AMD has launched an update to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (aka The Best Gaming CPU) and named it the Ryzen 7 9850X3D because it is ever so slightly faster. Frankly it's a rubbish name but there are some points we need to discuss so buckle up and prepare yourself for many charts and loads of data.

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:49 Specifications
01:35 Hardware
03:12 A quick look at behaviour
04:39 Multi Core Performance
05:23 Ryzen Master Software / Curve Optimiser
06:31 Efficiency / Per watt points
07:22 Geekbench 6 Multi Core
08:04 Geekbench 6 Single Core
08:33 Aida 64 Memory Bandwidth
08:59 Far Cry 6
10:07 Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
10:44 Assassins Creed Mirage
11:19 Cyberpunk 2077
11:58 Total War Pharaoh
12:36 Leo’s verdict

Testing and Performance

Test systems

CPUs: AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D, 9800X3D and 7800X3D
Motherboard: ASRock X870E Taichi
Memory: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Royal Neo RGB DDR5-8000

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
Motherboard: MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
Memory: 48GB G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-8200

Graphics Card: MSI RTX 4090 Ventus 3X 24GB
CPU cooler: Phanteks Glacier One 360D30
SSD: 1TB Crucial T700
Power Supply: Seasonic Focus ATX3.1 GX-1000 Gold

Geekbench 6 Single Core

In Geekbench 6 Single Core we see the benefit of the improved boost speed with Ryzen 7 9850X3D leaping to the top of the chart.

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

You will have seen in our video that we showed a great many charts and this chart is a focussed view of the larger Geekbench 6 chart. We can see the 9850X3D has a significant lead over 9800X3D and that is enhanced when we bring Ryzen Master Curve Optimiser into the equation.

Far Cry 6 at 1080p

Far Cry 6 at 1080p demonstrates the impressive nature of AMD's 3D V-Cache technology in gaming, and the way it improves with each new generation of processors.

Closing Thoughts

When AMD announced the Ryzen 7 9850X3D we felt the increase to Maximum Boost Speed was a minor tweak for the amazing Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Now we have dug into the CPU in some depth we feel there is slightly more to the story than we first expected. Clearly AMD has improved the silicon in 9850X3D compared to 9800X3D, but where we assumed this was merely a better CPU chiplet we now feel the IO die has also been improved.

Our takeaway with Ryzen 7 9850X3D is that this is an interesting update to the 9800X3D that lays the groundwork for the rumoured Ryzen 9 9950X3D2. That should be the ultimate Zen 5 CPU for the desktop and will be AMD's best chance to fight off Intel Nova Lake at the end of 2026. You might think that 2026 is looking to be a grim year but it will certainly have its points of interest.

AMD told us the official MSRP is £439.99, though we expect retail pricing to be closer to £469.99 inc VAT based on conversations with UK retailers.

Pros:

• Superb gaming performance.
• Compatible with AM5 motherboards and coolers.
• Low power draw, easy to cool.

Cons:

• Ryzen 7 9850X3D only offers an incremental improvement over 9800X3D.
• Our guess is that AMD will use 9850X3D to jack up prices.
• £70 premium over 9800X3D.

KitGuru says: The Ryzen 7 9850X3D boosts frame rates in your favourite games.

 

The post AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Microsoft has begun testing a refreshed web experience for Xbox Cloud Gaming, designed to streamline navigation and look closer to the Xbox console dashboard. Xbox Cloud Gaming users can already opt in to the new interface, although there could be lingering issues in the early build. 

Players can access the preview by visiting xbox.com/play in a compatible browser, signing in, and enabling the “Preview Features” toggle in the settings menu. Once enabled, users can either follow the on-screen prompts or navigate directly to the new site (it may take up to 10 minutes for the prompts and links to appear).

Microsoft notes that, as this is a foundation-building phase, some features may behave differently or be temporarily unavailable as they iterate based on feedback. Users are encouraged to report bugs via the profile menu or the Xbox Web Guide to help refine the platform during the testing period.

KitGuru says: Do you use Xbox Cloud Gaming? Have you already tried the new interface? Do you prefer the new UI over the old one?

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Just as has been the case with many previous Nintendo consoles, the Switch 2 is slowly but surely receiving a backcatalogue of titles from 3rd party publishers. While better late than never, one insider has claimed that 2025’s Game of the Year winner Expedition 33 will land on the Switch 2 at some point this year – with Final Fantasy XVI reportedly coming in 2027.

