Launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on November 19, 2024 became one of those moments that the gamer community will never forget, unfortunately not for the praise alone. While Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was highly anticipated, its launch was plagued with technical issues that frustrated gamers.
In fact, the game's Steam page is flooded with "Highly Negative" reviews, with many players complaining of extremely long load times, seemingly endless login queues, and missing content.
Server and Add-On Issues
Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, immediately released an official statement to apologize for this bad experience. In his statement, Neumann admitted that their server infrastructure was overwhelmed by the number of players that far exceeded expectations. "We had prepared the simulation for up to 200,000 users before launch. However, the actual enthusiasm far exceeded our expectations," he explained.
This issue is especially noticeable in the long wait times to get into the game. Many players reported that they had to wait for over an hour only to end up crashing or losing progress. It's no wonder that community forums like Reddit are full of complaints and emergency suggestions from players.
Aside from server issues, one aspect that also exacerbated the situation was third-party add-on compatibility issues from previous versions, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. This add-on apparently caused some players to be unable to access the latest simulator content. As a temporary solution, the development team decided to disable the non-aircraft content of MSFS 2020 until all compatibility issues are resolved.
"We understand that add-ons are an important part of the simulator experience. We are working closely with our developer partners to ensure all add-ons run seamlessly on MSFS 2024," adds Neumann.
Corrective Steps Taken
Not stopping at an apology, the development team took immediate steps to address the situation. Server capacity has been significantly increased, and several minor updates have been released within a few days of launch. The focus of these updates was to improve server stability, fix bugs that were causing long load times, and recover missing content.
Furthermore, the team promises to continue communicating with the player community in a transparent manner. They promised weekly updates to report on the progress of fixes and deliver solutions to new issues that may arise. "We're committed to restoring our community's trust by providing a better experience than what they experienced on day one of launch," a representative of the development team said in a statement. Development Update their latest.
Can Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Rise?
Despite initially stumbling into a big problem, the fan community still seems to give hope to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The game has great potential with various new features previously promised, such as more realistic weather dynamics, significant visual enhancements, and the addition of various iconic world airport locations.
However, the next step will be crucial. If the development team manages to resolve the technical issues quickly and continues to interact openly with the community, it's possible that the game will regain its place in the hearts of its fans.
Launching a big game is always a challenge, especially for a title that already has a very loyal fan base such as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. With the corrective measures taken, let's see if they can turn negative opinions into praise.
Source: PC Gamer
