| Microsoft Flight Simulator | |
|---|---|
 Cover art, featuring anAirbus A320neo (top),Cessna Citation CJ4 (right), andZlin Savage Cub Classic (left) | |
| Developer | Asobo Studio |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Directors | Jörg Neumann[a] David Dedeine[2] |
| Designer | Damien Cuzacq[3] |
| Programmer | Alain Guyet |
| Artist | Patrice Bourroncle |
| Composer | Finishing Move Inc.[1] |
| Series | Microsoft Flight Simulator |
| Platforms | Windows,Xbox Series X/S |
| Release |
|
| Genre | Flight simulation |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a 2020flight simulation video game developed byAsobo Studio and published byXbox Game Studios. It is a sequel toMicrosoft Flight Simulator X (2006) and a reboot of theMicrosoft Flight Simulator series, which began in 1982. The game's development began six years prior to its release. It was released on August 18, 2020 forWindows, with avirtual reality (VR) version released in December of the same year as part of a free update.Microsoft Flight Simulator is the first installment in the series to see a VR andconsole release, being released on theXbox Series X and Series S on July 27, 2021.
Flight Simulator simulates the topography of the Earth using data fromBing Maps.Microsoft Azure'sartificial intelligence (AI) generates the three-dimensional representations of Earth's features, using itscloud computing to render and enhance visuals, and real-world data to generate real-time weather and effects.Flight Simulator features a physics engine to provide realisticflight control surfaces, with over 1,000 simulated surfaces, as well as realistic wind modeled over hills and mountains. Some places are handcrafted, introduced in region-specific updates. To augment its realism, Azure incorporates real-time elements like natural weather and real-world air traffic.
Flight Simulator was released to critical acclaim, with universal praise for its visuals and realism, and it was cited by critics as the "safest way to travel" during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Several reviewers placed it on their favorites' lists and called it the most aesthetically pleasing game of 2020, though there was some criticism of its slow loading times, inaccuracies in rendering certain buildings, and unrealisticaerodynamics models. It has been considered one of thegreatest video games and it received several accolades, most notably winning "Best Sim/Strategy Game" atThe Game Awards 2020, and "Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year" at the24th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. A sequel,Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, was released in November 2024.
As aflight simulation video game,Microsoft Flight Simulator has atutorial segment divided into sequences that allow players who are new either to aviation orflight simulators, to learn the game's basic controls,flight instruments, and other topics deemed essential for them to know before flying; it concludes with a takeoff and landing test.[4] Throughout the tutorial, fictional pilot Captain Jess Molina, voiced by Marie Westbrook,[5] assists players.[6] It offers landing challenges at some of the most famous and dangerous airports and the player is graded based on "how close to the center of the runway you land, how long it takes your plane to come to a full stop, and the touchdown's smoothness."[4] Another gameplay mode features three sight-seeingbush trips set inNevada,Patagonia and theBalkans.[7]
Flight Simulator has anartificial intelligence (AI)air traffic controller (ATC) and a virtual co-pilot who can assist players when they are unable to perform actions like requesting landing clearance or going throughchecklists. It has several helper features: "Assistance" enableswaypoint arrows at thetaxiways, showing players where to go; "Route & Waypoints" enables markers to guide players in the sky; "Landing Path" guides players on landing; "Travel To" allows the pilot to jump to certain points of the flight (climb, cruise, descent, approach, finals – similar totime-lapse), condensinglong-haul flights; an "Active Pause" pauses the flight, allowing players to explore the surrounding area or take a break. There are subtitles available for radio transmissions.[8] These features are not available during challenges.[4] The game also features a "legacy" option to enable a flight model from previous iterations ofFlight Simulator.[9]
Flight Simulator allows players to search forfauna, either by filtering for it on the world map or selecting "Fauna Markers" when in mid-air.[8] The "Autorudder" feature keeps the plane on the centre line of taxiways and runways when the player cannot control it. Another feature allows the player to enter ageographic coordinate to find a location. The gameplay screen features atoolbar of buttons which allow the player to open the various windows for air traffic control, thecamera views, modifychecklists, view thenavigation log, see objectives, view thevisual flight rules (VFR) map, etc. The gaming interface also has theVHF omnidirectional range (VOR) compass, and thealtimeter,throttle,engine, fuel,flaps, andtrim tabs controls. Additional features like thehead-up display (HUD) are accessible from the settings.[7]
