Take to the skies of Arrakis in Microsoft Flight Simulator’s free Dune expansion

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Microsoft Flight Simulator is stepping free from its intense focus on the real world and simulating our whole planet with a fun movie themed tie in with the upcoming Dune: Part Two movie. This, like the Top Gun: Maverick themed package before, brings with it a series of activities to fly and a unique aircraft to experience. Let’s have a look!

The Spice must flow!

I grew up reading several of Frank Herbert’s Dune series books so I was pretty thrilled when I learned that the latest movie series, directed by Denis Villeneuve, was getting a free tie in with Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The add-on package puts you in the cockpit of an Ornithopter, the choice way to fly around the desert planet of Arrakis. This is a planet where rival houses have sought to control the harvesting of spice – essential for faster than light travel in the Dune series. The elements appear to be your chief enemy here (no worm sign in sight) with a sand storm dominating much of the promotional trailer. Speaking off….

The expansion includes three training scenarios titled take-off, landing, and freefall. There are then six activities, five which are time trials and then a sixth which involves saving a downed pilot before the sandstorm arrives.

Sounds fun and the price is right!

Check out the press release here which includes information about the MSFS expansion, some Xbox promotional pieces for the movie and more.

6 responses to “Take to the skies of Arrakis in Microsoft Flight Simulator’s free Dune expansion”

  1. CanadaOne Avatar
    CanadaOne

    That’s pretty funny. 🙂

    Loved the book and loved the Lynch movie version. Lukewarm on the new movie. Hopefully Pt: II will be better.

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    1. beggyg Avatar
      beggyg

      I loved the books as a kid as well. In fact, I was a little annoyed at how much Star Wars stole from my favourite books when it came out. Yes, I was an overly serious, weird kid. A bit of an annoying little shit, actually. Anyway. I did enjoy the movie, I thought it was done well but each to their own.

      I don’t have MSFS, but this actually tempts me, because I loved Dune so much as a kid and I thought the movie did it justice, even if it couldn’t possibly fit in everything the book, the books, had.

      By the way, after the movie I reread the first two books to go back to the story and see what Villeneuve had chosen to leave out. I must say, although the story is as great as I always thought, I did find the writing a little, maybe, overdone. Why use one word when a paragraph will do? But that’s just me and maybe I’d built it up in my mind so much my expectations were of some Shakespeare crushing epic. But I reiterate, the story itself is just as good as I remembered it. So now I have to decide if the DCS Corsair, Chinook, Kiowa etc are going to get my money first or if they’re far enough away that I can budget to get MSFS… Decisions, decisions!

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      1. Urgent Siesta Avatar
        Urgent Siesta

        The nice thing about having read the books first is that the movies actually make sense 😉

        As a primarily DCS World player, I can easily recommend you get MSFS now and push off the purchase of just one of the pending DCS modules.

        E.g., since I have Tomcat, I don’t need Phantom right now. Since I have a bunch of choppers, I don’t need Chinook or Kiowa right now.

        But I don’t have a carrier capable warbird, so F4U stays on the list 😉

        In all, MSFS has been a great simulator experience and, while I’d NEVER give up DCS World, I can’t imagine not having MSFS to fall back on. Just the ability to explore all the places on the news around the world make it worth it enough. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  2. flyingbagpipe Avatar
    flyingbagpipe

    I would usually say it’s a bit “cringe” but the films are so faithful to the book that I have to give this a thumbs up.
    Fair play to MS/Asobo!

    Can’t promise to spend more than one flight with it but I will happily check it out lol

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  3. Urgent Siesta Avatar
    Urgent Siesta

    I consider myself to be a “serious simmer” and I think this is a very cool addition to the sim.

    I mean, who can’t find some productive use cases for a supersonic dragonfly?

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  4. CanadaOne Avatar
    CanadaOne

    I’ve been trying this out and it’s 100% a riot. Really nicely put together, great dragonfly flight model, and a ton of fun. Much more than a novelty, this is great flying, even if it is sci-fi. Love it!

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