Wings of Prey: Special Edition

2009 Gaijin Entertainment Corporation Simulation

Windows 11Runs

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Gamicality score

Metacritic 784

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 621

How it’s combined

Playability today

3.5

Runs today4/5

Design today3/5

Steam user reviews

Mixed

63%

704 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Wings of Prey: Special Edition run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11Runs

Sold for Windows today, no problem on record.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

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Synopsis

Wings of Prey is a World War II combat flight game from Gaijin Entertainment, the PC version of IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey. Players fly fighters and bombers through a campaign of about 50 missions over the Battle of Britain, Stalingrad, Kursk, Sicily, the Ardennes and Berlin, choosing between arcade, realistic and simulator flight models. The Special Edition adds the Wings of Luftwaffe expansion.

Developer: Gaijin Entertainment Corporation
Released: 2009
Genre: Simulation
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics in 2009 and 2010 praised it as one of the best looking flight games of its time, but felt the jump from the forgiving arcade mode to the demanding realistic mode was too large, and some disliked that every mission begins already airborne; the PC version holds a Metascore of 78. Players who get it running still enjoy the visuals and the adjustable realism, and many see it as a forerunner of War Thunder. Recent Steam reviews are split, with many reporting that the Steam version will not launch or will not close properly, while older player reviews fault unbalanced AI and unforgiving missions.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

4/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
Some content no longer works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The official servers have shut down, so online multiplayer is gone (PCGamingWiki).
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen, ultrawide and 4K are supported with a Hor+ image (PCGamingWiki).
Full controller support or remappable controls
Controllers and flight sticks are supported (PCGamingWiki).
?Not confirmed yetSteam Deck Verified or Playable
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
Known game-breaking bugs in the current version
Many recent Steam reviews and threads report that the Steam version closes at launch or keeps running after exit, and no documented fix exists (Steam Community).

Design today

3/5

Controls feel awkward on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Recent Steam reviews report keyboard and mouse input failing to respond, and players who fly with the mouse find no way to look around with it as well. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
Widescreen, ultrawide and 4K resolutions are supported with a correct Hor+ view. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Saving is harsh: few saves or checkpoints, progress gets lost
The campaign moves forward one finished sortie at a time, and no source describes a way to save inside a mission, so a failed or crashed sortie has to be flown again; GOG players call some missions unforgiving for newcomers. Source: gog.com, armchairgeneral.com.
Hard to make progress without a guide
The gap between the easy arcade mode and the realistic mode is wide enough that reviewers expected players to quit, and AI difficulty cannot be adjusted for campaign or single missions. Source: armchairgeneral.com, gog.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
Every mission starts with the plane already in the air over a famous battle, so sorties get to the fighting quickly, though there is no time compression for quieter stretches. Source: armchairgeneral.com, gog.com.
Camera and movement never fight the player
Players can switch between a chase view behind the plane, which gives good awareness of the fight, and a detailed cockpit view. Source: armchairgeneral.com.