<s>
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
is	O
an	O
amateur	B-Application
flight	I-Application
simulator	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Asobo	O
Studio	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
Game	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
an	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
series	O
which	O
began	O
in	O
1982	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
preceded	O
by	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
in	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
August18	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
for	O
Windows	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
virtual	B-Application
reality	I-Application
(	O
VR	B-Application
)	O
version	O
released	O
in	O
December	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
free	O
Sim	O
2	O
update	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
is	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
see	O
a	O
VR	B-Application
and	O
console	B-Device
release	O
,	O
with	O
it	O
being	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	O
and	O
Series	O
S	O
on	O
July	O
27	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
simulates	O
the	O
topography	O
of	O
the	O
entire	O
Earth	O
using	O
data	O
from	O
Bing	B-Application
Maps	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Azure	I-Application
's	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
(	O
AI	B-Application
)	O
generates	O
the	O
three-dimensional	O
representations	O
of	O
Earth	O
's	O
features	O
,	O
using	O
its	O
cloud	B-Architecture
computing	I-Architecture
to	O
render	O
and	O
enhance	O
visuals	O
,	O
and	O
real-world	O
data	O
to	O
generate	O
real-time	O
weather	O
and	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
has	O
a	O
physics	O
engine	O
to	O
provide	O
realistic	O
flight	O
control	O
surfaces	O
,	O
with	O
over	O
1,000	O
simulated	O
surfaces	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
realistic	O
wind	O
modelled	O
over	O
hills	O
and	O
mountains	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
augment	O
its	O
realism	O
,	O
the	O
Azure	O
AI	B-Application
also	O
incorporates	O
real-time	O
elements	O
like	O
natural	O
weather	O
and	O
real-world	O
air	O
traffic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
reviewers	O
also	O
placed	O
it	O
on	O
their	O
favorites	O
 '	O
lists	O
and	O
called	O
it	O
the	O
most	O
aesthetically	O
pleasing	O
game	B-Architecture
of	I-Architecture
2020	I-Architecture
,	O
though	O
there	O
was	O
criticism	O
of	O
its	O
slow	O
loading	O
times	O
,	O
inaccuracies	O
in	O
rendering	O
certain	O
buildings	O
,	O
and	O
unrealistic	O
aerodynamics	O
models	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
an	O
amateur	B-Application
flight	I-Application
simulator	I-Application
,	O
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
has	O
a	O
tutorial	O
segment	O
divided	O
into	O
sequences	O
that	O
allow	O
players	O
new	O
to	O
flight	O
,	O
or	O
to	O
the	O
simulation	O
,	O
to	O
learn	O
the	O
basic	O
controls	O
,	O
the	O
flight	O
instruments	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
topics	O
deemed	O
essential	O
for	O
them	O
to	O
know	O
before	O
flying	O
;	O
it	O
ends	O
with	O
a	O
takeoff	O
and	O
landing	O
test	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
has	O
an	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
(	O
AI	B-Application
)	O
air	B-Application
traffic	I-Application
controller	I-Application
(	O
ATC	O
)	O
and	O
a	O
virtual	O
co-pilot	O
who	O
can	O
assist	O
players	O
when	O
they	O
are	O
unable	O
to	O
do	O
things	O
like	O
requesting	O
landing	O
clearance	O
or	O
going	O
through	O
checklists	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
allows	O
players	O
to	O
search	O
for	O
fauna	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
either	O
by	O
filtering	O
for	O
it	O
on	O
the	O
world	O
map	O
or	O
selecting	O
"	O
Fauna	O
Markers	O
"	O
when	O
in	O
mid-air	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gaming	O
interface	O
also	O
has	O
the	O
VHF	B-Device
omnidirectional	I-Device
range	I-Device
(	O
VOR	O
)	O
compass	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
altimeter	O
,	O
throttle	O
,	O
engine	O
,	O
fuel	O
,	O
flaps	O
,	O
and	O
trim	O
tabs	O
controls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additional	O
features	O
like	O
the	O
head-up	B-Application
display	I-Application
(	O
HUD	B-Application
)	O
are	O
accessible	O
from	O
the	O
settings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
its	O
antecedents	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
features	O
no	O
animations	O
or	O
depictions	O
of	O
damage	O
or	O
collision	O
when	O
an	O
aircraft	O
