CES: MS Flight Simulator X optimized for Vista

by Christopher Grant on Jan 5th 2006 11:45AM

During Bill Gates CES keynote last night he used the newest version of Microsoft's seminal Flight Simulator series, simply dubbed Microsoft Flight Simulator X, to show off the graphical capabilities of the next-generation of DirectX and Windows Vista. He said, "You can see the realism of the reflection. And I'm actually going to drive or going to try to drive with my Xbox 360 controller plugged directly into my Windows Vista PC. You can really start to see the smoke from the boat, the independent and kind of live life that you see with the waves, with some of the birds and the trees that you'll start to see."

The title promises more realism, more planes, more online connectivity, and more of everything else that flight-sim fans clamor for. It's expected to be on shelves for Holidays 2006.

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Tags: flight simulator, FlightSimulator, PC, Vista

Reader Comments (3)

I am so glad they announced this. I was beggining to fear they would end the franchise with FS2004. I hope this next version is just as much an improvement as FS98 was.

I think it is bad news i have been a flight sim fan for a long time. and now i find out i have to go and buy Vista to run 2006. I know it will work on XP but what i understand. Not very well the game is made for Vista how much will this cost us all $400 $200 we all dont have that kind of money

thank's Bill you done it again

Well i think its cool. Itas about time they upgraded windows. Xp has alot of flaws that will probably be improved upon in vista. Yes, we know vista will have its flaws as well, but i think it will be better. See, xp isnt that great with 64 bit processors. As far as i know, vista will be wonderful. Xp has driver flaws in the x64 version, and vista should fix all those. Plus it will actually take advantage of all todays cool new hardware. In other words, go ahead and run xp, but vista will just run flight sim better, because flight sim will be optimized for a faster running syatem. Xp just doesnt cut it at all. Im sure that vista will run flight sim 2004 better as well. Try to run your games of today on win98 or 95. See what i mean? Improvements!