Microsoft Flight Simulator Xbox gets surprise 27GB day one update

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What you need to know

Microsoft Flight Simulator for Xboxis now live onXbox Series XandXbox Series S, marking its console debut following a hit PC release in 2020. The expansion brings its ground-breaking virtual planet to Microsoft’s latest gaming consoles, leveraging satellite imagery and the firm’s signature cloud technologies to deliver a photorealistic splitting image of the globe. And while Microsoft Flight Simulator was previously available for pre-load before its street date, a surprise day-one patch has surfaced following its launch on consoles.

Microsoft Flight Simulator already totals over 102GB on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, albeit with anoptional offline mode,bringing the download size to 42GB. The title has now launched worldwide, introducing a new 27GB update for those with the full-fledged download, reducing to 18GB for those who removed the offline mode add-on. It appears the update doesn’t increase the final install size on either console.

The day-one download could disappoint those waiting for the new Microsoft Flight Simulator, already launching later than usual, with a novel simultaneous global release. It’s worth ensuring the update is downloaded on your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S if you plan to play on launch day.

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Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central’s Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft’s gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter@mattjbrown.