2K has updated the Cult Of Rapture site with a post about what PC gamers shoudl expect from BioShock 2's PC specs, Games for Windows Live, and SecuROM features.
The 2K community manager explained, "BioShock 2 is using a standard Games for Windows Live activation system, much like other games you have played in the past. That doesn't mean you always have to be online to play or save the game - you can create an offline profile for the Single Player portion of the game (you just won't earn achievements and you can't play Multiplayer, of course.)
"We are using SecuROM only as a disc check method for the retail copy of BioShock 2. That is its only use." More here on activations.
BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams
Cinematic footage
1:32Teaser trailer
BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams
Cinematic footage
1:32Teaser trailer
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Minimum System Requirements Operating System: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3800+ 2.4Ghz or better, Intel Pentium 4 530 3.0Ghz Processor or better RAM: 2GB Video card: NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon X1900 256MB graphics card or better Hard drive space: 11GB Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0C compliant sound card w/ onboard sound
Recommended System Requirements Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Dual Core 2.60Ghz, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 Dual Core 2.13Ghz RAM: 3GB Video card: NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon HD4830 512MB graphics card or better
Other Requirements (Retail version) 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; requires disc-in-drive to play; software installations required (included on disc) include Microsoft Visual C++2008 Runtime Libraries, Games for Windows LIVE client, Games for Windows LIVE Client Patch, Sony DADC SecuROM, Microsoft DirectX.
PERIPHERALS SUPPORTED: Microsoft compatible Keyboard and Mouse.
Just reading the words "Games for Windows LIVE" in the article title told me all I need to know. You've gone and blown it yet again 2K - bravo! Despite the epically botched DRM attempts from "Bioshock 1" they still haven't learned their lesson it would seem.
I am not going to willingly download a p.o.s program like "GFWL" just to be able to play a game. "GFWL" does NOTHING to improve the performance of my PC and may in all actuality end up decreasing it's performance. F*ck that. A simple disc check is all you get from me 2K. If EA and BioWare can live with that then you should be able to as well...Especially since this sh!t won't stop the professional pirates anyway. Thanks for confirming my suspicions however; this is one game I will not be wasting good money on. Roll on "Mass Effect 2"!
P.S. I've had the "pleasure" of dealing with "GFWL"'s saving system when I played "Red Faction: Guerilla" on Steam. On Steam! That system is DRM in itself! Needless to say I quickly deleted that game and never got past the first section since you couldn't save without registering with "GFWL" first. A shame since the game seemed okay too. Good to know "Bioshock 2" will be crippled with this crap as well.
Steam, GfWL, SecuROM, limited activations AND hoping the GfWL login server just happens to be working when you want to play so you can load your saved games, unless you make and load up an offline profile and play the campaign from the begining.
WTF. Gets worse. And I bet it's available to torrent within a week of release.
My Computer complies to the recommened specs, but as with other games that this is true, I still have to play with medium settings or lower, even then it can still struggle, so, I'd rather get this on my 360.
Steam, GfWL, SecuROM, limited activations AND hoping the GfWL login server just happens to be working when you want to play so you can load your saved games, unless you make and load up an offline profile and play the campaign from the begining.
WTF. Gets worse. And I bet it's available to torrent within a week of release.
Had enough hassle with Bioshock 1 activation limit, no thanks, this has to be the worst DRM'd game ever, Steam has its own DRM, but nooo not good enough Securom with Activation limit AND POS GFWL, lol
Id rather be forced to play Dark Void for 24 hours non stop lol.
Besides this will be 10Euro in 5 or 6 months as per Bioshock 1, also too many good games coming out in the next 2 months, Bad Company 2, Mass Effect 2, new Stalker.
At least EA learnt that DRM doesnt work and only annoys legit consumers, wont support more of this junk.
Had enough hassle with Bioshock 1 activation limit, no thanks, this has to be the worst DRM'd game ever, Steam has its own DRM, but nooo not good enough Securom with Activation limit AND POS GFWL, lol
Id rather be forced to play Dark Void for 24 hours non stop lol.
Besides this will be 10Euro in 5 or 6 months as per Bioshock 1, also too many good games coming out in the next 2 months, Bad Company 2, Mass Effect 2, new Stalker.
At least EA learnt that DRM doesnt work and only annoys legit consumers, wont support more of this junk.
Never underestimate the power of stupidity. This farce has gone from being absurd to grotesque!
