Microsoft Flight Simulator lifts off August 18th on the PC

Microsoft has unveiled that their legendary flight simulator is launching next month, on August 18th. You can now choose between three flavors of Microsoft Flight Simulator for pre-order right now. Check out the accompanying new trailer below!

Oh boy, this is a big one! Microsoft is entering the final preparations before taking off with their iconic flight simulator franchise. It has been a long 14 years since the last proper entry made its way into flight-sim fanatics hands and it’s nothing short of a multi-generational jump they are going to experience.

All footage we have seen up until now – whether through official channels or beta players – had our mouths fall agape by the sheer fidelity at display. It’s no understatement to say that the upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator is bordering photo-realism to a point never seen before.

And on August 18th everyone who fancies themselves to become a captain of the skies will have the chance to lose themselves in the deep simulation of flying all kinds of planes. Yes indeed, French developer Asobo Studios has pulled the impossible feat of meeting their initial release window amidst a global pandemic. Kudos to the team.

With the announcement of the release date, pre-orders have also gone up, with prospect pilots having the option between three editions. The Standard Edition comes with access to 20 planes and 30 airports for $59.99. The Deluxe Edition includes 25 planes and 35 airports for $89.99. And lastly, we have the Premium Deluxe Edition which has the full range of 30 planes and 40 airports for a whopping $119.99.

While the asking price is fairly comparable to traditional AAA game release with Season Passes, it’s actually a steal in the simulation scene where full editions quickly can cost players upwards of a thousand dollars.

And the best part with Microsoft Flight Simulator, the Standard Edition will launch on Xbox Game Pass for PC. This means you’ll be able to experience the bulk of the game at a very modest monthly subscription cost. We predict this title to become one of the best reasons for PC gamers to subscribe to Microsoft’s awesome gaming service.