What's the difference between minimum and recommended specs?

Minimum specs are the hardware needed to run the game at all, acceptably, the floor that gates who can play (typically at lower settings). Recommended specs are what's needed for a good experience, smoother performance and higher settings, the target that sets expectations for the intended quality. Minimum tells players whether they can run the game; recommended tells them what hardware delivers a quality experience. Both should be honest.

How do I set honest system requirements?

Base both tiers on real performance data, not guesses. Set minimum specs at the hardware where your game genuinely plays acceptably (not just where it technically launches, since optimistic minimums disappoint players who meet them but get a bad experience), and recommended specs at the hardware that delivers the intended quality experience. Real-device performance data shows where the game actually runs acceptably and well, so your specs at both tiers set correct expectations rather than misleading players.

Why do minimum and recommended specs both matter?

Because they serve different purposes. Minimum specs gate access, telling players whether their hardware can run the game at all (the floor), which affects who can buy and play. Recommended specs set expectations for a good experience, telling players what hardware delivers the intended quality (the target). Players below minimum know to skip it; players between minimum and recommended set realistic expectations; players at recommended know they'll have a good time. Both, set honestly, prevent disappointment and bad reviews.

Minimum vs Recommended Specs

Quick answer: Minimum specs are the hardware needed to run the game at all, acceptably; recommended specs are what's needed for a good experience. Minimum sets the floor of who can play; recommended sets expectations for quality.

Minimum and recommended specs are two tiers of system requirements that tell players different things about whether and how well their hardware will run your game. Setting both well, and honestly, manages expectations. Here's the comparison.

What Minimum Specs Mean

Minimum specs are the hardware required to run the game at all, acceptably, the floor below which the experience isn't viable. They define who can play: a player meeting the minimum should be able to run the game at a playable level, typically at lower settings. Minimum specs gate access to your game.

The key with minimum specs is honesty: they should reflect hardware where the game genuinely plays acceptably, not just where it technically launches. Bugnet's device-tagged performance data shows where your game actually stops running acceptably, which is what honest minimum specs should reflect. Optimistic minimums lead to disappointed players.

What Recommended Specs Mean

Recommended specs are the hardware needed for a good experience, smoother performance, higher settings, the intended quality. They're above the minimum and set expectations for how the game is meant to be played. A player meeting the recommended specs should get a quality experience, not just a playable one.

Recommended specs help players with capable hardware know they'll have a good time, and help players between minimum and recommended set realistic expectations. Bugnet's performance data across devices informs where the recommended bar genuinely sits, the hardware that delivers the intended experience.

Why Both Matter and Must Be Honest

They serve different purposes: minimum gates who can play (the floor), recommended sets expectations for a good experience (the target). Both must be honest, optimistic minimums disappoint players who meet them but get a bad experience, and inflated recommendations mislead. Accurate specs at both tiers set correct expectations.

Bugnet's real-device performance data grounds both in where the game actually plays acceptably (minimum) and well (recommended). So set both tiers honestly from real data: minimum at where the game is genuinely playable, recommended at where it delivers the intended experience, so players know both whether they can play and how well.

Minimum specs are the hardware to run the game acceptably (the floor of who can play); recommended specs are what's needed for a good experience (the quality target). Set both honestly from real performance data.