Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's launch hit some unexpected turbulence, prompting an apology and explanation from the development team. Read on to understand the reasons behind the initial difficulties.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Addressing Day-One Launch Issues
Overwhelmed Servers: The Root of the Problem
The highly anticipated release of MSFS 2024 unfortunately experienced significant issues, including bugs, instability, and persistent server problems. In a YouTube video, Jorg Neumann (Microsoft Flight Simulator head) and Sebastian Wloch (Asobo Studio CEO) addressed player concerns directly. They admitted that while they anticipated high excitement, the sheer volume of players far exceeded their initial projections, overwhelming their server infrastructure. Neumann stated plainly, "It really has overwhelmed our infrastructure."
Wloch elaborated on the technical challenges. The game's initial launch process involves players requesting data from servers, which in turn retrieve it from a database. While this database, including its cache, underwent testing with 200,000 simulated users, the actual player count significantly surpassed this, leading to system overload.
Login Queues, Missing Planes, and the Cache Collapse
The team attempted to mitigate the problem by restarting services and increasing login capacity fivefold. However, as Wloch explained, this temporary fix proved unsustainable: "It worked well for maybe half an hour and then all of a sudden the cache collapsed again." This repeated collapse resulted in extremely long loading times, often stalling at 97% and requiring players to restart the game.
The reported issue of missing planes stemmed from this incomplete data retrieval. Even after navigating the login queues, some players found portions of the game's content inaccessible. Wloch attributed this to the server's inability to respond effectively due to the overloaded cache.
Negative Steam Feedback and the Path Forward
The combination of long login queues and missing content resulted in overwhelmingly negative player feedback on Steam, with the game receiving a "Mostly Negative" rating. Despite these significant challenges, the development team assures players that they are actively working on solutions. Their Steam page now states, "We have solved the issues and are now bringing players in at a steady pace," alongside a sincere apology and a commitment to continued updates.
