1C Game Studios Korea IL-2 Series begins pre-orders as the product gets a new release date window. We’ve also got pricing and a hint of what is planned in the future.
Pre-orders begin
Korea IL-2 series has some significant new information coming out today. First, there’s a new pre-rendered trailer (above) that reminds me of the original IL-2 Battle of Stalingrad trailer that came out back in 2013. The trailer is not gameplay footage but it is representative of the type of battles that they want to showcase.
The trailer marks the start of the pre-order period as well with the company offering two options at the current point in time. The prices are higher than I expected and provide a bit of sticker shock at first. Having recovered a bit, there’s some interesting things going on here that are a little different from the Great Battles Series so let’s break down the features listed for both options.
There are two options on offer. The initial pre-order offering is $99.99 USD regular price and $79.99 USD pre-order price. In the features this is being called standard edition, though it includes two collector planes so its possible that a third cheaper edition may be on offer at some point. The “Founder’s Edition” takes the place of the old Premium edition and it comes with the same features plus the first DLC package that is intended to come after the initial release. That is $179.99 USD regularly though its $139.99 USD as part of the initial pre-order.
Standard
- 2 Collector Planes (F-84E Thunderjet and La-11)
- 6 legendary early Cold War aircraft to fly – F-86A Sabre, MiG-15bis, F-51D Mustang, Yak-9P, F-80C-10 Shooting Star and IL-10
- Unique Aerobatic Team Liveries for MiG-15, F-86 Sabre, and F-84 Thunderjet
- Unique Liveries for La-5s and P-51D that will unlock in Great Battles for customers who own these aircraft immediately after placing the pre-order
- Huge Map of the Korean Peninsula in 1950s
- Interactive Museum Mode
- Commander Career
- Quick Mission Builder
- Custom Single-Player Missions
- Scripted Campaign Support
- Multiplayer Mode
Premium / Founder’s
- 2026 DLC (5 yet undisclosed aircraft, their unique liveries and a new layer of interaction with the game world)
- 2 Collector Planes (F-84E Thunderjet and La-11)
- 6 legendary early Cold War aircraft to fly – F-86A Sabre, MiG-15bis, F-51D Mustang, Yak-9P, F-80C-10 Shooting Star and IL-10
- Unique Aerobatic Team Liveries for MiG-15, F-86 Sabre, and F-84 Thunderjet
- Unique Liveries for La-5s and P-51D that will unlock in Great Battles for customers who own these aircraft immediately after placing the pre-order
- Huge Map of the Korean Peninsula in 1950s
- Interactive Museum Mode
- Commander Career
- Quick Mission Builder
- Custom Single-Player Missions
- Scripted Campaign Support
- Multiplayer Mode
We don’t yet have official confirmation of what the 2026 DLC is. The announcement is somewhat vague mentioning a “new layer of interaction with the game world. ”
Comments by the developers have suggested that its a naval aviation focused add-on and we’ve seen UI mock-ups or development art for the F4U Corsair and F9F Panther. There’s also been an effort to dig up resources on Commonwealth units with types like the Meteor and Sea Fury having seen combat during the war so they may also comprise some of the mystery offerings.
Finally, the latest information we have on a release date has been provided to us by the announcement threads on social media and the forums.
We’re glad to announce that our giant project is approaching its conclusion: the Early Access is scheduled for Spring 2026, and the official release for Q2 2026.
On pricing and content
Putting my editorial hat on, this pre-order comes in at an interesting time. Though likely timed to coincide with holiday spending (people tend to spend more in the run-up to the holidays and then are more careful in the new year as the bills come in), the pre-order does lack a bit of the content that I was hoping to see.
Originally, the goal was for release in 2025 and this announcement confirms that the date has indeed slipped into 2026. That part doesn’t really phase me all that much. Wait for enough games and simulation products over the years and you know that, despite best guesses, release dates nearly always slip. No problem there. What is a bit more challenging is that we have yet to see any really dedicated gameplay videos yet.
I think the thing that will move the needle for veteran simmers is when we see a video featuring setup, mission start, takeoff, cruise, combat, flying home and landing the airplane. If that really impresses, then folks will be interested in putting down money. I had kind of hoped that we’d see more of that by now.
Then there’s the pricing. Costs have gone up and pricing for content looks to be higher than it was in the past. Standard edition is where Premium edition was before and the new Premium edition, though admittedly coming with a fair bit of extra content over the old Premium edition, is quite high. Again, I think if we knew exactly what was in there and the value was on display then it’d be an easier one to justify. Without that, it feels pricey for something that is still a bit nebulous.
There’s a fair bit of healthy skepticism required here. I was similarly cautious at first with the, then new, Battle of Stalingrad but that was replaced with enthusiasm as content released and the shape of the series beyond its initial goals took form. That may happen here too but I wish we had something just a little more tangible on both the way that the sim is going to fly and then what the future DLC content is going to be. Then I’ll be more enthused.
Curious to know your thoughts in the comments! I’m sure it’ll be vibrant but please keep it on topic.
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