MSFS 2024 Launch Encounters Turbulence as Devs Apologize

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Addressing a Turbulent Launch

The highly anticipated release of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 experienced a rocky start, plagued by server instability, bugs, and widespread player login issues. Jorg Neumann, head of MSFS, and Asobo Studio CEO Sebastian Wloch addressed these concerns in a YouTube video.

The overwhelming response from players exceeded expectations, causing a significant strain on the game's infrastructure. Neumann explained that the influx of users far surpassed their initial projections, overloading the servers and databases responsible for delivering game data. Wloch detailed the technical challenges, highlighting the server's struggle to handle the massive data requests from a player base far exceeding their initial stress tests (which used a simulated 200,000 users). Attempts to alleviate the problem by increasing server capacity resulted in temporary improvements, followed by further collapses.

These server failures manifested in several ways for players. Extended login queues were commonplace, often resulting in frustratingly long wait times. Incomplete game loading, frequently stalling at 97%, was another significant problem stemming from the overloaded servers' inability to consistently deliver all necessary game assets. This also resulted in missing aircraft and other content for some users, even after successfully logging in.

The negative impact of these launch issues is evident in the game's overwhelmingly negative Steam reviews, reflecting player frustration with the extended login queues and missing content. Despite the setbacks, the development team assures players they are actively working to resolve these problems, aiming to improve server stability and deliver a smoother gaming experience. A statement on the game's Steam page apologizes for the inconvenience and promises continued updates. The team expresses gratitude for player feedback and patience as they continue to address these ongoing challenges.