Microsoft Flight Simulator launches 18th August

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator will be released earlier than planned - 18th August, to be exact - and has unveiled plenty of information about the much-anticipated flight simulator.

With pre-orders now available, prices and platforms have been demonstrated. Notably, you can play Microsoft Flight Simulator through Xbox Game Pass for PC as well as buy it on the Windows Store, but there's no sign of it on Steam or the Epic Games Store. That's perhaps hardly surprising given Microsoft no doubt wants more people to use its Windows Store, but it's sure to disappoint a few people who prefer to have everything in one place.

Alongside such news comes details about pricing. There will be three Microsoft Flight Simulator editions to choose from with US and Euro prices available for each so far. The standard edition will be priced at $59.99/€70 with that version being the one also available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. It offers 20 highly detailed planes along with 30 detailed airports. If you want an extra five planes and access to five additional airports, you'll need the Deluxe Edition which retails at $89.99/€90. For the really good stuff like access to major airports like Heathrow, Dubai or San Francisco, you'll need the Premium Deluxe Edition which will cost $119.99/€120. 

Ultimately, if you want the most that Microsoft Flight Simulator can offer, you'll need to fork out a fair chunk of cash starting out. We're sure extra airports will be available as DLC further down the line though if you choose to stick with the standard version for now. 

Whichever edition you pick, Microsoft promises a world with more than 37,000 airports (albeit in much less detail than the aforementioned crucial airports), 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, along with mountains, roads, rivers and, well, you get the picture. At a time when we all remain a bit more restricted than usual, this is the chance to see the world more safely.

The game will feature live traffic along with a dynamic weather system so you'll experience real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain, and more. Every aircraft will provide a highly detailed and accurate cockpit with realistic instrumentation. Whether you're new or an old hand at flight simulators though, the game will cater for you thanks to a new checklist system that allows you to scale your level of expertise from full manual to full assist. 

Microsoft Flight Simulator launches 18th August so not long to go until you can explore the world once more.