Microsoft Flight Simulator GOTY update is free with DX12 support for smoother frame rates

Microsoft Flight Simulator GOTY update is inexact with DX12 funding for smoother frame rates

Microsoft Flight Simulator view out of cockpit

(Fancy credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Flying Simulator has a Plot of the Yr (GOTY) variant coming on Nov 18, with a batch of parvenu self-complacent, plus a mate of much-anticipated features including DX12 support (with a caution – more on it later). And the good tidings is that those who already own the game will bewilder entirely this Eastern Samoa a free update, on both PC and Xbox Series X and S consoles.

The new features introduced with the GOTY computer software include DX12 as mentioned, plus an updated weather system is too promised. Furthermore, a dev mode replay system bequeath be introduced.

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Connected the content front, we're looking for at additive tutorial options, which volition atomic number 4 great for beginners opening with Flight Simulator for the first time, and fresh discovery flights with 6 more locations (including Mecca, Monument Vale, and Mount Cook).

Five new aircraft are also being introduced, with eight new airports in the US (including St. Patrick Space Force Base) and EEC (Germany and Switzerland to be precise).

Finally, more photogrammetry cities are being fleshed out courtesy of data from Bing Maps, and that includes a number of United Kingdom locations: Brighton, Derby, Eastbourne, Newcastle, and Nottingham.

Analysis: Military jets and DX12 – merely only early support for the last mentioned

This is a mature content drop, and it's great that existent owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator tumble all via an update piped through for free. There's plenty of excitement around one of the new planes particularly, with the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet being the first military jet-propelled plane to make up an appearance in Flight Simulator; a good figure of common people are sounding forward to attractive that extinct for a spin.

The features are likewise cool, with a replay scheme making for an interesting and reusable addition, symmetrical if information technology's dev mode only to begin with – the theory is with further work, information technology should arrive as a full feature. And of course DX12 has been something the community has been wanting for some time now – some gamers symmetric discharge frustration at how long it has taken – because it should (hopefully) bring meliorate performance levels to this demanding sim, helping out struggling processors.

Leastwise in principle, anyway, but the catch present is that DX12 will be in 'early access' in the first place, meaning that it'll be present and usable, but still under development and possibly glitchy as a result. Performance results may be variable then, initially, but going forward we can keep our fingers crossed for around relief for stressed-out CPUs.

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Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and on occasion T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other ironware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written some tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his meagre time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).