Choose Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition
Choose Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 86% positive across 14,050 reviews.
Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition vs Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition
Microsoft Flight Simulator X: 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. Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition (2014) is 6 years older than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (2020). Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (86% 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 VR Supported and 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 Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition and Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition sit in Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, 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
 Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition |  Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2020 |
| Genres | Simulation | Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 59.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86% positive (14,050 reviews) | 78% positive (43,584 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Microsoft Game Studios | Asobo Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition (2014) is 6 years older than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (2020).
- Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (86% positive) than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (78% positive).
- Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition is currently ~58% cheaper on Steam than Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (24.99 USD vs. 59.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition is Deck Unsupported, Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition is Deck Playable.
Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition vs Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition — FAQ
- Which is better, Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition or Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?
- On Steam reviews Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition scores higher (86% 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, Microsoft Flight Simulator X: 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 Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition or Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition first?
- If you want chronology, Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition (2014) 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 Microsoft Flight Simulator X: 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.