Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) first released in 2006, which makes the original simulator 19 years old as of 2026. If you mean FSX: Steam Edition, that version arrived in 2014, so it is 11 years old in 2026.
What year did FSX come out?
The original version of FSX launched in 2006. That is the release most simmers are referring to when they ask how old FSX is.
- Original FSX: released in 2006
- FSX: Steam Edition: released in 2014
So if you are talking about the classic boxed or disc-era simulator, the simple answer is: FSX is 19 years old in 2026.
Why do people give different answers?
We often see different ages quoted because FSX and FSX: Steam Edition are related but not the same release.
- FSX is the original Microsoft release from 2006.
- FSX: Steam Edition is the later re-release from 2014.
That means both answers can be correct, depending on which version someone means.
How to work out the age of FSX
- Take the original release year: 2006.
- Compare it with the current year: 2026.
- The difference is 19 years.
For Steam Edition, you do the same calculation from 2014, which gives 11 years in 2026.
Is FSX considered old now?
Yes. By flight simulation standards, FSX is now a very old platform. Even so, it is still remembered fondly because it had a huge add-on ecosystem, ran on a wide range of PCs, and introduced many people to serious civil flight simulation.
It also remains relevant because many classic aircraft, scenery packs and utilities were built around it, and many simmers still compare newer platforms back to FSX when discussing performance, visuals and add-on compatibility.
Quick answer
- How old is FSX? 19 years old in 2026.
- How old is FSX: Steam Edition? 11 years old in 2026.
- What year did FSX release? 2006.