Flight Simulator features no animations or depictions of damage or collision when an aircraft crashes. Instead, it cuts to black and provides a one-line message explaining why the plane crashed. Damaging the plane without crashing can degrade the aircraft's flight characteristics and so cause the aircraft structure to fail, which will place a message saying the aircraft exceeded limits but not exactly which limits were exceeded.[10]
Due to its complex amount of topographical, scenery and object data,Flight Simulator requires a certain speed of Internet connection for seamless gameplay.Windows Central states that a minimum of 5Mbit/s is required, with at least 20 Mbit/s recommended and 50 Mbit/s being ideal.[11]Flight Simulator has an offline mode, which uses the latest pre-cached data saved to the localhard drive.[12] Two caches exist, a rolling cache (controlled automatically by the simulator) and a manual cache (which can be set by the user). The rolling cache is written to when the user goes to flight mode, caching the local objects and scenery, and updates as the pilot flies around the virtual world. The user sets the manual cache locations and amount of detail to be stored, and the user can determine the storage sizes used in both methods - as well as turn them off if required.[7]
The Standard edition ofFlight Simulator includes over 20 flyable aircraft; the Deluxe has five more, and the Premium Deluxe edition has ten additional airplanes compared to the basic version. Most of the aircraft are of American, French, or German origin, with a few manufactured by Austrian, Czech, and Slovenian companies. Aircraft included in the Deluxe version include those manufactured byDiamond Aircraft,Cirrus Aircraft, andTextron Aviation Inc., while aircraft exclusive to the Premium Deluxe version includes theBoeing 787-10 Dreamliner and theCessna Citation Longitude, and severalgeneral aviation aircraft.[13]Flight Simulator includes around 37,000 manually edited airports from around the world based on real-world satellite images.[14] The Standard, Deluxe, and Premium Deluxe edition include, respectively, 30, 35, or 40 hand-crafted airports that replicate their real-world counterparts. Airports in the Deluxe edition include those in the United States, Europe, and Africa, while those exclusively for the Premium Deluxe version includeHeathrow andDubai Airports, in addition to those from the US and Europe.[13]
The addition of third-party aircraft and airports, including those fromFlight Simulator X are supported within the simulator, as are additions of other services.Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network (VATSIM) and theInternational Virtual Aviation Organisation (IVAO) are examples of online flight-simulation networks supported withinFlight Simulator since release[15][16] that allow pilots to talk to human air traffic controllers (instead of the AI ones) and to each other where there is no ATC coverage. These services add to the realism of flight simulators, and VATSIM was even used in 2008 to test proposed real-world changes to ATC before implementation.[17] Many of the third-party add-ons are repaints or exclusive liveries.[18] In addition, there are other add-ons (mods) for things such as recording flights, and a weather mod designed by Weather Preset Pro. TheMicrosoft team has said that they "welcome [all third party developers] onboard," and that they are "critically important".[19] To simplify things, an in-game marketplace was created on the game's website featuring a variety of third-party content.[20] This includes the stock world updates, and some third-party mods such as A32NX by FlyByWire Simulations for the Airbus A320neo control systems. The team is committed to introducing new paiddownloadable content (DLC) every "two or three months".[21]
Microsoft Flight Simulator uses its in-house graphics and physics engine while usingMicrosoft Azure to provide over twopetabytes of world map data taken from thecloud on demand.[22] Microsoft partnered with Blackshark.ai,[23] who developed a solution that usesMicrosoft Azure and AI to analyze map data andphotogrammetry to generatephotorealistic3D models of buildings, trees, terrain, and so on. This allows the simulator to depict parts of the world in 3D photorealism, and others in high definition.[24]Flight Simulator generates its terrain and scenery objects initially fromsatellite imagery orfly-by image scans.[25] Due to distortion from the fly-bys, color correction and shadow removal were essential.[26] An "offlineprocedural generation AI" uses those and the data fromBing Maps to generate the scenery and objects for the virtual world. This can be enhanced using human intervention to assemble photorealistic objects and scenery for even higher levels of realism.[25]
