Microsoft Flight Simulator's Live Servers Show Real-World Flights Too, Or You Can Fly Alone

Microsoft Flight Simulator is looking like, by far, the most detailed and meticulous flight sim ever made, but there will inevitably be a divide between players who want to take it very seriously and players who want to do loops and fly erratically. Now, in a new video, the game’s multiplayer features have been revealed–and it looks like Microsoft is planning to cater to all kinds of players.

By default, Microsoft Flight Simulator’s live servers will put you in a shared online world with not only other players, but AI replicas of real-world flight paths, meaning that you’ll be able to track the flights happening all over the world in real-time while flying yourself. Time and weather conditions will also be synced up with real-world conditions in Live Player mode, which can be entered seamlessly without needing to join or start a lobby.

The game will show off “most, if not all” airplanes that are in the air in the real world at any given time. But players can also choose to create their own conditions if they so desire, or make realism less of a priority.

In addition to Live Players Only, you’ll also be able to pick an All Players mode, where you can fly by any rules you want, picking your own weather conditions and time. You can set up groups in this mode if you want to just fly with friends, or you can fly alone if you prefer.

The video also explains the technology behind the servers powering the game, and it’s all very impressive. At any given time, you’ll be able to see 50 players who are within 200km of you so as to not congest the skies.

Microsoft Flight Simulator was announced during E3 2019, and looks very impressive. It does not have a release date yet.