Watch Dogs 2 PC Delayed, as Specs and Graphics Features Announced

The PC version of Watch Dogs 2 will not launch on November 15 alongside the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, Ubisoft announced today.

Instead, the PC version will come out on November 29. In a blog post, Ubisoft said it is "committed to quality" and explained that the extra time will allow the development team to "ensure that Watch Dogs 2 runs smoothly across a broad range of hardware." The two extra weeks of development time also affords Ubisoft the opportunity to add "extra polish" to the game.

It is not uncommon for the PC version of a multiplatform Ubisoft game to launch last on PC, as that it often the case with the company's juggernaut Assassin's Creed franchise.

Alongside the delay, Ubisoft also announced Watch Dogs 2's PC system requirements and graphics features. The game will include 4K support and "Ultra Textures" that players with powerful enough rigs can toggle on in the Extra Details options menu. Watch Dogs 2 also features an uncapped frame rate.

Additionally, there will be SLI/Crossfire support at launch, while players can have up to three auto-save slots. On top of that, Watch Dogs 2 will have multi-monitor support and multiple windowed mode options. In terms of graphics options, the game will offer sliders for FOV, pixel density, and sharpness. A number of anti-aliasing options will be available, including multi-sample anti-aliasing and temporal anti-aliasing. As mentioned, there will also be an "Ultra Texture" pack available to launch, suggesting it will be a separate download from the game itself.

Ubisoft also mentioned that the PC version's driving features will be adapted for keyboard and mouse, including adjustable steering sensitivity. As for gamepad support, players can switch between keyboard and mouse and controller at any point. Xbox One and DualShock 4 controllers are supported, but the game does not work with the Steam controller or racing wheels.

In an FAQ, the developer confirmed that Watch Dogs 2 will make use of DRM system Denuvo. This will have "no perceptible effect" on the game's performance, the developer said. Players need to perform a one-time online activation when playing the game for the first time, after which Watch Dogs 2 can be played offline.

Watch Dogs 2 PC System Requirements:

Minimum Specs

• OS: (64-bit versions only) Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i5-2400S @ 2.5 GHz / AMD FX 6120 @ 3.5 GHz
• RAM: 6 GB
• Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 (2 GB) / AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2 GB) or better
• Hard Disk Space: 50 GB
• Peripherals: Windows-compatible keyboard and mouse, Microsoft Xbox One Controller, DualShock 4 Controller
• Multiplayer: 256 Kbps or faster broadband connection

Recommended Specs

• OS: (64-bit versions only) Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i5-3470 @ 3.2 GHz / AMD FX 8120 @ 3.9 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (3 GB) | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB) | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (3 GB) or better | AMD Radeon R9 290 (4 GB) or better
• Hard Disk Space: 50 GB
• Peripherals: Windows-compatible keyboard and mouse, Microsoft Xbox One Controller, DualShock 4 Controller

Watch Dogs 2 PC Features:

General

• 4K support
• Stuttering/lag framerate optimization – We made all controls much more responsive and less framerate-related. We’ve optimized resource creation, GPU VRAM upload and required VRAM for the game.
• No FPS cap
• Full SLI/Crossfire support at launch
• Multiple save files support – This feature allows players to have up to three auto save slots, for three separate playthroughs
• Multi-monitor support with borderless mode and advanced settings that allow for customized placement of menu and HUD
• Multiple windowed mode options – windowed mode with flexible/resizable windows, multi-monitor borderless

Improved Graphic Features

• Screen Space Reflections
• Headlight Shadows – support for additional shadows from car headlights
• Extra Details Options – increases the level of detail for all objects in the game, and adds more details to objects in the distance.

Improved Graphics Options

• FOV sliders
• Pixel Density sliders
• Sharpness sliders
• Ultra Textures pack available at launch
• Anti-aliasing options:
  • TXAA
  • MSAA
  • Post Processing Anti-Aliasing options SMAA and FXAA

Improved Keyboard/Mouse controls

• Full controls and UI adaptation for mouse and keyboard
• We're using raw mouse input to reduce latency and use the Windows hardware cursor throughout the game without any additional signal filtering to smooth or accelerate mouse movement by default
• Advanced keyboard support - Keyboard hotkeys for every menu and app for faster access. Additionally, all hotkeys can be remapped.
• Mouse-centric UI – any UI screen, menus or smartphone app supports full mouse interaction, so the player can finish any UI task with the mouse only. Everything is clickable and has appropriate button states.
• Toggle/Hold modes for different controls (Aim, Sprint, Walk, Inventory, etc.)

Driving

• Driving has been adapted to suit the keyboard controls, with adjustable steering sensitivity. Same goes for driving camera sensitivity and auto-centering camera behavior.

Gamepad support

• On-the-fly switching between mouse and keyboard to gamepad, without any additional options, UI will just switch to gamepad mode
• Supported gamepads: Microsoft Xbox One Controller and DualShock 4 Controller. We do not officially support Direct Input gamepads, Steam controllers, or game wheels.