TL;DR
- Mortal Shell 2 runs on Unreal Engine 5 and has higher PC requirements than the original.
- Minimum GPU is the NVIDIA RTX 2060 SUPER or AMD RX 6600 with 8GB VRAM.
- Minimum CPU is the Intel Core i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600.
- You need at least 16GB of RAM to run the game.
- An SSD is required — a traditional HDD will not work.
- You need 70GB of free storage space on PC.
- DirectX 12 and Windows 10 or 11 are required.
- The game is well-optimized for a Unreal Engine 5 title — an RTX 3060 can hit 60 FPS at 1080p on medium settings.
Mortal Shell 2 is one of the most visually impressive soulslike games released in years. It runs on Unreal Engine 5, and that means your PC needs to be capable enough to handle it. Before you buy, it is worth checking whether your system meets the requirements.
This page covers the official minimum and recommended PC specs for Mortal Shell 2, what each requirement actually means for your setup, and how the game performs across different GPU tiers based on real benchmark data from the open beta.
Already know your PC can handle it? Check out our Mortal Shell 2 Review and our Mortal Shell 2 Beginners Guide to get ready before you start.
Mortal Shell 2 Minimum PC Requirements
These are the official minimum specifications released by Cold Symmetry and Playstack on Steam. Meeting these specs means the game will run, but expect lower graphics settings and potentially inconsistent frame rates in demanding areas.
- OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-10700K @ 3.8 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 @ 3.6 GHz
- RAM: 16 GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6600 8 GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 70 GB available space
- Storage Type: SSD required (HDD not supported)
One thing stands out immediately. The minimum requirements for Mortal Shell 2 are significantly higher than those for the original Mortal Shell, which only required a GTX 970 and 8 GB of RAM with no SSD requirement at all. The jump to Unreal Engine 5 is the reason for this difference.
Mortal Shell 2 Recommended PC Requirements
Cold Symmetry has not published a full official recommended spec list on Steam as of launch. Based on benchmark data from the open beta and third-party testing, the following represents what you need for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1080p on high settings.
- OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or better
- RAM: 16 GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT or better
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 70 GB SSD
For 1440p gaming at high settings with a consistent 60 FPS, you will want an RTX 4060 Ti or AMD RX 7700 XT or better. At 4K with ultra settings, the game scales well but demands high-end hardware.
Mortal Shell 2 PC Requirements Compared Side by Side
| Component | Minimum | Recommended (60fps 1080p High) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) | Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) |
| CPU | Intel i7-10700K / Ryzen 5 3600 | Intel i7-4790K / Ryzen 7 2700X or better |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | RTX 2060 SUPER 8GB / RX 6600 8GB | RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT or better |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 70 GB SSD | 70 GB SSD |
What the Requirements Actually Mean for Your PC
Why an SSD Is Required
This is not a recommendation — it is a hard requirement. Mortal Shell 2 will not work properly on a traditional spinning hard drive. The game uses Unreal Engine 5’s streaming technology to load the open world seamlessly, and that process demands the fast read speeds that only an SSD can deliver. If your current gaming drive is an HDD, you will need to install the game on an SSD before it will run.
The good news is that SSDs are affordable in 2026. Even a budget SATA SSD will satisfy this requirement. An NVMe SSD will give you the fastest load times and the smoothest streaming performance.
The 70 GB Storage Requirement
Mortal Shell 2 requires 70 GB of free space on PC. This is notably more than the console versions, which require around 32 GB on PS5 and 31.6 GB on Xbox Series X|S. The larger PC file size is typical for Unreal Engine 5 games, where higher-quality texture packs and assets are included by default on PC.
Make sure you have at least 70 GB free on your SSD before downloading. If your SSD is nearly full, consider clearing space or adding additional storage before launch.
GPU — Why 8 GB of VRAM Matters
The minimum GPU requirement specifies 8 GB of VRAM on both the RTX 2060 SUPER and the RX 6600. This is important. GPUs with less than 8 GB of VRAM — such as the standard RTX 3060 Ti variants or older 6 GB cards — may struggle with texture streaming in Unreal Engine 5 titles. If your GPU has 8 GB or more, you are in a much better position.
The game supports NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and TSR (Temporal Super Resolution). These upscaling technologies can give a significant performance boost if your GPU is borderline. DLSS Quality mode in particular can deliver near-native image quality while running at a lower internal resolution, helping older RTX cards punch above their weight.
RAM — 16 GB Is the Starting Point
Mortal Shell 2 requires 16 GB of RAM at minimum. This is a step up from many older soulslike games. If you are running 8 GB of RAM, the game will not perform well. 16 GB is the comfortable baseline, and 32 GB will give you more headroom if you run background applications while gaming.
CPU — Modern Processors Preferred
The minimum CPU is the Intel Core i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600. Both are capable processors but represent 2019-2020 era hardware. If your CPU is older than these, you may encounter performance issues in open-world areas and large enemy encounters. Unreal Engine 5 games tend to be CPU-heavy during scene traversal, so having a modern processor helps maintain stable frame rates.
Mortal Shell 2 Performance by GPU Tier
Benchmark testing from the open beta gives a clear picture of what to expect from different GPU tiers. Here is a practical breakdown based on real performance data.
RTX 3060 / RX 6750 XT — 1080p Medium, 60 FPS
An RTX 3060 or AMD RX 6750 XT can deliver a solid 60 FPS experience at 1080p on medium settings. Player reports from the open beta confirm this. One player using an RTX 3060 reported a consistent 60 FPS, while RX 6750 XT users had similar results at the same settings. Using DLSS or FSR on Quality mode can push this into the high settings range without sacrificing much visual quality.
