It’s not much, really not much.. but Microsoft has revealed a web page and a short video under this link: http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/ and with this text:Â “Microsoft announces the development of ‘Microsoft Flight’, a new LIVE enabled Windows exclusive inspired by the best-selling Flight Simulator Franchise’. This comes as part of a news release for today’s opening gamescom 2010 in Cologne, Germany.
It continues inviting ‘long-time fans’ to experience the magic of flight.
“Twenty-eight years after the debut of “Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0,” Microsoft Game Studios also announced the internal development of “Microsoft Flight,” a new Windows exclusive. “Microsoft Flight” will bring a new perspective to the long-standing genre, welcoming everyone, including long-time fans, to experience the magic of flight.”
The full press release can be found here, notice what a small part of it MF is.
We are not sure what to think of this…. let us know your thoughts in the comments area please.
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We can expect a lot of eye-candy, that’s for certain. But dropping the “simulator” part and the “Live” aspect make me fear that Microsoft Flight might be a dumbed-down version of MS FS.
About time too….lets hope its not just targeted the x-box generation and has some hard core simmers licking their lips…
The video sure looks amazing, but it could be pre-rendered like the infamous artist impression we have seen in the promotional campaign for FSX.
I share the fear, like many others, Microsoft will switch over to the ‘dark side’ (arcade gaming, yikes!). Let’s hope Microsoft will facilitate gamers AND simmers, best of both worlds, why not? Look at Codemasters F1 2010. It CAN be done, if done right.
And for what it is worth: presenting a website lacking information, that is sooooooooo oldskool marketing. The injection-lets-create-a-hype strategy does not work. We have learned the hard way in the past. Give us real information or do not bother creating the hype. The arcade people (HAWX players and so on) do not care in this early stage and simmers are very careful becoming enthusiastic.
The hype was – and will – always be there amongst simmers. I reckon almost all Simflight folks will buy a new FS without hesitation… I know I will…
Just my two eurocents…
And just to quote from the press release: “Microsoft Flight,” a new Windows exclusive…(-)
At least we know the next FS will not be held back by Xbox 360 (DirectX 9)development. Getting more excited now… 🙂
Hope we don’t need to pay for each leg. 😀
All MS Flightsim versions came with an adjustable flightmodel, the easy mode could be seen as arcade mode itself.
Thus, we don`t have to be afraid that this new announced version wil be Arcade only….
i think this announcement it remark the fact that microsoft dont leave the market of SIMULATOR but enhance it in a new way. I think it will be a new sim – game . FSX started with this philosophy. Mission – Vfr Ifr free flight. I m happy to hear that news from microsoft
Think Johan has it right – this is not FS XI or anything like it, looks like hype on the name. Note not only is whatever it is , labelled ‘LIVE’ it also refers to ‘new perspective’ on ‘social gaming’ and reference to the the empire game or whatever
‘reinventing these iconic franchises with social, shared ezperiences at their core’ . . indeed! Bet its a web gaming thing tied in with the similar ones they are bringing out.
Otherwise why get rid of the ACES team !
For now…. This is a very good news 🙂
MMO, functional through the Live experience. Oh great 🙁
My experience of Live has been that it is polluted by f-wits and retards, cheats and trolls; gameplay is subordinated to the mass-adoption principle of lowest common denominator intelligence, and fidelity and accuracy are abandoned in favour of pretty pictures and inane `achievement` goals.
My, how I look forward to the new game and the medals I can earn… NOT!
It doesn’t sound like much of a simulation thus far, but there’s still time and info is scant, and there will be alternatives. So perhaps MS cannot afford to get this wrong, although I fear it will be wrong for me, and most other simmers.
I still hope they sell shedloads of user licences, or whatever it is they’ll pack this with though, so that the LCD Generation can wallow in their own vapidity, and leave simulation fans alone. Wanna bet you’ll be able to shoot things down and blow things up..?
Simon, as usual lately you are far too kind. 100% accurate as always but much gentler than the concept deserves.
I don’t believe in imaginary property, steam, smoke, mirrors or the cloud. So far I am unimpressed with Windows Live. I don’t believe in endless subscriptions to games that must be played online. And that especially applies to airplane flying games.
This product can’t disappoint me as I expect exactly nothing.
FS is in decadence, all of us here know that. Why is it that Farming simulator, or demolation Company and others are the best sellers at Simmarket?
Since online gaming became the ‘thing’ of the moment the huge number of people using FS has decreased dramatically. Only us a few number of loyal and hard core frustrated real world pilots are still using the ‘boring’ stuff of FS.
Money drives companies and as a result you have this thing called “live” and for now that’s what people like, and we have to accept it.
Lets continue using or FS9 or FSX and that’s it, is not the end of it, you go to a Alteon or Boeing training center and see the simulators there, its not about the graphics is about the realistic simulator and model, we can still have FS9 or FSX and feel happy about what WE want to experience. Anything else more realistic (in graphics) than that is real life.
@arturo: do not think that because this farming and demolition sims are in the bestseller lists, things look so grim. simMarket still sells 98% flight simulation related products every day and we don’t really see a decline in numbers at all. so that should be hopefully good news for you!
of course FS9 and FSX can be used forever, the problem for MS is that they make no money just from past glory. so any kind of subscription model will have priority for them. how far they take us along with them or just the new ‘social-gaming’ kids it’s in their hands!
I’m really not sure what to think about this Windows live press release. It seems that “Age of Empires – Online” has got more attention on computer games websites. I can’t find a mention about Microsoft:Flight on IGN or Gamespot. I don’t think the mainstream gamer is listening… we simmers are listening though Microsoft… as always!
To be fair, a RTS game will always get more coverage in the press than a sim, whether that sim be of an aircraft, a watercraft or a road vehicle. Every “genre” list I’ve ever seen for PC gaming has put FPS and RTS games at the top and simulations (other than “The Sims”, which isn’t really a sim!) near the bottom. It’s a more niche market than the next blast-em-up and always will be.
I have my concerns about this new title and the press release confirms, rather than allays, them for the most part. Ultimately, though, we’ll all just have to wait and see. This title is clearly still a long way from release and we’ll get a drip feed of information as the process unfolds. Whether we like them or not, we’ll get the answers eventually.
I’m happy to wait and see, while the dust swirls all around.
Good to hear development will continue. However, I’m more interested to see what the dev team who got laid off come up with. All that flight sim experience got dropped by Microsoft and this is where they ended up: http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/.
Since I wrote my lengthy (Both filled with anger and sadness) letter to Microsoft when they so wrongfully unplugged ACES Studios I since have spent a small fortune on many great add-on aircraft and helicopters for FSX and recently plunged into the scenery part of it also with the fantastic ORBX / ftx USA Canada Pacific Northwest Scenery – I am thinking about more great add-ons as they come out this year – It is hard to believe they would abondon true MS FS lovers like me for an arcade game but if they do that finally cooks it with me and mighty Microsoft – On the other hand if the simple MS clip is part of much more and greatly sophisticated FS MS world with a rolling sea that allows aircraft carrier landings to truely be as real as it gets just try to keep me from being the first in line to buy it – I also much prefer not being live regarding my flight simulator personnal pleasure, that is why I own a collection of Personal Computers in the first place, to keep my hobby and interests personal!
Nobody remembers the survey from a year ago? Makes the recent announcement hardly a surprise! http://simflight.com/2009/06/17/ms-rumor-mill-turning-again/