Microsoft Flight Simulator News & Announcements
Public testing for both the ongoing Sim Update 4 and PlayStation 5 betas remains in progress! This week, the team released a new test build for both betas. In case you missed it, you can read the release notes for these test builds at the links below.As a reminder, if you are participating in either beta test, please remember to submit and contribute to bug reports on our official forums and to vote in the survey polls. Your feedback is incredibly valuable to the team as they refine both SU4 and the PS5 releases! Forum links for each beta are below. Note: only those invited to the PS5 beta will have access to that private subforum linked here.Finally, in the interest of improving transparency, we’re pleased to share a new piece of information with you in the weekly Development Update blogs going forward. You can now see how many days it has taken for each third-party product (New and Updated) to be released on the Marketplace after the Creator signed-off that it was ready to go. You can see this information in the dedicated Marketplace release page at this link. We’re curious to hear your feedback about this new information, so be sure to leave a comment on our forums if you have any thoughts about this new information.– MSFS TeamClick here to continue reading the Development Update!
This week saw the release of two new beta test builds for Sim Update 4 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. You can read the changelog for these two test builds at the links below:In addition to the SU4 beta, we are also currently running a test for the upcoming PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro releases of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Yesterday, we sent a new batch of invite codes to people who had signed up to join the beta. If you registered for the beta but did not receive a code yet, please ensure you’ve checked your spam folder for the email. Sign-ups for the Beta will remain open, but we cannot guarantee those who have signed-up or sign-up moving forward will be invited to participate. We will send out more invites if capacity becomes available, so continue to monitor all our social platforms for PS5 beta news!We also released a new PS5 test build to beta testers earlier this week. The notes can be found at the link below (note: only those people selected to participate in the PS5 beta will have access to this link):Finally, we’re thrilled to announce the ongoing Top-Rated Aircraft Sale in the Marketplace! Between now and October 21, simmers can enjoy up to 69% savings on some of the most highly-rated aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 as rated by the player community! The full list of aircraft available at discounted pricing can be found at this link. To access the savings, launch the sim, open the Marketplace, and scroll to the “Top-Rated Aircraft Sale” section.– MSFS TeamClick here to continue reading the Development Update!
Enjoy discounted pricing during our Top-Rated Aircraft Sale!For 7 Days starting on October 14th, save up to 69% on the following items: DeveloperProduct//42Fox2 Base//42FreedomFox/Fox2 – Complete PackA2A Simulations Inc.Comanche 250Aeroplane HeavenAvro Lancaster Bmk1AerosoftCRJAnt’s AirplanesDrifter A-582Ant’s AirplanesTiger MothAnt’s AirplanesWinjeelAzurpolyFouga CM-170 MagisterAzurPolyOV-10 BroncoAzurPolyTB30 EpsilonAzurPolyTransall C160Big RadialsJRF-6 GooseBlack SquarePiston DukeBlack SquareTBM 850Black SquareTurbine DukeBlackbird Simulations310RBlackbird SimulationsA6M5 ZeroBlackbird SimulationsFG-1D CorsairBlackbird SimulationsPC-6 PorterCarenadoB55CarenadoC170BCarenadoC182 RG IICarenadoF33ACarenadoPA28 181 Archer IICarenadoPA34T Seneca VCarenadoWYMF5CJSimulationsCJS R-FalCJSimulationsEurofighter TyphoonClassic Aircraft SimulationsPiper Cub J3C-65Classics HangarKlemm Kl 25 d VII RCowan SimulationCS 206L3Cowan SimulationCS 500ECowan SimulationCS H125/AS350B3eCowan SimulationCS R22Cowan SimulationCS R66COWSDA40 SeriesCOWSDA42 SeriesDassault / AzurPoly / JFEXPJaguarDC DesignsAV-8B Harrier IIDC DesignsConcordeDC DesignsF-14 A/B/D TomcatsDC DesignsStearman Model 75DC DesignsSU-27 FlankerF7 SimulationsEagle S100Flight ReplicasDH60 Gipsy MothFlightFXCirrus Vision Jet G2FlightFXP180FlyBoySimRans S6S Coyote IIFlying FriesXF-11FlyingIron SimsF6F-5 HellcatFlyingIron SimsFw 190 A-8FlyingIron SimsP-38L LightningFlyingIron SimsSpitfire LF Mk IXcFlysimwareC414AW ChancellorFlysimwareNieuport-24FSRebornFSR500FSRebornTL-Ultralight Sirius TL3000FSRebornTL-Ultralight Sting S4GKSF-111EGot FriendsAS 33 MEGot FriendsAstro ONEGot FriendsDiscus-2cGot FriendsDoubleEnderGot FriendsF4F-4 WildcatGot FriendsGee Bee R3 SpecialGot FriendsLegacy CollectionGot FriendsMini-500Got FriendsWilga 35/80 SeriesHangar Studios 713Camair 480 Twin NavionHangar Studios 713Super DecathlonHeatblur-IndiaFoxtEchoF-14 TomcatHeaven Designs & GibaHVN4B GLOBAL HAWKIndiaFoxtEchoF-35 Lightning IIIndiaFoxtEchoLeonardo M-346 MasterIndiaFoxtEchoMB-339A/MB-339PANIndiaFoxtEchoT-45C