Ace Combat Could Be Making a Comeback

Popular aerial combat simulator Ace Combat could be gearing up for a major comeback, with Bandai Namco hinting at a new announcement for the franchise's 30th anniversary. The beloved series of aerial shooters from Bandai Namco has been one of the icons of its genre for many console generations, dating all the way back to the first game's launch in the mid-1990s. The Ace Combat franchise has seen seven main-series numbered games, alongside a plethora of side games and spinoffs throughout the thirty years of its life. Now, Bandai Namco may be hinting at the series' next installment.

The debut of a new Ace Combat game has long been the subject of rumors, with Ace Combat 8 believed to be in development for several years. Word of a potential new Ace Combat surfaced as early as 2021, with Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl developer ILCA said to be involved with the game. While the new Ace Combat would go silent for several years, leaks emerged last year suggesting that Bandai Namco was officially working on Ace Combat 8. Bandai Namco is now teasing fans with news about the Ace Combat franchise's future.

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By Aaron McKinley

As reported by PushSquare, Bandai Namco is teasing the next major announcement for the Ace Combat franchise to arrive soon. Brand director Kazutoki Kono began by expressing his gratitude to fans of the franchise for their support over the three decades since the release of the first Ace Combat. Kono's statement briefly teased the franchise's future, suggesting that Ace Combat is ready to "take flight again and soar to new heights." The statement from Kono did not include any timeframe for fans to expect the new Ace Combat announcement from Bandai Namco.

Bandai Namco May Announce Ace Combat 8 Soon

The launch of a brand-new Ace Combat game would look to be a welcome return for the beloved aerial combat games. The franchise has not seen a new installment in more than six years, last launching Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown in early 2019. Ace Combat 8 would likely look to replicate the success of the seventh numbered entry in the series, with Ace Combat 7 quickly becoming the best-selling game in the Ace Combat franchise. Ace Combat 7 even received a "VR Mode," offering a variety of missions separate from the main story.

Bandai Namco looks to have plenty of exciting announcements coming for fans in just a few days. The developer recently announced its "Summer Showcase" to air later this week, hinting at some major headliners like Code Vein 2 and Tekken 8 among others. Bandai Namco also teased at least one brand-new game set to appear during the presentation, with a new game based on My Hero Academia set to be announced. Ace Combat fans could be in for some exciting news during the Summer Showcase with the franchise getting ready to take to the skies once again.

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