Skip to main content

Dark Souls II shows off new screens, reveals its PC specs, and promises exclusive PC content

Check out our review of Dark Souls II.

If you are a PC gamer and are looking for a title that will make you die an awful lot (virtually speaking, of course), then Dark Souls II may be the game for you! Dark Souls II hits PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 11, but PC fans will have a little longer to prepare themselves mentally and spiritually – and possibly upgrade their PCs as necessary. The PC version of the game will be released on April 25. 

Bandai Namco has released the specs, along with a handful of new screenshots. Check out the images above, and the requirements below.

Minimum: 

• OS: Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8

• Processor: AMD Phenom II X2 555 3.2GHz or Intel Pentium Core 2 Duo E8500 3.17GHz

• Memory: 2 GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT, ATI Radeon HD 5870

• Hard Drive: 8 GB available space

• Sound Card: Compatible with DirectX 9.0c or higher

• Network: Internet connection required for online play and product activation

Slightly beefier are the recommended specs, but still nothing too taxing. 

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 7 SP1

• Processor: Intel CoreTM i3 2100 3.10GHz or AMD A8 3870K 3.0GHz

• Memory: 4 GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 or higher, ATI Radeon HD 6870 or higher

• Hard Drive: 8 GB available space

• Sound Card: Compatible with DirectX 9.0c or higher

• Network: Internet connection required for online play and product Activation

Beyond the increased texture resolution and enhanced frame rate, PC users can pre-order the game to receive the “Dark Souls II Black Armor Weapons Pack,” which includes:

Black Flamestone Dagger and Black Flamestone Parma – A dagger and shield encrusted in Black Flamestone both found in the Gutter at Black Gulch. Even though they are heavier than a normal dagger and shield, the Flamestone crystal’s unique properties make the dagger extremely sharp and give the shield high resistance to damage.

Yellow Quartz Longsword and Yellow Quartz Shield – A straight sword and small shield hardened with yellow quartz both uncovered at the bottom of the Iron Keep. Even though these items can break easily due to their high level of corrosion, they are exceptionally light and their power to inflict damage has not declined.

Bound Hand Axe and Bound Wooden Shield – A brutal hand axe and shield found in the Undead Purgatory. Both items are wrapped in chains and thorns to cause additional bleeding on enemies. Both the axe and shield have diminished in overall slashing power but their ability to deliver pain has been deliberately increased.

Homunculus Mace and Homunculus Wooden Shield – A mace and shield with spherical protrusions found in Aldia’s Keep. Although heavier-than-normal maces and shields, the hard protrusions greatly increase the striking power of the mace as well as the shield’s defensive capabilities.

Transgressor’s Staff and Transgressor’s Leather Shield – A staff and leather shield entwined with an unknown and seemingly lackluster element; these items are found in the Dark Chasm of Old. They have become a catalyst for sorcery and hex, and they cause an effect known as Darkness.

Editors' Recommendations

Ryan Fleming
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
The best iPhone emulators
A collage of the delta emulator.

The market for iPhone games has become so wide and diverse that it can realistically compete with most console and PC offerings. Where we once only got cheap time-wasters, we now have complete experiences that don't feel any less impressive than what the competition offers. In fact, a lot of games made for consoles are appearing on the iPhone now that it is becoming so powerful. However, older games have paradoxically been mostly absent from the app store.

That all could be about to change as emulation is now allowed on iPhone, though with some caveats that any retro fan should know about before getting too excited to play all your favorite NES games on your phone. Here's what's up with iPhone emulators, as well as our picks for a few of the best ones you can get right now.
What you need to know about emulation on iPhone
Emulators on iPhone, as well as emulation in general, are in a strange legal gray zone. Previously, the only way to get an emulator on your iPhone was through some workarounds that generally involved jailbreaking your phone. That differs from Android, which has enjoyed native emulators for years. In 2024, Apple updated its App Store guidelines to allow for emulators on its store, but with some important restrictions.

Read more
Epic Games just teased a Fallout and Fortnite crossover
Two vault-dwellers and a helmet from a set of power armor.

With Fallout being everywhere right now, it's only fair that it joins Fortnite, too. Epic Games teased on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday that the iconic open-world RPG series will be coming to Fortnite.

While there aren't any public details yet on what will be offered during this collaboration, we can expect some Fallout-themed weapons and some skins. Maybe a vault dweller suit or some power armor? Since Epic put a thumbs-up emoji in the caption, it's safe to assume that Vault Boy will be involved.

Read more
Deadlock is a new hero shooter developed by Valve, according to leaks
Three heroes lined up in green, red, and blue shades.

Valve might be more known for its Steam Deck handheld and its video game retail platform Steam these days, but according to leaks, the company is working on its next game —  a third-person, hero-based shooter known as Deadlock.

Screenshots of the game and basic details were posted on X (formerly Twitter) by noted Valve game data miner Gabe Follower and on YouTube by Tyler McVicker, who also has a proven track record of leaking Valve info. Both posted about Deadlock first on Thursday, saying it would feature teams of six battling each other on a map with four lanes. It would also feature art that looks inspired by DOTA, the company's multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) series, with steampunk mixed in for good measure.

Read more