Finally, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has taken off. The latest version of this ultra-realistic sim is available for download. But before you do, here's everything you need to know, from the price to the planes you can fly to the equipment you'll need to run the game.
Since the first version was released in 1982, Microsoft Flight Simulator has been known for its realism, from the aircraft, to the flight performance, to the surrounding geographic world.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is available for PC and Xbox Game Pass subscribers. It will also be released for Xbox, presumably with simpler controls, but the company has not revealed a release date for this version.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available in three versions: the Standard version costs $59.99 and lets you fly 20 different planes. The Deluxe version ($89.99) includes 25 planes, and the Premium Deluxe version ($119.99) includes 35 planes.
All versions allow you to take off and land at 37,000 airports around the world, but each edition has more detailed "hand-crafted" airports. The Standard Edition has 30 airports, the Deluxe Edition has 35, and the Premium Deluxe Edition has 40.
The Standard Edition is also offered as part of the Xbox Game Pass for PC (beta), which currently costs just $1 per month.
In Europe, would-be pilots can also purchase Microsoft Flight Simulator via Aerosoft as a 10 double-layer DVD box set.
All versions are currently available for download.
This is not a game for wimpy PCs; to play Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, an Intel i5-4460 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 processor, Nvidia GTX 770 or AMD Radeon RX 570 GPU, 8GB RAM, 2GB VRAM, 150GB free hard drive space, and a Windows 10 PC with DirectX 11 support at a minimum.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft recommends an Intel i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X CPU, Nvidia GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 590 graphics, 4GB VRAM, 16GB RAM, 20 Mbps download speeds are recommended.
A proper Internet connection will also be required, as the map updates from Bing are said to be quite extensive.
As of December 22, Microsoft Flight Simulator supports OpenXR compatible headsets such as Valve Index, Oculus Rift S, HP Reverb G2, and Oculus Quest with Link.
Previously, you could sign up for the closed VR beta program, which appeared to work with any VR headset, but required at least an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X processor, Nvidia GTX 1080 or equivalent GPU, and at least 16 GB of RAM were required.
However, with this latest update, the flight simulator is now compatible with many other VR headsets.
The following aircraft are available in Microsoft Flight Simulator:
According to Microsoft, players can fly to and from approximately 37,000 airports worldwide. However, 40 of these airports have a "handcrafted" component, providing more detailed information and other features. For example, all players can fly to the San Francisco airport, but only those with the Premium Deluxe Edition will be able to see these handcrafted items. Microsoft has not stated the exact differences between the handcrafted and non-handcrafted versions.
As impressive as the aircraft modeling is, Microsoft Flight Simulator is also known for its very accurate rendering of the earth. The simulator relies on Microsoft's Bing Maps and uses Microsoft's Azure AI to incorporate terrain data, foliage, and real-time weather for photorealistic graphics.
For prospective buyers of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the company recommends the following peripherals, including various flight controls:
HoneycombHoneycomb Aeronautical
Logitech Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Flight Rudder Pedals Flight Throttle Quadrant Flight Yoke System X52 Pro X52 Pro X56
Thrustmaster F/A-18 Grip Warthog HOTAS (stick + throttle) MFD Cougar Pendular Rudder T. Flight Stick X T. 16000M (stick only) T. 16000M FCS (stick + throttle + rudder) T.Flight HOTAS 4 T.Flight HOTAS One T.Flight HOTAS X T.Flight Rudder Pedal TWCS Throttle
Virtual FlyRuddo+ (FlyRuddo Plus) TQ3+ (FlyRuddo+) TQ6+ (FlyRuddo+) V3rnio TPM Yoko+
MicrosoftXbox Controller Xbox adaptive controller
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