System Shock VR PC requirements are already available on Steam, giving players an early look at the hardware needed to survive Citadel Station in virtual reality.
Flat2VR Studios is developing the new VR adaptation alongside Nightdive Studios, turning the modern System Shock remake into a dedicated room-scale experience for PC VR, Meta Quest and PlayStation VR2.
For PC players, the most useful information is already surprisingly detailed. Steam lists minimum and recommended processors, graphics cards, memory requirements and supported VR hardware.
Here are the current System Shock VR PC requirements and supported headsets.
What are the System Shock VR PC requirements?
The current System Shock VR PC requirements start with an Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X processor, 5 GB of RAM and either an Nvidia GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 480 graphics card.
Windows 10 or newer is also required.
| PC requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or newer | Windows 10 or newer |
| Processor | Intel i5-4590 / Ryzen 5 1500X | Intel i5-4590 / Ryzen 5 1500X |
| Memory | 5 GB RAM | 5 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GTX 1070 / RX 480 | GTX 2070 / RX 5700 XT |
| VR API | OpenXR | OpenXR |
| VR headset | Required | Required |
These specifications are listed on Steam while System Shock VR remains in development, so they could still change before release.
What are the minimum System Shock VR PC requirements?
The minimum System Shock VR PC requirements currently listed on Steam are:
- Windows 10 or newer
- Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- 5 GB RAM
- Nvidia GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 480
- Compatible OpenXR VR hardware
The GTX 1070 and RX 480 represent the current minimum GPU level listed for the game.
That does not necessarily mean every PC meeting those specifications will deliver identical performance across every headset and resolution.
VR performance can vary considerably depending on headset resolution, refresh rate and graphical settings.
What are the recommended System Shock VR PC requirements?
The recommended System Shock VR PC requirements currently increase the graphics card requirement while leaving the processor and RAM figures unchanged.
Steam lists:
- Windows 10 or newer
- Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- 5 GB RAM
- Nvidia GTX 2070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
The Nvidia listing is written as GTX 2070 on Steam.
There is no commonly released Nvidia GTX 2070 model, so this may be intended to refer to the RTX 2070. However, because Steam currently displays GTX 2070, players should wait for Flat2VR Studios to clarify or update the specification rather than treating that correction as official.
How much RAM does System Shock VR need?
System Shock VR currently requires 5 GB of RAM at both minimum and recommended levels.
That is unusually low compared with many modern PC games, particularly VR releases, but it is the figure currently published on Steam.
Because the game is still in development, the memory requirement could be adjusted before launch.
Players building or upgrading a PC specifically for System Shock VR should therefore check the final Steam specifications closer to release.
What graphics card does System Shock VR need?
The minimum GPU listed in the System Shock VR PC requirements is either:
Nvidia GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 480
The recommended graphics cards are currently listed as:
Nvidia GTX 2070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT.
The graphics card is likely to be particularly important for PC VR because the game needs to render separate views for the headset while maintaining a stable frame rate.
The exact performance players receive will also depend on their chosen headset and rendering resolution.
Can a GTX 1070 run System Shock VR?
According to the current Steam requirements, yes.
The GTX 1070 meets the minimum System Shock VR PC requirements.
That means Flat2VR Studios currently considers it sufficient to run the PC VR version at its minimum specification.
However, meeting minimum requirements should not be interpreted as guaranteeing maximum settings or the highest headset resolution.
Players using newer high-resolution VR headsets may benefit from significantly stronger hardware.
Can an RX 480 run System Shock VR?
Yes, based on the current Steam listing.
The AMD Radeon RX 480 is specifically named as the minimum AMD graphics card for System Shock VR.
As with the GTX 1070, actual performance will depend on graphical settings, headset resolution and any further optimization completed before release.
Does System Shock VR require Windows 11?
No.
The current System Shock VR PC requirements list Windows 10 or newer.
That means Windows 10 currently meets the operating system requirement.
Windows 11 should also qualify because it is newer, but players do not currently need to upgrade from Windows 10 specifically for System Shock VR.
Does System Shock VR support OpenXR?
Yes.
Steam lists OpenXR under VR support for both the minimum and recommended requirements.
OpenXR is designed to provide a common standard across different VR hardware ecosystems, which helps explain why the PC version can support several headset families rather than being locked to one manufacturer.
Which VR headsets support System Shock VR on PC?
The current Steam page lists support for:
| VR hardware | Current Steam listing |
|---|---|
| Meta Quest 2 | Supported |
| Meta Quest 3 | Supported |
| Meta Quest 3S | Supported |
| Valve Index | Supported |
| Index Knuckles | Supported |
| Pimax | Supported |
| Pico | Supported |
| Vive controllers | Not supported |
Steam specifically names Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest 3S, Index, Pimax and Pico in its VR support information.
