Whether you consider triple-A or fairly niche, there’s no denying Ace Combat’s legacy and success (especially the last entry). Project Aces is prepping the next big entry, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, for release in October, and thus far, its mix of storytelling and action has us enthralled.
But it also makes you wonder: How long has it been in development? After all, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown launched in 2019. In a new video interview, brand director Kazutoki Kono, who’s also the director on the title, said it took “six, maybe seven years to develop.” Don’t say it. We already know.
“We kept you waiting for a while,” continued Kono. “But with that extra time, we were able to polish the game and really raise the bar in terms of quality.” There’s still time before launch, but he promised that there’s “a lot to look forward to when you take to the skies.”
Before this, Kono spoke about the influence of other Ace Combat titles on Wings of Theve. “We looked back at what the franchise has done and revisited the past games during our development, and what we found was there were a lot of different mechanics and systems that were good, but somehow were lost or sort of disappeared throughout the history of Ace Combat. But they were still important elements that lay dormant, so to speak.”
So the team essentially “excavated” and “packed” them into the sequel, and as a result, Kono considers Ace Combat 8 to be a “culmination of our 30-year history.” Which is pretty noteworthy, especially with how he considers it a strong entry point for new players.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches on October 2nd for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Those who pre-order will receive access to Ace Combat Zero: The Belkin War, while Deluxe Edition owners get three days of early access. If you’re keen on some more extensive gameplay, head here. It offers a look at the Superweapons that players will take on and how to defeat them.
