Sim Update 7, originally released on November 20th, was seen as a huge content update. With 5 new aircraft, new hand-crafted airports and additional features, the update was sure to be a big hit. Whilst many appreciated the new content, it did result in the list of known issues to include a number of problematic issues for some users.
As has been the case since any Sim or World Update that caused large issues, Microsoft and Asobo released a number of hotfixes to address problems as quickly as possible. This continues with a new update being readied to address some of the known issues that Sim Update raised.
However, instead of doing an initial public release of the new update, Microsoft and Asobo are keen to gather as much data as possible to ensure that the new update can be released in a timely fashion before the holidays and ensure that everyone can enjoy themselves (developers included) over that period. In order to do this, the Microsoft Flight Simulator team is using a public beta of the SU7 update to identify any issues. As the name implies, this public test is open to anyone who wishes to take part.
In order to be part of the public test, you will need to download/open the Xbox Insider app and then select ‘Previews’ on the left-hand side menu. From there, you can opt-in to join the “Sim Update VII Update” for Microsoft Flight Simulator. After you have successfully joined, you will be prompted to download the update when you next open the simulator.
As this is a public test of a new update, it’s worth noting that there is a risk you may have to re-install the simulator when joining or leaving a preview program. Here’s the full description from the official Microsoft Flight Simulator with tips on how to ensure you have a smooth experience.
PC Users: There is always a risk that you may have to re-install the sim when joining/leaving a flight, so please keep this in mind before participating. When the flight ends (date is TBD pending feedback), we ask that you manually remove yourself from the Preview. By doing so, you will get an update to MSFS with the latest public build. If you do not remove yourself from the group, we plan on automatically removing everyone at a later date. At that point, you will get an update to MSFS with the latest public build.
If you have MSFS content installed completely on a custom path, you will have a much lower chance that a full re-install will be necessary when the update is officially released. However, if your sim content is installed in the default path selected by the in game content manager, you may have to reinstall the whole sim when moving from the test build to the public build. We recommend that those who wish to test with us ensure your sim content is located in a custom path before joining the flight to avoid full reinstallations in the future (Details on how to do this can be found here: [HOW-TO] Change the installation path of installed packages inc community folder 187) . The best set-up would be for your store app to live on the default C: drive and sim content on a custom drive.
Should you join the public test, you can then provide feedback directly to the team via the forums.
Following the end of the testing period, a full public release via the usual channels will be released. Of course, we will keep you updated when that happens.
In the meantime, why not read our interview with Jorg about the future of the simulator and a bit more detail on how the Game of the Year Edition came to be.