As reported by known industry insider Nate the Hate via their podcast of the same name, the Nintendo Switch 2 is seemingly set to slowly-but-surely continue getting a number of major 3rd-party releases from the past few years.

According to Nate, 2025’s GOTY winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 “will be coming to Switch 2 in 2026”. Given that the game utilises Epic’s rather demanding Unreal Engine 5, it will be interesting to see how the game looks/performs on the handheld-hybrid.

Going back to 2024 meanwhile, ATLUS’ JRPG Metaphor: ReFantazio is said to also be coming to the Switch 2 some time this year. This comes as little surprise however, with ATLUS / SEGA having supported both the Switch (and now Switch 2) quite strongly over the years.

Last but not least, going another year back, 2023’s Final Fantasy XVI is said to be also coming to Switch 2. Unlike Metaphor and Clair Obscur however, the ex-PS5 exclusive is apparently not set to arrive until 2027 (though an official announcement is expected some time this year).

Given that all three of these titles are from years prior, it will be interesting to see how the games look; perform and most importantly cost when they are finally officially announced and released.

KitGuru says: Will Nintendo ever reach parity with other systems? Are you bothered by the fact that 3rd party titles usually come out later? Let us know down below.

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Following years of hype and anticipation, Monster Hunter Wilds finally arrived last year to an explosive launch, selling over 10 million copies within its first month on the market. Since then however, the game’s adoption has slowed to an absolute crawl, with Wilds taking an additional 9 months to go from the 10 million mark to 11 million.

As part of the company’s latest fiscal earnings report, Capcom released updated sales data for many of its titles and franchises. Alongside confirmation that 2019’s Devil May Cry 5 has surpassed 11 million copies sold, the publisher revealed that Monster Hunter Wilds sales have fallen off a cliff.

As mentioned, Wilds managed to shift a massive 10 million units within its first month on the market. Unfortunately, the game suffered from plenty of performance issues – particularly on PC – leading to an influx of negative reviews.

While the game has gotten some performance patches in recent months, it seems Monster Hunter Wilds will not manage to have the same legs as its past two entries. Thanks to the latest reports, we now know that Wilds has officially sold a total of 11.09 million copies as of the 31st of December; meaning it sold just 1 million more units over the past 9 months (fewer copies than MH: Rise managed in the same period).

All that being said, it is possible that Wilds could have a resurgence come the inevitable release of its post-launch expansion(s). We will have to wait and see.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Monster Hunter Wilds in 2026? Is it worth playing? Will the game ever be able to fully recover from its launch woes? Let us know down below.

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Initially released back in 2015 as a paid product, Rocket League is a highly popular Soc-Car title which went on to be played by over 75 million people prior to it going free-to-play in 2020. Since then, the game has continued to truck along, maintaining a consistent playerbase. That said, in a surprise resurgence, Rocket League has now reached a new major milestone – surpassing 1 million concurrent players for the first time in half a decade.

Last week, the official Rocket League Twitter page revealed that the game had reached a major player milestone, writing: “Today has been a wild ride: more than 900,000 of you hit the pitch in Rocket League at the same time!”

Since then, interest appears to have grown further, with the ‘Rocket League Garage’ fansite (which tracks concurrent player numbers) revealing that the game has now hit 1 million concurrent players – a record not seen since the initial free-to-play launch back in 2020.

In terms of why the game has seen a sudden influx in players, it appears as though Rocket League has the popular YouTuber ‘Jynxzi’ to thank – who started streaming the title a couple weeks ago.

Additionally. Rocket League also recently got its Switch 2 update, which did contribute some amount to the 1 million concurrents – albeit only by an additional 39k players.

Given the sudden rise in interest pertaining to Rocket League, it will be interesting to see whether the team at Psyonix choose to capitalise on this moment, or whether things will remain business as usual.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Rocket League in 2026? Is the game still a fun time so many years later? Let us know your thoughts down below.

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The Reigns series of games offers players the chance to take on the role of a leader who has to address and solve the issues of its people, all the while trying not to end up with your head on a chopping block. Since the first game’s release back in 2016, Reigns has received a number of crossover titles. In a surprise announcement, Reigns: The Witcher has been officially confirmed – launching on PC and mobile next month.

