Microsoft Flight Simulator News & Announcements


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To purchase these discounted items, visit the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Marketplace, scroll down to ‘Special Offers’, then select ‘See All’ and look for the savings.


Beta testing for Sim Update 2 continues! Earlier this week, we released another pre-release test build, 1.4.11.0, which includes improvements to performance and stability on both PC and Xbox platforms plus some other bug fixes. You can read the full release notes on our forums here.

As a friendly reminder to those participating in the beta, please be sure to vote in our forum surveys for each test build. Providing quantitative feedback in this manner helps the dev team more thoroughly evaluate your feedback between different test builds and allows us to determine if the changes are moving the sim forward in a way that is satisfying to the community.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!



Beta testing for Sim Update 2 continues! Since last week's Development Update blog post, we have released two additional pre-release test builds to volunteer testers. You can read the release notes for each of these two builds at the links below:

As always, we would like to thank everyone from the community who has enrolled in the public beta. Whether you are writing bug reports and feedback posts on the forums or just flying as normal and letting the automatic telemetry system submit data for the dev team to analyze, your participation is essential in helping us deliver the best possible Sim Update 2!

Finally, last week we published our Creator Spotlight for March. Please see the Community section below to read more information about Meagan S. Hobson, founder of Women Rock Wings, a media and lifestyle brand dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the voices of women in aviation and related communities. We love the work Meagan does and we are happy to highlight her!

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!

We have just deployed a hotfix to resolve an issue affecting Steam users launching MSFS 2024 for the first time. This is a Steam-only build and will not be deployed to players on PC (MS Store) or Xbox.

RELEASE NOTES Sim Update 1 - Release - 1.3.25
Fixed an issue which sometimes prevented the Xbox account sign-in UI from appearing when launching Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 for the first time


Two days ago, we began the public beta test for Sim Update 2, the next major update to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. This is one of -- if not the -- largest updates ever for MSFS and contains hundreds of bug fixes and other improvements. You can read the full release notes on our forums here. For anyone who would like to join the beta test, you can find instructions for all platforms (PC-MS Store, PC-Steam, and Xbox Series X|S) here.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the beta so far for all your invaluable feedback. In particular, we are monitoring player reports of reduced stability in test build 1.4.7.0 very close. We have shared this feedback with the developers who are carefully analyzing telemetry data to determine the source of the crashes for resolution in a future beta build.

Finally, we are proud to announce that you will be able to experience Microsoft Flight Simulator at the upcoming SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo from April 1-6 in Lakeland, Florida! Hosted by FlyInside, explore 20+ sim stations showcasing the latest in simulation technology. Enjoy flight simulation, expert guidance, and the opportunity to experience gear from partners including MSI, Pimax, Virpil, Turtle Beach, Realsimgear, DOF Reality, Moza Racing, Thrustmaster, Next Level Racing, and Virtual Fly. You can find out more information here.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!

Are you interested in joining the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 2 public beta test?

The Sim Update 02 Beta is now available on Steam, Windows PC, and Xbox. Click here to read the release notes and use the Sim Update 2 Beta Forums to report your feedback.

Please find instructions to join the Sim Update 02 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 JOIN

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.

Memory Logging in the Sim Update 2 Beta

Memory logging will be enabled in the first Sim Update 2 Beta build, which will cause a small decrease to performance (in particular during menu transitions). The telemetry we receive from this memory logging will aid our investigations into stability improvements. This memory logging will be removed from the Sim Update 2 Beta before release, or as soon as we have enough data.

On Xbox console, you can help ensure we receive your data by following the below instructions:

Navigate to Settings > System.
Now select Console info.
Check ‘Allow optional data collection’

Changes to Career/Challenge League in the Sim Update 2 Beta

Beginning with the Sim Update 2 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.

STEAM
1. Open your Steam Library
2. Right-click Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
3. Click “Properties”
4. Click “Betas”
5. Select “flight_sim_2024_beta – Sim Update 2"

If you would like to exit the pre-release test before it ends and revert back to the live build, follow these instructions:
1. Open your Steam Library
2. Right-click Microsoft Flight Simulator
3. Click “Properties”
4. Click “Betas”
5. Select “None”

Thank you and we look forward to your feedback!

