The Grim Reapers, popular YouTube channel and prolific DCS World group, have done a nearly two hour long interview with Simon, Global Business Development Director, from Eagle Dynamics. The interview is wide ranging and focused on the future of the series. There’s plenty of short and mid-range details revealed and I wanted to share a few highlights and key pieces of information. Let’s have a look!

The Q&A itself!

The video Q&A, posted by the Grim Reapers on their channel, asks Simon a huge number of questions on so many different subjects. Simon’s role in Eagle Dynamics is to work with global customers of the company that include various military’s from around the world – including, undoubtedly, the U.S. Air National Guard that use a specialized version of the DCS: A-10C module for their own training and that whose recent requests for updates has lead to the DCS: A-10C II module and announcement.

I can’t possibly cover everything in a summary so I encourage, if you’re interested, to listen in to the 2-hour interview as there’s tons of juicy content. Below I’ve summarized some key and even a couple of breaking news items.

DCS WWII content

I wanted to start with DCS WWII content which got a few mentions during the early parts of the discussion. The DCS: Mosquito is coming to DCS World later in 2020 but Simon also talked about some of the other projects underway such as the F4U Corsair from Leatherneck and their desire to model other WWII warbirds. As an enthusiast of the Hawker aircraft, the Typhoon Mark IB got a mention with a bit of a shoot down for the likelihood of that aircraft coming as there are none that fly. So did the gunners for aircraft like the B-17 which, according to Simon, have some of the oldest code in the series and are being looked at for changes.

That may limit future aircraft modules but we’ll see what happens. It does sound like ED will continue to support DCS WWII going forward.

More modern content

Here’s a summary some of the key points that came up on more modern content. Lots of different aircraft, systems, and gameplay features were mentioned and here are just a few key ones:

• Both the DCS: Mi-24P Hind and DCS: Syria are coming along right now and it looks like, according to this interview, that they are due later this year and that DCS: Syria is probably going to be out before September 30th. Simon didn’t reveal the release for the Hind but it looks like it may be coming in the next few months as well. Significant DCS: F-16 updates and DCS: Supercarrier content is also likely coming by end of Q3.
• Other types of aircraft such as full fidelity AH-1 and AH-64 Apache were talked about as potential future models that are in the planning stages. The F-4 Phantom is still on the roadmap and sounds like plans are being finalized for the jet. A high fidelity F-15C isn’t in the plans right now and neither is a Super Hornet. Access and clearance for Russian types are still problematic, however, ED is looking at a MiG-29A.
• There were multiple versions of the same question in the interview asking about large aircraft. These include large scale transports like the C-17, Tu-95, C-130 or even the AC-130 gunship. It doesn’t sound like Eagle Dynamics has any plans for that type of aircraft right now.
• No updates on the weather system right now except that the team is well aware of what the new Microsoft Flight Simulator looks like and can do and that they are still working on the feature.
• The team is still working on a global world map system that, from the sounds of it, would stitch together their high definition maps with lower definition areas in between. They are also working with professional customers and using different methods to model larger battlespaces for them.
• A major engine update is likely coming in 2021 and that would have greater multi-core support. Ray tracing is also likely a feature.

There’s so much more in the interview but a few asked about some key points and so I wanted to provide a quick and easily scannable option.