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

[737_800 434]

15 minutes ago, Wobbie said:

Remember, add-on developers can sell the product wherever they like, through the Xbox shop, or whatever they call it, as well as through their own outlets. Dont forget about freeware developers, whose products are often better than payware. 

I cannot imagine Microsoft, a $1Billion + company, begging gamers to buy add-ons as revenue will be crutial to MSFS's development, nor Asobo..

This is only one of Asobo's products, as you know, and they are one of 15 gaming studios that have been contracted to Microsoft. 

Throughout flight sim history, it has been the distributors- Microsoft - that have given us the sim engine, & both freeware & payware developers have given/sold us the add-ons that we choose to buy. IF sales of the basic product, in this case MSFS (no 2020) drops to a very low level, obviously, as the board of Microsoft is responsible to their shareholders, serious thought will be given to dropping the product. The advantage this time is that Microsoft does not have it's own in-house game studio to close down.

True, MS won't be able to dictate 3rd party developers how to put their prices. However, the tendency is still going upwards. Maybe it will change because they will serve more customers and could effort to put prices down a bit and make it more affordable for a broader range of people.

Indeed, we have some great freeware sceneries for the FSX, but availability is lacking. You will find some great airports but many airports that are covered do not have excellent quality, but you cannot expect that for freeware. I have the feeling that changed from FS9 to the FSX generation. FS9 had far more freeware options available.

What I could imagen is, they will take the line of P3D and offer many versions of MSFS i.e MSFS V1, V2 etc. Though, we cannot be sure about that, it's just speculation.

[Bottle 663]

https://www.pcgamer.com/xbox-game-pass-isnt-a-big-profit-play-now-says-microsoft

[tweekz 2,165]

Marketplace:

MSFS will take a share on each sale. Beside planes & sceneries there will be cosmetic items for sale (liveries, interior & exterior decoration, avatar customization, etc). They will probably also allow user trading, while of course taking a share of it again. This creates a flourishing market. If we look at other games, trading is a cash cow - with some "skins" becoming iconic, being worth thousands of Dollars.

That's how you make money with games today. And it's not even that bad. Devs keep developing it, the community sticks with it buying stuff from the marketplace. No one is forced to do so.

You could argue that in other sims those things are for free - but then again, do they offer streaming scenery, NAV cycles, etc?

[Wobbie 938]

1 hour ago, 737_800 said:

True, MS won't be able to dictate 3rd party developers how to put their prices. However, the tendency is still going upwards. Maybe it will change because they will serve more customers and could effort to put prices down a bit and make it more affordable for a broader range of people.

Indeed, we have some great freeware sceneries for the FSX, but availability is lacking. You will find some great airports but many airports that are covered do not have excellent quality, but you cannot expect that for freeware. I have the feeling that changed from FS9 to the FSX generation. FS9 had far more freeware options available.

What I could imagen is, they will take the line of P3D and offer many versions of MSFS i.e MSFS V1, V2 etc. Though, we cannot be sure about that, it's just speculation.

There are already 3 versions of MSFS on offer.

[ludekbrno 302]

1 hour ago, 737_800 said:

What I could imagen is, they will take the line of P3D and offer many versions of MSFS i.e MSFS V1, V2 etc. Though, we cannot be sure about that, it's just speculation.

No, there will be not exist MSFS v1, v2 etc. There will be only one MSFS with continuous updating (similar to Windows 10).

[abrams_tank 7,424]

6 hours ago, Wobbie said:

Remember, add-on developers can sell the product wherever they like, through the Xbox shop, or whatever they call it,

Has Microsoft or Asobo confirmed that the 3rd party add-ons such as 3rd party planes, 3rd party sceneries, etc, will be downloadable for both the PC and XBox?  I'm sure 3rd party companies creating content for MSFS will target PCs first for sure, but when they make their content downloadable for PCs via the market that Microsoft has setup,will that same content automatically work for XBox too?

Or do the 3rd party companies have to port their add ons to the XBox?  Porting it to the XBox will mean 3rd party add ons will be delayed for the XBox.  Does anybody know?

Edited July 29, 2020 by abrams_tank

[Wobbie 938]

8 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

Has Microsoft or Asobo confirmed that the 3rd party add-ons such as 3rd party planes, 3rd party sceneries, etc, will be downloadable for both the PC and XBox?  I'm sure 3rd party companies creating content for MSFS will target PCs first for sure, but when they make their content downloadable for PCs via the market that Microsoft has setup,will that same content automatically work for XBox too?

Or do the 3rd party companies have to port their add ons to the XBox?  Porting it to the XBox will mean 3rd party add ons will be delayed for the XBox.  Does anybody know?

Lets wait until MSFS is released for the XBox, before worrying about add-ons for the console version.

[Dominique_K 10,149]

 It seems to me that Asobo signed with MS a contract to build up the sim and provide post-release services for some years.  Debugging and to keep FS20  sales up adding a couple of features like VR, cranking out some DLC. In that sense the 10 years or rather the maybe 7 or 8 years left are already "funded". 

More interesting would be to know how a larger Twin Earth project (Sebastian Wloch's word), if it really exists, would come into the picture. More good surprises not FS related ahead in a few years ?

[abrams_tank 7,424]

38 minutes ago, Dominique_K said:

 It seems to me that Asobo signed with MS a contract to build up the sim and provide post-release services for some years. 

Hi, do you have a link or a source for this?  I would like to know where you got this information from.

