We shall take flight once more, from Skies Unknown to Wings of Theve.
The upcoming flight combat game has reportedly received a PEGI 16 rating for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Now, that could mean the release date announcement is right around the corner. But that is not always the case. Sometimes listings appear early, sometimes dates are placeholders, and sometimes details get pulled or changed. But in this case, the final stage for the marketing push could be happening at Sony's State of Play. If that happens, we shall see a release date.
As for what gameplay to expect, Wings of Theve will almost certainly keep the series’ core identity: fast aerial combat, dramatic dogfights, missile-heavy encounters, and cinematic missions built around impossible odds. That is what Ace Combat does best.
We already had a glimpse at the new cloud system they implemented and a few extra jets they added, the F-15J and A-10 Thunderbolt, in this upcoming entry, but I also believe there is more room to grow. If Bandai Namco can push larger battlefields, better weather effects, more detailed aircraft, and more adrenaline-inducing mission design, I am pretty sure it would improve the formula.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown became the franchise’s biggest modern success, surpassing 7 million units sold worldwide and helping push total Ace Combat franchise sales beyond 21 million units. Yes, the numbers are indeed correct. I would not have believed it myself before, but this franchise might not be that niche after all.
That gives Ace Combat 8 a lot to live up to. Will it exceed these numbers in its life cycle? We’ll have to see.