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Changes: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

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Trigger was transferred to the prison at the [[444th Air Base]] and its penal unit, [[Spare Squadron]]. After defending the base and destroying Erusean forces, Trigger meets [[Mihaly A. Shilage]] for the first time, dogfighting over the [[Yinshi Valley]].{{Ref|AC7-M07|[[First Contact]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}} Spare Squadron is then sent to destroy an Erusean oil pipeline{{Ref|AC7-M08|[[Pipeline Destruction]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}} and a drone radar facility. At the radar facility, a squadron of drone [[F/A-18F Super Hornet]]s, posing as Osean, ambushed Spare Squadron with fire support from the [[Helios]], a new anti-air [[burst missile]] equipped onto the Arsenal Birds. Spare Squadron shot down all of the UAVs and escaped the area.{{Ref|AC7-M09|[[Faceless Soldier]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}}
  
Trigger was transferred to the prison at the [[444th Air Base]] and its penal unit, [[Spare Squadron]]. After defending the base and destroying Erusean forces, Trigger meets [[Mihaly A. Shilage]] for the first time, dogfighting over the [[Yinshi Valley]].{{Ref|AC7-M07|[[First Contact]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}} Spare Squadron is then sent to destroy an Erusean oil pipeline{{Ref|AC7-M08|[[Pipeline Destruction]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}} and a drone radar facility. At the radar facility, a squadron of drone [[F/A-18F Super Hornet]]s, posing as Osean, ambushed Spare Squadron with fire support from the [[Helios]], a new anti-air [[burst missile]] equipped onto the Arsenal Birds. Spare Squadron shot down all of the UAVs and escaped the area.{{Ref|AC7-M09|[[Faceless Soldier]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}}
   
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Osea's General Staff Office decided to make the Spare Squadron legitimate, pardoned all of the convicts, and sent them to recapture [[Tyler Island]]. The staff office requested 444th Base Commander [[McKinsey]], Trigger (believing that Trigger may not have killed Harling), and Spare 2—[[Count]]—to transfer to the [[New Arrows Air Base]] in [[North Point]]. During the flight, McKinsey's transport came under attack by an [[ADFX-10|unidentified drone]], which Trigger shot down, earning him respect from other Osean forces.{{Ref|AC7-M10|[[Transfer Orders]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}} He and Count were subsequently transferred to Osea's [[Long Range Strategic Strike Group]]'s two main squadrons: [[Strider Squadron]] (Trigger as Strider 1) and [[Cyclops Squadron]] (Count as Cyclops 2).{{Ref|AC7-M11|[[Fleet Destruction]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}}
 +
Osea's General Staff Office decided to make the Spare Squadron legitimate, pardoned all of the convicts, and sent them to recapture [[Tyler Island]]. The staff office requested 444th Base Commander [[McKinsey]] to transfer to a base in far eastern [[Usea]]. The General Staff Office selected Trigger (believing that Trigger may not have killed Harling), and Spare 2—[[Count]]—to escort the commander to his new base. During the flight, McKinsey's transport came under attack by an [[ADFX-10|unidentified drone]], which Trigger shot down, earning him respect from other Osean forces.{{Ref|AC7-M10|[[Transfer Orders]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}} He and Count were subsequently transferred to Osea's [[Long Range Strategic Strike Group]]'s two main squadrons: [[Strider Squadron]] (Trigger as Strider 1) and [[Cyclops Squadron]] (Count as Cyclops 2),{{Ref|AC7-M11|[[Fleet Destruction]], ''[[Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown]]''.}} operating out of [[New Arrows Air Base]] in eastern Usea.
   
 
[[File:AC7 Stonehenge Firing.jpg|thumb|250px|The reactivated Stonehenge railgun firing on the Arsenal Bird]]
  
[[File:AC7 Stonehenge Firing.jpg|thumb|250px|The reactivated Stonehenge railgun firing on the Arsenal Bird]]

Revision as of 16:52, 3 May 2019


"Unmanned fighters are no longer a dream. Pilots taking to the skies will soon be a distant memory."
― Our Science: Era of the Drones[4]

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown[a] is the 17th entry in the Ace Combat franchise. It released on the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One on January 17, 2019 in Japan and Asia[3] followed by the rest of the world on January 18, 2019. The game released on the Steam platform on February 1, 2019.[1][2] Pre-order bonuses for the game included two older games in the franchise: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War for the PlayStation 4 and Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation for the Xbox One.[5]

The single-player campaign takes place in Strangereal in 2019. The player character is Trigger, an Osean Air Defense Force pilot in the Lighthouse War. After Trigger supposedly commits a crime during a mission, he is sent to the Spare Squadron penal unit. The game's cutscenes follow Avril Mead, Dr. Schroeder, and other characters in the war.