Intuitively, if MSFS 2020 is anything like FSX, they will probably have a few service packs or updates after its released.  FSX got 2 service packs, so I assume MSFS 2020 will be similar.  But after service pack 2, Microsoft dropped further development of FSX and eventually disbanded Aces Studios.  I do hope that Microsoft sees a longer term vision for MSFS 2020 compared to FSX but of course, the revenue earned from MSFS 2020 after the 3rd or 4th year from release would have to justify the costs of continual development of it. 

[reignman40 450]

On 7/28/2020 at 10:03 AM, 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..

Bill Gates has nothing to do with FS or even Microsoft? at this point, and that's a good thing. 

[Wobbie 938]

2 minutes ago, reignman40 said:

Bill Gates has nothing to do with FS or even Microsoft? at this point, and that's a good thing. 

True, as we saw with ACES, the board of directors of Microsoft are answerable to their shareholders, so, if a division is not performing, doors will close.

Bill has nothing to do with ANY decision that the board makes. Nothing, nada.

[ludekbrno 302]

3 hours ago, abrams_tank said:

Hi, do you have a link or a source for this?  I would like to know where you got this information from.

Intuitively, if MSFS 2020 is anything like FSX, they will probably have a few service packs or updates after its released.  FSX got 2 service packs, so I assume MSFS 2020 will be similar.  But after service pack 2, Microsoft dropped further development of FSX and eventually disbanded Aces Studios.  I do hope that Microsoft sees a longer term vision for MSFS 2020 compared to FSX but of course, the revenue earned from MSFS 2020 after the 3rd or 4th year from release would have to justify the costs of continual development of it. 

There was a many interviews with MS and Asobo representatives, from the beginning of the MSFS development. And many times was repeated, that MSFS is 10 years project. If you followed the information from the beginning, you would know it. So try to surf through this forum and you will found it 😉'. And don't forget, that ASOBO is an independent game studio, not owned by Microsoft, so MS can't close it. If there exist 10 years contract, it means, that MS believe to economic potencial of MSFS and you should too 😉 Those are only an unnecessary speculation, when MSFS wasn't released yet. Wait for few years and you will see 

 

Edited July 29, 2020 by ludekbrno

[Wobbie 938]

58 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

Hi, do you have a link or a source for this?  I would like to know where you got this information from.

Intuitively, if MSFS 2020 is anything like FSX, they will probably have a few service packs or updates after its released.  FSX got 2 service packs, so I assume MSFS 2020 will be similar.  But after service pack 2, Microsoft dropped further development of FSX and eventually disbanded Aces Studios.  I do hope that Microsoft sees a longer term vision for MSFS 2020 compared to FSX but of course, the revenue earned from MSFS 2020 after the 3rd or 4th year from release would have to justify the costs of continual development of it. 

MSFS is nothing like FSX. FSX was built inhouse at Microsoft. MSFS is developed by Asobo, one of 15 gaming studios contracted by Microsoft. MSFS is one of 18 games they develop. FSX got service packs. MSFS will be updated online, when required, just like Windows 10! The revenue from MSFS is only part of revenue from XBox, & Asobo will be supporting MSFS with updates, as long as they have been contracted to do.

I hope that explains how the system works. 

[EzRyder 35]

they stated in the dev q&a that the profits from 3rd party addons on the ingame store (called Marketplace) will (hopefully) pay enough to maintain servers or w/e
for those who dont think that will be enough look at what many gamers have spent for p3d and xplane addons - its a lot
they do not need to make huge amounts of money past release to continue development for quite some time and they did not afaik suggest they would 'develop' the sim for 10 years but only 'maintain' it with current cloud data etc

[Dominique_K 10,149]

34 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

Hi, do you have a link or a source for this?  I would like to know where you got this information from.

Intuitively, if MSFS 2020 is anything like FSX, they will probably have a few service packs or updates after its released.  FSX got 2 service packs, so I assume MSFS 2020 will be similar.  But after service pack 2, Microsoft dropped further development of FSX and eventually disbanded Aces Studios.  I do hope that Microsoft sees a longer term vision for MSFS 2020 compared to FSX but of course, the revenue earned from MSFS 2020 after the 3rd or 4th year from release would have to justify the costs of continual development of it. 

As I said in my post "it seems to me", it is the interpretation I find the most logical after a year following closely the evolution of this project. No source other my own speculations 😉.

Asobo is an independent French company, not a MS division, so it cannot be but a contractor for MS.  I would also logically guess that MS will not take over the post-release service but let Asobo do it. Asobo has had, before FS20, a long business relation with MS  with Hololens. Everything is already "funded" in that sense

The long term vision for this sim  ?  MS  disbanded the Aces in a general business overhaul which affected most if not all of its game divisions, it has not much to do with the prospect of the game itself .

 I find it difficult to believe  that the Xbox crowd will flock to FS20 . FS20 will never be a major source of revenue, either directly or by boosting the Gamepass subscription. FS20 is a niche product and will stay that way. They will make little money with it , a few tens of millions bucks . 

So no long term vision ? There is maybe one which  intrigues me, the potential for other applications of the foundations that Asobo has been laying, the Twin Earth concept to which Asobo's Ceo alluded briefly in an interview. Imagine a software environment slowly building to a facsimile of our planet. The huge commercial potential . That would justify keeping the FS franchise alive.  But, look at me, I'm ramblin' again. You got any more of that good sarsaparilla?