Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Addressing a Turbulent Launch
The launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 faced significant challenges, prompting a public apology and explanation from the development team. This article details the issues encountered and the steps being taken to rectify them.
Unexpected Demand Overwhelms Servers
Jorg Neumann (MSFS head) and Sebastian Wloch (Asobo Studio CEO) addressed player concerns in a YouTube video. They attributed the game's initial instability and server problems to an unexpectedly high number of concurrent users. The game's data retrieval system, while tested with 200,000 simulated users, was overwhelmed by the actual player count, causing significant strain on the infrastructure. Neumann stated, "It really has overwhelmed our infrastructure."
Login Queues and Missing Content
Wloch explained that the initial server overload led to cascading failures. Attempts to mitigate the problem by increasing queue capacity resulted in temporary improvements, followed by further cache collapses. This resulted in extended loading times, often pausing at 97% completion, requiring players to restart the game. Furthermore, reports of missing aircraft and other content stemmed from incomplete data retrieval due to the server overload. Wloch clarified, "That’s totally not normal, and that’s due to the service and server not responding, and this cache being completely overflowed."
Negative Steam Feedback
The launch issues resulted in overwhelmingly negative Steam reviews, citing long login queues and missing game assets. Despite this, the development team assures players that they are actively working on resolving these issues. The Steam page now states, "We have solved the issues and are now bringing players in at a steady pace," alongside an apology for the inconvenience. The team promises continued updates via social media, forums, and their website.