Published by Devolver Digital in partnership with CD Projekt Red, Reigns: The Witcher has you play as Geralt, fighting for “survival within the drunken ballads of his dear friend, Dandelion the bard. Will you hunt monsters, upset the locals, or run a hot bath? Navigate the moral meanderings of the world through the eyes of the bard, and compose an inspiring epic to perhaps, one day, claim immortality.”

Launching on the 25th of February for PC and mobile (Android + iOS), players can head over to the official website for a small taste of what you can expect from the game when it launches in a month’s time.

The previous Reigns entries have been pretty hardcore, with every choice having potentially major consequences – something which the Witcher series does quite well. As such, it will be interesting to see exactly how the game is formatted and whether it resonates with fans when Reigns: The Witcher officially arrives on the 25th of February for $5.99.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Reigns series? Is a Witcher collab of interest to you? What other franchise would you like to see receive a ‘Reigns’ treatment? Let us know down below.

The post Reigns: The Witcher officially announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Intel's “Battlemage” generation might expand soon, though the supposed new graphics cards are primarily for professional users. New reports suggest that Intel is about to launch the Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65, targeting a Q1 2026 release. Both cards are claimed to be powered by the BMG-G31 GPU and feature a massive 32GB of GDDR6 memory.

As reported by VideoCardz, while the memory remains identical across both SKUs, the differentiation lies in the core counts. The Arc Pro B70 utilises the full die with 32 Xe2 cores (4096 FP32 cores), while the Arc Pro B65 is a cut-down variant featuring 20 Xe2 cores (2560 FP32 cores), matching the previous-gen B60 in core count but benefiting from the newer architecture.

Below you can find a table with the detailed rumoured specs for these two GPUs:

	Arc Pro B70	Arc Pro B65
GPU Architecture	Xe2-HPG (Battlemage)	Xe2-HPG (Battlemage)
GPU Die	BMG-G31	BMG-G31
Xe-Cores	32	20
FP32 Cores	4096	2560
VRAM Capacity	32 GB GDDR6	32 GB GDDR6
Memory Bus	256-bit	256-bit
Target Launch	Q1 2026	Q1 2026

The situation for gamers remains much more uncertain. While board partners have the BMG-G31 chips for testing, they are currently restricted to the Pro form factors. Rumours suggest that Intel has placed the consumer gaming variant on hold, possibly due to volatility in the memory market.

KitGuru says: Do you think Intel should launch an Arc B7x0 GPU for the mainstream market?

The post Intel is reportedly working on Arc Pro B70 and B65 GPUs first appeared on KitGuru.

Following on from last week's Xbox Direct stream, it appears that we'll be getting new game announcements from both Sony and Nintendo over the next month. According to multiple sources, there will be a new Nintendo Direct in February, as well as a new PlayStation State of Play stream. 

NateTheHate is responsible for the Nintendo Direct rumour, pointing towards games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Metaphor ReFantazio and Final Fantasy 16 being announced for the Switch 2. These are just a handful of titles expected to appear though, as the Nintendo Direct should be ‘full length', so it should have around 40 minutes of announcements. This stream should take place in the first week of February.

On the other side of the aisle we have Jeff Grubb, who claims that a PlayStation State of Play will be happening on the week of February 12th. If this is true, Sony is likely to make an official announcement confirming the date and time just days beforehand, as they traditionally do.

Both of these sources have accurately leaked showcase timings previously, so there is at least some reason to put stock in these rumours.

KitGuru Says: Is there anything you would like to see announced at one of the upcoming showcases? Personally, I'm still rooting for a Switch 2 upgrade for the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy. 

The post Rumour claims Nintendo Direct and PlayStation State of Play return in February first appeared on KitGuru.

Xbox just made some big announcements during a developer direct stream last week, but it looks like another company under its umbrella will soon be making some reveals of its own. Over the next couple of weeks, Blizzard has a number of showcases planned, with each one focused on a different major franchise. 

The World of Warcraft showcase will be happening on January 29th, giving fans a new look at upcoming content for the MMO, including more details on the Midnight expansion. Following that, Overwatch will get its own spotlight on February 4th.

Hearthstone will get new announcements on February 9th and then, things will wrap up with Diablo on February 11th, ahead of the game's next seasonal content update and the new expansion coming in April.

Unfortunately, despite rumours that Starcraft is going to be coming back, there was no mention of spotlight streams for the franchise, nor is there any word on new updates for Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard's short-lived MOBA game.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to new announcements from Blizzard in the coming weeks? 