crashes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
its	O
complex	O
amount	O
of	O
topographical	O
,	O
scenery	O
and	O
object	O
data	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
requires	O
a	O
certain	O
speed	O
of	O
Internet	O
connection	O
for	O
seamless	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
has	O
an	O
offline	O
mode	O
,	O
which	O
uses	O
the	O
latest	O
pre-cached	O
data	O
saved	O
to	O
the	O
local	O
hard	B-Device
drive	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Standard	O
edition	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
includes	O
over	O
20	O
flyable	O
aircraft	O
;	O
the	O
Deluxe	O
has	O
five	O
more	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
PremiumDeluxe	O
edition	O
has	O
ten	O
additional	O
airplanes	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
basic	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
includes	O
around	O
37,000	O
manually	O
edited	O
airports	O
from	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
based	O
on	O
real-world	O
satellite	B-Application
images	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	O
Air	O
Traffic	O
Simulation	O
Network	O
(	O
VATSIM	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
International	B-Protocol
Virtual	I-Protocol
Aviation	I-Protocol
Organisation	I-Protocol
(	O
IVAO	O
)	O
are	O
examples	O
of	O
online	O
flight-simulation	O
networks	O
supported	O
within	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
since	O
release	O
that	O
allow	O
pilots	O
to	O
talk	O
to	O
human	O
air	B-Application
traffic	I-Application
controllers	I-Application
(	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
ones	O
)	O
and	O
to	O
each	O
other	O
where	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
ATC	O
coverage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
services	O
add	O
to	O
the	O
realism	O
of	O
flight	B-Application
simulators	I-Application
,	O
and	O
VATSIM	O
was	O
even	O
used	O
in	O
2008	O
to	O
test	O
proposed	O
real-world	O
changes	O
to	O
ATC	O
before	O
implementation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
is	O
also	O
committed	O
to	O
introducing	O
new	O
paid	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
every	O
"	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
months	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
compatible	O
with	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
(	O
2006	O
)	O
third-party	O
aircraft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
has	O
a	O
"	O
legacy	O
"	O
option	O
to	O
enable	O
a	O
flight	O
model	O
from	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
1.0	I-Application
(	O
1982	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
uses	O
its	O
in-house	O
graphics	O
and	O
physics	O
engine	O
while	O
using	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Azure	I-Application
to	O
provide	O
over	O
two	O
petabytes	O
of	O
world	O
map	O
data	O
taken	O
from	O
the	O
cloud	B-Architecture
on	O
demand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
partnered	O
with	O
Blackshark.ai,	O
who	O
developed	O
a	O
solution	O
that	O
uses	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Azure	I-Application
and	O
AI	B-Application
to	O
analyze	O
map	O
data	O
and	O
photogrammetry	B-Application
to	O
generate	O
photorealistic	O
3D	O
models	O
of	O
buildings	O
,	O
trees	O
,	O
terrain	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
generates	O
its	O
terrain	O
and	O
scenery	O
objects	O
initially	O
from	O
satellite	B-Application
imagery	O
or	O
fly-by	O
image	O
scans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
"	O
offline	O
procedural	O
generation	O
AI	B-Application
"	O
uses	O
those	O
and	O
the	O
data	O
from	O
Bing	B-Application
Maps	I-Application
to	O
generate	O
the	O
scenery	O
and	O
objects	O
for	O
the	O
virtual	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
features	O
multiple	O
terabytes	O
of	O
texture	O
and	O
height	O
map	O
data	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Alex	O
Battaglia	O
of	O
Eurogamer	O
,	O
"	O
Using	O
a	O
base	O
mesh	O
and	O
textures	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
utili[z]es	O
your	O
[I]nternet	O
connection	O
to	O
stream	O
even	O
higher	O
quality	O
terrain	O
data	O
onto	O
your	O
PC	O
as	O
you	O
play	O
,	O
via	O
the	O
Azure	O
cloud	B-Architecture
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
means	O
that	O
as	O
the	O
pilot	O
flies	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
downloads	B-Application
area-specific	O
high	O
quality	O
scenery	O
and	O
objects	O
which	O
he	O
says	O
"	O
boost	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
fidelity	O
and	O
diversity	O
that	O
I	O
've	O
yet	O
to	O
see	O
in	O
any	O
other	O
release	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bing	B-Application
