The much awaited new title in the Microsoft Flight Simulator series has been a long time coming, with the most recent title Microsoft Flight Simulator X launching way back in 2006. Now, with less than a month to go until launch, fans looking to get as close as they can to the real experience of flying have more good news, as Microsoft has revealed that the game will receive a free virtual reality (VR) update.
Publisher Microsoft and developer Asobo Studios made the announcement at a press briefing, where they revealed that the upcoming HP Reverb G2 will be the first compatible headset, launching alongside the VR update at an unannounced date. The Reverb G2 features a gigantic 4032 by 2160 pixel resolution, which sounds highly suited to the detailed world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, providing that players have sufficient processing power to handle it.
Gamers with other models of VR headset will be pleased to know that following the launch of the Reverb G2, Asobo Studios will begin adding compatibility to other devices, including HTC, Oculus and Valve headsets, according to Polygon. Jorg Neumann, head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, told the gaming site that the Reverb G2 was originally due to launch in July, but due to COVID-19 the date is now to be confirmed, potentially in September. This means it is unlikely that other brands of VR headsets will have compatibility added until at least October.
The hype around Microsoft Flight Simulator suggests that the game, and its VR update may be well worth the wait. The use of Microsoft's Azure AI for clever cloud-based streaming and real-world weather data, means the sim creates far more detailed and intricate worlds than would be possible on a single offline machine. Early impressions from previews have generally been very positive, with the machine-learning technology providing a gaming experience that few players will have seen before.
The existence of three editions of Microsoft Flight Simulator has caused some controversy though, with several airports having "premium" editions that are not available with the basic version of the game. However, this is little different to countless other games which launch with planned-out DLC, Game Passes, or VIP editions, so Microsoft are hardly acting differently to other publishers. Given that the standard game comes with around 37,000 total airports, and will use streaming to access over two Petabytes of Bing Maps data, players are unlikely to feel short-changed come release day.
In addition, Microsoft Flight Simulator will embrace the third party developer community that has built up around the existing titles, featuring an in-game marketplace where they can sell planes, airports, and more. All of this means that it is very unlikely even the most dedicated fan will ever see every single thing the game has to offer, but hopefully players will have fun trying.
Microsoft Flight Simulator will launch on PC on 18th August 2020. The VR update and Xbox One release date are not yet announced.
Source: Polygon