GoshawkIndiaFoxtEchoTornadoiniBuildsBF-108iniBuildsP-40F WarhawkJust Flight146 ProfessionalJust FlightF28 ProfessionalJust FlightPA28 Arrow BundleJust FlightPA28 Arrow IIIJust FlightPA28 Turbo Arrow III/IVJust FlightPA-38 TomahawkJust FlightRJ ProfessionalJust FlightVulcan B Mk. 2, K.2 & MRRLionheart CreationsLHC Bucker Bu131 JungmannLionheart CreationsLHC Pasped SkylarkLionheart CreationsLHC Wittman Tailwind Bush PlaneLionheart CreationsLHC Wittman Tailwind SeriesLivToAirEdge 540 V2LivToAirEviation Alice Full ElectricMario Noriega DesignsC-22J VenturaMario Noriega DesignsNardi FN-333 RivieraMiltech SimulationsCH47DMiltech SimulationsM2K-CMiltech SimulationsMH60Mscenery747SCA ProfessionalMsceneryA319neo ProfessionalNemeth DesignsHiller UH-12BPMDG Simulations737-700PMDG Simulations737-800PMDG SimulationsPMDG 777-200ERPMDG SimulationsPMDG 777-300ERPMDG SimulationsPMDG 777FRara-Avis SimsHorten IX V3 (Ho 229)Rara-Avis SimsZippy SportSC DesignsF16 C/D/I Fighting FalconShrike Simulations530FShrike SimulationsF-86F SabreSimWorks StudiosKodiak 100SimWorks StudiosRV-8SimWorks StudiosZenith CH701 STOLSkyward SimulationsDA-50RGTaog’s HangarLama SA315Taog’s HangarOH6A Cayuse – Hughes 500CTaog’s HangarSA316B Alouette IIITaog’s HangarUH-1H – 205BTop Mach StudiosB-2 SpiritTop Mach StudiosF-22A RaptorTop Mach StudiosT-7A Red HawkTop Mach StudiosYF-23 BLACK WIDOW IITukanFlightSimFord Trimotor 5AT To purchase these discounted items, visit the Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace on MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024, scroll down to the Top-Rated Aircraft Sale row, then select ‘See All’ and look for the savings. 
Yesterday, we hosted our October Developer Livestream. The panel of Jorg, Seb, Martial (plus a few special guests) answered many questions from the community while also discussing future updates coming to Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. If you missed watching the broadcast live, you can check out the VOD on our official YouTube channel. A few highlights from the video:
  • The highly-anticipated Red Bull air racing mode is planned for release this December!
  • Famous Flyer 13 will be the T-38A Talon jet trainer!
    • KrazyColin from Blackbird Simulations provided a live demo of a work-in-progress version of this aircraft.
  • The Boom XB-1 supersonic aircraft will be free to all simmers on all platforms!
    • Chris Burnett from Working Title and Marwan Gharib from FlightFX joined the stream to discuss their work on this exciting aircraft.
  • Jorg also reviewed new versions of the Feedback Snapshot and Development Roadmap, both of which you can review later in this blog post.
In beta news, two builds were released to players this week! The first is a new pre-release test build for MSFS 2024 Sim Update 4. You can read the release notes for build 1.6.13.0 on our forums here. The team has been closely tracking an issue reported by testers affected ground scenery bleedthrough, and a fix will be coming in a future build.The second beta released this week is for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro players! We’re very excited to hear the feedback from everyone helping test MSFS 2024 on this platform!For everyone participating in either the SU4 or PS5 betas, please be sure to leave your feedback, vote in the surveys, and submit bug reports if you encounter any issues at the following forum links:Note: only those people selected to participate in the PS5 beta will have access the PS5 subforum.– MSFS TeamClick here to continue reading the Development Update!
Following last week's announcement that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is coming to Sony PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro consoles this December, applications to join the upcoming public beta test for the PlayStation build remain open! If you're a PlayStation 5 user and interested in joining this test, you can find enrollment instructions near the bottom of this article. Important note: please only select one region when signing up to join the PlayStation beta test.Speaking of public betas, the pre-release test of Sim Update 4 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 remains in progress. Earlier this week, we released a new test build to players. You can read the release notes here:Thank you to everyone participating in the SU4 beta! Be sure to submit bug reports on our forums if you encounter any issues, and please remember to vote in our forum surveys about your experience with each test build.As a reminder, our October Developer Livestream is coming up next week on October 8 at 10:30am Pacific Time (1730 UTC). Tune in to our official Twitch channel to watch the panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial discuss the future of Microsoft Flight Simulator and answer questions from the community. As always, we will post the VOD to our YouTube channel after the broadcast ends for those who are unable to watch the livestream in real time.- MSFS TeamClick here to continue reading the Development Update!
