The latest installment of Microsoft Flight Simulator launches today, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. But without even leaving the comfort of their own home, enthusiastic simulator pilots have been left with flights delayed after a turbulent launch day for the community.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Launch Chaos
I’m a massive fan of Microsoft Flight Simulator having flow with it since I got a copy of Flight Simulator for Windows 95. I’ve always felt Microsoft underestimated the passion behind this franchise’s community, sometimes leaving massive gaps between releases. Today at 4.30pm the four year wait, which wasn’t too bad, for the latest edition came to an end. Or at least that was the plan.
Microsoft haven’t been able to cope with the demand (back to my point on underestimating the passion of the flight sim community). I could tell that this launch felt different. I could tell there was going to be a massive pent up desire to take to the skies in a version of Flight Simulator that promised to be biggest, better and faster that the 2020 version.
Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn’t gotten this right at launch. The game launched on Microsoft’s Gamepass, which means millions of subscribed customers were looking forward to a “day one” release. It had also been purchased directly by sim fans through Microsoft and Steam, with some paying up to €219.99 for Flight Simulator 2024 – Aviator Edition.
Understandably, on Steam, the game has an “Overwhelmingly Negative” rating from, at the time of writing, 1,577 reviews posted.
Microsoft took to social media to explain the situation, stating, “with so many users initializing the sim concurrently, we have a large number of server requests. We are working to help resolve the issues as soon as possible”.
Microsoft’s Embarrassment
At the end of the day, this isn’t a big deal. Microsoft will scale up the servers once they fix the fact they are being choked out by demand. However, it’s embarrassing for the company who championed its new approach to Flight Simulator as being revolutionary for the simulator.
The developers celebrated the install size being minimised and a move to cloud-based streaming as a victory for simmers. And I’m sure it will be, but only once we finally get to trundle down the runway and take off into simulator glory.
For now, simmers around the world are basking in the joy of hilarious memes which you can check out over on the Flight Simulator SubReddit. Or, you can use this time to consider the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight Stick instead which, alongside VR, is my goto way to fly.
