Skyrim PC Requirements Revealed

[Andy Chalk]

Skyrim PC Requirements Revealed

The system requirements for the PC version of Skyrim turn out to be surprisingly gentle.

Buying videogames for a PC is an inherently trickier process than buying them for consoles. It's the price we pay for being elite, I suppose, like the great responsibility that comes with great power or something like that. However you want to look at it, here's some good news for the upper crust: you won't need an ultra-killer rig to go strolling through the fields of Skyrim [http://www.amazon.com/Elder-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Pc/dp/B004HYIAPM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319574707&sr=8-3].

The minimum PC requirements, as tweeted by Bethesda's Pete Hines [http://twitter.com/#!/DCDeacon]:

Dual-core CPU, 2.0 GHz or faster
2 GB RAM
DirectX 9.0c video card with 512 MB RAM
6 GB HDD space
Windows XP/Vista/7 [32 or 64-bit]
Internet access for Steam activation

And the recommended spec:

Quad-core CPU
4 GB RAM
DirectX 9.0c video card with 1 GB RAM - GTX 260/Radeon 4890 or higher
6 GB HDD space
Windows XP/Vista/7, internet access, etc.

For being part of a franchise famous for beating the crap out of otherwise respectable gaming hardware, Skyrim's minimum PC requirement is actually pretty easygoing. But Hines made it clear that while the minimum spec will be playable, not even the recommended spec will let players go completely balls-out.

"The Min specs get you playing. The recommended specs let you play on High, not on Ultra," he wrote. "You'll want (a) beefier rig for that."

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim comes out on November 11 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.


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[F'Angus]

It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

 

[Shihoudani]

Hmm... wonder how well my Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.2Ghz will run it....

 

[Davih]

Looks like I'm getting it on the 360 then.

 

[DustyDrB]

Didn't they say the 360 is the lead console for Skyrim? If so, this shouldn't be surprising.

/insights of a console gamer who has no clue what he's talking about.

 

[The Hot Sauce Thief]

I'm a happy about this, as this means I can play the PC version rather than get the PS3 version.

I want to know what a "beefier rig" would be though, so I can see if this on ultra settings.

 

[Ironman126]

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

Fallout New Vegas needs Steam and i can mod just fine.

 

[Baresark]

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

It is a Steamworks title, so it does need Steam. All PC versions use Steam. But Steam doesn't prohibit modding at all. I have done some Pripyat modding without any cause for concern, and Dead Island... and you can mod the Steam version of Oblivion.

OT: These are pretty tame specs. I shouldn't have any problems at all. Which is good. I mean, I would be pissed if it didn't look, at least, as good as the 360 version.

 

[jurnag12]

[quote}"DirectX 9.0c video card with 512 MB RAM"[/quote]

Probably a very stupid question, but would a Nvidia 8600 qualify for that? My knowledge on graphics card is minimal at best, but I dont really care that much about graphics to begin with, as long as the gameplay is functional.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

i'm curious as to what is considered "beefier" then, i can run the recommended with ease, so hopefully i can make skyrim look super purddyyy like

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

i've been modding all possible games that are modded on my steam account...so i don't know where you heard this before, but it is untrue as far as i'm concerned (i modded morrowind and oblivion to hell and back to even further back up this statement.)

 

[Jake0fTrades]

Good thing I'm playing on console. I will miss Mods though.

 

[gelles]

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

You can mod Oblivion and Fallout 3 on Steam, as Bethesda changed the executable specifically to accommodate modding for Steam copies. The only thing you couldn't do with Steam!Oblivion was that one mod program that also changed the executable. I can't remember the name of it. OBSE, I think.

 

[Irridium]

Oblivion beat the crap out of the beefiest rigs(at the time) because it was so poorly optimized.

Hopefully Skyrim is decently optimized, and those requirements aren't a damn, dirty lie. Like Oblivion's.

But at least I can run it. I think. Will a 3850 Radeon HD 512 be good enough?

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

Bethesda stated Skyrim will be moddable on Steam. There's not much to worry about.

 

[Irridium]

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

You can mod Oblivion and Fallout 3 on Steam, as Bethesda changed the executable specifically to accommodate modding for Steam copies. The only thing you couldn't do with Steam!Oblivion was that one mod program that also changed the executable. I can't remember the name of it. OBSE, I think.

Actually they managed to make the script extender work with Steam. Did it a while ago, actually. New Vegas and Fallout 3 on Steam also supported the script extenders. Though with Fallout 3 it's a pain in the ass to get working, since Games For Windows Live screws things up.

 

[Laxman9292]

I have never played a game on PC but I want to for Skyrim cause I want acess to the console. Would an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD be enough to run it? Everything else meets the specs but I don't know anything about graphics cards and shit.

 

[Vampire cat]

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

You can, as easy as doing it on any other copy =).

 

[Woodsey]

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Huh? Of course you can.

I have never played a game on PC but I want to for Skyrim cause I want acess to the console. Would an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD be enough to run it? Everything else meets the specs but I don't know anything about graphics cards and shit.

No, you'll need a proper graphics card. Are you using a laptop or a desktop?

OT: Pretty easy-going, just pre-ordered on Steam. Looking forward to it.

 

[gelles]

Does it really need steam...because if so what about modding? Can't add mods to a steam copy can you?

Also It seems my laptop could play it...just about.

You can mod Oblivion and Fallout 3 on Steam, as Bethesda changed the executable specifically to accommodate modding for Steam copies. The only thing you couldn't do with Steam!Oblivion was that one mod program that also changed the executable. I can't remember the name of it. OBSE, I think.

Actually they managed to make the script extender work with Steam. Did it a while ago, actually. New Vegas and Fallout 3 on Steam also supported the script extenders. Though with Fallout 3 it's a pain in the ass to get working, since Games For Windows Live screws things up.

I think that shows how long it's been since I've played a Bethesda game.

 

[Waaghpowa]

Even the recommended specs aren't that high. I don't think I know anyone who still uses the Nvidia 200 series or ATI 4000 series cards.