While Skype was at one point the dominant VOIP software in the market, over the 2010s, Microsoft saw a rapid decline in users thanks to competing technologies and nowadays, services like Discord, Microsoft Teams and Zoom have essentially replaced Skype entirely. Now, Microsoft is shutting Skype down for good. 

Skype first launched 23 years ago and was later acquired by Microsoft. With Microsoft now fully focused on its Teams platform, there is little need to continue upkeep on Skype, so it is being shut down. As of May 5th, Skype will be no more.

At its peak, Skype attracted over 300 million users, a figure that had dropped to around 36 million in 2023 – a number that I personally find quite hard to believe given how irrelevant Skype has become over the past five years. Speaking on the shutdown in an interview with TechCrunch, Microsoft 365 and Collaborative Apps president, Jeff Teper, said:

“We know this is a big deal for our Skype users, and we’re very grateful for their support of Skype and all the learnings that have factored into Teams over the last seven years. At this point, putting all our focus behind Teams will let us give a simpler message and drive faster innovation.”

Microsoft is offering all remaining Skype users the opportunity to migrate their contact and chat data over to Microsoft Teams, so you can transition without losing any of your data. You can also download your Skype data using the app's built-in export tool. The Skype service will go offline on May 5th 2025.

KitGuru Says: When was the last time you used Skype? Are you sad to see it go, or have you moved over to another platform already?

The post Microsoft is shutting down Skype after 23 years on the market first appeared on KitGuru.

Split Fiction, the latest game from Hazelight Studios, is just around the corner. In preparation for launch, the studio has now revealed detailed PC system requirements for the game. While higher than the likes of A Way Out and It Takes Two, the minimum specs required are very reasonable. 

Hazelight Studios and its leader, Josef Fares, are well known for their co-op focused games. Back in 2021, It Takes Two ended up winning the Game of the Year award, and No Way Out made waves thanks to its consumer-friendly co-op pass, allowing players to invite a friend to join them in the game online without having to buy two copies. The Friend Pass returns for Split Fiction, so you only have to buy one copy of the game and then you and one other person can play through it all, whether you are doing so online or in couch co-op.

The minimum PC requirements for Split Fiction includes:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-6600k or AMD Ryzen 5 2600k
• RAM: 16GB
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 – 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 – 4GB
• Storage: 85GB

The recommended PC requirements for Split Fiction includes:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11700k or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
• RAM: 16GB
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 – 8GB or AMD Radeon 6700 XT – 12GB
• Storage: 85GB

The minimum requirements target 1080p/30FPS with low settings, while the recommended requirements are for 1440p/60FPS at High settings.

Split Fiction will be available on PC, PS5 and Xbox starting from the 6th of March.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up Split Fiction when it drops next week?

The post Split Fiction PC system requirements announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Sharkoon has launched its best looking fans yet. The new Shark Mirror RGB PWM fans are perfect for those looking to spruce up their build without spending a fortune. While a lot of ARGB fans nowadays come in at over €20 per fan, Sharkoon has kept prices well within a reasonable range at €9.90.

The SHARK Mirror RGB PWM is a powerful, RGB-illuminated fan that delivers precise performance within a speed range of 500 to 1,500 rpm. If needed, there is even a reverse edition available. In addition, thanks to the infinity mirror effect, the fan looks especially stylish in any PC case, matching the aesthetics provided by some of the more expensive fans on the market.

The aerodynamic fan blades of the SHARK Mirror RGB PWM ensure a maximum airflow volume of up to 99.52 m³/h. Even at full power, the SHARK Mirror RGB PWM does not exceed 26.8 dB(A), making it near silent whether your system is running under full load or idling.

The Sharkoon Shark Mirror ARGB fans are available in black or white, with a recommended retail price of €9.90.

KitGuru Says: If you want to kit your system out with ARGB without breaking the bank, the Shark Mirror looks to be the perfect option.

The post Sharkoon’s new Shark Mirror fans offer ARGB goodness on a budget first appeared on KitGuru.

While Monster Hunter Wilds has gotten off to a great start sales-wise, PC players are hammering the game in the Steam reviews section due to performance issues. Capcom has already responded to the complaints, promising improvements. 

Right now, there is a large disparity between performance players had during the Monster Hunter Wilds beta and the day-one release version on PC. Unfortunately, Capcom doesn't have a lot of ‘good' suggestions for improving performance right now, outside of updating your graphics drivers, turning off compatibility mode and adjusting your in-game quality settings.

If issues persist after that, then Capcom requests that people head to the Troubleshooting & issue reporting thread on the Steam Community forum. It is unclear exactly what is causing Monster Hunter Wild's performance problems right now and the situation is quite surprising, as previous RE Engine titles have all ran fairly well on a wide range of hardware.

KitGuru Says: Have you tried Monster Hunter Wilds already? How is the game running on your system? 

The post Monster Hunter Wilds players suffer PC performance issues at launch first appeared on KitGuru.

Monster Hunter Wilds has launched and already seems to be a massive hit. On PC alone, the game garnered over 1 million concurrent players in the hours after launch. 

According to SteamDB, within hours of the game going live on Steam, the game surpassed 987,000 concurrent players. As the day has progressed, that number has only grown, reaching a peak of 1.3 million concurrent players. To make this figure more impressive, it only counts Steam players. If we add PS5 and Xbox players to the mix, we are likely looking at a concurrent player count in the range of 2 to 4 million.

While the game has been a sales success so far, it hasn't come without its problems. The Steam user reviews for the game are negative, with just 41% of reviews being positive. The most common complaint is optimisation, as the game is very difficult to run in comparison to Monster Hunter World. These issues should be addressed with patches in the weeks and months ahead. Hopefully Capcom makes its plans clear soon.

By Monday, we'll no doubt see Capcom announcing historic launch weekend sales figures for Monster Hunter Wilds based on its success so far.

KitGuru Says: Monster Hunter Wilds is off to a good start. Have any of you jumped in already? How are you finding the game so far? 

The post Monster Hunter Wilds surpasses 1.3 million concurrent players on Steam first appeared on KitGuru.

It is AMD launch day, with the company revealing the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards in full. As always, Sapphire is hot on the heels of the launch with its own custom-cooled models, and they look to be their best yet. 

Sapphire has new Nitro+, Pure and Pulse RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards hitting the market. The Nitro+ version will cost a little more, but you'll get the fastest out-of-box clock speeds, a beefy triple-fan cooler and a dual-layer all-metal black plate that lets you hide your power connector.

The Sapphire Pure model is for fans of all-white graphics cards offering a sleek white and black aesthetic with a hint of ARGB on the logo. Finally, the Sapphire Pulse model offers a slimmer all-black cooler.

The Sapphire TriXX software has also received a significant upgrade, introducing clean UI design to help gamers quickly find settings for overclocking, hardware monitoring, performance and efficiency profiles, as well as adjustments for the ARGB LEDs on your graphics card.

You can find the technical specifications for RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT in the table below:

GPU	Sapphire RX 9070 Nitro+	Sapphire RX 9070 XT Nitro+
RDNA 4 Compute Units	56	64
HW RT Accelerators	56	64
HW AI Accelerators	112	128
Peak AI TOPS	1165	1557
Boost Clock	Up to 3010 MHz	Up to 3060 MHz
VRAM	16GB	16GB
Total Board Power	220W	304W
Connectivity & Display	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b

The Sapphire Pulse and Pure models offer the same specs, but with different clock speeds. For instance, the RX 9070 XT Pulse and Pure models offer up to 3010MHz boost clock speeds out of the box, and up to 2700MHz on the RX 9070 version.

