Microsoft has released World Update 23: Poland and the Baltics for Microsoft Flight Simulator, covering Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. According to the official Microsoft Flight Simulator announcement, it is the first time the franchise has received an update dedicated to this part of Europe. The update is available for both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 through the in-game Marketplace free of charge.
The team says it worked with Bing Places, Asobo and Gaya Simulations on the update. The region runs from the Baltic coast to the Polish mountains in the south. The update includes 12 areas of interest rendered with updated photogrammetry, TIN (triangulated irregular network) surface texturing and elevation data. The cities named include Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.
Beyond the cities, the MSFS team lists 77 points of interest, including castles, lighthouses, cathedrals, bridges and towers. Examples named in the announcement are Malbork Castle, which the developer describes as the largest brick castle in the world, Trakai Island Castle in Lithuania, Rundāle Palace in Latvia and Sopot Pier, described as the longest wooden pier in Europe. The Riga Radio and TV Tower is also included.
Gaya Simulations, which the Microsoft Flight Simulator team calls its long-term partner, have handcrafted five airports for the update. They are Kärdla (EEKA) in Estonia, Jūrmala (EVJA) in Latvia, Palanga International (EYPA) in Lithuania, and Warsaw-Babice (EPBC) and Opole-Kamień Śląski (EPKN) in Poland. The MSFS team notes that Jūrmala is the home base of the Baltic Bees aerobatic team, and that Warsaw-Babice focuses on private aviation, turboprops and flight training.
Part of the World Update 23 are also three Discovery Flights over Warsaw, Sigulda and Tallinn, plus four landing challenges at the new airports. Those challenges use aircraft ranging from a Citation CJ4 to an Airbus A310-300. In MSFS 2024, the update also adds a Sopot Landing Challenge, in which Red Bull Air Race pilot Łukasz Czepiela lands a modified CubCrafters STOL aircraft on the pier. It also gets a guided tour of Tatra National Park and a rally race.
World Update 23 is free to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Users need to update their simulator to the latest version and download the update from the in-game Marketplace.
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