Microsoft Flight Simulator’s first major expansion adds competitive multiplayer and more

Today during the gamescom 2024 Xbox Stream, Microsoft announced that there’s a lot of new Microsoft Flight Simulator coming over the next few months to the PC and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game.

In what the publisher is calling the “first major expansion” for Microsoft Flight Simulator, the STIHL National Championship Air Races are coming to the game this fall.

“Finally, we are excited to announce our partnership with RARA (the Reno Air Racing Association) to bring the famous STIHL National Championship Air Races, the world’s fastest motorsport, to Microsoft Flight Simulator,” Microsoft says in a press release.

“Many of the planes can fly up to 500 mph at an altitude between 50 ft and 250 ft above ground. The Reno Air Races represent the first major expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Simmers will now be able to race against their friends or pilots from around the world with the addition of competitive multiplayer to the sim.”

The Reno Air Races expansion pack will be available this Fall.

Next up, a new series of “Local Legends” planes are coming to the title, offering vehicles that are famous in a specific region of the world, but don’t have such international acclaim. The first of these is coming with the free, incoming World Update VI (which addresses Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) and will show off the Junkers JU-52 (which will set you back $14.99).

As the Legends celebrate the past, Microsoft Flight Simulator is also working with organizations around the world that are shaping the future of aviation.

“We have partnered with Volocopter, a fascinating German company creating one of the most exciting new aircraft in the world, an eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) air taxi for urban flights called “VoloCity”,” Microsoft has said.

“In collaboration with the team at Volocopter, we are integrating their electric air taxis and incorporating Volocopter’s vision for urban air mobility city operations into Microsoft Flight Simulator. The VoloCity air taxi represents our first step toward the introduction of one of the widely-requested aircraft – helicopters! The VoloCity air taxi will release in November of this year”.