Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the oldest flight sims out there, but the version we currently have at our disposal arrived in August 2020 and was promised at least 10 years of support by devs Asobo and Microsoft itself.

Then in the middle of the year, eyebrows were raised when Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was announced as a standalone sequel. Microsoft has since confirmed that most add-ons bought for the 2020 version will work in the 2024 iteration when it arrives should virtual pilots wish to upgrade. MSFS will also be a Day One release on the Game Pass subscription service.

There is no release date, beyond the obvious 2024 for the enhanced version as yet, but Microsoft has teased a new screenshot showing a spectacularly detailed Grand Canyon. We already know from the trailer, which you can watch below, that we will be able to fly a variety of ‘jobs’ such as helicopter cargo trips, mountain rescue, and heavy industrial cargo planes. We also know that we can take to the skies in a little more chilled fashion with gliders and even hot air balloons for the first time, but that’s for next year.

For now, the 2020 release continues to get love with the new City Update 5 going live featuring the sights and landmarks of Zagreb in Croatia, Košice in Slovakia, Cádiz in Spain, The Hague in the Netherlands, and Brussels in Belgium. The update can be downloaded now, free of charge, from the in-game store.

MSFS World Update 16 coming next month

January will see the arrival of World Update 16, this one focussing on improving the sim around the Caribbean. We will get new aerial imagery and a host of new Points of Interest, alongside seven remodeled and enhanced airports from the region. These are:

• MUCL — Aeropuerto International Vilo Acuria (Cuba)
• MDPP — Puerto Plata International Airport (Dominican Republic)
• MTCA — Antoine-Simone Airport (Haiti)
• MKJS — Sangster International Airport (Jamaica)
• TTCP — Crown Point International Airport (Trinidad and Tobago)
• MYEH — North Eleuthera Airport (The Bahamas)
• TFFS — Les Saintes Airport (Guadeloupe)

Turtle Beach is also set to release a new premium HOTAS you will be able to use with either version of Flight Sim and you can read more about that from our story last week.

Paul McNally

Paul has been around consoles and computers since his parents bought him a Mattel Intellivision. He spent over a decade as editor of popular print-based video games and computer magazines, including a market-leading PlayStation title. Has written gaming content for GamePro, Official Australian PlayStation Magazine, PlayStation Pro, Amiga Action, Mega Action, ST Action, GQ, Loaded, and the Daily Mirror. Former champion shoot ’em-up legend.