options, brackets and screws make for a tough building experience.
Air flow seems restricted
The build guide is confusing and complicated.
KitGuru says: The MasterFrame 600 looks great but is awkward to work with.
There are some great freebies to claim this month through Amazon Prime Gaming. This month's batch of free PC games includes classics like Tomb Raider and Saints Row 2, to newer indie games like Endless Space 2.
There are six ‘Prime Day' extra games still available to claim until July 7th. This includes Dungeons of the Endless: Definitive Edition (Amazon Games App), Saints Row 2 (GOG), Saints Row 4 (GOG), Star Wars: Rebellion (GOG), TOEM (GOG) and Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, also available through GOG. Getting these games through GOG is a fantastic extra to have, as it means they are all DRM-free.
As of today, Amazon Prime subscribers can also claim free copies of Boxes: Lost Fragments (Epic Games Store) and Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (Epic Games Store). On July 17th, two more games will be available to claim – Endless Space 2: Definitive Edition and Beseige: The Splintered Sea.
On July 24th, you can claim a GOG code for Venba, and you can get a free copy of I Love Finding Wild Friends Collector's Edition. The final game of the month arrives on July 31st – Heroes of Loot (GOG).
Phanteks has announced the official launch of the XT M3, the latest addition to its XT chassis family. This new micro-ATX offering is designed for gamers and PC builders seeking a blend of high-end performance, exceptional airflow, and a clean, contemporary design—all within an accessible price bracket.
The XT M3 emphasises user-friendliness with its toolless side panels, providing easy access to the interior. Despite its compact footprint, this chassis boasts impressive internal capacity, supporting up to nine fans. It comes pre-installed with three M25 120 mm fans, ensuring a solid cooling foundation right out of the box. The XT M3 also supports 360 mm radiators on the top panel for those who prefer liquid cooling. Furthermore, triple fan mounts allow users to ventilate the graphics card directly.
The interior also accommodates full-size GPUs and is compatible with rear-connect motherboards, facilitating incredibly clean cable routing for a clutter-free interior. Moreover, the XT M3 includes a front I/O panel featuring USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 and USB-A 3.0 ports, ensuring modern connectivity options for peripherals.
The Phanteks XT M3 is now available with three M25 fans included or fanless. The version with three pre-installed fans is priced at £59.99/$69.99/€69.90, while the fanless variant is priced at £49.99/€59.90. Both versions are offered in black and white finishes.
KitGuru says: Which colour option of the XT M3 do you like the most?
Each month, all those with a Humble subscription are privy to a select number of titles for ‘free’ as part of the company’s Humble Choice service. For the month of July, all subscribers can get their hands on 8 solid titles, including Cat Quest 3; Death’s Door; Wizard with a Gun and more.
While far from the most heavy-hitting of months, July’s line-up features a ton of worthwhile indie experiences, from the cutesy action RPG Cat Quest 3, to the sandbox survival game Wizard with a Gun. In addition, those who missed out on Daemon x Machina back when it released can now give it a go ahead of the sequel’s launch in September.
As such, while the above does represent a strong line-up of titles, it appears as though Humble aren’t interested in upping the number/value of games being offered.
KitGuru says: What do you think of this month’s offerings? Is it worth the new asking price? Should Humble offer more titles as a result of the price hike? Let us know down below.
While Marvel Rivals had an extremely strong start following its launch late last year, the live-service hero shooter has since fallen in both player numbers and review scores. That said, NetEase is set to drop their biggest update yet, with Season 3 arriving in just over a week’s time.
Based on the teaser, players can expect to look forward to the additions of Phoenix (likely at the start of the Season) followed by Blade (Season 3.5)
That said, NetEase previously confirmed that starting with Season 3, Marvel Rivals will introduce 3 new characters a season instead of the previous 2. As such, though not yet confirmed, the teaser seems to suggest that Season 3’s villain – Knull – could also become playable later on in the Season.
Counter to this however, it seems as though plans may have changed since then, with Season 3 lasting just two months instead of the previous three – meaning we may only get two new characters after all (albeit at a faster pace).
