PC Street Fighter IV: AE DRM detailed

You'll need a persistent internet connection to get the most out of Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition on the PC, developer Capcom has admitted.

Speaking in a lengthy post on the Capcom Unity blog today, senior VP Christian Svensson announced that that game will run off Games For Windows Live.

According to Svensson, you'll be able to access less than half of the character roster if you're not signed into a GFWL account, with a number of the game's other features also disabled when you're offline.

"If you aren't signed in to an online GFWL profile, the offline mode has limited functionality. Obviously there's no online play, access to replay channels or other online-centric features (and this is the part that keeps the online play secure from hackers or pirates)," he wrote.

"Additionally, you won't be able to save any progress in challenges or settings, won't have access to any DLC you've purchased and all local play will be restricted to 15 of the 39 characters."

But what happens if you lose your internet connection mid-session? "No problem," insisted Svensson.

"You'll be able to keep doing what you're doing until you come to a logical break point, like exiting to a menu, at which point you'll be asked to sign back in. Assuming your PC is back online, everything will continue as it should, just like on Xbox 360."

As hinted at above, the measures are designed to see off hackers who, Svensson argued, "plagued" Street Fighter IV and "messed up leaderboards."

Capcom has also announced the system requirements for the game, which is due to launch in early July. Here's what your PC will need to be packing:

Minimum requirements:

• OS: Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7
• Processor: Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz and up
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• Graphics: DirectX 9.0c/Shader3.0 and up supported (operation on-board is not guaranteed)
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 and up (except for NVIDIA GeForce 7300), VRAM: 256MB and up (operation sharing with main memory is not guaranteed) or ATI Radeon X1600 and up VRAM: 256MB and up.
• Hard Drive: 4.5 GB free hard drive space
• Sound: DirectSound, DirectX9.0c Compatible Audio
• Other Requirements: Online play requires software installation of and log-in to Games For Windows – LIVE

Recommended hardware:

• OS: Windows Vista/Windows 7
• Processor: Intel Core2 Duo 2.0 GHz and up
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Graphics: DirectX 9.0c/Shader3.0 and up supported (operation on-board is not guaranteed)
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 and up, VRAM: 512MB and up (operation sharing with main memory is not guaranteed)
• Hard Drive: 4.5 GB free hard drive space
• Sound: DirectSound, DirectX9.0c Compatible Audio