'Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020' Can Be Played on the Series X/S At Half its Download Size

RJ Pierce, Tech Times 27 July 2021, 06:07 pm

"Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020" is now out on the Xbox Series X/S now, if you didn't know. But if you're worried that your storage isn't up to snuff (the game is insanely massive, after all), don't fret.

According to a report by Kotaku, the game seems to run just fine on both current-gen Xbox consoles, even if you only download half of the total file size. Right now, the game clocks at around 100 GB, excluding any optional world updates, which could increase the install size way more.

That's because "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020" comes in two distinct downloads: one which includes the base game at 42.4 GB, and another which allows users to play offline, sized at 59.7 GB. Fortunately, you can play the game on just the first half of the download, assuming you have a stable enough internet connection with no data cap.

There's also an option to pick which components you want to install on your console as soon as you get the game. Just choose only to install the 42.4 GB package and leave out the other half (especially if your internet is pretty slow and you want to game). The game will run just fine, even if it's missing a lot of its offline files.

"Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020" is also available to Xbox Game Pass if you have it. Now is your chance to see what the fuss is about.

'Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020:' What Makes It So Big?

For Xbox Series X and Series S owners who really want to play "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020," this is likely very welcome news. It's because their consoles don't have a lot of storage space to start with (Series X only has 802 GB of usable space for games, while Series S has a measly 384 GB). Other games need to populate that too.

But in the case of the latest "Flight Simulator" game, its storage requirements are just insane. As previously mentioned, it regularly clocks over 100 GB with everything installed on the drive. And that install size is due to the game's massive scale.

If you didn't know, the game covers the entire Earth. Yes, you read that right. While most open-world games considered "massive" only measure as much as over 100 square miles, "Microsoft Flight Simulator" is an "open planet" game. You can pilot or ride a plane from, say, New York to Los Angeles in about the same time it takes to travel between those cities in real life.

This is part of what makes the game so demanding on the hardware. It's also why the Xbox Series X/S running it is nothing short of amazing too. Even the most powerful PCs in the world struggle to run this game. However, a recent patch should now make "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020" easier to play. It also plays a bit better on a modern game controller, reports IGN. This means that you don't have to own a flight stick set up to have a decent experience with it.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by RJ Pierce