Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 review: Recovering from a stalled launch, patches and bug fixes bring this genre's champion back to a straight-and-level flight

Asobo Studio continues its post-launch efforts as the game performs better almost every day.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 gameplay in third person view
(Image: © Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

Windows Central Verdict

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is more of a live service than a standalone game, one that continues to recover from a catastrophic launch. It relies so heavily on streaming its assets and world textures from the cloud that it's plain to see how its offerings could disappear should the service ever shut down. Nonetheless, Asobo Studio's developers have worked tirelessly to recover this visually breathtaking but temperamental simulator into something that appeals to a broader audience rather than a tight-knit niche. It could become a category-leading example of post-launch improvements if it continues its upward trajectory, and I encourage everyone to try it at least once.

Pros

  • +

    Challenges and scenarios should keep it interesting for casual players alongside a new career mode

  • +

    Flying over familiar towns and territories never loses its appeal

  • +

    Broad compatibility with controllers, joysticks, and virtual reality headsets

  • +

    Vast improvement from its unplayable launch state

Cons

  • -

    Long loading times with occasional texture streaming issues

  • -

    Huge bandwidth usage as assets constantly stream from the cloud

  • -

    Buggy gameplay goals lead to unfair punishments

  • -

    Slow career progression could wear thin with casual players

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It's always been a visual marvel, and our hands-on preview of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 promised even more improvements to its fully realized virtual rendition of planet Earth.

Quick menu

• What is it?
• Launch day issues
• Gameplay and modes
• Should you buy it?

Streaming its assets from the cloud should help reduce the total installation of the bloated 150GB package of the previous release from 2020.

Still, doubts linger about the sustainability of constant bandwidth usage for such a high-fidelity simulator and whatever might happen to your in-game purchases when the service inevitably shuts down.

Unfortunately, Asobo Studio launched MSFS 2024 to a wealth of problems on November 19, as many players couldn't pass an initial loading screen or were met with broken assets and constant crashes.

A month later, the situation has dramatically improved, and I've had far more fun despite lingering issues that still threaten to turn away casual players. Here's my experience after weeks of gameplay on Xbox and PC.

Recent updates

December 18, 2024: Launch issues affecting Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 prevented me from awarding it a score. Post-launch patches remedied enough serious issues, and my review reflects the current state of the game.

What is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's loading screen shows the revised game logo. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

Microsoft has kept its Flight Simulator series running since its initial release in 1982 for IBM-compatible desktop PCs.

Flight Simulator 2024

• Price: $69.99 MSRP (Xbox | PC)
• Release date: Nov. 19, 2024
• Developer: Asobo Studio
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Genre: Simulator
• Players: Single/multi-player
• Install size: 15.8GB
• Playtime: ? hours
• Platforms: Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming
• Xbox Game Pass: Yes
• Reviewed on: PC, Xbox Series X

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is the latest entry, though it acts as more of an expansion on what developers Asobo Studio achieved in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 reboot.

Encompassing the entire globe, players are encouraged to plan a flight across any country and continent with total freedom or opt for a set of challenges within a career mode that starts with basic instructions in a virtual flight school.

Compatible with a traditional mouse and keyboard setup on PC or a standard Xbox controller on consoles, gamers could opt to use a dedicated flight stick for an ultra-realistic experience on either platform and even virtual reality (VR) headsets on PC.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is currently available to users with an active Xbox Game Pass subscription, commonly listed for a far lower monthly price than its $69.99 MSRP and the best way to try a game if you're unsure of its appeal.

Disclaimer

This review was conducted with the PC and Xbox Series X versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, initially tested with the author's Game Pass account and later with a code supplied by Xbox Game Studios. The company did not see the contents of this review before publication.

Does it run on PC gaming handhelds?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 running on my ASUS ROG Ally at around 30 FPS. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

Yes, with some framerate dips when loading into a new area for the first time and while flying closer to the ground.

Despite a warning that "your system does not meet the minimum requirements" appearing when launching Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, I can run it with a reasonably smooth experience on my ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) set to "Turbo" mode (25W.) Setting the resolution to 720p and a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz, I mostly followed the 'Low-end' graphical preset with a few tweaks. Using Vsync at 50% monitor refresh rate, I target 30 FPS with TAA activated for basic anti-aliasing rather than AMD's FSR upscaling.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Launch day issues

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 displaying 'loading unusually long' message
Crawling past 95%, many gamers saw the loading screen stop entirely at 97%.(Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

As MSFS 2024 launched at 11:00 AM ET, I joined waves of expectant fans and launched the game. An endless "Loading unusually long ..." message prevented progression past 97% after a slow-moving experience as assets were downloaded from the cloud, and Microsoft soon recommended rebooting the game. I experienced a second brick wall for the rest of the launch day as MSFS 2024 placed me in a login queue displaying a message, "Too many users are trying to connect at the same time."