Flight Simulator features multipleterabytes of texture and height map data. According to Alex Battaglia ofEurogamer, "Using a base mesh and textures, the game utilises your [I]nternet connection to stream even higher quality terrain data onto your PC as you play, via the Azure cloud". This means that as the pilot flies around the world, the game downloads area-specific high quality scenery and objects which he says "boost the game's fidelity and diversity that I've yet to see in any other release".[25] Bing Maps updates every 28 days, allowing forFlight Simulator's to stay up to date with reality.[21] In rare cases where certain areas areblurred orpixelated on Bing Maps it "uses procedural techniques to fill in the blanks and make sure there issomething in the space".[27] Some other places, however, were blurred on purpose using clouds, filled with generic instead of specific graphics.[12]
DeveloperAsobo Studio scanned the interiors and exteriors of aircraft with a3D scanner to create their realistic looks, polished withmodeling andprinting.[28]Textron Aviation helped with the realism of theCessna andBeechcraft aircraft.[29] There are realistic physics and weather systems, and utilization of real-world weather data. For instance, if it is raining somewhere in real life, it can rain in-game. Individual clouds have their own behaviours and impact aircraft performance depending on its location within the system.[30]Flight Simulator features a 600-kilometre (370 mi)draw distance and allows the player to see storms on the horizon, with lightning cracking inside the clouds.[31]Flight Simulator is the first flight simulator to enable worldwidevisual flight rules (VFR), a feature not seen in contemporaryflight simulators used by airlines to train and test pilots.[32]
Through cloud-based technology,Flight Simulator sends data to the computer or console in real time, with AI being utilized toextrapolategeometry from a blend of satellite and flyover imagery.[33] Other sources of data include terrain data for landscaping, data forfoliage density, real-timemeteorological data,[32] andair traffic updates.[34] A separate atmospheric renderer simulates accurate humidity and pollution.[35] Skyscrapers cast shadows over each other that darken as the player reaches street level and cities disperse light at night that radiates the sky.[36] Cloud technology is used to calculate, among other things, the way airflows around natural structures such as mountains to cause pockets of turbulence, or stream in the world's real-time air traffic, and time of day and weather.[37] The game's detailed physics were chained to the aircraft itself: for instance, certain aircraft speeds determine the speed of the water streaming through the aircraft's windows, and certain wind movements determine the shape ofturbulence.[38]
Volumetric lighting is used for various effects, including illuminating water droplets, which can cover the entirecockpit window, and with everything being simulated in real time.[39] Light sources such as the sun, moon, or city lights scatter appropriately through the environment, pollution levels and humidity affectrefraction and overall visibility, and the atmosphere is layered the same as it is in the real world. Clouds are volumetrically modelled, with 32 layers determining shape, density, and “fuzziness".[40] At times,Flight Simulator's reflection system usesray marching by retranslatingvoxels. Otherwise, the reflection system uses a mix of screen-space reflections and cube maps to show reflections on more distant bodies of water.[41] In addition to a complex lighting system,Flight Simulator makes use of highly detailedshaders.[42] The game uses screen-space reflections (an optional feature selected by players) extensively,[43] andbokehdepth of field.[44]
Flight Simulator populates the world with animals and roads with vehicles, grasses have individual blades, and water flows realistically based on wind direction, creating the illusion of a living world.[45] The game world includes over 2 million cities and towns,[46] 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, and 37,000 real-world airports.[47] This approach allows Microsoft to flag artifacts and visual anomalies from abird's-eye view, clearing up the input for a world-building algorithm. The result is fed into Microsoft's artificial intelligence, stringing the environment together in the cloud, and then streamed to the computer (PC) orconsole in real time.[48]Flight Simulator features various animal species that can even be viewed at ground level, including birds, elephants, giraffes and bears.[49] It allows the player to scout,chase and interact with real-world storms as they occur in real time.[50]
Using data of Microsoft's home city of Seattle, which Bing Maps has rendered down to five-centimeter resolution [...], Asobo took a few weeks to put together a demo of aCessna flying downtown. Neumann then showed it toPhil Spencer [...].
"He just looked at me and said, 'Why are you showing me a video of [...] a plane?'" Neumann says. "And then the plane turned, and we flew over the Microsoft campus where we were [... right now]. And he's like, 'Is this real time? Is this running?' And I'm like, 'Yes, it is!' And we knew then we had something special."
