Those eager to take to the skies in Microsoft Flight Simulator won't have much longer to wait. The reboot of Microsoft's previously popular series will be entering closed beta on July 30, 2020. To qualify for the beta, you'll need to be a part of the Xbox Insider Program, but the steps aren't dramatically different from the previous alpha period.
If you were already accepted into the alpha, you'll get immediate access to the beta when it releases. You'll just need to download it from the Microsoft store and you'll be all cleared for take-off. For everyone else, head on over to the Xbox Insider website and log in with your Xbox Live account for a chance at the skies.
The beta doesn't seem to be changing too much about Flight Simulator but will give us a better idea of what the final version will look and feel like. With the PC specifications being rather beefy, it'll be a great way to figure out if you need an upgrade.
For everyone currently in the alpha branch, a new update has been pushed out by developer Asobo Studios. The patch notes are loaded with technical information that goes way above my head, but the general gist of the changes are bug fixes, model improvements, and tweaks to weather. It should make for a more realistic looking and feeling game, which is the ultimate goal here.
With Microsoft holding its "Xbox Games Showcase" on July 23, we're bound to learn more info about Microsoft Flight Simulator soon. There's no word on whether or not it will make its way to Xbox One (or Series X), but it seems like a prime candidate for Xbox Game Pass. If that is the case, I'm absolutely downloading it the second it becomes available.
I'm also just curious to see how Asobo will modernize this series. It's been quite a long while since Flight Simulator last got a release, but the general gaming landscape has changed a lot. People are now more accepting of niche titles like this and I hope it can launch without issue. It just looks so relaxing.
Source: Flight Simulator