Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 will be making its way to consoles soon, according to the game’s developer.
The game, released on PC on August 18, is the latest in a long line of releases of the popular flight simulator dating back to the first version in 1982. The game has been known for pushing graphics and processors due to its realism and scope, which has mostly relegated it to release on PCs.
A few months ago, Xbox head Phil Spencer said that the game was being targeted for release on the Xbox Series X, but there wasn’t much talk about it after that. Now, Jörg Neumann, the head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, said that the game is indeed being developed for consoles.
“We are dedicated to come to Xbox (console), we’re working really hard to make this happen. We don’t have a timeline quite yet, but we are working full speed. Because we know it’s important,” he said on the Major Nelson podcast.
There are plans to bring the game to both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X console, and Neumann said that the company has been getting a lot of requests for that very thing. He said the game already works with an Xbox controller, and that controls would be “totally doable.”
Flight Simulator is one of the longest-running series of simulators in the gaming world, and the last five were all voted simulator of the year, Neumann said on the podcast, so he felt a lot of pressure to deliver a good product.
The game uses a complete 3D model of the world with a combination of Bing, topographical maps, and Artificial Intelligence.
The game, which is typically played with multiple monitors and a flight stick, can seem intimidating and also technologically restrictive. However, Neumann told The Verge that that isn’t the case.
“We basically tried to make this an accessible simulator,” Neumann says. “Some people are speculating that you need some sort of supercomputer to run it. That’s definitely not the case. There are some pretty modest video cards and PCs. And I think it’s very similar on Xbox where there’s an entire spectrum between Xbox One and Xbox Series X. There’s continued optimization regardless, but Xbox is certainly reinvigorating our optimization efforts, is probably the best way to say it.”
Related Posts
Your charging cable might get a workout if you try ‘Charchery’
The concept is as simple as it is destructive: you plug your charger into the phone to nock an arrow, and you physically yank it out to fire. It is undeniably clever, bizarre, and almost certainly a terrible idea for the longevity of your hardware.
Your Fable reboot preview is here, open world Albion looks gloriously chaotic
The hook is familiar, your choices matter, people notice, and consequences linger. The difference is scale. This is a fully open world take, with townsfolk on routines who respond to what you do, even when you think no one’s watching. It’s still chasing that mix of heroics, petty crime, and dry British humor, only with modern action RPG muscle.
Nintendo’s latest product wants to cheer you up with random quips
Nintendo first teased the Talking Flower during a Nintendo Direct showcase last September. The company has now shared more details about the product, and confirmed when it will officially go on sale. Based on the flowers in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game, the Talking Flower is exactly what its name suggests: a potted flower that speaks around twice per hour, delivering lines like "Sometimes it's nice to space out" or "Bowser and his buds can't get us here, right?"