On July 27th, Asobo released their largest FREEmandatory update. At the same time, they launched a Microsoft flight simulator onto the Xbox consoles (a major feat and a first-of-a-kind).
I’ve not been active in the MSFS community for very long (since the 27th, if I’m honest). I started being active in the official Discord server on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I spent 9 hours of my time trying to help people the best I could in the various community support channels. Why? Because I want to.
But what I’m seeing disheartens me.
Asobo can not know ahead of time what will go wrong when there is an exorbitant number of variables they have zero control over.
They cannot test whether the game works with GPU X + CPU Y + RAM Z to cover all situations.
They cannot test which community-made mods will work and which will break things.
They cannot test whether the Azure server can handle the swarm of people all trying to download files.
They cannot test everything. Therefore, there will be people who are temporarily stuck.
Please, stop with the abusive and vitriolic attitudes towards the teams behind the game. They are undoubtedly working incredibly hard to recreate, isolate, and repair any bugs and issues that have become apparent from the launch.
I too had issues with the update, so I understand your frustrations, but please be patient, and be understanding. There is no reason to be unkind or hateful.
EDIT: Added “mandatory”
Additional comment:
To everyone responding, I want to make it clear that I am not saying you can’t be upset. I’m saying stop being hateful.
See below
Asobo and Microsoft lied to the community by saying multiple times that they wouldn’t dumb down the PC version to fit on Xbox. We have every right to be livid.
If you honestly think they lied, speak to a solicitor about filing a class action. But regardless, you can be unhappy about something without needing be nasty (not saying you specifically are)
You forgot the word MANDATORY right after your FREE which for me has left me in the cold. Tried every hint, solution etc… that I can find here, on Reddit, etc… I am left with a paid for game that I cannot even install.
The installer takes 5 to 10 mins to get me to the inability to click the Update button. Once I did get to click it (I think I giggled like a little girl) and it downloaded a little less than a gig before locking up again.
Sorry I disagree with your assessment. While I am not one to use anything but sarcasm we paid, we played and now we sit and wait. The absolute lack of any response that I am aware of from MS or Osobo makes it clear to me that this is about money.
Technically speaking it is a FREE update. However, it is a “FREE” update that is MANDITORY on a PAID product so your first sentence is a bit disingenuous.
Harsh criticism on forums after a massive/disruptive update is common and represents a minority of players (most people don’t post online and those that like to vent do so here).
I wish every post had at least one constructive criticism/suggestion instead of complaining. Asobo/MS certainly can improve. Nearly all 3rd party In-Marketplace PAID aircraft had some minor-to-major flaws post update. This shouldn’t happen. They could easily test that by better working with In-Marketplace 3rd party developers.
When you use a game on PS5 or Xbox, all updates are mandatory if you want to use online features, that’s how online systems work, everybody has to be on the same release.
I had the same kind of issues, they persisted even after 9 hours getting it installed making it unplayable. Try plugging directly into your cable modem bypassing the router, fixed it for me.
If I purchased MSFS on PS5 or XBox then you have a point. But I purchased this product for my PC with no such expectation. Not trying to obstinate here. I do understand that games that are inextricably tethered to the internet require mandatory updates but you also must understand that the burden of ensuring a working product is on MS/Asobo.
Other side of the house but I am already on a wired connection. I run all Ubiquiti routers and switches and nothing is limited. Speedtests show pings under high 20’s and download of 350+
I have to ask the following question, if this had happened within the Playstation/XBox community would they have just accepted it, hell no. We should of had an option to either accept the update or continue with your current version, not manditory. Those of us who paid for the premium package got three commercial aircraft, A320, B787 and the 747 which didnt cut the mustard, had systems from day one that didnt work as they should and it took some great individuals to raise the bar on each and get them where they need to be. So in all fairness please accept that some of us are going to be angry, final question, have we heard anything from ASOBO and MS, erm NO.
