The frequency of products being released for MSFS 2024 is staggering (almost every day) ... obviously a very healthy platform.  The release frequency has far exceed anything P3D could do and even FSX in it's golden age.

I wish I had the same problem with XPlane12.

 

I agree. It's a very active time in MSFS2024.

I don't know XP, but I know FSX very well...well past its golden age, into the sunset years...all the way to 2020. 

Yes, past the golden age, when things became totally stagnant, and developers started developing for P3D only, I knew there was not much to look forward to in Microsoft Simulator.

It feels so different now in MSFS2024. Hope, MSFS continues to stay healthy and thrive...into the future years...!

 

 

When I look at this relatively niche market quite frankly it almost seems like MS is offering FS as a public service for consumers and 3rd party developers.  Are they really making serious $$ on it themselves for themselves?  It seems like w/ it's massive development team, at least initially, and management of servers, relatively frequent Q&A's and all the rest it's hard to believe especially in the context of other game titles it's being done just on the basis of making $$.  That whole notion is why I'm glad XP12 exists...just in case.

I've tried XP for years but being a Microsoft guy shied away thinking XP is great for the tube flyers but not for me.  Especially since XP didn't have the RealAir Lancair Legacy or their Dukes like in P3D.

When I watch TwoToneMurphys XP12 vids I find myself muttering ugh more often than not although it has some nice things going like their wearther depictions.  Then a Cessna Mustang clone review, still not fully wrapped after a year costing $150 US.  UGH.

Sunset years is a perfectly appropriate take on XP since AI and the gameboxers are looking to be the future in the flight simulation realm.  Microsoft rules here with MSFS but we all know this is a Microsoft plot.  lol

In the end it is and will always be about the money.

dd

 

Edited February 20Feb 20 by Sky_Pilot071

It is an onslaught. 

37 minutes ago, Noel said:

When I look at this relatively niche market quite frankly it almost seems like MS is offering FS as a public service for consumers and 3rd party developers.  Are they really making serious $$ on it themselves for themselves?  It seems like w/ it's massive development team, at least initially, and management of servers, relatively frequent Q&A's and all the rest it's hard to believe especially in the context of other game titles it's being done just on the basis of making $$.  That whole notion is why I'm glad XP12 exists...just in case.

Biggest thing is, with Xbox and PS5 support, it's NOT a niche market anymore.  A lot of developers have said that (even before PS5 support) that MSFS and MSFS 2024 have orders of magnitude more sales than anything else.  The PMDG DC-6 outsold EVERY DC-6 sale for XP and P3D within it's first DAY of being available.  They were selling thousands of 777s a MINUTE when it came out.  There's a reason Ini abandoned XP.  And why everyone jumped from P3D.  PMDG said that even at it's absolute height, P3D was a tiny market compared to what's out there now.

The userbase for MSFS is monstrous, that's why it's doing so well.

"Total paid sales across all platforms is currently unknown (likely higher due to Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft Store, but not publicly reported)."

Playstation not included:

Edited February 20Feb 20 by turbomax

47 minutes ago, ATRguy said:

Biggest thing is, with Xbox and PS5 support, it's NOT a niche market anymore.  A lot of developers have said that (even before PS5 support) that MSFS and MSFS 2024 have orders of magnitude more sales than anything else.  The PMDG DC-6 outsold EVERY DC-6 sale for XP and P3D within it's first DAY of being available.  They were selling thousands of 777s a MINUTE when it came out.  There's a reason Ini abandoned XP.  And why everyone jumped from P3D.  PMDG said that even at it's absolute height, P3D was a tiny market compared to what's out there now.

The userbase for MSFS is monstrous, that's why it's doing so well.

Well if that's even half true it great to know, thanks for that.   

As I think about it my impression came from the only data source I am aware of that is Steam.db and there number of users in-game in both 2020 and 2024 pales in comparison to upper tier games.  The rough median of the top 15 games there today is around 450,000 currently in-game (average around 180,000), whereas MSFS2024 plus 2020 is under 8,000 in-game.  

Edited February 21Feb 21 by Noel

Nothing speaks better to the health of a flight simulator franchise than the health of its add-ons market and developer ecosystem. And if this many 3rd party devs are pumping out add-ons, sometimes even same or similar aircraft/airports/etc, that indeed bodes well for MSFS (and I'm talking about just the quality add-ons here).

Whatever MS/Jorg and Asobo are doing, they are doing it mighty well.

Thinking back to my mentor, Bill Gates who I grew up with in my IT career and early flight simulation experiences leaves me with a good feeling.  A young Mexican cabbie recently asked me if I thought if Bill Gates was a good person and I said yes because he believed in flight simulation.

Point is that someone was there at the start.

dd

49 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

And if this many 3rd party devs are pumping out add-ons

Great! Calling All 3PD's!  How about a nifty little Fly-By and Tower-View add-on now that a camera API is out?  $7.50 a pop will bring in a big chunk of change w/ modest work!  Hurry, someone's going to do it, I'm sure!  

MSFS 24 is my main sim, still using 2020 often, and even have XP12, but then you see the ground scenery in XP and go ughhh, 24 & 20 have no competition in this area default.

I fell kind of similar, the pace of addons is quite impressive, have there ever been a time when this much was in development at the same time? Just look at the other thread of aircraft in development and expected this year. 

Blacksquare is about to release the Caravan but I have not even had near sufficient time with the Bonanza and Baron. I will likely hold off until later in the Spring as I enjoy really spending time with an aircraft and learning it well and not just hopping from aircraft to aircraft.

3 hours ago, Noel said:

Well if that's even half true it great to know, thanks for that.   

As I think about it my impression came from the only data source I am aware of that is Steam.db and there number of users in-game in both 2020 and 2024 pales in comparison to upper tier games.  The rough median of the top 15 games there today is around 450,000 currently in-game (average around 180,000), whereas MSFS2024 plus 2020 is under 8,000 in-game.  

Noel, check out this article that is as of 20 Feb. Top 20 Best-selling games of 2026 (in the U.S.)  MSFS 2024 is #19 on the list. 

Top 20 Best-Selling Games Of 2026 So Far In The US - GameSpot

 

Wallet had to stop drop and roll 😉 

 

Happy Landings