In a statement released on the Microsoft Flight Simulator website on January 21st 2021, Microsoft has announced that the release of the newest United Kingdom and Ireland World Updates for the game will be delayed. The new update that will include maps of Scotland and England was initially slated for a January 26th release to quickly follow the in-game release of the F-15 fighter, but has now been pushed back by one week.
While not as iconic as video game super stars Mario and Pac-Man, Microsoft's Flight Simulator is one of gaming's longest running series, with its first entry dating back to 1982 for the IBM PC. The newest release for the series is widely considered one of the most realistic looking video games of the current generation, and contains many of the real world's famous landmark destinations.
The reasons for the delay on the United Kingdom and Ireland World Update are apparently due to the development team being forced to update tools. This has become necessary in order to work with a new process and data source to get the new cities integrated into the existing architecture. The update to the already impressive, though not free of glitches, Microsoft Flight Simulator promises a full 3D London and the nearby Windsor Castle in all its glory.
The UK and Ireland update will be the third location-specific update for the flight sim when it finally arrives. September of last year saw an extensive update to Microsoft Flight Simulator's version of Japan and more recently an impressive North American update was released. The United Kingdom and Ireland World Update is now expected in early February.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available on PC, with an Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S release planned for mid-2021.
Source: FlightSimulator.com