Flight Simulator Update is Adding Germany, Switzerland, and Austria Locations

As part of the gamerscon 2021 event today, Microsoft announced Flight Simulator World Update VI, new aircraft, and more.

During the event, Microsoft noted that there are more people playing Flight Simulator right now than at any point in its decades-long history, thanks in large part to its release last month on Xbox Series X|S. So that’s exciting. But as exciting are the following updates to the game:

World Update VI. The 6th world update adds new aerial imagery, high-resolution elevation maps, and several brand-new 3D cities in Germany, plus Basel, Switzerland and Graz and Vienna in Austria. The update will add about 100 famous locations and airports like Lübeck, Stuttgart, Klagenfurt, and St. Gallen, plus new discovery flights, landing challenges, and bush trips. World Update VI will be free and available for download on September 7.

New aircraft. Microsoft announced two interesting new aircraft coming to Flight Simulator, the Junkers JU-52, a 1930’s German plane that will arrive with World Update VI, and the Volocopter, an eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) air taxi for urban flights that will debut in November.

Reno air races. In partnership with RARA (the Reno Air Racing Association), the STIHL National Championship Air Races, the world’s fastest motorsport, is coming Microsoft Flight Simulator. “Many of the planes can fly up to 500 mph at an altitude between 50 ft and 250 ft above ground,” Microsoft notes, adding that the Reno Air Races will be the first major expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The expansion pack will be available this Fall, which I take to mean it’s a paid add-on. (I could be wrong.)