RTX 4060 Ti / RX 7700 XT — 1080p High, 60+ FPS
For a comfortable 60 FPS on high settings at 1080p, you want a card around the RTX 4060 Ti or RX 7700 XT level. Beta benchmarks confirm that this tier hits comfortable average frame rates at high settings without needing to rely heavily on upscaling. An RTX 4060 with DLAA enabled can also achieve around 60 FPS at 1080p according to community testing during the beta.
RTX 4070 / RX 7700 XT — 1440p High, 60+ FPS
For 1440p gaming at high settings with a smooth experience, an RTX 4070 or equivalent AMD card is the recommended target. This tier delivers consistent performance without needing to drop to medium settings or rely on aggressive upscaling at this resolution.
RTX 5090 — 4K Ultra with Ray Tracing
At the top end, Mortal Shell 2 is impressively optimized. An RTX 5090 can run the game at 80 to 90 FPS in 4K at ultra settings with ray-traced reflections and shadows enabled — without DLSS or FSR. This is native 4K performance, which is remarkable for an Unreal Engine 5 game. Cold Symmetry has clearly put work into optimization that many UE5 titles skip.
Is Mortal Shell 2 Well-Optimized?
Yes — more so than most Unreal Engine 5 titles. Community feedback from the open beta was consistently positive about performance. Players reported smooth frame rates across mid-range hardware, and the game’s support for DLSS, FSR, and TSR gives owners of older GPUs meaningful options to improve performance without tanking visual quality.
Outside of occasional stuttering on PC — which is common across many UE5 titles — the game runs well. There are no major crash reports or widespread performance issues at launch. The developers appear to have tested and tuned the PC version carefully before release.
Intel XeSS is notably absent from the upscaling options, which is a minor miss for Intel Arc GPU owners. If you are running an Arc card, TSR is your best alternative upscaling option.
Does Mortal Shell 2 Support Ray Tracing?
Yes. Mortal Shell 2 supports ray-traced reflections and shadows. Ray tracing is demanding on any hardware, so it is best reserved for RTX 4070 and above at 1080p, and higher-end cards at 1440p and 4K. You can enable it through the graphics settings menu. For most players, disabling ray tracing and relying on the game’s standard lighting is the better choice for consistent frame rates.
Mortal Shell 2 PC File Size and Download
The PC version of Mortal Shell 2 requires 70 GB of free space on an SSD. This is larger than the console versions due to higher-resolution PC assets. Preloading began on August 15, 2026 for Devout Edition owners. Standard Edition players can download the game from August 20, 2026 on Steam.
Make sure your SSD has enough space before the download begins. If you need to free up space, temporarily uninstalling another large game is usually the quickest way to do it.
Tips to Improve PC Performance in Mortal Shell 2
- Enable DLSS or FSR: If your GPU supports it, use DLSS Quality or FSR Quality mode. This improves frame rates significantly with minimal visual impact.
- Lower shadows first: Shadow quality is one of the biggest performance drains in Unreal Engine 5 games. Dropping shadows from Ultra to High often gives a large FPS gain.
- Update your GPU drivers: Always install the latest drivers from NVIDIA or AMD before launching a new game. Day-one driver updates often include optimizations specifically for new releases.
- Close background applications: Free up RAM and CPU resources by closing browsers, Discord overlay, and other background apps before launching.
- Use an NVMe SSD if possible: While any SSD meets the requirement, an NVMe SSD gives the fastest load times and the smoothest world streaming performance.
- Epic settings are for 1440p and above: At 1080p, High settings look nearly identical to Epic and perform far better. Save Epic settings for 1440p or 4K gaming.
Can a Laptop Run Mortal Shell 2?
Yes, if your laptop meets the minimum requirements. Mortal Shell 2 has been confirmed to run on handheld gaming PCs as well. A laptop with a dedicated GPU equivalent to the RTX 2060 SUPER or better, 16 GB of RAM, and an NVMe SSD will handle the game. Laptop GPUs tend to perform slightly below their desktop equivalents, so expect to use DLSS or FSR to maintain smooth frame rates on mid-range laptop hardware.
For laptop players specifically, make sure your power plan is set to High Performance and that your laptop is plugged in while playing. Running on battery typically reduces GPU and CPU performance significantly.
Mortal Shell 2 vs Original Mortal Shell PC Requirements
The jump in PC requirements between the two games is significant. The original Mortal Shell from 2020 only required a GTX 970 for its minimum GPU, 8 GB of RAM, and had no SSD requirement. Mortal Shell 2 now asks for an RTX 2060 SUPER, 16 GB of RAM, and a mandatory SSD with 70 GB of space. This reflects the move to Unreal Engine 5 and the much larger, more detailed world in the sequel.
If your PC was built specifically to run the original Mortal Shell at its launch, there is a good chance you will need to upgrade your GPU or add an SSD before playing the sequel.
Wrapping Up
If you have a GPU in the RTX 2060 SUPER or RX 6600 range, 16 GB of RAM, and an SSD with 70 GB free, your PC meets the minimum requirements and the game will run. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1080p on high settings, aim for an RTX 3060 or RX 6750 XT. For 1440p, target an RTX 4070 or equivalent.
The good news is that Mortal Shell 2 is better optimized than most Unreal Engine 5 titles. Cold Symmetry has done a solid job ensuring the game runs well across a range of hardware, and the DLSS and FSR support gives mid-range GPU owners a strong path to good performance.
Once your PC is ready, check out our Mortal Shell 2 Review to see if the game is worth your time, and our Mortal Shell 2 Beginners Guide to get a head start when you boot it up for the first time.
You can get it on the platforms below:
