Project Aces studio shared new details about the development of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. According to brand director and project lead Kazutoki Kono, creating the new installment took about six to seven years.
The developer admitted that fans had to wait a long time for a sequel after Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown was released in 2019. However, Kono noted that the extra time allowed the team to significantly improve the game's quality.
We made you wait a bit, but thanks to that, we were able to polish the game and raise the bar for quality. There's still time until release, but there's a lot to look forward to when you take to the skies again.
Kono also said that during the development of Ace Combat 8, the team carefully studied previous games in the series. The developers found many successful mechanics and systems that had disappeared from the franchise over time, despite their importance. These elements were re-worked and brought back into the new installment.
According to the project lead, this approach made Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve a kind of "culmination of the 30-year history" of the series. At the same time, the game is being created in such a way as to be a good starting point for newcomers who are not familiar with the franchise.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will be released on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Players who pre-order will get access to Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, and Deluxe Edition owners will be able to start playing three days before the official launch.