Asobo Studio has delivered what is arguably the most compelling argument for the PS VR2 in a long time. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will soon receive a free VR upgrade, including native support for the Sense controllers. The Flight Simulator team is working on a deep integration for the PS VR2 that goes far beyond a simple visual update.
For owners of the headset, this means a completely new sense of dimensions and physical interaction with the complex cockpits of over 125 aircraft.
Cockpit revolution and technical innovations
The first sentence of the update leaves no room for doubt: The update will change the way we “Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024“Experience it on consoles, fundamentally changing it. ‘Gran Turismo 7’ served as one of the inspirations.”
According to Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the implementation was anything but trivial. The biggest problem with a simulation of this depth is the interaction. Anyone who has ever sat in front of the wall of switches in a Boeing 737 knows that a gamepad quickly reaches its limits. For the PS VR2, all interaction models were redesigned. The Sense controllers are intended to feel like real hands, allowing users to intuitively press buttons, pull levers, and operate dials.
Technically speaking, Asobo pulls out all the stops to tame the title's performance demands:
- Foveated Rendering: Thanks to the PS VR2's eye tracking, only the area that the player is directly looking at is rendered in sharp focus.
- Frame Duplication: A specially developed technique ensures the necessary stability of the frame rate by precisely updating camera positions between calculation cycles.
#msfs2024 #psvr2 pic.twitter.com/QkUlkvNJdm
— PlayFront (@Playfront_de) March 21, 2026
PS VR2 is more than just a gimmick
What distinguishes the VR experience from the classic screen-based version, according to the developers, is the sense of scale. In VR, you don't just "see" a rock face – you feel its massive presence when flying just a few meters past it in a helicopter. The comparison to "Gran Turismo 7" is particularly interesting. Just as sitting in the cockpit of a race car in that game raised immersion to a new level, the Flight Simulator aims to revolutionize the judging of landing approaches and flying through storms through its depth perception.
The choice of showcase aircraft is interesting. While the Boeing 737-8 presented the biggest technical hurdle due to its cockpit complexity, the Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter offers the best all-around visibility thanks to its enormous glass canopy. For adrenaline junkies, the Red Bull Air Races in VR are also intended to open up a completely new dimension of orientation, as you can physically turn your head into the turn to aim for the next pylon.
The release of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is one of the most important updates this year for the PS VR2 community, which has recently been desperately searching for "system sellers." The fact that Microsoft and Asobo are going to the trouble of natively adapting the complex controls to VR hardware shows that this is no cheap port. If the performance lives up to the technical specifications, Flight Simulator 2024 could become the ultimate VR experience on the PS5 – provided you have the stomach for the Red Bull Air Races.
What about you: Is VR support the deciding factor for you to buy Flight Simulator, or do you prefer to stick with the classic setup on the TV?
That moment when Microsoft makes more PS VR 2 games than Sony.
Mike drop
Release in early 2026? Can we still speak of early 2026 in mid- to late March?
Yup
When the update comes out, I'll buy the MS Flight Simulator.