Microsoft Flight Simulator’s Sim Update 15 faces further delays

The eagerly awaited Sim Update 15 (SU15) for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which was expected to be released this week, has encountered another setback. This news comes as a disappointment to the community, following a series of delays that have pushed back the update’s launch several times.

The community was waiting for the update to drop this Tuesday, May 7th, but was instead met by a statement from Community Manager Jayne Ivan revealing that the latest beta build of SU15, version 1.37.15.0, introduced new critical issues that necessitated further delays. Jayne highlighted two main problems: a WebAssembly (WASM) “missing content” error and performance issues on the Xbox platform, including stuttering and freezing.

The WASM error has already been addressed in the newest beta update, 1.37.17.0, which also resolves other minor issues such as DX12 aerial pop-in artifacts. However, the Xbox stuttering and freezing issues persist, linked to recent updates to the Game Development Kit (GDK). The team is actively working on a solution, with interim measures like enabling rolling cache suggested to mitigate the problem temporarily.

It’s an unfortunate but necessary development, considering the importance that Sim Update 15 will have for the platform throughout the rest of the year. After all, it’s planned to be the last Sim Update for MSFS 2020 in 2024 as the team shifts its focus to MSFS 2024.

The delay also affects third-party developers who align their addon releases and updates with the simulator’s update schedule. Many developers are now facing further uncertainties about their release plans. We’ve been waiting for several high-profile releases that seem more or less tied to Sim Update 15 being released, such as the PMDG 777 or Black Square’s Piston and Turbine Dukes.

Microsoft’s development team is working diligently to address the issues, targeting resolution of the Xbox stuttering and freezing by next week. As the new version requires a few additional days of testing, it appears we’ll have to wait at least a couple more weeks, at best, to receive this long-awaited update.

As always, we’ll keep you posted on any further developments. Stay tuned!