Microsoft Flight Simulator Should Have Been a Xbox Series X Launch Title

August 20, 2020 at 7:17pm
By Jason Stettner

I think a rather big mistake by Xbox Game Studios in regards to the Xbox Series X launch, was not to have Microsoft Flight Simulator ready to go. Now, I suppose they might pull a port out of nowhere though I really don’t see that happening.

Regardless, this really should have been an experience to showcase just what the console can do. This game was one of the most impressive titles I’ve ever played. It might seem odd to have a simulator praised to that degree, but it really is just such a remarkable time.

If you’re not familiar with this entry in the long running simulation series I’ll provide some context. It basically allows you to fly a selection of aircraft anywhere in the world. That’s right, the entire planet is available for you to fly across.

It’s also quite detailed to an impressive level, and just such a blast to play. You get to soar high in the sky, piercing through the majestic clouds or hover down right near the houses. Again, it’s the entirety of the world. You can even visit your house and it’ll be there.

It’s quite insane actually, the level of detail and geometry that’s been driven through the technology they’ve delivered. On top of that, it’s gorgeous. I’m able to push it with my RTX 2080Ti that’s been paired with an i9 9900k. The game looks so good, ever so realistic and it handles quite well with a Xbox controller as the input option.

With that, it’s the type of game that truly showcases just what your next generation console can provide. Something early on that’s absolutely massive in scale, and breathtaking. If you can nail a port over to your console, with all the special features then you might very well have a system seller. The beauty of the game running at a high quality level, in the convenience of a next gen console.

The fast loading that’s being promised could be very helpful with this one. It works well, and while it might not be the traditional type of game you’d see this one does actually have a lot of hype around it. It’s very critically acclaimed, and I thought it was just amazing when I went through the review period with it. This really should have been a premium offering for the platform at the console’s launch.

It would have given us an idea of what their vision is for what’s possible in the future. I do understand that it will be ported over eventually, but to have that at the release would have been grand. It would have likely been a surprise center of discussion, and a hidden highlight to display just what’s going to be possible moving forward.

I think that’s part of the fun of a new gaming generation, to see something that really gets you excited about the experiences you’ll be witnessing over the years to come. I truly believe that Microsoft Flight Simulator could have been that game. To pair that at release, with the many benefits that Xbox offers these days.

That being Xbox Game Pass, the option of being a Xbox Play Anywhere title and of course cross-play with cross-progression being sprinkled on top. It’s a recipe for success, and an option that might serve a different type of audience. The game is impressive, and it’s really intriguing to those that don’t even game.

My grandfather doesn’t really have any context of gaming, but I showed him a streamed tour and he actually wanted to play the game. That helps the idea that this game has the potential draw of a new audience that wants easy access to it.

That note doesn’t of course necessarily prove anything market wise, but I’m getting the idea out there that this game could have been an enticing extra point to round out what’s looking like a light exclusive launch period.

That’s particularly the case with the massive hole left by Halo Infinite vanishing. That’s about all I have on this, Flight Simulator is incredible and you should play it if you have the option. You can read my review of the game below, or check out the general platform hub for further coverage.

Read our Microsoft Flight Simulator Review
View our Xbox Hub