Microsoft Flight Simulator finally gets anticipated Sim Update V hotfix

Following serious bugs found in the recently-released Sim Update V, Asobo Studios has quickly rolled out a second hotfix for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This second hotfix (version 1.18.15.0) addresses issues such as poor levels of detail on the ground at high altitudes, the visual quality of clouds, the sim’s volumetric lighting system, and incorrect data in the weather system.

These are not the only issues that Asobo is working on. The team is still ironing out other major bugs, including crash-to-desktop errors and LOD popping and stuttering that occurs when panning the camera around. Fixes for these specific issues will be included with the release of World Update 6 on August 24.

Microsoft Flight Simulator bug patrol

Asobo has been in hot water for the last few days due to these Microsoft Flight Simulator bugs. The studio finally acknowledged the problems earlier this week and announced that the hotfix would come on August 6 or by August 9 at the latest. Clearly, the team was able to fast-track the work and get it out sooner rather than later.

The whole debacle originated from when some members of the community accused the developers of intentionally degrading the quality of the PC version of Microsoft Flight Simulator to make the Xbox edition look better. But, unsurprisingly, it turns out that these issues were just bugs that weren’t addressed prior to the release of Sim Update V.

Even though Sim Update V generated this bit of controversy, it did still manage to deliver on its promise of providing a much smoother gameplay experience for rigs of all kinds. Many users have reported much better framerates and fewer stutters. Microsoft Flight Simulator may now be in its best shape since the sim’s original release last year.

Nevertheless, Asobo’s swift response with a hotfix to the bugs that crept up after Sim Update V at least shows that the studio is committed to its promise of keeping the Microsoft Flight Simulator’s userbase engaged and taken care of.