Theres an ever going thread about it here http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55023&page=44
I dont understand why developes keep using GFWL. Everyone hates it, it doesnt work. They cant CANT be oblivious to this fact. I assume they play games to. Im going to see what co-op is like in resident evil 5 today. Last time voice chat wouldnt work. If everything goes smoothly I will reconsider bioshock 2 but if I have my usual problems then im just not buying it
What i find funny is how they do all this s**t and then complain that the PC version doesn't sell or gets pirated instead. They've basically made the illegal copy the more reliable on estraight off the bat. Bravo sirs. you've done it again.
Plonkman more like Plonker. These people have a right to complain about GFWL it sux big time. Journalists to gaming professionals will testify to this. As for SecuRom and limited activation, FFS I thought we were past this nonsense. It does nothing but drive down sales.
Its this kind of news article that makes me very worried for PC gaming.
I can understand the frustrations of everyone who has commented on this, except plonkman, as someone pointed out 'plonker' might be a better name or maybe just troll...
Anyway, you have got a real problem. Game companies have got to do something to combat piracy. When everyone was hearing stories a few years back about ratios of games being sold compared to that being pirated people were in uproar. Figures of 30% - 70% were being banded about and people were angry, not just game companies.
They needed to do something and the DRM, limited activations, mandatory sign in to GFLW/Steam and various other anti-piracy measures were the result.
Remember, these things were not just put in place to have a laugh or to annoy people. Game companies put them in place to stop piracy, to stop them going out of business, so that they were able to keep making games.
Some people on this forum need to remember this, before assuming game companies do it just to frustrate them.
What needs to happen is that PC gaming needs to find a happy middle ground. One that sits between having enough security to stop massive piracy, and enough accessibility to allow people to just enjoy the game.
Personally, that middle ground is a very difficult thing to get to, maybe PC gaming won't get there. It certainly won't if gaming companies don't want to change, and it most certainly won't if PC gamers aren't prepared to accept some loss of accessibility in their games.
And I don't like feeding them crap, they usually try to bite my hand off with another mouthfull of crap. So if you have got something constructive to say then say it, or else go wander off somewhere else, I hear Neogaf or Eurogamer is great this time of year...
PC gaming has found a middle ground, disk check. We are educating the companies with our purchases, this is the only way they will learn. Evidently 2k is the "slow pupil" in the class. They will learn or they will suffer, badly.
I cant wait for mass effect 2 next week, EA's getting £40 of me for the PC collector's edition. If they had applied any additional DRM they would have lost this money. It would have been the same with dragon age.
I do really, really want to play Bioshock 2, but not enough to contribute to a violation of my rights as a consumer.
Its this kind of news article that makes me very worried for PC gaming.
I can understand the frustrations of everyone who has commented on this, except plonkman, as someone pointed out 'plonker' might be a better name or maybe just troll...
Anyway, you have got a real problem. Game companies have got to do something to combat piracy. When everyone was hearing stories a few years back about ratios of games being sold compared to that being pirated people were in uproar. Figures of 30% - 70% were being banded about and people were angry, not just game companies.
They needed to do something and the DRM, limited activations, mandatory sign in to GFLW/Steam and various other anti-piracy measures were the result.
Remember, these things were not just put in place to have a laugh or to annoy people. Game companies put them in place to stop piracy, to stop them going out of business, so that they were able to keep making games.
Some people on this forum need to remember this, before assuming game companies do it just to frustrate them.
What needs to happen is that PC gaming needs to find a happy middle ground. One that sits between having enough security to stop massive piracy, and enough accessibility to allow people to just enjoy the game.
Personally, that middle ground is a very difficult thing to get to, maybe PC gaming won't get there. It certainly won't if gaming companies don't want to change, and it most certainly won't if PC gamers aren't prepared to accept some loss of accessibility in their games.
Three titles for you, Shabozi, two of which have already proven to be commercial successes on the PC while using a simple disc check with SecuROM that's contained on the disc:
"Fallout 3"
"Dragon Age: Origins"
"Mass Effect 2" (this game hasn't been released yet but it has been confirmed it will be using the same security system as "Dragon Age" ).
Since this has worked for both Zenimax/Bethesda and EA/BioWare then there is no reason why it shouldn't also work for 2K. There is good reason to suspect that the main factor in a game selling well on the PC has to do with how well that game is received by the PC gamers (i.e. good games tend to do well).
2K is a dinosaur and if this is all they have to offer then I hope they either go stick with the consoles or collapse spectacularly. Even if you gave me "Bioshock 2" for free I wouldn't install it on my PC. It's simply not worth the hassle nor the potential damage. Should any 2K employee read this (unlikely as it may seem,) here's a little business tip for ya: Make it easy for your targeted customer group to use your products! The more hurdles you put in the way the greater the risk of losing customers in the process. If the pirated version offers an easier and superior gaming experience guess what that can lead to?...
just the good stuff. i.e. pounds, shillings, pence.
