Found this News.

Maybe it`s a bit fuel for the fire of hope for MSFlight or MSFS series in general?

Looks like MS had found out again that they are behind... and now seeing the future of gaming (money-making) ?

No hope whatsoever... Microsoft pretty much sealed their fate on the current form of FS a while ago.

Interesting article.

 

It will also be interesting to see where this all goes.

Sadly, I must agree: Managers aren't appointed to make and execute their own decisions - they are there to make sure the company's decisions are carried out ...

Means nothing except that MS wants to figure out a better way to monetize gaming online. It's actually a step backwards, in fact, from a consumer's standpoint.

 

They will consume themselves with their own greed.

 

Valve veteran will be focused on "making Windows a great platform for gaming"

 

But aren't we agreed FS  isn't a game?

People really need to let Microsoft go. They are not going to restart work on Flight Simulator. They cannot make money from Flight Sim/Flight the way they want, so they won't do it. There is no more discussion needed about them in the Flight Sim community.

 

Let's look to the (Microsoft-free) future.

Who else has the potential to make a new FlightSim?

Aerosoft failed with their FlightSim already during the planning phase, X-Plane is just for a marginal group, P3D just enhances the old FSX Engine to keep it alive some years, also it is not intended for use for the majority/mainstream.

I think there is nobody who could provide enough resources to make a new Sim other than MS.

Tell me if i`m wrong and prove it.

X-Plane will rise over the next couple of years, with PMDG developing for it and more developers to follow.

 

But why hurrying? FSX offers 4GB of VAS and that still accounts for some stunning visuals. Furthermore, (nearly) every time a new flightsim was out, I had to upgrade my (expensive) hardware again ...

X-Plane will rise over the next couple of years, with PMDG developing for it and more developers to follow.

 

But why hurrying? FSX offers 4GB of VAS and that still accounts for some stunning visuals. Furthermore, (nearly) every time a new flightsim was out, I had to upgrade my (expensive) hardware again ...

I don't think XPlane is going anywhere, how long has it been around already? It's still lacking in every feature and is about as user friendly as getting a tooth extraction. 

 

Flightsims still haven't got caught to todays hardware...we're still waiting for it to.

 

 

X-Plane will rise over the next couple of years, with PMDG developing for it and more developers to follow.

 

That is the same comments that has been expressed for ten years now. Just can't quite get there.

 

Wish that were true but that's the same thought that's been expressed for 10 yrs now. just can't quite get there.

 

P3D just enhances the old FSX Engine to keep it alive some years

Not enough to make it worth the effort or cost.

 

 

I don't think XPlane is going anywhere, how long has it been around already? It's still lacking in every feature and is about as user friendly as getting a tooth extraction.

 

Dead on I fear.  And MS learned with their Flight fiasco that they cannot block third party development and prosper.  MS could make money with a FS11, but they wont make "enough" money to appease shareholders....shareholders are IMHO the lowest form of life in determining the decisions a company is compelled to make.

Gamescom 2013 is approaching. MS Flight was announced at Gamescom 2010... MS might just surprise us.

You mean like the way they did with Windows 8?

 

Save me from MS surprises.

 

One company that MIGHT be able to do something significant in the FS market is GOOGLE.

 

They have the Earth Mapping technology.

They have more money than they know what to do with.

They are innovators.

 

If they decided to get into the WORLD SIMULATOR market, then a spin off "could" be a Flight Simulation.

 

The problem with Flight Simulation, is that is a small market compared with other markets that have a higher ROI,  with less initial investment.

 

However,  by the time the world's economic situation has improved, there will be so many other "distractions" filling peoples life, that a time consuming hobby like FS, will only appeal to a diminishing population.

 

7 years ago, a $60 Flight Sim seemed "reasonable"

Today,  just a single plane can cost from $50 - $100.

Is it so unreasonable to not expect a new Simulator to be $200+

 

In that case, if later versions of P3D advance to better graphics, and eventually 64 bit, that may well be the future.

 

Currently, for $200, anyone can purchase P3D  with little to no restrictions on it's use.

 

BTW: The argument about P3d's flight model being crude, is becoming a non- issue... as  it is becoming increasing easy with each new version of P3D, to use an external Flight Model Engine. ( already being done by some developers  in FSX ).

 

Microsoft appears to be out of the FS market  -- while initially painful,  in the long term, this is probably the best thing that ever happened to FSX  and future FS development.