August 31st, 2023 Development Update - Microsoft Flight Simulator

This week’s Screenshot Challenge winner is Forum user AN2Felllla. If you’re interested in participating in our weekly Screenshot Challenges, check out the details in the Community section below!

Yesterday, we released a new test build to those enrolled in the ongoing Sim Update 13 public beta. You can read the release notes for this new build, version 1.34.13.0, on our forums here.

We have been very closely monitoring reports from SU13 testers regarding an issue with long loading times that can occur when certain Marketplace products are installed. The dev team is making progress on this issue, but a fix was not included with the 1.34.13.0 build. Thank you to all the beta testers who have reported and submitted information about this bug. Your contributions have been extremely helpful to us.

Finally, the MSFS Team would like to congratulate our friends and colleagues at Bethesda Game Studios on the release of Starfield! Whether you’re planning to spend the upcoming weekend flying in a plane around the world or flying in a spaceship across the Settled Systems, the sky — and stars — are calling!

– MSFS Team

Development Roadmap

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Development Roadmap.

Marketplace Update

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Marketplace Update.

There are 14 new and 19 updated products in today’s Marketplace Update. Thursday’s Marketplace update generally goes live before 5pm PT.

19 NEW PRODUCTS: 10 ON PC, 9 ON XBOX
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
	New on PC

33 UPDATED PRODUCTS: 16 ON PC, 17 ON XBOX
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox

Marketplace Backlog

Current Backlog: 565 Total*

*The MS test process is currently going through iteration, so our backlog numbers are fluctuating.

BACKLOG: NEW PRODUCTS

	*Testing Status*
Content Type	Initial Processing and Validation by MS	Handed off to 3P for Functional Testing	Functional Testing in Progress by 3P	Functional Testing Signed off by 3P	Total
Aircraft	77	3	0	0	80
Mission	26	16	6	0	48
Scenery	69	13	3	2	87
Livery	38	2	2	0	42
Airport	84	7	7	0	98
Other	47	13	4	0	64
Total	341	54	22	2	419

BACKLOG: UPDATED PRODUCTS

	*Testing Status*
Content Type	Initial Processing and Validation by MS	Handed off to 3P for Functional Testing	Functional Testing in Progress by 3P	Functional Testing Signed off by 3P	Total
Aircraft	34	4	1	0	39
Mission	2	0	0	0	2
Scenery	7	0	1	0	8
Livery	46	0	0	0	46
Airport	30	16	0	0	46
Other	5	0	0	0	5
Total	124	20	2	0	146

SDK & THIRD PARTY UPDATE

The SDK and Third Party Updates will return in a future Development Update blog.

Community Fly-In

To celebrate Malaysia’s Independence Day of August 31 (known locally as Hari Merdeka), this week our Community Fly-In will be to this beautiful country in Southeast Asia. We will depart from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, home to the renowned Petronas Twin Towers and the recently-completed Merdeka 118, the second-tallest building in the world (after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa). From KL, we will fly along a generally northbound heading to Penang, one of Malaysia’s top tourist destinations and a region known internationally for its delectable cuisine.

Event details are available here. All are welcome to participate!

Community Video

We’ve loved watching players attempt the Red Bull Bullseye Landing Challenge since its release last month. Recently on YouTube, creator Aaron Rheins posted a highlight video showing many landing challenge attempts from his viewers. These attempts range from good, to not-so-good, to great, to simply amazing. The last clip in this video in particular left us in awe at the flying skill of some members of the Microsoft Flight Simulator community. Luke Czepiela, the Red Bull pilot who completed this landing in the real world, would undoubtedly be impressed by some of these attempts. Check it out!