Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is getting its ‘Sim 5’ update soon, which is slated to bring PSVR 2 support to the PS5 version of the game.
MFS ’24 has been available on PC with full VR support since late 2024. Late last year though, developer Asobo Studio revealed that the PS5 version of the game would be getting PSVR 2 support some point after launch.
Now, the studio revealed PSVR 2 support is slated to arrive with the free Sim 5 update coming in April.
Note: the video below is a compilation of clips revealed in the PS blog post.
In a PS blog post, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann details just what went into creating the PSVR 2 mode:
“Cockpit interactions in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are complex. There are so many different instruments, knobs, and switches to interact with. Every interaction model had to be redesigned to fit the PS VR2 Sense controllers to action them in a natural and intuitive manner,” says Neumann.
While Sense controller-supported cockpits add a layer of complexity, Neumann explains that maintaining a smooth framerate for such a visually demanding game was a challenge in its own right.
“Getting foveated rendering with Flexible Scaled Rasterization right was quite a challenge,” says Neumann. “It impacts the entirety of the rendering pipeline, and subtle off-by-on-pixel bugs during development could result in dramatic quality issues.”
The PSVR 2 mode, which is said to support the game’s 125 different aircraft, also relies on frame duplication to increase perceived frame rate, Neumann says.
“Another tech developed specifically for PS VR2 support was frame duplication, where the render thread would iterate twice for one frame of the main thread, updating the camera position in-between. This technical approach was another key in achieving the framerate needed for PS VR2 support.”
The studio says Sim 5 should launch as a free update sometime in April, although there’s no exact release date yet.
Simulation Daily got a chance to go hands-on with a beta version over the weekend at the MSFS 2024 booth during FSWeekend 2026 in Lelystad, Netherlands, which includes a 10-minute video of their impressions.
“I wasn’t expecting the level of spectacle you’ll see in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on a $4000 PC, but the PS5 version absolutely punches above its weight when paired with PlayStation VR2, likely in part due to the headset’s technological prowess,” Simulation Daily’s Giuseppe Nelva notes.
You can check out Nelva’s hands-on below, which notably was shown working with the standard DualSense gamepad.