Sapphire's RX 9070 series graphics cards will be available starting on the 6th of March.

KitGuru Says: Sapphire has an excellent reputation for its custom AMD graphics cards and that looks to continue with the new RX 9070 series models. Are you thinking of making the jump to AMD's latest GPU? 

The post Sapphire reveals RX 9070 Nitro+, Pure and Pulse series graphics cards first appeared on KitGuru.

First announced at CES last month, today AMD is finally launching its new generation RX 9070 series graphics cards. Based on the RDNA 4 architecture, these new GPUs aim to offer improved AI performance and RT acceleration at a lower price than an RTX 50 series GPU. 

The new RDNA 4 GPUs at the heart of the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT feature up to 64 Compute Units / 4096 Stream Processors. Clock speeds can boost up to 3GHz and AMD has made the wise choice to pair the GPU with 16GB of 20Gbps DDR6 memory and 64MB of Infinity Cache, so gamers won't have to worry about hitting VRAM limits.

Compared to RDNA 3, AMD has enhanced the memory subsystem, improved Scalar Units, and increased efficiency to reach higher clock speeds. According to AMD, RDNA 4 delivers 2x raytracing Throughput per CU. On top of that, AMD has also enhanced the architecture with new AI Accelerators, delivering 2x FP16 performance and 4x INT8 performance.

You can find the technical specifications for RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT in the table below:

GPU	RX 9070	RX 9070 XT
RDNA 4 Compute Units	56	64
HW RT Accelerators	56	64
HW AI Accelerators	112	128
Peak AI TOPS	1165	1557
Boost Clock	2.52GHz	2.97GHz
VRAM	16GB	16GB
Total Board Power	220W	304W
Connectivity & Display	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b

Compared to an RTX 3080 at 4K, the RX 9070 is said to be as much as 26 percent faster. This is the average score based on benchmarks across 30 games. You can also see RX 9070 vs AMD's previous gen RX 7900 GRE in the slide above, showcasing big improvements in titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, Final Fantasy 16, and more.

These new graphics cards will also be the first to support AMD's new FSR4 technology, which utilises AI accelerators to improve visuals and performance for the first time, bringing the technology closer to matching the bar set by Nvidia's competing DLSS technology.

Board partners like Sapphire, XFX, Acer, PowerColor, Asus, ASRock and Gigabyte are already confirmed to be launching custom-cooled versions of these graphics cards. They will become available worldwide starting on the 6th of March, with prices starting at $549 for the RX 9070 and $599 for the RX 9070 XT.

KitGuru Says: Are you considering making the jump to an RX 9070 or RX 9070 XT? 

The post AMD announces $599 RX 9070 XT, RX 9070 at $549 first appeared on KitGuru.

The PlayStation VR2 hasn't made very many headlines since launch, in large part due to low sales, which in turn led to a drought of significant game releases. That may finally start to change, as the headset is finally getting a much needed price cut. 

Today, Sony announced that the PlayStation VR2 headset will get a significant price cut. Starting in March, the headset will be priced at £399, a near £200 price cut compared to launch. Sony will be selling a bundle including the headset, controllers, a pair of headphones and a copy of Horizon: Call of the Mountain at this £399 price point.

It is clear that Sony's goal here is to boost adoption of its latest VR headset, which failed to meet initial sales expectations. Nobody really knows why Sony expected to sell millions of these headsets at its original price point, especially when you factor in the fact that it was more expensive than the PS5 console also required to use the headset. However, the situation is now finally starting to improve, with the headset merely costing about as much as a PS5 Digital Edition system.

If you buy a PlayStation VR2 headset now, you won't be restricted to only using it with the PS5. Last year, Sony released an update and a special dongle allowing the headset to be used with PC, so you can access PSVR2 exclusives on console, as well as a much larger range of VR titles available on services like Steam.

KitGuru Says: Would you consider picking up a PSVR2 at its new price point? 

The post PlayStation VR2 gets a much needed price cut first appeared on KitGuru.

This year's Pokemon Presents stream didn't have too many surprises but Game Freak did announce a new game – Pokemon Champions, a PvP battle focused Pokemon game with crossplay across Switch and Mobile devices. 

Pokemon Champions takes out all of the exploration and Pokemon-capturing mechanics in order to purely focus on battles. It appears to be a spiritual successor to Pokemon Collesium and Pokemon Stadium but with more modern Pokemon designs and new mechanics like Mega Evolution and Terastalized Pokemon forms.

The game will have a multiplayer focus, with no plans for a single-player campaign. To ensure a broad player base, the game will be available for both Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms, like iOS and Android. There will be full crossplay between the mobile and Switch versions of the game.

On top of all that, the game also connects to Pokemon Home, so you can import Pokemon you've collected from other titles in the series and use them in Pokemon Champions without having to go through any extra effort to unlock them.

There is no release date yet for Pokemon Champions, but we expect to get more information on it later in the year.

KitGuru Says: Would you be interested in Pokemon game purely focused on PvP battles? 

The post Game Freak announces Pokemon Champions for mutltiple platforms first appeared on KitGuru.

Today during the annual Pokemon Presents livestream, The Pokemon Company gave us the latest update on their next major game, Pokemon Legends Z-A. Unfortunately, the game won't be coming out as early as we expected, with it now having a late 2025 release window. 

Initially thought to be releasing this summer, Pokemon Legends Z-A is now destined for a late 2025 release date. While not currently announced for the Nintendo Switch 2, the new release window means the game will assuredly be available in enhanced form on Nintendo's new system, which is due to launch later this year. The game will still also be playable on the original Nintendo Switch, but like Arceus, Scarlet and Violet, it is likely to look very rough and run with a very choppy frame rate.

Unlike Pokemon Legends Arceus, which was set well in the past, Pokemon Legends Z-A has a more futuristic setting, with a massive sprawling version of Lumiose city, far different to the version of the city we previously saw in Pokemon X & Y back in the day.

The starter Pokemon you'll get to pick are roughly in line with what you would expect. Players will be able to choose from Chikorita, Totodile and unfortunately for anyone who is a Cyndaquil fan, you'll have to settle for Tepig instead as your fire-type starter.

The battle system in Pokemon Legends ZA has evolved a little from Arceus too. You can see in the trailer that now, Game Freak has implemented dodging and positioning mechanics, so whether you land or miss an attack will be firmly within your control. You'll also be able to try and dodge incoming attacks, adding a new dynamic we've not really seen before in a Pokemon title.

KitGuru Says: I really enjoyed Arceus, but it was rough to play on the Switch console. I am hoping that with the Switch 2, we'll get much better frame rates and more anti-aliasing for Pokemon Legends Z-A. 

The post Pokemon Legends Z-A gets new gameplay trailer, late 2025 release date first appeared on KitGuru.

4A Games is making some internal changes. Previously, 4A Games spanned multiple teams, including a studio based in Ukraine. With 4A Games Ukraine now spinning off to work on a new IP, the studio is rebranding. Now known as Reburn, the studio has revealed an all-new game – La Quimera. 

La Quimera (translated as ‘The Chimera' in English), is a new Sci-Fi shooter built by former developers behind the Metro games. Set in Latin America (hence the Spanish title), the game promises an all-new campaign written by Nicolas Winding Refn, who previously wrote Drive and The Neon Demon.

The game will intertwine Latin American folklore with ‘advanced weaponry and technology' influenced by Sci-Fi properties. It is quite the mash up that promises to deliver equal parts horror and action.

