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abrams_tank

Is MSFS a 10 year project? If so, how will it be funded?

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Some people have mentioned that Asobo said MSFS 2020 would be a 10 year project.  I could not find the exact quote that said MSFS 2020 would be a 10 year project, except at the Developer Q & A where one of the team members said he hoped MSFS 2020 would be a  "platform that we could all grow with over the next decade" (is this the quote that people are citing when they say MSFS 2020 is supposed to be a 10 year project?).

So, we all remember what happened with Aces Studio. And we all also remember what happened with Microsoft Flight. So assuming that MSFS 2020 is a 10 year project, how will it be funded such that it does not go the direction of Aces Studio or Microsoft Flight? 

I assume that after the release, the team for MSFS 2020 will gradually be reduced to save costs, but there will probably also be some updates in the first initial years after release, just like FSX.  However, updates eventually ceased for FSX (the last was Service Pack 2) because I assume Microsoft wasn't getting much revenue from FSX after some time after release.  This has me a little worried about MSFS 2020 and how it can become a 10 year project.  Like any video game, the sales will dwindle several years after release, unless there are expansions or a new version for sale, etc.  And no company wants to lose money so if MSFS 2020 isn't making Microsoft money several years after its release, then like any company, Microsoft will cease to support it.

Will MSFS 2020 be funded by the cut Microsoft gets from 3rd party add ons?  If Microsoft gets a cut from 3rd party add ons, is that enough revenue to sustain the development of MSFS 2020?  Or will MSFS 2020 be funded by expansions and/or a new version in several years time (ie. MSFS 2025) ?    If MSFS 2020 is a 10 year project, how will its development be funded, especially from years 5 to 10 after its release?


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A lot of games, even indie games, have ongoing work done on them these days. They’ll be people in five years who will want to buy this for the first time. The intl market is only getting bigger.

DLC will make them money too.
 

 

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Not sure about 10 yrs but hope it's their strategy and extended plan to gain revenue from the Xbox platform as well as PC to keep the flightsim franchise viable. Maybe a release every two years (my hope anyway).  If I recall MS made the decision to abandon the entire game studio and exit the internal game making business , not only flight simulator. Fast forward several years and the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer,  has made it his mission to acquire first party studios to develop games for the Xbox platform and PC as well. Microsoft now either owns or has a partnership with these studios. Maybe we'll see ASOBO added to the list. We'll know more about their strategy with Gamepass with the upcoming Xbox console release this fall. 

 

Microsoft Game Studios:

343 Industries, Worlds Edge, The Coalition, Compulsion games, Double Fine, The Initiative, InXile Entertainment, Mojang, Ninja Theory, Obsidian, Playground Games, Rare, Turn 10, Undead Labs

 

 

 


Semper Fi 

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I am sure this is the stated goal, and it is likely backed up by a multi year business plan.

All these projects are subject to annual financial reviews, and unless the project is backed by someone high up in the organization (like Bill Gates..) it can be cancelled if it does not deliver on its business plan.. that is how it works, in all organizations big or small..


Bert

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1 minute ago, joec63 said:

Maybe we'll see ASOBO added to the list. 

I just want to note that Microsoft can acquire ASOBO, and still stop development of MSFS 2020.  For example, Microsoft acquires ASOBO and instructs them to work on a new game, while also instructing ASOBO to stop all development of MSFS 2020 (because Microsoft thinks MSFS 2020 is losing them money several years after release).

 

5 minutes ago, joec63 said:

Not sure about 10 yrs but hope it's their strategy and extended plan to gain revenue from the Xbox platform as well as PC to keep the flightsim franchise viable. Maybe a release every two years (my hope anyway).  

I do hope Microsoft makes good money from MSFS 2020.  And if I know that they get a cut from the 3rd party add on sales and they specifically say they will use that cut to help fund further development of MSFS 2020, I myself may be more willing to buy 3rd party add ons to support further development of MSFS 2020.


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1 minute ago, Bert Pieke said:

someone high up in the organization (like Bill Gates..)

My understanding is that Gates himself was actually a fan of the original Flight Simulator.  But he is not a high up in the organization, he has very little to do with Microsoft now.


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1 minute ago, Bert Pieke said:

I am sure this is the stated goal, and it is likely backed up by a multi year business plan.

All these projects are subject to annual financial reviews, and unless the project is backed by someone high up in the organization (like Bill Gates..) it can be cancelled if it does not deliver on its business plan.. that is how it works, in all organizations big or small..

My guess is, the sales of MSFS 2020 will dwindle 3 years after its release.  So without a further expansion set or a new version of MSFS (ie. MSFS 2025) for sale, I sure hope the cut Microsoft gets from the 3rd party add ons is enough to fund further development of MSFS.


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All speculation.

And I know these are games, that I will quote, but, look at Cities:Sylines. or, The witcher. Even Sid Meyers Civilization 6. They are all good examples of how long you can keep a franchise going, by updating and providing DLC. And even add-on packs that incorporate game updates. 

