Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 struggles to take off as players battle server issues on launch day

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is cleared for takeoff, ready to give airplane fans and digital globetrotters another ride through its beautiful world. But in a turn of events that almost exactly mirrors the launch day problems seen by its 2020 predecessor, Flight Simulator 2024 is struggling to get off the ground, with players complaining of long post-install download times, installation freezes and more as Microsoft servers fail. under demand.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has already received the overwhelmingly negative reviews on Steam, with players reporting a variety of issues, all of which are eerily familiar to those seen in 2020. Mostly, the finger is once again pointed towards developer Asobo. Insistence that players download the majority of the game (approximately 50 GB) through the game‘s interface, using Microsoft’s servers rather than Steam’s. Traditionally, this has been a languid pursuit at best, but on launch day, when everyone is scrambling to get in at the same time, it’s proving even more glacial.

Some users see their downloads stall at 97 percent, while others, having successfully cleared that first hurdle, report being stuck in long login queues. Additionally, Flight Simulator’s reliance on streaming means that many people are having a miserable experience even if they log in, with reported issues including slow world loading and even invisible planes. “I can only marvel at the depth of the simulation,” wrote one Steam reviewer, “as it now looks like Boeing was actually involved in building the servers.”

“I enjoyed the short film about a man and a plane,” another frustrated user added. “However, I found it quite expensive for its duration: about a minute. I would wait until the loading screen is on sale before purchasing it because it becomes quite similar after cycle 70.” As for Microsoft’s Flight Simulator subreddit, it’s currently flooded with some top-class memes.

On the Flight Simulator support page, Microsoft acknowledged the issues players are experiencing. “We are aware of user reports of long initial loading times in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024,” he wrote. “With so many users initializing the sim simultaneously, we have a large number of requests to the server. We are working to help resolve the issues as soon as possible.”

“For users whose initial load exceeds 90 percent and is no longer progressing, we recommend restarting,” he added, immediately prompting a collective cry from everyone who did not have a high-speed Internet connection. “Otherwise, we recommend waiting to allow charging to occur normally.” Meanwhile, Xbox’s support page acknowledged “slow download and installation times,” suggesting players keep an eye on its live status page while it investigates.

Some Steam customers have also expressed concern that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s lengthy in-game installation fix means downloads are eating up the platform’s two-hour refund window. In 2020, Valve took steps to assure customers that only actual play time would be counted, but it has not yet been confirmed that the same will apply in 2024.

Developer Asobo, of course, has been talking about a big game for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 ahead of launch, promising a frankly staggering list of activities, including aerial firefighting, search and rescue, helicopter cargo transport, crop spraying. crops, aviation, parachuting and hot air balloons. tours and more. It also teases “literally trillions of trees,” even the ability to get out of your plane and walk down a trail, all of which sounds wonderful, as long as Flight Simulator weathers the turbulence of its launch day on PC, Xbox Series . /S, and game Pass, and hit the landing.