“This is not the launch experience we want for our players and want to apologize to the community”: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launches to ‘mostly negative’ reviews

"This is not the launch experience we want for our players and want to apologize to the community": Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launches to 'mostly negative' reviews

What you need to know

  • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launched on November 19, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass.
  • While the game promised substantial improvements over its predecessor, launch issues have marred the experience, resulting in a ‘mostly negative’ rating on Steam.
  • Due to these technical problems, our review remains unrated as the game receives further updates.
  • In response to community feedback, Microsoft has apologized on social media and is working to address the issues by increasing server capacity.

As someone who has been eagerly awaiting the launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, I was genuinely excited to take my virtual seat and soar the friendly skies. However, much like the unlucky passengers on a delayed flight, we find ourselves stranded at the gate, unable to board due to technical issues beyond our control.


2024’s version of Microsoft Flight Simulator made its debut just two days ago, gearing up for a historic launch by being immediately accessible on Xbox Game Pass. It boasts significant advancements such as increased terrain realism and an extensive career mode. This has excited many to put on their pilot outfits for the first time, drawing in a wider audience than the franchise typically attracts.

Instead, Microsoft’s miscalculation of user interest negatively impacted what could have been a successful debut. During a developer live stream, it was unveiled that the game was only tested with 200,000 virtual users. This number significantly fell short of the actual demand, leading to a rocky launch. The aftermath saw numerous dissatisfied customers giving the game ‘mostly negative’ reviews on Steam.

“We knew the excitement was high for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, but frankly we completely underestimated how high.”

At present, our review for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 remains unrated due to challenges in conducting thorough testing because the game’s current state is almost untestable. Our Senior Editor Ben Wilson and numerous others are still experiencing problems even days after its release, causing them to abstain from scoring the game completely. Microsoft has issued apologies on social media for the widespread access difficulties and promised to enhance server capacity. Nevertheless, a brief glance at player feedback indicates that these issues continue to affect a substantial number of players within the gaming community.

On November 21, 2024, we’ve expanded our server capabilities, allowing more gamers to join the simulation. Yet, access problems persist. We strive for a seamless launch experience for our players and want to extend our sincerest apologies to the gaming community. Rest assured, we are tirelessly working day and night…

What is actually wrong with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

Besides frequent server overloads causing difficulties for numerous players to access the game, the game experiences recurring crashes accompanied by extended waits for reconnection. Furthermore, it appears that some fortunate users have encountered texture loading problems based on various Reddit posts.

Hmmm… Expectation vs. Reality 🥴 from r/MicrosoftFlightSim

Stunning graphics, right? from r/MicrosoftFlightSim

I’ve noticed that some individuals are encountering troubles while loading entire aircraft, and it seems humorous as cockpits appear to navigate through cosmic expanses rather than simulated skies – more reminiscent of a space exploration game like Starfield than Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Steam ‘review bombing’ at launch

"This is not the launch experience we want for our players and want to apologize to the community": Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launches to 'mostly negative' reviews

As an analyst, I recognize that gamers often air their grievances through Steam review bombing, especially during times of protest against perceived issues in a game’s launch. However, it’s essential to consider whether this is fair when temporary glitches are prevalent and fixable. A game’s rating should not bear the brunt of problems that can be addressed over time.

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2024-11-21 16:09