Maps	I-Application
updates	O
every	O
28	O
days	O
,	O
allowing	O
for	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
's	O
to	O
stay	O
up	O
to	O
date	O
with	O
reality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
rare	O
cases	O
where	O
certain	O
areas	O
are	O
blurred	O
or	O
pixelated	O
on	O
Bing	B-Application
Maps	I-Application
it	O
"	O
uses	O
procedural	O
techniques	O
to	O
fill	O
in	O
the	O
blanks	O
and	O
make	O
sure	O
there	O
is	O
something	O
in	O
the	O
space	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developer	O
Asobo	O
Studio	O
scanned	O
the	O
interiors	O
and	O
exteriors	O
of	O
aircraft	O
with	O
a	O
3D	B-Algorithm
scanner	I-Algorithm
to	O
create	O
their	O
realistic	O
looks	O
,	O
polished	O
with	O
modeling	O
and	O
printing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
features	O
a	O
draw	B-General_Concept
distance	I-General_Concept
and	O
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
see	O
storms	O
on	O
the	O
horizon	O
,	O
with	O
lightning	O
cracking	O
inside	O
the	O
clouds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
the	O
first	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
to	O
enable	O
worldwide	O
visual	O
flight	O
rules	O
(	O
VFR	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
feature	O
not	O
seen	O
in	O
contemporary	O
flight	B-Application
simulators	I-Application
used	O
by	O
airlines	O
to	O
train	O
and	O
test	O
pilots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Through	O
cloud-based	B-Architecture
technology	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
sends	O
data	O
to	O
the	O
computer	O
or	O
console	B-Device
in	O
real	O
time	O
,	O
with	O
AI	B-Application
being	O
utilized	O
to	O
extrapolate	O
geometry	O
from	O
a	O
blend	O
of	O
satellite	B-Application
and	O
flyover	O
imagery	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cloud	B-Architecture
technology	I-Architecture
is	O
used	O
to	O
calculate	O
,	O
among	O
other	O
things	O
,	O
the	O
way	O
air	O
flows	O
around	O
natural	O
structures	O
such	O
as	O
mountains	O
to	O
cause	O
pockets	O
of	O
turbulence	O
,	O
or	O
stream	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
real-time	O
air	O
traffic	O
,	O
and	O
time	O
of	O
day	O
and	O
weather	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
times	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulators	I-Application
reflection	O
system	O
uses	O
ray	B-Algorithm
marching	I-Algorithm
by	O
retranslating	O
voxels	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
a	O
complex	O
lighting	O
system	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
makes	O
use	O
of	O
highly	O
detailed	O
shaders	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
populates	O
the	O
world	O
with	O
animals	O
and	O
roads	O
with	O
vehicles	O
,	O
grasses	O
have	O
individual	O
blades	O
,	O
and	O
water	O
flows	O
realistically	O
based	O
on	O
wind	O
direction	O
,	O
creating	O
the	O
illusion	O
of	O
a	O
living	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
approach	O
allows	O
Microsoft	O
to	O
flag	O
artifacts	O
and	O
visual	O
anomalies	O
from	O
a	O
bird's-eye	B-Application
view	I-Application
,	O
clearing	O
up	O
the	O
input	O
for	O
a	O
world-building	O
algorithm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
result	O
is	O
fed	O
into	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
stringing	O
the	O
environment	O
together	O
in	B-Architecture
the	I-Architecture
cloud	I-Architecture
,	O
and	O
then	O
streamed	O
to	O
the	O
computer	O
(	O
PC	O
)	O
or	O
console	B-Device
in	O
real	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
features	O
various	O
animal	O
species	O
that	O
can	O
even	O
be	O
viewed	O
at	O
ground	O
level	O
,	O
including	O
birds	O
,	O
elephants	O
,	O
giraffes	O
and	O
bears	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
France	O
's	O
Asobo	O
Studio	O
developed	O
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
published	O
by	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
Game	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
major	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
series	O
since	O
2006	O
's	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	O
(	O
FSX	B-Application
)	O
,	O
following	O
a	O
long	O
period	O
of	O
uncertainty	O
over	O
the	O
future	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
after	O
the	O
closure	O
of	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
in	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Six	O
years	O
before	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
began	O
working	O
with	O
Asobo	O
on	O
a	O
product	O
called	O
HoloTour	O
for	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
HoloLens	B-General_Concept
mixed	B-General_Concept
