iEntertainment Network on Thursday announced the forthcoming release of WarBirds 2005, their massively multiplayer online simulation that lets you take the yoke of vintage World War II fighter planes in a battle for supremacy against other players. The new version, coming for both Mac and Windows, features new airplanes, terrains, new flight models and an upgraded ballistics system. As always, the game is free to download. Though you need to buy a subscription to play online, the developer is hosting a free weekend on May 20 – 22, 2005 to help corral you in.
Improvements to WarBirds 2005 include the new C-47 Paratroop Transport, useful for field capture missions, new Lavochkin-series planes for Russian players and a new Military Rank System that improves gameplay and depth. Improved terrains include the Battle of Britain, a tanking terrain based on the hills of southern Belgium and an updated European Theater of Operations terrain.
The game costs US$13.95 per month to play, but May 20 – 22, 2005 is a free weekend that won’t require you to use a credit card to activate your account. It wasn’t immediately clear if system requirements have changed with this release, but Mac requirements for the current release, WarBirds 2004, call for a 400MHz or faster system with Mac OS 9.x or X v10.0 or later, 256MB RAM, OpenGL 1.2.1 or later, and an OpenGL-compatible video card with at least 32MB VRAM. Joystick throttle and rudder pedals are optional but recommended.
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