Most of the major updates to Microsoft Flight Simulator, which was reborn in 2020 with Xbox compatibility, have been made available for free. But next year, developer Asobo will release a new version of the game, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, that will tempt aspiring pilots with everything from risky aerial firefighting missions to leisurely adventures in a hot air balloon.
The last time we checked in with the popular flight simulator was back in November of 2022 when the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition was released, bringing with it a handful of major airport updates, the addition of gliders and helicopters, and a fleet of 10 extra fix-winged aircraft, including Howard Hughes’ 1947 H-4 Hercules, the largest wooden plane ever built, which was also known as the “Spruce Goose.”
Microsoft and Asobo haven’t yet revealed an official launch date for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 aside from a “Coming 2024″ revealed at the end of the game trailer.
The first trailer for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase, and it looks like it’s going to greatly expand the types of missions available to living room aviators beyond just flying specific routes, or trying to impress Maverick with their F-18 skills. The next version of the flight simulator will introduce more complicated aerial missions, including fighting fires with a water bomber, performing delicate search and rescues with helicopters and air ambulance planes, crop dusting, and even performing heavy lift and construction tasks using a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane.
For pilots looking for less stressful flights, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will also include skydiving missions (you’re flying the plane, not jumping out of it), air racing, similar to the events Red Bull holds around the world, and the chance to fly both blimps, and hot air balloons for those who really just want to sit back and let the prevailing winds take them on a scenic journey.