Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition

Realistic open-world flight simulator spanning aircraft and the entire planet

Asobo Studio · Published by Xbox Game Studios · Released Aug 25, 2026

Reviews: Mostly Positive; 79% of 73K
Recent reviews: Mostly Positive; 78% of 490 in 30 days
Playing now: 1,994; right now
Steam Deck: Playable
Last update: 4 months ago; May 5, 2026

What is Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

A realistic open-world flight simulator set across a modeled version of Earth. Pilot light planes, commercial jets, gliders, and helicopters while managing cockpit instruments, checklists, weather, and day-night conditions in single-player or multiplayer.

For you if...

+you want realistic aircraft systems and hands-on piloting
+you enjoy exploring a planet-scale open world by air
+you want both solo flights and online multiplayer

Not for you if...

−you prefer fast action over methodical flight procedures
−you want a story-driven campaign

What players say

79% of 73,096 reviews are positive · 78% of 490 in the last 30 days

Players praise the realistic flying, aircraft variety, VR, and freedom to explore locations around the world. The dominant complaint is the in-game installer: players report very large downloads, resets, crashes, and long waits before they can fly. Others report Xbox account and login barriers, plus persistent autopilot and air traffic control bugs.

Screenshots and trailer

Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition system requirements

As published by the developer.

Minimum

OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel i5-4460 | AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 770 | AMD Radeon RX 570
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Storage: 150 GB available space
DirectX: Version 11

PC version details

DRM, required accounts, controller support and Steam features.

DRM: None declared on Steam
Third-party account: Xbox Live
Controller: Full controller support
Platforms: Windows
Achievements: 43
Steam features: Family Sharing, In-app purchases, VR, HDR

Steam Deck: Playable

Default controller config not fully functional
Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
Some text entry requires manually opening the on-screen keyboard
Some in-game text is small and may be hard to read
Default configuration is not performant
All functionality is accessible with the default controller configuration
First time setup requires active internet connection

Multiplayer and co-op

Languages

Full audio: English, French, German, Portuguese - Brazil. Text only: Italian, Spanish - Spain, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Finnish, Japanese, Norwegian, Swedish.