Flight Simulator on Xbox will support cross-play with PC version, existing Windows Store owners already own it

With the Xbox launch date for Microsoft Flight Simulator fast approaching, we start to learn about some additional details on what to expect. Recently we learned about some new features that the Xbox version will bring to make it easy for new users to get acquainted, and now we have some additional details about cross-play functionality, and a little more.

The Flight Simulator team put up an online FAQ answering some common questions about the upcoming release and what it means for new and existing players. And there are quite a few interesting bits to retain from here.

For starters, existing owners of the Windows Store version of MSFS for PC will automatically have access to the Xbox version at no additional cost. Steam users are less lucky though and will have to re-buy the console version.

With the sim sharing the same multiplayer world, content, and services across all platforms, it’s natural to expect some kind of cross-play functionality. There’s good news here, as the online world of Flight Simulator will be connected between console and PC versions. You will see simmers online from all versions of MSFS.

This cross-platform interaction is also valid for DLC purchased through the in-game Marketplace, but with a caveat. While Asobo’s and Microsoft’s content will be available across all platforms, third-part developers must decide if they want to make their add-ons available on Xbox or just on PC, and vice-versa.

As promised before multiple times by the Flight Simulator team, the experience in Xbox will be the same as on the PC. However, some new features will be introduced to welcome the massive Xbox user base to the world of Flight Simulator. The console launch will expose a lot of new users to MSFS, and with a persistent multiplayer experience across both platforms, expect online flying to become… interesting, at least for the first few days.