Assassin's Creed Rogue PC Specs, Release Date, and Eye-Tracking Features Revealed

Ubisoft on Thursday announced a ton of new details about the PC version of Assassin's Creed Rogue, including the game's release date, eye-tracking functionality, system requirements, and a free game pre-order promotion.

First, the release date: Rogue launches for PC on March 10. The game originally launched for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in November. The PC version of Rogue was developed by Ubisoft Kiev, while Ubisoft Sofia (with support from other internal studios) handled the console version.

Rogue, set in the 1750s during the Seven Years War, puts players into the boots of Shay Patrick Cormac, a member of the Assassin Brotherhood who later becomes a Templar. Players will explore locations across North America, including the North Atlantic, the Appalachian River Valley, and also New York.

The PC version of Rogue also supports eye-tracking through a partnership with Tobii Tech. Ubisoft claims Rogue is the "first game of this scale" to offer eye-tracking.

To take advantage of the new feature, Rogue players will need a SteelSeries Sentry ($200) with Tobii eye-tracking support. It works like this:

• Multidimensional Movement -- using traditional controls to shoot in one direction while using the player’s gaze to focus and throw an object, such as a grenade, in another.
• Eye Contact -- characters in the game react based on eye contact from the player, just as they would in real life.
• Immersive Graphics and Sound -- environmental elements of the game react with animation or sound based on eye contact from the player.

"We recognized the power of eye tracking early and were quick to work with Tobii to create a completely new way to experience a game," Ubisoft producer Corneliu Vasiliu said. "We are really proud of the result with Assassin’s Creed Rogue."

Eye-tracking support for Rogue will be shown off more at the Game Developers Conference in early March.

Ubisoft also announced today that a deluxe version of Rogue for PC will be available through the company's own store, Uplay. This premium bundle will include the full game in addition to bonus in-game content such as a new mission, new weapons, and new outfits.

What's more, anyone who preorders the digital version of Rogue for PC through Uplay will get to choose from one of six free Assassin's Creed games (listed below). In addition, they'll get two expansion packs--The Siege of Fort de Sable and The Explorer, for free.

• Assassin's Creed III
• Assassin's Creed Freedom Cry
• Assassin's Creed Liberation
• Assassin's Creed Revelations
• Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Deluxe
• Assassin's Creed II Deluxe
• Assassin's Creed

Finally, Ubisoft announced the PC system requirements for Rogue. These are listed below, and comprise both the minimum and recommended requirements.

• OS: Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8/8.1 (64bit versions only)
• Processor: Intel Core2Quad Q6600 @ 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon II X4 620 @ 2.6 GHzH
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Graphics: nVidia GeForce GTS450 or AMD Radeon HD5670 (1024MB VRAM) or Intel HD4600
• Hard Drive: 11.4 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card with latest drivers
• Peripherals: Xbox 360 controller, Tobii EyeX Controller, SteelSeries Sentry
• Additional Notes: Windows-compatible keyboard and mouse required, optional controller

SUPPORTED VIDEO CARDS AT TIME OF RELEASE:

• NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 or better
• GeForce 500, 600, 700, 900 series
• AMD Radeon HD 5670 or better, Radeon HD 6000, 7000, R7, R9 series
• Intel HD4600, HD5200