Italy is now fully upgraded with Microsoft Flight Simulator: World Update 9

Asobo has rolled out the latest major World Update for Microsoft Flight Simulator, World Update 9, which has brought with it extensive upgrades to Italy and the island of Malta. It also introduces improved satellite data, handcrafted points of interest and airports, improved digital elevation, and photogrammetry (3D imagery) for a variety of cities around the country.

New activities have also been added into the sim, which will take players on different missions throughout the improved landscapes.

No pasta, just pizzaz

World Update 9: Italy really spruces up the surrounding area with some much-needed TLC. Iconic spots like Venice, Rome, Naples and Milan are all now more beautiful and similar to their real-life counterparts. Asobo also implemented a method called triangulated irregular network (or TIN) modeling to 16 other cities in addition to the ones previously mentioned.

As for the the new activities, they include three bush trips, three discovery flights, and three landing challenges.

Just like all other World Updates for Microsoft Flight Simulator, the core update files will download upon the launch of the sim. However, all of the additional content that includes the enhancements is a separate download that you must download manually via the in-game Marketplace and Content Manager. Make sure you download those files first before you load up a new flight, otherwise the changes will not be visible.

Mind the turbulence

All things considered, some bugs have already been reported. Users on PC have noticed performance hiccups (some of which have existed since the recent Sim Update 9), while others have reported that the scenery around Italy itself is a bit odd, such as overgrown foliage surrounding cities and airports. Even on console, there has been an increased number of reported crashes. So, as is the case with Microsoft Flight Simulator, this new update has brought forth some unexpected new hiccups.

The team has not yet announced a new hotfix at the time of publication. Nevertheless, the next scheduled major update will be sometime in mid-June; the tenth World Update, to be exact. Its location has not yet been revealed, however.