Microsoft’s Flight Simulator received a patch that significantly reduces the size of the game’s initial download. According to the Sim Update 4 release notes (patch 1.16.20.0), performance optimizations shrink the base game package from about 170 GB to roughly 83 GB.
What changed in Sim Update 4
The update delivers new performance optimizations that cut the volume of the game base nearly in half. While the reduced 83 GB package is a substantial improvement for users with limited internet bandwidth, the simulator still requires a large amount of disk space: the game’s system requirements list a minimum of 150 GB for installation, per Microsoft’s specifications.
Other fixes and improvements
Beyond the download-size reduction, the patch includes multiple quality-of-life and technical fixes. The release notes mention navigation improvements, crash corrections, graphical adjustments and technical optimizations such as balance changes to some aircraft models. The full list of changes is available in the update details here.
About the game
Released for PC in August 2020, the latest Flight Simulator is available on Steam and the Microsoft Store and is due to arrive on Xbox Series X/S. The simulator uses satellite data and high-resolution mapping to deliver an advanced level of realism and scale.
Players can visit more than 37,000 airports, fly over approximately 1.5 billion buildings and see detailed landscapes across millions of cities. The game also integrates real-time weather updates that influence gameplay, including temperature changes and variations in wind speed and direction, as well as events like rain and hurricanes.
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