Today, Technobrain revealed the first details and screenshots and details of the upcoming ATC simulator Bokukan5 Tokyo (HND).
We knew the Bokukan5 part of the title since its announcement, but now we get the predictable confirmation that the game will focus on the iconic gate to Japan, Tokyo Haneda Airport.
This is unsurprising, considering that all the games of the series initially focused on Haneda.
We also get to see the first screenshots of the airport, and the graphics appear to be considerably improved compared to the game’s predecessor, I am an Air Traffic Controller 4.
Here’s how the game is described on the newly-opened Steam page, although the description will not surprise any veteran of the series.
“Bokukan 5 is an authentic air traffic control simulation game where you take command of the control tower and guide aircraft safely and smoothly around a busy airport.
Survey the entire airport, assess the situation, and make rapid decisions one after another. Experience the tension of overseeing the entire airport, assessing every situation, and making rapid, successive decisions—and the exhilaration of overcoming every obstacle to guide all aircraft safely to their destinations.”
If you’re not familiar with the franchise, it debuted all the way back in 1998, and it’s known as “Boku wa Kōkū Kanseikan” (I am an Air Traffic Controller) in Japanese, abbreviated as “Bokukan.” Interestingly, Technobrain has now adopted that abbreviation as the title.
Basically, the games of the series place the player in the role of an Air Traffic Controller in a major Japanese airport, tasked with getting aircraft safely from the gates to the runway and the other way around, while solving a series of challenging scenarios.
While the main games usually focus on Tokyo Haneda Airport, several DLCs expand them to other hubs in the country.
I Am an Air Traffic Controller 4 was actually the first to be released officially in English on Steam in 2020, and it’s currently available on Valve’s digital platform with some of its DLC: Narita, Nagoya, New Chitose, Naha, and Osaka.
The series has also been ported to consoles as “Airport Hero” in collaboration with SonicPowered.
Even if you’re not into ATC simulation, the name Technobrain may ring a bell. They have also been making excellent scenery for flight simulators for many years, including Kansai Airport and Yao Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and MSFS 2024.
We have been waiting for quite a while for their rendition of Tokyo Haneda for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which appears to be very promising, but doesn’t have a release date just yet.
