Microsoft has paired up with retailer Aerosoft to produce a physical edition of the latest version in its long-running Flight Simulator series. This entry, variably titled Flight Simulator 2020 or simply Microsoft Flight Simulator, is the series’ latest release since 2006’s Flight Simulator X (although X did receive a Steam version in 2014). It will feature new planes and airports rendered in a stunningly gorgeous art style — all packed into an utterly original ten discs.
Aerosoft administrator Mathijs Kok discussed the game’s physical release in a post on the official Aerosoft forums. According to Kok, the set will feature “10 double-layered DVDs and a printed manual in a spectacular box.”
Kok also explained that the code for the simulator itself is tiny in size and that it is the game’s “world and aircraft,” which necessitated the creation of a 10-disc set. The ten DVDs will contain approximately 90 GB of resources for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Both Microsoft and Aerosoft hope that the physical release of Flight Simulator will allow players with slower Internet speeds to experience the game, as they will no longer have to download the 90 GB digitally.
Gamers across the Internet are speculating that this 10-disc release might be setting some sort of record when it comes to the physical distribution of video games. It handily beats the seven-disc Phantasmagoria, the eight-disc Black Dahlia, and even the nine-disc EverQuest 2. While some may argue that it is still beaten out by Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge, which required 11 floppy diskettes to play on the Amiga back in 1992, others claim that this is a different situation and it is not fair to compare the two, as the floppy discs were capable of storing far fewer data. To compare, LeChuck’s Revenge is approximately the size of a single MP3-formatted music file today.
Microsoft Flight Simulator will release for PC and Xbox One on August 18, with copies of the physical edition estimated to ship on August 21. Two physical versions are available, with the more expensive Deluxe Edition featuring additional planes and airports. However, both the Standard and Deluxe versions will arrive on the promised ten DVDs.