The game's multiplayer is comprised of two player-versus-player modes: Team Deathmatch and Battle Royal. Ace Combat 7 also features VR Mode, which will be exclusive to PlayStation VR for the first year of release. The VR Mode includes three exclusive missions featuring Mobius 1, an airshow mode, and Free Flight. The game's single-player campaign and multiplayer modes cannot be played in VR.

Ace Combat 7 was first revealed in an Ace Combat Infinity data leak in November 2015. Bandai Namco officially announced the game the next month at PlayStation Experience. The game was first scheduled to release in 2017, but delayed to 2018[6][7] and finally early 2019.[1][2]

Portal

Basic Info

Multiplayer Modes

Game Mechanics

Plot

Combatants

Synopsis

Main article: Lighthouse War
AC7 Air Battle at ISEV

A battle at the International Space Elevator

Prior to the game's events, the Osean Federation constructed the International Space Elevator (commonly referred to as Lighthouse) in the Usean continent to help reconstruction efforts following the Ulysses Impact Event and the Continental War. Tensions rose between Osea and the Kingdom of Erusea, a major Usean country, because of Erusea's suspicions that Osea aimed to control the entire Usean continent through the space elevator.[8] This culminated in an Erusean UAV attack in Osea[9] and Erusea simultaneously capturing the space elevator and its surrounding facilities.[8] Erusea also captured the two large UAV carriers—Arsenal Birds—defending the space elevator.[10]

Trigger begins in the war fighting for Osea and the IUN, defending the Fort Grays Island air base[11] and helping Osea destroy Erusean forces at the Scofield Plateau.[12] The IUN learned that former President Vincent Harling was hiding in the space elevator. The IUN tried to recapture territory on the way, but Osean squadrons suffered losses in the Chopinburg Rainforest.[10] The IUN instead sent Trigger to infiltrate Erusea's radar net around the space elevator to open a path for Sea Goblin to attempt a rescue. While Harling was being airlifted out, a missile identified as Osean struck his aircraft, killing Harling. Trigger was the closest and blamed for the assassination.[13] At the same time, Osea attempted to perform early attacks on Erusea's capital, Farbanti, but abandoned these attacks after losing the Kestrel II.[10]

444th Base Flyover

The 444th Air Base

Trigger was transferred to the prison at the 444th Air Base and its penal unit, Spare Squadron. After defending the base and destroying Erusean forces, Trigger meets Mihaly A. Shilage for the first time, dogfighting over the Yinshi Valley.[14] Spare Squadron is then sent to destroy an Erusean oil pipeline[15] and a drone radar facility. At the radar facility, a squadron of drone F/A-18F Super Hornets, posing as Osean, ambushed Spare Squadron with fire support from the Helios, a new anti-air burst missile equipped onto the Arsenal Birds. Spare Squadron shot down all of the UAVs and escaped the area.[16]

Osea's General Staff Office decided to make the Spare Squadron legitimate, pardoned all of the convicts, and sent them to recapture Tyler Island. The staff office requested 444th Base Commander McKinsey to transfer to a base in far eastern Usea. The General Staff Office selected Trigger (believing that Trigger may not have killed Harling), and Spare 2—Count—to escort the commander to his new base. During the flight, McKinsey's transport came under attack by an unidentified drone, which Trigger shot down, earning him respect from other Osean forces.[17] He and Count were subsequently transferred to Osea's Long Range Strategic Strike Group's two main squadrons: Strider Squadron (Trigger as Strider 1) and Cyclops Squadron (Count as Cyclops 2),[18] operating out of New Arrows Air Base in eastern Usea.

AC7 Stonehenge Firing

The reactivated Stonehenge railgun firing on the Arsenal Bird

Osea tasked the LRSSG squadrons with an extended plan to capture Farbanti, recapture the space elevator, and end the war. This included attacking Erusea's fleet in the northern part of the continent,[18] reactivating a Stonehenge railgun to shoot down one of the Arsenal Birds,[19] destroying missile silos attempting to fire IRBMs at Osean forces,[20] and capturing Cape Rainy as a forward base.[21] Osea launched a massive attack on Farbanti with the LRSSG providing support. Erusea sent Sol Squadron to protect Farbanti, and after an extended dogfight, both sides disengaged after losing all satellite connections.[22]

Erusea and Osea had simultaneously sent anti-satellite attacks against each other, causing the continent to plunge into chaos. The LRSSG attempted to cover a defecting Erusean officer during a civil war that broke out in Anchorhead, but the officer was killed.[23] The LRSSG then attempted to rendezvous with friendly forces at Tyler Island, but discovered that the Tyler Island offensive was a failure. The LRSSG provided support for starved forces on the island and helped refugees escape, including Erusea's Princess Rosa Cossette D'Elise.[24] With no other options, the LRSSG attacked Shilage Castle to resupply with the castle's resources. Sol Squadron attempted to defend but Trigger shot them all down, including Mihaly flying in a new X-02S Strike Wyvern.[25]

Arsenal Bird Shield

The second Arsenal Bird activating its shield against a saturation attack

Doctor Schroeder revealed to Princess D'Elise and other refugees with them that Gründer Industries partially orchestrated the war by developing the UAVs and sending them to Erusea. Schroeder and the others resolved to deactivate the space elevator to prevent any more drones from being manufactured. Meanwhile, Osea formed a coalition force with Erusean conservatives who wanted to end the war against the radical warmongers that continued to control the space elevator. A massive dogfight broke out at the space elevator, which attracted the surviving Arsenal Bird. After Princess Cossette destroyed the space elevator's energy transmitters and the Arsenal Bird's shield went down, Trigger fully destroyed the Arsenal Bird. Two new drones—ADF-11F Ravens manufactured before the space elevator was disabled—entered the airspace and fired on the coalition forces. The remaining members fled to the nearby Admiral Andersen.[26]

ADF-11F Blurry Flyby

An ADF-11F flying past the space elevator

The next day, most of the remaining coalition pilots engaged the two ADF-11Fs. Trigger shot them both down, including one ADF-11 that broke off of an ADF-11F. The other ADF-11 escaped combat and flew into the tunnel network leading to the space elevator. Trigger and Count pursued and destroyed it. Count landed in the tunnel network due to battle damage while Trigger flew through the space elevator to escape.[27]

The game's final cutscene shows that the coalition force gathered at the space elevator to accept refugees from across the continent, ignoring their original country allegiances in the name of peace.

Characters

See also: Category:Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown characters
  • Callsign Trigger (real name unknown) is the player character and the primary protagonist of the game. Clown signed him on to fill an empty spot in Mage Squadron, but Trigger shows true combat potential throughout the conflict.
  • Avril Mead is a mechanic imprisoned at the 444th Air Base. She earns the nickname "Scrap Queen" for being able to repair aircraft scraps to make them fully combat-effective. She later joins the force at Tyler Island and leads the refugees into fighting the radical Erusean forces and disabling the space elevator.
  • Mihaly A. Shilage is an Erusean Air Force ace pilot and the flight lead of Sol Squadron. His combat data is being used to develop drone technology and maneuvers. He was once the heir to the Grand Duchy of Shilage, but joined the Erusean military after Erusea annexed Shilage.
  • Dr. Schroeder is a Gründer Industries chief researcher working for the Erusean military and the EASA. He leads the drone development effort with Mihaly.
  • Princess Rosa Cossette D'Elise is the Princess of Erusea during the war, which her father initiated. She was convinced that the International Space Elevator was Osea's way of interfering with Usea and especially Erusea.

Gameplay

Core Mechanics

AC7 Typhoon Cockpit 6

Cockpit of a Typhoon during "First Contact"

The flight model in Ace Combat 7 feels similar to Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War and Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.[28] The HUD is very reminiscent of Ace Combat Infinity. Flares return for player control from Ace Combat: Assault Horizon.[29]

AC7 Retry Menu

The retry menu during "Long Day", allowing players to restart from a checkpoint

Checkpoints also return, allowing players to restart a mission from a particular checkpoint if they die in the middle of a mission.

Allies in need of escort, like in previous entries, feature a large blue container around their box on the HUD. For the first time, if an ally is pinned down, the radar will ping their location and the pilot will call for help on the radio. If the player does not respond in enough time, the ally calling for help will be killed and the mission will end in failure. This feature is also available in multiplayer when using certain radio messages.

Clouds play a major role in gameplay for the first time in the franchise. Units inside of clouds, including the player, gain stealth but lose visibility. The player may risk crashing into other aircraft and the terrain. The player's plane can also ice and stall if they stay in cloud cover for too long.[30] In addition to clouds, direct lightning strikes interfere with the player's flight control and fire-control system, and distort the HUD.[8]

Helicopters and Piston Fighters do not make an appearance in Ace Combat 7. The game only focuses on playable fighter jets.[31]

Su-35 Post Stall Maneuver AC7

An Su-35S Flanker-E performing a Post Stall Maneuver to get behind its enemy

The player can also manually perform Post Stall Maneuvers. If successful, the player can get behind an enemy aircraft and turn a dogfight in their favor.[32] This mechanic replaces the automatic Close Range Assault counter-maneuvers from Assault Horizon.

Customization

AC7 Aircraft Tree

Aircraft Tree in Ace Combat 7

The Aircraft Tree from Ace Combat Infinity returns to Ace Combat 7. Players can purchase aircraft, special weapons, and tuning parts within the tree by spending MRP (Military Result Points), an in-game currency; that can be earned by completing campaign missions or multiplayer matches.

AC7 Su-37 Parts Tuning

An Su-37 is being tuned

Like in Ace Combat X, Joint Assault, Assault Horizon Legacy, and Infinity, aircraft can be tuned via Hangar. Players can equip tuning parts which can enhance aircraft and special weapons performances; or adding special features to aircraft itself, such as stealth capability, health regeneration, anti-icing, and more. Players can also change aircraft skin and equip emblems on aircraft body, wings, and tails with no additional effects to the aircraft.

The Aircraft Set system from Infinity also returns in Ace Combat 7. Players can create custom sets of an aircraft, skin, emblem, nickname, and tuning parts for repeated use in future missions.

Virtual Reality

Main article: VR Mode
AC7 FA-18F Taking Off Aircraft Carrier 3

Cockpit of an F/A-18F Super Hornet prior to takeoff in PS VR

Ace Combat 7 features optional[33] virtual reality support exclusively through PlayStation VR on PS4.[34] The game's main VR content is an exclusive set of three missions separate from the main campaign. Players cannot play these VR missions without PlayStation VR, but VR is not available for the main campaign or multiplayer. The VR missions sacrifice some visual detail to maintain the required 60 frames-per-second.[35]

When playing in VR, the player must use cockpit view; first-person and third-person views are not available.[28] The player can turn their head to look at an enemy to lock on to them, at which point they can fire missiles as usual.[36] Holding down the Options button will re-calibrate the headset.[37] The player can look down and see the entire cockpit, including the pilot's legs. The in-game pilot will interact with the plane's control sticks, despite the player's use of a DualShock 4 controller.[28]

Multiplayer

AC7 F-22A Battle Royal Clouds

Battle Royal gameplay featuring an F-22A over Fort Grays Island

Ace Combat 7 features two online multiplayer modes at launch, Battle Royal and Team Deathmatch. In Battle Royal, players engage in a free-for-all deathmatch where the first player reaches the score limit wins, or the player with the most points wins if timer runs out. In Team Deathmatch, two teams must shoot each other down until the timer runs out or when one team reaches the score limit. Both modes support up to 8 players at once.[38]

Pre-Orders

Global Bonuses

AC7 North America Pre-Order Bonuses

The pre-order bonuses for all platforms

All Ace Combat 7 pre-orders and all digital copies purchased within one month of release,[39] regardless of the edition or platform, come with the in-game F-4E Phantom II aircraft and three in-game aircraft skins: the Su-37 -Yellow13-, the F-14D -Razgriz-, and the F-15C -Pixy-.[note 1]

All pre-orders for PlayStation 4 copies of Ace Combat 7 included a digital PS2 copy of Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War for the PlayStation 4, which would not be available by any other means.[5][note 1]

All pre-orders for Xbox One copies of Ace Combat 7 included a digital download of Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. Ace Combat 6 was also added to Xbox One's backward compatibility program, allowing Xbox One users to play the game without the need for an Xbox 360.[note 1]

Retailer Extras

Players who pre-ordered Ace Combat 7 would also receive an exclusive extra specific to the retailer they pre-ordered from. Most of these extras were exclusive to Japanese retailers. However, PlayStation Store's digital PS4 theme and GameStop's OADF pin were available to American customers, and the luggage strap was available to most Taiwanese customers.