Finally, NetEase also hinted that a new Klyntar map could be on its way as part of Season 3 – alongside the other typical additions such as new skins and cosmetics, team-up abilities; modes and more.
Additional details on Seasons 3’s other changes, including quality-of-life improvements, customisation enhancements and more, can be found HERE.
As mentioned, Marvel Rivals is currently in the lowest spot it’s been since launch, with the game consistently falling below 100,000 peak concurrent players, and sitting at a ‘Mixed’ on Steam’s recent reviews. It will be interesting to see how impactful the launch of Season 3 will be when it arrives next week.
KitGuru says: Have you played Marvel Rivals recently? What do you think of the state of the game in Season 2? Are you glad they are shortening future Seasons? Let us know down below.
Phasmophobia hit it big back in 2020 when the game was released in Early Access, launching to near immediate success. In the years since, the team at Kinetic Games have continued to work diligently on the game, improving it across the board. 5 years on and Phasmophobia continues to thrive, having now officially sold over 25 million copies.
Making the announcement via a press release, the team at Kinetic Games officially revealed that “Phasmophobia has now surpassed over 25 million sales across all platforms.”
For context, the game first arrived in early access back in September of 2020, going on to achieve near immediate success.
In the years following, a console version of the game was planned. Unfortunately, a fire at the studio’s office led to a number of delays. Finally however, Phasmophobia officially launched on consoles back in October of last year – going on to sell over 1 million units in its first month and pushing total copies to 22 million.
Though we did not get a breakdown of platforms, it is likely that a majority of the 3 million additional players hail from the PS5 / Series X|S. That said, given just how much support Phasmophobia has received (and continues to receive), it’s entirely possible that the game has simply found even more of an audience on the PC platform.
Regardless, Phasmophobia is now one of the best selling games of all time, putting it just outside of the top 50 list. Given just how much the game continues to sell however, it’ll only be a matter of time before it outperforms the likes of GTA: San Andreas; Super Mario Odyssey and perhaps even Elden Ring. We will have to wait and see.
KitGuru says: What do you think of Phasmophobia in 2025? Are you still playing it? Will it outsell Elden Ring when all is said and done? Let us know down below.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of Rockstar’s biggest games of all time, with the open-world title having sold more than 50 million copies since its launch back in 2019. Despite this, the game’s online mode has been mostly abandoned by the team. In a surprise announcement however, Red Dead Online has gotten its first update in 3 years.
“Author Theodore Levin can’t believe the rumors and missives he’s been receiving from the four corners of the American frontier. He’s working on an anthology of these unexplained and weird phenomena and he needs your help investigating the wildest claims that cross his desk.”
Clearly inspired by the likes of the first RDR’s Undead Nightmare zombies mode, this latest update to Red Dead Online introduces “four new Telegram Missions” – each themed around a different genre:
Strange Tales of The Plague
Strange Tales of Modern Science
Strange Tales of The Bayou
Strange Tales of The Wilderness
Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that the update is listed as being ‘Volume 1’ – suggesting that more volumes are on their way.
KitGuru says: What do you think of this surprise update? Is it part of something bigger? When do you think we’ll get the long-awaited RDR2 remaster? Let us know down below.
If you have an Nvidia RTX graphics card, you might want to check the rewards section of the Nvidia App, as the company currently offers a free subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. This promotion allows you to try out a broad suite of Adobe's professional photo and video editing tools, including Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects, without an immediate financial commitment.
To be eligible for this offer, you must own an RTX GPU from one of the past three generations. The duration of the free trial varies based on the generation of your card: if you have a GeForce RTX 30 or RTX 40 series card, you'll receive one free month of Adobe Creative Cloud. However, if you own an RTX 50 series GPU, Nvidia is doubling that offer, providing two free months instead.
Furthermore, RTX 50 series GPU owners receive an exclusive bonus: access to Adobe's Substance 3D collection. This reward grants entry to five distinct Adobe applications, such as 3D Sampler, 3D Designer, and 3D Painter, and a substantial content library that can be valuable for game development and other 3D creative projects. A full Adobe Creative Cloud subscription typically costs around $69 per month, so these offers represent a significant value proposition.
