Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
The first 3 hours are a test
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours most reviews are negative (77%); after 15h it's 1 in 3 (36%).
- Fully opens up by hour 5.
- The opening is criticised more than in 98% of games we track.
- The game has no story achievements, so drop-off points can't be measured.
- 94% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 23,304 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 297 reviews: 19.9h for positive, 32.3h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (93.6% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
This game has no story achievements, so we can't tell where players quit.
All achievements (27)
story milestone ending side
- First Flight Complete a flight in any game mode 100%
- Earning Your Wings Earn your Private Pilots License in the Career 49%
- Baby Steps Complete your first tutorial training mission 46%
- Aced It! Achieve an A grade in any base Training mission 36%
- Touch and Go Perform a touch-and-go landing at 2 different airports in a single session 22%
- Entrepreneurial Spirit Create your first company in the Career 18%
- On Your Way Accumulate 50 hours of total flight time 16%
- Your Own Private Pilot Take off from an airport and land at another in an aircraft you own 12%
- Amateur Photographer Take a photo in World Photographer, using photo mode 10%
- Extensive Training Complete all Basic Handling, Take Off and Landing, and VFR training missions 10%
- 5K Fun Run Walk or run for 5km total 9.6%
- Growing the Fleet Purchase 5 aircraft in the Career 6.9%
- Multi-talented Have a rank in each active weekly Challenge in the Challenge League 5.1%
- Challenger Complete 10 weekly Challenges in the Challenge League 3.8%
- Wind Whisperer Soar for 20 minutes in a glider 3.7%
- Give Us a Wave Successfully complete 30 seaplane landings without incident 1.3%
- Overachiever Earn all 20 base certifications in the Career 1.2%
- Jack of all Trades Complete 3 missions in each of the World Photographer, Career, and Challenge League modes 1.1%
- Helo Hero Complete 50 successful landings at any heliport with no incidents 0.6%
- Thrillseeker Complete 100 weekly Challenges in the Challenge League 0.5%
- Eclectic Eagle Accumulate 2 hours of flight each in a jet, airliner, glider, and rotorcraft 0.4%
- Say Threese Take three 3 star photos in World Photographer, in three separate collections 0.4%
- Scrapbooking Complete a Collection Page in World Photographer 0.2%
- Skyward Sightseer Visit 7 landmarks by hot-air balloon. Stay within 1 km for 3 minutes at each landmark you visit 0.2%
- Expanded Portfolio Complete 10 Collection Pages in World Photographer 0.1%
- Multifaceted Photography Complete a Collection Page for Aviation, Man-Made, Nature, and Fauna in World Photographer 0.1%
- Sky Full of Stars Collect 100 Stars in World Photographer 0.1%