France's Asobo Studio developedMicrosoft Flight Simulator published byXbox Game Studios.[52] The game was announced atE3 2019 on June 9, 2019.[53] It is the first major entry in theMicrosoft Flight Simulator series since 2006'sFlight Simulator X (FSX), following a long period of uncertainty over the future of the series after the closure ofAces Game Studio in 2009.[52][9] The game was mainly developed by 120 people.[54]
Six years before its release, Microsoft began working with Asobo on a product calledHoloTour for Microsoft'sHoloLensmixed reality headset. They built a digital version ofMachu Picchu's vast mountainside and vistas versus normal buildings at street level. Microsoft executives and Neumann consulted with the Bing Maps team to use their detailed photogrammetry data of Machu Picchu, which included the ruins, to create a HoloLens replica of it. Neumann later used Bing Maps photogrammetry data for Asobo to build a flight demo for the city ofSeattle,[51] The technology incorporates Microsoft's discontinuedPhotosynth project, which generates 3D models from 2D photos.[55] Wanting to use the technology for a game, project leader Jörg Neumann realized that Microsoft possessedFlight Simulator. David Denhart of Aces Game Studio had archived its flight simulator work, which was given to Asobo.[9]
The franchise's return after a 14-year time span is partially credited to the business model ofXbox Game Pass, allowing for a wider variety and diversity of games.[56] Xbox chiefPhil Spencer said thatFlight Simulator is part of Microsoft's renewed commitment to PC gaming. According to Spencer, their head of global partnerships Sarah Bond worked on the Game Pass "with theindie montage" and all the games set to launch on Game Pass, then announced it for PC, as well as Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. "I didn't know if the PC community was going to be watching or not, but we wentFlight Sim, we wentAge, we wentWasteland—I wanted people to know that we want to make sure we're building games and supporting games that respect what the PC community loves", he elaborated. On bringing backFlight Simulator, he said: "We do have some pilots on the teams that are big fans of flight, and flight sims, and flying themselves, who are passionate about it, so we said, 'okay, let's see what we can do'." Reflecting on the legacy of the series to the aviation community, Spencer thought, "Can we do something new withFlight Sim? Can we actually move it forward in an interesting way?"[57]
Neumann said there is a pilot shortage crisis, and he felt the simulation would "create a funnel" for future pilots.[58] OnCNN, he said:
When you meet pilots a lot of them that say 'you know what? -- my interest in this whole thing started withMicrosoft Flight Sim many years ago'. Some people choose that as a career, and we do hope to inspire this new generation. Ever since we showed our trailer we've been called by almost every airplane manufacturer and they all tell us there's a pilot crisis, but for us it's about priority-setting. We're excited about making a sim, and if we can help with the pilot crisis in some shape or form - we'll try when the time is right."[59]
Regarding the aircraft 3D scanning technology, Asobo recalled that, although scanning saves time and simplifies the work, scanning an aircraft can take a full day, depending on its size. Veteran pilots checked and ensured the accuracy of the aircraft models after scanning.[12] Neumann met withMeteoblue, a Swiss company, to incorporate their realistic, real-time, and worldwide weather data into the product.[60] To port realistic weather, the Earth is divided into 250 million boxes, and meteorological andclimatological data are embedded in them. Further layers of data are placed higher up in the skies to thestratosphere. Using data of the forces on the weather at each location, Meteoblue's system created a set of mathematical equations incorporated in the game that forecast weather conditions.[61]
A team ofaudio directors,designers, and recordists were in charge of the audio incorporated intoFlight Simulator. The team worked with a pilot who provided the aircraft. They had a tight schedule of two and a half hours per day; they managed to record three planes per day. 30 aircraft types and fiveturbofans were recorded usingSennheiser andAudix microphones to record the audio. AShure VP88 was used to record propeller sounds. To record cockpit sounds, a small portable rig was used that recorded inquadraphonic andambisonic sound formats at the same time. Biome systems were used to createsoundscapes for different environments and times on Earth. All of these recordings were recorded usingAudiokinetic Wwise.[62] TheAzure Cognitive Services plays a role in improving the pilot and ATC automated dialogue: they built a universaltext-to-speech model using 3,000 hours of data to achieve naturalness in dialogue, and used pre-built as well as volunteer-submitted audio in order to give different accents to ATCs of different regions.[63]