The annual Tokyo Game Show is currently in full swing, and Microsoft Flight Simulator is there with several announcements!First, we revealed that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will be coming to Sony PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro consoles this December! We’re positively thrilled to bring the world of MSFS to a whole new group of players and welcome PlayStation simmers to the flight sim community later this year! In 2026, there will also be a free update to the PS5 version of MSFS 2024 which will add virtual reality support using the PSVR2 headset! A public beta test for the PlayStation users will be starting soon. If you’re interested in joining this test, you can find enrollment instructions near the bottom of this article.Next, we released two new Japanese-centric updates to both Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. World Update 20: Japan, a FREE download from the in-sim Marketplace, enhances the scenery and landmarks of this picturesque Asian country. Along with the World Update, we also released Local Legend 22: the NAMC YS-11. This aircraft is the first (and to-date only) post-WWII airliner to be designed and built entirely in Japan by Japanese companies. Both World Update 20 (Free) and Local Legend 22 (USD $19.99) can be found by launching the sim and browsing the Marketplace.To those of you enrolled in the ongoing Sim Update 4 pre-release test, the team remains hard at work addressing bugs and issues you’ve reported with the SU4 beta thus far. As always, we sincerely thank everyone who is participating in the public beta test and submitting bug reports on our forums. If you have not already done so, please take a few moments to vote in our SU4 feedback surveys.Finally, we’d like to announce the date of our next Developer Livestream: October 8 at 10:30am Pacific Time (1730 UTC). As always, you can watch our regular panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial discuss the future of Microsoft Flight Simulator and answer questions from the community. If you would like to pre-submit a question to the panel in advance, you can do so by completing this web form.– MSFS TeamClick here to continue reading the Development Update!


 
Japan is a nation of beauty and intrigue, filled with breathtaking vistas of towering mountains, iconic architecture, and renowned cities. The country beholds some of the world’s most alluring and famous sights, including Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, Osaka Castle, a revered historical monument, and soaring skylines throughout Tokyo, Kyoto, Sapporo, and other metropolises. World Update 20 reveals Japan in stunning, vibrant detail—and the release comes with a great selection of missions throughout this storied country to immerse Microsoft Flight Simulator aviators in its beauty and history.Microsoft partnered with Bing Maps, Gaya, and Asobo to build World Update 20, one of the largest Flight Simulator world updates to date. The release includes 23 areas of interest recreated in vivid detail using updated photogrammetry and TIN (triangulated irregular network) surface texturing. Regions where new photogrammetry cities have been added include Hiroshima (1 AOI), Kyoto (1 AOI), Osaka (3 AOIs), Sapporo (2 AOIs), and Tokyo (16 AOIs).The update also comprises 67 points of interest, including: Osaka Castle, one of the most important historical locations in Japan; Akinada Bridge, a beautiful suspension bridge that spans the Seto Inland Sea; Shosanbetsu Observatory, an important astronomical observatory; Enoshima Sea Candle, a distinctive lighthouse and observation tower; and Fukuoka Tower, the tallest seaside tower in Japan.The update comes with five highly detailed, handcrafted airports from Microsoft’s long-term partner Gaya:
  • Hokkaido Spaceport (JP-0052): Also known as Taiki Multi-Purpose Aerospace Park, this facility is located outside of Taiki Town on the island of Hokkaido and comprises a single asphalt runway.
  • Kitakyushu Airport (RJFR): Built on an artificial island outside of Kitakyushu on the Seto Island Sea, this airport comprises a single asphalt / concrete runway and is one of six in Japan that operates 24 hours per day.
  • Rishiri Airport (RJER): located near the town of Rishiri on the volcanic island of Rishiri, the airport has a single asphalt runway.
  • Sado Airport (RJSD): Located in the city of Sado, on the island of Sado, the facility has a single asphalt runway.
  • Satsuma Iōjima Airport (RJX7): A private airfield in the village of Mishima, on the island of Iōjima, which comprises a single asphalt runway.
World Update 20 features immersive missions for both Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 that wonderfully showcase the areas highlighted in this release: three discovery flights, three landing challenges, one bush trip, and one spotlight event.
  • The discovery flights include: Chubu-Sangaku National Park, a renowned region of towering peaks and lush forests on the island of Honshū; Kyoto, one of the oldest cities in Japan; and Sapporo, the largest city on the island of Hokkaido.
  • Test your piloting skills at Ōmura Airport (RJFU) in a strong wind challenge; Rishiri Airport (RJER) in a famous challenge; and at Sado Airport (RJSD) in a famous challenge.
  • Visit Japan’s most famous mountains in the Mount Fuji to Mount Yōtei bush trip.
  • Take a discovery flight around the Makuhari Messe complex at the edge of Tokyo Bay in the spotlight event.
Additionally, World Update 20: Japan for Flight Simulator 2024 includes a low altitude challenge at Tsushima Island and a rally race challenge at Setonaikai National Park.World Update 20: Japan is FREE to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Ensure that your simulator is updated to the latest version (1.39.9.0 for MSFS 2020 / 1.5.27.0 for MSFS 2024 / 1.5.27.0 for MSFS2024 on Windows PC – Steam as of 09/25/2025), download World Update 20, and take to the skies throughout Japan!Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on Twitter.
