Following the release of the excellent UK & Ireland World Update last month, the MSFS team is back this week with another stunning new area to explore in the simulator in unprecedented detail. World Update 18, dedicated to the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), promises to revolutionize the way simmers experience the stunning landscapes and architectural marvels of these Central European nations.
As usual, this update is the result of extensive collaboration between the Microsoft Flight Simulator team and industry leaders including Bing Maps, Vexcel Imaging, Maxar Technologies, Gaya Simulations, and Orbx.
This partnership has enabled the integration of recent aerial imagery, high-resolution digital elevation models, and advanced photogrammetry, creating an unparalleled scenery that should be a true joy to appreciate from the air.
World Update 18 introduces an impressive level of new and updated content:
- 10 cities rendered in TIN modeling:
- Austria: Linz, Salzburg, and Vienna
- Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Hanau (Frankfurt), Karow (Berlin), and Potsdam
- Switzerland: Bern and Zurich
- New digital elevation modeling with resolution as fine as one meter for most of Austria and parts of Germany and Switzerland
- 116 hand-crafted points of interest (POIs):
- 42 in Germany
- 38 in Austria
- 36 in Switzerland
The update also features three beautifully hand-crafted airports, serving as gateways to this virtual wonderland:
- Salzburg Airport (LOWS) in Austria
- Munich Airport (EDDM) in Germany
- Bern Airport (LSZB) in Switzerland
MSFS World Updates have always introduced new activities so simmers can experience the new scenery right away, and World Update 18 is no exception, with nine new activities that include discovery flights, landing challenges, and immersive bush trips, one in each of the covered countries.
The official trailer video, which you can watch here, should give you a good indication of the level of quality you can expect with this update. There are dozens of POIs to discover, and beyond that, the increased detail and resolution in the terrain should make for a phenomenal flying experience—for example, over the Alps, which seem to have received a very significant boost!
Microsoft Flight Simulator World Update 18: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is for free starting today.