This gives the PC version relatively broad hardware coverage.
Does System Shock VR support Meta Quest 3 on PC?
Yes.
Meta Quest 3 is listed among the supported devices for the PC version of System Shock VR.
Quest 3 owners therefore have potential access to the game through PC VR as well as the separately announced Meta Quest release.
The exact setup required to connect a Quest headset to the PC version will depend on Meta and OpenXR software support rather than being unique to System Shock VR.
Does System Shock VR support Meta Quest 3S on PC?
Yes.
Quest 3S is also specifically named in the Steam VR compatibility information.
That means current-generation Meta users are covered by the announced PC VR hardware list.
Does System Shock VR support Quest 2 on PC?
Yes.
Interestingly, Meta Quest 2 is listed as supported for the PC VR version, even though Flat2VR Studios has not yet separately detailed which Quest models will receive the standalone Meta edition.
Those are two different forms of support.
Quest 2 working as PC VR hardware does not automatically confirm a native standalone Quest 2 release.
Does System Shock VR support Valve Index?
Yes.
Valve Index appears on the supported VR hardware list on Steam.
Index Knuckles controllers are also specifically named as supported.
That gives Valve Index owners much firmer information than was available from the broader announcement alone.
Does System Shock VR support Pimax?
Yes.
Pimax is currently included in the System Shock VR PC requirements and headset compatibility information on Steam.
Individual Pimax models are not separated out, so anyone using a particular headset should still check the final compatibility information before release.
Does System Shock VR support Pico?
Yes.
Pico is also listed as supported through the game’s OpenXR implementation.
Again, Steam does not currently provide a model-by-model Pico compatibility breakdown.
Does System Shock VR support HTC Vive controllers?
This is one of the most important catches in the current System Shock VR PC requirements.
Steam explicitly states that Vive controllers are not supported.
Players using an HTC Vive setup should therefore pay particularly close attention to the controller requirement before buying the game.
The listing specifically refers to the controllers, rather than simply saying all HTC Vive hardware is unsupported.
Flat2VR Studios could update compatibility during development, but Vive controller support should currently be considered unavailable.
Why are Vive controllers not supported?
Flat2VR Studios has not provided a detailed public explanation for the lack of Vive controller support.
System Shock VR is being built around tracked physical interactions, including hand-controlled hacking and other VR-specific actions.
Different controller layouts provide different numbers of buttons, sticks, trackpads and tracking capabilities, which can affect how complex VR control schemes are implemented.
However, any specific technical reason would be speculation until the developer explains it.
For now, the important factual point is simply that Steam marks Vive controllers as unsupported.
Does System Shock VR need a VR headset?
Yes.
System Shock VR is a dedicated virtual reality adaptation and requires compatible VR hardware.
Anyone wanting to play System Shock without a headset can use Nightdive Studios’ existing flatscreen remake instead.
The VR edition is being rebuilt specifically around tracked controls and immersive interaction.
Is System Shock VR harder to run than the normal System Shock remake?
The VR version currently has higher listed GPU requirements than Nightdive’s flatscreen remake.
The standard System Shock remake lists a GTX 670 or Radeon HD 7870 as its minimum GPU and a GTX 970 or Radeon R9 290 at the recommended level.
System Shock VR instead starts at a GTX 1070 or RX 480 and recommends substantially stronger graphics hardware.
That makes sense given the extra rendering demands of virtual reality, although exact real-world performance will need to be tested once the VR edition is available.
How much storage does System Shock VR need?
Steam does not currently list a storage requirement for System Shock VR in the published specifications.
Players should therefore avoid relying on storage figures from the existing flatscreen remake.
The VR adaptation is its own release and may have a different installation size.
A storage requirement will likely be added or clarified closer to launch.
Are the System Shock VR PC requirements final?
Not necessarily.
System Shock VR is still in development, and its release date has not yet been announced.
PC requirements can change during optimization, especially when they are published relatively early in development.
The current Steam specifications provide the best official guidance available now, but players planning an expensive hardware upgrade specifically for the game may want to wait until closer to release.
So, can your PC run System Shock VR?
The current System Shock VR PC requirements are relatively straightforward.
At minimum, Steam lists Windows 10 or newer, an Intel i5-4590 or Ryzen 5 1500X, 5 GB RAM and a GTX 1070 or Radeon RX 480. Recommended graphics increase to a listed GTX 2070 or Radeon RX 5700 XT.
OpenXR support currently covers Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest 3S, Valve Index, Pimax and Pico, while Vive controllers are specifically marked as unsupported.
Those System Shock VR PC requirements may still change before release, but PC players already have enough information to get a good idea of whether their current setup is likely to make it onto Citadel Station.
