A new Microsoft Flight Simulator rating for Xbox One has made fans hopeful that a console release date for the game will be revealed soon. The latest installment in the long-running flight simulation franchise released on PC back in August 2020. At the time, Microsoft promised that the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions would arrive in Summer 2021, but fans have yet to hear an official date.
The Microsoft Flight Simulator series dates back to 1982, though it experienced a lengthy hiatus from 2009 to 2020. At the time, Microsoft shifted its gaming focus from PC to consoles, so the PC-only franchise temporarily fell by the wayside. The developer then announced in 2019 that a new Microsoft Flight Simulator would take off on Xbox Game Pass for PC in Summer 2020. That release saw major success, raking in more than 1 million players in two weeks. Microsoft Flight Simulator became Xbox Game Pass for PC's biggest launch ever, leaving console owners eager to try the game themselves. Microsoft did confirm that an Xbox Series X|S version was in the works in December, but there haven't been any updates since. It's also unclear if or when an Xbox One version will arrive.
A European PEGI rating for Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox One has given fans a glimmer of hope. The Video Standards rating listed a March 31, 2021 date and dubbed Microsoft Flight Simulator "suitable for all ages." Now, as WCCFTech noted, the PEGI rating may not necessarily be correct. However, if it is true, then it may be what Microsoft needed to keep the ball rolling on the console versions' production. The rating would confirm that an Xbox One version is coming after all, and possibly sooner than fans may have expected.
Although Xbox Game Studios has not provided an official release date for Microsoft Flight Simulator on consoles, the developer did tease some of the content players could expect. Those who have followed Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Game Pass for PC will know that Microsoft has steadily delivered free World Updates and DLC packs since launch day. The console versions will receive the very same treatment. Additionally, the Series X|S version will no doubt take advantage of 4K capabilities, as the PC version did. There's even talk of a potential VR release for Series X|S.
As this is the very first Microsoft Flight Simulator console release, it's not exactly surprising that development is taking some time. The PC version takes quite a lot of horsepower, so adapting that to even the Series X|S may be tricky. If Microsoft Flight Simulator does come to Xbox One, it may not be in the same capacity as the current-gen console release. With such few details, all fans can do is wait and hope to hear news from Microsoft.
Source: Video Standards (via WCCFTech)