Next Ace Combat game is now in development

Bandai Namco and the Project Aces team are working with developer ILCA on a new Ace Combat game.

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Throughout the years, aviation combat games have faded from the prominence they used to have. Where franchises like Crimson Skies, Ace Combat, Air Combat, IL-2 Sturmovik, Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X., and more were kind of all over the place, the field has been whittled down quite a bit. Bandai Namco still has love for the Ace Combat series though, and apparently the team behind the franchise is working on a new game with the help of ILCA.

This information was revealed during a recent 25th anniversary livestream for the Ace Combat franchise. During the livestream, Ace Combat series director Kazotoki Kono concluded the event by sharing that the Project Aces team and Bandai Namco were working on something new in the series with developer ILCA, who aided in development of Ace Combat 7 and is currently developing Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Despite having the collaborative assistance, Bandai Namco’s Project Aces team will start by expanding with new staff for the project.

“We’ve started work on a new project in the Ace Combat series,” Kono said, as translated by Gematsu. "Project Aces staff will of course continue to be involved in the development of this new project, but as we celebrate 25 years and three million copies sold, we’ve come to understand we have many fans of all tastes. Our small team can’t handle it all alone, so we’re looking to expand the Ace Combat team in a big way. More than anything, I hope fans are happy to know that the next game is underway.”

It’s unknown whether this next game will be a core entry for the series or perhaps a spinoff. In a series with as many spinoffs as Ace Combat has, this new game could just as well be a free-to-play online-only multiplayer game or perhaps a mobile game.

Even so, with a studio like ILCA involved, Kono’s announcement should give fans hope that something big is in the pipeline for the Ace Combat series. When we know more about the new game, you can expect to find it here at Shacknews.

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.

From The Chatty
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    August 19, 2021 8:35 AM

    TJ Denzer posted a new article, Next Ace Combat game is now in development

    • reply
      August 19, 2021 10:06 AM

      I want a reboot of Afterburner. Just a straight-up arcade smash'em up /shooter. Not a bullet hell though. I want to fly around in some kind of futuristic jet with a missle launcher like in Robotech that has unlimited ammo. Missles can lock and will do those cool smoke streams to its target and BOOM! Power-ups to equip different extra affects. Some strategy on how to defeat various aircraft.

      Hell, just make it a Veritech fighter trainer game where it's a VR sim and you're training missions on how to take down the Invid. That way you can cycle through the various craft in the Robotech universe. Now that the legal stuff is settled, that might be possible. Oh, and license the music too!

    • reply
      August 19, 2021 10:26 AM

      MY BODY IS READY

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