by Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator

It has been an amazing journey since we launched Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC. The core flight simmer audience embraced the new experience immediately and with Xbox Game Pass for PC, a new audience of PC gamers was attracted who had previously never played a flight simulator before.

In July 2021, we launched Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S and welcomed millions of console players to the flight simulation experience. We introduced new features such as Discovery Flights, expanded tutorials, Flight Assistant, Map Labels, and Land Anywhere, that are aimed to assist newcomers to successfully enter the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator. This release brought numerous improvements to the sim including significant performance gains that benefitted the PC audience as well.

And the launch was just the beginning. Throughout the past 14 months, we delivered major monthly updates: six World Updates and six Sim Updates that constantly improve the experience. And today, we are pleased to announce the Microsoft Flight Simulator Game of the Year (GOTY) Edition. This new edition celebrates all the positive feedback, reviews and awards garnered, but it is also a “Thank You” to our fans – new and old – that have made Microsoft Flight Simulator such a phenomenon.

Here is what is included in the GOTY Edition:

New Aircraft

We are adding 5 brand new aircraft to Microsoft Flight Simulator:

• Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet: Our first military jet and a highly requested feature from the community. The Top Gun: Maverick expansion will release with the movie next Spring, but we wanted simmers to have the opportunity to test their need for speed this holiday.
• VoloCity: We partnered with well-known German company Volocopter, which is working on an eVTOL called “VoloCity”, a vision for an urban air taxi. We worked closely with the Volocopter engineering team to develop an authentic version of the prototype aircraft for the simulator. This is our first aircraft that can perform pinpoint landings and is a teaser of what you can look forward to in 2022 when we intend to launch helicopters in the sim.
• Pilatus PC-6 Porter: This legendary short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft is a highly versatile plane from Switzerland and comes with several cockpits, cabins, and landing gear variations. It is the result of our close collaboration with the manufacturer and the development efforts by famed developers Hans Hartmann and Alexander Metzger resulted in a great and fun new aircraft with exception capabilities in the simulator.
• CubCrafters NX Cub: Yakima-based CubCrafters recently introduced a nosewheel option for their flagship CC-19 XCub Aircraft, popularly called the NX Cub, which we are pleased to introduce to the flight sim audience to further enhance our bush flying and off airport options.
• Aviat Pitts Special S1S: One of our most popular planes gets a single-seat option with the release of this aircraft.

New Airports

We are adding 8 handcrafted airports in Central Europe and the United States:

• Germany
  • Leipzig/Halle Airport (EDDP)
  • Allgäu Airport Memmingen (EDJA)
  • Kassel Airport (EDVK)
• · Switzerland
  • Lugano Airport (LSZA)
  • Zurich Airport (LSZH)
  • Luzern-Beromunster Airport (LSZO)
• · United States
  • Patrick Space Force Base (KCOF)
  • Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (KNKX)

The Game of the Year release is adding information about 545 previously missing airports in the United States.

New Missions

Based on the popularity of the recently introduced Discovery Flights, we are adding an additional 6 locations (Helsinki, Freiburg im Breisgau, Mecca, Monument Valley, Singapore, and Mount Cook) to this popular series.

New Tutorials

To further expand the onboarding experience, we are adding 14 new tutorials, introducing simmers to Bush flying (in an Icon A5) and IFR (in a Cessna 172).

New Features

We are also pleased to introduce several highly requested features by the community: an updated weather system, early access to DX12, and a dev mode replay system.

New Photogrammetry Cities

As part of our ongoing collaboration with Bing Maps, we are pleased to add a number of new photogrammetry cities: Helsinki (Finland), Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), Brighton, Derby, Eastbourne, Newcastle, and Nottingham (UK) and Utrecht (Netherlands).

Windows 11 Collaboration

To celebrate the launch of Windows 11, from October 19 to November 18, we have selected 11 landmarks across the globe that will be lit up in Windows blue within Microsoft Flight Simulator. In addition, we are releasing a special Windows 11 themed livery for the EXTRA 330LT for simmers to add to their collection.

And, best of all, the Microsoft Flight Simulator Game of the Year Edition will be available as a free update for existing players on PC and Xbox Series X|S. For new users, the GOTY Edition is the perfect entry point to flight simming as it offers an even richer experience, and it will be the item they purchase as we are retiring the original.

We can’t wait for you to experience this expanded edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator on November 18. We encourage you to invite your friends to experience the wonders of flight. The sky is calling!

Microsoft Flight Simulator is now available on Xbox Series X|S with Xbox Game Pass, Windows 10/11 with Xbox Game Pass for PC, and Steam.

For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on Twitter.