Microsoft has confirmed that Microsoft Flight Simulator will have VR support, although it won’t be available at launch.
The much-anticipated simulator game launches on 18th August with VR support set to be introduced as part of a free update in Fall 2020, according to a development update from Microsoft. In the statement, Microsoft explained that VR support will coincide with the release of the HP Reverb G2 this autumn with support also available for all Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headsets. More support for other headsets and platforms are set to follow.
The development update also explained that popular optical motion tracking system, TrackIR, will be supported at launch which should keep a few people happy.
The slightly scrappy blog post also threw in some other useful bits of information. Namely, that the pre-release testing program will continue post-launch allowing players to test out potential features before they become commonplace, suggesting that Microsoft is dedicated to providing support and new features for a while to come.
Microsoft also used this time to release a handy visual representation of all the plane distributions across the various product SKUs available. As a reminder, Standard will be £59.99, Deluxe £79.99 and Premium £109.99. The different editions also change what airports you get full access to with Deluxe offering five additional airports compared to Standard, and Premium including major airports like Heathrow, Dubai and San Francisco. Whichever version you choose, you get a world with more than 37,000 airports (in less detail than the aforementioned), 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, and everything else you can imagine that the world would offer.
The next development update will be later this week with the team seemingly keen to build anticipation and inform its future user base.
Microsoft Flight Simulator takes to the skies (sorry) from 18th August. You can pre-order it from the Windows Store, access it via Microsoft Game Pass for PC, pre-order it on Steam, or even buy it in physical form. The latter involves 10 double-sided DVDs so we’re not convinced it’s the most efficient option but it’s your call. The game will also make its way to the Xbox One at a later date.