First Hands-On Experience with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Astonishes Gamers

When the reboot of Microsoft Flight Simulator released in the summertime of 2020, I called it one of the most amazing brand-new game in a generation. By integrating information from Bing Maps with a next-generation physics-based trip version, real-world climate information, and live air website traffic, Xbox Game Studios and its companions at Asobo Studio prospered in producing something remarkable. But the software program was not without its problems.

At launch, followers experienced the impressive mount dimension of greater than 120 GB simply to begin. There were visual drawbacks early too, consisting of rivers that attempted to creep up mountainsides and cavernous holes in the Earth that appeared to oppose description. But the largest oversight without a doubt was the absence of any type of genuine in-game development, or perhaps a collection of involving goals to fly. Four years later on and these growth companions are back with a follow up, entitled Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and I am once more knocked down by the range of their passion.

A pilot avatar sits on the couch in his homely early-game office.
Your pilot character’s very first workplace will not be much to take a look at, however it will certainly enhance as they acquire an extra beneficial online reputation in the market.
Image: Asobo Studio/Xbox Game Studios

The marquee attribute this moment about is the game’s brand-new profession setting, which attracts from greater than 3 million procedurally created tasks spread all over the globe. These consist of jobs as benign as supplying VIP guests to their holiday trips, or as technological as cleaning plants on a gusty hill in French white wine nation. Some goals consist of hauling a banner, or taking part in helicopter-based search-and-rescue procedures in the backcountry. Regardless of the task, every objective includes a complete composed rundown, along with an isometric trip strategy that plainly reveals what gamers will certainly require to do to be effective.

Of training course, not every task will certainly be offered at the beginning of thegame Before they can fly an offered objective, gamers will certainly initially require to pass an in-game trip examination to come to be licensed because certain task. Each of the game’s 64 accreditations are exam-based, and each examination will certainly cost you in-game money. So also if you can open the timberland firefighting branch of the accreditation tree, you may wish to take a couple of technique trips prior to you spend for that check-off trip in a substantial two-engined water-bomber.

A career tree in MSFS 2024, showing the exams needed to open up new activities in-game.
Players like Cassian Andor below will certainly require to come on-game examinations, spent for with in-game money, to open brand-new in-game tasks.
Image: Asobo Studio/Xbox Game Studios

What’s a lot more intriguing, nonetheless, is the group’s worldwide method to the schedule of aviation-based occupations. Players can begin their profession from essentially any type of flight terminal worldwide. Once picked, Microsoft will certainly after that inhabit the flight terminal with non-player personalities procedurally assembled from regionally sourced face scans and totally provided clothes designs. Players will certainly also speak with an online advisor, a sort of in-game manager, to obtain them a couple of very early jobs and or else reveal them the ropes.

Once you’re licensed, goals open naturally all over the globe. They likewise revitalize every day, 365 in-game days a year. After a couple of weeks of online job, programmers claim that gamers ought to have the ability to successfully run their very own online air transportation organization, preserving airplane and purchasing brand-new airframes as required. Later, they can also broaden right into brand-new areas of the globe– and take examinations for brand-new air travel functions.

The game’s brand-new obstacle setting looks intriguing too. Asobo’s principal imaginative police officer David Dedeine assured 3 “snackable” situations weekly, consisting of experiences like canyon auto racing and touchdown obstacles, that make use of the game’s most advanced trip version and physics functions. Dedicated gamers can also decide in to 10-week affordable collection, including tiered innovation and transfer rounds, to verify they’re amongst the most effective pilots in the area.

The challenge menu will include three actitivies each week, like the Grand Canyon rally race, low-altitude Blue Ridge Mountains flight, and the helicopter precision landing shown here.Image: Asobo Studio/Xbox Game Studios

Similarly, a brand-new digital photographer setting includes an abundant little minigame to the experience. Perhaps you’ll require to take a photo of the Golden Gate bridge, statedDedeine That’s straightforward sufficient, however what regarding recording it with the Financial District behind-the-scenes? Or making the scene by moonlight? Or with the moon itself in the structure? Objectives like these are spread throughout the globe, and can be attained while experiencing any type of various other in-game setting.

On the left, the Grand Canyon as portrayed in Microsoft Flight Simulator circa 2020. On the right, a comparable scene recorded in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

All of these tasks are buoyed by the simulation’s extremely advanced brand-new ground surface generation system, which Xbox Game Studios calls its “Countryside TIN.” With it, programmers assert that ground appearances are 4,000 times extra comprehensive than was formerly feasible. That suggests online pilots will certainly require to zip touchdown websites with an eye towards any type of prospective blockages, like rocks or various other particles. They’ll likewise require to pay cautious focus to the instructions and the amplitude of waves when making water touchdowns in aquatic airplane, given that those waves can currently either slow-moving or overload the airplane.

A man in a leather hat and an orange raincoat stands on the edge of a canyon.
The writer on a walk down Bright Angel Trail at Grand Canyon National Park.
Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

The whole item, claims head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann, has actually been custom-tailored to satisfy the demands of 3 really particular, and really various, areas of clients– committed trip sim followers, conventional players, and supposed “digital tourists” that simply turn up to appreciate the views. The objective, he stated, was inevitably the like it was 4 years ago: To make even more pilots. He claims that the existing information approximates that the air travel market is short some 800,000 pilots, which are severely required in functions everywhere. It’s a substantial space that he wishes Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 can influence individuals to fill out the years ahead.


Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will certainly be offered on Windows COMPUTER and Xbox Series X startNov 19.

Disclosure: This write-up is based upon a Microsoft Flight Simulator Global Preview Event held at the Grand Canyon onSept 10, 2024. Xbox Game Studios given Polygon’s traveling and holiday accommodations for the occasion. You can discover added info regarding Polygon’s values plan below.

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Source: Polygon

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