Yeah, because that currency has done wonderfully the past two years. I'll stick with the Euro, thanks.
Oh, and if you insist on wallowing in ignorance be my guest. It does however raise the possibility that you may be stupid instead of just ignorant. The latter can be cured. The former can not.
PC gaming has found a middle ground, disk check. We are educating the companies with our purchases, this is the only way they will learn. Evidently 2k is the "slow pupil" in the class. They will learn or they will suffer, badly.
I cant wait for mass effect 2 next week, EA's getting £40 of me for the PC collector's edition. If they had applied any additional DRM they would have lost this money. It would have been the same with dragon age.
I do really, really want to play Bioshock 2, but not enough to contribute to a violation of my rights as a consumer.
We are in complete agreement. Like you I am fine with paying for my reserved special edition of "ME2", just as I was fine with paying for my special edition of "Dragon Age". Why? Because the advertised product caught my interest and it seemed a reasonable price to pay for the potential amount of entertainment. Had either had the sort of DRM, limited activations, GFWL, etc. that "Bioshock 2" is shipping with, I wouldn't have bothered buying them.
It's crap like this that makes me think about getting a 360.
I can't believe they would do this again.
As for GFWL, well it's already on my PC from other games so that's a moot point, not that I want or use that (for me) useless garbage.
I own an Xbox 360 and game on it frequently along with my PC. I've been tempted to buy "Bioshock" for the Xbox 360 but then I stop myself; if I buy any version of "Bioshock" firsthand I am rewarding 2K for using these methods. Given the crap the PC version comes with (for both games) I would not buy it second hand because there is no guarantee it will work. That leaves second hand copies for the consoles. Those will work and I would be okay with buying one of those since 2K does not directly benefit from that. However, this is a FPS and I much prefer to play such games with a keyboard and mouse.
It's crap like this that makes me think about getting a 360.
I can't believe they would do this again.
As for GFWL, well it's already on my PC from other games so that's a moot point, not that I want or use that (for me) useless garbage.
I own an Xbox 360 and game on it frequently along with my PC. I've been tempted to buy "Bioshock" for the Xbox 360 but then I stop myself; if I buy any version of "Bioshock" firsthand I am rewarding 2K for using these methods. Given the crap the PC version comes with (for both games) I would not buy it second hand because there is no guarantee it will work. That leaves second hand copies for the consoles. Those will work and I would be okay with buying one of those since 2K does not directly benefit from that. However, this is a FPS and I much prefer to play such games with a keyboard and mouse.
Yeah, I hear what your saying. I only said think about a 360 though when devs pull inane sh*t like this. Certainly has less headaches. Though I can certainly imagine they will at some point dream up something similar for the consoles, they're not exactly pirate free.
Also I prefer keyboard and mouse as well. Had a quick shot at Halo 3 on a 360 in GAME once, I don't know how people use a controller for FPS. I was either aiming at the sky or at my foot and nothing inbetween. I put the controller down and walked away hoping no-one saw me.
It's crap like this that makes me think about getting a 360.
I can't believe they would do this again.
As for GFWL, well it's already on my PC from other games so that's a moot point, not that I want or use that (for me) useless garbage.
I own an Xbox 360 and game on it frequently along with my PC. I've been tempted to buy "Bioshock" for the Xbox 360 but then I stop myself; if I buy any version of "Bioshock" firsthand I am rewarding 2K for using these methods. Given the crap the PC version comes with (for both games) I would not buy it second hand because there is no guarantee it will work. That leaves second hand copies for the consoles. Those will work and I would be okay with buying one of those since 2K does not directly benefit from that. However, this is a FPS and I much prefer to play such games with a keyboard and mouse.
Yeah, I hear what your saying. I only said think about a 360 though when devs pull inane sh*t like this. Certainly has less headaches. Though I can certainly imagine they will at some point dream up something similar for the consoles, they're not exactly pirate free.
Also I prefer keyboard and mouse as well. Had a quick shot at Halo 3 on a 360 in GAME once, I don't know how people use a controller for FPS. I was either aiming at the sky or at my foot and nothing inbetween. I put the controller down and walked away hoping no-one saw me.
I know the feeling! I have completed "Halo 3" but with much cursing at the controls. After a while you do get somewhat accustomed to it but it's never as precise nor quick as a K & M setup. And every time I play a FPS game on the Xbox 360 - be it a new game or an old one - after I've been playing on my PC I get extremely frustrated and irate with the controller.
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