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Nvidia has rolled out a new GeForce Game Ready graphics driver, optimising for new games like Arknights: Endfield and Highguard. This week's update also brings DLSS to more titles, alongside the rollout of the new RTX Remix Logic update. 

RTX Remix Logic was first announced during Nvidia's CES showcase. The new update allows developers to implement dynamic graphics effects based on in-game events. For instance, you could trigger a certain weather or lighting effect when opening a door or flood the room with particle effects when interacting with a button. Overall, Logic supports over 30 in-game events, and there are over 900 Remix graphics settings, so developers will be able to get very creative.

This week's Nvidia update also brings DLSS to more games. Half Sword is launching with DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation, but through the Nvidia App, players can force-enable DLSS 4.5, which uses Nvidia's 2nd Gen transformer model for further visual enhancements. DLSS upgrades are also coming to Code Vein 2, Highguard, and Arknights: Endfield.

There is a new Game Ready driver rolling out alongside all of this. If you have the Nvidia app installed, you can install it through there. If you prefer a direct download and a manual install, you can find the new driver HERE.

KitGuru Says: As always, let us know how you get on with the latest drivers. 

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Sharkoon has introduced the SKILLER SGB15, a budget gaming bundle that pairs a full‑size rubber‑dome keyboard with a high DPI mouse, targeting entry-level PC gamers just getting started. 

The keyboard uses a full-size layout and rubber‑dome switches, designed to keep noise levels low during play. It includes RGB illumination with adjustable brightness and several onboard lighting effects, all controlled directly on the device without software.

The bundled mouse supports six DPI presets ranging up to 4,200 DPI and features a 1000Hz polling rate. It also includes RGB lighting with multiple selectable effects to match the keyboard. Sharkoon positions the mouse as suitable for a range of genres, from MOBAs to shooters, where rapid response times are important.

The SKILLER SGB15 bundle will be available soon, priced around €29.90.

KitGuru Says: A fully RGB-lit peripheral set-up for €30 is a very cheap price. 

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We have known about the Fable reboot being developed by Playground Games since 2018, when Eurogamer leaked early details of the project. As it turns out, Playground actually began its journey towards becoming a multi-project and multi-genre studio a couple of years earlier, following the success of Forza Horizon 3.

With Forza Horizon 3, Playground Games cemented itself as a premier open-world studio and set the franchise up for so much future success that Horizon has overtaken Forza Motorsport as Xbox's flagship racing series. Now with Fable, Playground Games is about to release an entirely new type of game, moving away from its racing roots and into RPG territory.

In an interview with GamesRadar, Playground Games GM, Ralph Fulton, confirmed that the company began considering building out a second team in 2016:

“The conversation around building a second team and doing something else, doing something different, was really about wanting to challenge ourselves, to learn and grow as developers.”

Fable wasn't cemented as the company's new project just yet. However, Fulton explains that team leaders looked towards transferable skills like open-world game design, open-world technology and open-world streaming. From there, they modified their tools to aid them in creating an open-world RPG. As we've known for a while, by 2018, Playground Games became the new home for the Fable IP, following Microsoft's closure of Lionhead several years earlier.

The Fable reboot is finally launching later this year, with plans to release on PC, PS5 and Xbox on day-one. For reference, the last mainline Fable game to release was none other than Fable 3 all the way back in 2010. A new trailer released last week gave us a good look at what to expect and for the most part, it appears that many staples of the previous Fable games will remain in the reboot and some have been expanded. For instance, romanceable NPCs will return, but players will have around 1000 NPCs to choose from. The trade-off is that the player's appearance won't change based on whether they align themselves with good or evil.

KitGuru Says: Playground has a busy year ahead with Forza Horizon 6 launching in May, followed by Fable this Autumn. Are you looking forward to the new Fable game?

The post Playground Games began planning shift to RPGs after Forza Horizon 3 first appeared on KitGuru.

Mouse Computer, a Japanese PC manufacturer, has introduced a unique addition to its NextGear EG-series of gaming desktops. Centred around a unique “Clear Shift” case, featuring dynamic dimming technology on its front and left-side glass panels.

According to PC Watch (via VideoCardz), a single button press on the top I/O panel can transition the glass from a completely transparent “clear mode” to a smoked “stealth mode” that effectively hides the internal components.

