Microsoft Flight Simulator has long been the gold standard for civilian and general-aviation simulation on PC (and more recently on Xbox), and the news that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is officially coming to PlayStation 5 is a big deal for console pilots. Asobo Studio and Microsoft confirmed the PS5 release during Sony’s State of Play: the game is scheduled to launch on December 8, 2025, and the PS5 edition will take advantage of DualSense features such as adaptive triggers, gyro aiming, the controller speaker, and touchpad support — plus a planned PS VR2 mode arriving via a free update in 2026. PlayStation 5 players who pre-order the Deluxe, Premium Deluxe, or Aviator Editions will receive five days of early access starting on December 3.
That announcement answers a lot of questions for people who’ve wanted a full-fidelity Flight Simulator experience on Sony hardware, but it also raises a second, equally practical question: what flight sticks, yokes and HOTAS rigs will work with the PS5 version of MSFS 2024? Below I’ll walk through what’s been confirmed, what works unofficially, and what to expect going forward.
Very few flight rigs are officially PlayStation-licensed
At launch, the set of flight controllers officially supported on PlayStation is small. The only openly PlayStation-licensed flight stick that’s been marketed and documented as compatible with PS4/PS5 games for some years is the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4 — it’s explicitly listed as designed for PS4 and compatible with PS5, and PlayStation’s accessories pages also point to it as a flight stick you can use with PS5.
There’s also the HORI HOTAS Flight Stick — a third-party, officially licensed PlayStation peripheral from the PS4 era. Hori’s PS4 HOTAS is recognized as a PlayStation peripheral and remains one of the few non-PC-first HOTAS units that PlayStation users have been able to buy and use; Hori’s product and compatibility documentation list PlayStation and a number of flight titles among supported platforms and games.
Why so few? The console-peripheral landscape is complicated
High-end flight-sim hardware has mostly been developed for PC (Windows) and — increasingly — Xbox. Manufacturers have invested heavily in Xbox/PC support (for example, Honeycomb’s Xbox-ready (XPC) variants or Turtle Beach’s VelocityOne, which is Xbox/PC focused), and those peripherals frequently use proprietary firmware and button overlays intended for Microsoft platforms. Many premium yokes, Virpil and VKB sticks, Honeycomb Alpha/Bravo sets, and Logitech/Saitek systems simply aren’t built or licensed to work on PlayStation. Honeycomb, for example, lists PC and Mac compatibility for the Alpha, and their XPC (Xbox-ready) variants are explicitly designed for Xbox/PC rather than PlayStation.
Manufacturers that target Xbox and PC have little commercial incentive to retool for PlayStation unless the console market justifies the engineering cost — and historically the PlayStation audience for hardcore flight simulators has been smaller than the PC/Xbox base. That’s changing as big sims like MSFS arrive on PS5, but it explains why many popular flight rigs won’t be “PS5-ready” out of the box.
Officially recognized as PlayStation-compatible (PS4/PS5) flight controls
PlayStation 5 supports many PS4 peripherals when you use PS4 games on PS5 (and some PS4 controllers will be accepted by PS5 for specific legacy compatibility scenarios). Thrustmaster explicitly notes that T.Flight Hotas 4 will work with PS5 for titles that accept PS4 controllers, and PlayStation’s accessory pages include the T.Flight Hotas 4 as a flight stick that works with PS5.
- Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4 — marketed as an official PS4 joystick and explicitly described as compatible with PS5; listed on Thrustmaster pages and PlayStation’s accessories pages. If you want a guaranteed, console-friendly HOTAS, this is the standard option.
- HORI HOTAS Flight Stick — Hori’s PS4 HOTAS (official PlayStation accessory) have historically been the other console-friendly choice for PlayStation pilots. Hori’s documentation and product pages cover PS4/PlayStation usage and list game compatibility notes.
What about the big names in PC flight hardware?
Most of the flagship PC flight hardware ecosystem does not have native PlayStation support:
- Honeycomb Alpha & Bravo — widely recommended for MSFS on PC; these are PC (and Xbox XPC variant) oriented. Honeycomb’s product pages show PC/Mac compatibility and note Xbox/XPC variants, not PlayStation licensing. Expect to use these primarily on PC (or Xbox if you buy an Xbox-ready version).
- Turtle Beach VelocityOne (Flightstick / Race / etc.) — designed for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PCs. Manufacturer FAQs and product pages are clear that the VelocityOne family targets Xbox/PC, not PlayStation.
- Logitech / Saitek X52, X56, X52 Pro, etc. — historically PC devices; Logitech’s product information and retailer Q&As indicate Windows/PC compatibility and do not advertise PS5 support (and customers have reported inability to use certain models on PlayStation).
- Virpil, VKB, Thrustmaster Warthog, and high-end HOTAS — boutique and pro-grade sticks are USB HID controllers designed for PC, and while some may be recognized by consoles in rare cases, they are not officially PlayStation peripherals and therefore are not guaranteed to work with PS5. Community reports and manufacturer pages point to PC/Xbox support as the priority.
Bottom line: expect most high-end PC flight gear to be unsupported on PS5 at launch. That may change if peripheral makers see demand and produce PlayStation-licensed variants, but don’t assume universal compatibility.
Practical recommendations for PlayStation pilots
If you’re buying specifically for MSFS 2024 on PS5 at launch, the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4 is the surest, plug-and-play choice. It’s explicitly promoted for PlayStation and listed on official PlayStation accessory pages.
If you already own a PC/Xbox flight rig (Honeycomb, Virpil, VKB, Logitech X52/X56, Turtle Beach VelocityOne), don’t assume it will work on PS5. Check the manufacturer’s site and community forums for model-specific reports; expect some combination of “not supported,” “works via adapter,” or “PC/Xbox only.”
Keep an eye on manufacturer announcements. The PS5 arrival of a blockbuster sim like MSFS 2024 creates a market incentive — companies may release PlayStation-ready variants or firmware updates. But until they do, the official PlayStation-compatible list remains small.
Final thoughts
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 arriving on PS5, on December 8, 2025, is a watershed moment for console flight sim fans — DualSense integration and planned PS VR2 support promise a uniquely immersive experience. But for flight-hardware enthusiasts, the platform shift means a reality check: the PlayStation ecosystem currently supports comparatively few flight sticks and HOTAS setups out of the box, with the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4 and Hori’s PlayStation HOTAS being the most reliable options at this time. If you own or plan to buy a Honeycomb, Virpil, VKB, Turtle Beach, Logitech/Saitek, or other pro-grade hardware, treat PS5 compatibility as something to verify and not something to assume.