Microsoft Flight Simulator real-time snow update serves up a winter wonderland

In the northern hemisphere, winter is currently in full swing, and what better way to welcome these chilly months than by adding a touch of winter to one of 2020's most popular games? The team behind Microsoft Flight Simulator at Asobo Studio has given us a look at the game's new real-time snow feature, which will blanket some maps with fresh powder as you fly over them.

The feature was previewed alongside Asobo's New Year greeting, and you can check out both the greeting and the real-time snow preview below. The snow trailer is particularly impressive, as it was recorded in 4K. It features snow-capped mountains and trees that have been dusted with snow, along with ice sheets and vast stretches of land that have been buried by snowfall.

About the only thing we don't see is snow falling, but the trailer does show us that snow cover changes over to time thanks to Microsoft Flight Simulator's weather mapping. If you were looking for a winter scenes in the game, then it seems this new feature is aimed directly at you.

Microsoft Flight Simulator closed out 2020 with an update that added VR support to the game. This real-time snow feature was actually added with that update, but this is the first time Asobo has published a trailer showing it off. So, if you're a Microsoft Flight Simulator devotee, there's a good chance that you've encountered snow in the game already.

Those on console who are looking to get in the on the Microsoft Flight Simulator action will get their chance later this year, as Microsoft has confirmed that the game will be coming to Xbox Series X|S. We don't have a precise release date for the console version of Microsoft Flight Simulator yet, but we do know that it's launching sometime in summer 2021. We'll let you know when Microsoft reveals more, but for now, hop into the game and see what kind of scenic winter maps you can find.