Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 may take an enormous amount of internet bandwidth

What you need to know

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 requires a constant internet connection, as the world is streamed in with varying levels of detail depending on player settings and the exact location of a flight.
Early tests of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s technical alpha show internet bandwidth usage spiking as high as 180Mbps, while also falling to lower consumption rates of around 10Mbps in less-detailed areas of the game world.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is slated to launch on Nov. 19, 2024 across Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC.

As a seasoned flight sim enthusiast with memories of dial-up connections and pixelated skies, I must confess that the prospect of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s internet dependency has me both exhilarated and slightly apprehensive. The idea of exploring the world in stunning detail while keeping an eye on my data consumption is a thrilling one, but it’s a delicate dance between immersion and internet bills that I’ve never had to perform before.

Whether you’re a seasoned flight simulation expert or an aspiring pilot with dreams in the sky, it wouldn’t hurt to verify your internet connections twice over.

In simple terms, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 needs to be played with a continuous internet connection because the game data is continuously updated as players explore different parts of the world. Although the minimum PC requirements for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 suggest that a 50Mbps connection is sufficient according to the recommended specifications, the actual usage may peak higher in certain scenarios.

In the testing of the preliminary version of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (thanks to Tom’s Hardware), it was discovered that data consumption might surge up to 180 Megabits per second under specific conditions.

Additionally, it’s important to mention that the technical alpha had an installation size of approximately 9GB, but the complete game is expected to be around 30GB. This suggests that additional data may have been streamed during the test, which would typically be downloaded and stored locally in the full version of the game.

In the end, it’s important to be ready for potentially heavy data use since the final game details are uncertain, but rest assured, we’ll find out more as the game unfolds. However, it might be wise to anticipate a higher than average data consumption to stay on the safe side.

I had the chance to go hands-on with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 for a preview, and I enjoyed my time with the game, though there’s many aspects I wasn’t able to test.

The highly-anticipated Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will take flight on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC starting November 19, 2024. As with other Xbox exclusive games, it will be available for play right from the get-go in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. If you’re undecided about which edition suits you best, I recommend checking out my guide on the various editions of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

2024-10-15 21:08

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