Click here to read the Sim Update 1 Beta Release Notes. You can join the SU1 Beta forums to report issues here.

MSFS Team


As announced during last Friday's Developer Livestream, the Sim Update 2 Public Beta Test will begin very shortly! During the broadcast, Martial mentioned that the beta could begin as early as today (March 20), but we need just a little bit more time to get it ready to release to volunteer testers from the community. As always, watch for news on our official forums or any of our social network accounts for the latest info on when the beta will begin and how you can enroll!

Following the launch of the in-sim Marketplace for MSFS 2024 last week, we're excited to bring the first batch of products from third-party developers to you this week! There are plenty more releases coming soon, so keep an eye out for your favorite third-party add-ons making their way to the MSFS 2024 Marketplace in the near future!

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!



Following hot on the heels of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 1 launching on March 6, we're pleased to follow it up with three big releases earlier this week!

The CAP-4 Paulistinha is the second of four aircraft that are offered FREE to all MSFS 2024 players to make good for the poor launch experience. The plane will be available to you automatically the next time you launch the sim. For MSFS 2020 pilots, you can purchase the CAP-4 from the in-sim Marketplace for the usual price of USD $14.99.

As previously announced last week, our next Developer Livestream is scheduled for tomorrow, March 14 at 9:30am PDT (1630 UTC) on our official Twitch channel. Tune in to see our regular panel and special guests respond to popular questions from the community and discuss information about upcoming future updates. Our regular Community Fly-In Friday group flight will follow on Twitch immediately after the Developer Livestream, so stick around and join hundreds of other simmers as we explore some beautiful Brazilian scenery from the recently-released WU19 together.

Last weekend, the MSFS Community Team had the opportunity to participate at an event at Springbank Airport near Calgary, Alberta, Canada organized by the graduating class of women enrolled in Mount Royal University's aviation program. This event, timed to coincide with International Women's Day, aimed to excite women and girls about pursuing a future career in the aviation field. Among the exhibitors were Air Canada, WestJet, the Canadian Forces, and many other organizations. The Microsoft Flight Simulator team was thrilled to be invited to participate and offer hands-on time with the sim to hundreds of event attendees!

In other flight sim community news, FSWeekend is taking place this Saturday and Sunday in Lelystad, Netherlands! We hope all the attendees and exhibitors have a wonderful time at this event and wish safe travels to everyone from the MSFS community attending!

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!



Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 1 (1.3.23.0) is available now on all platforms! You can read the (very lengthy) release notes here. Sim Update 1 contains hundreds of bug fixes and improvements and is one of the largest updates released yet for either MSFS (2020) or MSFS 2024. Once again, we would like to thank everyone who participated in the public beta test for your feedback and bug reports. Your contributions were essential in helping our development team deliver the best possible Sim Update. But the work hasn't stopped! Development of Sim Update 2 is underway. Stay tuned for more information about how you can join the SU2 beta once it's available. This update will be even bigger than SU1!

While Sim Update 1 is out now, one of its biggest additions, the long-awaited in-sim Marketplace, is not quite ready. Our team is making some final tweaks to the Marketplace now, and we're excited to report that it will be launching soon.

Speaking of things launching soon, World Update 19: Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana is releasing next week on Tuesday, March 11! We know many flight sim fans, particularly those from Brazil, have been waiting very patiently for this World Update, and we hope you'll find it was worth the wait!

Also next week, we have planned maintenance for our official forums on Wednesday, March 12 starting at 11:30am Pacific Time (1930 UTC). While the maintenance is in progress, the forums will temporarily be unavailable.

Our next monthly Developer Livestream will be next Friday, March 14! Join our regular panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial as they discuss Sim Update 1, World Update 19, and more! If you would like to submit a question to the panel in advance, you can do so by completing this web form. As always, we will be taking live questions from viewers from the chat, so be sure to follow our official Twitch channel so you can be notified when the stream goes live. Immediately following the Developer Livestream, we will begin our weekly Community Fly-In Friday event, so stick around and enjoy a beautiful group flight with many fellow simmers -- pilots on both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 and both PC and Xbox are welcome!

