Ubisoft has revealed the Watch Dogs 2 system requirements, and with them a new release date for the PC version of the game. Spoiler: it's not coming out early.
Yep, the PC release of a Ubisoft game has been delayed—try to contain your shock. Fortunately, it's a brief extra wait—the game is now scheduled to come our way on November 29 instead of November 15—and it sounds like the extra time is going toward a good cause.
When it does come out, here's what you'll need to get in on the action:
Minimum:
- OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
- Processor: Intel Core i5 2400S @ 2.5 GHz, AMD FX 6120 @ 3.5 GHz
- RAM: 6GB
- Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 (2GB), AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2GB) or better
- Hard Disk Space: 50 GB
- Peripherals: Windows-compatible keyboard and mouse, Microsoft Xbox One Controller, Dual Shock 4 Controller
- Multiplayer: 256 Kbps or faster broadband connection
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
- Processor: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHz, AMD FX 8120 @ 3.9 GHz
- RAM: 8GB
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (3GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB) or better, AMD Radeon R9 290 (4GB) or better
- Hard Disk Space: 50 GB
- Peripherals: Windows-compatible keyboard and mouse, Microsoft Xbox One controller, Dual Shock 4 controller
- Multiplayer: 256 Kbps or faster broadband connection
Ubi also announced a number of "special enhancements" coming to the PC edition of the game, which is why it's taking the extra time to nail things down:
General
- 4K support
- Stuttering/lag framerate optimization – We employed a fix that makes all controls much more responsive and less framerate-related. We’ve optimized resource creation, GPU VRAM upload and required VRAM for the game.
- No FPS cap
- Full SLI/Crossfire support at launch
- Multiple save file support – This feature allows players to have up to three auto save slots for three separate playthroughs.
- Multi-monitor support with borderless mode and advanced settings that allow for customized placement of menu and HUD.
- Multiple windowed mode options – Windowed mode with flexible/resizable windows, multi-monitor borderless.
Improved Graphic Features
- Screen Space Reflections
- Headlight Shadows – Support for additional shadows from car headlights
- Extra Details Options – Increases the level of detail for all objects in the game, and adds more details to objects in the distance.
Improved Graphics Options
- FOV sliders
- Pixel Density sliders
- Sharpness sliders
- Ultra Textures pack available at launch
- Ambient Occlusion options: Ubisoft proprietary ambient occlusion techniques (SSBC and HMSSAO), HMSSAO
- Anti-aliasing options: TXAA, MSAA, Post Processing Anti-Aliasing options (SMAA and FXAA)
Improved Keyboard/Mouse controls
- Full adaptation with mouse and keyboard
- We’re using raw mouse input to reduce latency and use the Windows hardware cursor throughout the game without any additional signal filtering to smooth or accelerate mouse movement by default
- Advanced keyboard support – Keyboard hotkeys for every menu and app for faster access. Additionally, all hotkeys can be remapped.
- Mouse-centric UI – Any UI screen, menus or smartphone app supports full mouse interaction, so the player can finish any UI task with the mouse only. Everything is clickable and has appropriate button states.
- Toggle/Hold modes for different controls (aim, sprint, walk, inventory, etc.)
Driving
- Driving has been adapted to suit the keyboard controls, with adjustable steering sensitivity. Same goes for driving camera sensitivity and auto-centering camera behavior
Gamepad support
- On-the-fly switching between mouse and keyboard to gamepad, without any additional options, UI will just switch to gamepad mode
- Supported gamepads: Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers, third-party XInput gamepads (everything Xbox-based), PlayStation 4 Controller. We do not officially support Direct Input gamepads, Steam controllers or game wheels.
To be fair, that's a lot of extra jazz, and if the extra couple of weeks means Watch Dogs 2 comes out smooth and stable on a wide range of hardware—including the really high-end stuff—then it will be time well spent. Whether it can prove itself to be more than "another stylish hacktivist yarn that refuses to follow through on its premise" remains to be seen, but one thing at a time.
