Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is an incredibly-realistic extension of the success that was MFS2020.
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The latest version of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator was released on Tuesday, debuting on Windows and Xbox Series X/S. With a focus on aerial firefighting, search and rescue simulation, skydiving, and cropdusting, the latest version of MFS is rumored to be intensely realistic, even more so than MFS2020. Microsoft has bumped up the price of all four editions of the game (Standard, Deluxe, Premium, and Aviator) by approximately $10.00, and the game now starts at $69.99 and goes up to $199.99. (It should be noted that if you are subscribed to PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you will receive the game free of charge from day one). The primary focus of this latest version is on aviation careers, rather than just flying in free mode–allowing players to fight fires, build a career, participate in search & rescue operations, and collect experience.
Technical details
As expected, the system requirements for MFS2024 are more stringent then ever. While the recommended graphics card for MFS2020 was merely an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970/Radeon RX 590, the GPU requirement for MFS2024 is either a GeFroce RTX 2080 (a huge jump in power) or a Radeon RX 5700 XT. The CPU requirements are far more demanding, recommending that your computer pack an Intel Core i7-10700K or an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or better. Minimum and Recommended memory amounts have been doubled, with the ideal value being 32 GB. Many computers still struggle to run MFS2020; it’s daunting to imagine how hard it will be for even the best modern computers to run MFS 2024–showing that the performance-intensive nature of the game is still present in this latest version, just as it was four years ago.
What’s new for gameplay
One of the most important new additions to Microsoft Flight Simulator is the ability to get out of a plane while parked and walk around. You can choose avatars, appearances, and more just as with a conventional first-person game. The UI has also been revamped slightly, with a new modern color and font in use for the menus. Early access gameplay reviewers have observed the stunning visuals and intense improvements in the realism, and the various weather options have been expanded as well, ranging from scattered clouds, light thunderstorms, overcast skies, and hurricanes–although the thundercloud simulation still looks a little bit fake, as it’s Microsoft’s first time simulating such advanced weather.
You can also set up complex wind speeds at different altitudes, choose the type of clouds, and more. The UI and instrumentation–airspeed, heading, power level, AOA, etc.–has also been revamped, and the ATC dialog boxes are non-intrusive, bearing a new design. New “Missions” have been created and integrated into the game, prompting players to complete various challenges to gain points and experience. The game uses all-new satellite imagery to combine some of its stunning landscapes with renderings.
MFS2024 features 45 new aircraft across various different categories, with 70 aircraft coming in the Standard edition, 80 aircraft in the Deluxe edition, 95 aircraft in the Premium Deluxe edition, and 125 aircraft in the Aviator’s edition. Notable new aircraft include the Airbus A330 (all variants), the Airbus Beluga XL, the Airbus Helicopter H125, the Boeing 737 MAX 8, the 747-8l, the Cirrus VisionJet, the De Havilland CL-415, DHC-2, and DHC-6, and the Pilatus PC-12. And these are simply the aircraft new in the Standard edition, which we imagine most users will purchase. The Premium Deluxe edition gives you the Boeing 747-400, 747-400 Dreamlifter, 787-10 Dreamlifter, C-17 Globemaster, and CH47D Chinook–lots of nice picks for scenic routes. If you want tog o insane, you can opt for the Aviator’s edition and get the Boeing 307 Stratoliner, and the 707-320C, in addition to the mammoth Antonov AN-225.
Among other things, better ground traffic reporting and live flight tracking has come to MFS2024, making air traffic control all the more realistic. Auroras, animal migration and herds, and the four seasons are also part of MFS2024’s new natural landscape. Additionally, content players purchased in MFS2020 will be free of charge to upgrade to MFS2024. Players will be able to choose from a variety of careers at the beginning of the game, simulating how real-world pilots pick their aviation careers. According to Microsoft, the digital detail of the landscape will be increased by a factor of 4,000.
Conclusion
Overall, it appears that Microsoft has done another stunning job crafting an intensely realistic flight simulator, extending the success that was MFS2020 into something incredible, featuring careers, search and rescue operations, firefighting teams, and more. While the performance requirements for the new game are extremely hard to meet–even harder than MFS2020–the game is a delight to play and witness in action when everything is working properly. We say that because there are likely to be several bugs throughout the game that will be uncovered over the next few weeks, as is the custom with Microsoft, but hopefully everything will be sorted out after a while.
We’ll be discussing the details of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 more in this Sunday’s TechStation podcast, among other tech news that made the headlines this week. Stay tuned!
