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 faced significant challenges on launch day, prompting an official response from the development team. Jorg Neumann, head of MSFS, and Sebastian Wloch, CEO of Asobo Studio, addressed player concerns in a YouTube video.

Unexpectedly High Player Numbers Strain Servers

The developers acknowledged underestimating the game's popularity. The sheer volume of players overwhelmed the game's servers and underlying database infrastructure, designed for a significantly lower concurrent user count. Neumann stated that the initial influx of players "really overwhelmed our infrastructure." Wloch explained the technical issue: the server's cache, tested with 200,000 simulated users, was unable to handle the actual player load, leading to repeated service restarts and extended loading times.

Login Queues, Missing Content, and Negative Steam Reviews

The resulting problems included lengthy login queues and instances of missing aircraft or other game content. Attempts to mitigate the server overload by increasing queue capacity proved temporary. Wloch explained that the server saturation caused repeated failures and retries, leading to the extended loading screens often freezing at 97%. The missing content was directly attributed to the overloaded server and database cache failing to deliver necessary game assets.

The negative impact on Steam reviews was significant, with the game receiving "Mostly Negative" ratings due to the widespread launch issues. However, the developers assured players that active efforts were underway to resolve the problems, stating on the Steam page that they had "solved the issues and are now bringing players in at a steady pace." A formal apology was issued, expressing gratitude for player patience and feedback.