I guess the writing is on the wall with this one. It has Xbox tween users written all over it. It doesn't take a genius to see where the focus of this will gravitate towards. Less flying fidelity and more game scenarios. Xbox will ultimately be the Achille's heel for serious flight simmers.

2 minutes ago, cowpatz said:

Xbox will ultimately be the Achille's heel for serious flight simmers.

Now you need to explain why that's bad. 🤤

dd

3 minutes ago, cowpatz said:

I guess the writing is on the wall with this one. It has Xbox tween users written all over it. It doesn't take a genius to see where the focus of this will gravitate towards. Less flying fidelity and more game scenarios. Xbox will ultimately be the Achille's heel for serious flight simmers.

Does it cause a problem? If you don't like it, don't buy it. But what it will likely do is bring in more folk, probably new to a flight sim, more money in = the sim continues to grow. Personally i have no interest in it, but some do, 

Does a map of the various islands and airports come with the program?

1 hour ago, Simselli said:

Does it cause a problem? If you don't like it, don't buy it. But what it will likely do is bring in more folk, probably new to a flight sim, more money in = the sim continues to grow. Personally i have no interest in it, but some do, 

I believe my post addresses your question. Is it a problem? Not at the moment. However, if Microsoft shifts further towards fantasy or other non-flight sim content, then it could become an issue. Microsoft will likely follow the money and gravitate towards content that appeals to younger Xbox users. Aside from X-Plane, this is the only credible flight simulator program available, and I genuinely hope it continues to stay that way in the future.

3 minutes ago, cowpatz said:

I believe my post addresses your question. Is it a problem? Not at the moment. However, if Microsoft shifts further towards fantasy or other non-flight sim content, then it could become an issue. Microsoft will likely follow the money and gravitate towards content that appeals to younger Xbox users. Aside from X-Plane, this is the only credible flight simulator program available, and I genuinely hope it continues to stay that way in the future.

Xcellent post.  XP12 IS the answer.

dd

2 hours ago, cowpatz said:

I guess the writing is on the wall with this one. It has Xbox tween users written all over it. It doesn't take a genius to see where the focus of this will gravitate towards. Less flying fidelity and more game scenarios. Xbox will ultimately be the Achille's heel for serious flight simmers.

You have to walk over a lot of products from a lot of devs like Fenix, PMDG, COWS, A2A, FSLabs, Black Square, FS Reborn etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. to arrive at one harmless / silly / fun addon and conclude ‘this is the end of MSFS as a serious platform’.

1 hour ago, scotchegg said:

You have to walk over a lot of products from a lot of devs like Fenix, PMDG, COWS, A2A, FSLabs, Black Square, FS Reborn etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. to arrive at one harmless / silly / fun addon and conclude ‘this is the end of MSFS as a serious platform’.

The second harmless, silly, fun add-on—Dune being the first. I’d argue that Xbox users will ultimately determine the path forward. Think "Grand Theft Airplane" rather than tweaking a font on a radio altimeter or addressing an unrealistic flight model. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if you were in Microsoft's flight simulation division, where do you think the most money would be made?

2 hours ago, cowpatz said:

 Microsoft will likely follow the money and gravitate towards content that appeals to younger Xbox users. 

15 minutes ago, cowpatz said:

 I’d argue that Xbox users will ultimately determine the path forward. 

The majority of users who show enthusiasm toward this particular fun dlc in this thread are in fact confirmed PC users....yet you are determined to push this blind generalization of "xbox users" pushing the progress of MSFS further towards arcade gaming.

Meanwhile you bought the MSFS 2020/2024 title from the same VIDEO GAME distribution platforms as the XBox users.

Whatever ya want it to be and makes you feel better I guess....flight sim, video game, console airplane video game, airplane pc game etc etc 🤣

Edited September 14, 2025Sep 14 by blueshark747

5 hours ago, cowpatz said:

I guess the writing is on the wall with this one. It has Xbox tween users written all over it. It doesn't take a genius to see where the focus of this will gravitate towards. Less flying fidelity and more game scenarios. Xbox will ultimately be the Achille's heel for serious flight simmers.

 

 

3 hours ago, cowpatz said:

The second harmless, silly, fun add-on—Dune being the first. I’d argue that Xbox users will ultimately determine the path forward. Think "Grand Theft Airplane" rather than tweaking a font on a radio altimeter or addressing an unrealistic flight model. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if you were in Microsoft's flight simulation division, where do you think the most money would be made?

Well in that case, it’s the third one because Top Gun Maverick was the first, but then only the second one because Maverick and Dune were MS tie ups and Jurassic Park is 3rd Party. And Maverick and Dune were free whereas Jurassic Park isn’t. And there hasn’t been any such tie up since Dune, so there were really only 2, and MS don't seem to be aggressively pursuing them.

Cowpatz, your thinking is all over the place. 

6 hours ago, Sky_Pilot071 said:

Xcellent post.  XP12 IS the answer.

dd

Lol

5 hours ago, cowpatz said:

The second harmless, silly, fun add-on—Dune being the first. I’d argue that Xbox users will ultimately determine the path forward. Think "Grand Theft Airplane" rather than tweaking a font on a radio altimeter or addressing an unrealistic flight model. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if you were in Microsoft's flight simulation division, where do you think the most money would be made?

Whilst I don't agree with your pigeonholing of Xbox users, I do see where you're coming from with respect to MS following the money and potentially going down that path - how long before they release a Harry Potter Hogwarts DLC where you can fly on a broom for example - that's a possibility, but that's the great thing about this platform is just that, the possibilities.

Overall their attention is geared more towards flight simulation for the good of the community, but they also need to open up and look at all avenues of revenue not just that of detailed aircraft states.

Flight Simulation today is not the same as it was twenty years ago, we need to move with the times otherwise this'll end up another failed franchise and that's something non of us want.

Thank you for your opinion, I for one appreciate it 🙂

8 hours ago, cowpatz said:

Microsoft will likely follow the money and gravitate towards content that appeals to younger Xbox users. 

I do love this often repeated but actually mistaken belief that consoles are for 'younger' users or 'kids'.

All the figures we have - and they can be searched for easily - show console use is highest amongst 25 to 44 year olds.

PMDG has repeatedly said the Xbox market represents a significant slice of their market share. It also provides the major chunk of Marketplace sales that drive development of this thing forward.

I've used 2020 on an Xbox and it really does provide a cost effective entry into 'serious' simming. 

Well, I of course bought this and love it. And I'm certainly not a younger user.

Just one comment about all this Xbox stuff - I don't really follow that market in the sense that I don't play any other computer games or use any kind of console, but I thought I'd read that Xbox is actually the poor relation/struggling contender in that market? In which case is it really that much of a "threat" to those that consider it so?

Looking forward to a PMDG Buzz Lightyear model. I fancy flying around as Buzz.