You probably don't have the RAM for Returnal's recommended PC spec
32GB is a pretty big recommendation
When I heard timebending roguelike shooter Returnal was actually, really, definitely coming to PC during The Game Awards last week, I wasn’t quite expecting the recommended system requirements to suggest I set aside 32GB RAM at its disposal. That’s what devs Housemarque and publisher PlayStation have listed for Returnal’s recommended system requirements though. Shush, don’t tell anyone, but I don’t have that much RAM in my machine. Doing a straw poll of RPS staff, most of us don't. Except James, who's looking very pleased with himself right now.
Thing is, the rest of the recommended requirements aren’t too challenging. An Intel i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X sounds okay. Nvidia RTX 2070 Super or AMD RX 6700 XT? That’s not a huge ask. 60GB free space to install won’t trouble many people, either. It’s just that 32GB RAM recommendation that stands out. PS5s only have 16GB RAM and, as hardware editor James noted, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered only suggested 32GB for its ultimate ray tracing specs. That suggests that Returnal could be getting a suitable zhuzhing up for its shift to PC, and Housemarque's Mikael Haveri has said as much.
It’s been something of an open secret that Returnal was headed for PC at some point in the near future. A SteamDB listing that popped up back in May gave credibility to the game making the move from PlayStation exclusivity. Nothing was concrete until this month’s The Game Awards, which confirmed that Returnal’s bringing its die-rinse-repeat brand of action our way “soon”. You can have a check for yourself to see exactly what you’ll need, and what’s recommended, to play Returnal on the Steam page here.
There’s no date yet for when Returnal arrives on PC, but we’re hoping it’ll be sometime in 2023. When it does, you’ll be able to find it on Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Disclosure: Alec Meer (RPS in peace) is over at Housemarque now. He wrote Returnal's Tower Of Sisyphus DLC.