Microsoft Flight Simulator (often abbreviated as
MSFS or
FS) is a series of
flight simulator programs, marketed as
video games, for the
Microsoft Windows, and earlier the
MS-DOS,
operating systems. It is one of the longest-running, best-known and most comprehensive home flight simulator programs on the market. It was an early product in the
Microsoft application portfolio and differed significantly from Microsoft's other software, which was largely business-oriented. At 25 years it is the longest-running software product line for Microsoft, predating
Windows by three years. Microsoft Flight Simulator may be the longest-running
PC game series of all time. In January 2009, it was reported by PCWorld that Microsoft closed down the
ACES Game Studio, which was the department responsible for creating and maintaining the flight simulator series.