Why is Microsoft Flight Simulator So Expensive? A Comprehensive Look
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS) is one of the most advanced, realistic flight simulations ever created for home computers. It‘s also on the pricier side for a PC game, with the base package retailing for $59.99 USD and deluxe editions costing up to $119.99.
So what exactly makes MSFS so expensive to buy?
The sheer technical complexity of simulating real global flight with maximum detail requires enormous development costs. Add in high-end hardware requirements, licensing, ongoing support and more, and the premium pricing becomes understandable.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the various factors that contribute to MSFS‘s expensive production and analyse whether the cost is justified. Let‘s take a deeper look at the tech powering this incredible simulation and the value it provides.
A Brief History of Flight Simulators
To appreciate why MSFS is such an ambitious project, it helps to understand the long evolution of flight simulation technology.
The basic concept of using simulation to train pilots took off in the early 20th century. The 1929 Link Trainer was the first mass produced simulator, used to prepare pilots during World War II.
Since then, flight simulators have continuously incorporated cutting edge technology to enhance realism:
- 1950s – Analog computers calculate flight dynamics
- 1960s – 3D graphics used in NASA moon landing simulators
- 1970s – First consumer flight simulators for personal computers
- 1980s – Introduction of textured 3D graphics
- 1990s – Photorealistic environments and detailed physics
- 2000s – Satellite imagery, weather simulation, VR integration
- Today – Cloud-sourced data, real-time weather, home cockpits
After a century of innovation, modern flight simulators like MSFS provide unparalleled immersion by harnessing processing power, cloud data, and graphics advancements.
The Monumental Effort of Developing MSFS
Microsoft first unveiled plans for a new Flight Simulator in 2017, hinting at a multi-year undertaking far beyond previous iterations.
The sheer scale of the development effort contributes to MSFS‘s premium pricing:
- 5+ years of development time
- Led by French studio Asobo Studio with a 200+ person team
- Massive amounts of geographic data processed from Bing Maps
- 2+ petabytes of satellite imagery converted into 3D environments
- 37,000 airports mapped from real-world data
- 40 highly detailed airports hand-crafted for added realism
- Advanced fluid dynamics for incredibly realistic flight behavior
- Real-time weather simulation synchronized globally
- Support for a wide range of PC hardware and peripherals
The costs of so much data processing, coding, testing and design work over years makes MSFS one of Microsoft‘s largest investments in a flight simulator yet. While they haven‘t shared the exact budget, estimates peg it in the billions of dollars given the ambitious scale.
MSFS Pricing Versus Competition
Despite the huge development costs, MSFS is competitively priced against other consumer flight sim options:
| Simulator | Standard Price |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator | $59.99 |
| X-Plane 11 | $59.99 |
| Aerofly FS 2 | $39.99 |
| FlightGear | Free |
MSFS does cost slightly more upfront than prior Microsoft flight sims, which retailed around $39.99-$49.99 when new.
However, given the massive technological leap, continuous free updates, and wider mainstream appeal, MSFS could justify an even higher sticker price and still beat the competition‘s value.
Breaking Down the MSFS Editions
MSFS is available in 3 consumer editions, each offering progressively more content and aircraft:
| Edition | Base Price | Aircraft | Airports | Missions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $59.99 | 20 | 30 | – |
| Deluxe | $89.99 | 25 | 35 | – |
| Premium Deluxe | $119.99 | 30 | 40 | Yes |
So what do you get by upgrading?
The Deluxe edition provides 5 additional high fidelity aircraft models:
- Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
- Cirrus SR22
- Pipistrel Virus SW 121
- Cessna Citation Longitude
- Zlin Savage Cub
It also includes 5 more handcrafted international airports:
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Cairo International Airport
- Cape Town International Airport
- O‘Hare International Airport
- Madrid-Barajas Airport
Premium Deluxe further builds on this by adding another 5 aircraft and 5 airports, plus unique historical missions like the Wright Brothers first flight.
Overall the upgrades provide more variety in planes and locations for virtual pilots seeking more gameplay content.