The studio behind the game, Reburn, currently has around 110 employees, many of whom have experience working on the Metro and Stalker games. It is also worth noting that while previously part of 4A Games, Reburn is actually an independent studio. Their new game can already be wishlisted on Steam, but there is no release date at this time.

KitGuru Says: As a huge fan of Metro and Stalker, I'll be looking forward to this. The game has already been in development for five years at this stage, so I've got my fingers crossed for a 2025 launch. 

The post Former Metro devs reveal new Sci-Fi horror IP ‘La Quimera’ first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD has done very well with its hardware game bundles in recent years and that isn't stopping in 2025. This week, AMD has launched its latest hardware bundle, offering up free copies of Capcom's highly anticipated Monster Hunter Wilds. 

If you are thinking of buying a Ryzen 9000 or Ryzen 7000 series CPU, or a Radeon graphics card, you could be eligible to receive a free copy of Monster Hunter Wilds. On the CPU side, the list of eligible products for this promotion includes:

• Ryzen 9 9950X
• Ryzen 9 9900X
• Ryzen 9 7950X
• Ryzen 9 7900X
• Ryzen 7 9700X
• Ryzen 7 7700X
• Ryzen 7 7700
• Ryzen 5 9600X

If you are in the market for a graphics card instead, then you're in luck. The bundle also applies to Radeon RX 7700 XT, RX 7900 XT, RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX graphics cards.

At this point in time, the upcoming Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs are not included in the promotion but we expect that to change when they actually become available in the coming weeks.

This bundle will be running for quite a while, so you have some time to claim it. The bundle will be live until the 26th of April. You can find the list of participating retailers, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up a new AMD CPU or GPU soon? Will you be taking advantage of the Monster Hunter Wilds bundle? 

 

The post AMD is bundling Monster Hunter Wilds with range of Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs first appeared on KitGuru.

Cooler Master is well known for its peripherals, PC cases, CPU coolers and even gaming monitors. This week, they are adding gaming chairs to that list, but this isn't your standard racing seat affair. Instead, Cooler Master has opted to release one of the few gaming chairs on the market with a massage function. 

The new Hybrid M chair from Cooler Master has one big selling point that sets it apart from others on the market. The Hybrid M comes with its own massage function with a number of settings to target key muscle groups. Precision massage heads are used and Cooler Master has also taken extra steps to make sure they don't get too noisy. When not in use, the massage heads completely retract to preserve the sleek gaming chair aesthetic.

Speaking on the new chair, Cooler Master CEO, Jimmy Sha, said: “We saw a big opportunity to do more for our customers. Gamers, creators, and enthusiasts are multitaskers— they balance work, play, and creativity every day. So why not offer them a chair that multitasks, too? The Hybrid M provides premium comfort with its ergonomic design while delivering a variety of massage programs that rejuvenate the body and keep users performing at their best.”

The Hybrid M features a 14,400 mAh rechargeable power bank to power the massage system, so you'll need to charge it up once in a while depending on how often you use it. The upside to this is you won't need to run a cable from your chair to an electrical outlet and potentially hinder your movement. Using Cooler Master's mobile app, you can also create your own presets and customise settings.

Here are some of the key features of the Cooler Master Hybrid M chair:

• Ergonomic 3D armrests, an integrated headrest, and a magnetic lumbar support provide optimal comfort and adjustability.
• MuscleFlex mesh backrest and perforated PU seat base enhance breathability, ensuring long-lasting comfort.
• Cold-molded foam cushioning adapts to the user’s body shape, offering tailored ergonomic support.
• A reinforced steel frame and aluminum base ensure lasting structural integrity, built to withstand years of use.

The Cooler Master Hybrid M will be available starting this week, priced at €899.99.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I do like this idea, but I would also like to see more gaming chairs offering a retractable footrest to go with the common recline function. Add one of those and this would potentially be one of the most comfortable, do-it-all chairs on the market. 

The post Cooler Master’s new Hybrid M doubles as a massage chair first appeared on KitGuru.

The next wave of games heading to GeForce Now have been announced. This week will see seven games joining the library, including the PC Game Pass version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and the deck-building rogue-like hit, Balatro. 

Balatro was one of the best games of 2024 and has only grown in popularity since thanks to the release of console and mobile ports. Just this week, the game landed on PC Game Pass, so now, you can freely stream it via GeForce Now. The Steam & Xbox App versions of Halo: The Master Chief Collection are also joining the library, so you can finish the fight anytime, on any device.

Here are the games joining GeForce Now this week:

• Balatro (New release on Xbox, available on PC Game Pass)
• The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store)
• The Evil Within 2 (Epic Games Store, Steam, and Xbox available on PC Game Pass)
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Steam and Xbox, available on PC Game Pass)
• Murky Divers (Steam)
• Somerville (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store)

Nvidia has also given us a preview of what's coming to GeForce Now next month. There are 17 guaranteed games, excluding any surprises that may pop up in the coming weeks:

• Dragonkin: The Banished  (New release on Steam Mar. 6)
• Split Fiction (New release on EA App and Steam, Mar. 6)
• Split Fiction: Friend’s Pass  (New release on EA App and Steam, Mar. 6 App)
• Assassin's Creed Shadows (New release on Steam and Ubisoft Connect, Mar. 20)
• Wreckfest 2 (New release on Steam, Mar. 20)
• Killing Floor 3 (New Release on Steam, Mar. 25)
• Atomfall (New release on Steam and Xbox available on PC Game Pass, Mar. 27)
• The First Berserker: Khazan (New Release on Steam, Mar. 27
• inZOI (New release on Steam, Mar. 28)
• City Transport Simulator: Tram (Steam)
• Dave the Diver (Steam)
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II (Steam)
• Motor Town: Behind The Wheel (Steam)
• Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator (Steam)

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of subscribing to GeForce Now for a month to give it a try?

The post Halo, Balatro and more join GeForce Now this week first appeared on KitGuru.

Monster Hunter Wilds is launching this week, complete with support for DLSS and other RTX features. As a result, it is also time for a new Game Ready driver.

The latest Nvidia Game Ready driver is now available to download. This update brings a few notable additions. For starters, we have day-one optimisations for Monster Hunter Wilds, which launches tomorrow with support for DLSS Frame Generation, Ray-Traced Reflections and Nvidia Reflex to reduce latency.

The second big addition is Multi-Frame Generation support for NARAKA: Bladepoint. The PvP game now supports Nvidia's RTX 50-exclusive Multi-Frame Gen technology to boost frame rates further. According to Nvidia's own tests, the RTX 5090 can run the game at over 900 frames per second at 1080p with Multi-Frame Gen enabled.

This week's driver update also adds support for 29 more G-Sync Compatible displays, including models from Acer, AOC, Asus, LG and Philips. You can find full details on that, HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you picking up Monster Hunter Wilds tomorrow? Have you installed the new driver in preparation? 

The post Nvidia rolls out new Game Ready driver for Monster Hunter Wilds first appeared on KitGuru.

FSP has impressed us greatly with its latest generation PCIe 5.0 power supplies. The company is launching its most efficient yet with the new MEGA TI PSU series, offering up to 1650W capacity, ATX 3.1 compliancy and dual PCIe 12V-2×6 connectors for the latest generation graphics cards.

The MEGA TI series is built for uncompromising performance, featuring Interleaved PFC topology and high-performance MOSFETs and SiC diodes from Infineon for exceptional power regulation. With FSP’s proprietary Micro Tolerance Load Control technology, voltage regulation is maintained at an ultra-precise ±0.5%, surpassing Intel’s ATX 3.1 standards. Certified with 80 PLUS Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium ratings, these PSUs ensure minimal power loss, lower heat output, and near-silent operation, making them an optimal choice for high-performance systems.

