Microsoft Flight! Due February 29

Microsoft has announced a release date for Flight! - February 29.

I am trying to work through how I feel about Flight!  The whole thing feels like it has been set up to fail from the start.  I totally get that Microsoft is trying to broaden the appeal of flight simulation by watering it down for the masses.  From a financial and marketing standpoint, that makes perfect sense.  However, Microsoft risks alienating the legions of loyal Flight Simulator fans who appreciate the technical superiority of Flight Simulator 2004 (FS9) and Flight Simulator X.  These fans may well find Flight! to be a less than satisfying experience.  In essence, Flight! seems to be a lose-lose proposition for diehard Flight Simulator fans:

• If Flight! succeeds, then Microsoft will move flight games in the direction of casual gaming - and diehard fans who crave more realism will be left out in the cold.
• If Flight! fails, then Microsoft can use the failure as justification to cease future development of any sort of realistic flight simulation games.

Developers like PMDG have already stated that they are very unhappy with the terms Microsoft has offered third-party developers to develop additions for Flight! - and as a result, many longtime Flight Simulator developers have passed on developing additions for Flight! at this time.  This does not portend good things for diehard flight simulation enthusiasts.  I will be watching Flight! with a wait-and-see approach for now...

One interesting related development - PMDG has admitted they have hired a developer who is experienced in X-Plane development, with a view toward porting one of their products to the X-Plane platform.  It will be interesting to see how things develop on this front.  I have not used X-Plane at all up to now, but if PMDG releases a product for X-Plane, then I will certainly have to give it serious consideration as a flight simulation platform in the future.