December 14th, 2023 - Development Update - Microsoft Flight Simulator (2024)

This week’s Screenshot Challenge winner is Twitter user @Daisuke12J! If you’re interested in participating in our weekly Screenshot Challenges, check out the details in the Community section below!

While the year is quickly coming to a close, we have two final releases to share with you before we say goodbye to 2023! City Update 5: European Cities andFamous Flyer 8: Cessna T207A will both be launching next week on Tuesday, December 19.

On a solemn note, theMicrosoft Flight Simulatorteam was very saddened to hear of the recent loss of a wonderful member of our community, freeware mod creator Anton Logvynenko. You can read our memorial article to Anton here. We send our deepest condolences to all those that knew and loved him.

Most of the Flight Simulator team is taking time off over the holiday season to spend time with their friends and families. This will be our final full Development Update for the year. There will be a regular Marketplace update next week on December 21 but not the following week on December 28. We would like to wish everyone in the MSFS community peace, joy, and comfort throughout the holidays. However you celebrate, we hope you have a wonderful last few weeks of 2023. This has been a fantastic year for us, and we’re so excited for an even bigger year in 2024!

– MSFS Team

Feedback Snapshot

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Marketplace Update

This week, we are excited to bring you a new release exclusive to the in-sim Marketplace from CJ Simulations: the CJS Rafale!

The CJS Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The fully versatile CJS Rafale is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defense, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence. The CJS Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. CJS Rafale is one of the most seasoned fighters in the world. It has been combat-proven since 2007. The export success of the CJS Rafale has been vindicated. It now has more export orders than French orders.

This incredible aircraft is available in the Marketplace for both Xbox and PC. Check it out:

Marketplace Releases

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Marketplace Update.

There are 60 new and 39 updated products in today’s Marketplace Update.

Marketplace Backlog

Current Backlog: 339 Total

BACKLOG: NEW PRODUCTS

BACKLOG: UPDATED PRODUCTS

• As of 12/10, we have now approved 245 (+0) third parties into the in-sim marketplace and – so far 209 (+2) have released3,012 products on PC (+53) and2,729 on Xbox (+51).
• In total,3,881 products(+32) have already been released in 3^rdparty stores and the in-sim marketplace. Beyond that, another860 products(+0) from 3^rdparty developers are in production (351 announced, 509 unannounced). In total, over4,7403^rdparty products (+29) have either been released or are in development.
• Airports:
  • 2,235 airports (+16) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 2,004airports (+13) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 1,477 airports (+10) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 114 airports (-2) beyond the released airports have been announced.
    • 117 airports (+5) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an airport is in production.
• Aircraft:
  • 777aircraft (+5) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 325aircraft (+5) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 247 aircraft (+3) have been released in the in-sim PC marketplace.
    • 232 aircraft (+5) have been released in the in-sim Xbox marketplace.
    • 214 aircraft (+1) beyond the released aircraft have been announced.
    • 239 aircraft (-3) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an aircraft is in production.
• Scenery:
  • 1,073scenery packs (+5) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 1,018scenery packs (+6) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 572 scenery packs (+8) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 21 scenery packs (+1) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
    • 34 scenery packs (-2) are not announced but the dev let us know that scenery is in production
• Mission Packs:
  • 239 mission packs (+2) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 207 mission packs (+3) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 146 mission packs (+3) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 1 mission packs (+1) beyond the released missions have been announced.
    • 31 mission packs (-2) are not announced, but the dev let us know that they are in production.
• Livery Packs:
  • 378 livery packs (+6) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 300 livery packs (+5) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 292 livery packs (+5) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 1 livery pack (+0) beyond the released scenery has been announced.
    • 77 livery packs (+1) are not announced, but the dev let us know that scenery is in production.
• Ships & Watercraft:
  • 38 ships & watercraft (+0) are either released or are in various stages of development.
    • 27 ships & watercraft (+0) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
    • 21 ships & watercraft (+0) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
    • 0 ships & watercraft (+0) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
    • 11 ships & watercraft (+0) are not announced, but dev let us know that scenery is in production

Community Fly-In Friday

On December 17, 1903, the world changed forever when the Wright Brothers completed the first successful powered flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina! To celebrate this immensely important milestone in human history, we will begin our Community Fly-In this week at Kitty Hawk!

This will also be the beginning of the next evolution in our weekly Fly-In events. Starting from the birthplace of flight in Kitty Hawk, our group will spend many, many weeks flying completely around the globe in a grand World Tour, visiting the capital cities of every UN member state! We’re very excited to explore our entire planet this way and hope many of you will choose to join us!

Event details are available here. All are welcome to participate!

Tubeliner Tuesday

We’ll be back with a new Tubeliner Tuesday in 2024, we hope to see you all then!