Development of Sim Update 4 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 continues. Earlier today, we released a new pre-release build (1.6.7.0) to those players participating in the ongoing public beta test. You can read the release notes at the link below. If you would like to join the beta, you can find instructions for all platforms (PC-MS Store, PC-Steam, and Xbox Series X|S) here.As always, we encourage everyone participating in the beta to vote in our forum surveys. Your bug reports and other feedback are incredibly valuable to us as the team works to refine SU4 and make it the best it can be.Whether you are enrolled in the SU4 beta or not, if you would like to help the developers improve the text and voiceover quality in MSFS 2024’s Career Mode, we are currently hosting a web survey in which you can submit feedback about this aspect of the sim. We appreciate everyone who takes a few minutes to complete the survey at this link! In particular, we would especially value feedback about languages other than English.Finally, earlier this week there was a temporary outage with the live weather service that impacted both Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. This issue has since been resolved, and live weather in both sims is once again functioning normally. Thank you for your patience and understanding as our teams worked to fix the issue.– MSFS Team
Click here to continue reading the Development Update!
The Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 4 pre-release public beta test began earlier this week! So far, two test builds have been released to volunteer testers from the community. You can read the release notes for each of these builds on our forums here:Also this week, we announced the Top-Rated Scenery & Landmark Sale! Between now and September 16, enjoy savings of up to 60% on many of the most highly-rated scenery and landmark add-on products as voted by the community.Finally, the National Championship Air Races kicked off yesterday for their inaugural year at their new home in Roswell, New Mexico. To everyone in our September Family, the Microsoft Flight Simulator team wishes all of you a week filled with thrilling races, excitement, fun, and friendship!- MSFS Team
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Enjoy discounted pricing during our Top-Rated Scenery & Landmark Sale!For 7 Days starting on September 9th, save up to 60% on the following items:DEVELOPERPRODUCT//42Campout Utility//42SimFX – Visual Effects Utility4simmersCore Utilities Bundle4SimmersEnhanced Taxiway Signs4SimmersEnhanced Windsock4SimmersRealistic Tree Height4SimmersUltimate Weather Presets for 20244simmersWeather Presets Advanced4SimmersWeather Presets XAC SceneryAntwerp CityscapeAerosoftOffshore Landmarks – North SeaBurning Blue DesignUnited Kingdom VORsCli4D DesignsBora Bora Improvement ProjectCli4D DesignsEl Nido, PhilippinesCli4D DesignsKinsarvik, NorwayCli4D DesignsMoorea, French PolynesiaCli4D DesignsParo, BhutanCli4D DesignsPhilippines: A Tropical AdventureCli4d DesignsWaterfalls Of Switzerland-MeiringenCloudsurf Asia SimulationsSingapore City DowntownDreamsceneryVFR Objects Los AngelesDreamSceneryVFR Objects New Orleans RegionDreamSceneryVFR Objects San Francisco RegionDrzewiecki DesignMoscow LandmarksDrzewiecki DesignSeattle LandmarksFlyMexMexico City LandmarksFLYT SimulationsENHANCED RUNWAY LIGHTSFS TrainsTrains: SwitzerlandFSDGLandmarks of Germany – Baden-WuerttembergFSDGLandmarks of Germany – Hessen & ThueringenFSDGLandmarks of Germany – Mecklenburg-VorpommernFSDGLandmarks of Germany – Niedersachsen & BremenFSDGLandmarks of Germany – Schleswig-Holstein&HamburgFSoaresItaipu Dam and Iguazu FallsImpulse SimulationsLandmarks CairnsiniBuildsOTHB Doha City & LandmarksIsland CreationsEl Hierro Aerial Imagery/SceneryIsland CreationsLa Gomera Aerial Imagery/SceneryJeppeson2001Jacobite Steam TrainJeppeson2001Victoria Falls Scenery PackageLVFRAirport Regional Environment X Asia PacificLVFRAirport Regional Environment X EuropeLVFRAirport Regional Environment X North AmericaLVFRAirport Regional Environment X S. America TropicsMamudesign di Pinotti FedericoPowerlines by MamudesignMamudesign di Pinotti FedericoProject LiftsMiltech SimulationsAmphibious Ready GroupMiltech SimulationsSupercarrier ProMiltech SimulationsUK Carrier Strike GroupMiltech SimulationsWorld Carriers BundleOrbxAlaska MeshOrbxAustralian City LandmarksOrbxCityscape SydneyOrbxGreat Britain CentralOrbxGreat Britain NorthOrbxGreat Britain SouthOrbxHimalaya and Central Asia MeshOrbxLandmarks Adelaide City PackOrbxLandmarks Cape Town City PackOrbxLandmarks Dubai City PackOrbxLandmarks Melbourne City PackOrbxLandmarks Mumbai City PackOrbxLandmarks Panama City PackOrbxLandmarks Paris City PackOrbxLandmarks Singapore City PackPerfect FlightAdvanced Weather PresetProject CoastlineItalian CoastlinerkBridgerBoston and Cape Cod Canal Bridges and Water FixesrkBridgerBridges near Newark KEWRrkbridgerLong Island NY BridgesrkbridgerMississippi River Bridges St Louis to GulfrkbridgerNew York BridgesrkbridgerOhio River Bridges – Cincinnati to LouisvillerkBridgerPhiladelphia BridgesrkBridgerPittsburgh BridgesRmStudiosREALISTIC TAXIWAY SIGNS V2RmStudiosSMALLER TREES GLOBALRmStudiosULTRA WEATHER PRESETSSamScene3DBusan City WowSamScene3DChina Wuhan ZHHHSamScene3DChongqing Magic City 8D + ZUCK Jiangbei AirportSamScene3DGibraltar Scenic LifeSamScene3DHong Kong City TimesSamScene3DIsrael Scenic WorldSamScene3DJapan Osaka City WowSamScene3DNew York City TimesSamScene3DNorth Korea Pyongyang ZKPYSamScene3DSeoul City WowSamScene3DShanghai City TimesSamScene3DToronto City TimesSamScene3DUSA Modern Cities Vol1SamScene3DUSA Modern Cities Vol2SamScene3DUSA Modern Cities Vol3SamScene3DUSA Modern Cities Vol4Seafront SimulationsVessels: The Channel IslandsSeafront SimulationsVessels: The Hawaiian IslandsSeafront SimulationsVessels: UK South EastSoFlyWeather Preset Pro v2South Oak CoAurora Borealis: Northern LightsSpinozaMAGNUM P.I.TerraBuilderKennedy Space Center, NASA SLF (KTTS) and SLC 39ABX-Codr DesignsSedona Red RocksZinertekAircraft Realistic LightsZinertekEnhanced Airport Graphics To purchase these discounted items, visit the Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace on MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024, scroll down to the Top-Rated Scenery & Landmark Sale row, then select ‘See All’ and look for the savings. 

