Today Microsoft hosted a livestream focusing on upcoming plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator and a few tidbits of information about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
As usual, we hear from Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann, Asobo CEO Sebastian Wloch, and Executive Producer Martial Bossard, who delivered the news during the broadcast on the official Twitch channel.
First of all, we learn that the free Top Gun: Maverick add-on is going to stay for another two years, until 2026. It was originally supposed to be made unavailable earlier this year due to the expiration of the license.
Interestingly, we also hear that players will be able to have both Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Microsoft Flight Simulator installed at the same time. That being said, they will have to have separate community folders for add-ons.
We move on to hear about Sim Update 16, which will be delayed. The developers are waiting for a feature on the Xbox platform level, so instead, they will release Aircraft and Avionics Update 3, which will update the Airbus A310, the Airbus A320neo, and the Pilatus PC-6 Porter. It’s planned for mid-September.
Sim Update 16 will come after the launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, likely in early 2025 or late 2024 at the earliest.
The Airbus A320neo will receive a brand-new LNAV (lateral navigation) implementation and a usable Airbus-specific terrain radar with separate zooms on the Captain and First Officer sides.
Interestingly, Microsoft is discussing the possible implementation of the Pratt & Whitney engine variants, but Neumann did not make promises.
You can see the new features in action below.
Next, we get the announcement of the free World Update 18 coming this month (on August 22), focusing on Germany, Austria, and Switzerland just in time for Gamescom.
It’ll include a new Digital Elevation Map with much higher resolution (mostly 1m) compared to what we had before. It will also use brand-new aerial imagery which is the same that will be used in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, so we can consider it like a preview.
Germany will come with 5 cities with photogrammetry, Berlin, Karow, Potsdam, Frankfurt Am Main, and Hanau. The country will also get Munich Airport (EDDM) and 42 points of interest.
Austria will get 3 cities with photogrammetry, Linz, Vienna (much improved compared to what is already in the simulator), and Salzburg, which will also get its airport, LOWS. 38 points of interest will be included in the package.
Lastly, Switzerland will have 2 cities with photogrammetry, Zurich and Bern, which will also get its airport, LSZB. 36 points of interest will complete the country.
You can see plenty of images in the video below, presented directly by Neumann.
Next, we get the reveal of the Local Legend 19 aircraft, the Focke-Wulf 200 Condor airliner that debuted in the late 1930s.
Interestingly, Microsoft funded the purchase of parts of the cockpit of a real Condor from a private collector and donated them to a restoration effort. Thanks to this, the aircraft will be more detailed in the simulator.
Below you can see a video starring the creator of the aircraft, Oliver Moser, providing a first look.
An update to the ATR 42/72 will be coming likely in September (a specific release date has not been decided), including the ATR 42-600 STOL version and the freighter version of the ATR 72. It’ll also include many fixes.
The Boeing 707-320C Famous Flyer 10 which was supposed to launch in time for July 4 is finally ready, and it should come on September 17.
We then hear that the World Update 19 coming in December will feature Brazil, while the Local Legend coming with it will be the CAP-4 Paulistinha trainer aircraft.
The next Famous Flayer has been officially announced as the Sud Aviation Caravelle. Yet, it’ll probably be delayed to 2025.
Microsoft is also in discussion with Turkey, as they have the data, but they have a stipulation that dictates that said data needs to remain in Turkey, so Microsoft is trying to figure out if they can use local servers to serve it in the simulator.
Greece also has restrictions in place, but Neumann believes that there is a viable path forward to bypass them. Unfortunately, it’ll take “a few years.”
Lastly, we hear a bit more about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (which is releasing on November 19, 2024). Neumann mentions that the developers are working on “a ton of planes” for the new simulator, but not all will be finished in time for launch. Specifically, Neumann believes that one or two may come later.
As such, Microsoft wants to make sure that everything is finalized before publishing the full list of aircraft, which will be announced in September.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is currently available for PC and Xbox Series X|S.
If you’d like to get into flight simulation and Microsoft Flight Simulator but need some help getting started, you can read our introductory guide, alongside the second episode focusing on installing add-ons, and another showcasing the basic instruments.
You can also read more flight simulation news in yesterday’s roundup article.
