Microsoft Flight Simulator PC release date set for August

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You can now pre-load on PC

Microsoft Flight Simulator release date has been confirmed on Windows 10 PCs for August 18, Xbox announced today. 

The PC version is now available for pre-order, or pre-install via Xbox Game Pass PC. With the opening of today's pre-orders, the differing content of the game's three editions has been revealed. The standard $60 edition comes with 20 planes and 30 airports, while the $90 deluxe edition comes with five more planes and airports, and the $120 premium deluxe edition comes with an additional five, for a total of 30 planes and 40 airports. You can check the exact bonuses in this Xbox blog post, although we're still waiting on a console release date.  

No matter what edition you buy, Microsoft says that the new sim will deliver the most detailed flight experience yet, from painstakingly detailed cockpits and planes to a frankly absurdly detailed world sporting "more than 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more." The implementation of live traffic and real-time weather has also been a big selling point for dynamic flights, along with a day-night cycle "allowing for night VFR, visual flight rules, navigation." 

Ahead of its full release, Microsoft Flight Simulator will hold a short closed beta beginning Thursday, July 30 through the Xbox Insider program. You'll also get instant access to the beta if you were an alpha tester. It's unclear how long the beta will last, but with the full PC release coming just over two weeks after it starts, it probably won't go on for very long.

Here are all the upcoming Xbox One games and upcoming Xbox Series X games for 2020 and beyond.  

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.