Fans of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 have been clamoring for an Xbox version ever since the game was first previewed back during E3 2019. Though always on the cards, Microsoft and Asobo Studio never actually confirmed that an Xbox version is indeed coming... until now.
During The Game Awards 2020 show, Microsoft announced that Flight Simulator 2020 is coming to the Xbox Series X and Series S via Game Pass. Like its PC counterpart, the console version also promises a great simulation experience with real-world and AI data being streamed as you cruise the skies. Microsoft also said that all themed DLCs, world bundles, and other improvements on PC will also make their way to the Xbox Series X and Series S. Additionally, Microsoft is also partnering with third-party vendors for designing peripherals for the new Xbox consoles to further enrich the simming experience.
Microsoft has released a trailer previewing an Xbox version of Flight Simulator 2020 and needless to say, it looks gorgeous. However, the video mentions that the game is 'Coming to the all-new Xbox", which means that the Xbox One family, including the Xbox One, One S, and One X are out of luck (at least for now). This essentially makes Flight Simulator 2020 the first Series X|S exclusive title given that Halo: Infinite is slated to hit the Xbox One consoles as well.
Flight Simulator 2020 can bring even very powerful gaming rigs to their knees, so it's understandable why the Xbox One isn't destined to play this game. It will be interesting to see how Asobo and Microsoft optimize the game for the Series X|S.
In fact, this is good news for many gamers as the Xbox Series X, for a price of US$500, has a performance in the ballpark of an RTX 2070 and offers features such as Quick Resume, Velocity Architecture, and more. Hopefully, we can get to experience a highly optimized simming experience once the game launches for the Xbox Series X|S in Summer 2021.