A key detail to remember when claiming this reward is that you must provide payment information to Adobe for the one- or two-month trial. After the complimentary period concludes, your subscription will automatically renew, and you will be charged the standard monthly fee. If you do not intend to continue your membership, you must cancel your subscription before your free month or two expires to avoid any charges. It's also important to note that this reward is exclusively for first-time Adobe Creative Cloud users.
KitGuru says: Do you have an RTX 30, 40, or 50 series card? Are you planning to register it to take advantage of Adobe Creative Cloud's free month (or two)?
Montech has announced the global availability of its latest cases, the X5 and X5M. These cases are engineered for performance PC builders, and hardware enthusiasts, offering a comprehensive refresh that blends modern design with next-generation component compatibility and a sleek, racing-inspired aesthetic.
The X5 is a full-featured evolution of the preceding X3 series. It boasts an expanded interior capable of housing E-ATX motherboards, providing ample room for even the most complex and power-hungry system configurations. The X5 accommodates graphics cards up to 420 mm in length. A thoughtful addition is the integrated GPU holder, built directly into the casing, which negates the need for any additional accessories and ensures even the largest next-generation GPUs are securely installed and free from sag. Moreover, the case comes pre-equipped with three 140 mm fans in the front and a single 120 mm fan at the rear. Furthermore, it offers extensive radiator support, with room for up to 360 mm radiators on both the front and top panels.
Aesthetically, the X5 features a fine carbon print finish, lending a sleek, gaming, and subtly motorsport-inspired accent to the case. The integrated ARGB lighting system offers a diverse palette of 25 lighting styles, all controllable via a physical switch on the top I/O interface. This I/O panel includes USB-A and USB-C ports and a compact audio jack.
Accompanying the full-sized X5, the X5M emerges as a more compact alternative with the same design language. It arrives ready for action with four pre-installed 120 mm fans, configured to ensure internal compatibility for top-tier components within its smaller chassis footprint. This makes the X5M ideal for tighter setups or minimalist desk environments with more limited space. Despite its reduced size, the X5M doesn't compromise on visual appeal. It retains the sophisticated carbon-textured appearance and the vibrant ARGB lighting system, ensuring a cohesive look whether paired with its larger X5 sibling or utilised as a standalone build.
Together, the X5 and X5M form a versatile and high-performance case series. The new X5 cases are available in black and white with an MSRP of $75, while the more compact X5M in black and white retails for $59.
We've reached a new month, which makes it time for another wave of titles for Game Pass. The first half of the month will see nine more games joining the Game Pass library, including the day-one release of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 remastered.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is a follow-up to the widely praised remake of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2. As the name implies, the package includes all of the content from both THPS 3 and THPS 4, all remade. However, the soundtracks are different in the newer games compared to the originals.
Here is the full list of titles coming to Game Pass over the next couple of weeks:
Little Nightmares 2 (Cloud, Console and PC) – Available Today
Rise of the Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console and PC) – Available Today
Legend of Mana (Console) – July 2nd
Trials of Mana (Console) – July 2nd
Ultimate Chicken Horse (Cloud, Console and PC) – July 3rd
The Ascent (Cloud, Console and PC) – July 8th
Minami Lane (Cloud, Console and PC) – July 9th
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (Cloud, Console and PC) – July 11th
High on Life (Cloud, Console and PC) – July 15th
As always, a small number of titles will be leaving Game Pass at the end of the month. From July 15th, the following games will no longer be available:
Flock (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Mafia Definitive Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Magical Delicacy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Tchia (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Callisto Protocol (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Case of the Golden Idol (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The good news is that if you do want to continue playing any of these games, you can buy it at a 20% discount before it leaves Game Pass.
The Nintendo Switch 2 continues to break records. Just short of a month on from the console's release, it has surpassed 5 million units sold, pushing it ahead of the PS4 as the fastest-selling console to date.
