DTG now has the rights to Microsoft Flight Sim X

[TDHenderson]

Interesting, to say the least.

"The award-winning creators of the best-selling Train Simulator franchise have today announced a global licensing deal with Microsoft, granting them the rights to develop and publish all-new flight products based on Microsoft’s genre-defining flight technology. The company is currently investigating new concepts in this area and is expecting to bring a release to market in 2015.

In addition to this licensing agreement, Dovetail Games is pleased to announce that it has also acquired the rights to distribute the multi-award winning Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Gold Edition via Valve’s popular digital retail channel, Steam, entitled Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition."

http://www.dovetailgames.com/news/2014/ ... kes-flight

[DrewG]

I had seen that Microsoft flight was purchased, interesting to see it bought by DTG. Hopefully fsx will get a revamp by them.

[shadesman89]

Yay I have fsx and 29 ad dons finally it will be supported again yesssss

[artimrj]

I am an FSX pilot also. Several grand in addons and hardware. Yoke, pedals, joystick, throttle. All the PMDG planes, all the sceneries and meshes. I was getting ready to buy Prepared 3D. (spelling?) Think I will wait a bit longer since at the moment I am too involved in trains.

[Bananarama]

I thought that Lockheed Martin acquired FS-X lock, stock and barrel? I suppose not.

[JohnTrainHead]

Looks like I'll be getting this game all over again.

[CARex]

Marc,

I'm not sure, but there is one line under the L/M video that leads me to believe they just licensed the MS technology...
"Since launching the software in 2010 as an evolution of Microsoft ESP technology for professional training and academic learning,.."
Just my interpretation.

In either event, I'm glad 'something' is happening. Time to go crank-up to ole B-25.

[jonmorrie]

I wonder if multiplayer will be supported. In December 2012, Gamespy was shut down for FSX's purposes, but the ability to host FSX sessions via direct connect IP has not been impacted. Our community started a website called FSX Beyond Gamespy days later, and it's a nice representation of all the existing multiplayer communities of FSX. Currently, if anyone is going to get back into it, I recommend Boston Virtual ATC.

Sorry to go off on a tangent, I'm not entirely sure what this will mean for FSX. As someone who has had it for nearly 8 years and has been heavily impacted by it (inspired to train for private pilot's license), I don't think it will sell well on Steam. My

[shadesman89]

I personally own fsx and ALOT of Addons but I think that since it will be supported people might buy it again

[buzz456]

When I was doing FS we always communicated on squawk box using multiplayer.

[artimrj]

I was using the FS Server program and teamspeak at my VA for a while.

[g_nash]

So the rumors were true..Interesting development, I see lots of DLC.

Sorry to go off on a tangent, I'm not entirely sure what this will mean for FSX. As someone who has had it for nearly 8 years and has been heavily impacted by it (inspired to train for private pilot's license), I don't think it will sell well on Steam. My

If this is an ongoing thing then, I wish you success . My daughter currently holds a Restricted Private License here in Australia, better in the real thing than any piece PC software.

~A~

[buzz456]

Time will tell what this announcement means. I just hope it means there will be cash flow so there is continued support for our passion.

[MattW]

Interesting that this happens just after they announce the new train simulator based on Unreal 4 engine. I wonder if the two moves are related?

[Griphos]

I'm not sure this is a good thing. For one, I'm not sure what kind of "support" it will have. Let's face it, DTG is pretty poor at support. FSX is a very technically complex simulator, particularly with all of the addon companies pushing the envelope on a decade old engine, such as PMDG or A2A for instance. I can foresee huge tech support issues. Most of us running FSX are running versions so modded and tweaked as to be almost urecognizable as the base simulator.

What will happen with the premium addons? Will DTG support them? Again, let's face it, FSX is only worthwhile because of Orbx and A2A and others like them. Default aircraft and scenery are pretty bad. I've been doing MS flight sims since the start, and am a RL pilot as well. I wouldn't do FSX at all if it weren't for the addons. DTG doesn't have a good record at producing realistic DLC. Most of the good stuff released is third party. Will they do the same with FSX? Will the quality third party developers want to? On Steam? We'll see I guess.

And then there's hardware. Including all the stuff Bob mentioned and, particularly TracIR. I fly regularly online with a hundred or so others in a particular multiplayer community and EVERYOnE of them has TrackIR. DTG doesn't have a good record supporting addon hardware. And there is so much different hardware for FSX as to be silly. No one has the same kit. And then there's the software that is mostly about the hardware, like Pete's FSUIPC, or about the tangential experience, like weather or views (EZDOK or LiveCam) and A2A's Accu-feel, or the new DX10 Fixer.

Speaking of which, how will DTG update the sim for new graphics, like DX10 or 11 without breaking compatibility? I can't see it selling well on STEAM without any update to the core engine. As Bob says most of us FSXers have invested sums that make our train sim spending pale in comparison (and I have MOST of the DLC for TS2014). I won't be re-buying FSX (or P3D for that matter) if it means starting that investment over again.

DTG hasn't exactly been terribly supportive of multiplayer either.

Their business model,is sell the basic game, often for very little, and mostly sell large numbers of DLC. I really can't see DTG produced DLC being worth getting for a flight sim who's raison d'être is realism.

Perhaps the tiger can change its stripes in lots of ways. We'll see.