Choose DCS World Steam Edition
Choose DCS World Steam Edition if you want a Free To Play game with Online PvP, Online Co-op, and LAN PvP. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.6% positive across 22,692 reviews.
DCS World Steam Edition vs Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition
DCS World Steam Edition and Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition both land in Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Simulation games on Steam. DCS World Steam Edition (2013) is 7 years older than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (2020). DCS World Steam Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (84.6% positive) than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (78% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition
Choose Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition if you want the HDR available side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 43,584 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both DCS World Steam Edition and Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition sit in Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player and VR Supported, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 DCS World Steam Edition |  Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2020 |
| Genres | Simulation, Free To Play | Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | 59.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.6% positive (22,692 reviews) | 78% positive (43,584 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Eagle Dynamics SA | Asobo Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- DCS World Steam Edition (2013) is 7 years older than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (2020).
- DCS World Steam Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (84.6% positive) than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (78% positive).
- DCS World Steam Edition is free; Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition is paid (59.99 USD).
- DCS World Steam Edition has co-op; Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
DCS World Steam Edition vs Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition — FAQ
- Which is better, DCS World Steam Edition or Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?
- On Steam reviews DCS World Steam Edition scores higher (84.6% positive) than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (78% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, DCS World Steam Edition is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play DCS World Steam Edition or Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition first?
- If you want chronology, DCS World Steam Edition (2013) came out before Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (2020). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are DCS World Steam Edition and Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition similar?
- They overlap on Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Is DCS World Steam Edition free?
- Yes — DCS World Steam Edition is a free-to-play Steam title. Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition is paid (59.99 USD).