Microsoft has announced virtual reality support is now available for its groundbreaking Flight Simulator game, adding a new level of immersion for those cruising the skies.
The free update brings support for a range of PC-compatible VR headsets, including the Windows Mixed Reality headsets and those made by Oculus, HTC and Valve.
It comes via the latest update for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is available from the Windows and Steam stores, while it’s also a part of Xbox Game Pass for PC.
Microsoft says the update offers the “deepest and most immersive virtual flight experience yet”, within the massive game that arrived on a whopping ten discs earlier this year. The team behind the update at Asobo Studio says everything, from the cockpit interaction to the clouds in the sky, is compatible with VR. The team said it used techniques that reduce CPU and GPU usage without sacrificing the graphic rendering.
Obviously we can’t show you exactly what it’ll look like without a headset, but here’s a preview from Microsoft, which is an excellent and interesting watch.
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“The flight sim community has been a very active and insightful partner in shaping how the team approached VR, and continues to be a critical partner in our continued development as we make further improvements and add new features to the simulation,” writes Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator in a post on the Xbox Wire blog.
“Adding VR to Microsoft Flight Simulator was a direct result of community feedback, and we look forward to continued involvement in the future of the franchise with us.”
Just last week it emerged Microsoft will be bringing the hit title to the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles next summer, but it appears as if the last-gen Xbox One consoles will miss out on all the fun.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