reality	I-General_Concept
headset	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
executives	O
and	O
Neumann	O
consulted	O
with	O
the	O
Bing	B-Application
Maps	I-Application
team	O
to	O
use	O
their	O
detailed	O
photogrammetry	B-Application
data	O
of	O
Machu	O
Picchu	O
,	O
which	O
included	O
the	O
ruins	O
,	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
HoloLens	B-General_Concept
replica	O
of	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neumann	O
later	O
used	O
Bing	B-Application
Maps	I-Application
photogrammetry	B-Application
data	O
for	O
Asobo	O
to	O
build	O
a	O
flight	O
demo	O
for	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Seattle	O
,	O
The	O
technology	O
incorporates	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
discontinued	O
Photosynth	B-Application
project	O
,	O
which	O
generates	O
3D	O
models	O
from	O
2D	O
photos	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wanting	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
technology	O
for	O
a	O
game	O
,	O
project	O
leader	O
Jörg	O
Neumann	O
realized	O
that	O
Microsoft	O
possessed	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
David	O
Denhart	O
of	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
had	O
archived	O
its	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
work	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
given	O
to	O
Asobo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
franchise	O
's	O
return	O
after	O
a	O
14-year	O
time	O
span	O
is	O
partially	O
credited	O
to	O
the	O
business	O
model	O
of	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
,	O
allowing	O
for	O
a	O
wider	O
variety	O
and	O
diversity	O
of	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xbox	B-Protocol
chief	O
Phil	O
Spencer	O
said	O
that	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
part	O
of	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
renewed	O
commitment	O
to	O
PC	O
gaming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Spencer	O
,	O
their	O
head	O
of	O
global	O
partnerships	O
Sarah	O
Bond	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
Game	O
Pass	O
"	O
with	O
the	O
indie	O
montage	O
"	O
and	O
all	O
the	O
games	O
set	O
to	O
launch	O
on	O
Game	O
Pass	O
,	O
then	O
announced	O
it	O
for	O
PC	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
I	O
did	O
n't	O
know	O
if	O
the	O
PC	O
community	O
was	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
watching	O
or	O
not	O
,	O
but	O
we	O
went	O
Flight	O
Sim	O
,	O
we	O
went	O
Age	B-Application
,	O
we	O
went	O
Wasteland	B-Application
—	O
I	O
wanted	O
people	O
to	O
know	O
that	O
we	O
want	O
to	O
make	O
sure	O
we	O
're	O
building	O
games	O
and	O
supporting	O
games	O
that	O
respect	O
what	O
the	O
PC	O
community	O
loves	O
"	O
,	O
he	O
elaborated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
bringing	O
back	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
,	O
he	O
said	O
:	O
"	O
We	O
do	O
have	O
some	O
pilots	O
on	O
the	O
teams	O
that	O
are	O
big	O
fans	O
of	O
flight	O
,	O
and	O
flight	O
sims	O
,	O
and	O
flying	O
themselves	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
passionate	O
about	O
it	O
,	O
so	O
we	O
said	O
,	O
'	O
okay	O
,	O
let	O
's	O
see	O
what	O
we	O
can	O
do	O
 '	O
.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
CNN	B-Architecture
,	O
he	O
said	O
:	O
When	O
you	O
meet	O
pilots	O
a	O
lot	O
of	O
them	O
that	O
say	O
'	O
you	O
know	O
what	O
?	O
</s>
<s>
Regarding	O
the	O
aircraft	O
3D	B-Algorithm
scanning	I-Algorithm
technology	O
,	O
Asobo	O
recalled	O
that	O
,	O
although	O
scanning	O
saves	O
time	O
and	O
simplifies	O
the	O
work	O
,	O
scanning	O
an	O
aircraft	O
can	O
take	O
a	O
full	O
day	O
,	O
depending	O
on	O
its	O
size	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
team	O
of	O
audio	O
directors	O
,	O
designers	O
,	O
and	O
recordists	O
were	O
in	O
charge	O
of	O
the	O
audio	O
incorporated	O
into	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
of	O
these	O
recordings	O
were	O
recorded	O
using	O
Audiokinetic	B-Application
Wwise	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Azure	O
Cognitive	O
Services	O
plays	O
a	O
role	O
in	O
improving	O
the	O
pilot	O
and	O
ATC	O
automated	O
dialogue	O
:	O
they	O
built	O
a	O
universal	O
text-to-speech	B-Application
model	O
using	O
3,000	O
hours	O
of	O
data	O
to	O
achieve	O
naturalness	O
in	O
dialogue	O
,	O
and	O
used	O
pre-built	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
volunteer-submitted	O
audio	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
give	O
different	O
accents	O
to	O
ATCs	O
of	O
different	O
regions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
volunteer	O
broke	O
their	O
agreement	O
and	O
shared	O
footage	O
to	O
