4 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

If MSFS sold 1 million copies for the PC (the article says 1 million unique players so 1 million copies were sold for PC), and we also have the XBox release coming up, this will buy 2 to 3 years of development and maintenance from Asobo.  There is no way Microsoft will pull support MSFS and walk away from it for the next 2 to 3 years, minimally.  So the 10 year plan by Asobo is coming to fruition.  I can actually believe this is a 10 year project, with sales like this.  

Don't forget that Microsoft can tap into the commercial market with MSFS for more sales. And as more products get added to the Marketplace, that's further revenue for Microsoft because they get a cut of the Marketplace sales. 

Exactly, that the reason why I believe that the MSFS won't lose popularity drastically. Of course we won't get 1mil. new hardcore simmers who fly on VATSIM etc. but most of them might keep interest in the following years, since asobo it constantly updateting the software. Just imagen how it will look in 5 years? That will bring back people who has bought it now and eventually will bring new customer in 5 years.

4 minutes ago, 737_800 said:

Exactly, that the reason why I believe that the MSFS won't lose popularity drastically. Of course we won't get 1mil. new hardcore simmers who fly on VATSIM etc. but most of them might keep interest in the following years, since asobo it constantly updateting the software. Just imagen how it will look in 5 years? That will bring back people who has bought it now and eventually will bring new customer in 5 years.

Yup. This is a good cash cow for Microsoft.  When 3rd party planes come in and they are really well made, and Bing has more photogammetry, and Asobo is able to fix all the bugs over the next few years, there will be more and more interest to use this as a commercial product.  I can even see Lockheed one day asking Microsoft if they can license MSFS for commerical use (although I would think this time, Microsoft would cut out Lockheed and take the commerical revenue for themselves).

Edited September 3, 20205 yr by abrams_tank

Over one million pilots and zero airplanes

https://secure.simmarket.com/msfs-aircraft-page-1.chtml

Edited September 3, 20205 yr by rob0203

11 minutes ago, RamonB said:

What worries me is that apparently Steam current and 24/hours peak (paying) user numbers have been in decline since day 1. SteamCharts Microsoft Flight Simulator.  (drag the left white square to see day 1)

This is very typical for high profile launches. Big bunch of people are hurry testing the game when it is released and after that the user usage spreads and sets on more regular levels. There are certainly those, who tried it, refunded it or forget it among the other games in their back log and won’t look back, but this is how it goes. There will also be positive spikes when some major updates are released.

It is of course possible that MSFS loses much of the user base and doesn’t gain long term momentum, but it certainly needs longer time period to make that conclusion and launch day is a poor starting metric how user base evolves.

IMO MSFS has all the possibilites to maintain a steady player base even among the non simulator crowd. It is still very manageable for every casual player and successes of games like European and American Truck Simulator show that people do like relaxing open world games. I bet that if similar freight/passenger hauling/economy addon is released at some point, it will be huge success.

Here is what I wonder about the situation.

Lots of new simmers, and as pointed out, how many are "serious simmers" and not just casual gamers or VFR flyers (such as myself)? If the vast majority are gamers, but keep an interest, it is possible that putting time and effort into developing and fixing those items that the SERIOUS simmers want may not be a priority. If 80% are happy with the game "as is", then just maybe all the hopes expectations of the long standing sim community will not come to fruition in this software product.  I certainly hope not, but we will see.

 

I am sure there are plenty of flight simmers who have not committed to MSFS yet for many reasons.

I am a serious simmer but I want some serious (and bug free) passenger jets to fly in the thing. Having a great time spending an hour or so a day pottering around in GA, but for me the bread and butter is those long haul tube flights preferably in 70's or 80's era aircraft.

56 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

Don't forget that Microsoft can tap into the commercial market with MSFS for more sales.

Well, not necessarily.  To know the answer we'd have to read the contract between MS and Lockheed Martin to know that. 

Remember, at it's heart MSFS still has some FSX code, and LM licensed that code for commercial applications.  Even if the FSX code didn't still exist it's possible that Microsoft would have to allow LM the commercial side of the market - depends on the contract wording and I would assume that both parties to the contract considered the future.  For now, only those two powerhouses know the answer to that question, though I'm sure our community will know what it is at some point in the future simoly by what both companies do on the commercial market.

Now, I've not seen a single post on any flight sim website about this, but I would suspect that LM will be updating the P3D world and flight dynamics in some fashion.  No way to know what that will be, but I'm sure they aren't sitting still.  We all benefit from all that is going on - it wasn't so long ago that the major players in flight sim development were concerned that FS base sim development had ended and now look where we are!

1 hour ago, ShawnG said:

AVSIM has enough trouble with the few thousand we already have.

Fixed that for you😁

Seriously though, I suspect it's more the Xbox gamers who'll be the (relatively) short-term users. That's the nature of the beast with console games. Use it intensively, move onto the Next Big Thing. The bean counters at MS will no doubt have calculated how many Xbox owners they need to retain in order to justify (if not necessarily pay for) the investment in producing that version. We might get an indication of that if the new console is offered with and MSFS bundle, so we can see how that sells in relation to other bundles (assuming MS would release that info).

5 minutes ago, DaveCT2003 said:

Well, not necessarily.  To know the answer we'd have to read the contract between MS and Lockheed Martin to know that. 

Remember, at it's heart MSFS still has some FSX code, and LM licensed that code for commercial applications.  Even if the FSX code didn't still exist it's possible that Microsoft would have to allow LM the commercial side of the market - depends on the contract wording and I would assume that both parties to the contract considered the future.  For now, only those two powerhouses know the answer to that question, though I'm sure our community will know what it is at some point in the future simoly by what both companies do on the commercial market.

Now, I've not seen a single post on any flight sim website about this, but I would suspect that LM will be updating the P3D world and flight dynamics in some fashion.  No way to know what that will be, but I'm sure they aren't sitting still.  We all benefit from all that is going on - it wasn't so long ago that the major players in flight sim development were concerned that FS base sim development had ended and now look where we are!

That's interesting, especially because I assume, that you are with Aerosoft. I can't remember where I read it, but somebody else here in Avism (or maybe one of other MSFS forums) mentioned Microsoft had no commitments for MSFS with respect to Lockheed, and said that Microsoft was free to sell MSFS commercially. But since you are with Aerosoft, maybe you know more than us.  

just wait until VR enters later this year it will be again a spike not only in software sales but especially in the HMD sales,

especially the G2 (Cooperation of HP with Microsoft and Valve).

1 minute ago, Nedo68 said:

just wait until VR enters later this year it will be again a spike not only in software sales but especially in the HMD sales,

especially the G2 (Cooperation of HP with Microsoft and Valve).

They also have other as yet unannounced plans that will lead to other spikes in activity as well.

Let's not kid ourselves that MS won't want to recoup their investment through whatever means necessary.

14 minutes ago, DaveCT2003 said:

would suspect that LM will be updating the P3D world and flight dynamics in some fashion. 

Why would you suspect that? I suspect that they will cut down their team soon once the non commercial market dries up for them.

And let's not kid ourselves about contracts. LM has been selling it's product to users for entertainment when they're not supposed to. They have no leg to stand on.

Edited September 3, 20205 yr by Slides

1 minute ago, Slides said:

Why would you suspect that? I suspect that they will cut down their team soon once the non commercial market dries up for them.

Why would LM cut down there team? P3D is not about the market were in as hobbyists. 

1 minute ago, Wise87 said:

Why would LM cut down there team? P3D is not about the market were in as hobbyists. 

Because they make a lot of money from hobbyists. More than you would assume. They don't even do a good job of hiding it.