Red Dead Redemption 2’s PC system requirements have been shared, along with the ways in which Rockstar has improved the graphics over the console versions.
The good news on the spec front is that the requirements are thankfully not particularly demanding, although there is one big ask here, as you’ll see:
Minimum Requirements
- OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (6.1.7601)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300
- RAM: 8GB
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB
- DRIVE SPACE: 150GB
Recommended Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 (April 2018 Update)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- RAM: 12GB
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB
- DRIVE SPACE: 150GB
So you’ll need to clear 150GB of space on your hard disk or solid-state drive, and those with a smaller SSD could struggle to find the room (or be forced to put the game on their secondary hard disk, potentially).
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As we said, it’s a pretty big ask, although games which make big demands in terms of installation size are becoming more common these days, particularly if you bolt on high-res texture packs.
Final Fantasy 15 for example totals 148GB with the texture pack installed, and it’s not uncommon to see big games coming towards the 100GB mark in recent times, such as Gears 5 which demands 80GB of your drive.
Putting up a wanted poster for 150GB is really going some, though, that’s for sure.
Also following another trend we’ve recently witnessed in PC requirements is the fact that the game asks for 12GB of RAM as recommended, although only 8GB as the minimum spec. Windows 10 is also recommended, which is no real surprise these days.
Visual finery
While some folks might have to make some room on their drives, the good news is that as was previously expected, Rockstar has improved the graphics considerably for the PC version, with some major steps forward, and some neat bits of fine-tuning to boot.
As a result, Red Dead Redemption 2 supports 4K resolutions (and higher) plus HDR on the PC, along with ultra-wide monitors (and multi-monitor configurations) and has an unlocked frame-rate.
PC gamers will also benefit from increased draw distances, so you’ll be able to see further across the landscape, and there will be “higher quality global illumination and ambient occlusion for improved day and night lighting” to boot.
High resolution shadows are in the mix as well, along with improved reflections, higher quality snow trails, plus improved grass and fur textures for better realism in the landscape and animals respectively.
That’s a fair old amount of added visual pep, and we’ll be keen to see exactly how the game looks – and of course runs – when we get hold of it down at TechRadar towers.
Extra goodies for PC
There’s some further good news away from the visuals, too, as Red Dead Redemption 2 also adds a bunch of new content for the PC.
That includes a new mission – “To The Ends of The Earth” – where you must collect certain herbs for a variety of rewards, as well as two new treasure maps and a pair of new gang hideouts, plus all of the following…
3 new Bounty Hunter missions:
- Herman Zizendorf has been stealing tools from tradesmen – track him down in Blackwater
- Ex-Confederate Cavalry Officer Camille de Millemont is wanted dead or alive out by Catfish Jacksons, but his loyal men are never far behind
- Bart Cavanaugh and his gang are camping out in Big Valley. Take Bart dead or alive without alerting his gang if you want to avoid a whole mess of trouble
New weapons for Story Mode including:
- M1899 Pistol – all-new Semi-automatic handgun with clip loaded ammunition
- Evans Repeater – high capacity repeater (previously available in Red Dead Online only)
- High Roller Revolver – ornate double-action revolver (previously available in Red Dead Online only)
- Le Mat Revolver – powerful revolver with the ability to shoot shotgun shells (previously available in Red Dead Online only)
New horses for Story Mode including:
- Warped Brindle Arabian – a fast and agile mount
- Few Spot Appaloosa – beautiful and hardy, ideal for cross-country journeys
- Perlino Andalusian – a healthy, sturdy animal, ideal for hunting (previously available in Red Dead Online only)
- Red Chestnut Arabian – a fleet-footed beast with a distinctive coat (previously available in Red Dead Online only)
- Plus 3 new wild horse variations – keep an eye out for wild herds featuring the Buttermilk Buckskin Kentucky Saddler, Liver Chestnut Morgan and Gold Palomino Tennessee Walker
5 new Trinkets to collect with new effects:
- Hawk Talon – permanently decreases Stamina bar drain speed by 30% when drawing a bow
- Cat Eye – permanently increases the length of Fortifying tonic effects by 20%
- Shark Tooth – permanently increases horse bonding experience bonus by 10%
- Turtle Shell – permanently increases health bar refill speed by 10%
- Crow Beak – permanently increases looted ammo by 10%
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