Initially slated for launch last month, Firaxis Games delayed the sci-fi strategy game XCOM 2 until February, but at least the developers won’t miss the new release date. The game’s minimum and recommended specs for PC are out, in addition to more details about the game’s Deluxe Edition.
Instead of a multi-platform release like its predecessor in 2012, XCOM 2 will be a PC exclusive. Back in June, creative director Jake Solomon mentioned in an interview with IGN that the shift to a PC-only title was the only way to meet the team’s “very, very ambitious goals” for the sequel. In addition, the game is currently being developed on what Solomon said is a customized version of Unreal Engine 3.5, so much so that moving all of Firaxis Games’ modifications to Unreal Engine 4 wouldn’t be feasible. With a very specific engine in mind, development was focused on the PC, and specifically on making it work well with the traditional keyboard and mouse combo.
| XCOM 2 Specs | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo E4700 (2.6 GHz) or AMD Phenom 9950 Quad Core (2.6 GHz) | "3 GHz Quad Core" |
| GPU | ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 (1 GB) or better (DirectX 11 Required) | ATI Radeon HD 7970 (2 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 (2 GB) or better (DirectX 11 Required) |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 45 GB | 45 GB |
| Sound Card | DirectX compatible sound card | DirectX compatible sound card |
| OS | Windows 7, 64-bit | Windows 7, 64-bit |
Even though the developers specified an Intel and AMD CPU for its minimum specs, it seems that any quad-core CPU operating with a base clock of 3.0 GHz is recommended for the game. Also, this game is massive with its 45 GB storage requirement, so those with slower download speeds might have to wait a while when downloading the game.
The game’s Steam page is live, which means that players can pre-order the base game for $59.99, or the Digital Deluxe Edition for $79.99. Both pre-orders include the Resistance Warrior Pack, which contains an extra set of soldier customization features such as war paint, outfits and headgear. A new recruit is also available in the pack, who is only known as a “Survivor of the Old War.”
If you want to get the Digital Deluxe Edition, the $20 difference includes a digital soundtrack for the game as well as the Reinforcement Pack, which includes new customization options for your soldier, an extra soldier class, and new gameplay. However, the contents of the Reinforcement Pack won’t arrive until the summer of 2016.
______________________________________________________________________
Rexly Peñaflorida II is a Contributor at Tom’s Hardware. He writes news on tech and hardware, but mostly focuses on gaming news. As a Chicagoan, he believes that deep dish pizza is real pizza and ketchup should never be on hot dogs. Ever. Also, Portillo’s is amazing.
Follow Rexly Peñaflorida II @Heirdeux. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube .
