Bandai Namco Celebrates 30 Years Of Ace Combat, Hints At New Announcement

ace combat, Bandai Namco, gaming

It's not everyday a company can celebrate an IP that has lasted 30 years. Today Bandai Namco is doing just that with its iconic Ace Combat franchise as they released a video celebrating the series while also hinting at the future.

The video takes a look back at all 13 Ace Combat games that have released since 1995, starting with of course Ace Combat and finishing with 2019's Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. After the look back through history the video cuts to the nugget vlog, who is seen at Project Aces studio trying to get some intel on what the team is working on.

While we do see some cool things behind the scenes we don't get any official announcement about a new game, but it is certainly teased both in the video and the revamped "Aces Web" website.

On the website the series Brand Director Kazutoki Kono had this to say about the celebrations and the future in a blog post:

"After three incredible decades of adapting to change, we've built an enduring bond of trust with all of you. That connection is the very force that has sustained the ACE COMBAT series and propelled it into the future. I can now feel this truth in every fiber of my being. And I'm proud"”proud that our ongoing commitment to delivering value and earning your trust has led us to this 30th anniversary.

And now, we're ready. Everything is in place. It's time to take flight once again"”toward even greater heights."

That last sentence certainly seems to suggest an announcement is imminent, but when? Well it's probably no coincidence that Bandai is having its summer showcase this coming week on July 2nd. While they only mention Code Vein 2, Everybody's Golf hot Shots, Shadow Labyrinth, Digimon Story Time Stranger, Patapon 1 and 2, Little Nightmares 3 as games expected, there's a good chance Ace Combat shows up.

Personally speaking I cannot wait for a new Ace Combat game. While I wasn't introduced to the series until Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, I have been a fan ever since. We just need more aerial combat games in general and Ace Combat is the cream of the crop

30th Anniversary Symphony

Also as part of today's celebrations Bandai has announced a 30th anniversary symphony dedicated to the series. This will be the orchestras third instalment since debuting in 2019 and will feature some of the most iconic and beloved tracks from the series. In addition to the musical performance, the event will include a special talk session with members of the game's development team, offering fans a unique glimpse into the creative world behind Ace Combat.