Welcome to the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 4 public beta test!The Sim Update 04 Beta is now available on Steam, Windows PC, and Xbox.The release notes for the first SU4 test build (1.6.3.0) can be found on our forums here.Changes to Career/Challenge LeagueJust like the recent Sim Update 3 Beta, Career and Challenge League will have separate progress and leaderboards from the live build.This means Career mode progress in the live build will not carry over to the flighting build, and vice versa. In addition, Challenge League in the flighting build will have a separate leaderboard from the live build.Making Career and Challenge League progress separate in the flighting build allows us to test additional changes and fixes that cannot be tested in the live build. All Career specializations will be unlocked by default in the flighting build to allow participants to preview changes that might not be available (based on Career mode progress) in the live build.Will joining the Sim Update 4 Beta (and future Sim Update Betas) impact my progress in Career mode on the live build?
  • No, Career mode progress is locked to the live build. No Career progress made in the flighting build will carry over to the live build. However, all Career mode specializations are unlocked by default in the flighting build.
Will my leaderboard records in Challenge League transfer when the flighting build becomes the live build?
  • No, Challenge League leaderboards in the flighting build will always be separate from the live build.
Will progress in other game modes (Discovery, Free Flight, etc.) be separate in the flighting build and live build?
  • No, only progress in Career and Challenge League are affected. This could change in the future.
Will content I own or purchase in the Marketplace be available on both the flighting build and the live build?
  • Yes, all content owned or purchased in the live build or the flighting build will always be available in both builds.
Please find instructions to join the Sim Update 04 Beta below. You must own Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (or have an appropriate Xbox Game Pass subscription) to participate on the platform of your choice.What to Know Before You JoinMS Store PC Users: There is always a risk that you may have to re-install the sim when joining/leaving a flight, so please keep this in mind before participating.If you have MSFS content installed completely on a custom path, you will have a much lower chance that a full re-install will be necessary when the update is officially released. However, if your sim content is installed in the default path selected by the in-game content manager, you may have to reinstall the whole sim when moving from the test build to the public build. We recommend that those who wish to test with us ensure your sim content is located in a custom path before joining the flight to avoid full reinstallations in the future (Details on how to do this can be found here). The best set up would be for your store app to live on the default C: drive and sim content on a custom drive.Please remember if you decide to join the Beta and install the build, you will likely have to re-install your sim if you wish to leave the Beta before it ends. If you did not opt out of the last Beta, you will automatically stay in this Beta and receive the next build.In addition, while in Multiplayer Mode, you will only see users who are in the same build as you.How to Join or Leave the Beta on SteamOpen your Steam LibraryRight-click Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024Click “Properties”Click “Betas”Select “flight_sim_beta – Sim Update 4″If you would like to exit the pre-release test before it ends and revert back to the live build, follow these instructions:Open your Steam LibraryRight-click Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024Click “Properties”Click “Betas”Select “None”Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Insider Program FAQ:Why transition to the website sign-up for flighting?Moving forward, leveraging the website will allow us to send direct communication to participants who have opted-in (such as when a new flighting opportunity is available), create bespoke flighting audiences (such as specific groups focused on VR, accessibility, performance, etc.), and create private forums accessible to specific flighting participants. These tools will help us gather better feedback and reach more participants in the future.I’m already participating in flighting for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, do I need to do anything?Steam users are unaffected by these changes, and the flight_sim_2024_beta branch will remain accessible to all flighting participants on Steam.We would still encourage all current participants to complete the website sign-up (including those participating on Steam), but it is not required at this time.