To ensure support for the latest generation graphics cards, the Mega TI PSU series features two PCIe 12V-2×6 connectors, alongside additional 8-pin options. The PSU features a fully modular design, so you only need to plug in the cables you need, reducing clutter in your case. As far as noise goes, the FSP MEGA Ti PSU is one of the first to achieve the Cybenetics LAMBDA 230V A++ certification for offering best-in-class acoustic performance.

As you would expect from a high-end PSU, these units are built with high-quality Japanese capacitors, and feature a host of protection measures, including OCP, OVP, SCP, OPP, UVP and OTP.

The FSP Mega Ti 1350W PSU will be available priced at $399 and the 1650W version will go for $459, not including taxes.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you in the market for a high-capacity power supply for a new build? Are you considering FSP for it? 

The post FSP debuts its most efficient power supply yet – the Mega Ti first appeared on KitGuru.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the eagerly anticipated remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, is due to launch in late August, so it is a bit soon to be talking about PC system requirements. Still, that hasn't stopped Konami from releasing PC specs well ahead of time, and confirming that the game will require a ray-tracing capable graphics card. 

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will have ray-traced lighting by default, meaning you'll need at least an RTX 20 series GPU, or an AMD RX 6000 series GPU in order to play. This isn't uncommon in the current gaming landscape, as other major titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws have also launched with ray-traced lighting effects as the default option. As a result, the need for an RTX series or AMD equivalent GPU is growing by the day, leaving those still running on a GTX series GPU, or an older AMD Radeon GPU in a difficult position.

In the table below you can find the full minimum and recommended PC system requirements for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. At this point in time, Konami does not have an AMD graphics card listed but we expect that to change closer to the August launch date for the game.

	Minimum	Recommended
OS	Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required)	Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required)
Processor	Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory	16GB RAM	16GB RAM
Graphics	RTX 2060 Super (or newer)	RTX 3080 (or newer)
DirectX	Version 12	Version 12
Storage	100GB	100GB
Additional notes	SDD recommended	SDD recommended

Like most other modern games too, the install size is large, coming in at 100GB and an SSD is recommended. While many modern games can still be played on a hard drive, issues like crashes, stutter, mismanaged textures and others are much more noticeable when running today's storage and memory-hungry games on an HDD.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will release for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on the 28th of August.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up the MGS 3 remake? What do you think of the PC system requirements?

The post Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater PC system requirements revealed first appeared on KitGuru.

The latest episode of the Official Xbox Podcast has dropped, and it has brought around one particularly big headline – Fable has been delayed from 2025 to 2026. As it turns out, this could have something to do with Microsoft's evolving multiplatform strategy, as rumour has it that Fable will now launch on PC, Xbox and PS5 simultaneously. 

During Microsoft's battle with the FTC to secure permission to acquire Activision Blizzard and the Call of Duty IP, Microsoft made it clear that it had no plans to make Call of Duty exclusive and spent much time painting the picture that exclusives are actually bad for business. In 2024, Microsoft took things a step further, bringing titles like Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment and Grounded to rival console platforms. since then, titles like Forza Horizon 5, Doom: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones have also been confirmed for release on PS5.

Speaking on Microsoft's expanding multiplatform games strategy, Xbox Game Studios head, Craig Duncan, said on the latest Xbox Podcast that this approach is “good for gamers” and that it is “good for our studios”. Microsoft's approach now is to give its first-party games “the chance to reach the broadest audience possible”, which means taking a step back from its singular device approach to include the likes of PS5 and Nintendo Switch, as well as PCs.

Interestingly, it has been claimed by a few sources that Fable, which was just pushed back from 2025 to 2026, was already planned to come to PS5 next year. As a result, it is now expected that Fable will be one of the first Xbox titles to launch on PC, Xbox and PS5 simultaneously, doing away with the ‘timed exclusive' approach we've seen from Microsoft so far with titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The iffy part? Microsoft still wants to sell Xbox consoles and is planning a new generation, which seems somewhat pointless given the company's SEGA-style approach moving forward.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Would you still buy an Xbox console if Microsoft were to start bringing its first-party games to rival consoles day-and-date with PC and Xbox? 

The post Xbox Studios head confirms multiplatform strategy amid rumours of Fable for PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.

We are just days away from the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom's massive next-gen follow-up to Monster Hunter Worlds, which launched back in 2018 and went on to become the franchise's biggest game in the west so far. There are high hopes for Wilds to capture that same level of interest and now with pre-loading available, the unlock times for the game have been revealed. 

If you want to play Monster Hunter Wilds as soon as possible, then you will need an Xbox Series X/S or PS5 console. Due to concerns around datamining, the game on PC will have a global unlock time, while on console, the game simply unlocks at midnight on the 28th of February in whatever region you are in.

For those of us on PC, the game will unlock at 5AM UTC. Here in the UK, that means the game will become playable at 5AM on the 28th of February. In the US, that works out to 12AM EST on the 28th of February or 9PM PST on the 27th of February if you are on the west coast.

If you have the game pre-ordered and are looking to dive in as soon as possible, then you will be happy to know that you can download it ahead of time. Pre-loading for the game is now live on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, so you'll only have to sit through a quick patch download at launch, rather than waiting for the entire game to install.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you picking up Monster Hunter Wilds this week? Have you already got the game preloaded and ready to go? 

The post Monster Hunter Wilds preloading now live, global unlock times announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Given the massive $300 million hole left in WB Games' balance sheet in 2024 due to the unsuccessful launches of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Quidditch Champions and Multiversus, we had a feeling that some form of restructuring would be taking place. Now, WB Games has confirmed plans to close down three of its game development studios, including Monolith Productions.

Monolith Productions, Player First Games and WB Games San Diego are all closing down. Whatever projects they were working on, like Monolith's Wonder Woman game, have been cancelled but the likes of NetherRealm, TT Games and Rocksteady have survived the fallout. The biggest shock here to fans is the closure of Monolith, who developed excellent games like Shadow of Mordor and its innovative Nemesis system, as well as classics like F.E.A.R. and Condemned.

Speaking on the studio closures, a Warner Bros spokesperson gave the following statement to Kotaku:

“We have had to make some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises – Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones. After careful consideration, we are closing three of our development studios – Monolith Productions, Player First Games and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them.”

“The development of Monolith’s Wonder Woman videogame will not move forward. Our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions. As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world class studios and getting our Games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.”

Unfortunately, this likely means that the Nemesis system, which Warner Bros locked down with a patent, will not be used again for at least another decade. The patent is due to expire in the 2030s and Warner Bros just fired the very people responsible for building it, so they are unlikely to get much use out of it themselves.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I'm not shocked to see some WB Games studios closing down, but I am shocked that Monolith Productions got caught in the crossfire. With that said, it sounds like development of the Wonder Woman game wasn't going to plan behind the scenes, as it had just been rebooted in 2024.

The post WB Games shuts down Monolith Productions, cancels Wonder Woman game first appeared on KitGuru.

At this point, all of the Xenoblade Chronicles games are available to play on Nintendo Switch, with one notable exception – Xenoblade Chronicles X. Nintendo quietly announced a Switch port for the game back in November and now, just ahead of its re-launch next month, we have an extensive overview trailer for the game. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is heading to Nintendo Switch on the 20th of March, completing the collection of Xenoblade Chronicles titles on the system. This game originally launched exclusively for the Wii U back in 2015, and due to that console's lacklustre sales record, not many fans had the chance to experience this one.