As spotted by Twisted Voxel, In June, 1.8 million Switch 2 consoles were sold in the US, with a further 1.47 million sold in Japan. Over in Europe, 1.18 million consoles were sold across the continent, with ‘other regions' combining for just over half a million sales. All of this took place in the span of 25 days, making this a very impressive launch.
Despite pre-orders selling out, Nintendo has been able to keep stores replenished with new stock since launch week. We aren't at a point where Switch 2's are ‘readily available' but you shouldn't have to wait very long to find one in stock either, at least that has been my observation so far in the UK.
At this current pace, the Switch 2 has been the fastest-selling console in US history, and it is making waves in other countries as well. Nintendo is expected to host a Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct stream sometime this month to show off new games heading to the console throughout late 2025 and early 2026.
KitGuru Says: Have any of you picked up a Switch 2 already, or are you waiting for Nintendo to release more games? Personally, I would like to see the Xenoblade games updated for the Switch 2 before making the upgrade.
Nvidia is kicking off July with another wave of DLSS 4 updates for various titles. This week's new Game Ready driver lays the groundwork for DLSS 4 upgrades in Diablo 4, Still Wakes the Deep and Mecha Break. Additionally, the Neverness to Everness Closed Beta is arriving this week and will support DLSS 4 right out of the gate.
Mecha BREAK, developed by Amazing Seasun Games, is a multiplayer third-person shooter that allows players to choose from diverse mechs and battle colossal war machines in 3v3, 6v6, and PvPvE modes. Mecha BREAK launches today with day-one support for DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, DLSS Frame Generation, and DLSS Super Resolution. Diablo 4's Season 9 update also launches today and will introduce DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame generation.
Still Wakes the Deep is the latest game from The Chinese Room, a studio famous for horror experiences like Everybody's Gone to the Rapture and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. Still Wakes the Deep is a first-person narrative horror game and has supported DLSS 3 since launch. However, an update this week brings DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation. Finally, Neverness to Everness is a new online RPG from Perfect World Games – the closed beta goes live tomorrow complete with DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation.
On top of all of this, Nvidia is also rolling out a new Game Ready driver today. This contains support for the latest updates to Mecha Break, Diablo 4 and Monster Hunter Wilds. It is also the first driver to support the newly launched RTX 5050 GPU for desktops and laptops.
RTX 5050-equipped gaming laptops will begin shipping this month, starting at $999. RTX 5050 graphics cards for desktops will be available starting in the second half of July, with prices starting at $249.
Ninja Theory has been quietly working on improvements for Hellblade 2 since the game's launch a year ago. Now, Hellblade 2 Enhanced Edition is launching and better yet, it will be a free upgrade for owners of the original game.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 Enhanced Edition includes several updates. For the first time, console players will be able to switch to a 60FPS performance mode. On the PC side, we're getting a new ‘Very High' tier of graphics settings to push fidelity even further. It is unclear exactly what this new preset will change or add to the game, but Hellblade 2 was already one of the most visually impressive games on the market. Ninja Theory hasn't just focused on pushing the high-end though, a new preset is also arriving for Steam Deck, which will allow the game to become Steam Deck Verified for the first time.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 Enhanced Edition will also be available on PS5, marking the first time that the game has been sold on a non-Xbox console. Ultimately, those picking up the game for the first time on PS5 will get a much better day-one experience thanks to the addition of 60FPS gameplay. The next-gen enhanced version of Hellblade 1 is also coming to PS5 for the first time, right alongside Hellblade 2. Those who already own the PS4 version of Hellblade 1 will get the PS5 upgrade for free.
Aside from performance and visual improvements, the Enhanced Edition of Hellblade 2 also features a new difficulty level that brings back the Dark Rot mechanic from the original game. In this mode, each time the player fails, rot will spread further across Senua's body, if it reaches her head, its Game Over.
Hellblade 2 Enhanced Edition launches on August 12th.
