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MSFS2024 through Steam or MS Store

Featured Replies

Got a new computer and want to get MSFS2024, what is the overall best way to purchase it for the PC, steam or through the MS Store.  Thank you!

Anthony Neumann

Steam, Steam, Steam!

5800X3D. 32 GB RAM. 1TB SATA SSD. 3TB HDD. RX  9070XT.

23 minutes ago, antney79 said:

Got a new computer and want to get MSFS2024, what is the overall best way to purchase it for the PC, steam or through the MS Store.  Thank you!

Steam, 100%  Effortless to install/update or join/leave betas.

CPU Ryzen 7800X 3D  RAM 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz GPU GEFORCE RTX 4090
Monitor AOC AGON AG352UCG UltraWide G-Sync @ 3440x1440
Internal Storage 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD 
External Storage Three 4Tb HDs

15 minutes ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

Steam, 100%  Effortless to install/update or join/leave betas.

This. It's a no-brainer, really.

Alvega

CPU: AMD 7800X3D | COOLER: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240L Core ARGB | GPU: RTX 4070 TI Super 16GB OC | Mobo: ASUS TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI |
RAM: 32 GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 6000MHz PC5-48000 2x16GB CL36 | SSDs: WD Black SN770 2TB NVMe SSD (WIN11), WD Black SN850X SSD 2 TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 NVMe (MSFS), Crucial MX500 2TB (Other stuff) | CASE: Forgeon Arcanite ARGB Mesh Tower ATX White | Power Supply: Forgeon Bolt PSU 850W 80+ Gold Full Modular White 

I have all of my other games on Steam, so it was natural to just do MSFS this way as well. It has worked well for both 2020 and 2024.

Rick Abshier

5900X | RTX 5070 Ti  OC| 64 GB@3600 | India Pale Ale

 

 

As a contrary opinion - I have the Store version, and never had issues. You can easily join and leave the beta, you can install in a custom directory.. all the things that Steam users can do, the store version can do as well. 

Either works, frankly. Buy from whichever store you prefer, it's not going to be an issue. 

Caveat- only thing to keep in mind is IF you are someone that uses both a PC and an Xbox, and you want to play on both platforms. Then, buy the Store version as marketplace purchases will be available on both your PC and your Xbox, and you won't need to buy things twice. Steam doesnt' work like this - if you buy something on the Steam version, you'll only have access to it on the PC, and if you happen to have an Xbox, you'll need to purchase the sim and any addons again. 

If you don't use both devices.. doesn't matter. 

9800X3d, 4090, 64 GB DDR5 6000 RAM, 4 TB NVME (2x2), 4K Ultra + Framegen

15 minutes ago, JonathanC said:

As a contrary opinion - I have the Store version, and never had issues. You can easily join and leave the beta, you can install in a custom directory.. all the things that Steam users can do, the store version can do as well. 

Either works, frankly. Buy from whichever store you prefer, it's not going to be an issue. 

Caveat- only thing to keep in mind is IF you are someone that uses both a PC and an Xbox, and you want to play on both platforms. Then, buy the Store version as marketplace purchases will be available on both your PC and your Xbox, and you won't need to buy things twice. Steam doesnt' work like this - if you buy something on the Steam version, you'll only have access to it on the PC, and if you happen to have an Xbox, you'll need to purchase the sim and any addons again. 

If you don't use both devices.. doesn't matter. 

Hmm, you seem to forget the issues with the last couple of betas for Store users, with some being thrown out of the beta and having to reinstall the sim, others getting their community folder deleted, etc. Steam users had no problem at all.

Not even talking about the issues some Store users post every now and then stating they can't move folders, delete files and so on, which never happen with the Steam version. He should definitely go with Steam.

Alvega

CPU: AMD 7800X3D | COOLER: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240L Core ARGB | GPU: RTX 4070 TI Super 16GB OC | Mobo: ASUS TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI |
RAM: 32 GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 6000MHz PC5-48000 2x16GB CL36 | SSDs: WD Black SN770 2TB NVMe SSD (WIN11), WD Black SN850X SSD 2 TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 NVMe (MSFS), Crucial MX500 2TB (Other stuff) | CASE: Forgeon Arcanite ARGB Mesh Tower ATX White | Power Supply: Forgeon Bolt PSU 850W 80+ Gold Full Modular White 

I wouldn’t trust MS to manage a store. Valve runs circles around them. 

7950X3D | RTX 4090 | 96GB DDR5 | 4K G-Sync | Win11 Pro

33 minutes ago, Alvega said:

Hmm, you seem to forget the issues with the last couple of betas for Store users, with some being thrown out of the beta and having to reinstall the sim, others getting their community folder deleted, etc. Steam users had no problem at all.

Not even talking about the issues some Store users post every now and then stating they can't move folders, delete files and so on, which never happen with the Steam version. He should definitely go with Steam.

Sure, he can buy whatever he wants. I have never had issues with the Store version, and there is no functional difference. Steam users have also had issues (notoriously the "Check Files" option which wiped the entire directory...). Issues can happen on any platform, but I wouldn't say either version is better or worse... except that the Store version is objectively better IF you use Xbox + PC.

Moving folders, deleting files.. these are all easily fixed by installing in a custom directory. It's not like Store users are handicapped or anything. 

My point is simply that the Store works fine, and if you use PC+Xbox, you should buy it on the Store. If you don't, then pick whatever platform you like.. I've been using Steam since 2004 (Half-Life 2), and have hundreds of games on it.. I like Steam too. But I haven't had issues with the Store version and it has worked fine since 2019 (2020 Tech Alpha, 2020 Release, 2024 Release)

 

 

9800X3d, 4090, 64 GB DDR5 6000 RAM, 4 TB NVME (2x2), 4K Ultra + Framegen

1 hour ago, RobJC said:

I wouldn’t trust MS to manage a store. Valve runs circles around them. 

Why not? You are using Microsoft windows.

Windows 11 Pro, Intel Ultra 270K at 5.7 GHz, Asus RTX 5070TI,48 GB ddr5 Trident Z 8000mhz CLK 40, 4TB M.2 x 1, 2TB nvme

steam seems to have less issues with it  than store users

I7-8700k,Corsair h1101 cooler ,Asus Strix Gaming Intel Z370 S11 motherboard, Corsair 32gb ramDD4,, gtx 1080ti Card,  RM850 power supply

 

Peter kelberg

Judging by what I've read here on Avsim, it seems the Store version has more problems. But that's anecdotal data; all I can say for sure is that I use Steam, and I haven't ever had any problems with it.

Its a quite religious question. Go with the version you like. Both work fine. Like with different sims you will have these extremely loud voices praising their preferred way as you can see above. I use Steam for other stuff and don't like it that much. I use store for the Sims and don't like it that much. 😄 But both never let me down so far and contrary to others I never had Store problems and I'm a constant beta user. For me a clear why should I make a detour for the Sim when its coming from MS. IMHO there is no single advantage in using one or the other. 

Cheers T.

Edited by Torsen

If you are already used to Steam, then go for the Steam version.

The MS Store one is simply more complicated to handle than the Steam one, and has a longer history of issues. (In fact, the Steam version only ever had the "check files" issue).

Keep in mind, no matter if you buy MSFS2024 on Steam or on the MS Store, you will anyways need an XBox Live account.

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