Just out of curiosity…a question for anyone who bought the Steam version. Does anything like this ever happen where you simply can’t launch the sim no matter what? Would love to know because I’m seriously considering going down that route.
Just checked my gaming service app in MS-store. When I uninstall Game Service via powershell I only have the button for installing it again. Never got any messages or anything elsse asked for installation. When I^m scrolling down I can find any entry for additional files and installation. Sending you a screenshot how it looks like currently. By the way, Im from Switzerland, so I know the swiss cheese holes very well … 
Since today, I get CTD before even starting a flight.
Once it happened while I was configuring my yoke in the Options menu, the second time was just entering the cockpit.
Weird, since I made no changes at my end, and the sim has been running flawlessly since SU6.
In desperation have just finished repairing/reinstalling Windows 10 using the Media Creation tool. Unfortunately even this has not worked. I am officially stumped…exact same scenario as before.
Microsoft Store Package Dependency Installer asks if I want the program to make changes etc…click yes and i get the same message as before.
“This App can’t open
Check the Windows Store for more info about Microsoft Flight Simulator.”
Wasted an entire night on this. The uninstall button is looking mighty inviting right about now.
It’s so annoying. And very frustrating indeed!
I know what the problem is - as do most of us Copilots.
Very frustrating that we can’t seize control of your Sim for a moment or so and sort it out.
The MS Store/ Gaming Services Registry Error is such a headache and yet so easily bypassed.
I’m going to shoot a Video on this in the morning.
About 2 registry keys?
System up to date?
21H2 19044.1415?
About two Registry Keys - Yes.
Try and stay calm I hate mucking about in the Registry.
That has worked for some but not others.
What is HAGS?
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@thydney19709200
What you’re showing us here is exactly what I got after SU7 - a blank Gaming Service (no logo). In other words, a corrupt Gaming services!!
I had to get rid of gaming services using the registry hack (it was my last resort and I felt that I had nothing left to lose). It took 3 reboots (not a cold start but a proper Windows reboot) to finally get a working version of gaming services installed. The download took AGES - I’m talking several hours! I believe the reason for that was because Microsoft servers were overloaded. Everyone and their dogs (cats, birds, fish - whatever be their pleasure) were trying to get content from around the world (I’m assuming here so please don’t take my word as gospel!).. To make a long story short, once I actually got a working version of gaming services, the sim sorted itself out. I was very, very close to taking a sledge hammer to my PC. That’s how fed up I’d become. 
Every time there’s a sim or world uodate, I start to have a panic attack because it’s been my experience that something goes horribly wrong after an update. What I assume is the problem is that the Microsoft servers are overloaded right after an update; everybody is trying to access software globally. The “fix” may be as simple as waiting a day or so before updating ANYTHING - not just the sim, but anything Windows related as well (including the Xbox app). This sim is heavily dependent upon other apps. If they’re corrupt or if they’re an old version, the sim won’t launch but will go straight to gaming services. If you’re seeing a blank white screen where gaming services logo should be, it means that gaming services isn’t installed properly - if at all. Take a deep breath. Make yourself a cocktail (was going to say coffee but caffeine may not be a good idea when you’re already hyperventilating!).
As I mentioned above, I got rid of gaming services using the registry because other methods of purging it out of the system didn’t do the job. Yes, I too don’t like messing with the registry but (as I mentioned), I had nothing left to lose.
There’s plenty of advice in these forums on how to delete the registry entries for gaming services. It’s not a dangerous move if you follow instructions to the letter. Once those keys are deleted, reboot your pc - not only once, but a few times if necessary. It took 3 reboots for mine to start downloading gaming services. I figured that, if it still wouldn’t download after 3 reboots, my sledge hammer was ready for the final reboot 
.
In closing, I would like to believe that Microsoft would include a version of gaming services with their latest sim update. I mean, how hard would that be to incorporate?
Best of luck to you all
2 Likes
I hope this suggestion works for others as well, thanks so much for posting.
It may indeed be the answer.
The only thing I would add is to make a copy of the registry before you start with the registry editing, just in case.
So glad you didn’t need that sledgehammer (at least not yet anyway)!!!
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Could the following statement become the face of Flight Simulator 2020’s future?
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. All the frustration you’ve come to expect, and more”.
2 Likes
I’m mad about this issue and can’t find no solution to solve this stupid gaming services issue. I don’t have chance launching the sim and get always passed to the gaming services in MS store after launching MSFS. I did all mentioned steps, deleting gaming services, deleting registry keys, uninstalling gaming services and xbox app, no change and no way. so dissapointing. I also have no updates available in MS store for MSFS and I’m really driving crazy. Are other users here with same problems here as well and what else can I do in solving this disaster? many thanks for any further help.
What cured it for me was to pause or disable Antivirus (Kaspersky). If that solves it , then add Flight Sim and Xbox gaming services to trusted apps in antivirus or Internet security.
I was having the exact same symptoms as you for a couple of days. Tried every solution mentioned in this thread including reinstalling Windows. Nothing worked.
Then a day later i went into MS Store…clicked on library (icon on the left) and then “Update All”. to my surprise the update started straight away. Took about 5 minutes to download. I then clicked on Open (Still in MS store) and bugger me if the Sim didn’t load straight up.
Now I don’t know even now what caused this problem to suddenly right itself. Was it one of the many solutions I tried following instructions on this forum? Who knows? All I know is it suddenly started acting how it should act out of the blue. Anyway hope you get it sorted…follow the steps I did above and see how it goes. Good luck.
I was just comparing your windows version to Ten Patrol’s.
Is your OS Build the same?
19044.1415
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I’ve been following this topic with interest and I have some empathy with the topic author. It seems you’ve tried everything so I think I’ll try another angle.
My first thought is that it’s either a XBOX/Game Pass error which can’t be fixed because the registry may somehow be borked, as you have surmised perhaps. My second thought is your Windows Profile might be borked (has happened to me) and no amount of fixing will sort it out. You could create another User account under Windows and try that but my gut feeling is the Registry corruption will more than likely affect that installation too.
As you’ve tried just about everything (and it has all been really good advice), I’m going to suggest another angle. I have used this successfully in the past on my own and friend’s systems so I’ll leave it up to you as to whether you try it or not. Here’s a step-by-step suggestion involving a Virtual Machine which should be enough for testing purposes. I don’t know how savvy you are regarding this so forgive me for over-elaborating if I have!
Here we go:
- Download VirtualBox 6.1 from here
- Download the Windows 10 ISO file following these instructions
- Run the VirtualBox installation, create a new machine and set the ISO as the media source
- Install the Windows ISO as a new Virtual Machine. Make sure the machine has at least the minimum specifications required to run FS2020 (I use 4 processors, 16GB RAM, 3D Acceleration and full graphics card usage), it works.
- Log out of Windows XBOX, Gaming Services and your MicroSoft account (do not forget your passwords)!
- Reboot your System
- Run the VirtualBox program from the icon on your desktop that it created in [ 3 ] above.
- Once Windows is up and running, choose to use without the Activation Option for the time being as you’re just testing.
- Sign in to Windows Accounts that you logged out of in step [ 5 ] above
10, Download FS2020 from the XBOX / Windows Store and see what happens
Let us know how you get on!
Best wishes.
Windows 10 PRO 21H2 19044.1415
Just uninstalled MSFS completely, also XBOX App & Gaming Services in the hope that after the reinstall I get MSFS working back again as expected. Will install everything from scratch. Is there an possibility to uninstall the MS Store maybe? I guess the problem could be have something with win 10 21H2 update in December, since then MSFS is not workiung anymore on my system. Otherwise I’m at the end with my latin.