What is Going on With Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

What is Going on With Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

As someone who has been flying virtual skies for decades now, I must say that my initial excitement for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 quickly turned into frustration. The game promises an immersive and realistic flight experience, but the reality is far from it.


Towards the year-end, there was a palpable enthusiasm surrounding Microsoft and the Xbox Series X/S, as the corporation was set to unveil no less than three significant console exclusives in quick succession. Remarkably, two of these – Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl – were slated for release just hours apart. Unfortunately, that was not the case in reality.

Instead, upon release, Asobo Studio’s much-awaited sequel to the 2020 hit flight simulator that revitalized the franchise encountered a significant issue. This problem made it difficult for most players to access the game. Many experienced lengthy initial loading times, while others reached 97% in their load before it halted. Those who managed to log in reported a less-than-optimal experience, and given the title’s heavy reliance on cloud services, even more so compared to its predecessor, the only solution was to wait until the servers were resolved.

During this period, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 received a “Very Negative” rating on Steam, with numerous users voicing their dissatisfaction and anger. The development team promptly addressed the issue by releasing an update on the game’s launch day, explaining that one of the systems managing Career Mode and other missions had become overwhelmed due to an excessive number of requests. The problem was fixed, and players were allowed to return at a controlled rate. However, this doesn’t mean everything is now running smoothly – it just means access is being gradually restored.

Online title glitches across all genres aren’t exactly unheard of. Many expected these initial problems to be rectified swiftly and for positive feedback to replace the negative (or become outdated). However, with the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, focus has turned towards its various issues and glitches, such as the malfunctioning A-Life 2.0 system.

Despite high anticipation, Flight Simulator 2024 hasn’t managed to recover from its initial release. Instead, it continues to hold a “Mostly Negative” rating based on 6,122 user reviews, with only 38% expressing satisfaction. Players have been vocal about problems such as lengthy loading times, stuttering, and crashes, although a patch has been released to tackle these issues. One reviewer shared their experience of spending around 25 minutes loading for a single mission in Career Mode, which lasted approximately 10 minutes of actual flying time. However, it’s worth noting that five minutes were spent loading into the certifications menu.

In simpler terms, those ten minutes were quite inefficient due to various assets being absent, partially constructed aircraft on the runway, and an environment that appeared like a “post-apocalyptic desert.” It’s also been noted that this time spent loading coincidentally reduces the window for requesting a refund on Steam. Although it’s unlikely that this was deliberate on the part of Asobo or Xbox, it definitely creates an unfavorable impression.

What is Going on With Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

By visiting the game’s subreddit, you’ll come across numerous other glitches. For instance, you might find passengers mysteriously appearing beneath an airplane, a mission requiring travel from Florida to Spain using an aircraft with just 800 miles of range (when typically, such a journey would require a plane capable of 4300 miles), planes getting stuck inside buildings and hindering test completion – the issues are abundant.

In Free Flight, you’ll find videos showing planes appearing on runways without their landing gears deployed, individuals standing on a plane’s wing, and a grey block seemingly replacing a plane that casually moves along. This is aside from criticisms leveled at the game’s user interface, which many find confusing, and poor AI voice acting in Career Mode, as well as cheesy passenger dialogue and other issues.

And yet, all of this is only a handful of tales about the game. Others tell – and show – a gorgeous title with exceptional attention to detail and an extensive range of fun things to do. We praised the visuals, physics model, and new features like World Photographer in our review. Even on the subreddit and Steam, you’ll find plenty gushing over the game’s realism and discovering new things like wildlife as they explore the world. Comparisons between real life and Flight Sim 2024 are also starting to circulate, and the latter matches up quite well.

The basic idea is clear: when the game operates smoothly without significant problems, it’s genuinely enjoyable. That’s what fans essentially desire, particularly considering they’ve invested both time with its prior version over several years and $70. Remarkably, it boasts superior technical capabilities and a greater array of features and content, all for $10 less.

What is Going on With Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

The issues with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are not minor. It’s surprising that we can run the game on PC at 4K resolution and almost all settings set to Ultra with DLSS Quality enabled, given its less-than-ideal requirements. However, even as it maintains a frame rate between 30 and 45 frames per second, the occasional stuttering is hard to overlook.

On the Xbox Series X, the game runs more smoothly at 30 frames per second, although it occasionally experiences some dips. Both versions load maps quickly, but they’re marred by odd transitions that seem to hint at an impending crash. Upon entering a map, the game initially staggers significantly before settling down.

Instead of just believing what we say, consider this praiseworthy feedback: It lauds the absence of exporting constraints from the prior game, as well as a glitch during missions where it showed an incorrect airport location that was significantly off by about 6500 kilometers. Additionally, it notes that the plane made no sounds, requiring an immediate solution.

Keep in mind that even if your gameplay has been mostly trouble-free, it doesn’t guarantee there aren’t any major glitches hiding. A glance at Asobo’s Known Issues list warns about the possibility of a crash or the game freezing when working with big custom airports, particularly large ones. Additionally, out of approximately 8000 add-ons transferred from the old game’s Marketplace, some are causing problems severe enough to prevent the game from launching entirely. The developers are currently checking each one to ensure everything works smoothly.

What is Going on With Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

Over time, this technology is expected to become more streamlined as developers address and fix issues, resulting in players having a smoother, quicker path to enjoyment. While some dedicated gamers might not find it the most authentic simulator available, there’s still plenty of entertainment to be found soaring through pristine skies over snow-covered landscapes. Additionally, it offers breathtaking sights such as watching a sunset over a bustling city from the water’s edge, with stunning reflections, or simply stepping out of your aircraft to appreciate the unique details and diverse flora and fauna of various biomes.

In one of the most expansive games ever created, there’s no denying that it offers a wealth of content. However, the numerous issues that arise when trying to complete even a basic mission or simply enjoy a Free Flight can be disheartening at best and infuriating at worst. The challenge lies not only in polishing and optimizing the game, but also in providing additional features and updates to surpass its 2020 version. Despite all its promising aspects and potential, it seems that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will require a considerable amount of time to truly shine.

Please take note that the opinions shared within this article belong solely to the writer. These perspectives may not align with or be endorsed by GamingBolt as a collective entity.

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2024-11-27 18:42