Bandai Namco and Project Aces have confirmed that they are working on a follow-up to their hit Ace Combat title from 2019, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. The news was revealed in a digest video of a special program shared on the official Ace Combat YouTube channel today, which celebrated the franchise’s 25th Anniversary.
Project Aces did not reveal the subtitle of the game or any story details, but the next Ace Combat installment will supposedly feature an expanded and younger team of Aces. That means Ace Combat 8 players should, for better or worse, expect even more radio chatter than what they’ve been accustomed to from earlier installments.
Joining Project Aces in the development of Ace Combat 8 will be ILCA. That shouldn’t be too surprising to anyone who played Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, as the Japanese game and CG development company had a hand in some of the seventh installment’s environments and cinematic cutscenes. It’s also known for its work in various Pokémon titles (e.g., Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl).
Despite Ace Combat 8 being officially in development, Project Aces says that it’s still working on new DLC for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. These include a free update that will add aircraft skins from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, as well as a collection of classic tracks for multiplayer battles. Ace Combat fans can grab the new DLC on August 31, 2021.
Ace Combat 7: Skies has sold over 2.5 million units since its release on January 31, 2019. Keiki Kobayashi, one of the franchise’s key composers who is usually responsible for some of the greater soundtracks in the Ace Combat games, will presumably return for the eighth installment.
Ace Combat celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020. From the first Ace Combat to the latest Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, a digest version of the special program that looks back with the staff who have supported the development of successive series is released in advance! The main story will be released soon.
Source: Ace Combat Channel