There really are no competitors to DCS, other than Falcon BMS (which falls far behind, despite the fact that it is also a good game). ED (the company behind DCS) develops as if it were an extremely competitive genre and has created an absolutely incredible masterpiece of combat flight simulation. Many of the modules are mind-boggling complex and so detailed that even after years of flying them you discover new things and continue to be dazzled by just how very good this Sim is. Multiplayer is where it is at. Hooking up with an organized squadron is an amazing experience unrivaled by any online gaming clan of first person shooters or mmorpgs. If you want to get something out of DCS world, be prepared to invest time (lots of it), money into hardware and modules. This last statement may turn many off from DCS, but if you do decide to put in what is necessary you will discover a game (sim) and community that soars above the rest the gaming world (pun intended).