It crashed so many times on my Xbox Series X that I stopped counting after the fifth exasperating occurrence. If the game wasn't struggling to load previews of the cosmetic items for your virtual pilot on the 'Customize Identity' screen, it was sending me back to my Xbox dashboard, missing any warnings or any obvious reasons. Attempting to 'Choose a start location' in career mode struggled to generate anything better than low-resolution blurs and messy blobs on its virtual globe.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 gameplay with broken textures
Broken textures on my fighter jet wrapped around missing geometry in the only playable mode.(Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

Repeated attempts to plot a flight path from any combination of airports led to crashes at different intervals. Switching to 'Free Flight' mode brought me closer to seeing Asobo Studio's rendition of planet Earth, but it would hang in a top-down view forever or crash to my Xbox dashboard once again. Switching instead to the 'Challenge League' for an attempt at a high-speed rally race over the Grand Canyon in a Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet saw the most success as I finally managed to load into the game.

It wasn't a flawless experience by any measure, as the preview screen for this minigame failed to show any decent render of the environment. My fighter jet fired across this murky, almost unrecognizable representation of the Grand Canyon, and I started navigating through the barriers. It started ugly and never improved, as even the plane itself suffered from broken textures rendered as blocky rainbows. I was perpetually flying over a clay-like mess until I lost all interest, and it wasn't until over a week later that I played without serious issues.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Gameplay & modes

Even as a casual player, I'm progressing through the career mode and enjoying (almost) every minute. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

Convincing friends and colleagues to play Microsoft Flight Simulator used to be difficult, bordering on impossible, because many don't see the appeal of ultra-realistic gameplay if there isn't anything to 'achieve.' Thankfully, now that MSFS 2024's career mode is fully operational, it's the strongest asset the game has (besides literal achievements) to appeal to casual onlookers on Xbox beyond its usual niche enthusiast crowd on PC.

While career is a slow burn and not for everyone, it's the most refreshing addition since 2020.

Besides the novelty of setting up a virtual company in the closest airfield to your real-life home, an early sense of accomplishment comes with qualifying for your Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and learning every inch of a basic Cessna biplane. However, charting an entire flight isn't without its issues, and they start almost immediately after checking over your plane and removing the pins. While you can forgo a 'no skip bonus' to avoid some, others are more persistent.

Aviator performance warnings are all too common in the early missions of career mode as critical airport elements are missing or misplaced. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

If I take off from a rural airfield, chances are I'll be penalized for entering a runway too early or otherwise leaving its invisible bounds, leading to 'Aviator performance' point deductions. In others, I might experience further penalties for failing to 'stop at hold short' simply because that marker doesn't exist. It's an unfortunate downside that comes with including the majority of airports across the entire world since you can't promise enough space to fit the proper maneuvers around its virtual runways.

On the flip side, there is an absolute abundance of 'missions' to take in career mode, placing me on one of the plentiful airstrips that manage to include each necessary step for me to taxi to and correctly enter a runway without penalties. Of course, I still have to waste a small amount of time when loading into each area to verify whether or not I'll have a chance at a perfect run, but it's generally avoidable if I search for airports in larger cities across the globe.

Jumping into 'World Photographer' mode or the challenge league provides faster satisfaction in more of an arcade-style set of tasks that feel less like a pure simulation and more like a traditional game. It's here that newcomers on Xbox will likely find their first enjoyable moments, followed by a quick flight over their hometowns and familiar landmarks, which never gets old. While career is a slow burn and not for everyone, it's the most refreshing addition since 2020 and keeps me coming back almost every night with Thrustmaster's MSFS-themed flight stick in tow.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Should you buy it?

World Photographer offers a relaxing break from the cash grind of career mode, showing off the game's tech improvements. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

Recovering from an unplayable mess after a disastrous and disgraceful launch on Xbox and PC, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is finally in a stable enough state that I can heartily recommend it to practically anyone. While it's undoubtedly a niche genre, there's an undeniable 'cool factor' that comes with flying over a lifelike representation of your own hometown, right down to the street you live on and all of its surrounding landmarks.

