It took us a little bit by surprise if I’m honest. Yesterday, Microsoft announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 will be released on 18th August 2020. This is much, much earlier than we expected; we predicted October-time based on various hardware release dates and typical Beta testing durations. Closed beta testing is imminent and to us this is a really ambitious, but impressive release schedule. Along with the release date, we learned more about pricing and the various tiers available, each of which brings added goodies! We are also a little amused by the choice of colour coding for each ‘tier’ – it’s just like most airlines’ frequent flyer status programmes! Let’s have a look.
Airports
The standard version includes 30 specially hand crafted and ultra-realistic airports. This increases to 35 for the deluxe version and 40 for the premium version. We knew there would be specific detailed airports, but the tier/edition levels were a surprise. The standard version does include the main ‘big-hitters’, but noticeable exceptions such as Amsterdam Schipol, Chicago O’Hare, London Heathrow, Dubai International and San Francisco are only available in the more expensive tiers. That standard version has plenty to work with and should be ample for most, but the absence of some big names will no doubt push the hardcore simmers towards the premium version.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is not like previous flight simulators, and a virtual pilot can expect a much higher level of detail and realism for over 45,000 airports worldwide – this has been a major feature pushed by the developers. The airports listed are the extra detail and highly accurate ones that have been individually created.
Aeroplanes
The aircraft list was a pleasant surprise. There hasn’t been much published about the aircraft lists – we only knew of a few we’d seen from the press material and Alpha testing. Again, the tier system has been put to good use and there are a few aircraft that will surely tempt the more avid users towards the more expensive editions, notably a B787-10 and Cirrus SR22. The list of aeroplanes is extensive and a choice of 30 default aircraft for the premium version will ensure there is something for most people to enjoy – even if it is a little GA (General Aviation) biased. The A320NEO, B747-8 and the Citation jets will more than likely ‘scratch the itch’ for most jet turbine fans.
Pricing
A tiered pricing structure to reflect the three editions has been revealed, and the primary differentiator is the availability of extra aircraft and airports. All versions will have the features mentioned in our series of articles and be capable of the same functionality. Pricing starts at £59.99 for the standard edition, rising to £79.99 for the deluxe edition and topping out at £109.99 for the premium, fully loaded, edition. It’s worth noting that US pricing features the same numbers. Another case of the UK losing out on a conversion rate – it’s the same methodology that Apple and the likes practise. The price represents a one-off purchase and can also be bought on a DVD in Europe rather than download only.
Our Thoughts
Well, as we said earlier, this was a bit of a surprise to us. We were expecting a release date around October, based on development timelines and hardware suppliers. However, this was only an educated guess. We were wrong and we’re excited that the wait is very nearly over!
Some noticeable omissions from the program exist when compared to other flight simulator versions. The aircraft list didn’t feature helicopters, which have been popular in previous versions. The option of a shared cockpit is also missing. This is something we were hoping would feature in a final version. You never know, these may be on the list for future upgrades. They were certainly on the wishlist and the developers know how popular they would be.
We have also read some negative sentiments about the simulators pricing pitch. We were actually expecting far steeper pricing and were pleasantly surprised. Lots and lots of additional features such as real-world weather and real time traffic are included in the simulation, along with real world navigation data that has to be kept up to date. We were expecting a subscription model for these features as they are very advanced and require lots of work/updates to remain valid and current. It’s great to see them included in a one-off purchase. Secondly, the sheer amount of work that has gone into this simulator justifies the price charged. It really is very reasonable considering the new weather engine, aerodynamics simulation, world modelling just to name a few. The extra detailed airports alone cost over £30 each and aeroplanes upwards of £50/£60 when buying as addons from third party developers for other flight simulation platforms such as P3D and X-Plane. The fact that 10 extra airports and aeroplanes are included in the premium version over the standard version represents a significant increase in value.
We look forward to exploring the game more and will be sure to report back with our findings, as well as suggestions for Virtual Airline Captains to develop their virtual flying careers. Be sure to read our series following the development of MSFS2020 (link) and also have a look at our affiliate shop (link) for reviews and the ability to purchase the hardware we recommend for the best and most realistic flight simulation experience.