My speedtests and everything worked just fine too, but it wasn’t until I plugged into the modem directly that MSFS worked. Eventually I just reinstalled windows and the sim and the install went as it should with no more freezing and the game was playable as well. No idea what the issue was since it was only this update that caused it, but it required a fresh install of windows.
Even if they could, they wouldn’t. If you want to have a 100% test coverage, in such a diversified environment, you’ll only do it if you’re subject to some regulation/certification.
And even if they know about issues, there is still a marketing department that has everything perpared for a launch, that won’t hold this back.
It could very well be that they already have fixes for some of the issues, but it was simply too late to start testing over again, so they had to push them to the next update (or maybe a hotfix?).
The question is always when finding issues:
How critical is a system? (It’s a game…)
How big is the impact of the issue? (except for the CTDs, most issues are visuals or have workarounds)
What are the consequences if you postpone a release? (XBox launch was advertised months ago)
So just realistically thinking, they had no choice but push out the release even if they knew about the issues.
You might not like this fact (I don’t either), but accepting it as part of the way it works makes things much more relaxed.
I personally don’t think asobo lies. If they actually dumb down the sim which i doubt, than it would be to find another way of bring fully restored back into the sim to perform better.
This because the team are simply sim enthousiast.
They realize perfectly well what chances they have, to build a high quality sim platform that even perform above expectations on even low standard pc. Also they know if not deliver microsoft company will turn cashflow back to default settings, and we are left with really lituarly a “broke” sim.
What they are not responsible for is how end users manager their own pc.
And how they balance it for all what quality above capability (no offense, but where all human and we have to learn to accept on shortcommings of the humanbrain which often lead to dissapointment)
Any way in the time where internet wasn’t so fast a game was provider on a floppy and before there where provided on tape, later it was provided on disc, which was incredible because of more data.
But that was the product this was not even that long ago.
Can you imagine what im trying to say, i mean this msfs 2020 which almost celebrate its first year annyversary since the release, is almost receiving updates every month whether it worldupdate or simupdate or sdk update. Than there is also companies as blue shark ai, bing , meteoblue, azure, etc and they provide many benefits to the sim. Can you imagine this all for the basic sim whether is basic up to premium de luxe for at most 120 €. You probably spent more to your internetprovider, and be sure to know the limits to speed and allowed up/download on monthly base(fair use policy)
For this can be the real bottleneck as well as the capability of youre equipement of modem cables and switches.and even lanports on your pc. Im not saying that you do not have all this and certainly do not want to demote your opinion because we all have and are entitled to it. But realize that people are so strong in words to, about complains (which are very demoting to) and people who stage this often don’t realize it can be the splinter in there own eye.
Hoping we all Come around on perspective
And do enjoy the sim
I think constructive criticism is always good.
Ranting and venting is something that should be taken as-is, just let people express themselves.
What I found is your post completely uncalled for, we are all customers of MSFS and there’s nobody that can say what can or can’t be said as long as we keep it civil and follow the forum rules.
Fanboy posts are also welcomed but keep the instructions and directives for yourself please.
I think the problem here is not that people want to hate on the developers. I am also in a service business that has developed an app that we sell to the public. We have subscribers to our app and if we ever see people being upset about one of our updates as we see here, we will never keep silent and not say anything about the issues. Sometimes it’s just about acknowledgement.
They have not said we understand and are aware that there are a few issues that people are having with the latest update, however, we are working on the problems and will update you soon. If they said something like that or made some sort of statement letting people know that they are at least looking into the problems, I think many people would feel a lot better and frankly they would probably just wait.
Sometimes that’s all it takes to satisfy some people.
I think you are wrong to suggest if people are unhappy, they should just file a class action lawsuit. I’m sure you said that without fully thinking about what that could mean; however, I don’t think people want to do that, they just want a good working simulator. This was a mandatory update, so you cannot blame people for being upset. If we had a choice, then a lot of people would probably choose to go back to what they had before the update, and just wait until the fixes are out.
So, on a brighter note. It seems that overnight every single in game air traffic controller has received a certificate from the Paul Harvey school of Air Traffic Controllers…Good Day!
