BioShock 2 System Requirements, DRM Revealed

[Andy Chalk]

BioShock 2 System Requirements, DRM Revealed

The BioShock 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Bioshock-2-Xbox-360/dp/B0016BVYA2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278970338&sr=1-1] system requirements have been revealed and there's some bad news inside for folks who don't like SecuROM. (Steam users may not be too thrilled either.)

The return to Rapture is only a few weeks away and that means it's time to give PC gamers a reason to start worrying about how BioShock 2 is going to run on their hardware. To kick off the pre-game fun, 2K [http://www.2kgames.com/] has unveiled the minimum system requirements and I have to admit that it's not as bad as I was expecting.

Minimum system requirements:


OS: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3800+ 2.4Ghz or better, Intel Pentium 4 530 3.0Ghz Processor or better
Memory: 2GB
Graphics: NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon X1900 256MB graphics card or better
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c
Hard Drive: 11GB
Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0C compliant sound card or onboard sound


Recommended system requirements:


Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Dual Core 2.60Ghz, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 Dual Core 2.13Ghz
Memory: 3GB
Graphics: NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon HD4830 512MB graphics card or better


Unfortunately, it's not quite as simple as just having enough iron to actually run the game. If you want to play, you've got to play by the rules, to wit: "Initial installation requires one-time internet connection; ability to save game, earn achievements, receive title updates and online play requires log-in to Games for Windows LIVE; software installations required including Microsoft Visual C++2008 Runtime Libraries, Games for Windows LIVE client, Games for Windows LIVE Client Patch, Sony DADC SecuROM, Microsoft DirectX."

Yes, in spite of being demonstrably useless at anything but inconveniencing legitimate game buyers, the infamous Games for Windows Live [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Securom] (after connecting to Steam, one would assume) in order to play multiplayer.

Not to be Buzzkill McGee here, to borrow a phrase, but this announcement doesn't exactly stoke my enthusiasm for BioShock 2. Didn't we learn our SecuROM lesson the last time [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/77926-2K-Games-Releases-BioShock-Activation-Revoke-Tool] around? And why is GFW Live multiplayer being crammed down our throats when the game is being sold over Steam? For a game that Take-Two rather badly needs to be a big success, this seems to me like a very wrong-headed approach to take.

Source: VE3D [http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/52531/BioShock-2-DRM-System-Requirements-Revealed]


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[Xanthious]

So I can pay 50 dollars and get a glorified rental that installs poorly veiled malware/spyware on my pc or I can pay absolutely nothing and get a copy that's sure to work now and years from now w/o installing malware/spyware on my pc at the likely cost of multiplayer content. . . . bah not even a tough call.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

It's like Take Two purposely has their game on mind to be unlikable.

A sequel that wasn't needed.
Multiplayer that wasn't wanted.
SecuROM that wasn't liked.

Thank god it's coming to my PS3...

But wait PS3 installs as well!

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

That settles it, I won't be getting this for PC, if I do ever end up getting it it'll be console all the way.

Can't wait to hear them try to justify SecuROM after it get pirated before is release date without any of these things to deal with.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

This is complete bollox. I'm probably going to end up geting this on the 360 now. I don't see why they want to use Securom and shove GWL down our throats. is 1 piece of shit not enough to have in 1 game?

 

[johnman]

So you can buy it on Steam to run it though that festering peice of crap Games for Windows Live?
No

 

[Worgen]

at least it doesnt appear to have a direct install limit but ehh, I think Ill pass on this one, I dont feel like having to fuck with that much weird drm shit

 

[WNxSajuukCor]

The say those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it. No truer words here for adding in SecuROM again <_<

 

[ZeroDotZero]

Hurrah! I'm so glad I'm getting this on PS3.

 

[Quick Ben]

GFWL, oh how I hate thee...

 

[ryukage_sama]

Looks like a PC version of the game is an afterthought to TakeTwo. I'm sure that even without the inclusion of 'Screw-U-Rom' the console versions of the game would have far outsold the PC. Does anyone have the figures for sales of the first game for comparison?

 

[Randomtime]

I assume microsoft has a lot of involvement here, with the GFWL thing, Seriously? It's not hard to make an off-line save, we've been doing it for years.

 

[Hallow'sEve]

HOORAY PIRACY!!

That being said, I'm still not getting this game, it's just Bioshock reskinned

 

[Eruanno]

...Yeah. Right. No. I'm getting it for Xbox 360. At least BioWare learned with Mass Effect and does NOT include fucker-upper-SecuROM. Oh well...

 

[Aunel]

yay, my trusty laptop can run it

although I only have
chrome
Acoustica (recording program)
Guitar pro
MSN

on my laptop now, and I aim to keep it that way,

 

[LTK_70]

Hey, remember back when Borderlands came out? Fun game, big on multiplayer, only it runs through Gamespy of all things. And Steam offers it to buy as a four-pack, for the price of three games, and gives you a 10% pre-purchase discount. Now Bioshock 2 is coming out, and it is revealed it uses SecuROM and GFWL. And this time, not only do they sell four-packs for the same price as three games with a 10% discount but also four copies of Bioshock. I get a feeling they're trying to say, "we're sorry this game uses crapware and because we can't help it, here's a little something extra to ease the pain".

 

[uppitycracker]

Yup, another game I'm not buying. Really is a shame, too, because I was really looking forward to this one. But a combination of SecuRom (that's really all it takes for me to say nope) AND GFWL, ya, not gonna happen.

 

[mattttherman3]

Yay xbox 360, and yay rentals