Sometime after its unveiling at E3 2019, Microsoft organized a temporary Insider Program, where members could access thealpha and beta versions of the game, and provide the developers with immediate feedback, suggestions and criticism.[64] Those willing to volunteer for the program underwent a selection session; if they were chosen, they had to sign anon-disclosure agreement (NDA) that they would not share their gameplay or their thoughts on the game's under-maintenance version. One volunteer broke their agreement and shared footage to YouTube; Microsoft usedtheir copyrights to have the videos removed immediately. That individual lost the testing privileges.[65] In November 2019,FSX had a beta "branch" which gainedtelemetry data that would help the development ofFlight Simulator. It was available at no cost for allFSX andFSX Steam Version players.[66]
Flight Simulator is constantly updated with "World Update[s]" and "Sim Update[s]". The former concerns geographically specific updates, while the latter concerns updates on the game in general.[67] Updates in general are essential to retain the game's realistic stature, as photogrammetry may be outdated, or an early render may be inaccurate.[26] The first was "World Update I: Japan", was released on September 29, 2020, afterTokyo Game Show 2020 Online. It features photogrammetry forSendai,Takamatsu,Tokushima, Tokyo,Utsunomiya, andYokohama, as well as handcrafting forHachijojima,Kerama,Kushiro,Nagasaki,Shimojishima, andSuwanosejima airports. It adds landing challenges set in Japan.[67] Most notable of all was duringThanksgiving 2020, when "World Update II: USA" was released. 50 structures in the United States were handcrafted, including theLas Vegas Strip, which lights up at night[68] and four handcrafted airports:Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson,Friday Harbor,Dallas/Fort Worth andNew York Stewart.[69]
Early into 2021, Microsoft released an update named "Let It Snow", which unveiled real-time snow and winter environments for winter locations.[70] This is then succeeded with four World Updates concerning various places in Europe,[71][72][73][74] as well as five Sim Updates including a special "Game of the Year" update, made as a tribute to fans of the game.[75][76][77][78][79] AtE3 2021, anexpansion pack in response to the release ofTop Gun: Maverick was announced to be released in late 2021, featuring the aircraft andcarrier seen in itstrailer;[80] when the film is announced to be released much later on May 27, 2022, the expansion pack was also delayed to be released alongside the film.[81] In 2022, three new updates were implemented concerning Australia,[82] the Iberian Peninsula,[83] and Italy, Malta and Vatican City, as well as one Sim Update and a second update for United States territories, which also addedHalo Infinite’sPelican as new aircraft.[84] In August 2022, a40th Anniversary Edition update was announced, which arrived in November 2022.[85] As a tribute to the franchise's long-running trajectory, the update included several historical planes,helicopters andgliders, along with classic airports and missions from previous installations of the franchise.[86] An expansion based onDune andDune: Part Two is set to be released on November 3, 2023.[87]
Microsoft frequently receives feedback from users ofFlight Simulator via their forums, including requests for helicopters, structure updates, inaccurate detail fixes, and the need for improved systems. Some fixes have been made, others are planned, are under investigation, or have begun. TheFlight Simulator team constantly receives feedback from players and has said the game is updated when it is received.[32]
The first people to playFlight Simulator — journalists, bloggers,influencers, and flight simmers — were invited by the developer team to Rainier Flight Service, a flight school inRenton, Washington. Attendees also flew post-gameplay in a real Cessna aircraft with Justin Fancher, Rainier'sflight instructor.[12] On July 13, 2020, Microsoft began acceptingpreorders, and on August 18, 2020,Flight Simulator became available for the PC.[88] The company said the game was the largest release in its history,[89] and announced three versions of the title—Standard, Deluxe, and Premium Deluxe—each providing an incremental set of airplanes to fly and additional airports with more detailed scenery and objects.[90] In addition to digital licenses fromMicrosoft Store andSteam, the game is also available on the PC version of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service,[13] allowing for the first one-month play of the Standard version ofFlight Simulator for just US$1, as opposed to the normal purchase price of US$69, and at US$3.99 for subsequent months subscriptions.[91]
At E3 2021, Microsoft announced that the game will be released forXbox Series X and Series S on July 27, 2021,[80] with undated announcements going back to December 11, 2020.[92] Anticipating a wider range of players, Microsoft made several modifications in order to make gameplay more accessible, like adding four more tutorial sequences, diversifying the AI abilities, as well as adding the option of slander floats and skis in aircraft so that it can land anywhere.[80] Indeed, the game was released on the platform on time as announced. Video game critics were provided a preview of it several days ahead of public release.[93] A Microsoft spokesperson stated that plans for its release onXbox One will be discussed sometime in 2021,[94] although Microsoft stated that the Series X version of the game would be playable on Xbox One viaXbox Cloud Gaming in 2022.[95] It was later released on Xbox One and Cloud Gaming on March 1, the latter allowing gameplay on smartphones, tablets, and PCs with lower-than-required specifications.Bluetooth andXbox Wireless Controllers are also supported with the Cloud.[96]
