But you'll still need a mouse around to control the virtual pointer, which is how you can hit the various switches, buttons and manage the game’s virtual tool windows. Of course, if you're lucky enough to own a flight stick, you can continue using that as usual. Instead, I had to use my Xbox One controller as always, and keep my keyboard and mouse nearby. I was looking forward to grabbing the yoke and fiddling with dials realistically. Unfortunately, Flight Simulator doesn't support VR controllers yet, which is a bit disappointing. Oculus and Windows Mixed Reality devices let you easily access your Windows desktop, so you could always start the game that way too. I would have liked to see a shortcut for headsets that lets you launch directly into VR mode. Switching between the game's 2D and VR modes is pretty simple: hit Control and Tab at the title screen, or click the VR mode option in settings. You can even break the game's reality a bit by sticking your head completely through the plane's window for a literal birds-eye view of the world. To take in the scenery, I just look out the window - something that's particularly helpful when landing and navigating tricky terrain. Instead of using my Xbox gamepad to switch between different camera views, I could just lean into panels and dials to see them more clearly. I went into the game without any real-world flight knowledge, but the VR experience still felt like a revelation. 'It's just so close to reality, it's kind of shocking,' he said. Everything, from the way he's situated in the cockpit, to how he looks out the window to check traffic, works the way he expects.

Xbox also revealed last week during The Game Awards that Microsoft Flight Simulator will be finally be coming to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in Summer 2021 and you can check out the trailer for that as well as the VR update below.As an experienced pilot himself, Neumann says the VR mode is so accurate it makes it tough for him to go back to the 2D version of the game.

The update is available now on PC across the Xbox Game Pass for PC, Windows 10 and Steam versions of the game. To use the free VR update, you'll need a compatible headset, and the good news is that it should be compatible across a range of devices including Windows Mixed Reality Headsets, Oculus headsets, the HTC Vive and Steam VR. Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC's VR update is now available, allowing those with compatible VR headsets the ability to take flight in virtual reality.Īs per the post on the Xbox Wire and a development video, the team at Holoforge -the department of developers Asobo Studio who were responsible for the VR-used community feedback when producing the update in order to offer simmers the 'deepest and most immersive virtual flight experience yet.'

Microsoft flight simulator 2016 vr