Imagine if Xplane had of charged for such things. The extra revenue would be massive.  CIV6 for example, its between £5 and £30 per DLC or add-on. People do and are willing to pay it. Especially the new generation. 

Edited by Ianrivaldosmith

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44 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

Some people have mentioned that Asobo said MSFS 2020 would be a 10 year project.  I could not find the exact quote that said MSFS 2020 would be a 10 year project, except at the Developer Q & A where one of the team members said he hoped MSFS 2020 would be a  "platform that we could all grow with over the next decade" (is this the quote that people are citing when they say MSFS 2020 is supposed to be a 10 year project?).

So, we all remember what happened with Aces Studio. And we all also remember what happened with Microsoft Flight. So assuming that MSFS 2020 is a 10 year project, how will it be funded such that it does not go the direction of Aces Studio or Microsoft Flight? 

I assume that after the release, the team for MSFS 2020 will gradually be reduced to save costs, but there will probably also be some updates in the first initial years after release, just like FSX.  However, updates eventually ceased for FSX (the last was Service Pack 2) because I assume Microsoft wasn't getting much revenue from FSX after some time after release.  This has me a little worried about MSFS 2020 and how it can become a 10 year project.  Like any video game, the sales will dwindle several years after release, unless there are expansions or a new version for sale, etc.  And no company wants to lose money so if MSFS 2020 isn't making Microsoft money several years after its release, then like any company, Microsoft will cease to support it.

Will MSFS 2020 be funded by the cut Microsoft gets from 3rd party add ons?  If Microsoft gets a cut from 3rd party add ons, is that enough revenue to sustain the development of MSFS 2020?  Or will MSFS 2020 be funded by expansions and/or a new version in several years time (ie. MSFS 2025) ?    If MSFS 2020 is a 10 year project, how will its development be funded, especially from years 5 to 10 after its release?

There are two significant differencies between FSX and MSFS. 1) MSFS has much more bigger market potencial, if comes to Xbox consoles too. 2) in FSX there wasn't any way to monetize 3PD add-ons sale. MSFS will the most easy way to buy 3PD add-ons via built-it market place with some charge for MS from any sold product. So there is much more bigger potencial to continuous money flow to MS for a long time.

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7 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

I just want to note that Microsoft can acquire ASOBO, and still stop development of MSFS 2020.  For example, Microsoft acquires ASOBO and instructs them to work on a new game, while also instructing ASOBO to stop all development of MSFS 2020 (because Microsoft thinks MSFS 2020 is losing them money several years after release).

 

I do hope Microsoft makes good money from MSFS 2020.  And if I know that they get a cut from the 3rd party add on sales and they specifically say they will use that cut to help fund further development of MSFS 2020, I myself may be more willing to buy 3rd party add ons to support further development of MSFS 2020.

 

Sure, there are no guarantees and MS won't come out and make one. The big elephant in the room is how will this new sim will be received. Will the younger crowd even be interested. My neighbors kids don't even care about learning to drive a car. lol

 

 


Semper Fi 

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Just now, ludekbrno said:

There are two significant differencies between FSX and MSFS. 1) MSFS has much more bigger market potencial, if comes to Xbox consoles too. 2) in FSX there wasn't any way to monetize 3PD add-ons sale. MSFS will the most easy way to buy 3PD add-ons via built-it market place with some charge for MS from any sold product. So there is much more bigger potencial to continuous money flow to MS for a long time.

I do hope the 3rd party add ons will be enough money to keep the development of MSFS 2020 going.  It would be nice if Microsoft or Asobo comes out and tells us the revenue from 3rd party add ons is crucial to sustaining the development of MSFS 2020 - that would encourage me to spend more money on 3rd party add ons, if I know that money is being put back to developing MSFS 2020 further.

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Pretty simple. Capitalism. They are going to sell us stuff. We'll pay for the stuff we like, and they'll make money so that they can continue providing us with the stuff we like...

If we don't like their stuff, they'll go broke.

It's a win-win situation. If we don't like it, they lose money, and they start making things that we do.

Edited by MDFlier

 i9-10850K, ASUS TUF GAMING Z490-PLUS (WI-FI), 32GB G.SKILL DDR4-3603 / PC4-28800, EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti BLACK EDITION 11GB running 3440x1440 

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25 minutes ago, andyjohnston.net said:

My understanding is that Gates himself was actually a fan of the original Flight Simulator.  But he is not a high up in the organization, he has very little to do with Microsoft now.

Agreed.. so we would need a new "Bill Gates" as an executive sponsor.. 🙂


Bert

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1 hour ago, abrams_tank said:

Will MSFS 2020 be funded by the cut Microsoft gets from 3rd party add ons?  If Microsoft gets a cut from 3rd party add ons, is that enough revenue to sustain the development of MSFS 2020?  Or will MSFS 2020 be funded by expansions and/or a new version in several years time (ie. MSFS 2025) ?    If MSFS 2020 is a 10 year project, how will its development be funded, especially from years 5 to 10 after its release?

A portion of the sales through the built-in Marketplace will be part of the funding source. They may also release their own add-ons/DLC through it as well. Don't forget about the Xbox Game Pass subscription as well.

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