The dev team is heads down this week putting the final touches on the first pre-release test build for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 4, and the public beta test for SU4 will begin very soon! As always, please monitor our official forums to find instructions on how to join the beta and read its patch notes once it’s available. Alternatively, you can also follow us on your preferred social network (all linked below) for the latest MSFS news.Also, as a friendly reminder, if you require 1:1 tech support for either Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, you can submit a support ticket on our Zendesk portal here. The Zendesk page also includes an FAQ section with step-by-step instructions to resolve some of the most common issues players have with each sim.– MSFS Team
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Last week we released Sim Update 3 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. In case you missed it, the full release notes for SU3 are available at this link. Also, if you have not yet done so, please be sure to vote in our SU3 surveys on our forums here. Your feedback is of great assistance to us!Work continues on MSFS 2024, with the team preparing to start the public beta test for Sim Update 4 soon. Please watch this space for more information about how to join the beta once it begins!Finally, several members of the MSFS team were present at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany last week. In addition to announcing City Update 12 and Local Legend 21, the team also had an opportunity to meet some simmers from our player community for a flight sim social event. It’s always a delight for us to interact with flight sim fans and discuss our hobby together!
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This was a big week for new releases for MSFS fans!First, we released Sim Update 3 (version 1.5.27.0) for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. This update contains thousands of bug fixes and other improvements, as well as the ability to download more content to one's local storage drive, a feature that was highly requested from the community. You can read the full release notes for SU3 at this link. Please be sure to vote in our SU3 surveys and leave feedback for the developers on our forums here.We followed up the release of Sim Update 3 with City Update 12 and Local Legend 21! CU12 enhances six cities in Germany: Augsburg, Bremen, Dresden, Leuben, Leipzig, Kiel, and Münster. You can read more about this update here. As with all City Updates and World Updates, you can claim it for FREE from the in-sim Marketplace for both Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.Local Legend 21 is the Eurocopter EC135, one of the world's most advanced light utility helicopters! This is the fourth and final "make good" aircraft granted FREE to all MSFS 2024 players as our way of thanking you for your patience with the issues encountered during last November's launch. You can read more about the EC135 here.- MSFS Team
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RELEASE NOTES Sim Update 3 - Release - 1.5.27.0If you are playing on PC, outdated packages in your community folder may have an unexpected impact on the title’s performance and behavior.

If you suffer from stability issues or long loading times, move your community package(s) to another folder before relaunching the title.

New Content and Features
  • Added filters in controls settings menu
  • Added loading spinner when aircraft are loading
  • Do not display Helipad/port markers when flying a plane
  • Reworked character / fauna / airport graphic settings for more coherence between platforms
  • Added ForceFlare parameter to LightAttributes section of FX files
  • Added fade in on images for Marketplace item, Profile, Briefing, Activities, HQ, Home, Career, Challenges, Controls, Install, Red Bull
  • It is now possible to click and drag on all the sliders of the game
Click here to continue reading the Sim Update 3 Release Notes!
The ongoing beta test for MSFS 2024 Sim Update 3 continues with two new pre-release builds this week. In case you missed it, you can see the release notes for each of these test builds here:Earlier this week, we opened a survey in partnership with Xbox Research to solicit player feedback about the in-sim Marketplace. If you would like to share your opinions about the Marketplace with the development team, you can participate in the survey at this link. Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us as the team looks to make future improvements to the Marketplace experience. Thank you to all who complete the survey!As mentioned in the weekly Development Blog a few weeks ago, Microsoft Flight Simulator will be at Gamescom again this year in Cologne, Germany! If you are attending the event, please stop by our booth and say hello to members of the MSFS team. We always love meeting and chatting with our players and fans!To coincide with Gamescom, next week we will be releasing both City Update 12 and Local Legend 21! We’re excited to share more information about both of these updates with you in the coming days!Our efforts to backport selected aircraft from MSFS 2024 to MSFS (2020) continues. This week, three additional planes from MSFS 2024 are now available in the MSFS (2020) Marketplace: the Air Tractor AT-802, Pipistrel Taurus M, and Powrachute Sky Rascal.Last but certainly not least, August 18 is the five-year anniversary of the launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) on PC! To celebrate, we’re asking the community to participate in our 5×5 event: for the fifth anniversary of MSFS, share your top five favorite things from the past year: they can be your best screenshots, your most memorable flights, your top five aircraft, your favorite third party add-on developers, and more! See this forum thread for more information and to share your personal MSFS 5×5!– MSFS Team