 

Fans have been asking for Xenoblade Chronicles X on Nintendo Switch ever since the console's first year on the market, which saw the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This release will mark the first time that the complete Xenoblade Chronicles collection will be available on one platform. As the Nintendo Switch 2 is confirmed to be backwards compatible with Switch 1 titles, that means all of these games will remain playable well into the future.

In Xenoblade Chronicles X, you play as one of the last surviving members of the human race following Earth's destruction. Players will find themselves on the planet Mira, learning to pilot Mechs to survive and join the ranks of the BLADE organisation. It acts as a prequel to the later Xenoblade Chronicles games and was well received by fans for its gameplay and large open-world.

KitGuru Says: The Xenoblade Chronicles games are some of my favourite JRPGs but due to Xenoblade Chronicles X only being on Wii U, I never had the chance to play it. I'm glad to see that finally change next month and hopefully, all of the Xenoblade games get a performance update for the Switch 2, as they look particularly rough on the original system in handheld mode. 

The post Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition shown off in extensive gameplay trailer first appeared on KitGuru.

Back in 2014, Monolith Productions impressed us all with Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and its central game mechanic – the Nemesis System. The technology allowed for dynamic NPCs that would hunt the player character down and level up if it managed to beat you, adding an interesting twist to gameplay that could be used to improve hundreds of other games. Unfortunately, WB Games patented the technology and as a result, developers aren't able to produce a similar system for at least another decade. 

Warner Bros filed the patent for the Nemesis System back in 2016, one year ahead of the release of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. As the patent was approved, that means Warner Bros has exclusive rights to use this technology for 20 years after the filing date. The patent will not expire until August 11th 2036.

The situation goes a little beyond that though. This week, Warner Bros made the decision to shut down Monolith Productions and cancel the studio's upcoming Wonder Woman game, the only other title in production to make use of this technology. With the studio shutting down and the developers behind the system being forced to find work elsewhere, it is unlikely that even WB will make use of this patent again anytime soon.

Warner Bros could potentially license out the patent, but most publishers don't exactly like giving out a piece of their pie to a third-party. A good example of this is NetEase with Marvel Rivals, as we recently learned that the game was almost scrapped due to the company's CEO not wanting to give Disney their licensing fee.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This is a good example of the patent system being used for the wrong reasons. Rather than locking down an innovative technology and making good use of it, WB has squandered its opportunity and taken something cool away from the gaming community, much like Namco did back in the 90s with its patent on ‘playable mini games during loading screens'. 

The post Warner Bros ‘Nemesis System’ patent won’t expire until 2036 first appeared on KitGuru.

China-based games publisher NetEase has been on a bit of an acquisition spree in recent years, picking up a bunch of international studios across the US, Europe and other regions. Unfortunately, NetEase is now rethinking its investments, putting a number of studios at risk of closure. 

According to Venturebeat and GameFile, NetEase is apparently ‘offloading' a number of its overseas holdings, as it looks to reduce the amount of money spent developing titles overseas. This is in part due to the high cost of running a US-based game studio.

One source told GameFile that if some of these studios are unable to get outside funding, they will face closure as NetEase looks to reduce costs. These concerns arose following the firing of NetEase's Seattle-based team that worked on Marvel Rivals. The studio was closed despite the game's incredibly successful launch, which has brought in over 40 million players so far.

Studios like Quantic Dream (Star Wars Eclipse) and Rebel Wolves (Blood of Dawnwalker) are thought to be safe at this time.

KitGuru Says: We'll have to wait and see how things shake out but since this story initially broke, it is worth noting that a few studios have released statements to say that they are still operational and have not yet heard anything. 

The post NetEase-owned US studios reportedly facing closure first appeared on KitGuru.

Corsair's streaming-focused brand, Elgato, is now a Diamond-level sponsor of the OBS project. OBS, otherwise known as Open Broadcaster Software is a tool used by thousands of creators to record and livestream content to sites like Twitch, YouTube, Kick, Rumble and others. The free open-source platform relies on partnerships to fund further development and Elgato is stepping up to provide exactly that, alongside more integration for OBS with Elgato products to make getting started as a content creator easier than ever. 

Speaking on the new partnership, Elgato ecosystem director, Taylor Ward, said: “This partnership builds on a long history of collaboration. Elgato tools and OBS Studio have always gone hand in hand—now we’re taking that connection to the next level. Together, we’re excited to bring creators new ways to enhance and streamline their workflows.”

The funding will help OBS out in a few areas, allowing for the hiring of additional developers to fix bugs, create new features and expand the plugin infrastructure. Some of those new tools are already available through the new Elgato OBS Studio plugin, Marketplace Connect, which links OBS with your Elgato products to make workflows faster and easier. The Elgato storefront also now includes a dedicated OBS section, where creators can browse full scene collections and install them directly to OBS Studio, taking the setup process down from a multi-hour affair to just a few clicks.

Creators can also share their own OBS setups too thanks to an export tool that automatically gathers files and settings to bundle together. Creators can test out a number of these through the Elgato Marketplace.

KitGuru Says: OBS is an incredibly useful piece of software and thanks to support from companies like Elgato, YouTube and Nvidia, it has been able to remain free for all users. Now with Elgato's new integrations, setting up a stream should be easier than ever for anyone wanting to dip their toes into content creation. 

The post Elgato partners with OBS for plugin integration and future feature development first appeared on KitGuru.

I often get emails in my inbox showcasing interesting stats about the games market, the titles dominating playtime and the threat they pose to other entertainment mediums, like video streaming services (Netflix, Disney+ etc). There is just one problem, these are often coming from online casino websites looking to boost their SEO. Today, I have interesting numbers we can actually trust, thanks to the analysts at Circana. 

As reported by games industry analyst, Mat Piscatella, the latest Circana Player Engagement Study has revealed that over 70 percent of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players in the USA are actively playing one of the top ten live-service games. Of that subset of players, over 40 percent spend all their gaming hours in one of those top live-service games, never venturing out to try other titles.

The top ten live service games on console in the US include the likes of Call of Duty, Fortnite, Roblox, GTA Online, NBA 2K25, Marvel Rivals, Minecraft and Madden NFL, with other titles like Destiny 2, Apex Legends and Rocket League dropping in and out of the top ten depending on the month.

If you've ever wondered why so many publishers are obsessed with trying to capture a piece of the live service game market – this is why.

KitGuru Says: Live service games often get ragged on, but unfortunately, the numbers show that these games are popular. However, the statistics also show that it is incredibly difficult for a new game to dethrone any established title already in the top ten. Will that stop executives from funding these projects? Probably not, but hopefully after disasters like Concord and Suicide Squad, we'll start to see a fairer balance. 

The post 70% of US console gamers are playing live service titles first appeared on KitGuru.

March is shaping up to be a surprisingly big month for PlayStation Plus. Despite releasing less than six months ago, BioWare's latest RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is already hitting subscription services. 

Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PS5) is the headliner for next month's set of PlayStation Plus monthly games. Anyone with a PS+ Essential tier (or higher) subscription will be able to add the game to their digital library to play in full whenever the mood strikes. While Dragon Age: The Veilguard made some rather stark changes compared to previous games in the series, it was still a fun game and is certainly worth claiming if you have a PS+ subscription.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is the second game available to claim in March 2025. In this game, Sonic must head to Eggman's new interstellar amusement park in order to free the Wisps, an alien race captured by Eggman and forced to power his big space theme-park. This is the PS4 remaster of the original game, offering upscaled visuals, a new game mode and other enhancements.

