I pre ordered from the MS store, then cancelled and went with Steam.  I had this thought running through my mind about 3rd party content but then remembered I had FSX SE and not once did I have an issue installing any payware content and thought why should it be different using MSFS. The other bonus is I am a geek when it comes to tracking playtime which I don’t believe you can see through the MS store?

I may have to buy through steam if my patience runs out. 

Went to preorder from MS only to find my store security code referred to a dead email account.  Updated to a new code but now have to wait 30 days for it to come into effect - never come across this before and there seems to be no way round it.

7 minutes ago, sidfadc said:

I pre ordered from the MS store, then cancelled and went with Steam.  I had this thought running through my mind about 3rd party content but then remembered I had FSX SE and not once did I have an issue installing any payware content and thought why should it be different using MSFS. The other bonus is I am a geek when it comes to tracking playtime which I don’t believe you can see through the MS store?

Dam you now im thinking about steam pre order after I had decided MS Store LOL

Lets take the example of DCS. Their products are available on both own website and steam. But both are mutually exclusive. However all their products, both third party and in house, are eventually available on steam.

I pre-ordered from the MS store but frankly would prefer Steam. I find the MS stor interface more clunky compared to Steam (maybe due to the fact I have a couple of hundred titles in my Steam library..). However I suspect that all the coming DLC from first or third party will work regardless of platform as anything else would be retarded. 

The benefits from MS store would probably be, that I do not need Steam in the background and therefore one less dependency on yet another software layer. I usually tend to buy directly through the developer´s page/launcher as much as possible. Why buy it on steam if I need the EA, Rockstar or UbiSoft launcher anyway in addition...? As some ppl already said, I can cross link the game/software into my steam list anyway...

The benefits for steam would probably be that you usually have a better download performance (at least for me), and (but that´s speculating) a better way of managing the sim´s installation. A few ppl had issues with MS store games being saved on locations where you as admin are not allowed to access without some hacks. And it somethig goes wrong, you need to completely reinstall and somestimes there are left-overs you are not able to delete. I witnessed that once with Gears 4 and it was not really funny. In Steam you could verify your files and it just redownloads those missing/corrupt. And you can easily move the installtion or even copy it on a separate hard drive if you decide to delete it. Then you can just copy it back to your steam folder and point steam to it, so it recognizes it again and just downloads additional updates - if any. At least that´s how it works with games on steam, no promise this would work with MFS, too, but I would see this as the major advantage - at least once this is confirmed. 

Nevertheless, I think I am going the MS Store way... yet to be decided...

Availability of add-ons shouldn't be a factor. Most, if not nearly all, of the makers will sell via the MSFS integrated Marketplace - maybe, besides other places - which is an integral part of the simulator itself in both versions. I am sure ORBX, Aerosoft, PMDG, A2A, and the like will provide their addons there, as it's a unique possibility to expose their offers.

Kind regards, Michael

NVIDIA Inspector does not work on the Microsoft Store version, as with all games from there. A potential advantage of the Steam version.

I got it via the MS store, but guess what?

Years ago (before I bought the Steam version of FSX, when I was using my boxed version I got from an actual bricks and mortar store on the day of its release) I also bought a digital version of FSX plus Acceleration, from the MS online store. Yet there is absolutely no trace online whatsoever of that purchase now that I can find on any MS site. I recall looking for it online when I went to reinstall FSX once, but since there was no record of it on any MS sites at all, I ended up buying the Steam version of FSX. 

Conversely, there are titles I've bought from Steam, literally over ten years ago which are now completely defunct in terms of their servers etc, but I can still find the installation downloads in my Steam directory if I wanted them. Which tells you all you need to know about which method is probably the better one to use for purchasing the new MS sim, and it isn't the one I used. 🤣

8 hours ago, adesai73 said:

if you were to buy it from steam, would you get access on your xbox, too?

This is a really good question.

Virtually all MS releases are part of the crossplay system now but I don't think it's known yet whether this will extend to the Steam release of FS2020 (as opposed to the Windows Store).

My suspicion is crossplay will probably ultimately be possible because of Microsoft's strategic goals. I would be very surprised (utterly astonished, in fact) if the Steam release didn't also require you to login with an Xbox account.

i dont think so, so thats why i am getting if via the ms store.

you dont need an xbox login to play the game. thats nonsense.

you need an ms account, thats not the same.

Edited August 3, 20205 yr by wim123

27 minutes ago, wim123 said:

i dont think so, so thats why i am getting if via the ms store.

you dont need an xbox login to play the game. thats nonsense.

you need an ms account, thats not the same.

Don't shoot, I come in peace 😁

You are more than likely right re the Microsoft account. Difficult to remember what the various accounts are called these days although I did think I saw my Xbox avatar pop-up when signing in to the alpha/beta at some point. Perfectly happy to concede I could be misremembering, though.

Edited August 3, 20205 yr by spacedyemeerkat

MFS has in in game store front, correct?  If so then all DLC will be available in game, so it wouldn't really matter if you were launching from the MS Store or Steam.  Much like how Elite Dangerous works today.

Edited August 3, 20205 yr by Mengy

5 minutes ago, Mengy said:

MFS has in in game store front, correct?  If so then all DLC will be available in game, so it wouldn't really matter if you were launching from the MS Store or Steam.  Much like how Elite Dangerous works today.

What about if developers are stand alone can they still be installed in steam

For once, Steam was actually programmed properly and have been working without issues for years. The Microsoft store is nowhere near it at all.

On top of that, you get other things like the ability to stream your game, take screenshots, keep in touch with friends, make backups etc etc.