On Thursday, Microsoft announced the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator: Game of the Year Edition. The updated game comes with a retail price from $59.99 (though it’s a free upgrade for existing users) and includes five new handcrafted aircraft, eight new airports, six new Discovery Flights, and updated weather systems. Additionally, the game incorporates all six World Updates.
The most notable update in this edition of the game is the new aircraft that you can fly. The new planes include:
- Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet: Our first military jet and a highly requested feature from the community.
- VoloCity: From well-known German company Volocopter, comes “VoloCity”, an aircraft for an electric urban air taxi.
- 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.
- 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.
In addition to new aircraft, there are eight new European and American airports for you to experience as well as updated information on 545 American airports. The new airports in this game include:
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)
Microsoft has not stopped at adding new airports and aircraft in this update. The Game of the Year Edition also features new missions based on Discovery Flights based in Helsinki, Freiburg im Breisgau, Mecca, Monument Valley, Singapore, and Mount Cook. If you’re new to the game, you may experience one of the 14 new tutorials including Bush flying in the Icon A5 or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in a Cessna 172.
As mentioned at the outset, this edition of the game brings an updated weather system, early access to DX12, and a dev mode replay system. It also includes photogrammetry cities of Helsinki, Freiburg im Breisgau, Brighton, Derby, Eastbourne, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Utrecht in collaboration with Bing Maps.
If you’re an existing player on PC or Xbox Series X|S, this edition will be delivered to you as a free update. Those who don’t yet own Microsoft Flight Simulator will have to pay the full price. The game has three editions; Standard, Deluxe, and Premium Deluxe. They cost $59.99, $89.99, and $119.99 respectively and the more you spend, the more aircraft you gain access to.