1C Company announces a partnership with 777 Studios (Rise of Flight: The First Great Air War) to form 1C Game Studios, a new developer that's now at work on IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad, a new installment in the IL-2 Sturmovik series of combat flight simulators. Here's a bit from the press release on the IL-2 Sturmovik Website discussing the partnership, PC gaming, and the game itself:

Both 1C and 777 Studios see the flight-simulation genre as an important one for PC gaming with a dedicated fan-base that is eager to support interesting and immersive products. 1C Company is located in Moscow with offices throughout Europe and 777 Studios is headquartered in Southern California with development teams in Russia and Ukraine.

Battle of Stalingrad will include both single-player and multi-player scenarios for virtual pilots to enjoy as well as brand new gameplay modes. Initial client release is slated for early 2014 with add-on content and additional features and theatres to follow.