The game is available for purchase worldwide, except for China; although some aspiring Chinese players are finding ways to purchase it via Steam and the Microsoft Store.[97] Microsoft did not explain why it is unavailable in China, but it has been suggested by theSouth China Morning Post that it could be an "approval issue", a lack of Internet capacity for the Azure data services to "keep it running smoothly", or because of the high quality of the mapping data used "that would potentially bring up a lot of issues with the content forChinese regulators".[98]
Aerosoft, a German developer and publisher ofsimulation software, announced in July 2020 that they partnered with Microsoft to release a physical version in Europe. Released corresponding with the PC, the physical version is more suitable to install from for those with slower Internet connections. It is available in two editions, Standard and Premium Deluxe and comes with 10dual-layer DVDs, a printed manual, and a keyboard reference chart.[99] The DVDs are each able to store a maximum of 8.7gigabytes (GB), and so contain around 90 GB of data that consists of theinstaller and basic content, including aircraft and the standard-definition default world;[100] however, an Internet connection allows thepatches and updates to be downloaded during installation. An active Internet connection is needed for the simulator to update itself when needed. As with the digital versions, after installation the game does not require an active Internet connection and can be playedoffline; users also have the option to stream more details for the world, better ground imagery, real-world weather and ATC data from Microsoft's servers.[100]
Project leader Jörg Neumann stated that avirtual reality (VR) version ofFlight Simulator was the "very first feedback" they received after the unveiling at E3 2019,[101] however aspirations of creating a VR version in the game series has been in his mind as far as 2016. They only started developing it in June 2019.[58] In July at a developerlivestream onTwitch, they announced a VR version ofFlight Simulator.[102] It was later released on December 22, 2020, designated as a free update.[103] While it was previously announced to only be supported onMicrosoft Mixed Reality devices, Asobo announced that it is supported on allOpenXR[102] andSteamVR devices[104] The first device that will be supporting the game isHewlett-Packard's Reverb G2; it was theheadset'slaunch title. Support for other devices will be launched after the Reverb launches.[101] In the VR version, two new tutorials were released, including one using theAirbus A320neo.[102] Corresponding with the VR update, "real-time snow and true-to-life ice coverage to the entire planet" was introduced by Microsoft.[103] Microsoft announced "newperformanceoptimizations" which reduces the complications of the "hefty" required specifications: ani5-8400/Ryzen 5 1500X,GTX 970, and 16 GB ofRAM.[104]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | PC: 91/100[88] XSX: 90/100[105] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Eurogamer | (PC) Essential[123] (XSXS) Essential[124] |
| GameRevolution |   [125] |
| GameSpot | 9/10[106] |
| IGN | 10/10[107] |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 18/20[108] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 89/100[109] |
| PCGamesN | 9/10[110] |
| PCMag | [126] |
| Shacknews | 9/10[111] |
| The Guardian | [112] |
| VentureBeat | 95/100[113] |
| VG247 | [114] |
| Common Sense Media | [115] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| The Game Awards 2020 | Best Sim/Strategy Game[116] |
| Steam Awards | Sit Back And Relax(Nominated)[117] |
| 17th British Academy Games Awards | Technical Achievement(Nominated)[118] |
| 24th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year[119] Outstanding Technical Achievement(Nominated)[120] |
| SXSW Gaming Awards 2021 | Excellence in Technical Achievement[121] |
| The Game Awards 2021 | Best Sim/Strategy Game(Nominated)[122] |
Microsoft Flight Simulator, within PC as well as Xbox Series X and Series S, received "universal acclaim" from video game critics, according toreview aggregator websiteMetacritic.[88][105] Within the site, the game is rated the third-best PCgame of 2020, behindHalf-Life: Alyx andHades,[127] as well as the tenth most discussed game. OnOpenCritic, another aggregator, it was rated "Mighty" based on 86 critics, along with the summary: "Microsoft Flight Simulator is a technical marvel, with an insane amount of polish, incredible realism, and phenomenal controls."[128] Many reviewers have placed it among the best games of the year[129][130][131] and a gaming essential,[132] with Kat Bailey ofUSGamer awarding it August 2020's Game of the Month.[133]
