BioShock PC demo tonight

By Robert Purchese Published 20 August, 2007

Set clocks for midnight.

2K Games has announced that the PC demo for BioShock will be released tonight at midnight.

You can pre-load it over on Fileplanet, or keep your eyes on the official BioShock community site The Cult of Rapture for a list of download locations.

The Xbox 360 demo was released last Monday and weighed in at around 1.35GB. Many reported a lengthy wait thanks to enormously high demand.

The full game is due out this Friday and is a must buy for PC and Xbox 360. We gave it top marks in our recent review, and have a strong hunch it will walk away with numerous game of the year awards.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (70) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • X201 #1 5 years ago

    Midnight GMT or midnight US (and if so which time zone?)


    Oh, alomst forgot....

    First!

    Edited by 2 at 20/08/07 @ 09:47

  • lennon #2 5 years ago

    Fill your boots pc lovers. I cant wait for this to come out.

  • zuljin #3 5 years ago

    No deal!

    I'm not going to spoil the experience now, its arriving in the mail this week!

  • Daymare #4 5 years ago

    Is this real, disc? Tried it?

  • Yossarian #5 5 years ago

    disc, how is that possible?

  • mingster #6 5 years ago

    7pm EST

  • Daymare #7 5 years ago

    Downloading already started but we won't be able to play the demo until we get the codes at midnight (7pm EST)?
    Edited by 1 at 20/08/07 @ 10:07

  • woodnotes #8 5 years ago

    Bioshock Sucks, seriously. You guys should pick up a PS3 and download Q-Bert.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #9 5 years ago

    Midnight UK time, so BST. Demo is officialy timed for 7pm EST (but should be EDT - summer time).



  • skillian #10 5 years ago

    Yes, apparently the torrent is real - fileplanet let slip an unencrypted version.

    Personally, seeing as the game is out in two days anyway, I'm not gonna bother with the demo.

    edit: screenshots, info here: http://fo rums.2kgames.com/forums/showthr...
    Edited by 1 at 20/08/07 @ 10:19

  • andromeda #11 5 years ago

    "The Xbox 360 demo was released last Monday and weighed in at around 1.35GB."

    boy? girl?

  • Katsumoto #12 5 years ago

    I can't even find the fileplanet version.

  • mkreku #13 5 years ago

    My pre-order has been set back to 31st of August! Whyyyy??

  • skillian #14 5 years ago

    Wow, it looks luuuuverly...

    [link url=http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9195/bi oshock200708200043577zp2.jpg
    ]http://im g341.imageshack.us/img341/9195/...[/link]

    http://im g187.imageshack.us/img187/9411/...

  • Daymare #15 5 years ago

    @skilian

    Yeah, but the problem is I'm not so sure my PC's gonna run it in a playable form..

  • BBIAJ #16 5 years ago

    Rather jaggy compared to the 360 version though... :?

  • skillian #17 5 years ago

    @daymare: what's your specs?

    @BBIAJ: jagginess (and indeed any measure of graphical quality) is all down to the user - depends if you switch on AA, and to what degree
    Edited by 2 at 20/08/07 @ 10:27

  • Yossarian #18 5 years ago

    yeah, it doesn't actually look quite as good as the 360 version... except for the water, which I presume is using the added DX10 stuff.

  • Daymare #19 5 years ago

    @skilian

    Ahem, AMD 3000+, 7600GT, 1gig:) I'd play it in 1024x768 though..

  • skillian #20 5 years ago

    ^I think you'll be fine, though it's difficult to say for certain as from what I can tell not many people have actually got to play it yet. Your graphics card won't be a problem, but depends how much it taxes your CPU.

    Demo's the way to tell I guess, but at 1.8GB it's a hefty DL.

  • Yossarian #21 5 years ago

    this torrent is sooo slooow

  • Daymare #22 5 years ago

    Myeah..

    /taps fingers

  • Darren #23 5 years ago

    I'm looking forward to trying the demo on my PC although I have both the PC and 360 versions pre-ordered anyway. The 360 version, the Collector's Edition no less, is so I can play it on a big HDTV while sprawled across my bed for maximum comfort and the PC version is for the inevitable mods. My PC is a 2GB Athlon64 X2 4200+ with 512MB GeForce 7900 graphics so I'm hoping it offers a comparable experience to the Xbox 360 version albeit at 1680x1050 with 2X AA.

  • stampax #24 5 years ago

    Whats the min spec for this on PC?

  • Yossarian #25 5 years ago

    oh wow I'm finally getting 10+ kB/s

  • Daymare #26 5 years ago

    @disc

    If it's not gonna be playable, I'm buying 360, the hell with it!:) I think that time has come when no serious gamer wouldn't want one under his telly anyway..
    Edited by 1 at 20/08/07 @ 10:52

  • Hypercube #27 5 years ago

    I'm going to get the demo just to see if my rather ageing PC can do anything with it. If it looks pony I'll have to decide whether to upgrade the beige box or get one of them newfangled XBox 360's I hear all the young kids talking about on street corners...

