Microsoft Flight Simulator Game of the Year Edition & Reno Air Races Expansion Pack launching on November 18

Originally published at: https://xboxera.com/2021/10/19/microsoft-flight-simulator-game-of-the-year-edition-reno-air-races-expansion-pack-launching-on-november-18/

Microsoft is bringing new content to Flight Simulator. On November 18 a GOTY edition and and an expansion pack will be released. The GOTY edition will be a free upgrade for all current users on PC and Xbox. For new users, the Game of the Year Edition will be the new entry point into the franchise.

Besides the Game of the Year Edition, Microsoft is also releasing the Reno Air Races Expansion Pack. Players can either buy the expansion pack which includes four airplanes and the online multiplayer experience, or buy the Reno Air Races: Full Collection which includes 40 officially licensed aircraft and of course also comes with the online multiplayer experience.

Game of the Year Edition

The Game of the Year Edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator will include the following:

New Aircraft

We are adding 5 brand new aircraft to Microsoft Flight Simulator:

  • Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet: Our first military jet and a highly requested feature from the community. The Top Gun: Maverick expansion will release with the movie next Spring, but we wanted simmers to have the opportunity to test their need for speed this holiday.
  • VoloCity: We partnered with well-known German company Volocopter, which is working on an eVTOL called “VoloCity”, a vision for an urban air taxi. We worked closely with the Volocopter engineering team to develop an authentic version of the prototype aircraft for the simulator. This is our first aircraft that can perform pinpoint landings and is a teaser of what you can look forward to in 2022 when we intend to launch helicopters in the sim.
  • Pilatus PC-6 Porter: This legendary short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft is a highly versatile plane from Switzerland and comes with several cockpits, cabins, and landing gear variations. It is the result of our close collaboration with the manufacturer and the development efforts by famed developers Hans Hartmann and Alexander Metzger resulted in a great and fun new aircraft with exception capabilities in the simulator.
  • CubCrafters NX Cub: Yakima-based CubCrafters recently introduced a nosewheel option for their flagship CC-19 XCub Aircraft, popularly called the NX Cub, which we are pleased to introduce to the flight sim audience to further enhance our bush flying and off airport options.
  • Aviat Pitts Special S1S: One of our most popular planes gets a single-seat option with the release of this aircraft.

New Airports

We are adding 8 handcrafted airports in Central Europe and the United States:

  • Germany
    • Leipzig/Halle Airport (EDDP)
    • Allgäu Airport Memmingen (EDJA)
    • Kassel Airport (EDVK)
  • Switzerland
    • Lugano Airport (LSZA)
    • Zurich Airport (LSZH)
    • Luzern-Beromunster Airport (LSZO)
  • United States
    • Patrick Space Force Base (KCOF)
    • Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (KNKX)

The Game of the Year release is adding information about 545 previously missing airports in the United States.

New Missions

Based on the popularity of the recently introduced Discovery Flights, we are adding an additional 6 locations (Helsinki, Freiburg im Breisgau, Mecca, Monument Valley, Singapore, and Mount Cook) to this popular series.

New Tutorials

To further expand the onboarding experience, we are adding 14 new tutorials, introducing simmers to Bush flying (in an Icon A5) and IFR (in a Cessna 172).

New Features

We are also pleased to introduce several highly requested features by the community: an updated weather system, early access to DX12, and a dev mode replay system.

New Photogrammetry Cities

As part of our ongoing collaboration with Bing Maps, we are pleased to add a number of new photogrammetry cities: Helsinki (Finland), Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), Brighton, Derby, Eastbourne, Newcastle, and Nottingham (UK) and Utrecht (Netherlands).

Windows 11 Collaboration

To celebrate the launch of Windows 11, from October 19th to November 18th, we have selected 11 landmarks across the globe that will be lit up in Windows blue within Microsoft Flight Simulator. In addition, we are releasing a special Windows 11 themed livery for the EXTRA 330LT for simmers to add to their collection.

You can read the entire blog post over at Xbox Wire.

4 Likes

Thats a meaty update at no extra cost (looking at other greedy publishers).

1 Like

What is this game going to look like by 2025. It is already a monster of a game.