YouTube	B-General_Concept
;	O
Microsoft	O
used	O
their	O
copyrights	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
videos	O
removed	O
immediately	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
2019	O
,	O
FSX	B-Application
had	O
a	O
beta	O
"	O
branch	O
"	O
which	O
gained	O
telemetry	O
data	O
that	O
would	O
help	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
available	O
at	O
no	O
cost	O
for	O
all	O
FSX	B-Application
and	O
FSX	B-Application
Steam	B-Application
Version	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
constantly	O
updated	O
with	O
"	O
World	O
Update[s]	O
 "	O
and	O
"	O
Sim	O
Update[s]	O
 "	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Updates	O
in	O
general	O
are	O
essential	O
to	O
retain	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
realistic	O
stature	O
,	O
as	O
photogrammetry	B-Application
may	O
be	O
outdated	O
,	O
or	O
an	O
early	O
render	O
may	O
be	O
inaccurate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
features	O
photogrammetry	B-Application
for	O
Sendai	O
,	O
Takamatsu	O
,	O
Tokushima	O
,	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
Utsunomiya	O
,	O
and	O
Yokohama	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
handcrafting	O
for	O
Hachijojima	O
,	O
Kerama	O
,	O
Kushiro	O
,	O
Nagasaki	O
,	O
Shimojishima	O
,	O
and	O
Suwanosejima	O
airports	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
tribute	O
to	O
the	O
franchise	O
's	O
long-running	O
trajectory	O
,	O
the	O
update	O
is	O
expected	O
to	O
include	O
several	O
historical	O
planes	O
,	O
helicopters	B-Application
and	O
gliders	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
classic	O
airports	O
and	O
missions	O
from	O
previous	O
installations	O
of	O
the	O
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
frequently	O
receives	O
feedback	O
from	O
users	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
via	O
their	O
forums	O
,	O
including	O
requests	O
for	O
helicopters	B-Application
,	O
structure	O
updates	O
,	O
inaccurate	O
detail	O
fixes	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
need	O
for	O
improved	O
systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
team	O
constantly	O
receives	O
feedback	O
from	O
players	O
and	O
has	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
updated	O
when	O
it	O
is	O
received	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
people	O
to	O
play	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
—	O
journalists	O
,	O
bloggers	O
,	O
influencers	O
,	O
and	O
flight	O
simmers	O
—	O
were	O
invited	O
by	O
the	O
developer	O
team	O
to	O
Rainier	O
Flight	O
Service	O
,	O
a	O
flight	O
school	O
in	O
Renton	O
,	O
Washington	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
July13	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
began	O
accepting	O
preorders	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
August18	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
became	O
available	O
for	O
the	O
PC	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
digital	O
licenses	O
from	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Store	I-Application
and	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
also	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
subscription	O
service	O
,	O
allowing	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
one-month	O
play	O
of	O
the	O
Standard	O
version	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
for	O
just	O
US$1	O
,	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
the	O
normal	O
purchase	O
price	O
of	O
US$69	O
,	O
and	O
at	O
US	O
$3.99	O
for	O
subsequent	O
months	O
subscriptions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
E3	O
2021	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
will	O
be	O
released	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	O
and	O
Series	O
S	O
on	O
July	O
27	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
with	O
undated	O
announcements	O
going	O
back	O
to	O
December	O
11	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anticipating	O
a	O
wider	O
range	O
of	O
players	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
made	O
several	O
modifications	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
make	O
gameplay	O
more	O
accessible	O
,	O
like	O
adding	O
four	O
more	O
tutorial	O
sequences	O
,	O
diversifying	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
abilities	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
adding	O
the	O
option	O
of	O
slander	O
floats	O
and	O
skis	O
in	O
aircraft	O
so	O
that	O
it	O
can	O
land	O
anywhere	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Microsoft	O
spokesperson	O
stated	O
that	O
plans	O
for	O
its	O
release	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