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On Tuesday, Sim Update 16 for Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) saw its full release. This update includes improvements to stability and performance to aircraft, avionics, and more! Click here to read the full release notes. We are also carefully monitoring player feedback regarding this update. We encourage all players to vote in our surveys here and leave a comment on our forums about your experience with SU16.Public beta testing for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 3 remains ongoing. Yesterday, we released a new test build to those enrolled in the beta. You can see the release notes here:Also this week, we released the latest monthly navigation data update (AIRAC cycle 2508) to players on all platforms. This update will be installed automatically the next time you launch the sim.Finally, there is currently an airport sale ongoing in both the MSFS (2020) and MSFS 2024 Marketplaces! You can save up to 72% on some of the top-rated airports as voted by the community. See this page for a list of all the airports that currently have discounted pricing.– MSFS Team
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Enjoy discounted pricing during our Top-Rated Airport Sale!For 7 Days starting on August 5th, save up to 72% on the following items:DeveloperProduct//4242HB Hogsback Ranch Airstrip//42WY32 Circle B Ranch Airstrip29PalmsLGSR Santorini AirportAerosoftEBBR Brussels AirportAerosoftEDDK Cologne Bonn AirportAerosoftENVA Trondheim  International AirportAerosoftOffshore Landmarks – North SeaA-FlightWADD Ngurah Rai International AirportAkaflieg Freiburg e.V.EDTF Freiburg AirportAmSimLIRP Pisa Galileo Galilei AirportANN0VL06 Furnace Creek AirportattbenEFKI Kajaani AirportAusceneYBHM Hamilton Island AirportAviation-Sim-DesignEDAZ Schoenhagen AirportBackwoodStudios67FL Myakka Head AirportBeautiful Model of the WorldLEBG Burgos AirportBeautiful Model of the WorldLEPP Pamplona AirportBeautiful Model of the WorldLFLP Annecy – Mont Blanc AirportBeautiful Model of the WorldLFQQ Lille Lesquin AirportBeautiful Model of the WorldLIBP Abruzzo AirportBeautiful Model of the WorldLICC Catania-Fontanarossa AirportBeautiful Model of the WorldLIMJ Genoa Cristoforo Colombo AirportBlackbird SimulationsKBAB Beale AFBBurning Blue DesignEGCL Fenland AerodromeBurning Blue DesignEGKF Kittyhawk AerodromeBurning Blue DesignEGKH Headcorn AirportBurning Blue DesignEGLA Bodmin AirportBurning Blue DesignEGSL Andrewsfield AirportBurning Blue DesignEGSV Old Buckenham AerodromeBurning Blue DesignEGSX North Weald AirfieldBurning Blue DesignEGTF Fairoaks AirportCli4D DesignsEl Nido, PhilippinesCli4D DesignsPhilippines: A Tropical AdventureCreative Mesh3U2 Johnson Creek AirportCreative MeshU60 Big Creek AirportCreative MeshU70 Cascade AirportDC Scenery Design2W1 DE VEREDC Scenery DesignCZJN Swan River AirportDC Scenery DesignEDRP Pirmasens AirfieldDC Scenery DesignFA83 Orlando North AirparkDC Scenery DesignPACV Merle K (Mudhole) Smith AirportDC Scenery DesignPAWG Wrangell AirportDC Scenery DesignSNPJ Patrocinio AirportDigitalDesignLFLL Lyon AirportDigitalDesignLOWS Salzburg AirportDigitalDesignURSS Sochi International AirportDrazen MatlekovicLDZA Franjo Tuđman AirportDreamflightKCRQ McClellan-Palomar AirportDrzewiecki DesignEETN Tallinn AirportDrzewiecki DesignEPGD Gdansk AirportDrzewiecki DesignKDCA Ronald Reagan Washington National AirportDrzewiecki DesignRJAA Tokyo Narita International AirportDrzewiecki DesignSeattle LandmarksFlightsim Studio AGEDXB Heide-Busum AirportFLYT SimulationsSBCT AFONSO PENA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTFLYT SimulationsSBJE JERICOACOARA AIRPORTFLYT SimulationsSIBH HELICIDADE HELIPORTFlyTampaEKCH Copenhagen AirportFlyTampaKBOS Boston Logan International AirportFsdreamteamCYVR Vancouver International AirportFsdreamteamLFSB EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse FreiburgFsoaresSBSN Santarém AirportFSoaresSBVC Vitoria Da Conquista AirportFSX3DLFKF Figari-Sud-Corse AirportFSX3DLFMR Barcelonnette Saint-PonsFSX3DLFNS Sisteron-Vaumeilh AerodromeGearDown SimulationsSBVT Vitoria Airport and CityGlideslope ProKSFO San Francisco International AirportIM SceneryEGUL Lakenheath AirbaseIM SceneryEGXC Coningsby AirbaseiniBuildsEGKK London Gatwick InternationaliniBuildsKMKE Milwaukee AirportiniBuildsKOKC Will Rogers World AirportiniBuildsKPSP Palm Springs AirportiniBuildsKPVD Providence T.F. Green AirportiniBuildsLEIB Ibiza International AirportiniBuildsLGHI Chios Omiros AirportiniBuildsYBBN Brisbane International AirportJeppeson2001Victoria Falls Scenery PackageJustSimLGRP Rhodes International AirportLHSimulationsHungary Airport Pack 1LHSimulationsLHBP Budapest AirportLHSimulationsLHDC Debrecen AirportLimeSimEDDN Nuremberg AirportLVFRKBDL Bradley International AirportLVFRKLSV Las Vegas Nellis Air Force BaseLVFRKSAN San Diego International AirportLVFRLEBL Barcelona El Prat AirportMK-STUDIOSBGSF Kangerlussuaq AirportNMG SimulationsFALE King Shaka International AirportOrbx1S2 Darrington Municipal AirportOrbx1WA6 Fall City AirportOrbxEGNT Newcastle International AirportOrbxEGPN Dundee AirportOrbxENGM Oslo Gardermoen