Choose X-Plane 11
Choose X-Plane 11 if you want the Tracked Controller Support side of the pairing. 8,762 Steam reviews back the pick.
X-Plane 11 vs aerofly RC 8
X-Plane 11 and aerofly RC 8 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. X-Plane 11 (2017) is 4 years older than aerofly RC 8 (2021). X-Plane 11 scores higher on Steam reviews (92.2% positive) than aerofly RC 8 (78.6% 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 aerofly RC 8
Choose aerofly RC 8 if you want the Shared/Split Screen and LAN PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. aerofly RC 8 launched in 2021.
Both X-Plane 11 and aerofly RC 8 sit in Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and PvP, 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
 X-Plane 11 |  aerofly RC 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Simulation | Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 29.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 92.2% positive (8,762 reviews) | 78.6% positive (56 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Laminar Research | IPACS |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- X-Plane 11 (2017) is 4 years older than aerofly RC 8 (2021).
- X-Plane 11 scores higher on Steam reviews (92.2% positive) than aerofly RC 8 (78.6% positive).
- Both are Deck Playable.
X-Plane 11 vs aerofly RC 8 — FAQ
- Should I play X-Plane 11 or aerofly RC 8 first?
- If you want chronology, X-Plane 11 (2017) came out before aerofly RC 8 (2021). 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 X-Plane 11 and aerofly RC 8 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.