While EA Sports has thrived in most sports categories, the company has struggled to break into Basketball over the past decade. During the Xbox One/PS4 generation, two NBA Live games were released but there has been a drought since then, leaving NBA2K to dominate the market, and progressively get greedier along the way. Some much-needed competition may now be back on the table.
EA Sports is returning to Basketball after a lengthy hiatus. Following the success of EA's College Football game, they are now also bringing back Collegiate-level basketball. For reference, this will be EA's first NCAA basketball video game since 2009.
EA Sports has only teased the game so far, but as spotted by IG, Mike Straw has claimed to have seen documents that indicate both EA and Take Two will be producing college basketball games.
This would mark EA's first return to basketball since NBA Live 19. While EA has said that it has been working on the return of NBA Live multiple times over the years, nothing has come to fruition yet.
KitGuru Says: This could be popular over in the US, but in a country like the UK where televised collegiate sports leagues aren't really a thing, it seems unlikely that this would sell very well.
While Windows 12 is reportedly being worked on, Microsoft still has plenty of work left to do on Windows 11. This week, Microsoft announced its plans for the next major Windows 11 feature update, which is now available to Windows Insider testers.
According to Microsoft's Jason Leznek (via Tom's Hardware), Windows 11 version 25H2 leverages the same core platform and servicing stack as the current version 24H2. This shared foundation means that users upgrading from 24H2 to 25H2 can expect a streamlined transition, described as “as simple as a quick restart”, akin to applying a typical monthly cumulative update. This method is significantly faster than the “OS swap” experience encountered when upgrading from earlier versions like 23H2 to 24H2, which involved a more extensive file replacement process.
While the initial preview build of Windows 11 version 25H2 mirrors the features already present in the 24H2 Beta Channel, Microsoft plans to introduce new functionalities progressively. As with previous Windows iterations, new features developed for 25H2 will first be integrated into the 24H2 branch in a disabled state. As these features mature, they will be bundled into monthly cumulative updates for 24H2 and activated via small enablement packages. Although an official release date for version 25H2 has not been set, the period from September to October 2025 is considered a likely window. This timing strategically aligns with the official end of support for Windows 10 in October 2025 (one-year extension not included).
Updating to version 25H2 will also reset the support clock. Enterprise and Education editions will receive an extended 36-month maintenance cycle, while consumer and professional editions will be supported for 24 months. This incentivises users to upgrade to 25H2 to ensure their PCs remain supported with the latest security and bug fixes for the longest possible duration. Windows Insiders can begin testing version 25H2 immediately, providing feedback to Microsoft as development progresses. Once generally available, users can activate Windows 11 version 25H2 by restarting their systems after the enablement package is applied.
KitGuru says: Unfortunately a lot of these major Windows updates have also introduced new bugs. Perhaps this time around, Microsoft will manage a smoother rollout.
Released over a decade following its first entry, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launched in September of last year to a wave of success; both critically and commercially. With the game encroaching on its 1st anniversary, the team at Saber have now confirmed that a second year of post-launch support is planned, including “both free and DLC content.”
“We’re happy to announce that a second year of both free and DLC content included in a new yearly season pass is on the way! This extended support to Space Marine 2 has been possible thanks to your unwavering support, so once again, thank you very much for being part of it!. Expect new PvE missions, enemies, weapons, and… more.”
As part of this announcement, the team confirmed that the previously-unveiled PvP mode (which was initially planned to arrive with patch 9.0) has been pushed back to September as part of Space Marine 2’s big 10.0 patch.
Though they refrained from giving too much away, patch 10.0 is confirmed to be bringing with it the aforementioned PvP mode alongside new chaos armours and the Power Axe melee weapon.
Last but not least, the team offered additional details on the previously-announced ‘new class’ for both PvE and PvP – confirming it to be a Techmarine, though “we’ll reveal more about this new class in the next community updates.”
Since its arrival in September of last year, Space Marine 2 has continued to see a ton of support from both Saber and fans alike – with the most recent figures putting the game at 7 million total players. It will be interesting to see where the game is at by the time the big 10.0 update rolls around.
KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to update 10.0? What unconfirmed features would you like to see added? How has Space Marine 2’s post-launch support been in your opinion? Let us know down below.
