It's almost time to take flight in Microsoft Flight Simulator. We imagine that many of you are cranking up your engines and preparing for takeoff, with the game's August 18 release date looming.
You may want to stay firm when exiting your runway until you know the exact time to unlock Microsoft Flight Simulator. Its release time depends on whether you purchased it from Steam or the Microsoft Store, and even then the times vary depending on your time zone.
If you're not sure when it's available to play in your area, we're here to help.
What is the exact release time of Microsoft Flight Simulator on Steam?
If you purchased the game on Steam, the unlock time is universal. Microsoft Flight Simulator will be available for download at midnight EST, no matter where you live. To save you the trouble of determining the time in your part of the world, we have provided a list of the most common time zones below:
- 21 p.m. PT (Monday, August 17)
- 1 am BRT
- 5h BST
- 6pm CEST
- 7h MSK
- 13h JST
- 14h00 AEST
- 16 h NZT
What is the exact unlock time in the Microsoft Store?
If you purchased Microsoft Flight Simulator from the Microsoft Store, regional unlock times may appear to vary, but they are not. The deployment will use the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time zone, but to avoid confusion Microsoft Flight Simulator will be released at midnight on Tuesday, August 18, regardless of the time zone you live in.
For example, Microsoft Flight Simulator starts at 7 a.m. UTC in the Western United States time zone, which is equivalent to 12 p.m. PT. It comes out at 23 p.m. UTC in the UK (12 p.m. BST), 4 a.m. UTC in the eastern US time zone (12 p.m. ET), etc.