The stealth mode serves as a “hide your PC” feature for users who keep their towers on their desks. It allows a build to look like a plain black tower or to eliminate RGB light pollution during nighttime sessions. The switchable glass requires power to function, but when the PC is turned off, the panels automatically default to the opaque stealth mode. To complete the transformation, the case also features a separate LED button to toggle the ARGB fan effects, allowing the system to go from a vibrant showroom display to a muted aesthetic in seconds.

In terms of hardware, the NextGear EG-A7G60 configuration reviewed by PC Watch features an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060. The system includes 16GB of DDR4-3200 memory and a 1TB NVMe SSD. While these specs target the mid-range market, the premium pricing (starting at over £1050) is probably due to the Clear Shift technology. The lineup is currently a Mouse Computer direct shop exclusive in Japan.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the ‘Clear Shift' case? Would you like to see one of these outside of Japan? 

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Philips has officially launched the product page for the Evnia 27M2N5500XD, a new monitor that pushes the boundaries of competitive gaming displays. With its dual-mode capability, it runs natively at WQHD (1440p) with a 540Hz refresh rate, but can be toggled to 720p / 1000Hz. 

According to its spec sheet (via Prad), the display is built on a 27-inch Fast IPS panel with a 1ms G2G response time and a 2000:1 contrast ratio, which is notably higher than that of standard IPS panels. It features 10-bit colour depth (8-bit + FRC) and covers 100% of the sRGB and 96% of the DCI-P3 colour spaces. With a Delta-E < 1, the monitor promises professional-grade colour accuracy right out of the box. For HDR content, it carries the DisplayHDR 400 certification and reaches a peak brightness of 500 nits.

In addition to a low-blue-light mode and flicker-free technology, the monitor also packs gaming-oriented features such as Smart Crosshair, SmartContrast, ShadowBoost, and a built-in zooming tool. It also supports the Evnia Precision Center app, which allows users to customise some of the monitor settings via software.

Connectivity is quite decent, featuring an audio-out jack, two HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 2.1 port, offering enough bandwidth for such high refresh rates. Philips has also included Smart MBR Sync, a feature that allows gamers to use motion blur reduction simultaneously with FreeSync anti-tearing technology. The monitor is rounded out with full ergonomic support, including height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Would you be willing to jump onto a 1000Hz monitor even if it means reducing the resolution to 720p?

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It has been some time since we last looked at a power supply from German brand be quiet! Today we analyse their latest Power Zone 2 which is due for release this week. This new series comprises four power supplies in 750W, 850W, 1000W and 1200W capacities, and we look at the flagship unit today. This supply has both Platinum 80 Plus and Cybenetics certifications, is fully modular and is supported with a 10-year warranty.

These new units ship with 90-degree angled 12V-2×6 connectors and have PCIe 5.1/ATX 3.1 compatibility. There is also a semi-passive zero-RPM mode to keep noise levels down when enabled.

Highlights:

• Available in 1200W, 1000W, 850W and 750W models
• 80 PLUS® Platinum and Cybenetics Platinum efficiency rating (up to 94.3%)
• Semi-passive zero-RPM cooling
• Fan runs on for 2-5 minutes to avoid frequent starting noise
• Pure Wings 3 140mm fan for quiet and efficient cooling
• 90° angled 12V-2×6 connector and PCIe 5.1/ATX 3.1 compatibility
• Advanced voltage regulation and stability thanks to LLC technology
• One massive high-performance 12V-rail
• Unique look with an unmistakable mesh design
• 10-year manufacturer’s warranty
• Product conception, design and quality control in Germany

The post be quiet! Power Zone 2 1200W Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Last week, Ubisoft announced yet more internal changes to its business, alongside the cancellation of six games, including the highly anticipated remake of The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Now, it appears that a round of layoffs is up next, with plans to cut as many as 200 roles at its Paris HQ. 

In a statement sent to IGN, Ubisoft confirmed its plans to cut as many as 200 roles in Paris, but it isn't jumping straight into layoffs right away. First, the company will offer a “voluntary mutual termination agreement”, hoping that 200 people effectively quit before they have to resort to official layoffs.

At this time, this is a proposal and has yet to be agreed upon by employee representatives or validated by French authorities. Based on reports last week, there are a number of developers looking to move on from Ubisoft following their recent restructuring efforts, so this goal may not be as difficult to achieve as it first appears.