The final game on our list is a personal favourite of mine. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection packages together 13 classic TMNT games, some of which are from the early arcade days. Each title has been updated with a range of QoL features, online support has been added, and you can also play local co-op.

All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on March 4 until March 31. That means you have until the end of March 3rd to claim February's PS+ monthly games, which include High on Life, Payday 3 and Pac-Man World Re-Pac.

KitGuru Says: Will you be installing any of this month's PS+ titles? 

The post Dragon Age: The Veilguard already being given away as part of PlayStation Plus first appeared on KitGuru.

We've known for quite some time that Valve has been quietly working on a new VR headset. At one point, it was thought to be a Meta Quest competitor, bringing costs down and offering cable-free VR. However, the plan appears to have changed, with the new headset, codenamed ‘Deckard', poised to go for as much as $1200. 

According to reliable Valve leaker, GabeFollower, who also accurately leaked details about Deadlock and Counter-Strike 2 ahead of announcement, Valve's new VR headset should launch by the end of 2025. Like previous rumours suggested, this new headset is believed to be a wireless headset, but the price tag will not make it competitive with the likes of the Quest 2 or Quest 3.

It is thought that the new Valve VR headset will release in a $1200 bundle that will also include some ‘in-house' games. At its core, the headset will utilise a new version of SteamOS adapted for VR headsets, which could open the door for expanded game compatibility, perhaps through an easily accessible ‘Big Screen' mode where non-VR games can be played in-headset on a giant virtual cinema screen.

Valve has not yet announced any plans for a new VR headset. Currently, Valve still sells its original Index headset at £999 for the bundle including controllers and tracking stations.

KitGuru Says: I feel like interest in VR headsets is at a low point currently, in part due to a lack of ambitious games. We are five years on from Half-Life Alyx and yet, it remains unchallenged as the best single-player VR game on the market. With that in mind, I do question how much interest there will be in a new headset. That could of course change if Valve has a new Half-Life game up its sleeve for 2025. 

The post Valve reportedly planning new VR headset for 2025 first appeared on KitGuru.

At CES, Razer unveiled its latest Razer Blade 18 and 16 laptops, powered by RTX 50 graphics. Now, both are up for pre-order. The new Razer Blade 18 utilises the world's first dual-mode laptop display with 4K/240Hz and 1080p/440Hz modes, while the new Razer Blade 16 is Razer's thinnest laptop ever. 

Here are some of the key features for the new Razer Blade 18 (2025):

• Big Screen Experience Made Faster: The world's first 18″ dual mode display letting you switch seamlessly between UHD+ 240HZ for detail and FHD+ 440Hz for maximum speed.
• The Most Powerful Laptop Graphics: Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU – Unlocking the maximum Total Graphics Power (TGP) available for the most demanding tasks and games.
• Latest Desktop-Grade Processing: Intel® Core Ultra 200HX series processors give gamers, creators, and professionals enthusiasts level performance for consuming and creating on the go.
• 280W of TPP (Total Package Power): Pushing mobile compute to the max with our most advanced thermal engineering solution ever.
• Desktop Features Made Portable: Bringing advanced connectivity, enhanced audio-visual experience, and gaming keyboard features to portable computing.

Here are some of the key features of the smaller Razer Blade 16:        

• Reimagined Design
  • The thinnest gaming laptop ever designed by Razer achieving a slim 0.59-inch profile at its thinnest point.
  • New thermal hood design that effectively manages thermals with a new vapor chamber cooling solution that covers 57% of the motherboard and features 0.05 mm thin exhaust fins for greater heat dissipation.
• Peak AI-Powered Performance
  • Features up to a NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, with 24 GB of GDDR7 VRAM and pushes up to 160W of maximum graphics power.
  • First Blade First Blade 16 to be powered by an AMD Ryzen processor, up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, with an NPU that features up to 50 TOPS for access to Copilot+ experiences, including powerful image creation tools with Cocreator, live translations when watching international content with Live Captions, and improved Windows Studio Effects to boost their presentations.
  • Packs a crystal clear QHD+ 240Hz OLED display offering Calman Verified color profiles and a blazing fast .2ms response time.
• Best-in-Class Experience
  • Redesigned keyboard with a deeper 1.5mm travel distance, for 50% more travel vs the last generation Blade 16, and ~63g of actuation force for a more responsive typing experience.
  • Upgraded 6-speaker audio system for a richer listening experience featuring THX Spatial Audio.

Both the Razer Blade 18 and Razer Blade 16 models are now available for pre-order, but you'll need deep pockets to afford one. The Razer Blade 16 is starting at £2699.99, while the Razer Blade 18 is starting at £3099.99.

KitGuru Says: Are you considering an RTX 50-powered laptop for 2025? How much would you be willing to spend on a gaming laptop?

The post Razer’s latest Blade gaming laptops now available starting at £2699 first appeared on KitGuru.

Delidding your CPU is often the best way to get the absolute best temperatures and overclocking potential, but the process of doing it is a daunting one and can potentially void warranty. Thermal Grizzly is looking to make it as easy as possible moving forward, with its own series of TG Delidded CPUs and better yet, Thermal Grizzly will assume the manufacturer's warranty, so you'll be just as protected as if you were to buy directly from Intel or AMD.

Offering everyone from beginners to veterans a gateway into the world of maximum cooling performance, the new TG Delidded CPU series is now available, delivering the ability to use direct-die cooling solutions without having to go through the risk of delidding the processor yourself. By delidding a CPU, you remove the heatspreader, allowing for a CPU cooler to be mounted directly to the chiplets of the CPU for the best possible cooling.

However, not just any cooler will do. CPU dies are susceptible to damage, which is why processors are typically sold with a heatspreader protecting the die underneath. With that in mind, you'll want to ensure you pair your delidded CPU with an appropriate direct-die cooler, such as the Mycro Direct Die liquid cooler. You could also opt for a third-party high-performance heatspreader and a more traditional AIO cooling solution.

Since delidding a CPU voids the manufacturer’s warranty, Thermal Grizzly assumes the warranty and tests the processors after delidding. A screenshot of this functionality test, along with a microscope photograph of the chip, is saved on a USB stick and included with the purchase.

The TG Delidded CPU series launches with the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and will later be expanded to include additional processors such as the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D. It is unclear if delidded Intel CPUs will also soon become part of the lineup.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Would you prefer to buy a pre-delidded CPU over going through the process yourself? It would certainly make a good start to a high-end liquid-cooled build.

The post Thermal Grizzly now sells delidded CPUs backed by warranty first appeared on KitGuru.

We've known about Microsoft's long-awaited Fable reboot since 2017. Fans were pleased to see the game listed on the release schedule for 2025 but now, just two months into the year, Xbox has revised its plans, pushing the game back to 2026. 

We won't be playing the new Fable this year after all. Today, Xbox Game Studios head, Craig Duncan, revealed on the Official Xbox podcast that the game has been delayed to 2026.

“So, I just want to start with, really excited, really excited about progress, really excited about where Playground are. We previously announced the date for Fable as 2025, we are actually going to give Fable more time and it’s going to ship in 2026 now.”

Duncan acknowledges that this isn't “the news people want to hear” but adds that “it's definitely worth the wait”. So far, Microsoft has revealed little gameplay for Fable, but we hope to see more of the game revealed later this year. We expect to see more of Fable during this year's Xbox Summer Showcase. In the meantime though, there is a small snippet of alpha gameplay available to view in the video above.