I'd still recommend picking up a Game Pass subscription before diving into an individual purchase simply because of the gigantic price difference. A single month is long enough to determine if MSFS 2024 is for you, and the new career mode helps broaden the appeal to casual onlookers who want to start with a basic Cessna biplane and work their way up to piloting commercial airliners.

If you were put off by the first few weeks of unplayability and trending images of bugs and glitches, now is the time to see how much the game has improved. The development team at Asobo Studio continues their hard work and seems determined to bring the game's reputation back to where it belongs, cementing Microsoft Flight Simulator as the premier entry for aeronautical adventures, made all the better with add-on flight sticks and even in virtual reality.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

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Ben Wilson
Ben Wilson
Senior Editor

Ben is a Senior Editor at Windows Central, covering everything related to technology hardware and software. He regularly goes hands-on with the latest Windows laptops, components inside custom gaming desktops, and any accessory compatible with PC and Xbox. His lifelong obsession with dismantling gadgets to see how they work led him to pursue a career in tech-centric journalism after a decade of experience in electronics retail and tech support.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • blkeyedmonster
    Unfortunately the only thing that is tarnished is your credibility because it's clear that you have no idea what's going on, and in fact a lesson why people should never trust a reporter point of view. they think they know everything when in fact knows nothing. The sad part is Microsoft and Asobo went out their way to develop a simulator for everyone from real sims to casual fly from behind airplane gamers and because of that there is millions of people waiting to get their hands on and experience the greatest undertaking in flight stimulation with the new generation simulator and because of that servers did get overwhelmed on launch day which was expected base on the hype ..wait a few days and then comeback and try it out. You talking about don't recommend buying the game is just overblown and outright wrong it's not like it's a bad game, no its just a bad day one launch with hiccup which no company is immune from server overload.
    Reply
  • GraniteStateColin
    blkeyedmonster said:
    Unfortunately the only thing that is tarnished is your credibility because it's clear that you have no idea what's going on, and in fact a lesson why people should never trust a reporter point of view. they think they know everything when in fact knows nothing. The sad part is Microsoft and Asobo went out their way to develop a simulator for everyone from real sims to casual fly from behind airplane gamers and because of that there is millions of people waiting to get their hands on and experience the greatest undertaking in flight stimulation with the new generation simulator and because of that servers did get overwhelmed on launch day which was expected base on the hype ..wait a few days and then comeback and try it out. You talking about don't recommend buying the game is just overblown and outright wrong it's not like it's a bad game, no its just a bad day one launch with hiccup which no company is immune from server overload.

    I suppose on the Internet people are routinely rude, but this looks like a troll response that didn't even read the article. The author already acknowledged everything you said and explained that he expected these are launch issues, not permanent problems. Having said that, launch issues are still issues, and issues that suggest a premature launch (else, there would not have been launch issues).

    If MS failed to have sufficient server capacity for a huge wave of traffic, at a minimum, that reflects insufficient capacity for the launch. Without technical analysis, it may be tough to distinguish between that (insufficient server capacity) and improperly optimized or buggy code, but any review must acknowledge and describe problems the reviewer encountered.

    In your criticism of this review, what do you think the author should have done differently while still providing an objective review?
    Reply
  • IceboundRope0
    In my humble opionion your headline was spot on for the experience I had yesterday. 24 hours has changed my experience a lot however ! This evening I have had an absolutely stunning experience on my Xbox Series x. Graphics and performance on a high level- although a few bugs here and there- but appears less and less frequently throughout the evening. Looks to me like a truly phenomenal simulator - when all the launch day issues have been solved!
    Reply
  • fdruid
    Sensationalist, clickbait headlines aside (which BTW Windows Central has shown not to be above morally, which is sad to see), those are day one launch woes for one of the biggest games on Earth. And it's working as intended now.

    I understand how press works, and how clicks are earned, I get it all. But honestly this site should do better than selling crap, hate, and ridiculous takes for the sake of engagement. How can you be proud of writing things like this? Which amount to basically lies and grossly underestimating your readership's intelligence ar best, and opinion manipulation towards hate at worst.
    Reply
  • Lurking_Lurker_Lurks
    Personally I'd say I'm having a fantastic time with the game. I played a day late and missed the launch problems. Smooth sailing from the start for me. Started on my Series S and I did not believe when my console said it had installed just under 30 gigs for it. Game looked great but not amazing. More than butter smooth experience though. I then jumped to my Legono Legion go to try out on PC. Still only 30 gigs and on PC there's the modes to switch between. I was told ultra is more GPU heavy and takes the most bandwidth. I'm lucky enough to have no cap and pay for fiber and a 6E wifi router, so I had to try it out. Despite my fears how the Lenovo Legion Go would handle it, it played great. Not butter smooth, but it looked gorgeous and was more than playable (in the future probably definitely a lower setting 😂).