Ubisoft shares dropped a further 30% last week, reaching a 15-year low, although it has rebounded a small amount since then. Moving forward, Ubisoft will be structured as a series of mini-companies, with each in charge of certain sectors, with one in charge of main franchises like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, another for ‘casual and family friendly games', another for live-service titles like Rainbow Six Siege and so on. This new structure could also make it easier for Ubisoft to break-off and sell portions of the business without impacting its remaining studios.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Very few gamers still have faith in Ubisoft at this stage. The cancellation of a beloved classic like Prince of Persia may have a much bigger impact than Ubisoft executives suspected. 

The post Ubisoft to undergo more layoffs following major game cancellations first appeared on KitGuru.

Last night Highguard officially launched but the initial reception to the game hasn't exactly been great. Thousands of players jumped in last night when the game officially went live, leading to an influx of negative user reviews on Steam. 

The overall score for Highguard on Steam currently sits at ‘Mostly Negative', with just 32% of English language reviews being positive. The total number of reviews currently sits at around 14,500, although some of these are from players having issues with things like SecureBoot and TPM 2.0 requirements, as well as some from players who were not able to log in during the first hours of the game going live due to lengthy player queues.

The reviews from people who have clearly played the game all carry common complaints. The map is too large and unpopulated for a 3 vs 3 game mode and the ‘flow' of matches could do with some work. Those are things that can be fixed, either by shrinking the size of the map, or by introducing a larger game mode with more players on each side.

While Highguard has not exactly had a glowing reception to its launch, Wildlight Entertainment does have big plans for the game in the months ahead. There is a full year of monthly content updates mapped out, involving new heroes, new maps, new gear and even a limited-time game mode. I do think that the developers should make some adjustments based on the launch feedback though, at this stage, a new game mode with more active players should probably take priority over something like a ‘limited time' game mode, or maps just as large as the initial launch map.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Did you try Highguard out last night? What did you think of the game so far? 

The post Highguard gets year-long content roadmap amid negative launch reviews first appeared on KitGuru.

Gigabyte has officially unveiled the GO27Q24G, a 27-inch OLED gaming monitor that marks the latest addition to its OLED gaming lineup. Using the latest MLA+ technology from LG Display, this monitor is specifically engineered to solve the “brightness problem” often associated with standard WOLED panels. 

On the performance front, the GO27Q24G (via DisplaySpecifications) features a 240Hz refresh rate and a near-instant 0.03ms GtG response time. Its VESA ClearMR 13000 certification places it in the top echelon of motion clarity, ensuring that fast-paced action remains sharp and ghost-free. Additionally, it covers 99% of the DCI-P3 colour space with 10-bit depth, making it as capable for content creation as it is for competitive gaming. Modern connectivity is fully accounted for with dual HDMI 2.1 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, and a USB-C port for versatile setups.

By incorporating HyperNits technology, the GO27Q24G can achieve an impressive HDR peak brightness of 1300 nits on small highlights, a 30% increase over previous WOLED implementations. The end result should be punchier HDR performance.

A major differentiator for this model is the RealBlack Glossy surface treatment. Unlike traditional matte coatings that can sometimes make blacks appear slightly grey in well-lit rooms, this zero-haze optical layer preserves shadow detail and depth even under ambient light. To ensure this doesn't turn the screen into a mirror, an advanced anti-reflective coating is applied to suppress glare.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Combining a 27-inch QHD form factor, a glossy coating, and the brightness boost of MLA+/HyperNits, the new GO27Q24G might be the monitor you've been waiting for.

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Remedy Entertainment has confirmed the release timeline for Control Resonant, the highly anticipated sequel to its 2019 hit. According to a late-2025 investor report, the game is now slated for launch at the end of Q2 2026, trimming down the vague 2026 release window revealed when the game was announced.

According to Inderes (via GamingBolt), Remedy described the title as a “critical release” for the studio's future, expressing high confidence that it will drive both commercial success and shareholder value over the coming year.

The sequel shifts the perspective to Dylan Faden, Jesse's brother, who navigates an open-ended Manhattan consumed by a paranormal crisis. Remedy claims this is their most expansive project to date, moving away from the “Oldest House” setting into a large-scale urban environment. While the studio's sales estimates remain conservative, with about 1.8 million units in its launch year, the massive 20-million-strong player base of the original Control (boosted by Game Pass and PlayStation Plus) suggests the sales number has the potential to be much higher.

