MSFS 2024 Apologizes and Acknowledges Turbulent Launch, Cites Unexpected Excitement

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Addressing a Turbulent Launch

The highly anticipated release of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 experienced a challenging launch, marked by significant server issues, bugs, and instability. Jorg Neumann, head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Sebastian Wloch, CEO of Asobo Studio, addressed these problems directly in a YouTube video.

Unexpected Demand Overwhelms Servers

Neumann and Wloch explained that while they anticipated high player interest, the sheer volume of users far exceeded their projections, causing their infrastructure to buckle under the strain. The initial login process, which involves retrieving data from a server database, proved particularly problematic. While the database cache had been stress-tested with 200,000 simulated users, the actual player count overwhelmed its capacity.

Login Queues and Missing Content

Attempts to mitigate the issues by increasing server capacity and queue size yielded only temporary relief. The database cache repeatedly collapsed under the load, resulting in extended loading times and, in some cases, the game freezing at 97% loading. Reports of missing aircraft were attributed to incomplete data retrieval due to server overload.

Negative Steam Feedback

The launch issues resulted in overwhelmingly negative player feedback on Steam, with many reporting significant problems. Despite the initial setbacks, the development team has been actively working to resolve the problems. The Steam page now indicates that the issues have been addressed, and players are now being admitted at a more manageable rate. A sincere apology was issued, and the team pledged to keep players updated on their progress.