Well, Randazzo has been more specific on when the 737 Max will release, and he said that the 737 Max is "very well along" and would release during the 777 variant cycle, around the 8:06 mark of the recent Q&A video:

 

So the PMDG 737 Max is very close. If the entire 777 variant cycle can be released this year, then I would think the PMDG 737 Max will probably also release this year (maybe worst case would be early next year?). In any case, it sounds like the 737 Max is almost complete, based on what Randazzo is saying.

I guess iFly will need to step it up. But at this timeline, if the PMDG 737 Max is almost complete, I can't see iFly beating PMDG to the market with the first 737 Max for MSFS.

Edited March 15, 20242 yr by abrams_tank

Yeah looking forward to this too. Should be good. 

I would guess that the MAX has been complete for some time now. Releasing it early would be a distraction from the imminent release of the 777. Once the 777 hype has died down, they will release the MAX and all the spotlights will be on PMDG once again. 

13 minutes ago, james42 said:

I would guess that the MAX has been complete for some time now. Releasing it early would be a distraction from the imminent release of the 777. Once the 777 hype has died down, they will release the MAX and all the spotlights will be on PMDG once again. 

hype and sales.  nothing more and nothing less.

Looking forward to the MAX. With all the press lately I guess there's no chance they'd forget to install the door plug bolts.

 

 

 

 

57 minutes ago, james42 said:

I would guess that the MAX has been complete for some time now. Releasing it early would be a distraction from the imminent release of the 777. Once the 777 hype has died down, they will release the MAX and all the spotlights will be on PMDG once again. 

Yeah, Randazzo said they are working on some "data issues" with the manufacturer, and I assume he is referring to Boeing. But it doesn't sound like a show stopper. I would guess the PMDG 737 Max is probably pretty close to release quality. I wouldn't be surprised if PMDG released the 737 Max, within one or two months of the first variant of the PMDG 777 releasing.

On 3/15/2024 at 4:02 PM, abrams_tank said:

Yeah, Randazzo said they are working on some "data issues" with the manufacturer, and I assume he is referring to Boeing. But it doesn't sound like a show stopper. I would guess the PMDG 737 Max is probably pretty close to release quality. I wouldn't be surprised if PMDG released the 737 Max, within one or two months of the first variant of the PMDG 777 releasing.

The data issues might refer to the yet-uncertified variants (7, 10).

On 3/15/2024 at 1:17 PM, fluffyflops said:

hype and sales.  nothing more and nothing less.

a good product

Your being randazzled by speculation.

Not sure why the excitement over mere speculation.

2 hours ago, ErichB said:

a good product

I agree, but the developers have realised the sales potential from "hyping" something and  my guess would be releasing a less well predicted selling item first and hyping it as  some sort of  "start up act before the main show" Im very confident the sales of that -600 was well below the 800 and 900 which is what most people wanted, they did the same in the p3d v4 days with the 747,777 and the 737.  

 

Not to mention you can now sell a unfinished unoptimised product as  "pre-release, beta, extended, early access, prologue" or whatever buzzword marketing you call it and again hype it and then sell it.  I could give you 20 or so items over the last 10 years in this category, and yet as comsumers we lap it up every single time.

Id also argue the toss the other devs have also cottoned on to this idea too.  Orbx's for example just released True Earth North for XP12 knowing full well i imagine that more people will buy the south version due to London Airport areas and then the North Area which includes scotland,  and the middle aera including EGCC,  yet again drip selling as it a precursor, to try and get a few more sales,  I dont blame them for doing it,  what baffles me is how people cant see or dont want to believe what they are upto.  Again Id do the same, just its bloody obvious what they are upto

 

 

Edited March 27, 20242 yr by fluffyflops

They are just getting antsy that iFly might release their MAX first...

55 minutes ago, fluffyflops said:

it as  some sort of  "start up act before the main show" Im very confident the sales of that -600 was well below the 800 and 900 which is what most people wanted, they did the same in the p3d v4 days with the 747,777 and the 737.  

As annoying as it is, it's simply good business.  Most flightsim folks (here) have poor impulse control when it comes to new and shiny premium products.  Now that his model is to sell everything separately and not force you into buying everything if you don't want, of course it makes sense to offer the least desirable first.  Chances are pretty, prettyy good that it'll be snapped up anyway.

1 hour ago, fluffyflops said:

Not to mention you can now sell a unfinished unoptimised product as  "pre-release, beta, extended, early access, prologue" or whatever buzzword marketing you call it and again hype it and then sell it.

 

 

To PMDG’s credit, they NEVER do this.  It’s never early access, they’re all feature complete (basically) and generally quite polished on release.  
 

It’s one thing they definitely do right.  

55 minutes ago, ATRguy said:

To PMDG’s credit, they NEVER do this.  It’s never early access, they’re all feature complete (basically) and generally quite polished on release.  
 

It’s one thing they definitely do right.  

ill agree to an extent.  I still remember the pitch issue on the 777 with a fan blade that wasnt modelled and the 747 that couldnt taxi probably, but yes I agree compared to the others they do a good job.

1 hour ago, ErichB said:

As annoying as it is, it's simply good business.  Most flightsim folks (here) have poor impulse control when it comes to new and shiny premium products.  Now that his model is to sell everything separately and not force you into buying everything if you don't want, of course it makes sense to offer the least desirable first.  Chances are pretty, prettyy good that it'll be snapped up anyway.

again, I agree.