will	O
be	O
discussed	O
sometime	O
in	O
2021	O
,	O
although	O
Microsoft	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
Series	B-Device
X	I-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
playable	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
via	O
Xbox	B-Application
Cloud	I-Application
Gaming	I-Application
in	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
later	O
released	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
and	O
Cloud	B-Architecture
Gaming	O
on	O
March	O
1	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
allowing	O
gameplay	O
on	O
smartphones	O
,	O
tablets	O
,	O
and	O
PCs	O
with	O
lower-than-required	O
specifications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Wireless	I-Device
Controllers	I-Device
are	O
also	O
supported	O
with	O
the	O
Cloud	B-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
worldwide	O
,	O
except	O
for	O
China	O
;	O
although	O
some	O
aspiring	O
Chinese	O
players	O
are	O
finding	O
ways	O
to	O
purchase	O
it	O
via	O
Steam	B-Application
and	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aerosoft	O
,	O
a	O
German	O
developer	O
and	O
publisher	O
of	O
simulation	B-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
announced	O
in	O
July	O
2020	O
that	O
they	O
partnered	O
with	O
Microsoft	O
to	O
release	O
a	O
physical	O
version	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
DVDs	O
are	O
each	O
able	O
to	O
store	O
a	O
maximum	O
of	O
8.7	O
gigabytes	O
(	O
GB	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
contain	O
around	O
90GB	O
of	O
data	O
that	O
consists	O
of	O
the	O
installer	O
and	O
basic	O
content	O
,	O
including	O
aircraft	O
and	O
the	O
standard-definition	O
default	O
world	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
an	O
Internet	O
connection	O
allows	O
the	O
patches	O
and	O
updates	O
to	O
be	O
downloaded	B-Application
during	O
installation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Project	O
leader	O
Jörg	O
Neumann	O
stated	O
that	O
a	O
virtual	B-Application
reality	I-Application
(	O
VR	B-Application
)	O
version	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
was	O
the	O
"	O
very	O
first	O
feedback	O
"	O
they	O
received	O
after	O
the	O
unveiling	O
at	O
E3	O
2019	O
,	O
however	O
aspirations	O
of	O
creating	O
a	O
VR	B-Application
version	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
series	O
has	O
been	O
in	O
his	O
mind	O
as	O
far	O
as	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
at	O
a	O
developer	O
livestream	O
on	O
Twitch	O
,	O
they	O
announced	O
a	O
VR	B-Application
version	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
it	O
was	O
previously	O
announced	O
to	O
only	O
be	O
supported	O
on	O
Microsoft	B-General_Concept
Mixed	I-General_Concept
Reality	I-General_Concept
devices	O
,	O
Asobo	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
supported	O
on	O
all	O
OpenXR	B-General_Concept
and	O
SteamVR	O
devices	O
The	O
first	O
device	O
that	O
will	O
be	O
supporting	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
Hewlett-Packard	O
'	O
s	O
Reverb	O
G2	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
headset	B-Device
's	O
launch	O
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
VR	B-Application
version	O
,	O
two	O
new	O
tutorials	O
were	O
released	O
,	O
including	O
one	O
using	O
the	O
Airbus	O
A320neo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Corresponding	O
with	O
the	O
VR	B-Application
update	O
,	O
"	O
real-time	O
snow	O
and	O
true-to-life	O
ice	O
coverage	O
to	O
the	O
entire	O
planet	O
"	O
was	O
introduced	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
announced	O
"	O
new	O
performance	O
optimizations	O
"	O
which	O
reduces	O
the	O
complications	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
hefty	O
"	O
required	O
specifications	O
:	O
an	O
i5-8400/Ryzen	O
5	O
1500X	O
,	O
GTX	O
970	O
,	O
and	O
16GB	O
of	O
RAM	B-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
,	O
within	O
PC	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
and	I-Device
Series	I-Device
S	I-Device
,	O
received	O
"	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
"	O
from	O
video	O
game	O
critics	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
the	O
site	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
rated	O
the	O
third-best	O
PC	O
game	B-Architecture
of	I-Architecture
2020	I-Architecture
,	O
behind	O
Half-Life	B-Application
:	I-Application
Alyx	I-Application
and	O
Hades	B-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
tenth	O
most	O
discussed	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
OpenCritic	O
,	O
another	O
aggregator	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
rated	O
"	O
Mighty	O
"	O
based	O
on	O
86	O