Ever since 343 Industries took over the Halo franchise from Bungie, fans have been met with increasingly disappointing sequels – culminating in 2021’s Halo Infinite. As a result of this however, 343i announced late last year that they were rebranding to Halo Studios while moving away from the SlipSpace Engine over to Unreal Engine 5. Though we’ve seen little aside from some tech demos so far, Halo Studios have now teased that their first big announcement is set to go live this October.
“Over the past few weeks, there’s been a fair amount of speculation about when and where more details might emerge about any of the multiple projects Halo Studios is actively working on. We don’t usually comment on such matters, but this time we want to enter the chat and share a little more perspective for Halo fans who might be on the fence about whether to attend this year’s event.”
They continued, “Last year at HaloWC, we premiered ‘A New Dawn’ where we talked about the switch to Unreal Engine, gave you a behind the scenes look at Project Foundry, and debuted our evolution to Halo Studios as we enter a new chapter for Halo. For us, ‘A New Dawn’ was just the beginning – at this year’s HaloWC, we look forward to continuing the conversation.”
They concluded by writing: “Speculation is always fun, but if you want the official scoop on what Halo Studios has been working on, you won’t want to miss this year’s Halo World Championship. We really hope you’ll join us in Seattle this October!”
As mentioned, the future of Halo has been somewhat unknown since the release of Infinite back in 2021. Initially planned as a platform which would receive updates for the next decade, Infinite ultimately fell into a routine of middling updates and an overreliance on community-made-content.
Since then, rumours have claimed that a remake/reboot of the original Halo: Combat Evolved is in the works. Meanwhile, other reports have stated that The Master Chief Collection is planned to come to PS5. Of course, rumours are just that – rumours, and so it will be interesting to see what 343i Halo Studios are working on when it’s officially revealed in a couple months’ time.
The Ace Combat series is easily the most well known in the combat flight sim genre, with the franchise stretching all the way back to 1995. That said, we’ve not seen a new entry since 2019’s Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. 6 years and more than 6 million copies sold later, it seems the team are finally gearing up for what’s next – while celebrating the franchise's 30th anniversary.
Taking to their blog to celebrate the moment, Ace Combat’s brand director Kazutoki Kono wrote: “Since the release of the first title in 1995, thanks to your unwavering support, the ACE COMBAT series has reached a remarkable milestone—its 30th anniversary in 2025.”
Kono continued, “Over the past thirty years, times have changed. Values have shifted, technologies have evolved. Our company and our team have continually transformed to navigate these tides. In a word, we've embraced change. There were times we may not have fully met your expectations. But I also believe there were moments when we exceeded them—when we soared higher than anyone imagined.”
The director concluded by teasing what’s next, saying: “After three incredible decades of adapting to change, we've built an enduring bond of trust with all of you. That connection is the very force that has sustained the ACE COMBAT series and propelled it into the future. I can now feel this truth in every fiber of my being. And I'm proud—proud that our ongoing commitment to delivering value and earning your trust has led us to this 30th anniversary. And now, we're ready. Everything is in place. It's time to take flight once again—toward even greater heights.”
While Kono remained just shy of officially announcing the next entry in the Ace Combat series, it is quite clear that a new game is currently in the works and will (hopefully) be ready to be shown off sooner rather than later.
Since 1995, Bandai have published over a dozen Ace Combat titles. That said, we’ve not seen a new entry of any kind since 2019’s Ace Combat 7. As such, it is high time that Project Aces were to finally announce a sequel. Though we’re not quite there yet, it’s only a matter of time.
KitGuru says: What do you think of Ace Combat 7? How long have you been waiting for a sequel? What improvements/additions are you hoping to see with the next entry? Let us know down below.
The past couple years for Xbox has been a bit of a whirlwind. From spending almost $100 billion on acquiring studios to becoming a 3rd-party games publisher, the future of Xbox is somewhat unclear. According to one of the founding members of Microsoft’s Game Studios (who worked at the company since 1995) “it looks like Xbox has no desire or literally can’t ship hardware anymore.”
