World Update 6 for Microsoft Flight Simulator has released and it brings with it an upgraded Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as a series of updates aimed at the core of the flight sim. There are, unfortunately, some more issues to confront during the update process. So… let’s have a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.
World Update 6
The latest update for Microsoft Flight Simulator includes core updates and a new region with plenty of new updates for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. As with previous World Updates, these are free and optionally downloaded from the in-game Marketplace.
The update comes with a flashy trailer which always looks great. Have a look here!
Included in the update are around 100 handcrafted points of interest, four new bush trips, new landing challenges, new handcrafted airports and both satellite and elevation data updates.
There’s also a lot of focus on updates to the core of the sim that include stability fixes and a variety of bug fixes to address issues that came with the last update. That all sounds good and I’m looking forward to being able to fly Flight Simulator more consistently after some of the challenges that I’ve been facing since the last update. More, I’ve already heard from some content creators that performance is looking good and that some of the crashes they were having before have stopped.
The full changelog is available here.
That sounds good but here is where the proverbial shoe drops because there’s a problem with the update system that may be preventing you from getting the update. Here’s what we know.
Update problems
There’s a problem with the update system where the Windows Store update doesn’t seem to be seeing the necessary update. Start the sim, it will tell you that you need a store update, you go to the store and it says that you’re up to date.
There’s a workaround that MSFS Support suggests to try and solve the problem.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be fixing the problem for everyone. I followed the steps to install the new Xbox app (replacing the old one), restarted my system and … nothing. So, I will not be testing the update out tonight unfortunately.
Readers of Stormbirds.blog know that I am overwhelmingly positive in my outlook on sims and I like to approach issues like these with the bigger picture in mind. That said, this is the second update that has been problematic in the last several weeks and it, together with all of the stability problems that Sim Update 5 introduced, has me extremely frustrated with the sim. I’ve really enjoyed flying it and exploring the world and I hope to be doing that again sometime soon but right now it’s just not working. It hasn’t been working properly for weeks.
The Windows Store needs to be updated and the entire Flight Simulator Update process needs to be broken out of the sim and into a separate app. Performance of the download system needs to be improved and the whole thing needs some attention. I hope it gets it and soon!
Update: It’s working over here
I’m making some progress with this update. Restarted a couple more times, relaunched the new Xbox app and the update started there without a problem. If you’re struggling with the Windows Store, it’s unclear if that will still work going forward but the new Xbox app available from the Windows Store will apparently work. Mine is now!
Stormbirds 
Make sure you get the “XBox app”, not the XBox game bar app….If only this was more complicated!
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Yep. I’ve got the new XBox app (not to be confused with the game bar). No dice!
We definitely need some more complexities in life so they threw us this curve ball 😉
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This was the last straw for me. Maybe in a year I will go back to mfs2020. But as of now it’s just a headache. Crappy in-game flight planning gimmicky interfaces. No tutorials for non hobbiest. Crappy rail like flight models. The only thing this game has going for it is visual. I’ll come back when Microsoft pulls it’s brain case out of it’s fourth point of contact I’m done. Uninstalled
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No joy with the Xbox app. The sim won’t play. Planet earth is blue and there is nothing I can do.
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With the new Xbox app or the old one? The old one won’t work.
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Both I’m just sick of the shoddy work and lack of basic quality.. I do respect the difficulty of programming but this is beyond a minor issue. And should have been caught before release. Honestly I don’t have much faith in msfs 2020 team as the flight models are so sub pat for a franchise that the FAA used to accept as flight time during civilian pilot training.
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It has been a disappointing run in recent months to a technically impressive sim that is filled with potential.
Flight models is a whole other topic to cover sometime.
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Thanks for getting the CORRECT information out regarding the update issues. I spent hours trying to perform other recommended solutions prior to finding this. Good job folks.
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Writing an follow-up article that will hopefully help folks with this issue. It’s a frustrating one!
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I agree that flight models are another topic. But I believe it is a important topic. As this is a flight simulator to put it simply if feels more like warthunder than il2 or DCS. While I will assume it is ajusted for Xbox. But pc should at least have access to proper flight models.
