Editing Microsoft Flight Simulator (section)

===Closure of the Aces Game Studio===
{{See also|Aces Game Studio}}
On January 22, 2009, it was reported that the development team was heavily affected by Microsoft's program of job cuts, with indications that the entire ''Microsoft Flight Simulator'' team had been laid off.<ref name=msnews1>{{cite web | last = Remo| first = Chris| title = Report: Microsoft Makes Big Cuts At Flight Sim Studio| website = [[Gamasutra]]| date = January 22, 2009| url = http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21981| archive-url = https://archive.today/20120629063411/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21981| url-status = dead| archive-date = June 29, 2012| access-date = January 22, 2009}}</ref><ref name=msnews2>{{cite news| last = Plunkett| first = Luke| title = Flight Simulator Devs Grounded By Microsoft Job Cuts| publisher = Kotaku| date = January 22, 2009| url = http://kotaku.com/5137519/flight-simulator-devs-grounded-by-microsoft-job-cuts| access-date = January 22, 2009| archive-date = January 6, 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100106153854/http://kotaku.com/5137519/flight-simulator-devs-grounded-by-microsoft-job-cuts| url-status = live}}</ref> Microsoft confirmed the closure of the [[Aces Game Studio]] on January 26, 2009, in a post on the official FSInsider Web site.<ref>{{cite web| title = About the Aces Team| publisher = FS Insider| date = January 26, 2009| url = https://www.microsoft.com/Products/Games/FSInsider/news/Pages/AMessageFromAces.aspx | access-date = January 9, 2009}}</ref> stating "This difficult decision was made to align Microsoft's resources with our strategic priorities. ''Microsoft Flight Simulator X'' will remain available at retail stores and Web retailers, the Flight Sim community will continue to learn from and encourage one another, and we remain committed to the ''Flight Simulator'' franchise for the long term."

According to former Aces employee Phil Taylor, the shutdown was not due to sales performance of ''[[Microsoft Flight Simulator X|FSX]]'', but due to management problems and delays in project delivery, combined with increased demand for staff.<ref>{{cite web| last = Taylor| first = Phil| title = End of an Era Part II: Links and Speculation| publisher = Future GPU Thoughts and Musings| date = January 26, 2009| url = http://www.futuregpu.org/2009/01/end-of-era-part-ii-links-and.html| access-date = January 9, 2009| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090129174505/http://www.futuregpu.org/2009/01/end-of-era-part-ii-links-and.html| archive-date = January 29, 2009}}</ref> Speculation in the mainstream and gaming media was that future versions could be released as an Internet-based version, or on Microsoft's [[Xbox]] platform.<ref name=msnews4>{{cite news| last = Li| first = Eric| title = Despite laying off Flight Simulator team, Microsoft still 'committed to flying games'| publisher = [[Computerworld]]| date = January 23, 2009| url = http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9126719/Despite_laying_off_Flight_Simulator_team_Microsoft_still_committed_to_flying_games_| access-date = January 23, 2009| archive-date = August 22, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090822190429/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9126719/Despite_laying_off_Flight_Simulator_team_Microsoft_still_committed_to_flying_games_| url-status = live}}</ref>

In October 2009, two (out of over fifty) former members of the Aces Game Studio formed a new game studio called the Cascade Game Foundry<ref name="CGF-Press-Release">[http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/press-releases/] {{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> for the development of simulation games.<ref name="Ref_One">{{cite web|url=http://www.flightsimulatornetwork.com/group/flightsimulatornews/forum/topics/breaking-news-aces-studio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203152226/http://www.flightsimulatornetwork.com/group/flightsimulatornews/forum/topics/breaking-news-aces-studio |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2009 |title=BREAKING NEWS - ACES Studio Crew forms new company - The Flight Simulator Network |access-date=June 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Ref_Two">{{cite web|url=http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/press_release/ |title=Press Release &#124; Cascade Game Foundry |access-date=July 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708122902/http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/press_release/ |archive-date=July 8, 2011 }}</ref>