@ Fr. Bill and Tom A.. Here are some thoughts from a post of mine in the BVATC forums:

I'm also not averse to the "game" aspect of the new software (as much as I ripped it in last night's rant). I think you and I can see where Microsoft can make money with this (online communities, DLC stores, subscription services and the like with the eventual port to X-Box) to satisfy its shareholders. However, I'm disappointed that they missed the chance to bring us along to enjoy the improvements they've (allegedly) made to the engine. Consider if Microsoft had rolled out a free "locked" version of Flight for download and gameplay (like they are about to), but also offered an "unlocked" pro version at a premium price that was backward compatible with existing FSX add-ons. I'm not sure what that premium price would be, but look at what Laminar is charging for X-Plane 10. I think many serious flight simulation enthusiasts, who already have a college-tuition's amount of money tied-up in hardware and add-on software, would probably shell out $100 or even $200 for the upgrade.So, in my view, Microsoft could have satisfied both the mass market and the niche flight simulation market without too much more marketing legwork. Microsoft could still make a profit with subscriptions and DLC from the consumer gamers who like the idea of the "action" of Flight. And, they could have created a pathway to a "pro" version for those gamers who get serious and want to join the rest of us who have fallen in love with flight simulation, not flight gaming.Who knows? Microsoft may have done this already by licensing the FSX code to Lockheed Martin. I'm getting a sense that Prepar3D will be where the serious flight simulation community ends up. Okay, thanks for reading. Thoughts?

p.s. Bill, you helped me out a few years ago when I was just starting to get serious with simming. Grateful. Thanks.

p.s. Bill, you helped me out a few years ago when I was just starting to get serious with simming. Grateful. Thanks.

You are most very welcome.

Who will buy Flight's DLC? Not casual users in any appreciable numbers. Serious flightsim users will. Who comes to this forum (or similar sites)? Serious flightsim users whether they're newly interested in the hobby or have been so for a long time. Avsim's demographic survey accurately represents the person who will seriously consider "buying" Flight (i.e., buying Flight's DLC). Past sales figures of FSX in the millions to casual users are now irrelevant. MS Flight embraced a free version for casual users and DLC for the people who are really interested. The tired trope that we at Avsim and similar sites are merely a sideshow is incorrect. This time around, we represent the main user base of potential, paying customers.Regarding self selection bias, that's a concern, but many surveys have performed, so they must have been deemed representative in some respects by those who designed them. The last few surveys I've seen have been prominently advertised at avsim and within easy reach of ALL members. Under those conditions, I don't see how a decision to take the survey manifested itself in a bias of age or other DEMOGRAPHIC data.

The bias lies in the fact that the surveys were only conducted among the Avsim membership. I'm sure the surveys give a very good overview of Avsim's membership, but it is by now quite clear that the Avsim membership is not Flight's target market and is not in any way representative of the target market. Thus a survey of Avsim's membership does not give you any information about the target market.You claim that Avsim's membership represents the main user base of potential paying customers, obviously Microsoft's marketing research says otherwise. I don't have enough information to decide which of you is correct, so I'll wait for time to tell.