Spider-Man 2 Hits Steam: Low PC Specs Required

Today marks an exciting day for PC gamers as Sony's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 swings onto PC platforms on January 30. While fans have been eagerly anticipating this port, the specifics on PC performance were shrouded in mystery until now. Nixxes Software, the developers behind the port, have taken to the PlayStation Blog to reveal the extensive PC features designed to optimize performance and visual fidelity across a wide array of hardware setups.

Alongside a captivating new trailer, Spider-Man 2 on PC introduces several enhancements for PC players. Notably, the game drops the hard PSN requirement, making it more accessible, and introduces advanced raytracing options 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."

The port also supports DLSS 3 and FSR 3.1 for upscaling and frame generation, with Intel’s XeSS upscaler included as well. While DLSS 4’s Multi Frame Generation isn't supported out of the box, users can leverage the Nvidia app to upgrade to the newer transformer model, enhancing the DLSS 3 Frame Generation's image quality.

For those with wider screens, ultrawide support extends up to an impressive 48:9 aspect ratio, with cinematics optimized for viewing at up to 32:9.

The game's system requirements are thoughtfully split into ray-traced and non-ray-traced configurations. Players uninterested in ray tracing can enjoy the game at 720p and 30 FPS on modest hardware, such as an Nvidia GTX 1650, an Intel Core i3 8100, and 16 GB of RAM. Conversely, those with high-end rigs can push the game to 4K at 60 FPS with "Ray Tracing Ultimate" settings, requiring an RTX 4090, an AMD Ryzen 7800X3D, and 32 GB of RAM.

As for the possibility of running Spider-Man 2 on a Steam Deck, the high RAM and modern GPU requirements suggest it might be feasible, but don't expect immediate Steam Deck verification. Previous titles like Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales were PS4 ports and thus more adaptable, but Spider-Man 2, being a PS5 exclusive, might demand more from the hardware.

The community has responded positively to the detailed hardware requirements. A Reddit user 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."