Laura Fryer was one of the founding members of the Microsoft Games Studios division upon its creation back in 1995. During that time, Fryer served as executive producer, being responsible for the shipping of and involved in countless high profile Xbox games – including but not limited to Gears of War; Crimson Skies; Zoo Tycoon 2; Halo: The Master Chief Collection and more.
Taking to their YouTube channel with a video titled ‘The Future of Xbox’, Fryer used their years of experience at the company to comment on the current state of Microsoft’s consoles, claiming that the company’s Xbox Anywhere messaging is (as transcribed by VGC) “just marketing [and] style, with no substance.”
Explaining further, Fryer continued, “Obviously, as one of the founding members of the Xbox team, I’m not pleased with where things are today. I don’t love watching all of the value that I helped create slowly get eroded away. I’m sad because from my perspective, it looks like Xbox has no desire or literally can’t ship hardware anymore. So this [ROG Ally] partnership is about a slow exit from the hardware business completely.”
In alignment with many other think pieces regarding the future of the console/brand, Fryer added, “Personally, I think Xbox hardware is dead. The plan appears to be to just drive everybody to Game Pass. And let’s be clear, it has a lot of value. I’m thinking that might be why they decided to charge $80 for Outer Worlds 2… And here’s the thing, maybe it will work.”
Fryer concluded by offering a bit of hope to Xbox fans, stating: “Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the Xbox, and I’m sure that they will have some big announcements and plans for honoring the milestone. Maybe next year is the year. Maybe next year is the year that the fog will clear and all of us will see the beauty in these latest announcements. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
With each new major decision by Microsoft, it is becoming both more and less clear as to what the long-term plans for the brand is. As fryer stated, we will just have to wait and see.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the brand in 2025? Is their messaging clear or muddled? Do you see it surviving another 25 years? Let us know down below.
Last week, the next major content update for Monster Hunter Wilds was announced, but the response wasn't quite what Capcom was hoping for. Rather than excitement for the new hunts, Capcom was faced with renewed backlash from fans over the game's optimisation issues. As it turns out though, Capcom did include one ‘optimisation' change in the new update.
Capcom has not made any statements regarding Monster Hunter Wilds optimisation issues since the game's launch and that did not change with the reveal of Title Update 2 last week. However, now that the full patch notes are now available, we do have confirmation of at least one optimisation change. The latest update for Monster Hunter Wilds now begins Shader Compilation on initial startup, rather than in-game. This means that there should be less stuttering, better hardware utilisation and players will no longer need to manually delete shader cache files.
Unfortunately for Capcom, this has not put a stop to the current review bombing that Monster Hunter Wilds has been receiving on Steam. User reviews for the game are still Overwhelmingly Negative and the timing could not be worse, as the game is being promoted heavily as part of the Steam Summer Sale.
As for the key features of the new Monster Hunter Wilds update, they include:
New monsters – Lagiacrus, Seregios and Arch-tempered Uth Duna
Layered Weapons with customised appearances
New Support Hunter – Mina (Sword & Shield)
Photo mode enhancements
Limited-time Festival of Accord event with summer-themed rewards
It has been a few years since the last Ghost Recon game, but it looks like the next mainline game is on the horizon. New leaks suggest that the next Ghost Recon is deep into development and is about to hit a new key milestone.
According to Insider Gaming, the next Ghost Recon game is being developed under the codename ‘Ovr' and is going to exit pre-production and into alpha this year. It is also claimed that Ubisoft is planning for a 12-month alpha, which would mean that theoretically, the next Ghost Recon game will end up being a Holiday 2026 release.
Ubisoft has not yet announced its 2026 schedule, but we do know of at least one major game due to release in early 2026. The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake is still listed as releasing in the current fiscal year, meaning it should come out before March 31st of next year.
Ubisoft rebooted the Ghost Recon series in 2017 with Ghost Recon: Wildlands, transforming the military shooter into a large open-world game where squads of players take on missions all across the map, with access to a bunch of new vehicles and weapons. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint continued this formula in 2019 but was not as well received by fans.