  • 3" Metal Pin (GameStop)

    3" Metal Pin (GameStop)

  • PS4 Theme (PlayStation Store)

    PS4 Theme (PlayStation Store)

  • PS4 Theme (PlayStation Store)

    PS4 Theme (PlayStation Store)

  • Erusea dog tag (GAME.es)

    Erusea dog tag (GAME.es)

  • Luggage strap (Taiwanese retailers)

    Luggage strap (Taiwanese retailers)

  • PS4 Theme (Amazon.co.jp)

    PS4 Theme (Amazon.co.jp)

  • Pinback Buttons (HMV)

    Pinback Buttons (HMV)

  • Desk Mat (WonderGOO)

    Desk Mat (WonderGOO)

  • Eight bromides (AmiAmi)

    Eight bromides (AmiAmi)

  • Large fabric poster (IMAGINE WEBSHOP)

    Large fabric poster (IMAGINE WEBSHOP)

  • Acrylic keychain (Takarajima)

    Acrylic keychain (Takarajima)

  • Su-30SM steelbook (GEO-MART)

    Su-30SM steelbook (GEO-MART)

  • Su-30SM wallpaper (Joshin)

    Su-30SM wallpaper (Joshin)

  • Four postcards (Neowing)

    Four postcards (Neowing)

  • B2 poster (Biccamera/Sofmap/Kojima)

    B2 poster (Biccamera/Sofmap/Kojima)

  • File folder (Yodobashi)

    File folder (Yodobashi)

Editions

Various special editions were announced for the release of Ace Combat 7. All of these editions are listed below.

Players who purchase a digital copy of Ace Combat 7 on any platform, regardless of edition or pre-order status, will receive the F-104C -Avril- skin for the F-104C Starfighter as a digital incentive.

Comparison

Edition Standard Deluxe Aces at War Collector's Strangereal
Medium/Region Retail Digital Digital[b] NA/SA JP KR/TW EU/OCE SEA
Available Platforms
PlayStation 4 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Xbox One ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Steam ✔ ✔ ✔
Pre-Order Bonuses
Pre-order bonuses apply to all editions and platforms. See § Pre-Orders.
Digital Bonuses
F-104C -Avril- skin ✔ ✔ ✔
Season Pass ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Eight in-game emblems[note 2] ✔ ✔
Physical Bonuses
Collector's box ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Aces At War: A History 2019
(language depends on region) 		✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
F-22A steelbook ✔ ✔ ✔
Trigger emblem patch
Legacy emblem stickers[note 3] 		✔ ✔
Arsenal Bird 40 cm diecast figurine
Trigger 3 cm metal pin
OADF and Erusea patches 		✔ ✔

Deluxe Edition

Ace Combat 7 Deluxe Edition Contents

The contents of the Deluxe Edition

The Ace Combat 7 "Deluxe Edition" comes with the game's Season Pass, as well as eight additional in-game emblems: "Aquila", "Wardog", "Garuda", "Gryphus", and low-visibility variants of each. In almost all regions, this edition is only available digitally and cannot be purchased with physical copies.[40]

The United Kingdom retailer GAME allows players to purchase a physical Ace Combat 7 Deluxe Edition. GAME has exclusive rights to the physical version of this edition in the United Kingdom.[41][42]

Aces at War Bundle

Ace Combat 7 Aces At War Bundle

The contents of the Aces at War Bundle

North American and South American players have the option to purchase a special edition dubbed the "Aces at War Bundle" exclusively through Bandai Namco's online store. Players can purchase an Aces At War Bundle for PS4 or Xbox One; there is no Steam version of this edition. The Aces at War Bundle comes with the following physical goods:[43]

  • A copy of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown on PS4 or Xbox One
  • An English[44] copy of Aces At War: A History 2019
  • A steelbook case for the game disc featuring an F-22A Raptor

By December 19, 2018, the Aces at War Bundle had sold out of consumer copies on both platforms, forcing customers to join a wait list for the special edition.[45][46]

