Microsoft Flight Simulator Adds VR Support

As of yesterday, the digital aviators of Microsoft Flight Simulator can fly in VR. But there are buts: They need a supported headset tethered to a PC. And the PC can’t be any run-of-the-mill rig—it needs to have pretty powerful specs.

The acclaimed flight simulator has also added “real-time snow and true-to-life ice coverage.” For those keeping score at home, that means Microsoft's digital map of Earth will continuously update snowcaps.

The 30,000 ft. view

1. Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Apple, Snapchat, and Niantic are building digital twins of our world (for AR and other applications).
2. Many companies are trying to develop virtual worlds (or metaverses, if you’re sci-fi-fancy).

Gateways are slowly opening to these immersive, high-fidelity virtual worlds. Smartphones are the easiest path for a critical mass of users, but they’re also limited in mixed-reality functionality. Headsets and/or glasses will eventually unlock more opportunities, but those are constrained today by price, hardware, and battery.