3 Reasons Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2020 Has Proven So Popular
Flight simulators are not a new concept. In fact, developers have been playing with the idea of recreating the aeronautical experience electronically since the middle of the twentieth century, and with the rise of gaming technology we have seen a fair few simulators make their way onto our PCs and consoles – to varying degrees of success.
This year, however, Microsoft finally released their latest, game changing installment of Flight Simulator – an entirely open-world experience depicted in staggering detail, borne from the latest in gaming technology, and the combined creativity of developers, artists, and artificial intelligence.
While it currently remains exclusive to PC, Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2020 has already proven itself to be one of the most popular games of the year, with critics and players alike praising the technological prowess of this new installment, and others growing impatient to explore the globe on Xbox.
But, given the mass of Triple-A titles boasting ever more complex plots and character-driven stories, why is it that Flight Simulator – a title that has been doing the rounds for almost forty years now – proven to be so popular?
1. Virtual Experiences are Limitless
The world of virtual travel is broad and nuanced – and it does not always require a digital plane to carry us to new and exciting places. Digital experiences are ready to transport us wherever we need to go – instantly, and without the limitations imposed by the real world.
For instance, gamers can take a leap across the globe to play in some of the world’s best casinos with games including the trusted slots Magic from award-winning casino operator Mansion, just as readily as they can launch into space, or take a deep dive into the middle of the ocean.
The versatility of virtual experiences drives the developers and players forward into new and thrilling encounters, both within the world, and outside of it. The physical limitations of travel and financing these excursions mean that the digital realm offers a new sense of freedom to everyone involved, and offers a valuable medium through which to evoke the elation of being somewhere entirely new.
2. It Can Transcend the Innate Limitations of Gaming
While the technology driving the video game industry forward is in a constant state of development, and now facilitates remarkable publications that, at first glance, could easily be mistaken for live-action movies, there remains a fundamental need for players to ‘suspend’ their disbelief during gameplay.
Fighting, shooting – even running – are all completed through a sequence of button pushes: press A, and you jump, press B, on the other hand, and you will shoot. And while the increased proliferation of VR – and, of course, the continued use of motion capturing technology – ensures that we are able to work around these limitations, they are still prevalent for the vast majority of players.
In Flight Simulator, the line is less clear. Players are presented with a control panel and, while they still work through the console controller, the act of controlling the aircraft is done from the cockpit. The PC transforms itself into a window on the world, and the player can easily exist within the space provided by the game.
3. It Showcases Dramatic Improvements within the Industry
What better way to exhibit the incredible progress seen within the gaming industry, than to take players on a tour of the entire world? From the stunning views of the Himalayas to the dizzying heights of the world’s largest cities, Flight Simulator 2020 offers the perfect medium through which to demonstrate the remarkable processing power we now have at our fingertips.
Just as these sites evoke reactions of awe and amazement from real-life tourists, so too can the sites we encounter within Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2020.