KitGuru Says: I am hoping that Ghost Recon comes back strong. The series has had two cancellations and two game launches in the past decade, so a flop could spell disaster for the future of the series.
There is still no release date in sight for the long-awaited Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake. However, other teams at Ubisoft have been doing fantastic work with the IP in the meantime. Since launching into Early Access last year, The Rogue Prince of Persia has been exclusive to PC, but is going to change very soon.
As spotted by Gematsu, The Rogue Prince of Persia has been rated for consoles for the first time. The Australian ratings board has finished their review of the game, revealing plans for a release on Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and Nintendo Switch consoles.
The Rogue Prince of Persia is a 2D side-scrolling game where players take on the role of the titular Prince. The Prince has access to a number of parkour moves, such as wall jumping, wall running, swinging and jumping off poles, as well as access to both ranged and melee weapons. Initially, the game was planned to include a time-rewind mechanic just like in The Sands of Time, but this was later scrapped.
The Rogue Prince of Persia has been in Early Access since May 2024 and is due to leave Early Access and hit V1.0 in August. Console versions of the game have not yet been officially announced but that should change quite soon. Typically, games are announced within months of being submitted to ratings boards and recently, rumours have suggested that a Nintendo Direct is coming this month – The Rogue Prince of Persia could very well end up being one of the highlighted games during that showcase.
KitGuru Says: I've been picking this game up every now and then on the Steam Deck. It has improved a lot since the initial reveal, particularly where graphics and art are concerned. The V1.0 build of the game will include the third and final act, so there is plenty of reason to jump back in even if you played previously.
The Resident Evil franchise is bigger than ever thanks to a string of fantastic single-player campaigns. Naturally, Capcom has been trying to find success in the multiplayer game space as well. The most recent attempt came with Resident Evil Village, which shipped with its own multiplayer game mode, but due to a lack of interest, it has now shut down for good.
Resident Evil RE:Verse has shut down this week. Capcom took the servers offline for the game mode, which first launched with Resident Evil Village in 2022. Looking at the Steam charts, concurrent player counts for RE:Verse never really took off, with an all-time peak of just over 2000 players. Prior to the servers going offline, the 24-hour peak for the game was less than 100 players.
Resident Evil Re:Verse was a third-person multiplayer shooter featuring a variety of characters from across the Resident Evil franchise. teams of up to six players would compete in five-minute deathmatch battles, using weapons and items found through the map, with the player scoring the most points at the end of the match winning.
RE:Verse was a second attempt from Capcom at cracking the multiplayer formula. Previously, Resident Evil 3 Remake also shipped with a multiplayer mode, taking inspiration from Dead by Daylight by having a team of survivors attempting to work together to escape a killer, controlled by another player.
Just this week, Capcom also confirmed that Resident Evil 9, known officially as Resident Evil Requiem, was also due to get multiplayer features. However, the developers scrapped those plans, citing a lack of interest from fans.
KitGuru Says: Did you ever play RE:Verse? Do you think Capcom should keep trying to bring multiplayer modes to Resident Evil, or should they stick to the popular single-player formula?
Bandai Namco has quietly published some incredible games over the past console generation. From licensed anime games to Elden Ring, to fighting games like TEKKEN, Bandai Namco has a lot of publishing power. Now, Bandai Namco is looking to showcase its upcoming slate.
Bandai Namco is holding its own showcase on July 2nd at 8PM BST. While much of the showcase is still shrouded in secrecy, there are a few games that we know will make an appearance.
For starters, we'll be getting a ‘gameplay deep dive' for Digimon Story Time Stranger, the latest in the Digimon Story series of video games, following on from the success of Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth. We may also get new looks at updates for games like Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, Death Note: Killer Within, TEKKEN 8 and Elden Ring: Nightreign.
We will also get a new trailer for Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, Code Vein 2, Blood of Dawnwalker, as well as upcoming titles like Little Nightmares 3, Shadow Labyrinth and a new Dragon Ball game.
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