Spider-Man 2 Launches on Steam with Lenient PC Requirements

Sony’s Marvel Spider-Man 2 has officially swung onto PC as of January 30, marking a highly anticipated release. The game's transition to PC has been a topic of interest, with fans eagerly awaiting details on its performance across various hardware setups.

On the PlayStation Blog, Nixxes Software, the developer behind the port, detailed the array of advanced PC features designed to optimize the game's performance and visual fidelity across a wide range of hardware configurations. Alongside the release, a new trailer was unveiled, showcasing the game's impressive visuals and gameplay.

A significant update for PC players is the removal of the mandatory PSN account requirement that was present in the console version. Additionally, the PC version of Spider-Man 2 introduces advanced raytracing capabilities, including DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction. According to Menno Bil, a graphics programmer at Nixxes, "In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC with ray reconstruction enabled, we see more detailed ray-traced reflections and better-defined ray-traced shadows, especially when viewing raytracing effects at steep angles. We also see improvements in the ray-traced interiors and less ghosting and noise in the ray-traced ambient occlusion."

Further enhancing the gaming experience, the port supports DLSS 3 and FSR 3.1 Upscaling and Frame Generation technologies, as well as Intel’s XeSS upscaler. Although DLSS 4’s Multi Frame Generation isn't included out of the box, players can potentially upgrade to this feature using the Nvidia app to improve DLSS 3’s Frame Generation image quality.

For those with wider screens, Spider-Man 2 offers ultrawide support up to an impressive 48:9 aspect ratio, with cinematics optimized for viewing up to 32:9.

The game's system requirements are tailored to accommodate both ray-traced and non-ray-traced settings. For players not focused on advanced reflections, the game can be run at 720p and 30 FPS on older systems equipped with components like an Nvidia GTX 1650, an Intel Core i3 8100, and 16 GB of RAM.

On the other end of the spectrum, high-end setups can fully leverage their capabilities, with the "Ray Tracing Ultimate" setting at 4K and 60 FPS demanding an RTX 4090, AMD Ryzen 7800X3D, and 32 GB of RAM.

As for playing Spider-Man 2 on the Steam Deck, the high RAM requirements and need for a modern graphics card may pose challenges. While it might be technically possible, don't expect immediate Steam Deck verification, as the game's previous PS5 exclusivity suggests it might require more robust hardware than its PS4 predecessors, Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

The comprehensive range of system configurations has garnered positive feedback online. A user on Reddit commented, "This must be the best hardware requirements sheet I’ve seen so far." Another user, ItsMeIcebear4, added, "Honestly, great job. If performance lives up to this, it'll be very well received."