In addition to the Control news, Remedy provided a brief update on the Max Payne 1 and 2 remakes. While a late 2026 release is still technically possible, the studio now expects royalty payments in 2027, suggesting the launch might lean toward next year. Control Resonant is confirmed for a simultaneous launch on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you interested in Control Resonant? What about the Max Payne remakes?

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The crowd went mild when Highguard was revealed as the final surprise game announcement during The Game Awards in December. Since that initial trailer, the developers have done shockingly little to promote the game, but as it turns out, they did do at least some marketing, having organised a preview event, footage from which will go live alongside the game later today. 

Highguard is a new hero shooter developed by former Respawn Entertainment staff at a new studio, Wildlight Entertainment. It was famously the last game announced during The Game Awards 2025, a decision reportedly made by Geoff Keighley himself, rather than giving the spot to the highest bidder. The announcement drew criticism from core gamers due to it being yet another game in a massively oversaturated genre.

While there has been criticism, the complete silence since the announcement has also caused curiosity amongst fans. Unlike Concord, which flopped in large part due to its premium price tag, Highguard will launch on Steam and consoles as a free-to-play game. A number of content creators have also confirmed this week that they attended a preview event for the game ahead of its launch today.

Highguard will become available today. According to Steam, it will launch by 6PM GMT. Once players get hands on the game for themselves, it will be interesting to see if the earlier criticism of the game subsides.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: No matter which way this goes, Highguard is going to be one of the most interesting game launches in recent memory. So far, Geoff Keighley has been the only one championing it publicly but if players have fun with it, that will change very quickly. 

The post Yes, Highguard is still launching today first appeared on KitGuru.

It has been almost two years since Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launched on PS5 to wide critical and fan acclaim. Square Enix has been hard at work on the third and final entry to the Remake trilogy ever since and it sounds like fans won't be kept waiting too long to get their hands on it. 

Last year, game director Naoki Hamaguchi confirmed that Final Fantasy Remake Part 3 was officially in a playable state with the game content all mapped out. Now in a more recent interview with GameSpot, the director has confirmed that an official title for the game has been locked in, meaning we could potentially get a reveal later this year.

During the interview we also got confirmation that the new game will continue to use Unreal Engine 4. While most developers at this point have shifted to Unreal Engine 5, Square Enix spent a lot of time customising its version of UE4 for the purposes of this trilogy and as a result, switching away from it for the third game would have required too much time.

By sticking to the original plan, the game has been able to be developed on a more accelerated timeline, which is good news for fans. There were some concerns when the remake was first announced that the project would span several console generations, but it appears that all three games will be out and playable during the current-gen console timeline.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I am hoping that we get a reveal of the new game later this year. From what we've heard in interviews so far, things seem to be trending in that direction. 

The post Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 won’t switch to Unreal Engine 5 first appeared on KitGuru.

It has been a while since Microsoft or Blizzard provided an update on overall sales for Diablo 4 but a new milestone may have been reached recently. According to one Blizzard employee, Diablo 4 might now be the company's best-selling game ever. 

As spotted by Eurogamer, a European Blizzard communications lead has claimed on their LinkedIn profile that Diablo 4 is Blizzard's “best-selling game of all time”. It is unclear if this is a recently achieved milestone, or if something was lost in translation after Blizzard announced that the game had been the company's fastest-selling launch title ever.

There would be a pretty major distinction between ‘best-selling game of all time' and ‘fastest-selling game during a launch period'. As neither Microsoft or Blizzard have drawn any attention to this claim, my guess would be that the wording is wrong. With that said, there is a Microsoft earnings call scheduled for later this week, so it is entirely possible they start hyping up their long-running projects like Diablo 4 there.

Diablo 4 had a great launch but fans were ultimately disappointed by the endgame content at launch. Over the course of many seasons, developers have largely reworked loot systems and endgame content loops and the game now sits in a much healthier place.

Just recently, Blizzard surprised fans with a new Paladin class for the game, although you have to pre-order the upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion to gain access to it. A second playable class will also arrive when that expansion launches in April.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We may get updates on how well various Xbox live-service projects are doing later this week when Microsoft holds its latest earnings call and releases its reports. 

 

The post Diablo 4 claimed to be Blizzard’s best-selling game ever first appeared on KitGuru.

