Summary
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has lost over 60% of players post-launch due to game-breaking issues.
- The title received "Overwhelmingly Negative" reviews on Steam, mostly due to server problems and missing content.
- Despite being highly anticipated, the rocky launch has led to player count decline, leaving developers working to resolve issues.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s player count has decreased by over 60% since the game’s all-time peak earlier this week. Due to a rocky launch, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 seems to be struggling to keep players engaged, a shame considering how eagerly awaited the title was by fans of the flight sim genre.
Since the launch of the franchise’s first game in the 80s, Microsoft Flight Simulator has had more than a dozen entries over the years, with many of its releases being considered among the best flight simulation games of all time. The latest entry in the franchise before Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was released in 2020, which was critically acclaimed by both gamers and critics.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: How to Enable Slew Mode
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, you can use Slew Mode to escape a tricky situation or speed up a trip.
Despite how widely anticipated its release was, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 had a rocky launch, and it’s currently losing players quickly on Steam. The title achieved an all-time peak player count of 24,863 gamers on the popular PC platform soon after its launch, but numbers have been steadily decreasing, as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 lost over 60% of its player base since then. While the Steam player count of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is slightly on the uptick in the last few hours, it’s still far from even the 13,282 player 24-hour peak, with only 9,375 gamers playing on Steam at the time of this report.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's Player Count on Steam Diminishes By Over 60%
The main reason why this title is struggling is related to game-breaking launch problems, which included multiple gamers having to wait over 30 minutes to play due to server issues, and sometimes even being stuck at 97% on the loading screen. Some gamers also reported that the flight sim used too much GPU and that one aircraft was missing from their library. These game-breaking issues led Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to get “Overwhelmingly Negative” reviews on Steam. While developer Asobo Studio addressed the issues recently, explaining that the team is working on solving the server problems, this does not seem enough to hold the player count, which is steadily decreasing.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was also released for Xbox Game Pass and was one of Microsoft’s most important highlights for November. So, it’s disappointing to see such a bad launch. Hopefully, these issues will be fixed soon, and gamers will come back, as the title seems to be in a good state apart from these problems, which are mostly related to servers not handling a huge player demand.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 68%
- Released
- November 19, 2024
- ESRB
- Everyone / Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Asobo Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
Explore the world with our largest fleet of aircraft and take simulation to new heights while pursuing your aviation career within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.
- Engine
- Asobo's
- Franchise
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR2, PC
- Genre(s)
- Flight Simulator