Last but not least, March 3-9 is Women of Aviation Week! The Microsoft Flight Simulator team salutes all the hard-working and capable women working around the world as pilots, air traffic controllers, dispatchers, mechanics, flight attendants, and every other aviation career! To mark this occasion, we will be participating in a Women in Aviation event at Springbank Airport (CYBW) near Calgary, Alberta, Canada hosted by Mount Royal University. If you're in the Calgary area on Saturday, March 8, stop by Springbank to meet some members of the Flight Sim team and learn more about various aviation careers. This is an all-ages, family friendly event designed to introduce and inspire the next generation of aviation professionals. Admission is free! Full event details are here.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!


If 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.

Marketplace
Many of you are eagerly anticipating the inclusion of the Marketplace. We are excited to share that the Marketplace is coming shortly, as we are making final tweaks to ensure it meets everyone’s expectations.

Stability & Performance

  • Fixed rare crash during airport generation
  • Fixed crash when selecting livery after reloading the game while not flying the default variation
  • Fixed crash when using ‘Skip to’ feature at beginning of exam.
  • Fixed potential crash when switching ON/OFF the VR mode during a flight
  • Renamed “Bandwidth” to “Download” in DisplayFPS panel to avoid misinterpretation by the community
  • Optimized texture memory usage of WASM gauges
  • Fixed crash when closing the game during package mounting.
  • Fixed crash when many avatars meet up online
  • Fixed crash on Xbox that would occur when accessing areas close to the antemeridian, such as the Savusavu Airport (NFNS) for instance
  • Improved loading times for packages with lots of individual files
  • General Bug Fixes
  • Fixed an issue where the controller was losing inputs if the user went into the filters advanced map layers leaves the sub menu then go back in it
  • Fixed an issue where going to the world map filters layers would sometimes soft lock the user when going to another page
  • Fixed community packages preventing streamed packages with the same name from being found by the sim.
  • Fixed wrong HUD color (purple/white instead of green) on some aircraft
  • Fixed scene flickering on Xbox sometimes when memory usage is high
  • Added profanity check on Callsign and FlightNumber in aircraft configurator
  • Fixed a bug where non selectable aircraft were not taken into consideration by various system after a mount/unmount or after a Build Package
  • Fixed an issue where going into a showcase “Fixed camera” in the camera panel would cause the camera to go in the cockpit view when reopening the same panel
  • Fixed multiplayer nameplate display range to low
  • Fixed UI render issue of items outside of their frame
  • Fixed Deluxe/Premium/Aviator content not being streamed when booting the game for the first time
  • The camera panel no longer forces the cockpit view when opened
  • Fixed swapped colors between Offline and Online friends
  • Fixed missing music on legacy Discovery flight Activities
  • Fixed CLOCK_HOURS/MINUTES_INC/DEC events not behaving as expected
  • Fixed several time-related issues such as ZULU/CLOCK SET events not behaving as expected
  • Fixed usage of real time instead of flight time when initializing switches (fixes light issues when starting a flight with a sim time that is different from the real time)
  • Fixed community packages being duplicated inside content.xml on each boot. Already existing duplicates are removed from file on boot.
  • Increased screen exposure under heavy cloud cover


Backwards Compatibility Bug Fixes

  • Fixed FS2020 planes exterior lights bleeding into cockpit when displayed in FS2024
  • Fixed wrong font selected when rendering XML Gauge elements
  • Forced 2024 SimVar AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR to return a very high value if requested from a 2020 sim (can happen if referencing an instrument that has been updated in 2024)
  • Fixed textures referenced in FX files not properly loaded when the package is streamed
  • Fixed emissives brightness


Click here to continue reading the Release Notes

MSFS Team


The biggest news in the flight sim world this week is the release of the A350 Airliner from developer iniBuilds! This highly-anticipated aircraft is available now for PC simmers via the MSFS (2020) in-sim Marketplace and from the iniBuilds website. To celebrate the release, we have partnered with iniBuilds to give away a free A350 Airliner to the winner of this week's Screenshot Challenge! Read on below in the Community section for more information on how to enter the contest.

Feedback opportunity! The dev team is currently looking for player feedback about the speech quality (text-to-speech) in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, particularly for languages other than English. If you would like to help the team improve the quality of the spoken dialog in MSFS 2024, please take a few moments to complete this short web form.

