More and more Microsoft Flight Simulator fans are asking for a Sailing Simulator. Is it feasible?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was recently released, and despite its initial negative reception and high prices, the game, available on PCs and Xbox, has been a success so far.

Thousands of players rushed to try the game within hours of release, which caused a server crash, making accessing impossible, hence the negative reception. But otherwise, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 brought a new wave of flying enthusiasts into the spotlight.

The game, which employs real-life airports, airplanes, and flying routes, is the closest thing to learning how to fly without taking all the risks and hardships that come with it.

That’s precisely why people are asking for a similar simulator but with other means of transportation. Last fall, we pondered the idea of a Microsoft Truck Simulator after dozens of people expressed a desire for such a game. And the truth is, it could happen, as it would allow Microsoft to promote Bing Maps.

Now, weeks after the release of MFS 2024, people in the community wonder if Microsoft would ever develop a Sailing Simulator.

Would it be feasible? Let’s take a look.

First of all, while the Sailing Simulator community is smaller than the others, several such simulators are on the market, and they’re played by hundreds of thousands of users, collectively speaking.

eSail Sailing Simulator, for example, has almost one thousand reviews on Steam, and this is just one simulator on one platform. Sea of Thieves, another exceptionally popular game, incorporates many sailing simulator mechanics and has a vast community. On Steam alone, it passes 200000 reviews.

So, while the sailing simulator community might be smaller, it’s still considerable, and a Microsoft Sailing Simulator would attract a big chunk of that community.

Then, the Redmond-based tech giant could use its existing Microsoft Flight Simulator to build the sailing one, so there wouldn’t be many development costs. Along with a possible Truck Simulator, the Sailing Simulator could also use Bing Maps, which could be a perfect opportunity for Microsoft to promote it.

Similar to the Flying Simulator, which features many airplanes and airships, a possible Sailing Simulator could also focus on sailing with different types of boats, yachts, or cruises. These elements are sold differently in MFS, and despite their high price, they are a commercial success. The Sailing Simulator could follow the same model to become another source of revenue for Microsoft.

On Reddit, most agree.

I still fly on my PC with MSFS, and I can’t help but believe a mod for MS Flight Simulator to incorporate sailing simulation into the current MSFS game would be a much easier and much better solution than a stand alone sailing simulator. Nobody is going to be able to compete with the visuals, world modeling and weather modeling of MSFS, but someone could take advantage of those things and build on it.

Said this before somewhere … they should change the name to just Microsoft Simulator and have flight, sailing, shipping, trains, trucking, submarines, … and whatever else people can think of.

There isn’t any Microsoft Sailing Simulator because of the lack of proper water simulations. To achieve the same level of realism that is present in Microsoft Flying Simulator, the Redmond-based tech giant would have to make sure that seas, oceans, and rivers look and act natural.

However, with the way graphics are advancing, it is just a matter of time until such a simulator is released.

Would you play it?