L-2 Sturmovik: Korea – First Look at DX12 Visuals, VR, and What Pilots Need to Know (2025).
The IL-2 series has been the gold standard of serious combat flight simulators for more than two decades. From its roots in IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 to the modern Great Battles modules, the franchise has consistently set the bar for aircraft fidelity, immersive maps, and multiplayer community depth.
Now, developer 1C Game Studios is preparing to take the next big leap with a brand-new title: IL-2 Sturmovik: Korea. Scheduled for release in 2025, this new entry shifts the series from piston-powered World War II combat into the jet-powered battlefields of the Korean War.
It’s also the first IL title to leverage DirectX 12, promising huge advances in lighting, effects, and overall rendering fidelity.
Let’s look at what’s been revealed so far, why DX12 is such a big deal, who this sim is designed for, and how it stacks up against other upcoming flight sims like Combat Pilot (built on Unreal Engine 5).
We’ll also revisit the wider IL-2 family, explore PC/VR expectations, and wrap up with SEO/blog extras for LetsFlyVFR readers.
What We Know About IL-2 Korea.
According to the official announcement, IL-2 Korea will feature a large 440×440 km map covering the Korean peninsula. This terrain will be far denser and more detailed than any previous IL-2 theatre, with cities, ports, factories, dams, realistic waterways, and populated environments.
It’s not just empty land and airspace: developers are populating the world with active people, vehicles, and objects that make sorties feel more alive.
The aircraft roster spans both piston and early jet designs, including:
- F-51D Mustang (a Korean-era update of the legendary P-51)
- F-86A Sabre
- F4U Corsair
- MiG-15
- Il-10 ground attack aircraft
Each will be modeled to the IL-2 series’ trademark standard: fully interactive cockpits, authentic flight models, and historically accurate systems.
But Korea isn’t just another air combat module. It introduces a regiment commander mode, where players can manage squadrons, personnel, and supplies, in addition to flying their own missions. This campaign layer offers a unique mix of strategy and simulation that could appeal to both hardcore simmers and history buffs.
Other standout features include:
- DX12 graphics engine with advanced lighting, water, and damage modelling
- VR support with mouse-free cockpit interaction
- Detailed sortie recording and playback tools
- Pilot avatars that can leave the cockpit, walk, or swim after ejection
In short: Korea aims to combine simulation fidelity with immersion features rarely seen in the genre.
Why DirectX 12 Matters.
Unlike previous IL-2 titles that used older DirectX versions, IL-2 Korea is built on DirectX 12 Ultimate. This allows developers to harness new GPU features that directly impact visuals and performance:
- Raytraced reflections & shadows (DXR) — More realistic aircraft metal gleam, canopy glass effects, and sun-cast shadows.
- Mesh Shaders — Efficient handling of thousands of small scene objects (trees, vehicles, ground clutter).
- Variable Rate Shading (VRS) — Allocates GPU effort where it matters (sharp in cockpit view, lighter shading in periphery).
- Sampler Feedback — Faster texture streaming for massive maps.
For players, this translates into denser, more atmospheric worlds without tanking framerate. For VR especially, efficient use of DX12 features could mean smoother frame pacing and more stable experiences.
DX12 vs Unreal Engine 5 (Combat Pilot Comparison).
IL-2 Korea isn’t launching into an empty sky. Another highly anticipated project, Combat Pilot, is being built on Unreal Engine 5. While both aim for cutting-edge visuals, their tech choices are very different.
- IL-2 Korea (DX12): Gives the devs direct control of GPU pipelines, perfect for optimizing giant outdoor maps with thousands of objects. Expect deliberate balance between realism and performance.
- Combat Pilot (UE5): Gains powerful content tools like Nanite (infinite detail streaming) and Lumen (dynamic global illumination). This makes asset creation faster and lighting look jaw-droppingly real.
So which is better? It depends. DX12 allows IL-2’s devs to tailor rendering specifically for flight simulation performance, while UE5 offers developers shortcuts to cinematic-quality environments. Simmers will benefit either way but Korea looks set to be more hand-tuned for PC sim hardware, while Combat Pilot will showcase UE5’s next-gen environment tools.
Who Will Be Interested?
IL-2 Korea will appeal to several audiences:
- Current IL-2 / DCS pilots wanting to expand into early jet combat.
- History fans of the Korean War era.
- VR simmers looking for mouse-free, cockpit-immersive experiences.
- Tech-minded players curious to see what DX12 brings to large-scale combat sims.
The game sits in a unique historical niche – bridging WW2 dogfighting with Cold War jet duels.
PC Requirements & VR Expectations.
At the time of writing, no official minimum/recommended specs have been published. However, based on features announced, we can make reasonable estimates:
Minimum (low/medium, 2D play):
- CPU: 6-core modern chip (Intel i5 12th Gen / Ryzen 5 5600)
- GPU: GTX 1660 Super / RTX 2060 (non-raytraced)
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 100 GB SSD
Recommended (high settings, 1440p):
- CPU: 8+ cores (i7-12700 / Ryzen 7 7700)
- GPU: RTX 3070/4070 or AMD RX 6800 XT
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: NVMe SSD
VR (smooth 90Hz+):
- GPU: RTX 3080/4080 or RX 7900 XT+
- RAM: 32–64 GB
- Strong CPU with high IPC
VR has been confirmed, with a cockpit interaction system designed to work without a mouse. That alone should make IL-2 Korea one of the most VR-friendly combat sims on launch.
The Wider IL-2 Series (Quick Overview).
For readers new to IL-2, here’s a snapshot of past offerings:
- Battle of Stalingrad — Core of the Great Battles line (WW2 Eastern Front).
- Battle of Moscow / Kuban / Bodenplatte / Normandy — Expansions covering different WW2 theatres.
- Flying Circus (Vol. I–IV) — WWI biplane combat modules.
- Tank Crew — Tank warfare module using the same engine.
- Cliffs of Dover Blitz / Desert Wings — A parallel IL-2 branch developed by Team Fusion.
Each retains IL-2’s trademark: authentic aircraft, historically faithful maps, and hardcore flight models. Korea represents the first Cold War leap and the series’ first full DX12 engine.
Closing Thoughts.
IL-2 Korea is shaping up to be the most ambitious IL-2 entry yet. With DirectX 12 visuals, VR support, early jets, and a campaign commander layer, it promises both fresh gameplay and cutting-edge graphics.
Compared to Unreal Engine 5-based projects, IL-2 Korea takes a more simulation-first approach, with careful optimization for PC hardware. For serious combat sim enthusiasts, 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year.
Author
Brendon McAliece (Aka Gunnie) is a military veteran with 23 years working on Jet Fighters, their weapons systems and ejection seat/module systems as well as munitions and R&D.
Involved with flight simulation since the 1980s, he has flown all the major flight simulators over the years. He is an Australian expat who has lived in Malaysia, UK, Saudi Arabia and more recently Thailand.
He is a multi-lingual blogger who loves to share his life experiences here on LetsFlyVFR.com and DreamingGuitar.com, with his lifestyle and Travel experiences Blog plus his Dreaming Coffee website.
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