Microsoft Flight cancelled now?

[Capt_Flappers]

After the beta I knew that it wouldn't last long. They kept saying that "We're trying to bring 'new' gamers to the flying genre', and we kept telling them that it was a bad idea that only the flight sim public at large has kept FSX going for what? 6? 7 years now? They didn't listen and now they are no more. This is how it works people. If you don't listen to what the public is asking for they aren't going to just take what you give them. Money talks and, and...well you know the rest. I'm sorry that Flight never got any helicopters out but then they probably wouldn't have had cockpits either.
@Microsoft: We spoke with our mouths and our money by not buying what we didn't want. Hopefully now you will listen to those that matter in the flight sim genre, the flight sim enthusists. Gamers are just that gamers and FS'ers will always stand seperate from the gaming crowds. If you want to sell a flying game then you'd better put guns on those Pipers and if you want to sell a flight sim then you'd better make it,"As real as it gets."

very well said.

[Capt_Flappers]

Here's their official statement:

Microsoft Studios is always evaluating its portfolio of products to determine what is best for gamers, families and the company, and this decision was the result of the natural ebb and flow of our portfolio management. Many factors were considered in the difficult decision to stop development on "Microsoft Flight" and "Project Columbia," but we feel it will help us better align with our long-term goals and development plans. For "Microsoft Flight," we will continue to support the community that has embraced the title and the game will still be available to download for free at http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/.

let's break this statement down into plain English..... sales sucked because people didn't like the product.

[mith]

So now that Flight's dead... I guess we can speak our mind about it without having a thread locked.... heh...

[angels355]

After the beta I knew that it wouldn't last long. They kept saying that "We're trying to bring 'new' gamers to the flying genre', and we kept telling them that it was a bad idea that only the flight sim public at large has kept FSX going for what? 6? 7 years now? They didn't listen and now they are no more. This is how it works people. If you don't listen to what the public is asking for they aren't going to just take what you give them. Money talks and, and...well you know the rest. I'm sorry that Flight never got any helicopters out but then they probably wouldn't have had cockpits either.
@Microsoft: We spoke with our mouths and our money by not buying what we didn't want. Hopefully now you will listen to those that matter in the flight sim genre, the flight sim enthusists. Gamers are just that gamers and FS'ers will always stand seperate from the gaming crowds. If you want to sell a flying game then you'd better put guns on those Pipers and if you want to sell a flight sim then you'd better make it,"As real as it gets."

Exactly! Why couldn't I say that? I'd like to see the Flight manager fired by Vince McMahon on WWE wrestling. "You'rrrrrrrrre firrrrrrrred!"

[RatRace]

It's been a long time since I bothered to visit these forums, but I'll say this.
I like (present tense) MS Flight. It rekindled my interest in flight simulation, in spite of all its "gamey" (and often irritating) aspects. I had to reinstall FSX from scratch a few weeks ago (the old PC broke down), and immediately it struck me how "primitive" the naked FSX is compared to Flight. You have to buy loads of (often fairly expensive) add-ons to get something useful out of it, and still you're stuck with an outdated engine. MS Flight's SDK IMO is far superior to FSX's. I deeply regret the demise of Flight, because it had tremendous potential. This is a failure of marketing, not of technology. That said, I'm about to buy the Cub DLX and Alaska pack, hoping that MS will keep the servers alive long enough for many more hours of tremendous fun.

[qantas737800]

I have to disagree with you. A lot of people knew this was eventually gunna fail. I mean... you have to pay at least $60 for as much as you can get. That includes Alaska and Hawaii and about 8 planes. Where as with FSX you get 21 planes, the whole world, virtual cockpits in EVERY aircraft, you don't have to log in to use it, a lot more and better quality missions and can freely download/alter/change anything you want! All for $29. I don't see why people think Flight is better than Flight Simulator.

[petermcleland]

It's been a long time since I bothered to visit these forums, but I'll say this.
I like (present tense) MS Flight. It rekindled my interest in flight simulation, in spite of all its "gamey" (and often irritating) aspects. I had to reinstall FSX from scratch a few weeks ago (the old PC broke down), and immediately it struck me how "primitive" the naked FSX is compared to Flight. You have to buy loads of (often fairly expensive) add-ons to get something useful out of it, and still you're stuck with an outdated engine. MS Flight's SDK IMO is far superior to FSX's. I deeply regret the demise of Flight, because it had tremendous potential. This is a failure of marketing, not of technology. That said, I'm about to buy the Cub DLX and Alaska pack, hoping that MS will keep the servers alive long enough for many more hours of tremendous fun.

Well said RatRace...I agree with all you said...Welcome to the CCC

[RatRace]

I have to disagree with you.

You have every right to disagree with me. I did clearly say "potential" and "marketing failure". But again I insist that Flight is built on more solid foundations than Flight Simulator. But instead of a grand building, we'll have to make do with a few beautiful rooms. Pity.

[RatRace]

Well said RatRace...I agree with all you said...Welcome to the CCC

Thanks, Peter! BTW, it was your video that really convinced me. MS should have hired you for their publicity

[Capt_Flappers]

This is a failure of marketing, not of technology.

This was not a failure of technology or marketing. This was a failure to listen to what your audience wanted. Supposedly Flight was "gamier" to attract more folks to flying. Well, before Flight where were the masses of people blogging and posting on forums wishing for a "gamier" flight simulator? Nowhere that I could see. But there were a lot of flight sim enthusiasts opining for the next evolution/improvement from FSX. And MS turned a deaf ear to these folks. I saw this coming from the time Flight was released and I am not surprised at all that it happened this quickly. You have every right to like, use, and enjoy Flight, but you have to recognize that you were in the overwhelming minority. If you were in the majority Flight would still be alive.