Pre-order for the flight simulator "Korea: The Il-2 Game Series" is open

1C Game Studios announces that its new game in the famous series of combat flight simulators "Il-2" will be available in the second quarter of 2026 on Steam and in the store on the official website of the project.

"Korea: The Il-2 Game Series" is a new stage in the development of the franchise and a transition to a new era of aviation. It was in the 1950s that piston aircraft began to be replaced by jet fighters.

With the increase in speed, the scale of each battle also increased, and to reflect this in the game, the largest map in the history of the series is presented. Players will have access to eight meticulously crafted historical aircraft, including the iconic MiG-15bis and F-86A-5 "Sabre".

"Korea" is created on a completely new engine that features an improved damage and flight model. The project is the result of more than ten years of development of the "Il-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles" series. The new game offers complete immersion into the life of a combat pilot of those years while maintaining the franchise's signature balance between realistic simulation and accessibility. Early access will begin in spring 2026: all interested parties can already place a pre-order.

The core of the aircraft fleet in "Korea" will consist of eight painstakingly recreated machines that players will control. Each one is built based on real blueprints, historical photographs, pilot manuals, and museum documents. Every instrument works. Every sight operates as it does in reality.

Available aircraft for flight:
● MiG-15bis
● F-86A-5 "Sabre"
● Il-10
● F-51D "Mustang"
● Yak-9P
● F-80C-10 "Shooting Star"
● La-11
● F-84E "Thunderjet"

The passionate attention to detail in "Korea" goes far beyond these models. The battlefield features dozens of aircraft (including B-29 bombers) controlled by AI, as well as ground vehicles, trains, and ships, all crafted with the highest precision.

Players will pilot these legendary machines on the largest map in the history of the franchise: it covers more than 75,000 square miles or 200,000 square kilometers. And this is not modern Korea — the 1C Game Studios team used historical maps and documents to meticulously recreate the landscape of the early 1950s, considering even significant changes such as drained straits and altered coastlines that have transformed this region over the past 70 years.

The virtual battlefield includes:
● Dozens of historically accurate airfields
● Hundreds of populated areas and strategic sites like ports and dams
● An extensive transport network, including both normal and railway lines
● A landscape recreated not from modern but from historical maps of the 1950s

"The Korean War was a turning point in the history of air battles: the first jet aircraft fought against the most advanced piston machines of World War II. This was the last time in history that the outcome of a battle was determined by cannons and machine guns. This was the moment when air combat changed forever. We want to convey these feelings with the depth and authenticity they deserve," comments Il-2 series producer Daniil Tuseev. "Korea" is the embodiment of everything we have learned, and the new physics-based rendering engine presents this crucial era with an unprecedented level of detail. Historical accuracy is not just a point on the list for us — it is the foundation on which every system is built."

Other features of the game:
● New "Museum" mode, where players get a personal hangar, allowing them to examine every rivet, explore cockpits, interact with controls, and study the history of each aircraft’s creation and combat journey.
● "Career" mode, which allows players to become the commander of an aviation regiment at a historically accurate airbase, command personnel, manage logistics, and read real news from that time. Lead your subordinates into battle when necessary or focus on strategic tasks to maintain your unit's combat readiness during one of the most intense conflicts of the 20th century.
● Accessibility: "Korea" preserves the philosophy of the "Il-2" franchise: real action algorithms at different stages of piloting are available to those who want them, but you will not need to memorize the engine start sequence to experience the thrill of flying jet fighters.
● Supported equipment: gamepads, desktop joysticks, high-end HOTAS setups, full VR support through OpenXR and OpenVR.

The cost of "Korea" will be 4990₽, with the current pre-order price at 3990₽, which will increase to 4490₽ at the launch of early access. The "Founder’s Pack" edition (4990₽) includes all the pre-order content, as well as access to the first year's expansion, which will include five additional aircraft and new gameplay mechanics to be announced later.
Additional information and pre-order for "Korea" can be found on the official website. News about the game and the series as a whole is published in the official communities VK and Telegram.