Reviewers considered the graphics and realism ofFlight Simulator as the reason it stands out,[107][113][134][135] with Tokarev Kirill of80 LEVEL and Chad Sapieha ofCommon Sense Media describing its authenticity as unprecedented,[136][115] and other critics calling it an aesthetic feat within PC gaming.[137][138] It has also been said to be a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that appears once a generation, and is predicted to see everlasting legacy.[36] Despite some technical issues,Engadget's Devindra Hardawar found the VR version of the game realistic, to the extent that its visuals resonated with him.[58]Shacknews andVG247 described the game as revolutionary within the series, as it is the first entry to be used widely by those outside the aviation community.[111][114] Thus, many critics suggest that non-aviation lovers will also adore the game, especially due to its inherent futuristic sensation.[139][140] Mark Hachman ofPC World also opines that the game allows for a free exploration of Earth, without worrying aboutcontributing to climate change.[135] It has been labeled the best-looking video game of all time[141] as well as the best-looking flight simulator, albeit being disclaimed as a still-imperfect "work in progress".[139]
The Xbox Series X and Series S version was also raved among reviewers, with the accessibility additions being praised. Most reviews focused mainly on the graphical and visual side. Although the graphics are noted to be smaller, with the resolution of the affordable, US$299 version downgraded from4K to1080p, it did not ruin the experience, which was still similar to the original. The frame rate was also found to be better than the PC version. Contemporarily, it was considered the best releases for the platform, and was described as next-generation. According to Matt Brown ofWindows Central, the memorable hint within the game's visual still retains. He recommended the Series X version over the Series S, though stated the Series S is also great. Poor accessory support was also stressed upon its release. Many reviewers were dismayed over the lack of gameplay difference from the PC, with the use of controls being described as irritating.[93][142][143][144] Because of the game's routine updates prior to the Xbox release, Gianluca Musso of the ItalianEurogamer opined that Xbox players have more enjoyment than PC players, at least from that viewpoint; he also recommended it as a Series X and Series S starter.[145]
The mainstream media also viewedFlight Simulator in a positive light. According to Paul Sillers, writing for CNN,Flight Simulator might be "the safest way to travel" during theCOVID-19 pandemic, and because of theglobal economic conditions in the wake of COVID-19, is being used by furloughed pilots to keep their skills fresh.[146] As "a comprehensive simulator that steadily guides players from square one to being able to fly, combined with kitchen-sink graphics",The Guardian concluded thatFlight Simulator "captures the wonder of flight, and the spiritual and emotional rush of seeing the world in a different way".[112] Writing forThe New York Times,Farhad Manjoo describes the game as "more than a technical achievement or a marketing demo", writing the experience it offers is akin to an online life. "The game plunged me into sustained meditations on the permeability between the real [and online world]—[offering] me some hope of a more realistic kind of online life in the future."[147]
Within the first few weeks of release, over one million users had playedMicrosoft Flight Simulator.[89]Market intelligence firm Jon Peddie Research noted in August 2020 that simulator enthusiasts are among the most active gamers online, projecting thatFlight Simulator fans would spend $2.6 billion over the next three years on the game. Peddie also predicted that there would be more than 2.27 million copies sold, and thatIntel,Nvidia, andAdvanced Micro Devices (AMD) might benefit from this, as the game is shown to have operational shortcomings, which may increase the demand for more advancedgraphics processing units (GPUs) andcentral processing units (CPUs).[148] Following its console debut, the Xbox version was the third best-selling game across Xbox platforms in the U.S. in July 2021.Microsoft Flight Simulator dropped to fifth-position in the Xbox charts the following month.[149]
Game developerRami Ismail conducted a casual test of the accuracy of the game performing an in-game real-time flight fromMontreal toAmsterdam while simultaneously travelling commercially on that same route and found the game's flight to be accurate within minutes of the real flight. He described the game "absolutely staggering" and "wild".[150]Investigative journalist Giancarlo Fiorella used the game to detour aroundEl Helicoide, currently a building used fordetainingpolitical prisoners in Venezuela andSEBIN offices in Bolivia, the northeastern area ofDamascus,Battle of Aleppo sites, and theUyghur camps in Xinjiang. He concluded the game is not a viable tool for geolocation and investigative works, but said that if it improves to absolute realism, it "might actually help us withgeolocation when we’re trying to figure out where a video or picture was taken".[27]
