Microsoft Flight Simulator is pretty good. In fact, it’s absolutely stellar and a great bridge to what it feels like we can expect out of the next generation of gaming, but some places aren’t quite as realized as others. Map data can only provide so much when it comes to the actual splendor of some parts of the world. Asobo Studio knows this and is set to expand the beauty of Microsoft Flight Simulator all the more. It begins with the country of Japan in an update coming at the end of this month.
Xbox Game Studios and Asobo Studio announced the Japan World Update for Microsoft Flight Simulator on September 24, 2020 during the Xbox portion of Tokyo Game Show 2020. Coming up on September 29, 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator’s next update will focus entirely on fleshing out the buildings, terrain, and landmarks of the Land of the Rising Sun. The elevation maps throughout the country will be reworked to truer to form and six cities and airports will be fully realized through high resolution 3D photogrammetry, including Sendai, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Tokyo, Utsunomiya, and Yokohama.
It’s worth noting that this is officially called World Update 1. That is to say, Asobo Studio has more in the works, likely focused on various regions of the world. There’s no doubting that Asobo’s use of Microsoft cloud technology and data-generated maps has paid off in creating a generally beautiful and often fairly accurate world to explore (even if incorrectly entered data sometimes leads to hilariously giant skyscrapers), but sometimes regions have personality and landmarks that auto-generated maps just can’t completely capture. There are many areas of the Japanese nation that could be considered as such and it will be awesome to see what they look like when the new update launches.
As we await the Microsoft Flight Simulator Japan World Update on September 29, be sure to check out other fun stuff that has come to the game, including the recent patch notes and Microsoft Flight Simulator mods.