Duncan adds that he has “unequivocal confidence” in the Playground Games team, which is primarily known for the Forza Horizon series, rather than single-player RPGs.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to Fable? Do you think we'll see it in the first or second half of 2026? 

The post Xbox officially delays Fable, reboot now coming in 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

In recent weeks, early buyers of RTX 50 series graphics cards have discovered that their GPU does not meet the advertised specification. At first, it was thought that this issue was only impacting a limited number of RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti models, but this week, the first affected RTX 5080 was discovered. Now, Nvidia has responded with an updated statement.

In an updated statement given to The Verge, Nvidia said: “Upon further investigation, we’ve identified that an early production build of GeForce RTX 5080 GPUs were also affected by the same issue. Affected consumers can contact the board manufacturer for a replacement”.

A fully amended statement from Nvidia was also issued, saying: “We have identified a rare issue affecting less than 0.5% (half a percent) of GeForce RTX 5090 / 5090D, RTX 5080, and 5070 Ti GPUs which have one fewer ROP than specified. The average graphical performance impact is 4%, with no impact on AI and Compute workloads. Affected consumers can contact the board manufacturer for a replacement. The production anomaly has been corrected.”

Nvidia estimates that less than 0.5% of RTX 5090, RTX 5090D, RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti GPUs are impacted by the defect. Rather than going through a recall process, Nvidia is asking customers to go to the board manufacturer of their card for a replacement. However, stock isn't exactly in abundance right now, so securing a replacement could be a time-consuming process.

Nvidia also estimates that the average performance impact of the missing ROPs is 4 percent, adding that there should be no impact on compute or AI workloads. However, given the prices gamers are paying nowadays, any performance degradation over the advertised specification should be unacceptable.

We don't know how many of these cards were produced and sold for launch, so it is hard to gauge how many GPUs could have been affected. However, future stock should be unaffected, as the production defect that led to all of this has been identified and addressed at the supply chain level.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This is an annoyance for sure, but hopefully those who were impacted can get their replacement expedited. 

The post Nvidia says less than 0.5% of RTX 50 GPUs affected by missing ROPs first appeared on KitGuru.

It has been three years since Valve first launched the Steam Deck, its own handheld gaming PC utilising custom AMD silicon and its own Linux-based operating system, SteamOS. Since then, a number of competitors have popped up on the market, some with even better specs than the Steam Deck, but according to market research, Valve's handheld has managed to maintain its number one spot on the market. 

As spotted by The Verge, market research firm, IDC, has analysed supply chain orders to estimate just how many gaming handhelds have shipped around the world. In 2022, it is estimated that 1.62 million gaming handhelds were shipped, a number that grew to 2.87 million in 2023, before dropping to 1.485 million in 2024. These figures combine the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go and MSI Claw handhelds.

All added together, around six million PC gaming handhelds have been sold by the big brands over the last few years. It is estimated that gaming handheld shipments will fall to under two million in 2025.

Despite other options having better technical specifications, the Steam brand name has carried its weight here. Of the six million handhelds sold between 2022 and 2025, it is estimated that almost four million of those were Steam Decks, putting Valve's system well ahead of the competition. With all of that in mind, despite the Steam Deck's chip being weaker than what can be found in more expensive options from the likes of Asus, MSI and Lenovo, Valve's combination of low-power gaming hardware and the SteamOS UI has won over the consumer in far greater numbers than a ‘Windows' based handheld.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Do any of you own a gaming handheld? Did you go with a Steam Deck or one of the more expensive competitors? 

The post Market research shows Valve’s Steam Deck has dominated handheld market first appeared on KitGuru.

Earlier this week, we learned that early copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows have been sold online, almost a month ahead of the planned launch date. Now, Ubisoft has responded to the situation, acknowledging the leak publicly for the first time.

Ubisoft is aware that a number of physical copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows have leaked. The company did not confirm if the copies sold were stolen from the distribution or retail channels, or whether a particular retailer elected to break street date and begin selling the game early. Still, Ubisoft says the leak is “unfortunate” and warns potential early buyers that the leaked version of the game won't be representative of the day-one experience.

“We are aware players have accessed Assassin’s Creed Shadows ahead of its official release. The development team is still working on patches to prepare the experience for launch and any footage shared online does not represent the final quality of the game. Leaks are unfortunate and can diminish the excitement for players. We kindly ask you not to spoil the experience for others. Thank you to our community for already taking steps to protect everyone from spoilers.”

Assassin's Creed Shadows is officially due to release for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on the 20th of March.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are any of you planning on picking up the latest Assassin's Creed when it drops next month? Have you seen any of the leaked footage so far?

The post Ubisoft responds to Assassin’s Creed Shadows leak first appeared on KitGuru.

WB Games is in an odd position at the moment. Its two biggest studios, Rocksteady and Netherrealm, both failed to achieve sales targets with their latest games. At the same time, Warner Bros is trying to spin up the new ‘DC Universe', spanning films, games and other media. It would seem that the hopes of an expansive DC universe may keep both of these studios alive for the foreseeable future, as leaders from both are actively meeting with James Gunn to discuss future plans.

James Gunn was hired by Warner Bros to spearhead a new effort to put together a new cross-media DC universe, starting with a new Superman film, due to release later this year. As it turns out, Gunn has his hands in more than movies. According to ComicBook, who attended a recent DC Studios event, James Gunn has been meeting with Rocksteady and Netherrealm heads to discuss future plans for in-universe video games.

DC Studios co-head, Peter Safran, gave the following quote during the event: “It’s really the first time it’s ever been this way at Warner Bros. James and I sit with the guys that run the studios under JB Perette whether it’s NetherRealm or Rocksteady. We sit with them and we talk about characters and stories that we’re interested in and that they’re interested in.”

Gunn added that they see “designs for the projects in their very earliest stages” and then make suggestions on story direction based on what they have planned for the DC Universe at large.

However, it is said that the first true DCU game won't release for at least “a couple of years”. Given how long AAA development timelines are nowadays, I would say that a couple of years is an underestimate.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We recently heard that Rocksteady is now trying to pitch a new single-player Batman game following the failure and shutdown of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The issue is, Rocksteady made some of the best Batman stories ever told, all on their own. Now, the studio has to also appease the directors behind the movies, which could ultimately hinder creativity. My worry is that certain characters will now be ‘off limits', with the goal of maintaining a singular canon and naturally, a film director will want the biggest moments reserved for the films, which would also hamper the impact of the stories these studios are able to tell in the video game format. I don't think it is going to work out the way they envision, but time will well.

The post James Gunn is actively working on new DC games with Rocksteady and NetherRealm first appeared on KitGuru.

Recently, Valve updated its Steam policy, forcing developers to disclose when Generative AI tools are used to create games. This led Activision admitting that GenAI is already in use to create assets in Call of Duty, for instance. Now, gamers have gone to the Steam feature suggestion forum to request a way to filter games that use AI from the store. 

A Steam forum suggestion thread asking Valve to give gamers the ability to hide games that use GenAI from the store has garnered a lot of attention. Hundreds of comments have registered support for the idea and users have been making good use of their Steam points to also give the suggestion a number of awards, keeping the suggestion at the top of the forum.

Valve has already added some filters for the Steam Store, such as allowing users to automatically hide adult or NSFW games, and users can hide games on an individual basis too. However, a blanket filter would work best. Many of the commenters take issue with the fact that popular AI models have been trained on pirated content, effectively stealing the work of human creators in an effort to replace them.

