World Update 3: United Kingdom and Ireland are available for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The update adds details and improvements across the region – including Scotland and Wales – and is available for free on Windows PC.
According to a blog post on Tuesday morning, the update relies heavily on photogrammetry to render the cities of Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, London and Oxford, as well as several airports, including Barra, Liverpool, Land’s End, Manchester -Barton and Out Skerries. Another 85 airports had “visual and logistical improvements” according to Jorg Neumann, head of the Microsoft Flight Simulator.
“In addition, we have added attractive architectural elements across the region, ranging from British mansions and Victorian houses to stone country structures, castles and churches – and even some drive-through restaurants,” wrote Neumann. “In addition, over 70 personalized landmarks and points of interest bring new levels of detail and impressive loyalty to some of the world’s most famous landmarks and bridges, royal palaces, breathtaking cathedrals … and, of course, stadiums of football.”
Shortly after the game’s launch, Polygon took a tour of the River Thames only to find that it was undulating in a rather stupefying way. Today’s trailer – rendered in-game and in 4K – seems to show that this type of anomaly has been largely eliminated. In addition, we are happy to report that Stonehenge is no longer a patch of grass on the ground.
This is the third worldwide update for Microsoft Flight Simulator, launched in August 2020 and critically acclaimed. The previous modules added details and definition to Japan and the United States, respectively.
The Asobo Studio team told Polygon in previous interviews that the development roadmap was designed to draw attention to the regions of the planet where many of its customers live, and that it will eventually also cover other parts of the world. The game is now compatible with virtual reality devices and is expected to hit consoles this summer.