critics	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
summary	O
:	O
"	O
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
is	O
a	O
technical	O
marvel	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
insane	O
amount	O
of	O
polish	O
,	O
incredible	O
realism	O
,	O
and	O
phenomenal	O
controls.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
considered	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
realism	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
as	O
the	O
reason	O
it	O
stands	O
out	O
,	O
with	O
Tokarev	O
Kirill	O
of	O
80	O
LEVEL	O
and	O
Chad	O
Sapieha	O
of	O
Common	O
Sense	O
Media	O
describing	O
its	O
authenticity	O
as	O
unprecedented	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
critics	O
calling	O
it	O
an	O
aesthetic	O
feat	O
within	O
PC	O
gaming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
some	O
technical	O
issues	O
,	O
Engadget	B-Application
Devindra	O
Hardawar	O
found	O
the	O
VR	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
realistic	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
extent	O
that	O
its	O
visuals	O
resonated	O
with	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
has	O
been	O
labeled	O
the	O
best-looking	O
video	O
game	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
best-looking	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
,	O
albeit	O
being	O
disclaimed	O
as	O
a	O
still-imperfect	O
"	O
work	O
in	O
progress	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
and	I-Device
Series	I-Device
S	I-Device
version	O
was	O
also	O
raved	O
among	O
reviewers	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
accessibility	O
additions	O
being	O
praised	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
graphics	O
are	O
noted	O
to	O
be	O
smaller	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
resolution	O
of	O
the	O
affordable	O
,	O
US$299	O
version	O
downgraded	O
from	O
4K	B-Architecture
to	O
1080p	O
,	O
it	O
did	O
not	O
ruin	O
the	O
experience	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
still	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
recommended	O
the	O
Series	B-Device
X	I-Device
version	O
over	O
the	O
Series	O
S	O
,	O
though	O
noted	O
the	O
Series	O
S	O
is	O
also	O
great	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
routine	O
updates	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
release	O
,	O
Gianluca	O
Musso	O
of	O
the	O
Italian	O
Eurogamer	O
opined	O
that	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
players	O
have	O
more	O
enjoyment	O
than	O
the	O
PC	O
players	O
,	O
at	O
least	O
from	O
that	O
viewpoint	O
;	O
he	O
also	O
recommended	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
Series	B-Device
X	I-Device
and	O
Series	O
S	O
starter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mainstream	O
media	O
also	O
viewed	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
in	O
a	O
positive	O
light	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Paul	O
Sillers	O
,	O
writing	O
for	O
CNN	B-Architecture
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
might	O
be	O
"	O
the	O
safest	O
way	O
to	O
travel	O
"	O
during	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
,	O
and	O
because	O
of	O
the	O
global	O
economic	O
conditions	O
in	O
the	O
wake	O
of	O
COVID-19	O
,	O
is	O
being	O
used	O
by	O
furloughed	O
pilots	O
to	O
keep	O
their	O
skills	O
fresh	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
"	O
a	O
comprehensive	O
simulator	O
that	O
steadily	O
guides	O
players	O
from	O
square	O
one	O
to	O
being	O
able	O
to	O
fly	O
,	O
combined	O
with	O
kitchen-sink	O
graphics	O
"	O
,	O
The	O
Guardian	O
concluded	O
that	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
"	O
captures	O
the	O
wonder	O
of	O
flight	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
spiritual	O
and	O
emotional	O
rush	O
of	O
seeing	O
the	O
world	O
in	O
a	O
different	O
way	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
the	O
first	O
few	O
weeks	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
over	O
one	O
million	O
users	O
had	O
played	O
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Market	O
intelligence	O
firm	O
Jon	O
Peddie	O
Research	O
noted	O
in	O
August	O
2020	O
that	O
simulator	O
enthusiasts	O
are	O
among	O
the	O
most	O
active	O
gamers	O
online	O
,	O
projecting	O
that	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
fans	O
would	O
spend	O
$2.6	O
billion	O
over	O
the	O
next	O
three	O
years	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Peddie	O
also	O
predicted	O
that	O
there	O
would	O
be	O
more	O
than	O
2.27million	O
copies	O
sold	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
Intel	O
,	O
Nvidia	O
,	O
and	O
Advanced	O
Micro	O
Devices	O
(	O
AMD	O
)	O
might	O
benefit	O
