Microsoft Flight Simulator's Glitches Reveal Infrastructure Fragility

Scheduled for 2024, the new Microsoft Flight Simulator, crafted by Asobo Studio and released by Microsoft, reflects both the aspirations and vulnerabilities of corporate digital frameworks. This iteration features a 30-gigabyte installation, significantly down from the previous 150 gigabytes, and players encounter issues such as extended loading times and geographic discrepancies. Utilizing Bing Maps satellite imagery, the game also incorporates real-time weather updates from Meteoblue. Microsoft's $10 billion cloud computing agreement with the Pentagon underscores its infrastructure ambitions. The experience evokes artistic critiques of mediated realities, akin to Doug Rickard's photographic works and Harun Farocki's films. Despite its breathtaking graphics, glitches expose the delicate nature of digital systems dependent on reliable internet and climate-sensitive data centers. This analysis was penned by Lewis Gordon for ArtReview.