Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Reaches New Heights Following Rocky Start

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 immerses players in an incredibly lifelike virtual version of our planet, promising thrilling aviation experiences and endless exploration, despite initial technical hiccups.

Reflecting back, Christmas 1982 stands out in my memories. We’d just gotten our hands on the IBM PC Jr, and I was crossing my fingers that Microsoft’s Flight Simulator—first from this relatively young, unknown company—was amongst the elegantly wrapped gifts under our tree. But as we unwrapped everything Christmas morning, there was no sign of the game.

Seeing my disappointed face, my dad smiled and suggested I power up the computer to show him that new program I’d been bubbling about. As I booted it up, with all its mechanical whirs and clicks, I noticed a floppy disk sitting there. Within moments, the monitor revealed a simple instrument panel and a line-art horizon, sparking my imagination to life even on that small, 13-inch screen.

For a fleeting moment, my twelve-year-old self felt as if I was truly piloting a plane.

Fast forward 42 years, and the release day for Flight Simulator 2024 felt ironically similar—I found myself in a kind of virtual limbo, waiting a solid eight hours to connect to Microsoft’s servers.

Once I finally strapped into a cockpit, this new installment revealed a stunningly detailed digital Earth, made possible by cutting-edge cloud technology. It’s likely this very tech caused the initial connection issues during launch.

Boasting realistic ecosystems, dynamic weather, and fresh career options, MSFS 2024 sets new benchmarks for flight simulators. Much like its predecessor from Asobo, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, it incorporates live weather and authentic traffic data. This realistic infusion elevates MSFS 2024 to unprecedented heights. During a recent flight over New York City, the rain pelting against my cockpit matched what Ian Hamilton from UploadVR reported as happening in the real city below.

In the game’s Free Flight mode, I ventured over the breathtaking skylines of New York, the glittery expanse of Las Vegas, and the beloved streets of my hometown. Each flight was a visual spectacle, underscoring the game’s vast potential for exploration with unparalleled high-altitude realism.

Aside from free-flying, the game features curated photography, activity modes, and challenges, including starting a virtual piloting career. For now, career mode remains inaccessible for me due to a glitch keeping me from choosing an airport to begin my journey. I trust Microsoft and Asobo are hard at work ironing it out.

Adding extra flair, the game includes Red Bull Air Racing, presenting daunting challenges that test even seasoned pilots. While I frequently clashed with failure, the thrill of zipping by low and fast pushed me to improve after each crash.

Aside from its signature aerial focus, the 2024 edition introduces on-foot exploration, expanding the gameplay significantly. Despite noticeable street-level mapping flaws, improvements in 3D mapping tease a future where we might one day roam highly detailed streets globally. However, that kind of realism is a far-off dream, so it’s best not to anticipate such in-depth detail soon.

With DLSS boosting performance for RTX series NVIDIA GPU owners, maintaining the simulator’s rich detail demands hefty computing power. Even top-tier PCs feel the strain when navigating dense urban airspace, so for peak visuals and fluidity, a powerful setup is crucial.

My own gaming rig features an Intel I9 13900k CPU clocked at 5.8 GHz, 64 GB of DDR5 RAM, a motherboard by ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, and a Zotac Gaming 4090 Amp Extreme Airo GPU. For all my gameplay, I’ve relied on a Meta Quest 3, hooked up via a Link cable. However, even with these specs, the game strains under ultra VR settings in busy airspace. The complexity and resource needs of this simulation seriously challenge even the best hardware, so those with less powerful systems should stick to lower settings. Performance may improve over time, as it did with the 2020 version, but for now, those without cutting-edge hardware will need to compromise on settings.

Ultimately, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 transcends gaming—it invites new generations to indulge their dream of flying, across a beautifully rendered, expanding digital globe.