http://www.microsoft.com/games/en-us/press.aspxRelevent to Flight SimmersGames for Windows Marketplace will also be the place to find iconic franchises from Microsoft Game Studios, such as “Flight Simulator,” “Gears of War,” “Halo” and “Zoo Tycoon,” as well as upcoming blockbusters “Fable III,” “Age of Empires Online” and “Microsoft Flight.”I hope they offer MS Flight on disk as well.

I hope they offer MS Flight on disk as well.

MS is moving to eliminate the traditional distribution chain to brick-and-mortar stores, which is in large part because retail stores have either shrunk their shelf space to either next to nothing, or truly nothing...MS has been selling their PC titles online for some years now, so I'm not at all surprised at this move. Just because a purchase is made online doesn't automatically equate to not having a product shipped on DVD media.

MS is moving to eliminate the traditional distribution chain to brick-and-mortar stores, which is in large part because retail stores have either shrunk their shelf space to either next to nothing, or truly nothing...MS has been selling their PC titles online for some years now, so I'm not at all surprised at this move. Just because a purchase is made online doesn't automatically equate to not having a product shipped on DVD media.

It also saves on distribution costs.

Well I hope we can still get a nice box and would really like a nice manual, but doubt thats going to happen.I still think the best one was the old ATP, I still have a the Manual as it was such a cool great guide.

Well I hope we can still get a nice box and would really like a nice manual, but doubt thats going to happen.I still think the best one was the old ATP, I still have a the Manual as it was such a cool great guide.

I can't see MS going to digital download only.There are still a lot of people out there who don't have fast or reliable internet, especially if they're in developing countries or rural areas.

I can't see MS going to digital download only.There are still a lot of people out there who don't have fast or reliable internet, especially if they're in developing countries or rural areas.

MS wouldn't go to an digital download only, not because of developing countries or rural areas, they wouldn't do because of those in the developed countries and big cities that still prefer a boxed edition.  Its a numbers game ......

Personally if they did give the option, I'd prefer the digital download over packaging. I see no value in a boxed editions unless I'm getting a better deal.

Personally if they did give the option, I'd prefer the digital download over packaging. I see no value in a boxed editions unless I'm getting a better deal.

The singular advantage of a digital download versus a boxed edition is that you are guaranteed to have the very latest code build...If you receive a boxed edition, then there is the high probability of then having to go through the automated update process to bring your installation up to the current build level.

Having it as a digital download is really not that big a deal. Boxed versions of entertainment software these days rarely come with any sort of paper manual other than a quick start leaflet, and that was true of FSX, so it's not as if we are likely to be missing out on much in having it supplied digitally. Even with a boxed copy of FSX if you bought it when it came out, you still have to stick on SP1, SP2, install updated MSI etc, etc, so all digital supply really does is make that affair a one-shot deal.It's the way things are going these days, you only have to look on Steam to see that is where the action is for PC simulations rather than the local high street gaming store (if you can find one). Even if you ordered a copy online and awaited mail delivery, it still makes more sense to just obtain the entire thing online and back it up on a hard drive or DVD when it is downloaded, which effectively amounts to the same thing as having bought a hard copy, but is faster to get to you. I bought a one terrabyte external HD for less than fifty quid the other day (one of two external drives which I make back ups to), so it's not as if it is expensive to store things you download , and two slimline drives take up a lot less space than a big stack of DVD cases is ever going to.Al

First thing what I did when I purchased my FSX in the nice little box, was to copy both DVDs into an image on my drive and let box rot somewhere. Wrote the key even into a text file.I really couldn't care less for a boxed any more, just I hope there are going to be some, especially for the people who have no chance of getting a download version.

Well, that is a point with regard to those who are not set up for a massive download capability perhaps needing a boxed DVD version, but since the vast majority are in a position to download things, and given that FSX actually needs a connection to the intertron in order for some functions to actually work (such as the METAR function), I should think that's what MS will concentrate on. Especially since they are touting the 'live' tag.Al

On the corporate side, it hs been about a year now that Microsoft has gone completely digital. The company I work for has an enterprise agreement with Microsoft and all our media whether it be Wndows 7, Office, SQL Server, Windows Server, etc. are all digital now. We simply logon to the web site and download the media.There is still the option to get the actual media (or media kit as they call it), but costs usually anywhere from $15.00 - $45.00 extra.

Actually most of the software these days you can download the actual .ISO without even owning it. Just get the "free trial"...