X-Plane 11 is going for half off ahead of X-Plane 12 release

Laminar Research is getting ready to soon go gears up with the release of the long-awaited X-Plane 12. To tide things over and give newcomers a reason to look forward to the upcoming simulator, it’s decided to introduce a limited time, half-off sale for the digital version of X-Plane 11. According to the Steam listing for X-Plane 11, this discount will last until August 19.

Originally released in 2017, X-Plane 11 continued the long-running franchise by bringing advancements with its virtual world, weather engine, aircraft simulation and sophisticated modeling. It made a name for itself with a number of complex add-ons that some simmers feel best represent “study-level” content. Essentially, the aircraft in X-Plane 11 is advanced enough to be used for some soft training purposes.

One more victory lap

X-Plane 11 was outfitted a few years ago with support for Vulkan/Metal, which brought with it some improvements to its graphics engine. Utilities like ReShade can further advance the sim, along with plenty of scenery packs that completely overhaul its look and feel.

The announcement blurb for the X-Plane 11 sale price describes the incoming X-Plane 12 as being on “short final,” which is pilot terminology for an aircraft that is only a few short miles away from its landing zone. The development team further teases the new sim’s near arrival by saying that those who choose to purchase its predecessor at the discounted price will probably “not be using this version for quite as long because a new version will soon be available!”

How soon is “soon”?

That said, the term “soon” is quite relative. Soon could mean a few months from now, but even one year from now can still qualify as soon in game development terms. Laminar has yet to commit to a dedicated release date for X-Plane 12. But this move to drum up hype around the brand does seem to indicate that it is nearing a release of some sort.

The new X-Plane 12 promises to build upon its predecessor’s legacy with a further overhauled graphics engine, advanced aircraft avionics, a more robust weather engine with realistic effects, improved water simulation for seaplanes, and lots more.

The latest trailer for the new sim provides a fresh look at the Cessna Citation X, a well-known business jet that will be coming to X-Plane 12. The trailer shows off some stunning views from the sim, showing just how far its come. It will be interesting to see just how much visual fidelity is retained and if it’ll require a few add-ons, as is the case with X-Plane 11.

In the meantime, however, you can nab X-Plane 11  as a standalone release from its own website or via Steam. Interestingly enough, only the Steam listing mentions that the sale only lasts until August 19. This begs the question if the standalone digital edition will retain this 50% price cut. It’s either that or just some inconsistency in communication.