Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: A New Era of Flight Simulation
When Microsoft Flight Simulator (commonly known as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020) was released in August 2020, it represented a significant leap forward for flight simulation, unlike anything we had seen in years. Before that, Microsoft had largely stepped away from the franchise, with their last major attempt being Microsoft Flight following the release of FSX in 2006.
When MSFS 2020 debuted, it revolutionized flight simulation by leveraging the significant technological advancements made since FSX. With the help of AI and support from the Azure and Bing teams, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was incredibly ambitious, offering a visually stunning world to explore in a wide range of planes.
The gaming community was taken by surprise in 2023 when the trailer for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was revealed during the Xbox showcase in June. Now, with just 61 days left until its official release, it’s time to dive into a hands-on experience with what promises to be Microsoft’s most ambitious flight simulator yet.
This article covers my hands-on time with the simulator. If you’re looking for a more technical breakdown, you can find that elsewhere. I want to emphasize that everything I experienced is still a work in progress and may be updated, improved, or fixed before the final release.
For context, I spent around 60 minutes with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The version I played was pre-release software, meaning many features, planes, and UI elements were not yet accessible. This is typical for software at this stage in development, especially in a preview setting. If I didn’t touch on something you’re curious about, check out your favorite content creators, as we all explored different aspects during the demo.
As part of the first group of media to test the sim at the Global Preview Event, we did encounter a few hiccups. The character creation tool, for example, had a bug that caused the sim to crash whenever we tried to customize our avatars.
This “red error man” quickly became a running joke, but it also demonstrated how rapidly the development team could address issues. The thin client architecture allowed the team to push updates without lengthy downloads or sim updates. While this bug won’t be in the final version, it became a fun moment that some might even wish would be preserved as a mod for nostalgia.
You could see the Microsoft team’s concern when the sim crashed to the desktop. However, there were unexpected positives from the situation. First, relaunching the sim allowed us to see how fast it loaded. In less than a minute, I was back on the world map, selecting my next flight. It was impressively fast, including the opening credits sequence.
Second, the crash showcased how quickly the developers were able to identify and patch the issue. Within an hour, the bug was fixed and distributed to users via the cloud. Thanks to the thin client technology, no additional download was required, restarting the sim was all it took to apply the patch. While it wasn’t the best start to the day, there was a silver lining. After this issue was resolved, the experience was largely smooth.
One of the first things I noticed was the updated user interface and menus. Compared to its predecessor, MSFS 2024 has received a noticeable upgrade in terms of user experience. The interface feels more refined, responsive, and consistent in its design. Upon loading the sim, you’re greeted by a streamlined menu on the left side of the screen, with the world map displayed in the background.
Transitioning from the world map to the in-flight simulator in under 30 seconds was impressive, though keep in mind this is a pre-release version.
Aircraft selection looks much cleaner, with the loading screen replaced by a zoom-in effect on the world map as it loads. The in-sim menus are also cleaner and more concise, retaining familiarity for MSFS 2020 players but with meaningful improvements. This theme of refinement without drastic changes runs throughout the simulator. Accessing activities, training, and settings remains mostly the same, but new options for World Photography and Career Mode are now available, adding exciting new gameplay possibilities.
