Career Mode in MSFS 2024: A Surprisingly Open Experience
Career mode is far more open than I expected. Instead of being directed to a specific starting point, you create your avatar and can begin at any airport in the world. You meet your mentor and take off on a familiarization flight. According to Dedeine, this level of openness allows you to “essentially play an infinite number of times.”
The interface will feel familiar to most gamers, resembling the skill trees you’d see in a game like Spider-Man, but here it tracks your aviation certifications. Instead of unlocking superpowers, you’re spending in-game credits earned through flying jobs. To gain a certification, you must prove yourself before being eligible to take an exam, which also requires spending the in-game currency you earn along the way.
For example, you might start as a private pilot tasked with flying a mother and her son from Aspen to LAX. A smooth flight and successful landing will earn you high marks from your passengers, and your earnings depend on your performance and evaluations from the simulated customers. The in-game currency isn’t just for exam fees – it also lets you purchase airplanes, hangars, and even hire staff as you progress from apprentice to master. I’m already planning my global airline empire, and I haven’t even started my first flight in career mode! And that’s just one path. There are also careers in air rescue, racing, agriculture, and more.
