When the restart of Microsoft flight simulator launched in the summer of 2020, I called it the most remarkable new game in a generation. By combining data from Bing Maps with a next-generation physics-based flight model, real-world weather data, and live air traffic, Xbox Game Studios and its partners at Asobo Studio managed to create something extraordinary. But the software wasn’t without its flaws.
At launch, fans complained about the monstrous install size of over 120GB for starters. There were also early graphical glitches, including rivers trying to crawl up mountainsides and hollow holes in the earth that seemed to defy explanation. But the biggest omission by far was the lack of any real in-game progression, or even a series of engaging missions to fly. Four years later, these development partners are back with a sequel, titled Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024and I am once again astounded by the scale of their ambition.
The headline feature this time around is the game’s new career mode, which draws on over 3 million procedurally generated activities spread across the globe. These include tasks as innocuous as delivering VIP passengers to their holiday destinations, or as technical as pollinating crops on a windswept hillside in the French wine region. Some missions involve towing a banner or conducting helicopter-based search and rescue operations in the hinterland. Whatever the activity, each mission includes a full written briefing, as well as an isometric flight plan that clearly shows players what they need to do to be successful.
Of course, not every activity will be available at the start of the game. Before they can fly a particular mission, players will first need to pass an in-game flight test to become certified in that specific activity. Each of the game’s 64 certifications is exam-based, and each exam will cost you in-game currency. So even if you can unlock the wildfirefighting branch of the certification tree, you might want to get in a few practice flights before you pay for that check-off flight in a giant twin-engine water bomber.
What’s even more interesting is the team’s global approach to the availability of aviation careers. Players can begin their career from literally any airport in the world. Once selected, Microsoft will populate the airport with non-player characters that are procedurally assembled from regionally sourced facial scans and fully rendered clothing styles. Players will even hear from a virtual mentor, a sort of in-game boss, to give them some early jobs and otherwise teach them the ropes.
Once you’re certified, missions will unlock organically all over the world. They’ll also refresh daily, 365 in-game days a year. After a few weeks of virtual work, developers say players should be able to effectively run their own virtual air transport company, maintaining planes and purchasing new ones as needed. Later, they’ll even be able to expand into new regions of the world — and take exams for new aviation roles.
The game’s new Challenge mode also looks interesting. Asobo chief creative officer David Dedeine promised three “snackable” scenarios each week, including experiences like canyoning and landing challenges that will take advantage of the game’s most advanced flight model and physics features. Dedicated players can even opt for a 10-week competitive series, with tiered progression and relegation rounds, to prove they’re among the best pilots in the community.
Likewise, a new photographer mode adds a rich little minigame to the experience. Maybe you’ll need to take a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge, Dedeine said. That’s easy enough, but how about capturing it with the Financial District in the background? Or rendering the scene by moonlight? Or with the moon itself in the frame? Objectives like these are scattered throughout the world, and can be accomplished while experiencing another in-game mode.
All of these activities are supported by the simulation’s highly advanced new terrain generation system, which Xbox Game Studios calls its “Countryside.” TIN.” Developers claim that ground textures are 4,000 times more detailed than previously possible. This means that virtual pilots will have to fly around landing sites with an eye for potential obstacles, such as rocks or other debris. They will also have to pay close attention to the direction and amplitude of waves when making water landings in amphibious aircraft, as these waves can now slow down or swamp the aircraft.
The entire product, says Jorg Neumann, head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, is tailored to meet the needs of three very specific and very different communities of customers: dedicated flight sim fans, traditional gamers, and so-called “digital tourists” who simply show up to take in the scenery. The end goal, he says, is ultimately the same as it was four years ago: create more pilots. He says current data estimates the airline industry is short about 800,000 pilots, who are desperately needed in roles around the world. It’s a huge gap that he hopes Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 can inspire people to fill in the coming years.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on November 19 for Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
Disclosure: This article is based on a Microsoft Flight Simulator Global Preview Event held at the Grand Canyon on September 10, 2024. Xbox Game Studios provided Polygon with travel and accommodations for the event. Additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy can be found here.