Vampire Survivors studio, Poncle, has been hard at work on a new game alongside various DLCs for its breakout hit. The new game, Vampire Crawlers, is a direct spin-off that incorporates deck building elements for a new addictive gameplay loop.

The first demo for the game will become available as part of the upcoming Steam Next Fest in February. During this time, fans will get to download a slice of the game for a limited time to see how it plays before release. The demo will also be made available to Xbox players starting on February 23rd.

Vampire Crawlers is described as a ‘turboturn deckbuilder', offering bite-sized chunks of gameplay for quick sessions. Players won't have to pause for animations to complete before triggering their next move, and the game intelligently stacks and executes your ability inputs, so you can speedrun through rounds and watch the chaos play out.

The game will also offer customisable cards, so you can create new cards with a variety of effects and multipliers as part of your own unique strategy.

There is no release date for Vampire Crawlers yet but once it is ready, the game will launch on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch and iOS/Android devices.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I've sunk many hours into Vampire Survivors so I'm looking forward to this. Do you think Vampire Crawlers will capture the same magic that made Survivors so addictive?

The post Vampire Survivors spin-off ‘Vampire Crawlers’ is getting a free demo first appeared on KitGuru.

The Geekom Geekbook X14 Pro makes a bold entrance with a spec sheet that looks like it should demand a much higher price tag. At $1299, it packs a stunning 14-inch 2.8K OLED display running at 120Hz, 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a generous 2TB of NVMe storage. Powered by Intel's Core Ultra 9 185H, it aims to deliver premium “thin and light” performance without the premium price point. It certainly looks good on paper, but does the real-world experience live up to the hype?

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
01:10 Unboxing / First Thoughts / I/O
02:32 The OLED
05:02 Keyboard / Trackpad
07:09 Camera and Microphone
07:33 Speakers / DTSx
09:30 Battery / SSD / Memory
10:30 CPU Performance – Thermals and noise
12:38 GPU performance and Gaming (!?)
14:23 Wifi and Charging / Battery
16:34 The Nitty Gritty Collection of Thoughts
22:20 Windows Installation
23:31 Bitlocker Concerns
24:41 Closing Thoughts

Specifications:

• Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (16 Cores, 22 Threads).
• Display: 14-inch OLED, 2880 x 1800, 120Hz, 450 nits.
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x 7467MHz (Soldered).
• Storage: 2TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD.
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.4.
• I/O Ports: 2x USB 4.0 (Type-C), 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 (Type-A), 1x HDMI 2.0, 3.5mm Audio.
• Security: Fingerprint reader (Power Button).
• Battery: 72Wh with 65W Charging.
• Dimensions: 14-inch Chassis / ~1kg Weight.

Closing Thoughts

The Geekom Geekbook X14 Pro is a machine that leaves us torn. On one hand, the value proposition is undeniable. Getting a Core Ultra 9 processor, 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 2TB SSD for $1299 is impressive, but the real star is that 2.8K OLED display. It is vibrant, color-accurate, and a joy to look at.

However, a laptop is defined by how you interact with it, and this is where the X14 Pro stumbles. The trackpad issues are a source of constant frustration, and the speakers are disappointingly mediocre for a “PRO” device. While the build quality is decent and the battery life is acceptable, these creature-comfort flaws mar an otherwise compelling package. If you primarily use a mouse and headphones, the raw specs and screen are compelling for the money, but as a standalone portable package, it misses the mark on basic user experience.

You can buy my exact spec of the Geekom Geekbook X14 Pro right now for $1249 HERE. KitGuru readers can also use code ‘KTGBOOK10′ to receive 10% off, though please note this is not an affiliate program.

Pros:

• Stunning 120Hz 2.8K OLED screen with great color accuracy.
• Good value for money for this many cores with 32GB RAM & 2TB storage).
• Fast Wi-Fi 6E and reliable 100W charging speeds that exceed the 65W listed spec.

Cons:

• Frustrating trackpad experience with ghost inputs.
• Mediocre speakers with tinny sound and distortion.
• Thermal throttling under heavy loads (manual repasting boosted performance by 13%).

KitGuru says: The Geekbook X14 Pro offers incredible specs and a beautiful screen for the price, but it is let down by mediocre laptop essentials like the speakers and trackpad.

The post Geekom GeekBook X14 Pro Laptop Review first appeared on KitGuru.