Microsoft has confirmed a release date for its eagerly-awaited next entry in the storied Flight Simulator series, which will drop on August 18th for PC.
It's put out the above trailer which is suitable impressive, and also confirmed that the game will be part of its subscription service, Xbox Games Pass for PC, meaning that members will get it for free upon release.
That said, there are also three versions of the game to consider. The £60/$60 standard edition will come with 20 planes and 30 airports, while the £80/$90 Deluxe edition ups those counts to 25 and 35 respectively, and the £110/$120 Premium Deluxe edition tallies at 30 planes and 40 airports. Game Pass members will be getting the standard edition, needless to say.
Given that each edition costs £20/$30 more than the last, that's a fairly steep hike to get the full package, it's fair to say, although the footage and stills Microsoft has shared so far does make it clear that this could be a special game.
If you're not that intensely into your flight mechanics and just want to see some serene sights, the standard edition is likely to be more than enough. An astounding-looking recreation of the world awaits, with realistic terrain, flora and fauna all to be seen from the sky.
The new day-night cycle and dynamic weather look fairly jaw-dropping, and sections of the 4K trailer look pretty much photorealistic, so it'll be interesting to see how the visuals scale to suit different PC setups.
With the game coming to Game Pass, it could potentially benefit from a wider stage than just the enthusiast market, too, so it'll be interesting to see how it's received next month.
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