February 10, 2020 The leaked alpha footage has now been removed. Original story follows.
Most of us still have to wait a bit until we get a chance to play Microsoft Flight Simulator, but a select few have gotten access to the technical alpha, and at least one YouTuber has posted gameplay footage captured from the test build.
A YouTuber who goes by Jose Carlos has published two videos that together show off nearly an hour of footage from the tech alpha for Microsoft Flight Simulator. One video is of a fairly uneventful rural takeoff and landing in a Diamond DA62, while the other video is a bit more dramatic, showcasing some of Flight Simulator’s impressive weather tech as our pilot navigates through a dense thunderstorm in a TBM 900.
It’s important to note that posting this footage appears to be a direct breach of the non-disclosure agreement users effectively sign by taking part in the technical alpha tests Microsoft has run for Flight Simulator. The NDA specifically prohibits posting “photos, videos, or audio recordings” on “any venue,” and even goes so far as to ban you from letting other people in the same room even watch while you play.
And so, at least until Microsoft discovers it, here’s the footage:
Carlos may not be a professional pilot, but fortunately for him, Flight Simulator has been built to be accessible to everyone who wants to fly – “Leave no pilot behind” is the goal, according to development lead Jorg Neumann, who spoke to us at XO19 last year.
You can also also see from the video how all the control surfaces and displays in the cockpit are working in real time, which will be handy for when the VR version of Flight Simulator becomes available. And those cockpit interiors still look very, very good.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is due out later this year.