  • Darren #28 5 years ago

    @Stampax - The minimum and recommended specs are:

    BIOSHOCK PC SPECIFICATIONS

    Operating Systems:
    Windows XP (with Service Pack 2) or
    Windows Vista

    Minimum System Requirements:
    CPU: Pentium 4 2.4GHz Single Core processor

    System RAM: 1GB

    Video Card: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 128MB RAM (NVIDIA 6600 or better/ATI X1300 or better, excluding ATI X1550).

    Sound Card: 100% direct X 9.0c compatible sound card

    Hard disc space: 8GB free space

    Recommended System Requirements:
    CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo processor

    System RAM: 2GB

    Video card:
    DX9: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512MB RAM (NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GT or better)
    DX10: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 or better

    Sound Card: Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ series (Optimized for use with Creative Labs EAX ADVANCED HD 4.0 or EAX ADVANCED HD 5.0 compatible sound cards)

    Important Note: Game requires Internet connection for activation.

    I believe my PC meets the recommended specs but I play games on a 22" widescreen monitor with a resolution of 1680x1050 and I'm not sure what the "ideal" resolution is. I think I've seen the devs mention 1280x1024 as being the sweet spot.

  • Hypercube #29 5 years ago

    @Darren: Cheers for posting that, but now I'm very sure I'm going to have to get at least some form of new hardware! Ah well, I'll grab the demo and see what's what.

  • steveb07 #30 5 years ago

    I always planned to get the demo but now I'm just going to put a pre-order in today at Game since I want the limited edition version. I would rather experience all the weapons gradually during the course of the game rather than all in one blast as this demo appears to give you. Plus I know my gaming laptop will be ok to play it which was also one of the reasons to try the demo.

  • skillian #31 5 years ago

    Darren: Let us know it runs please - you have almost identical specs to me, although I'll be running a lower res (mine will be 720p, on a HDTV).

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #32 5 years ago

    Bugger me, those are hefty specs.

    I've just bought a new graphics card (X1950), but I feel it's about to be made to look stupid.

    How can they justify it wanting 2 gigs of system and half a gig of video RAM, when it runs on a half-gig total 360?

  • Katsumoto #33 5 years ago

    has anyone had any success pre-loading it other than via torrent?

  • the_sas_man #34 5 years ago

    @ MENTALIST:

    It all comes down to the system architecture and how things are made. Put it this way, 100% of the power of the 360 is used where all chips, ram, hard drive etc are dedicated to the gaming experience. This is not the same for the PC.

    That being said, if you get a really nice rig it will beat any next gen consoles (including PS3) when it comes to the graphivvs department hands down. ALready there are DX 10 cards being produced which will make the PS3 look a little dated! lol

    Still, I say for an overall gaming experience, everyone should buy a console (with the 360 probabaly being the best all rounder). Bioshock looks absolutely stunning with a HD TV and there isn't all that much difference to the PC version.

  • skillian #35 5 years ago

    2 GB of ram should be almost a necessity now. If you play many games on your PC, you'll definitely feel a nice benefit (with more than just Bioshock - even older games like BF2 and FEAR are a much better experience with 2GB).

  • Kazzahdrane #36 5 years ago

    My workplace just got the special editions delivered - didn't think I'd get to play the full game this much earlier!

  • skillian #37 5 years ago

    ^ If and when you get a chance, some impressions and performance comments would be much appreciated by more than just me, I'm sure.

  • Artemus #38 5 years ago

    Is the demo just the opening section?

  • Les #39 5 years ago

    Will get it as soon as my new iMac arrives. Am quite curious.

  • kangarootoo #40 5 years ago

    @Daymare

    Jesus, I've clearly been out of PC gaming a long time. That PC spec you listed sounded pretty good to me.

    And since when was 1024x768 considered a low resolution? Man, all this 800x600 fields back in my day.

  • kangarootoo #41 5 years ago

    Just noticed too, next monday is a bank holiday. It was just meant to be.

  • skillian #42 5 years ago

    And since when was 1024x768 considered a low resolution?

    Basically, since LCD monitors came out, if not before. And that was a long time ago :p

  • kangarootoo #43 5 years ago

    @skillian

    Its been a while. I think Call of Duty 1 was the last game I played on a PC. I sacked off PC gaming back when the first XB came out. A never regretted move (and only occasionally lamented when a PC only title came out that I was interested in).

  • TonyCocaCola #44 5 years ago

    @kangarootoo
    lol, im with you on that.