Finally, the team remains hard at work on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 1 (SU1) and the in-sim Marketplace that will release alongside it. While we currently do not have a launch date to share, we are planning to release a new beta build to testers in the near future. Stay tuned for updates.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!


In this week's Development Update blog, we are pleased to share with you new versions of the Feedback Snapshot and SDK Update. You can see them both by reading on below.

On Wednesday, we released a new pre-release test build for Sim Update 1 to volunteer beta testers from the community. In case you missed it, you can read the release notes for SU1 beta build 1.3.19.0 on the forums here. The team remains hard at work resolving issues identified by testers enrolled in the beta, and we aim to have a release quality build available soon. Thanks again to everyone who has joined the beta and shared their feedback and bug reports on the forums. Your contributions are incredibly valuable to us as the dev team continues their work on SU1.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!


Public beta testing for Sim Update 1 (SU1) continues, with a new pre-release test build (1.3.13.0) being released to beta testers yesterday. You can read the release notes on our forums here.

Regarding the final release of SU1, if you saw last week's Developer Livestream, you may recall that the panel mentioned we were tentatively targeting February 18th for the release. After carefully reviewing Sim Update 1 Beta feedback to ensure the best possible experience for all simmers, we have decided to take a bit more time before its release. While it won’t launch on February 18th, we appreciate your patience and look forward to sharing another update in next Thursday’s Development Blog.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!


On Wednesday, we hosted our latest Developer Livestream on our official Twitch channel. In case you missed it, you can watch the VOD on our YouTube channel embedded below. The regular panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial were also joined by Chris Burnett from Working Title to discuss future development plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Among the many topics covered were:

  • Insight and introspection regarding the MSFS2024 launch and the current state of the sim
  • A thorough status review of many of the top bugs as upvoted by members of the community on our official forums
  • Target launch dates for upcoming releases (please note that all of these dates are targets only and could potentially change in the future):

    • Sim Update 1 (and the MSFS2024 Marketplace): February 18
    • World Update 19: Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname: March
    • Sim Update 2: April (with the public beta beginning shortly after SU1 launches)
    • Sim Update 3: June

  • Preview video for the upcoming Famous Flyer 11: Cessna 185F
    • This plane is the first of four upcoming planes which will be provided FREE to all MSFS 2024 simmers

  • And much more!



The livestream lasted more than two hours and covered many topics, so we encourage everyone to watch the the video above if you have time.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!


Thank you to everyone who has downloaded the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 1 pre-release beta test build! Since its launch last week, our team has been very carefully reading your feedback and bug reports on the forums. A new pre-release build with more fixes and improvements is coming soon for beta testers. If you would like to enroll in the beta to help test the next major release of MSFS 2024, you can find instructions (for PC-MS Store, PC-Steam, and Xbox Series X|S) here.

We are also pleased this week to share with you an updated Feedback Snapshot, now expanded to show the status of the Top 96 bugs as voted by members of our forums. There is also an updated Wishlist for the Top 24 feature requests for MSFS 2020 and 2024.

Finally, our next Developer Livestream is now confirmed for Wednesday, February 5 at 10:30am PST (1830 UTC). Follow our official Twitch channel to receive a notification when our panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial go live to discuss the future development plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator and answer the most frequently asked questions the community submitted to our web form over the past few weeks. As always, the panel will also answer live questions from Twitch viewers, so be sure to tune in if you didn't have a chance to pre-submit a question!



- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!



Earlier today, we released the regular monthly Navdata Update for AIRAC Cycle 2501. This update also included a small number of bug fixes related to navdata and navigation aids. You can find the full notes on our forums here.

The public beta for Sim Update 1 is now live! If you would like to participate in this optional pre-release test, you can read the patch notes and find instructions on how to join here. As always, the beta is available to players on all platforms: PC-MS Store, PC-Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. Please be advised that the public test build 1.3.7.0 release notes do not encompass everything that will be included with the final SU1 release; there will be additional bug fixes coming in future builds. Also, the MSFS2024 Marketplace is not part of this pre-release test but is planned to launch with the full release of SU1.

The dev team greatly appreciates everyone who chooses to take part in the pre-release beta test. Please be sure to log bug reports in the appropriate section of the forums. Specifically, we are looking for confirmation that bugs that were reported to be fixed in the release notes are now working properly and also if there are any regressions (features that were previously working but are now bugged) compared to the current live build.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!
Welcome to the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 1 public beta test!

