Monday, July 13th 2020
Microsoft Flight Simulator Taking Off August 18th; Content Tiered Across Game Editions
Microsoft's upcoming Flight Simulator has already shown users its promise with breathtaking visuals and a revamped simulation experience that will have our inner flight captains stand at attention. The game has now been listed on the Microsoft Store, with a release date set on August 18th - right around the time where some of us will be hiding out from uncomfortably high temperatures. However, Microsoft's content tiering across game editions may not be your cup of tea.
The game's Standard Edition will retail for $59.99, and includes 20 planes and 30 airports. Pay $89.99 though, and you get an upgrade to the Deluxe Edition which features five additional aircraft (of which there are two Cessna aircraft included) and five more international airports (including Cairo and O'Hare). At $119.99, the Premium Deluxe Edition will net you a grand total of 30 planes and 40 total airports. This last upgrade will land you, among others, the Heathrow, San Francisco and Frankfurt airports, as well as Boeing's 787-10 Dreamliner. This is a strange way to tier Deluxe Editions - it's almost as if they were being separated via DLC packs. Time will tell if this tiering system works. If you haven't yet, check out a 4K trailer after the break. If you want to see the system requirements, we've got you covered.
The game's Standard Edition will retail for $59.99, and includes 20 planes and 30 airports. Pay $89.99 though, and you get an upgrade to the Deluxe Edition which features five additional aircraft (of which there are two Cessna aircraft included) and five more international airports (including Cairo and O'Hare). At $119.99, the Premium Deluxe Edition will net you a grand total of 30 planes and 40 total airports. This last upgrade will land you, among others, the Heathrow, San Francisco and Frankfurt airports, as well as Boeing's 787-10 Dreamliner. This is a strange way to tier Deluxe Editions - it's almost as if they were being separated via DLC packs. Time will tell if this tiering system works. If you haven't yet, check out a 4K trailer after the break. If you want to see the system requirements, we've got you covered.
43 Comments on Microsoft Flight Simulator Taking Off August 18th; Content Tiered Across Game Editions
And please don't tell me that there's no compression or decompression technologies available with these companies, even the game setups so many AAA devs and publishers do not care to use proper compression on the game files causing the ultra bloated size.
Hitman series is another case for the pure GaaS, yeah they added a patch to make the things available with the offline mode but it ruins the gameplay, destroys the purpose of the level design and achievements, once IOI pulls the plug after 4-5 years Hitman 1,2 won't be playable offline 1:1 experience, where as old HItman games which are even more dark like Hitman : Contracts still has a GOG release for full offline gameplay.
Google is doing the same with Android Filesystem by removing the capabilities of it's R/W access by encouraging more Cloud imitated from Apple from Android 11, MS UWP also does this to an extent by limiting the application access to the FS, and now this is a bit more sidestep but it's a case to consider because, UWP has a new project reunion which bakes in built Telemetry into the API of UWP+Win32, if this game evolves over the time *IF* that reunion takes flight properly then more lockstep into the Application control loss to the end user.
Big respect to MS to release such a game in todays' FPS/PUBG/MOBA saturated market. I will be buying the boxed version for $119.99 USD for sure.
Most of their planes seem to be really small sport planes, with the only noted airliners being the mammoth (and old) 747, the A320, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner. What's up with THAT? The same shortage of detailed airports and plane choices leaves me with a Meh taste in my mouth, and their tiered pricing to me is just stupid considering the minute additional items offered. They should have just included all of it, and sold it for $120.
I'm also suspicious about the AI traffic. Getting kinda sick of "World Airways," etc.. If they don't even have a flyable 737 or CRJ in the simulator, what about their AI traffic? If they have realistic AI, why didn't they give us those airliners?
I think it was more of an effort to round up more Windows 7 holdouts and force them to use Windows 10. (and there's no real reason for that requirement either, considering that the two are still based on the same framework).
The real world "Bing earth" topographical addition is great, but their removal of some of the most wanted aircraft is idiotic. I wonder what deals they made with the third party payware developers..... I've had every version of FS ever released so far, and bought lots of addons for them, but even though I just built a gaming rig to run this, and was getting ready to get a VR headset (now not supported) and new monitor, I just dumped the entire plan. I'm not buying it, nor am I going to go forward with the hopelessly messed up Windows 10. Double fail Microsoft. Good luck with your Bing Earth Simulator with limited Airport Scenery Effects package.
I'm completely awestruck by the videos I've seen of MSFS2020 and of course, the standard edition is included in Game Pass.
So in the end I signed up for XBox Game Pass at $1 for the first month and $4.99 thereafter with the added bonus of having access to loads of other games without breaking the bank.
That's a win-win in my book.
This is why I went for the Game Pass, just glide around and admire the scenery. I can always cancel, which pretty much answers my question about tiered content.