    Edit> the whole falling behind on pc spec thing
    Edited by 1 at 20/08/07 @ 14:53

  • skillian #45 5 years ago

    Its been a while. I think Call of Duty 1 was the last game I played on a PC.

    Wow, how could you give up after a game like that! That's one of my favourite PC games ever.

    Now if you'd given up after Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault or something I could have forgiven you. :p

  • Wyrm #46 5 years ago

    Unsure whether or not to bother with this, already pre-loaded it via Steam...do I want to wait and play it through from scratch or not? Hmm...

  • jonnyreb #47 5 years ago

    it's grrrrrrrreat on 360 :p

  • Katsumoto #48 5 years ago

    i cant work out how to set up this torrent properly... at this rate the game will have come out before the download finishes. OH WELL!

  • MightyPenguin #49 5 years ago

    Am I ever happy I just nabbed myself a shiny new 8800 GTX...

    Still, that spec's a bit O_O for comfort...

  • L0cky #50 5 years ago

    Has Fileplanet been banned from distributing the demo now or something? It's completely disappeared from their site.
    Edited by 1 at 20/08/07 @ 21:24

  • InsoFox #51 5 years ago

    @Katsumoto

    Probably just as well. Every moment after playing the demo is torture, knowing that you have to wait for the full game.

  • VMerken #52 5 years ago

    Awesome fix for me and other gaming junkies before they get the real deal at retail.

  • sharpfish #53 5 years ago

    n/m
    Edited by 1 at 20/08/07 @ 22:04

  • Errol #54 5 years ago

    Is this game a bit like Bass Fishing 2?

  • alexg #55 5 years ago

    A bit, just not as good tho

  • sharpfish #56 5 years ago

    Yeah but more water and bigger fish + neon.

  • Katsumoto #57 5 years ago

    if you go RIGHT NOW to gamershell.com theres a chance you will get a download going before the server's full!

  • judas #58 5 years ago

    @ Katsumoto: Thanx dude! :)

    3% and counting...

  • Darren #59 5 years ago

    I downloaded the PC demo earlier using Orbit and got it in just over 4 hours. I've just finished playing it and I'm very impressed with it. It runs like a dream on my setup (2GB, Athlon64 X2 4200+, 512MB GeForce 7900 GT graphics, Windows XP) and the game actually set everything to maximum. I'm playing at 1680x1050 with v-sync on and all I've done is enabled triple buffering via D3D Overrider (to maximise the framerate) and forced 2X AA on via the control panel as the game doesn't have a setting for AA. It looks fantastic, slightly sharper than the 360 version with marginally better textures and cleaner edges thanks to the higher resolution and it runs at around 30 fps (although you can remove the framerate cap for a better slightly framerate).

    It plays superbly with the mouse and keyboard but if you have an Xbox 360 controller then simply enabling it in the options means the demo plays exactly the same as the 360 one with all the same controller mappings. Brilliant stuff, Irrational sure are talented developers.

    I knew my PC would run the game based on the recommended specs but I didn't think it would run as well as it does.

  • sharpfish #60 5 years ago

    and remember folks 'global lighting' means 'cheap lighting' (static lights) not 'best lighting' (that's 'dynamic lighting') seems to be some confusion over that when people say they run at 'max settings'. ;)

    so

    better gfx = dynamic lighting
    worse gfx = global lighting (faster)

    And for those that have widescreen monitors note it is zoomed/cropped (as is the 360 version) and is not running at proper widescreen FOV/Ratio.

    see:

    [link url=http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewt opic.php?t=11658
    ]http://ww w.widescreengamingforum.com/for...[/link]

    for a picture that illustrates what you miss out on using widescreen!

  • Freek #61 5 years ago

    Well, that's lame! And how is it even possible not to have proper wide screen support when your lead platform is 360? Doesn't blah-blah-HD-this-and-blah-blah-HD-that-MS get a bitt pissy about that sort of thing?

  • Darren #62 5 years ago

    @Sharpfish - Everything in the demo I played was set to ON or HIGH except for the Global Lighting plus V-sync was set to ON too AFTER I set the resolution to 1680x1050.

    The game runs almost as smoothly as it does on my Xbox 360 with its framerate capped at 30 fps although if you pause the game and go to Options you can remove the Framerate Limiter. The game then runs with a slightly higher framerate with it turned off but warns you that the visuals may be degraded but I saw no evidence of this, no tearing, no artifacts, nothing, so I'll be turning this off when I get the final game. Also the game works straight away with the Xbox 360 controller with all the button mappings shown on screen as you play so although it plays beautifully with the mouse and keyboard, I think I'll probably end up playing it using said controller.

  • kangarootoo #63 5 years ago

    Check the following link for a PDF detailing the development of the Bioshock art style.