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It’s a big subject matter. It’s important to look at all of the options out there. I think IL-2 and DCS do the best at making me feel like I’m in the airplane. X-Plane is very good at some nuances of flight and hitting some key numbers. MSFS has some areas that it feels a little off on, however, of all of them it has the best interaction between flight model and weather and wind models. So… there’s good and bad to be found in all. It’s not a deal breaker for me.
The patching system has been a difficult one a few times now and while it’s also not a dealbreaker for me – it definitely is a source of frustration for sure.
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Lots of issues I know, but anyone who comes up with workarounds, is a hero in my book. Well done to all!
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No issues updating here. It took me to the MS Store and it was not at all obvious. I did have to install the XBOX app to my PC, thanks for that hint. From it I picked updates. It downloaded something. I then started MSFS and it presented the mandatory update. No rebooting required.
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Great news Lee! I’m glad that it was working well for you. It’s been a tougher go for some but others have had smooth sailing too.
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Using the throw a dart and see what happens method. I got mine to install the update and run using the Invidia game launcher.
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I got out of the loop! I seriously hope this will help at least somebody. Uninstalles the XBox app, rebooted then reinstalled it. Got a message XBox was missing a vital component. Installed it then restarted MSFS2020. It updated,
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I’ve read recently even logging out and then back in again will help. It’s been a rough road for sure.
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How I eventually reinstalled and updated MSFS – My Story
I was excited to get the DVD Premium Deluxe version of MSFS 2020 as a birthday present when it came out in 2020. Installed the DVDs on my slightly under specification I5. Then to the infamous MS Store to complete the installation. No joy. It wouldn’t download. No error message. I followed all the online advice and nothing worked. Eventually, I assumed the problem was my underspecified PC. My copy gathered dust for a year. Then, about six weeks ago, I got a shiny new Ryzen 5 machine with 32 GB and an 8GB graphics card and tried again. Same problem! After hours of trying to solve the problem, I get MS on the phone (how, you may well ask). I was flipped back and forth between MS and the Xbox team for more than two hours and finally, they had me carry out a Windows Reset. It wasn’t too big a deal. I hadn’t yet installed much on the new machine at that point. Anyway, it worked and I was able to install MSFS.
Joy. The eye candy was worth it.
I had logged about 6 hours when the mandatory September update was released. Now the fun (not) began again.
The update was not presented in the MS Store as promised. After following endless online suggestions and all the instructions from Zendesk, I still could not fly. An online post suggested terminating Gaming Services. This allowed the sim to function without the update!
Not satisfied with this, I continued pressing for a solution. Zendesk said reinstall, so . . with trepidation, I tried to reinstall MSFS . . and, yes, you guessed it, the MS Store download failed.
This time with an error code. I did get MS on the telephone again. I was transferred to the Xbox people but they didn’t answer and eventually cut the line. Tried everything suggested online.
Clutching at straws, I made just enough space on my C drive to install the sim, and bing, the download commenced. I have no idea why this should work.
After a minute or two, the sim started! Then it gave me the option of installing the bulk of the 130 plus GBs on another drive.
I remain perplexed, but I am flying again.
I hope this helps others who have been cast into a pit of rage, gloom, and despair by the sloppy testing and apparent disinterest of – who? Microsoft? Xbox? Asobo? I expect they are all pointing fingers at each other.
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So this is the third time an “Update Available” screen has rendered this brand new, high value, top of the line components installed, home built computer useless. Fortunately I still have my gaming laptop with FSX on my desk. This allows me to not only fly around with pretty good graphics and all my saved locations, but I get a full compliment of helicopters to fly around. NOW ! I am still VERY disappointed with the lapses in usage with MSFS 2020, miss the awesome scenery and realistic plane flight characteristics, but I’m sure someday the service interruptions will end.
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Hopefully they can sort out the patching system. It’s not just MSFS but the ecosystem that it exists in with the Windows Store and now the XBox App that seems to really struggle with this.
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