    Really curious to try it on cloud gaming and see if it being fully in the cloud massively changes things. Anyway, I'm lovin it. Really I don't know why Xbox does use this tech for gaming more. Like a imagine a whole world or universe built into the cloud. But not even that far, what if they just like you do like flight sim for other games and download part of the game and then stream the rest of it. Like it'd be so amazing if I could download the necessary bits to make the game playable and then all the high end 4k textures I stream. Would sure save space and it'd be a better experience than just playing a game entirely in the cloud.

    On the game's stunted launch, so I did see the post after with Asobo studios apology and the reason why. That they stress tested for just 200k people is insane to me and a little hilarious as they and possibly Xbox were really expecting this game to stay niche. Despite the 30 million plus Game Pass subs (not all ultimate or PC though) and all the newly interested gamers since it came to xbox. Really this was the first same day PC, Cloud, and Console release and the entry that looked the most like a game, on top of being a massive success in its niche, so underestimating popularity was a mistake on the studios fault and Xbox's for not verifying it was really for launch in case it got popular. But at the same time, I will say there's no point beating a dead horse. I really hope a day one Lauch issue doesn't become this game's legacy. It's not even still a problem anymore
    Reply
  • Ben Wilson
    blkeyedmonster said:
    Unfortunately the only thing that is tarnished is your credibility because it's clear that you have no idea what's going on, and in fact a lesson why people should never trust a reporter point of view. they think they know everything when in fact knows nothing. The sad part is Microsoft and Asobo went out their way to develop a simulator for everyone from real sims to casual fly from behind airplane gamers and because of that there is millions of people waiting to get their hands on and experience the greatest undertaking in flight stimulation with the new generation simulator and because of that servers did get overwhelmed on launch day which was expected base on the hype ..wait a few days and then comeback and try it out. You talking about don't recommend buying the game is just overblown and outright wrong it's not like it's a bad game, no its just a bad day one launch with hiccup which no company is immune from server overload.

    >Microsoft and Asobo went out their way to develop a simulator for everyone from real sims to casual fly from behind airplane gamers
    This is why the game is held to a higher standard than a specific simulator released exclusively for a niche audience, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a day-one Game Pass title with marketing. It's asking new gamers to play, and those curious onlookers should be able to gauge how the game runs before buying a copy/signing up for Game Pass subs.

    >servers did get overwhelmed on launch day which was expected base on the hype ..wait a few days and then comeback and try it out
    "Chalking the experience up to server overloading that often happens with big game launches" comes directly from my review.

    >You talking about don't recommend buying the game is just overblown and outright wrong it's not like it's a bad game, no its just a bad day one launch with hiccup which no company is immune from server overload.
    My conclusion covers all of this. In fact, the majority of my review is focused on the launch experience, that's why I didn't award the game with a score so not to mislead people. I don't know what else to tell you.

    Sensationalist, clickbait headlines aside (which BTW Windows Central has shown not to be above morally, which is sad to see), those are day one launch woes for one of the biggest games on Earth. And it's working as intended now.

    I understand how press works, and how clicks are earned, I get it all. But honestly this site should do better than selling crap, hate, and ridiculous takes for the sake of engagement. How can you be proud of writing things like this? Which amount to basically lies and grossly underestimating your readership's intelligence ar best, and opinion manipulation towards hate at worst.

    >basically lies and grossly underestimating your readership's intelligence ar best
    There's literally nothing sensationalist about my headline, the game didn't work for the majority of players for the first 24 hours and issues persist today. Again, I didn't give the game a low score because I don't feel that's fair, I just reported on the state of the game to inform potential buyers.

    None of my article contains any lies, that's why I included so many screenshots. It doesn't come from a place of hate, it's from disappointment. I love this series and was sad to see the latest game launch in this state, but repeatedly say that I'm going to revisit the game when it's patched up and update this review.

    Happy to discuss this with anyone else, but you have to be serious. Don't read the headline and make assumptions, read the whole article and we'll chat about it.
    Reply