14 DAY TRIAL // Capcom's executive VP, Chris Svensson, has just released a massive batch of details about the PC version of the upcoming Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition, including minimum and recommended hardware requirements, and information about the digital rights management software that will protect the game from piracy.
PC owners were thrilled to hear that they'll finally be able to get Super Street Fighter IV on their platform earlier this year, when Capcom announced that the Arcade Edition will bring all sorts of great things for them.
These include "14 new characters, new background stages, new replay modes, new spectator modes, bonus stages and a complete character rebalance."
The online experience is also tailor made for the PC, as players can now filter out available fighting partners by their framerate. This means that if you have a rock solid 60fps and don't want to be matched to someone who can barely run the game at 10fps, you can select opponents with framerate similar to yours.
In order to see whether your PC can properly run Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition and on what quality settings, the game, according to Svensson, has a special benchmarking tool.
For those who don't want to purchase it in order to know how well their PCs can run it, check out the official system requirements below.
Minimum Requirements: OS: Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7 Processor: Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz and up Memory: 1 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 9.0c/Shader3.0 and up supported (operation on-board is not guaranteed) Video: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 and up (except for NVIDIA GeForce 7300), VRAM: 256MB and up (operation sharing with main memory is not guaranteed) or ATI Radeon X1600 and up VRAM: 256MB and up. Hard Drive: 4.5 GB free hard drive space Sound: DirectSound, DirectX9.0c Compatible Audio Other Requirements: Online play requires software installation of and log-in to Games For Windows – LIVE
Recommended Hardware: OS: Windows Vista/Windows 7 Processor: Intel Core2 Duo 2.0 GHz and up Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 9.0c/Shader3.0 and up supported (operation on-board is not guaranteed) Video: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 and up, VRAM: 512MB and up (operation sharing with main memory is not guaranteed) Hard Drive: 4.5 GB free hard drive space Sound: DirectSound, DirectX9.0c Compatible Audio The Capcom executive also detailed the DRM software the game will use, saying that it is similar to what Dead Rising 2 for PC had (SSA technology), but it will also require permanent online authentication with the Games for Windows Live service.
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition requires gamers to log into their GFW Live account in order to gain full access to the title. If your Internet connection fails, then you're going to be stuck with basically a seriously lacking game.
"If you aren’t signed in to an online GFWL profile, the offline mode has limited functionality. Obviously there’s no online play, access to replay channels or other online-centric features (and this is the part that keeps the online play secure from hackers or pirates).
"Additionally, you won’t be able to save any progress in challenges or settings, won’t have access to any DLC you’ve purchased and all local play will be restricted to 15 of the 39 characters."
The decision to implement such a harsh anti-piracy DRM is because those who pirated Street Fighter IV always messed up the experience for regular ones and disrupted their online matches.
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition will be released at the end of July as a standalone title, for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, as well as DLC for console owners who already had the simple Super Street Fighter IV.