    WARNING: contains spoilers. Spoilers I tell you. SPOILERS. If you read it, some things may be spoiled. And you can't unspoil them once they are spoiled. Follow the link and its potentially a one way trip to Spoiler Town for you, taking the Number 6poiler9 bus, changing in Spoilerville for the ferry captained by Jack McSpoiler.

    http://ww w.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/art...

    Did I mention it has spoilers in it. If anyone complains afterwards I'll set my dogs on them (and they run real fast, on account of them being fitted with spoilers).

    P.s. I read it, and there really isn't that much in the way of spoilers, but they warn you on page 2 so I'd take their word on it. I'm not that sensitive about these things, some people totally are, so I leave it in your hands.

  • kangarootoo #64 5 years ago

    @sharpfish

    That thread is full of bloody headcases. Mad people I tell you. BLOODY MAD PEOPLE!!!

    Here is a suggestion, sit down with a pen and some paper and draw some diagrams of the various ways you can display widescreen. Think about what would actually be on screen if you moved between widescreen and 4:3. Imagine that instead of clipping the top and bottom off the view, you extended the edges of the screen, BUT then reverted back to 4:3 by adding content back on to the top and bottom.

    Here is a handy hint, which is obvious when you think about it. When displaying widescreen content, you do NOT simply stretch 4:3 out a bit. I know that seems obvious. After a bit of careful thought you will find that all those angry people on that thread have no cocking idea what they are on about.

    Here is another handy hint, just to help things along. What is the actual pov angle applied? No one mentions it in the thread, but its absolutely crucial. mentalists I tell you.

    Just goes to show that when people think they are being short changed in some way, all logical thought goes out the window.


    ..... I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to rant some more. I've just read more of the thread in detail and there are some priceless quotes in there.

    "with their method if widescreen you see less of the game" IDIOT!!

    "but please tell 2K (link above) that you would like TRUE widescreen" IMBECILE!!

    "Way to ruin a good game" PARASITE!!


    Ooohh, thats better. Man, there is nothing like gaming and the internet for hoovering the brain cells out of peoples' heads. Don't let anyone on here start with this "not true widescreen" nonsense or I am going to have to start shutting down the internet. I'll do it, I've got a big lever here, and its red and everything.

  • Krusty #65 5 years ago

    Heh, nice one Kangarootoo :o)

    I grabbed it off Gamespot the other day and had a quick look through.

    You'll see some beasties that you wouldn't have known about I guess, although I went through really fast and have forgotten them already to be perfectly honest.
    One to look at in detail on completion I think...

    Think I may have to try and book Friday off so can spend some quality time with this game.

  • kangarootoo #66 5 years ago

    @Krusty

    Monday is a bank holiday don't forget. Its a sign from the heavens methinks.

  • Freek #67 5 years ago

    Nice rant but there are different ways of doing widescreen. Half Life 2 for exmaple uses HOR+, wich means you see more image in widescreen mode.
    Bioschock uses VERT, wich means the image is chopped up and zoomed in in widescreen mode. Wich isn't as good.
    example.

  • kangarootoo #68 5 years ago

    POV angle is everything. Thats all I have to say about it :)

    Edit: Ok, I have slightly more to say about it. The difference between HOR+ and VERT is dependant entirely on how you create your widescreen content from the "original image". When it comes to what the player does and doesn't see on screen, it means nothing.

    Seriously, do the pen and paper stuff I suggested earlier. It is all meaningless. The POV angle used in Bioshock on the 360 is slightly wide, giving a very discreet fish eye effect. This is as it should be in FPS games, as it provides a better degree of peripheral vision, which in the end feels more natural (as your eyes obviously see a wider field of vision than the 90 degrees often applied to a 4:3 display).

    The people complaining in that thread are being shown an apparent difference, which suggests they are "missing out" on something, and as a result they are spouting all sorts of pseudo scientific nonsense and how what they are seeing is not "true widescreen", as if such a thing exists. My eyes don't operate in 16:9, so will someone please tell me what true widescreen is supposed to be, other than some arbitrary set of rules created by some person somewhere, and more importantly what value it is supposed to bring.
    Edited by 1 at 21/08/07 @ 12:37

  • Darren #69 5 years ago

    Personally I thought the widescreen aspect was perfectly fine in both the 360 and PC demos so it doesn't bother me whether it's "wrong" or "right", only that it looks OK.

  • Freek #70 5 years ago

    Ofcourse "true widescreen" isn't a scientific fact. It merely shows where peoples prefrence lies, wich is with HOR+. As it gives you more image adn a cinematic vibe.
    The fact that people have difficultly in putting that into clear words doesn't dimish this demand.
    They don't want VERT, they want HOR+, allot of games use this, Bioshock doesn't hence the anoyance.