Dovetail Games, the creators of the Train Simulator franchise, announced that it has obtained licensing rights to Microsoft's Flight Simulator series.
The British video game developer also said it plans to release a new game in 2015 that will be made with technology from Microsoft Flight Simulator, according to Polygon. A Dovetail representative added, however, that the product will not be released as a Microsoft Flight simulator game.
"We are very proud of the strong community we have created around the Train Simulator series of products, and we are looking forward to extending our knowledge and experience into working closely with the flight simulation community," said Steve Bainbridge, COO of Dovetail. "We know that they are a very knowledgeable, passionate and committed group of individuals and we welcome their feedback and involvement as we start to create the next generation of games in this area."
In addition to the new game, Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Gold Edition, the most recent title in the franchise, will be brought to Steam by Dovetail, PC Magazine reported. The game will be given a new title: Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition.
"I am delighted to be working in partnership with Microsoft as part of this agreement," said Paul Jackson, CEO of Dovetail. "We are thrilled to be exploring new flight simulation opportunities using Microsoft's technology, and look forward to using our extensive expertise of Steam publishing to successfully bring Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition to a broad new audience on the Steam platform. This partnership is perfectly timed to support our expansion into new areas of simulation."
Dovetail's plans to adjust from running simulations for driving trains to running those for flying planes has yet to be revealed. Flight Simulator X is currently used globally by amateur pilots, who run simulations with beginner air traffic controllers that guide them through procedures pilots go through in the real world.
