Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition
Released Aug 2026
From gliders and helicopters to wide-body jets, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. The world is at your fingertips.
78% positive · 73K reviews
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Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development
Not yet
Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development
Where to buy
Steam $59.99
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Evaluation
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) is sold on Steam as the 40th Anniversary Edition — a bundled edition that includes all prior content plus anniversary-specific aircraft, airports, and missions. Despite carrying this edition label, the game has continued to receive a sustained and prolific stream of major free content updates well beyond its anniversary relaunch, making it clear this is an actively evolving product rather than a closed package.
The developer has maintained a remarkably consistent cadence of major updates: World Updates covering entire countries or regions, and City Updates adding high-resolution detail to specific urban areas. Looking at the documented post-launch history, major content releases have arrived roughly every 1–4 months: City Update 10: United States I (April 22, 2025), City Update 11: Northeastern United States 2 (June 27, 2025), World Update 20: Japan (September 25, 2025), City Update 13: California (January 28, 2026), and World Update 21: Australia (May 5, 2026). That represents 9 major content posts in the 50 scanned — an exceptionally dense update history.
The most recent major release, World Update 21: Australia (May 5, 2026), arrived approximately three and a half months before today's date of August 25, 2026. Given the established pattern of major releases every 1–4 months, the game is well within its expected update window. The developer has not announced any conclusion to the World Update or City Update programs, and no "final update" or end-of-support statement has been issued.
The launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in November 2024 has not ended support for this title — World Updates and City Updates have continued to ship for both the 2020 and 2024 simulators side by side, as confirmed in multiple news posts (e.g., NEWS-2 and NEWS-3 explicitly note compatibility with both versions). The simulator also continues to receive Sim Updates with technical improvements, with Sim Update 16 (version 1.39.9.0) shipping on August 5, 2025, reinforcing that the underlying platform remains under active maintenance alongside its content program.
Evidence
World Update 21: Australia released as a free update, adding photogrammetry for 40+ areas of interest across all Australian states and territories, plus 6 handcrafted airports and new missions
City Update 13: California released as a free update, adding detailed TIN surface texturing for 18 urban regions across California, available to both MSFS 2020 and 2024 owners
Content
3 of 3 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Achievements
43
Platform
Windows
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer
About this game
From light planes to wide body jets to gliders and helicopters, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. The world is at your fingertips.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition features 37 airplanes, gliders, and helicopters with unique flight models, 25 handcrafted airports, 4 classic commercial airports, 14 heliports and 15 glider airports.
Explore Your World
• Vivid and Detailed Landscapes - Immerse yourself in the vast and beautiful world that is our planet with over 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more.
• Living World - The Earth is vibrant and ever-changing and so is the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which includes live traffic, real-time weather, and animals.
Earn Your Wings
• Aircraft - Hone your pilot skills in a variety of aircraft from light planes to commercial jets with comprehensive flight models. Every aircraft includes highly detailed and accurate cockpits with realistic instrumentation.
• Checklist System - From pro to beginner, scale your level from full manual to full assist with interactive and highlighted instrument guidance and checklist.
Test Your Skill
• Live Weather -The weather engine enables users to switch on the live weather mode to experience real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and more.
• Day and Night Engine - Experience flight at any time of day or year allowing for night VFR, visual flight rules, navigation.
• Aerodynamic Modeling - A state-of-the-art physics engine with over 1000 control surfaces per plane allows for a truly realistic experience.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has fulfilled the aspirations of aviators worldwide for 40 years. Celebrate the award-winning franchise with the 40th Anniversary Edition, loaded with all-new features, aircraft and content that span the history of aviation.
The 40th Anniversary Edition update introduces:
• 1 true-to-life Airbus A310 Airliner
• 2 helicopters and 14 heliports
• 2 gliders and 15 glider airports
• 7 famous historical aircraft including the Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the Spruce Goose)
• 4 classic commercial airports
• 24 classic missions from the franchise’s past
The Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.
Deluxe Additional Aircraft
• Diamond Aircraft DA40-TDI
• Diamond Aircraft DV20
• Textron Aviation Beechcraft Baron G58
• Textron Aviation Cessna 152 Aerobat
• Textron Aviation Cessna 172 Skyhawk
Deluxe Additional Handcrafted Airports
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands)
• Cairo International Airport (Egypt)
• Cape Town International Airport (South Africa)
• O’Hare International Airport (USA)
• Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (Spain)
The Premium Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Deluxe Edition plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.
Premium Deluxe Additional Aircraft
• Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
• Cirrus Aircraft SR22
• Pipistrel Virus SW 121
• Textron Aviation Cessna Citation Longitude
• Zlin Aviation Shock Ultra
Premium Deluxe Additional Airports
• Denver International Airport (USA)
• Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates)
• Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
• Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom)
• San Francisco International Airport (USA)
Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition features 37 airplanes, gliders, and helicopters with unique flight models, 25 handcrafted airports, 4 classic commercial airports, 14 heliports and 15 glider airports.
Explore Your World
• Vivid and Detailed Landscapes - Immerse yourself in the vast and beautiful world that is our planet with over 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more.
• Living World - The Earth is vibrant and ever-changing and so is the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which includes live traffic, real-time weather, and animals.
Earn Your Wings
• Aircraft - Hone your pilot skills in a variety of aircraft from light planes to commercial jets with comprehensive flight models. Every aircraft includes highly detailed and accurate cockpits with realistic instrumentation.
• Checklist System - From pro to beginner, scale your level from full manual to full assist with interactive and highlighted instrument guidance and checklist.
Test Your Skill
• Live Weather -The weather engine enables users to switch on the live weather mode to experience real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and more.
• Day and Night Engine - Experience flight at any time of day or year allowing for night VFR, visual flight rules, navigation.
• Aerodynamic Modeling - A state-of-the-art physics engine with over 1000 control surfaces per plane allows for a truly realistic experience.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has fulfilled the aspirations of aviators worldwide for 40 years. Celebrate the award-winning franchise with the 40th Anniversary Edition, loaded with all-new features, aircraft and content that span the history of aviation.
The 40th Anniversary Edition update introduces:
• 1 true-to-life Airbus A310 Airliner
• 2 helicopters and 14 heliports
• 2 gliders and 15 glider airports
• 7 famous historical aircraft including the Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the Spruce Goose)
• 4 classic commercial airports
• 24 classic missions from the franchise’s past
The Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.
Deluxe Additional Aircraft
• Diamond Aircraft DA40-TDI
• Diamond Aircraft DV20
• Textron Aviation Beechcraft Baron G58
• Textron Aviation Cessna 152 Aerobat
• Textron Aviation Cessna 172 Skyhawk
Deluxe Additional Handcrafted Airports
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands)
• Cairo International Airport (Egypt)
• Cape Town International Airport (South Africa)
• O’Hare International Airport (USA)
• Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (Spain)
The Premium Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Deluxe Edition plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.
Premium Deluxe Additional Aircraft
• Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
• Cirrus Aircraft SR22
• Pipistrel Virus SW 121
• Textron Aviation Cessna Citation Longitude
• Zlin Aviation Shock Ultra
Premium Deluxe Additional Airports
• Denver International Airport (USA)
• Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates)
• Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
• Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom)
• San Francisco International Airport (USA)
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Aug 25, 2026
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