The latest developer update for Microsoft Flight Simulator has given the community one of its most detailed looks yet at the future of the series — covering the next Sim Updates, the PlayStation 5 launch, new aircraft, and how the team continues to refine the simulator’s technical foundations.
It’s been a busy few months for Asobo Studio and Microsoft. Since the last major livestream, over 500,000 new players have joined either Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or 2024, with engagement at record levels across both platforms. The team attributes this to a string of recent updates, from regional scenery improvements to new aircraft and missions that keep simmers exploring the world.
Here’s our recap below, but you can watch the full thing over on Twitch (a YouTube version will follow shortly).
Recent Highlights from the Past Two Months
The developer team opened the broadcast with a recap of recent content drops, starting with the German City Update, which brought detailed photogrammetry and improved landmarks to major urban areas such as Hamburg, Cologne, and Dresden. This was followed by the release of the Eurocopter EC135, adding a highly requested helicopter to the default hangar lineup.
A few weeks later, Microsoft confirmed that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will be coming to PlayStation 5, calling it “a big step for the franchise and the hobby.” The news was quickly followed by World Update 20: Japan, the largest world update so far in terms of photogrammetry coverage, bringing dozens of new Japanese cities to life and earning strong praise from the community.
Shortly after, the NAMC YS-11, Japan’s first domestically built passenger aircraft, was released — a fitting companion to the new world update and another example of Microsoft’s growing focus on regional representation.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Roadmap
The team then turned their attention to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and the roadmap ahead. We can expect yearly Sim Updates going forward, with some other releases in between.
Sim Update 16.1 is expected in the future, featuring critical crash fixes related to Nvidia Streamline DLLs, while Sim Update 17 is planned for summer 2026. Simultaneous City and World Updates for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 are also due to come.
Microsoft has confirmed that both simulators will continue to share some level of content parity, with certain aircraft and missions from MSFS 2024 being ported to 2020 when technically feasible. A new first-party aircraft is also planned for later this year.
The team acknowledged that while the community is now split between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024, the newer platform is seeing consistent growth. However, a substantial number of simmers remain loyal to 2020, and updates will continue for the foreseeable future.
The first Q&A session focused on performance.
Zoom Levels and Texture Resolution
One common concern has been the inability to increase zoom levels above 18 or use 512×512 textures. Asobo confirmed that this wasn’t an intentional design change but rather an unexpected side effect. The issue is under active investigation.
Another user question addressed the apparent reduction in aerial image resolution and colour quality since Sim Update 16. Asobo explained that this occurred when the team unified the world data between 2020 and 2024. Some of the newer satellite data was captured during drier months, making terrain appear less vibrant. The developers still have access to the original texture set and are considering blending Bing imagery with their own art assets to achieve a better visual balance.
Performance Gains in Sim Update 4
When asked about performance improvements in Sim Update 4, Asobo confirmed major changes to the simulation engine. In previous versions, aircraft systems often ran on a single thread, limiting scalability. Now, most systems are fully asynchronous and can spread across multiple cores.
Sebastian Wloch demonstrated how user aircraft simulation now runs in parallel, supported by new CPU cache optimisations that group data for faster access. Around 20 major systems have been rewritten using this new structure, producing measurable gains in frame rate and smoothness.
Additional optimisations include grouping memory allocations, improving baked texture management, scheduling animations more efficiently, and refining the human simulation systems. Together, these adjustments should dramatically reduce stutters in complex airports or dense scenery areas.
Lighting and Environmental Enhancements
Another highlight of Sim Update 4 is the complete overhaul of night lighting. The new lighting system uses larger, high-resolution textures that are baked and streamed dynamically, resulting in sharper, more realistic illumination that stretches across entire cities.
When asked about improvements to the atmosphere and cloud rendering, Asobo said the team is aware of ongoing requests for higher fidelity skies. These enhancements are planned for a later update, following community prioritisation through the Feedback Snapshot system.
Career Mode, Reno Air Racing, and Other Activities
The team also confirmed that the Red Bull Air Race will return with Sim Update 4, while the Reno Air Races are targeted for next year. The bush trip system is also planned to return in 2026 with expanded functionality.
Career mode will continue to evolve, with heavy and super-heavy cargo missions being introduced soon.
Asobo confirmed that work is underway to integrate the World Hub with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. This requires synchronising airport data between both versions of the simulator to ensure consistency and compatibility.
Feedback Snapshot and Wishlist
The latest Feedback Snapshot showed that most major bugs and issues are already addressed or scheduled for resolution in Sim Updates 4 and 5, while many community requests remain under active investigation.
This year has largely focused on clearing the existing bug list, but Microsoft noted that the wishlist continues to inform development for 2026 and beyond.
PlayStation 5 Launch
The PlayStation 5 edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launches on 8 December 2025 and will ship with Sim Update 4 pre-installed. The PS5 version represents the first time the franchise has appeared on a Sony console, opening the experience to a brand-new audience. You can read more about the PlayStation 5 reveal here.
Cross-play between PS5 and other platforms will not be supported due to backend differences in authentication. Similarly, marketplace purchases on PC and Xbox will not transfer to PlayStation.
At launch, only Microsoft’s own aircraft and add-ons will be available on the PS5 marketplace, with third-party content expected to arrive in spring 2026. Pricing will remain consistent with other platforms.
For hardware support, the Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS 4 will be fully compatible at launch, with more accessories to follow.
Looking Ahead
While 2025 is a transitional year for the franchise, the development pace shows no sign of slowing. Microsoft and Asobo continue to balance long-term stability with ambitious new content plans, ensuring both versions of the simulator remain active and supported.
Jörg Neumann closed the session with a tease of a “special reveal” coming in December, separate from the Boom XB-1 announcement. No further hints were provided, but speculation within the community is already running high.