AirportOrbxENNO Notodden AirportOrbxENSD Sandane AirportOrbxESGG Gothenburg Landvetter AirportOrbxKORS Orcas IslandOrbxKSBA Santa Barbara Municipal AirportOrbxKSJC San Jose International AirportOrbxLFKX Meribel AirportOrbxLGSK Skiathos International AirportOrbxLOWG Graz AirportOrbxS45 Siletz Bay State AirportOrbxYMND Maitland AirportPachiman287KGRB Green Bay International AirportPaulo Ricardo ScenerySBKP Campinas International AirportPaulo Ricardo ScenerySBRJ Rio de Janeiro AirportPilot Experience SimBIIS Ísafjörður AirportPilot Experience SimLDRI Rijeka AirportPilot Experience SimLFBZ Biarritz AirportPilot Experience SimLFKJ Ajaccio AirportPilot Experience SimLFKO Propriano Tavaria AirportPilot Experience SimLFRB BREST AIRPORTPropair FlightEYKA Kaunas AirportPYREEGUE DEV Co.EGAA Belfast International AirportPYREEGUE Dev Co.EGPF Glasgow AirportPYREEGUE Dev Co.UKBB Kyiv Boryspil International AirportPYREEGUE Dev Co.UKLL Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International AirportPYREEGUE Dev Co.UKOO Odesa International AirportRmStudiosSBJD Jundai AirportRoman DesignCYOW Ottawa International AirportRPSIMULATIONS & LATAVOADORASBMT Campo de Marte AirportSalvuzLIRP Pisa International AirportSalvuzLIRZ Perugia International AirportSamScene3DRKPK Gimhae International AirportSiamFlightVTBS Suvarnabhumi AirportSierrasim SimulationNWWW La Tontouta International AirportSierrasim SimulationSLLP El Alto International AirportSimulación ExtremaEGPO Stornoway AirportSimulación ExtremaSAWE Rio Grande AirportSimulación ExtremaSAWG Rio Gallegos International AirportSimulación ExtremaSAWH Ushuaia AirportSimulación ExtremaSCGZ Puerto Williams AirportSimulación ExtremaSCNT Teniente Julio Gallardo AirportSim-WingsEDDH Hamburg AirportSim-WingsEDDM Munich International AirportSim-WingsGCLP Gran Canaria AirportSLHSimdesignsTFFG Grand Case Airport St.MartinSLHSIMDESIGNSTRPG JOHN A OSBORNE AIRPORTSouth Oak CoPHDH Dillingham AirfieldTechnoBrainRJBB Kansai International AirportV Pilot DesignsSKPA Juan Jose Rondon AirportWFSceneryStudioVHHH Hong Kong International AirportWFSceneryStudioZHCC Zhengzhou Xinzheng International AirportWFSceneryStudioZSPD Shanghai Pudong International AirportWombiiENSH Svolvaer AirportX-Codr Designs1G4 Grand Canyon West To purchase these discounted items, visit the Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace on MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024, scroll down to the Top-Rated Airport Sale row, then select ‘See All’ and look for the savings. 

Public beta testing for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 3 and Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) Sim Update 16 continues. Earlier this week, we submitted a new pre-release build for SU3 to volunteer community testers. You can read the release notes below:As part of SU3, the team has been working on improvements to ATC localization for non-English languages. For any non-English speakers participating in the SU3 beta, please complete the short survey at this link to share your feedback about the ATC updates with the development team. Your responses make a huge difference in our improvement efforts!Next month some members of the team will be in Cologne, Germany to attend Gamescom, the largest video game industry show in Europe. Microsoft Flight Simulator players can look forward to an exciting city update, a brand-new aircraft that many fans will recognize for use in the sim, and exciting and unique challenges for players to test their piloting skills.Just as we did last year, we are once again hosting a small in-person Microsoft Flight Simulator Community event in Cologne, Germany on the evening of August 23rd. This free event is a causal mixer between fans of MSFS and includes a buffet-style meal, drinks, and is meant for those who are 18+ in age. There is no presentation or exclusive information being presented at this event. You do not need a ticket to Gamescom to attend this event. Anyone wishing to attend can express interest by completing this web form.Attendees at last year’s Gamescom MSFS Community event.– MSFS Team

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Yesterday, we hosted our latest Developer Livestream on our official Twitch channel. Our usual panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial answered many questions from the community about both Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and then welcomed Marwan Gharib from FlightFX to demo their newly-released aircraft, the Cessna Citation X, the first in our Marketplace Exclusive Series. If you missed it live, you can watch the replay on YouTube below:Also this week, we released three new test builds to those participating in the public beta for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 3 and Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) Sim Update 16. You can read the release notes  for both below:The development team has been very closely monitoring the feedback submitted by players in the beta forums and reviewing the telemetry data we receive from testers. Thank you to everyone who has opted in to the beta, shared feedback and bug reports on our forums and voted in the SU3 and SU16 beta player surveys.Finally, you may have noticed that we recently started posting on Bluesky! You can now keep up with the latest MSFS news on your social platform of choice:Additionally, we also post short video content to Instagram and TikTok. Be sure to follow @msfsofficial on all your preferred social networks!– MSFS Team
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