Spider-Man 2 Launches on Steam with Lenient PC Requirements

Sony's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is finally swinging its way onto PC today, January 30. After much anticipation, PC gamers can now experience the thrilling adventures of the web-slinger, with developer Nixxes Software detailing the port's capabilities on the PlayStation Blog. The port has been meticulously crafted to optimize performance and visual fidelity across a wide array of hardware configurations.

Alongside a newly released trailer, Nixxes Software announced that the PC version of Spider-Man 2 does not require a PlayStation Network (PSN) account, a significant departure from the console version. The port also introduces advanced raytracing features, including DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction, which promises enhanced visual quality. According to Menno Bil, a graphics programmer at Nixxes, "In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC with ray reconstruction enabled, we see more detailed ray-traced reflections and better-defined ray-traced shadows, especially when viewing raytracing effects at steep angles. We also see improvements in the ray-traced interiors and less ghosting and noise in the ray-traced ambient occlusion."

The game supports a variety of upscaling and frame generation technologies, including DLSS 3 and FSR 3.1, along with Intel's XeSS upscaler. While DLSS 4’s Multi Frame Generation isn't supported out of the box, users can potentially upgrade to it using the Nvidia app to enhance the image quality of DLSS 3’s Frame Generation.

For those with wider monitors, the game offers ultrawide support up to an impressive 48:9 aspect ratio, with all cinematics viewable up to 32:9.

The system requirements for Spider-Man 2 are categorized into ray-traced and non-ray-traced configurations. If you're not concerned about advanced reflections, you can run the game at 720p and 30 FPS on a modest setup with components like an Nvidia GTX 1650, an Intel Core i3 8100, and 16 GB of RAM. For those with high-end systems, achieving 4K at 60 FPS with "Ray Tracing Ultimate" settings requires an RTX 4090, an AMD Ryzen 7800X3D, and 32 GB of RAM.

As for running Spider-Man 2 on the Steam Deck, the high RAM and modern graphics card requirements suggest it might be feasible, but don't expect official Steam Deck verification. Previous titles like Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which were PS4 ports, were more scalable, whereas Spider-Man 2, originally exclusive to PS5, may push the hardware further.

The detailed hardware requirements have been well-received online. A user on Reddit commented, "This must be the best hardware requirements sheet I’ve seen so far." Another user, ItsMeIcebear4, added, "Honestly, great job. If performance lives up to this, it'll be very well received."