Regarding the always-online connection

[Ronno72]

I learned recently that the game requires a constant internet connection to play the game. First it was just the pilot career that was apparently locked behind always online, single missions weren't affected. Now it seems you can't even start the game itself without a connection to a central server. Is there any end-of-life plan in place for us to keep playing when the servers inevitably end up being too costly to keep up? 

[dryheat94]

It's the launcher that requires Internet access. You can start it offline by going to the bin/game folder and double clicking the IL-2.exe file.

[Ronno72]

9 hours ago, dryheat94 said:

It's the launcher that requires Internet access. You can start it offline by going to the bin/game folder and double clicking the IL-2.exe file.

No dice. perhaps it's just a Steam thing but I still can't get to the menu.

[dryheat94]

I don't use the Steam version so can't help you there. Good luck.

[LukeFF]

Steam requires an Internet connection now at all times. 

[Dash,Polder]

I steam cleaned my system last time I did a fresh install of windows.  Never more Eleanor. 

[TrigunR]

...

Edited Thursday at 08:37 PM by TrigunR

[Cardolan]

I attempted right now to run five games on Steam without internet connection and was able to run four out of five without issues. Guess which one failed? Yes, IL2.

My experience with the game servers has been mixed. Sometimes they answer in a few seconds, in other instances I have to wait more than two minutes - probably, as I never clocked - to get validated and properly enter the game to the hangar menu.

I understand worries with piracy but it would be nice 1CGameStudios acknowledged to us that if the game servers ever go down due to product obsolescency, a full local version of the game is released to owners of the title.

Edited 23 hours ago by Cardolan
Typo

[Hispanvs]

It’s a questionable approach to customer experience. Placing additional restrictions is a poor marketing decision, especially so close to the Korea release.

These kinds of “always online” requirements are unlikely to improve the experience for most users, but they do add friction for legitimate customers who have already purchased the product.

Please reconsider this decision and focus on supporting paying players rather than adding unnecessary online requirements that reduce convenience.

 

 

Edited 23 hours ago by Hispanvs

[FuriousMeow]

This always on connection requirement is nothing new, its been there since Rise of Flight since 2009. RoF development ceased about a decade ago but is still perfectly playable.

This isn't the first time a "what if the auth servers go down" topic has come up... and when the time comes I'm sure there will be a solution.

Its odd, though, to think this online connection requirement is something new that is suddenly going to impact Korea sales...

[Z_F]

Any notions of privacy have to be tempered in this day and age.

Privacy is the bigger issue here. 

[Cardolan]

The behaviour is different from some months ago.

When I last tested it, the game ran fine without an online connection except for the career that was unavailable. Now the program simply refuses to continue as the posted screenshot above shows.

As said, it would be nice if the devs assured us when the current game is no longer supported by 1C a version of it that can be run locally with full features included will be released.

[Gutholz]

1 hour ago, Cardolan said:

As said, it would be nice if the devs assured us when the current game is no longer supported by 1C a version of it that can be run locally with full features included will be released.

That would be good enough for me. I understand there is a need to protect against piracy, maybe especially so in niche markets like flight sims.

Right now the online-requirement is not problematic for me but I hope in the future the game will stay playable, also in mp.

Also see this interesting inniative: https://www.stopkillinggames.com / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Killing_Games

[Catch]

On 5/15/2026 at 2:33 PM, LukeFF said:

Steam requires an Internet connection now at all times. 

 

On 5/15/2026 at 11:05 AM, Ronno72 said:

On 5/15/2026 at 1:55 AM, dryheat94 said:

It's the launcher that requires Internet access. You can start it offline by going to the bin/game folder and double clicking the IL-2.exe file.

No dice. perhaps it's just a Steam thing but I still can't get to the menu.

It is a steam thing 🙂 as communicated by Luke. Why? I'm blowed if I know? Perhaps 1C can reverse this decision given the distress it's causing loyal customers, not to mention potentially affecting future sales!

I don't use steam myself 🙂 and can access offline mode via the launcher by clicking on "offline" when it pops up. Only career and multi is unavailable.