Microsoft Flight Simulator revealed at E3 2019, arrives in 2020

What you need to know

  • Microsoft Flight Simulator is making a return in 2020.
  • On the Xbox E3 2019 stage, Microsoft showed off a trailer for the upcoming sim.
  • There's no confirmed release date yet, but the game will land in Xbox Game Pass on day one.
  • The world was constructed with over 2 petabytes of data.

If you grew up in the 90's, you may have spent countless hours in Microsoft's Flight Simulator. Now, Microsoft Flight Simulator has returned with scenic city skylines, cascading mountains, and striking aircraft. The series was always known for its realistic flight simulation and looks, and that trend continues with this upcoming title.

The world premiere at E3 2019 shows everything from smaller prop planes to commercial-grade airliners soaring through the sky. Looking out of your cockpit shows a dynamic range of environments including cityscapes at night, pouring rain, and tropical islands.

Microsoft Flight Simulator will be available as part of Xbox Game Pass on day one. There isn't a confirmed release date yet for Microsoft Flight Simulator, but the trailer's description states that it will arrive in 2020.

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Sean Endicott
News Writer

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.