Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 294 sampled Steam reviews (228 positive / 66 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Bugs & crashes7% mention it
- Visuals & art6% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Bugs & crashes18% mention it
- Controls & UI15% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
45%
29 reviews
5-15h
78%
58 reviews
15-40h
74%
72 reviews
40-100h
80%
54 reviews
100h+
91%
81 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 91 | 40 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 79% | 73 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 74 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 74% | 70 | 3000 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 5, 2025) · 372 reviews sampled · 7052 total reviews in window · weighted 242.5 up / 67.2 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (65)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Flight Simulator 2020 is a gargantuan game that promises to become even bigger, richer and more technically advanced over the coming years. Fans will be delighted by the flying, and everyone else should keep an eye on expansions and DLCs (buildings, planes etc.), which will certainly elevate this true next-gen game even higher.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Microsoft Flight Simulator is by all means the most complete out-of-the-box package that out of any flight sim ever. It's advancements have pushed the genre as a whole to an entirely new standard with the promise of ongoing support solidifying its rank as the defacto flight sim for the years to come. While it has its quirks, this really is "As real as it gets".”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Microsoft Flight Simulator is a one-of-a-kind experience made possible by a marriage of clever developers and cutting-edge technology. It’s a gift to the series’ dedicated fans, an appealing entry point for newcomers, and now the bar for the simulation genre.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“When all is said and done, Microsoft Flight Simulator in its current state reminds me a lot of Sea of Thieves shortly after launch. The game has a lot of promise and a lot of potential, but it is marred by a number of issues that keep it from really shining. Once the issues have been worked out in six months or a year from now, I fully expect Microsoft Flight Simulator to be a must-have title. Right now, unless you are a hardcore flight sim fanatic, I would pass on buying the premium version and just stick to playing the basic version that's included with GamePass.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Microsoft Flight Simulator is not just the ultimate simulator, it’s a technical showcase that will inevitably end up catching everyone's attention. If you have a good PC, you won't be able to ignore it for long.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It's a game that gives me anxiety about having to upgrade my computer. But it's also a game that gives me a great sense of calm as I cruise through clouds far above the Earth. Microsoft Flight Simulator is a tremendous experience that makes you appreciate natural beauty and man-made ingenuity in equal measures. Being encouraged to dive into the rabbit hole of learning how to operate genuine, complex machines to perform amazing feats of science is giddying, as is being able to journey across a realistic, mostly accurate depiction of our entire, beautiful planet. Microsoft Flight Simulator is a spectacular technical achievement and a deeply inspiring experience filled with glorious possibilities.”
read full review ↗ - 92
“The loading times and missing features are little blemishes on what is otherwise a perfect flight sim.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Microsoft Flight Simulator is a perfect simulator but a terrible video game. There is no doubt that hardcore sim-players would enjoy it but most casual gamers won't. Flying a plane is hard to learn and dull to play.”
read full review ↗ - 89
“An incredible exploration portal with even greater potential once its tech issues have been addressed.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Simulation of the Year. I will never forget that moment i crashed huge Boeing 747-8 into my house.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“The miracle of flight is something to savour, no matter your seat. Microsoft Flight Simulator not only captures that feeling, it manages to put the entire world in your hands. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Despite its flaws and performance problems, Microsoft Flight Simulator rises as the most ambitious and advance flying simulator for the general public. A dream come true for all the AV Geeks out there. ”
read full review ↗
GRYOnline.pl
PC Invasion
PCMag
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
GameSpot
Power Unlimited
Gamersky
PC Gamer
AusGamers
Atomix…and 53 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- World Update 21: AustraliaMay 5, 2026
- City Update 13: California Now AvailableJan 28, 2026
- World Update 20: Japan Now AvailableSep 25, 2025
- Release Notes - Sim Update 16 [1.39.9.0] Now AvailableAug 5, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Sim Update 16 Beta [1.39.0.0] Available Now!May 19, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- November 21st, 2024 Marketplace UpdateNov 22, 2024
- November 14th, 2024 Development UpdateNov 15, 2024
- November 7th, 2024 Development UpdateNov 8, 2024
- October 31st, 2024 Development UpdateOct 31, 2024
- October 24th, 2024 Development UpdateOct 25, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- October 17th, 2024 Development UpdateOct 17, 2024
- October 10th, 2024 Development UpdateOct 11, 2024
- October 3rd, 2024 Development UpdateOct 3, 2024
- Aircraft & Avionics Update 3 Now AvailableOct 1, 2024
- September 26th, 2024 Development UpdateSep 26, 2024
- September 19th, 2024 Development UpdateSep 19, 2024
- September 12th, 2024 Development UpdateSep 12, 2024
- August 29th, 2024 Development UpdateAug 29, 2024
- August 22th, 2024 Development UpdateAug 22, 2024
- August 15th, 2024 Development UpdateAug 15, 2024
- August 8th, 2024 Development UpdateAug 8, 2024
- August 1st, 2024 Development UpdateAug 1, 2024
- July 25th, 2024 Development UpdateJul 25, 2024
- July 18th, 2024 Development UpdateJul 18, 2024
- July 11th, 2024 Development UpdateJul 11, 2024
- July 4th, 2024 Development UpdateJul 4, 2024
- June 27th, 2024 Development UpdateJun 27, 2024
- June 13th, 2024 Development UpdateJun 13, 2024
- June 6th, 2024 Development UpdateJun 6, 2024
- May 30th, 2024 Development UpdateMay 30, 2024
- May 23th, 2024 Development UpdateMay 23, 2024
- Release Notes - Sim Update 15 [1.37.18.0] Available Now!May 23, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- May 16th, 2024 Development UpdateMay 16, 2024
- May 9th, 2024 Development UpdateMay 9, 2024
…and 36 earlier patch announcements.