Initial criticism focused on the simulator's loading times. On Steam, the long in-game installation frustrated many users, forcing them to exceed two hours of gameplay and lose the right to a refund. This resulted in areview bomb, several users demanding refunds and the game's rating dropping. However, Doug Lombardi, Vice President of Steam's ownerValve, says they have addressed this issue.[152] The download times had been either slow or stuck.Windows Central said suchbugs are expected saying: "Just remember, it's launch day."[153] There were also reports that features exclusive to the Deluxe and Premium Deluxe version could not be loaded.[154]PCGamesN compared the problem to a delayed flight: although it may irritate passengers at first, the result will do otherwise.[110]
Some users reported inaccuracies in rendering buildings like theWashington Monument in Washington, D.C., andBuckingham Palace in London, which were mistakenly rendered as a generic skyscraper and an office block, respectively. Because of a typographical error in the height of aMelbourne suburban building inOpenStreetMap, data which had been used by Bing Maps and then used by Asobo, the flight simulator initially rendered a two-storey building as 212 storeys—inserting an improbably thin and tall skyscraper into the suburb.[155] Users also discovered the system is unable to renderpalm trees, making them intoobelisks "jutting forth from the pavement like so many teeth". TheTIAA Bank Field inJacksonville, Florida had also been misrendered as an office building with grass roofs. Many users on theFlight Simulator support forums also reported instability and game crashes without an obvious cause. Despite this, Tom Warren ofThe Verge said "theglitches are more amusing than they are game breaking".[156] Engadget's Jessica Conditt opined such bugs represent what the amateur flight simulation genre is all about: creating a planetsandbox where players can do whatever they want.[32]
Further negatives were voiced bypilots, expressing disappointment with the game's unrealisticaerodynamics and the aircraft's "sluggish" response. AtGizmodo, a pilot commented on the overly sensitivecontrol surfaces at slow airspeeds, noting that it could be fixed "if the physics model accounted more for reduced airflow over [them]".[157]
Large numbers of users have been attracted to several destinations. In August 2020, many players went toLittle Saint James, an island in theUS Virgin Islands, where thechild sex offenderJeffrey Epstein reportedly molested underage girls. YouTubers andRedditors shared their experiences and shared the island's coordinates.The Independent opines that theconspiracy theories of which the Epstein case are the subject are a main driver of interest. It was quickly noted that the game failed to render the island in a detailed fashion;[158]Vice noticed the game does not include the island's iconicdome and said the activity "is just another way for people to satisfy their fascination with one of the most horrible stories in recent memory, and not that different than sendingdrones to film the island andchartering private boats to explore its buildings".[159] In addition, many players have travelled to their own homes via the game,[134] with Asobo revealing in a November 2020 survey that 70% of players had immediately flown to their homes or hometown.[160]
Flight Simulator's weather has been noted for incorporating real-time data of notable weather abnormalities. During the2020 Western United States fires, players discovered that smoke from the wildfires had been incorporated into the game's weather model and was visible to players. Although details were not perfectly accurate,Polygon journalist Austen Goslin stated that it "does help to contextualize just how big the fires are, and how much of [California] is impacted by them".[161] AsHurricane Laura was approachingTexas andLouisiana, players flew inside theCategory 4 hurricane.[60]The Washington Post added the inaccuracy of thewind speeds, and that thehurricane did not swirl.[162] Mathias Müller, head of Meteoblue said: "Yesterday’s hurricane was very beautiful to look at and was accurately predicted by our models even days ahead. We are very happy that real-time weather is now part ofFlight Simulator. It was a long journey as integrating these massive amounts of data required the solution of many problems." He said that Laura inspired them to improveFlight Simulator's weather quality.[60]
TheSuez Canal soon became popularized among players following theobstruction of the canal by theEver Given ship, with the vessel later becoming a downloadablemod. Players using it shared their flights on social media.[163]
Captain: Welcome to your flight training. I'm your instructor, Captain Molina, but you can just call me Jess.
Despite the laundry list of issues that have arisen as a result of Asobo's ambition, in the end, it's those sudden sensations - especially the frequent feeling that we've finally got our hands on something truly next-gen, imperfect as it may be - that count for the most.
70 Prozent der Spieler umgehend zu ihrem Heimatort beziehungsweise ihrem Haus geflogen waren, als sie die Tutorial hinter sich gebracht hatten.
The weather system isn't perfect. The Washington Post tested this out by flying into the hurricane: Wind speeds were clearly inaccurate, as it was a relatively smooth flight headed toward the outer edges of the storm. The clouds also didn't swirl, though from a satellite view within the game, an eye is clearly formed.
