FSX-SE "Microsoft Sells License to FS Franchise"

[Noel 4,487]

What are some plausible reasons for buying 'the license to the FS Franchise', pray tell?

[Glynn 405]

 

 

Was this arrangement ever altered?

 

I see a lot there in the text you quoted about ESP.

 

“Solutions built on Microsoft ESP"

 

MS has just sold the licence to a completly different gaming product, not linked in any way to ESP.

[Azone 39]

Steven  Udvar-Hazy

 

 

aka aviation freak.

[shamrockflyer 647]

I'm wondering if it could be Aerosoft? I remember a while back they were talking about an Aerosoft FS of some sort?

[PhilTaylor 45]

Actually I heard that Putin is threatening to invade the offices of the new owner if the resulting flight sim (if any) doesn't include the Ukraine as part of the Russian empire.  He has also banned all AI flights to/from that region.

 

stranger things have actually happened...I caused an "international incident" by editing 1 airport out of FSX-SP1...true story.

 

some governments are very sensitive and get upset if "a game" or anything doesn't represent the world as they see it.

[Glynn 405]

Nice to see you around here again Phil.

Now come on, spill the beans, what do you know about the new guys ?

[PhilTaylor 45]

I know nothing about this specifically; there have been several "rumors" over the years about a sale before and nothing ever happened.

 

If someone was serious about developing the tech, it would be great. There is still a lot of potential, if the codebase and geo/art assets were shown the right love.

 

Would I go back to work on it? Maybe, if the offer was right.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Would I go back to work on it? Maybe, if the offer was right.

 

Good to see you here Phil. More to come on this whole subject, and I look forward to your input when it does.

[greggerm 312]

Based on FLEX1978's thoughts, I immediately think of  Aerosoft and Mathijs, who toyed around with crafting their own simulation platform several years ago. If FLEX1978 wasn't based in Europe, the airline pilot involvement would have me looking towards PMDG and Randazzo. Unfortunately, the new owners of the FSX code have a cache of intellectual property which is more than a few years behind the times, and will need to spend quite a lot of effort bringing things current, never mind looking towards the future.

 

Best of luck to whoever the new owner is!

 

 

 

Would I go back to work on it? Maybe, if the offer was right.

 

Ooooh, now THAT would be an encouraging scenario.... always a pleasure seeing Mr. Taylor's name!

 

-Greg

[Alan_A 1,650]

What are some plausible reasons for buying 'the license to the FS Franchise', pray tell?

 

Some individual or company wants to create a flight simulation program for consumer entertainment and acquires some combination of:

 

• Intellectual property (code that, even if it's elderly, gives a head start on development)
• Talent (if there's any relevant talent left at MS - much of it seems to be working elsewhere, but you never know)
• Commercial rights, like the consumer license, maybe revenue sharing arrangements with LM and others if those exist and if they're part of the sales package
• Rights to the "Flight Simulator" name, which provides all kinds of benefits - highly recognizable to target consumers, business partners (like developers and distributors), programming talent (cf. Phil's comment just above)

Remember that the Flight Simulator name has a long heritage that even predates Microsoft - it was originally Sublogic Flight Simulator for the Apple II.  Microsoft was a licensee before it became the developer.

 

Not all these things carry the same weight and not all of them may be part of the sale, but overall, it makes life easier to buy them, rather than starting from scratch with a new name, new developers and new code.

[bkeith2 1]

I still say Apple has deep pockets for purchases like this.  The first version did come out for Apple II under Sublogic as Alan_A noted above.

[Alan_A 1,650]

Steven  Udvar-Hazy

 

 

aka aviation freak.

 

That's actually a pretty interesting suggestion.  The National Air and Space Museum is starting on a major overhaul of core exhibits (like the central Milestones of Flight entrance hall).  Updating other exhibits to include more interactivity (like flight simulators) would make a lot of sense.  Of course, you wouldn't have to buy the rights to do that, but plans do have a way of coming together...

 

Again, am just speculating for the fun of it.  Udvar-Hazy wouldn't be my first bet but he'd be up there, and you never know...

[ohsirus 241]

I see a lot there in the text you quoted about ESP.

 

“Solutions built on Microsoft ESP"

 

MS has just sold the licence to a completly different gaming product, not linked in any way to ESP.

 

I'm like you..throwing out hypotheticals and speculations. None of us in this thread are aware of what all has transpired. More to follow in the next few weeks I imagine.

[Dillon 2,197]

What does that mean? Will the ability to activate FSX from now on be lost?

 

 

Good riddance,  FS9 and P3D will continue to work without issue well into the future...  :ph34r:

 

It's time to move on from the chain yanking we've dealt with from MS for years.  It's going to take pain to pry FSX from some of your hands but in the end a platform controlled by a real world aircraft manufacturer (LM) and X-Plane controlled by aviation enthusiasts may be the best thing for our hobby...  

[FLEX1978 373]

Based on FLEX1978's thoughts, I immediately think of  Aerosoft and Mathijs, who toyed around with crafting their own simulation platform several years ago. If FLEX1978 wasn't based in Europe, the airline pilot involvement would have me looking towards PMDG and Randazzo. Unfortunately, the new owners of the FSX code have a cache of intellectual property which is more than a few years behind the times, and will need to spend quite a lot of effort bringing things current, never mind looking towards the future.

 

Best of luck to whoever the new owner is!

 

 

 

 

Ooooh, now THAT would be an encouraging scenario.... always a pleasure seeing Mr. Taylor's name!

 

-Greg

 

Ok jeez,  I should have stayed quiet No offence mate but people need to read posts carefully.  I never mentioned an airline pilot, I mentioned someone who runs an Airline (more accurately airline charter).

 

And I am not based in Europe.  I am in Europe, Middle East & Asia, for the last few months and next few weeks I am in the Middle East. I guess if I was ever to say I was based anywhere it would be Bahrain or Dubai

 

Guy's, info will be released soon and we will all be enlightened 

 

Cheers