Are the MSFS Upgrades Worth It?
Whether it‘s worth spending extra on MSFS‘s higher editions depends mainly on your flight simulation interests:
- For aviation enthusiasts seeking more aircraft variety and landmarks, the Deluxe/Premium upgrades add worthwhile replayability.
- For casual users, the Standard Edition provides plenty of content for enjoying an immersive flying experience already.
- For VR users, the additional planes and airports make the virtual world feel more lifelike.
- For real pilots, extra planes help supplement real-world flight training.
- For flight sim veterans, having more variety and structured challenges enhances the value.
In short, more serious simmers often benefit from the upgrades, while newbies can stick with Standard without missing much.
The Soaring Cost of Professional Flight Simulators
To put MSFS‘s pricing in perspective, professional-grade flight simulators for pilot certification can cost a staggering millions of dollars:
- Level D Boeing 737 simulator – $10-20 million
- Airbus A320 simulator – $15 million
- Typical fixed-wing simulator – $4-6 million
- Helicopter simulator – $3-5 million
These ultra-realistic simulators precisely replicate cockpit interfaces to enable 100% faithful procedural training before flying actual aircraft.
In contrast, MSFS focuses on delivering an immersive flying experience accessible to millions. By omitting such precise physical accuracy, MSFS provides tremendous value considering it costs just a tiny fraction of a professional simulator yet still achieves impressive realism through software.
The Investment Required for Updates
One reason MSFS commands a higher initial price is Microsoft‘s commitment to providing ongoing updates for years rather than releasing incremental sequels.
Since launch, MSFS has received several major free Sim Updates:
- Sim Update 1-7 – Optimizations, bug fixes
- World Update 1-5 – Enhanced regions worldwide
- Game of the Year Edition – New aircraft, airports, missions
- Top Gun: Maverick expansion – New jets, challenges
- 40th Anniversary Edition – New helicopters, gliders, classic planes
This level of expansive long-term support requires continual investment in developers to keep improving the platform. While users pay a premium upfront, they benefit from updates delivering new content and features over time without further charges.
The Cost of Powerful Hardware
Another contributor to expense is that MSFS demands potent modern PC hardware for smooth performance, especially at higher resolutions and settings:
- GPU: RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6700 XT
- CPU: Ryzen 7 5800X or Intel i7-10700k
- RAM: 32GB+ DDR4
- Storage: 150GB SSD
A desktop or laptop with specs for optimum MSFS performance easily costs $2000 or more. Upgrading existing machines can also require pricier new components. This adds to the overall cost, but the visual rewards are immense.
| Resolution | GPU for 60 FPS | GPU for 30 FPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | RTX 3060 Ti | GTX 1660 Super |
| 1440p | RTX 3070 | RTX 3060 Ti |
| 4K | RTX 3080 | RTX 3070 |
Entertainment Value Perspective
For serious flight simulation fans who will spend countless hours mastering systems and flying worldwide, MSFS offers superb entertainment value:
- Movie ticket – $15 for 2 hours
- Music streaming – $10/month for unlimited listening
- Typical new game – $60 for 40 hours
Considering hundreds of hours of gameplay, MSFS‘s one-time fee works out to less than $0.25 per hour – an excellent return compared to other entertainment costs. The more you fly, the more value you extract from the platform.
The Verdict: MSFS Delivers Despite the Cost
In closing, Microsoft Flight Simulator‘s premium pricing results from the mammoth effort required to develop a simulator of such massive scope and realism using cutting edge technology.
Yet it still compares very favorably to the cost of professional simulators or other gaming/media options in terms of hours of enjoyment provided. For devoted flight simulation fans, MSFS offers a best-in-class virtual flying experience that‘s well worth the money given the countless hours of entertainment value.
So while sticker shock may give pause initially, closer analysis reveals that MSFS absolutely delivers a wondrous simulation that satisfies any virtual pilot’s wanderlust. The hefty investment pays off heavily in excitement and immersion each time you take to the virtual skies. Clear skies ahead!
