Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown was released back in 2019. But it came after a long lull in the series, with the preceding game being released being Assault Horizon Legacy Plus in 2015, itself a re-release of a 2011 title. But with the success of the latest game, it looks like the series is picking up speed again. That’s because the next game in the series is already in production.
The announcement came via the 25th Anniversary Ace Combat retrospective event over at the franchise’s official YouTube channel. Publisher Bandai Namco has also announced that it is working with ILCA for the next game, presumably to just be called Ace Combat 8. ILCA doesn’t usually make headlines on its own, but it has also worked on the cinematics for Ace Combat 7, and also the upcoming Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Ace Combat producer Kazutoki Kono said that Project Aces will still also be involved, but claims that its “small team can’t handle it all alone, so we’re looking to expand the Ace Combat team in a big way”. This suggests that Ace Combat 8 will be at least as big as the current game, if not bigger.
But overall, the team has not much else to announce. The announcement is probably simply so that “fans are happy to know that the next game is underway”. While it does feel a bit premature, it’s good news for fans nevertheless. Though here’s hoping that the next game does not lock iconic series exclusive planes behind a paywall, least of all the last boss of the series the way Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
Even after 25 years of adventures, Ace Combat 7 continues to delight everyone!
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Now you can get the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) DLC to unlock new aircraft skins and classic AC music from the past!
Available August 31st! ✈️ Order:https://t.co/oRlBzSqOdx pic.twitter.com/jSudsknSPf
— Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) August 18, 2021
While we’re on the subject, Ace Combat is also getting more DLC, in the form of skins based on the Japan Air Self Defense Force. These will be available on 31 August.
(Source: Bandai Namco / YouTube)
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