The first Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Beta previewing Sim Update 1 is now available on PC-MS Store, PC-Steam, and Xbox Series X|S.

For those familiar with the previous Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) public tests, the process to join/leave the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Beta is the same and instructions have been provided below. You must own Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (or have an appropriate Xbox Game Pass subscription) to participate on the platform of your choice.

Please note the in-sim Marketplace is planned to release with Sim Update 1 but will not be accessible during the Beta. You will still be able to access your available owned content via My Library and utilize the same functionality currently present in the sim.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU JOIN

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.

STEAM
1. Open your Steam Library
2. Right-click Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
3. Click “Properties”
4. Click “Betas”
5. Select “flight_sim_2024_beta – Sim Update 1"

If you would like to exit the pre-release test before it ends and revert back to the live build, follow these instructions:
1. Open your Steam Library
2. Right-click Microsoft Flight Simulator
3. Click “Properties”
4. Click “Betas”
5. Select “None”

Thank you and we look forward to your feedback!

Click here to read the Sim Update 1 Beta Release Notes. You can join the SU1 Beta forums to report issues here.

MSFS Team
As announced in the January 9 Development Update Blog, we have an updated Feedback Snapshot for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to share with you this week. If you aren’t familiar with the Feedback Snapshot from Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020), here are a few important notes:


  • For items listed as Under Investigation, this means that our team is currently identifying the root cause and fix for the reported issue. As they are discovered and addressed, their status will be changed to indicate the update into which they will be incorporated.
  • In Progress items indicate that the team is actively working towards a resolution, but it has not yet been assigned to a specific Sim Update.
  • The items listed on the Bug Report and Wishlist are the top 24 as voted by members of the community on our official forums. These do not represent everything the dev team is currently working on, and Sim Updates 1 and 2 will include other fixes and improvements not listed among the top 24 on the Feedback Snapshot.


On the topic of Sim Update 1, we have previously announced that there will be a public beta test for the first SU of MSFS2024 prior to its full release. If you have not joined a past public beta, please be advised that it will be available for players on all platforms: PC-MS Store, PC-Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. We will share more information about how you can manually opt in to receive the pre-release test build once it is available. Be sure to follow the News & Announcements section of our forums or our official social accounts on Facebook, Threads, or Twitter to be notified how you can join the beta once it begins.

As a reminder, we are currently accepting questions for our next Developer Livestream. If you have a question for our regular panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial, you can submit it using this web form. The most frequently-asked questions from the community will be addressed during the broadcast. Follow any of the platforms linked above for more information about the date for the Developer Livestream.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!
After a break for the holiday season to recharge, refresh, and spend time with our families, we're back this week and hard at work updating Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024!

As we begin the new year, our teams are focused on delivering the first major updates, including Sim Update 1, while also finalizing preparations for the Marketplace launch in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. We have analyzed all the feedback provided over the past weeks and months and are prioritizing bug fixes and improvements based on community input. Because of this, we are spending this week to working on the Feedback Snapshot and will have an updated version for you in next week's blog. We are also excited to announce that World Update: Brazil is on the horizon! These updates are coming soon, and we will provide more information on the timeline as it becomes available. We appreciate your support as we continue to enhance the simming experience for our community.

On Tuesday, we released a server-side fix for an issue that was preventing certain Career Mode mission types from appearing. These missions should now once again be available. Earlier today, we released a small hotfix patch (1.2.11.0) to resolve an issue that was causing avionics in some aircraft to be non-functional on Xbox and for PC players using Low or Medium graphics settings.

We are currently planning our next Developer Livestream. While we're still coordinating the schedules of our panel members and guests and don't have a date locked in yet, we have activated the web form where you can pre-submit a question. Our team will review all the submissions and ensure the most frequently asked questions from the community are addressed by the panel during the broadcast. As always, you can watch the livestream on our official Twitch channel, so be sure to follow it and enable notifications so you're informed whenever the broadcast starts.

- MSFS Team

Click here to continue reading the Development Update!


If 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.

General Bug Fixes

  • Fixed a scenario in which avionics were not functioning on Xbox Series S and Low/Medium graphics setting on PC