Microsoft Flight Simulator install is taking so long players can’t get refunds

Microsoft Flight Simulator is now available on PC, but those who have purchased the game on Steam have encountered an unexpected problem. 

When installing Microsoft Flight Simulator, you will need to download a small client before launching the game, which will take you through a few small technical steps before beginning a rather gargantuan 91GB download. If your internet isn’t up to scratch, this could take a number of hours.

It can take so long that it could extend beyond Steam’s refund window, which allows players to get all of their money back so long as less than two hours have been spent playing the game in question. Microsoft Flight Simulator’s primary install is in-game, so there’s no chance of a refund long before they’ve even touched a cockpit. 

Related: Best PC Games

Players have been expressing their annoyance at this feature in the Steam marketplace, with reviews for Microsoft Flight Simulator currently sitting at a “mixed” verdict. 

“Microsoft, why did you have me install Microsoft Flight Simulator on Steam? I have to keep the game open to download content through your own servers,” reads one review. “Now I am unable to get a refund because I need to keep the game open to download the game in the first place. 

It’s a fairly comedic omission on the part of Microsoft, although given that Microsoft Flight Simulator is completely free on Xbox Game Pass, such a thing likely didn’t cross the company’s mind during development. Still, it’s unfortunate for those who paid full price on Steam and can no longer obtain a refund if the game doesn’t sit right with them. 

Earning 4.5/5 in our review, Microsoft Flight Simulator sets a new benchmark for graphical realism, and is a genuinely stunning experience with the right hardware: “It requires a lot of horsepower and the support of Azure technology to accomplish such a feat, but these barriers are washed away when you’re staring down at endless cities and thick jungles from thousands of feet in the air. It’s breathtaking, and I hope it brings such simulators further into the mainstream.”