Earlier this week I wrote about the marketplace scandal rearing its head in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Fast forward a few days and we have action.

It's all centered around a single vendor, Mscenery, who is – there's no other word for it – scamming people. Poor quality work riddled with issues, AI imagery, and highly suspicious ratings are all on the table.

After the issue was receiving significant attention online, Microsoft has provided an update, and it's good news; Mscenery is being given the old heave-ho. The Microsoft Flight Simulator Community Manager has posted the following message on the official forums.

We want to share an important update regarding content available in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 in-game Marketplaces.

Over time, we have received a significant amount of feedback from the community regarding products developed by Mscenery. After receiving a large number of complaints about the 1) low quality of Mscenery content, 2) lacking information in product descriptions and misleading images and 3) validity of high user scores, we have made the decision to stop offering Mscenery content for sale in the Marketplace, effective immediately.

For customers who have already purchased Mscenery products, please be assured that your existing purchases will remain accessible and usable as usual. This change only affects new sales of their content within the Marketplace.

We greatly value the feedback and engagement from the flight simulation community, and decisions like this are not made lightly. Your input continues to play a critical role in helping us maintain a high-quality and trusted Marketplace experience for all simmers.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us improve Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Sincerely,
The Microsoft Flight Simulator Team

In this instance, it's a win for the community, and the marketplace will look immediately a little better. What we need to see going forward, though, are processes to ensure it doesn't happen again.

This message, while one Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 fans will be ecstatic to hear, doesn't talk about what may or may not happen on this front. But one step at a time – the scammer is gone.

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Forza Horizon 6 is not a serious sim. It's the best example of an arcade racer you can play right now, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth playing with a racing wheel. In fact, it becomes a whole new experience ditching the controller. Drifting is more fun; cruising is more fun. Everything is just more fun!

Racing wheels can be pricey, though, but if you're not seriously getting into sim racing and want a cheap but still good-quality wheel for Forza Horizon 6, look no further than this. Right now on Amazon Prime Day you can pick up a Thrustmaster TMX for just $89.99, and at that money, this really is a no-brainer.

Does it have all the bells and whistles on? No, not at all. But for a beginner, or a casual player, this is plenty of wheel at a price you just don't normally see outside of the used market.

It has the full 900-degree rotation and is plug-and-play with both Xbox consoles and PC. The included pedals are basic but serviceable, and you always have the option to upgrade to a better set of Thrustmaster pedals down the line.

The only thing really missing is a clutch, so you can't pair this wheel with an H-pattern shifter, but the paddles are all you really need to get going in Forza Horizon 6, anyway.

You don't need a proper wheel stand or rig, either; this entry-level wheel will be perfectly OK mounted to a regular desk.

As an additional bonus, this is also a pretty solid starter wheel for American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2, as highlighted by my colleague, Ben Wilson. Though you will need to upgrade the pedals if you want to indulge in manual shifting.

For $90 this is an incredible value package, and it won't be around for long. Prime Day ends at close of play on June 26, and this is one you don't want to miss out on.

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I recently got into playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and I get it. I really do. There's a massive dedicated community around this Microsoft franchise, and even as a beginner I see why. The sky is the limit, and yes, pun intended.

You can quite happily get along and have a great time playing on PC, Xbox or PS5 with just a controller, but I guarantee the bug will catch and catch quickly. Before long you'll want to up the ante and make the experience more realistic. I'm not saying you'll build a full cockpit, not right away at least! But you'll probably be yearning for a flight stick, yoke, maybe even some rudder pedals.

If you're looking for a game to really sink some time into, this is one of the best decisions you could make, even if you've never thought it would be for you. While Amazon Prime Day is going on, it is also a perfect time to jump in with both feet and get yourself some good hardware to get started with or upgrade an existing setup.

Flight stick FAQ

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