Microsoft Flight Simulator has all the airports on earth Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Microsoft Flight Simulator has all the airports on earth Sky's the limit. News by Wesley Yin-Poole Deputy Editorial Director Updated on 22 Feb 2020 38 comments Microsoft Flight Simulator has all the airports in the world, its developers have said. 37,000 airports were manually edited by the developers. In the video below, Sven Mestas, lead game designer at French studio Asobo reveals the astonishing work done by its airport team, which expanded on the 24,000 simulated airports in 2006's FSX, to the hugely ambitious target set for this year's game. Expect to see airports of all types, from small countryside airstrips to iconic international airports, from airports nestled in small islands to airports adjacent to cities. Airports shown in the video include the Szombathely Airfield in Bulgaria, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Aspen Pitkin County Airport. The developers used a three-step process and a specially created tool to edit the thousands of airports in the game. First up, the developers trace logical elements straight onto the Bing aerial view map (yes, Bing - this is Microsoft after all). Then they draw the airport perimeter, followed by the runway, defining taxiways and placing parking spots according to real world data. Secondly, the developers define surfaces. And finally, post-processing is automatically applied via algorithm. The airports in the game are incredibly detailed. They even have animated wind socks that change direction according to the virtual wind. Asobo gave more attention to 80 of the most-played airports, including our own Gatwick, naming taxiways and signs according to official data. Airport life is simulated, too, with people walking about and vehicles going about their business on the roads - day and night. Microsoft Flight Simulator continues to look incredible. Earlier this month I reported on impressive gameplay footage that leaked from the ongoing, non-disclosure agreement-protected Microsoft Flight Simulator alpha. That footage was eventually pulled from YouTube by Microsoft, but official videos show off the hotly-anticipated game in an equally positive light. Halo Infinite may be Microsoft's big Xbox game for this Christmas, but I'm more pumped for Microsoft Flight Simulator. And the first thing I'm going to do when I get my hands on the game is see if it's got what remains of Croydon Airport! Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store