For many, I know It seems like only yesterday that we first got behind the controls in Microsoft Flight Simulator but when we think about it, it turns out that they spent more than a day in a good handful of springs. And it’s something you notice at first glance… on the simulator, I think, because we in the mirror are the same as we were years ago, maybe a touch more interesting… although I’m sorry to say that generally in That’s what Microsoft’s flight simulator wins here.

And that’s during these days we celebrate 40 years of Microsoft Flight Simulatorthe first version of which hit the market at the end of 1982, which is quite a long time ago now. At this point it is important, yes, to introduce one nuance, and that is that I am referring to the simulator franchise since it began to be developed and distributed by Microsoft, but we must remember that its origin is found in Flight Simulator created by SubLOGIC in 1979 and that three years later it became the property of Redmond.

During these 40 years, Microsoft Flight Simulator has gone through the most varied phasesfrom being one of Microsoft’s flagship products, it reached what was apparently the end of its life cycle with the release of Flight Simulator X in 2006. At that time, Microsoft announced its end, but a few years later, in 2012, it decided to bring it back under the name Microsoft Flight, albeit with a much more playful approach and therefore less realistic, which ultimately did not please anyone.

Two years later, in 2014, Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition was released, a re-release of Microsoft’s 2006 Flight Simulator X, which also came with the promise of a revival of the franchise. And so we finally made it to 2020 and the debut of Microsoft Flight Simulator, an up-to-date and impressive resurrection of the veteran title, but this time completely true to its origins and with so many improvements at every level that the public and critics alike do not hesitate to call it one. of Microsoft’s best games in its entire history. And yes, of course it can be improved, but we could verify from the very beginning that the stake is very, very serious.

Microsoft Studios and Asobo listings are displayed in Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it’s because more and more updates haven’t stopped coming since its release. some of which are dedicated to improving traffic and improving performance, while others add new airports, maps, planes and so on. From being able to enjoy the Iberian Peninsula like never before, to controlling the brand new F-18 as if you were Maverick himself in the new Top Gun installment, anything goes when it comes to flying.

It is clear that the anniversary could not go unnoticed in the name and as a result We already have a new update for Microsoft Flight Simulator dedicated to its 40 years. And what do we find in it? Here’s what the company says:

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• Real passenger plane, Airbus A310-300.
• Seven renowned historic aircraft: Wright Flyer from 1903, Curtiss JN-4 Jenny from 1915, Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis from 1927, Douglas DC-3 from 1935, a beautiful Grumman G-21 Goose from 1937, Havilland DHC-2 from 1947 Beaver and the famous Hughes H-4 Hercules “Spruce Goose” from 1947, the largest seaplane and wooden aircraft ever made.
• Four classic airports, including Chicago’s Meigs Field, a traditional airport from the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise.
• The 40th Anniversary Edition also features helicopters and gliders that behave with lifelike realism.«

This update, like all previous ones, is completely free for those who already have the game And if you’re one of those who prefer to play it via the Xbox Cloud, you should know that the update has also arrived on Microsoft’s cloud gaming service, so you can enjoy it there as well.

Personally, I’m excited about the arrival of the classics on the new list, especially the Douglas DC-3, an airplane I’ve fallen in love with for decades (I was going to fly it once, but bad weather prevented it). What about a new version of Meigs Field? Anyone who has been a user of Flight Simulator, and especially its less recent versions, has spun the wheels of their Cessna (or their Boeing) on ​​this track that is history.