Microsoft Flight Simulator was one of 2020's most surprising breakout successes, especially in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. What was at one point one of the most anticipated immersive flight simulation games turned into a cultural phenomenon with the game taking over the internet thanks to its incredible recreation of the world's most iconic landmarks, offering fans an alternative for traveling during lockdowns. While developer Asobo is still working hard on adding content to the game and bringing it to consoles, the team has announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator will receive its first paid DLC today.
Microsoft Flight Simulator was first announced at E3 2019 and was developed by A Plague Tale: Innocence developer Asobo Studio, and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is an amateur flight simulator that uses real-time streaming technology powered by Bing Maps to render a fully realistic simulation of all of Earth, right down to realistically simulated weather conditions. The game is currently in development for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, with the Xbox Series X version slated to launch this summer.
Asobo Studio has been consistently updating the game to add more detailed landmark recreations as part of free DLC packs, and even a full VR mode which arrived last December. While the developer has managed to keep this content free up until now, the studio announced today that the ultralight plane, the Top Rudder Solo 103, will be its first piece of paid DLC costing $9.99, due to external licensing fees. While this is a far cry from its real-life asking price of roughly $22,000, it is surprising that it took this long for paid content to come to the game.
The Top Rudder Solo 103 DLC pack is current available to purchase in the Microsoft Flight Simulator in-game store and comes with eight different color packs for players to customize the design of their plane.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available now on PC, and is part of Xbox Game Pass. The game is planned for release on Xbox Series X/S in summer 2021, with an Xbox One version coming later this year.