Wolfenstein 2 system requirements and PC-specific features revealed

Just a few days in advance of the release of Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, Bethesda Softworks has revealed the system requirements for the PC version of the game, as well as the advanced settings we'll be able to play with, which will include an FOV slider, colorblind modes, and no fewer than five anti-aliasing modes.

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The "Can I Play, Daddy?" (720p and 60 fps at low settings)

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770/AMD FX-8350 or better
GPU: Nvidia GTX 770 4GB/AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB or better
RAM: 8GB
OS: Win7, 8.1, or 10 (64-Bit versions)
Storage: 55GB

The "I Am Death Incarnate" (1080p and 60 fps at high settings)

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770/AMD FX-9370 or better
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB/AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB or better
RAM: 16GB
OS: Win7, 8.1, or 10 64-Bit
Storage: 55GB

Regardless of where you are on the hardware scale, Steam and a broadband internet account are also required, and AMD GPU drivers apparently no longer support Windows 8.1—but seriously, why are you still running Windows 8.1?

"Many on the team here are dedicated PC players and there’s been a lot of engagement in making sure we accounted for and went above and beyond to add lots of additional settings for PC players," executive producer Jerk Gustafsson said. "Everything from unlocked framerates, field of view slider, to lots of advanced visual settings like lights, shadows, reflections, the list goes on!"

It does go on, in fact, right below.

Advanced visual settings:

Lights
Shadows
Directional Occlusion
Reflections
Decals
Motion Blur
Image Streaming
Volumetric Quality
Decal Filtering
Deferred Rendering
Chromatic Aberration
Depth of Field
Resolution Scaling

Anti-aliasing options include, but are "not limited to," TAA, FXAA, SMAA, and TSSAA. And for gamers dealing with color vision deficiency, Wolfenstein 2 will offers modes for protanopia, deuteranopia, and tritanopia.

"We’re also taking full advantage of Vulkan, allowing us to push improved performance across the board in ways that simply weren’t possible before," Gustafsson said. "The minimum hardware requirements are set to ensure a high-quality experience, and with Vulkan players should see solid performance on a variety of system configurations. However, if you’re aiming for 1080p with high framerate and settings, you would need to bump towards our recommended specs."

There are no plans for mod support in Wolfenstein 2, although Gustafsson said MachineGames would love to support them, and "hopefully we will find an opportunity to do so in the future." He also said that the technical issues that caused texture pop-in and crawling framerates in Wolfenstein: The New Order at launch have been addressed as well.

"The New Colossus version of the id Tech engine is no longer mega-texture based, which means we have a lot more control over when and what textures are being streamed in," he explained. "With that said, there will always be texture streaming, but in a way that will cause a lot less risk of noticeable issues."

As for BJ's rumored head transplant, Gustafsson scoffed but didn't actually deny it: "A head transplant sounds extreme. Where do you guys get these crazy ideas from?"

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus comes out on October 27. Many, many digital Nazis will die as a result.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.