Microsoft Flight Simulator has become something of a staple of PC gaming since it first arrived on the scene almost forty years ago. With its realistic controls and gorgeous vistas, it's hardly surprising that the popular flying sim made its way into the Strong Museum's World Video Game Hall of Fame not that long ago. Despite this, there is perhaps one thing that the series has been missing all this time: helicopters. However, this may be about to change.
In a blog post on the game's official website, there is much being talked about for future updates to Microsoft Flight Simulator. Among other things, there are a series of screenshots uploaded to the post which show a table of feedback from the fan base. In the first image, the #1 slot clearly shows that helicopters are something the community wants to see. With 1,506 votes, the developer has stated that it is planning to go ahead with that feature, but probably not until 2022. Also, the second image shows the #43 slot which says "Airbus Helicopters H135 Community Mod" with 352 votes on it. Again, the word "planned" has been typed out next to it.
Clearly, helicopters are something the fans want to see get added to the game. In fact, a third-party developer did actually go ahead and do just that. Back in May, FlyInside added the Bell 47 helicopter from M*A*S*H* to Microsoft Flight Simulator as a DLC. The feedback from a real pilot suggested that this unofficially added helicopter was a welcome addition, with realistic controls. With that, it becomes obvious that not only is it a feature that's being asked for, but it's also entirely possible within the game's engine.
Currently, Microsoft is looking forward to the game coming out on Xbox Series X/S. The console version of Microsoft Flight Simulator was originally planned for a June release. However, this date has been pushed back, and this port will now be available on July 27, which means console players don't have too long to wait.
With the game always being updated, such as the recent major patch which improved the graphics of the Nordic countries, the inclusion of helicopters is not that far away. Given that the series has been going since 1982, it's surprising Microsoft hasn't added them sooner, but with the community now putting it as their number one priority, the developer has obviously listened to the feedback and will hopefully be on the case soon.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available right now for PC, with the Xbox Series X version launching July 27.
Source: Flight Simulator