Collector's Edition

  • The contents of the Collector's Edition

    The contents of the Collector's Edition

  • The Japanese Collector's Edition

    The Japanese Collector's Edition

  • The Korean Collector's Edition

    The Korean Collector's Edition

  • The Taiwanese Collector's Edition

    The Taiwanese Collector's Edition

Japanese,[40] South Korean,[47] and Taiwanese players have the option to purchase a special PS4 Collector's Edition. There is no Xbox One or Steam version of this edition. The Collector's Edition comes with the following physical goods:[48]

  • A copy of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown on PS4
  • A copy of Aces At War: A History 2019 (in Japanese, Korean, or Traditional Chinese, depending on the region)[40][47][48]
  • A copy of the game's Season Pass (only for South Korea and Taiwan, not for Japan)
  • A steelbook case for the game disc featuring an F-22A Raptor
  • A specially-designed collector's box featuring the International Space Elevator
  • An embroidered Trigger emblem patch
  • Six emblem stickers (Galm, Aquila, Garuda, Razgriz, Mobius, and Sol)

Strangereal Edition

  • The contents of the European and Oceanic Strangereal Edition

    The contents of the European and Oceanic Strangereal Edition

  • The contents of the Southeast Asian Strangereal Edition

    The contents of the Southeast Asian Strangereal Edition

European, Oceanic, and Southeast Asian players have the option to purchase a special collector's edition dubbed the "Strangereal Edition". Players in Europe and Oceania can purchase a Strangereal Edition for any platform (game disc for PS4 and Xbox One, digital code for Steam);[49] players in Southeast Asia can only purchase it for PS4.[50]

In late December 2018, the Strangereal Edition was apparently updated to include the eight emblems from the Deluxe Edition as well as the F-104C -Avril- aircraft skin.[51]

The Strangereal Edition comes with the following physical goods:

  • A copy of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
  • An English[44] copy of Aces At War: A History 2019
  • A copy of the game's Season Pass and the eight emblems from the Deluxe Edition[51]
  • An individually-numbered collector's box featuring the game box art
  • A 40 cm:500g diecast model of the Arsenal Bird
  • A 3 cm Trigger emblem pin
  • Two embroidered patches of the Osean Air Defense Force and Erusea

Development

Pre-Announcement

Ace Combat 20th Anniversary Wallpaper

The original 20th anniversary wallpaper; the tagline was used to tease Ace Combat 7

After Ace Combat: Assault Horizon released in late 2011, Project Aces used the game's engine to test new cloud technology.[52][53] However, over the next couple of years, the team's limited resources forced development to shift to Ace Combat Infinity.[53] Ace Combat series producer Kazutoki Kono stated in 2014 that a "next-generation" Ace Combat game—and the future of the franchise—would depend on Infinity.[54][55] Kono reiterated a year later that Project Aces was a small team busy with maintaining Infinity, but also stated that Infinity's overwhelming success helped push them to the "next step".[56][57]

When Ace Combat 7 got the green light, the Ace Combat proprietary engine had entered a "state of limbo".[58] Around this time, Bandai Namco's Tekken team used Unreal Engine 4 to develop and release Tekken 7, which saved development time and made porting easier.[59] Project Aces decided to follow suit and develop Ace Combat 7 in Unreal Engine 4 as well.[58] The team also licensed trueSKY for the cloud mechanics[52] and SpeedTree for rendering vegetation.[60]

Project Aces did not consider virtual reality in the initial development stages. When Kono offered the possibility, the team jumped at the chance to include it.[53] Bandai Namco's prior work on Mach Storm and Star Wars: Battle Pod provided assistance for the VR development.[61] The team also started modeling the aircraft from scratch in higher detail to make the best use of modern hardware.[53]

In June 2015, Project Aces revealed a 20th anniversary wallpaper featuring the tagline "ACES even challenge the true sky".[62] Kono revealed two years later that "ACES even" was hiding the phrase "ACE Seven", referencing the future title.[63]

PSX 2015

Ace Combat 7 Thumbnail

The announcement trailer's thumbnail/end screen

Ace Combat 7 entered full development by November 2015. Bandai Namco scheduled a trailer to debut during PlayStation Experience 2015. Project Aces added data to Infinity in advance for a celebratory event after the trailer aired. Japanese players discovered this data by November 19 and leaked its existence online.[64] On December 5, the trailer aired at the tail end of PlayStation Experience's VR segment. They only announced the game for PS4, and confirmed it would support PlayStation VR. By this point, Ace Combat 7 was 20% complete, and details began to emerge on the importance of clouds. The game's subtitle, or even if there would be one, was not confirmed.[65][66]

