I looked through the FSExpo 2025 website and saw no mention of either Microsoft or Asobo as a partner, sponsor, featured speaker, or exhibitor.
Is it common for them to skip this important event?
I saw that, too.
They started out not attending the show, and in fact kicked off their 2020 marketing campaign at the same time that one of the FSExpos was taking place. Since then, they’ve gone to two, but Microsoft has yet to be a sponsor there at any level. (Sponsorship begins at US$1000.)
I do wonder if they are concerned about the optics of showing up when FS 2024 is in this condition, or if they would rather not speak to fans at this time so close on the heels of the launch. This, of course, could all be wrong.
There is still time for them to come, and there is a big spot on the floorplan reserved for extra space, should they need it. The deadline is the end of May, however for a large group like Microsoft, I assume that they would need some more lead time than that. (Microsoft, not FSExpo.)
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They don’t have anything new to present. Usually they like to at least for these events have a City Update or something. But they are focused right now on stabilizing 2024, so they wouldn’t really have anything that they could talk about without getting a whole lot of questions.
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Even if MSFS2024 is in a state of disarray, by being present, they can at least save face and listen to the issues.
Hell a decent number of us (being IRL pilots) can provide subject matter expertise that is lost with a purely computer science mind (not discounting them, how would they know that the service ceiling of a 172 is 14000 ft, or how a G1000 behaves).
(Already bought my weekend pass to the expo, considering I live less than 20 min away)
Say, a bit o/t here if you please, indulge me? On the fence about going but it is within driving distance so maybe. What would be some of the things you are looking forward to? I have not been to one of these so what am I missing if I don’t go this year? Thanks!
Hello @monkiesandtools,
Many members of the dev team, including the group responsible for aircraft testing, (and also this humble Community Manager) are IRL pilots.
Thanks,
MSFS Team
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I’m looking forwards towards the seminars (and perhaps some networking opportunities)
One of the seminars includes modeling (planes and airports) within XPlane (having a working background in autocad, I can benefit, hell maybe model KSFZ or KOQU)
Also looking forward to seeing RealSimGear with their setup
(Edit, this is the weekend that typically I start my vacation up in MTL so it’s a nice slide into vacation mode)
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Wasn’t discounting them, just sometime it’s tough to convey technical issues on a forum when it feels there is consist radio silence.
This could be worth a question to Jorg on the next Dev Q&A. Just sayin’.
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I know they had previously said that the hope was for SU3 (and possibly the next CU/WU) to be ready for FSExpo along with a surprise - I had maybe incorrectly assumed that this meant that these things would be showcased/announced at the Expo itself, but that may not be the case now.
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It’s a good “try before you buy” event if you’re in the market for hardware. You can also meet a lot of the developers you’ve known for a while face-to-face. And you can meet like-minded individuals and talk shop with all kinds of simmers. And they have avgeek opportunities, like taking airport tower or ramp tours. (Being in any ATC facility requires a US passport or proof of citizenship, though.)
You can also meet a lot of the Microsoft team members (if they do go). However, don’t go thinking you can meet Jörg and Seb. Maybe you’ll get a chance, but they are constantly hounded by simmers or doing interviews for various media outlets. It took me two expos to meet Jörg, because I always had a choice: wait in line patiently, or go see this seminar or that demonstration. Some people are what I call “alpha conversationalists”: they manage to sneakily nudge their way to the front and start talking their ears off without regard to other people. I had something important to talk to Jörg about, and I cut myself off after a few minutes to allow other people to speak with him (Jörg did not cut me off). Most other people don’t do that.
If Microsoft does come, there are plenty of opportunities to talk to other Microsoft employees, and I think they might appreciate you talking to them, as not everybody engages them. In the past, people from testing came (I met one tester who is also a real-life pilot who flies a gazillion different kinds of aircraft), people from the Community team came, and the business team came (they’re the ones who do the Marketplace). It’s a good time to ask them questions (politely!).
One cool thing I will mention: In the two expos when Microsoft came, Seb carried around a small notebook, and when people talked to him, he wrote things down to follow up on later. I really appreciated seeing that.
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It’s coming up quick, but I might take some vacation time and go.
I’d really like to get some time with some hardware, especially VR.
My bank acount will suffer in the future, but the heck with it… 
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I’d say it’s worth it to go at least once. I’ve been to several of them, and admittedly, they do blend together after a little while. If you’re within driving distance, then this is a particularly good year to go, as this is their first time appearing in the northeast, and it may be their only time appearing in the northeast. Previous attendees have identified cost as a driving factor in their decision to come (not surprisingly…this is not a professional conference where the company pays, after all). So they usually try to stay in markets that are more affordable. In the northeast, that’s hard to come by.
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I find it really odd that MS / Asobo aren’t there, although there are still 3 “reserved” booths, and a larger “reserved for future expansion” spot.
Wish I could attend, would love to see all the gear in person.
Yeah, that is the “big spot on the floorplan” I mentioned in my post before. Sorry, I may have been too vague.
If interested, possible venue locations for 2026 include:
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN
- Providence, RI (again)
- Raleigh, NC
- Rio Las Vegas, NV
- Salt Lake City, UT
- St. Charles (near St. Louis), MO
Well with how awful the release of MS2024 went I do not blame them. I would not show my face in public either for about another year or two. Maybe they will decide to show up at the last minute or maybe not but its less than 2 months away.