The highly anticipated Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 made its debut on both Windows PC and Xbox Series X on Tuesday, but unfortunately, the launch has been less than perfect. Numerous reports of extensive loading times and unlocatable content have tarnished the reputation of this new release from developer Asobo Games. The unfavorable circumstances resulted in a primarily negative approval rating on the Steam platform.
Issues cited by disgruntled players have spanned across being stuck on loading screens for excessive durations to facing disappointments such as missing aircraft within the game. Microsoft and Asobo Games have officially acknowledged these launch issues through both blog posts and messages to players. The overwhelming response from players logging in concurrently, they admit, has completely exceeded the capability of their servers.
The fervor surrounding this new flight simulation game was observed by Microsoft Flight Simulator’s head, Jorg Neumann, but according to him, the immense spike in interest exceeded their initial expectations, effectively overburdening the server infrastructure. Echoing this sentiment, Asobo’s CEO, Sebastian Wloch, mentioned that although capacity tests simulating 200,000 concurrent players were conducted, the actual surge on the launch day well surpassed the threshold, overwhelming their systems.
To handle this problem, Asobo Games has attempted to reboot its services and regulate the number of players accessing the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 at any given time. These efforts, however, were only short-term solutions as the systems were again reported to have “collapsed”.
The complaints lodged by users on Steam highlights a series of issues affecting the gaming experience, including extended loading screens, lengthy wait times due, missing avatar models in the character creation menu and other parts of the game, instances of sudden crashes, and texture irregularities. One user humorously likened the situation to the recent difficulties faced by aircraft manufacturer Boeing, indulging in the realism of the simulator’s operational infractions.
Microsoft and Asobo Games are currently scrutinizing these reported difficulties, particularly the omission of certain aircraft within the game. Wloch believes that while some critical systems may be functioning for some users, there are “optional” systems, like certain planes, that aren’t responding as expected. This unusual phenomenon points towards server unresponsiveness and cache overflow.
The official statement on Microsoft’s website postulates a clear acknowledgment of the prevailing issues. The company expressed that while they and their partners, including Asobo, have put considerable efforts into creating an impressive simulator experience, the unexpected response overwhelmed a server responsible for executing novel systems in the game, such as career mode and various missions.
Consequently, players have been faced with unsatisfactorily extended loading times and omissions in game content such as specific aircraft. Microsoft and Asobo reassured players that these problems are being rectified and that entry of players into the game is now regulated to maintain steady traffic. They express sincere apologies for the inconvenience and reassure players of their unwavering commitment to providing updates via their social channels, forums, and website.
While a precise timeline for when these issues will be fully resolved hasn’t been provided, both Microsoft and Asobo have reiterated their commitment to keeping players informed on progress through their website, forums, and social media platforms.
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