Microsoft Flight
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Microsoft axes Flight development, cuts 35 jobs at Vancouver games studio
Microsoft is laying off staff at its Vancouver studio after it halted development on Flight and "Project Columbia," a Kinect-based virtual storybook for children. A representative speaking to Joystiq said that the 35 people affected would receive help to find new roles within the company, and that it remains invested in the city's industry. In a statement to Kotaku, included after the break, it added that it would continue to support the free title, which was itself a revival of the doomed MS Flight Simulator, and that it would remain available for download.
Report: Microsoft reduces staff at Vancouver studio, cans 'Project Columbia' for Kinect
Microsoft has confirmed that a "small" number of positions at its Vancouver-based development studio have been terminated. According to an official statement, the roles were no longer deemed necessary after development ceased on Microsoft's free-to-play Flight, which was released in February, and an unreleased Kinect project known only as "Columbia."Project Columbia, as described in late 2011, was to be an educational Kinect title meant to engage young players by pairing books with interactive music and illustrations. It was being designed in collaboration with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit (and muppet-infused) educational organization.A report on Kotaku brought the layoffs to light earlier today, after several former employees of the Vancouver studio shared the news on Twitter. A Microsoft Studios spokesperson claims "human resources is working with the affected individuals to find new roles within the company," and that Microsoft remains invested in the British Columbia games industry.
Microsoft Flight reinvents itself as free-to-play simulator (video)
Microsoft's Flight Simulator has long prodded gamers to splash out on hardware upgrades and insane joysticks. Like Madonna, it's reinvented itself for the 21st century as a single-named free-to-play game for those who want to zoom around the skies of Hawaii. The company will make its money by selling premium add-ons including new aircraft and "adventure packs." The game is now ready for download (at the source link) and, if it proves popular, Redmond should expect a nice gift basket from AMD and NVIDIA this Christmas.
Microsoft Flight is free as a bird on Feb. 29
Microsoft clearly has no care for the silly paramaters we call "seasons," as its launching Microsoft Flight on February 29, bucking the original "spring" launch window. Microsoft Flight's official site will be hosting downloads of the free application starting that Wednesday -- no other distribution channels are named, but we suspect it'll also be up on Games for Windows Live's Marketplace as well.That guess' accuracy is bolstered by the news that the "Hawaiian Adventure Pack" wil be made available as well on the 29th, coming in at $19.99. The pack is said to include the "remaining Hawaiian Islands, a new plane, and 20 new missions," should you have already exhausted your enjoyment of the other content, perhaps during the simulation's beta period. More details on the DLC can be found just after the break, including two additional planes, priced at $7.99 and $14.99 (for regular and "deluxe" models, respectively).At this point, we were gonna make a flippant joke about Flight being little more than flying simulation, but then we thought about that Louis CK bit and started feeling all guilty. So, here we are. Either way, how about those DLC prices, eh? Madness!%Gallery-146616%
Microsoft's free-to-play Flight lands this spring
Flight simulator enthusiasts are a very specific, complex subsect of the gaming world. Their passion for checklists and indecipherable user interfaces places them at an almost MMO-level of dedication and persistence, and -- like the popular multiplayer RPGs -- flight sims are starting to make the leap to free-to-play. Microsoft Flight will bring affordable ailerons and aerofoils to PC pilots this spring, according to an update on Major Nelson's blog. Everyone will have access to free crashes aircraft, though those who sign in with a Games for Windows Live account will receive additional free planes, missions and access to those sweet 'chievos. The sim will also include the ICON A5, an amphibious, lightweight vehicle which doesn't enter real-world commercial production until the end of this year. Microsoft's PR describes the A5 as "the jet ski for the skies," which sounds like the most terrifying, fantastic way to die. Prospective pilots can still sign up for that closed beta we mentioned by clicking here, presumably after strapping on goggles and a dashing scarf.
Microsoft Flight accepting beta applications, fasten seatbelt sign on
Microsoft Flight, a revamped, streamlined flight simulator-slash-game, is accepting applications for its beta program right now. The Microsoft Flight beta is scheduled to begin in January, and the dev team is accepting applications via Microsoft Connect for some brave pilots to try it before everyone else rides it. Applications sent to the Microsoft Flight email will not be reviewed for the beta, so do it right, or don't do it at all. Remember, when you're handling a 100-foot steel tube 32,000 feet above the earth, you only get one chance to get it perfect.
'Microsoft Flight' announced ... minus the 'Simulator'
[Flight Simultator History] Tucked away within the press release for Age of Empires Online was the announcement of a new entry in a really long-lived Microsoft game series: Microsoft Flight Simulator. The latest Windows-exclusive title, now called simply Microsoft Flight, "will bring a new perspective to the long-standing genre," according to the press release, "welcoming everyone, including long-time fans, to experience the magic of flight." There are no details beyond that, and the listed website is not live at the moment. However, the "welcoming everyone" language combined with the symbolic omission of the word "simulator" gives us an idea of what to expect: a more game-like, streamlined experience. Update: The site is now live, featuring a teaser video -- which you can also see after the break.