from	O
this	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
shown	O
to	O
have	O
operational	O
shortcomings	O
,	O
which	O
may	O
increase	O
the	O
demand	O
for	O
more	O
advanced	O
graphics	B-Architecture
processing	I-Architecture
units	I-Architecture
(	O
GPUs	B-Architecture
)	O
and	O
central	B-General_Concept
processing	I-General_Concept
units	I-General_Concept
(	O
CPUs	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
its	O
console	B-Device
debut	O
,	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
version	O
was	O
the	O
third	O
best-selling	O
game	O
across	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
platforms	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
in	O
July	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Operating_System
Flight	I-Operating_System
Simulator	I-Operating_System
dropped	O
to	O
fifth-position	O
in	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
charts	O
the	O
following	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
the	O
long	O
in-game	O
installation	O
has	O
frustrated	O
many	O
users	O
,	O
forcing	O
them	O
to	O
exceed	O
two	O
hours	O
of	O
gameplay	O
and	O
lose	O
the	O
right	O
to	O
a	O
refund	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Doug	O
Lombardi	O
,	O
Vice	O
President	O
of	O
Steam	B-Application
's	O
owner	O
Valve	O
,	O
says	O
they	O
have	O
addressed	O
this	O
issue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
download	B-Application
times	O
had	O
been	O
either	O
slow	O
or	O
stuck	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Windows	O
Central	O
said	O
such	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
are	O
expected	O
saying	O
:	O
"	O
Just	O
remember	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
launch	O
day.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
a	O
typographical	O
error	O
in	O
the	O
height	O
of	O
a	O
Melbourne	O
suburban	O
building	O
in	O
OpenStreetMap	O
,	O
data	O
which	O
had	O
been	O
used	O
by	O
Bing	B-Application
Maps	I-Application
and	O
then	O
used	O
by	O
Asobo	O
,	O
the	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
initially	O
rendered	O
a	O
two-storey	O
building	O
as	O
212	O
storeys	O
—	O
inserting	O
an	O
improbably	O
thin	O
and	O
tall	O
skyscraper	O
into	O
the	O
suburb	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
users	O
on	O
the	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
support	O
forums	O
also	O
reported	O
instability	O
and	O
game	O
crashes	O
without	O
an	O
obvious	O
cause	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
this	O
,	O
Tom	O
Warren	O
of	O
The	O
Verge	O
said	O
"	O
the	O
glitches	B-Error_Name
are	O
more	O
amusing	O
than	O
they	O
are	O
game	O
breaking	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Engadget	B-Application
's	O
Jessica	O
Conditt	O
opined	O
such	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
represent	O
what	O
the	O
amateur	B-Application
flight	I-Application
simulation	I-Application
genre	O
is	O
all	O
about	O
:	O
creating	O
a	O
planet	O
sandbox	O
where	O
players	O
can	O
do	O
whatever	O
they	O
want	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
's	O
weather	O
has	O
been	O
noted	O
for	O
incorporating	O
real-time	O
data	O
of	O
notable	O
weather	O
abnormalities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Hurricane	B-Application
Laura	O
was	O
approaching	O
Texas	O
and	O
Louisiana	O
,	O
players	O
flew	O
inside	O
the	O
Category	O
4	O
hurricane	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Washington	O
Post	O
noted	O
the	O
inaccuracy	O
of	O
the	O
wind	O
speeds	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
hurricane	B-Application
did	O
not	O
swirl	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mathias	O
Müller	O
,	O
head	O
of	O
Meteoblue	O
said	O
:	O
"	O
Yesterday	O
’s	O
hurricane	B-Application
was	O
very	O
beautiful	O
to	O
look	O
at	O
and	O
was	O
accurately	O
predicted	O
by	O
our	O
models	O
even	O
days	O
ahead	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
We	O
are	O
very	O
happy	O
that	O
real-time	O
weather	O
is	O
now	O
part	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
said	O
that	O
Laura	O
inspired	O
them	O
to	O
improve	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulators	I-Application
weather	O
quality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Suez	O
Canal	O
soon	O
became	O
popularized	O
among	O
players	O
following	O
the	O
obstruction	O
of	O
the	O
canal	O
by	O
the	O
Ever	O
Given	O
ship	O
(	O
with	O
the	O
ship	O
becoming	O
a	O
downloadable	B-Application
mod	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
feature	O
was	O
acknowledged	O
by	O
Mat	O
Velloso	O
,	O
technical	O
advisor	O
to	O
Microsoft	O
CEO	O
Satya	O
Nadella	O
,	O
on	O
Twitter	B-Application
.	O
</s>