Valve has not yet commented on the situation, but it did recently implement a policy change to ensure developers disclose the use of Generative AI tools. This disclosure has already appeared on the Call of Duty store page, and we will no doubt see more major games from publishers like Microsoft, Sony, EA, Ubisoft, Take-Two, 2K Games, Embracer and others carrying this disclosure in the year ahead.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As we saw with the initial pushback against DLC in the early days of the Xbox 360, and the pushback against microtransactions in premium games last generation, I feel like most publishers are simply going to ignore the backlash and push forward with their plans for AI tools. Ultimately, the use of AI tools can help a lot of studios reset to do away with ballooning studio sizes in favour of smaller teams that can work faster with AI assistance. There are ethical concerns for sure due to the fact that stolen work was used to train the biggest AI models, but if there is money to be made and a legal loophole to exploit, then I don't think the C-suite cares. 

The post Gamers call on Valve to add ‘AI games’ filter to Steam first appeared on KitGuru.

Last year, I put together a list of seven great indie games to look out for in 2024. 33 Immortals appeared prominently on that list but unfortunately, the game was pushed back to 2025. Now, we finally have a release date, and it is just around the corner. 

33 Immortals, a new take on large-scale MMO-style raids, is now set to launch on the 18th of March as an Early Access title on Steam and Xbox Series X/S.

33 Immortals is developed by Thunder Lotus Games and has already received positive feedback based on the beta test last Summer. The game is created to simulate the feeling of being in a raid, putting 33 players together in a map to take down hordes of dangerous enemies, followed by a massive boss.

Players will need to work together to synergise tactics to stand a chance against the major bosses. You won't have to worry about getting 33 friends together either – there is matchmaking. Better yet, it is near instant, so you won't have to wait long to find some teammates to play with.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I've had my eye on this one for a while – hopefully it will run well on the Steam Deck. 

The post 33 Immortals set for March release on Steam and Xbox first appeared on KitGuru.

Gamers have made it well known that they don't want to see gaming flooded with titles that make heavy use of generative AI. As it turns out, one of the biggest games in the world, Call of Duty, is already there. Activision has admitted that it has begun using AI to produce a range of in-game assets for Black Ops 6. 

How did this admission come about? Well, Valve recently updated its Steam policy, demanding that developers disclose any use of Generative AI in a sub-section of their game's Steam listing. As a result, the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Steam page has been updated with the following disclosure: “Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets.”

Ultimately, Black Ops 6 is still a project with thousands of developers assigned to it. However, in-game assets like calling cards, stickers and even some skins have been created using AI.

According to Insider Gaming, last year's holiday-themed ‘zombified Santa' skin was created by AI, something that was spotted due to an error that led to too many fingers on the model, a tell-tale sign of GenAI being used without careful human oversight.

Recently, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, also spoke about the company's plans to train its own Generative AI model using a catalogue of first-party games, something that could shrink development timelines.

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KitGuru Says: It seems a lot of the bigger publishers are hoping that Generative AI will allow them to reset the table, allowing for games to be made faster, with smaller teams. However, the public at large has been against the use of AI replacing creative humans. That hasn't stopped the industry in the past though. There was plenty of backlash against cosmetic DLCs back in the day, but the industry pushed forward with it anyway and now, it is rare to find a game that doesn't offer some form of paid DLC. The same will happen for AI, there will be some pushback along the way, but eventually, AI will be industry standard, and it will be impossible to find a game that wasn't developed with some kind of AI assistance outside of indies. 

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While Nintendo is currently keeping quiet about its Switch 2 launch date, a former Nintendo of America sales and retail employee has publicly revealed their prediction for a June launch.

Going by the name ‘Sean', this ex-Nintendo sales worker spoke on the Kit and Krista podcast (via VGC) to spill some of the beans about Nintendo's sales strategy. According to them, Nintendo will be eyeing up a Summer launch for the Switch 2, meaning the console could be in the hands of gamers within months of the company's planned Nintendo Direct showcase in April.

More specifically, Nintendo could be eyeing up a June launch date, getting the console out well ahead of the holiday season rush and laying the groundwork for some big end-of-year exclusives.

With all of that said, retailers do not have ‘advance knowledge' of the Switch 2 launch date, but Nintendo will likely inform them weeks ahead of launch. As for price tag, while others have speculated a more palatable $299 or $399 launch price, this former Nintendo employee anticipates a price tag as high as $450.

We recently published an extensive piece on one of the Switch 2's anticipated features – Mouse Mode, allowing the Joy-Cons to be used like a PC mouse for more accurate tracking.

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KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to the Switch 2 at all? Will you be looking to get one at launch?

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Delta Force has been off to a good start since the launch of its multiplayer mode late last year. This month, the developers released their first single-player campaign DLC – a retelling of Black Hawk Down. Unfortunately, the campaign has been met with negative reception, in large part due to difficulty. 

Many players are finding that the Delta Force: Black Hawk Down campaign is ‘unnecessarily difficult' with no form of scaling present based on whether you are playing solo or as part of a team. Players have also encountered issues with enemy spawns and other odd design choices.

At this point in time, the Delta Force: Black Hawk Down DLC has a ‘Mostly Negative' rating on Steam. While it is technically playable in single-player, the campaign doesn't offer players much in the way of ammo or health drops without having a teammate actively playing the support class, defeating the point for those looking to play solo. You also can't pick up an enemy's weapon after running out of bullets or resort to melee attacks to try and push through.

While the overwhelming sentiment is negative, there are a few high-rated positive reviews for the campaign on Steam. Those players happen to love the difficulty level, including the lack of lives and limited supplies, forcing a more tactical approach to clearing areas from players.

From the sounds of it, the developers could improve the DLC a lot with a few quality of life changes, like fixing enemy spawns to happen a certain distance from the player, adding the ability to scavenge ammo from discarded weapons and maybe dropping a few bandages to find throughout the levels to help players get through to the end.

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KitGuru Says: Have you tried the Delta Force: Black Hawk Down campaign yet? What did you make of it so far? 

The post Delta Force: Black Hawk Down campaign launches to ‘mostly negative’ reviews first appeared on KitGuru.

We were all shocked to see the director behind Marvel Rivals let go by NetEase weeks after the game's incredibly successful launch. Now, it turns out that the game was almost cancelled, as NetEase bosses were unhappy with the idea of paying licensing fees to use the Marvel characters. 

According to sources speaking with Bloomberg, NetEase CEO, William Ding, was against the idea of paying Disney a cut of the game's revenue. In an effort to avoid doing so, he had a team or artists swap in original hero designs to the game, with the idea of pivoting Marvel Rivals into a wholly original IP. That effort ended up costing the company millions of dollars and ultimately led to nothing.

Naturally, this kind of news could sour the relationship between Disney/Marvel and NetEase, so it should come as no surprise that a spokesperson for the company told Bloomberg that it has “enjoyed a close partnership with Marvel since 2017” and denied that the game was being considered for cancellation.

Ultimately, Marvel Rivals did release and by all accounts, has been a huge success, accruing around 40 million players since launch in December. Currently, it is one of the most popular multiplayer games on Steam, regularly appearing in the top ten most-played titles.

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KitGuru Says: Given the post-launch success of Marvel Rivals, hearing that the game was almost canned is almost unbelievable to me. There is no doubt in my mind that the game would have turned out like Concord had it pivoted to ‘original hero' characters, rather than utilising the brand power of the Marvel IP. 

The post NetEase almost scrapped Marvel Rivals to avoid paying Disney license fees first appeared on KitGuru.