New Ace Combat game in development with ILCA

A new Ace Combat game is in joint production between Bandai Namco and ILCA, the companies announced during the Ace Combat 25th anniversary retrospective program.

ILCA is the developer behind the upcoming The Idolmaster: Starlit Season, as well as Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl. It also had a hand in a number of other titles including cinematics and environment production for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, graphics co-development for Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, and more.

“We’ve started work on a new project in the Ace Combat series,” Ace Combat series producer Kazutoki Kono said. “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.”

Kono continued, “That’s why we want to form a business alliance with ILCA, who will become more deeply involved in the Ace Combat series than ever before, and create a new Ace Combat. We hope this opportunity will allow us to add even more staff to the Project Aces team.”

In his closing statement, Kono added, “More than anything, I hope fans are happy to know that the next game is underway. With this new staff, we’re creating a new Ace Combat—a new era. I don’t know where we’ll be in the next 25 years, but the Ace Combat series will continue, and to everyone who supports us and creates with me—I will continue to give it my all.”

Further details were not announced.