A new Flight Sim... maybe

[Duke]

So dovetail games, the developers of the Train Simulator (TS xxxx) franshise have done a deal with Microsoft for the right to thier Flight Simulator...

The award-winning creators of the best-selling Train Simulator franchise have today announced a global licensing deal with Microsoft, granting them the rights to develop and publish all-new flight products based on Microsoft’s genre-defining flight technology. The company is currently investigating new concepts in this area and is expecting to bring a release to market in 2015.

In addition to this licensing agreement, Dovetail Games is pleased to announce that it has also acquired the rights to distribute the multi-award winning Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Gold Edition via Valve’s popular digital retail channel, Steam, entitled Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition.
See more at: http://www.dovetailgames.com/news/2014/ ... iepz1.dpuf

Given the business model around their Train Simulator Franchise, then I'd expect any new Flight Sim developed by them would likely be closed to 3rd party developers (mods) & supplemented by copious amounts of in-house DLC???

I'll reserve my full judgement until we hear more but it may not be "the next FS" we all hope & want it to be...

[Woodee]

They are moving Train Sim to Unreal Engine 4. I wonder if this flight sim will be the same?

[Duke]

I didn't know that.
If that's their plan for their new Flight Sim then its got lots of promise.

Oh I wonder if they're looking at a combined or supplementary product line... An all world sim?

[Durrie]

So how does Prepar3D fit with this scenario?

[Shonky]

I was wondering that myself Durrie, maybe it works because Prepar3d isn't available to the general public if you are to follow their licensing to the letter.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Duke]

So how does Prepar3D fit with this scenario?

P3D is Lockheed Martin's, after they bought the rights to use Microsoft's ESP platfrom... ESP being Microsoft Flight Simulator repackaged as a "Commercial Product" for scenario based simulation.
Hence the so called licensing / restriction around P3D & its use...
The way I read this deal is it is for MS Flight Sims "Entertainment" product offering being redistributed via STEAM. Along with look at producing the next entertainment product in the MS flight sim product line.