The following year remained quiet on announcements. Project Aces continued developing Ace Combat 7 and supporting Ace Combat Infinity. In March 2016, Bandai Namco's Brasil[67] and Latinoamérica[68] Facebook pages announced that Ace Combat 7 would release that year. No English or Japanese source confirmed this. Later that month, Kono tweeted that the script for Ace Combat 7 was almost complete. Yet, the team had not decided on the player's squadron and name (later "Mage Squadron" and "Trigger"). He joked that they would be "Player" and "Player 1".[69]

Despite no such announcement, some players expected Ace Combat 7 to appear at E3 in June 2016. They expressed disappointment online when it didn't appear. Kono apologized on Twitter and said many things prevented the game from appearing at E3.[70] He echoed this apology following the game's absence at Tokyo Game Show in September 2016.[71] He later revealed that the VR demo had framerate problems, preventing it from showing at Tokyo Game Show.[72]

Keiki Kobayashi tweeted a photo of the third campaign mission's sheet music in November 2016.[73] Later that month, Gematsu reported that Bandai Namco trademarked five new titles.[74] One of them was "Skies Unknown", which later turned out to be the subtitle for Ace Combat 7. The company held the official announcement for two months.

PSX 2016

On November 23, 2016, PlayStation announced that Ace Combat 7 would be playable at PSX next month.[75] Kono thought the appearance was a secret and expressed surprise at the announcement.[76] Project Aces confirmed the demo would be on PS VR and tweeted a cropped photo of the F/A-18F's cockpit in VR.[77] On December 3, the game's first story trailer aired near the start of the PSX presentation. The official YouTube uploads of the trailer confirmed the game would release in 2017.[78] A leak from Gematsu confirmed the game's full title would be Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.[79] Masahide Kito, the radio script writer for Ace Combat 04, announced he will return for Ace Combat 7.[80]

GamingBolt asked Kono if Ace Combat 7 could see an Xbox One release. Kono said "the doors [are not closed] for a multi platform release" but their focus was on PlayStation first.[81] Gematsu reported on January 3, 2017 that Taiwan's games rating board gave Ace Combat 7 an Xbox One rating. The rating board removed it from the website two days later.[82] At that month's Taipei Game Show, Kono announced a Traditional Chinese localization.[83]

Bandai Namco revealed an extended version of the PSX trailer on January 26. This coincided with an announcement of the game's full title, as well as Xbox One and Steam ports. The press release also mentioned 2-player local multiplayer, which was later disproven,[84] and it reiterated that VR would remain exclusive to PlayStation.[34] On May 20 Bandai Namco Entertainment Korea announced Korean localisation for a number of games, including Ace Combat 7.[85]

June–October 2017

Project Aces had an internal goal to have a non-VR demo build ready early for the next E3 in June 2017. The E3 build took longer to complete than the team first thought it would. In May, Kono delayed the game's release from 2017 to 2018. When asked by Famitsu, he denied that VR caused the delay, stating that VR was only one of Ace Combat 7's many gameplay elements.[86]

Bandai Namco released an E3 story trailer for the game a few days before the event. By the time E3 began, footage of the campaign mission demo began to emerge. DigitalFoundry discovered the game's demo was not running at 60 frames-per-second. Kono mentioned the possibility of better framerates on the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X. He also confirmed the player could customize their plane's emblem and skin after completing the story.[87]

Two months later, at Gamescom 2017, Bandai Namco released another new story trailer. The trailer mostly used dialogue and visuals from the E3 trailer, but included a few new lines and scenes.[88] The E3 campaign mission demo was available with some framerate improvements.[89] The company also showed off another campaign mission with commentary from Kono.[90] In an interview with DualShockers, Kono said they couldn't port the game to the Nintendo Switch due to performance concerns.[91]

The team released another gameplay trailer for Tokyo Game Show 2017 presenting Post Stall Maneuvers.[32] The final trailer released in this news cycle was a new VR trailer for Paris Games Week. This trailer revealed the VR side campaign would follow Mobius Squadron and allow the players to view their aircraft up-close.[92]

E3 2018

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Gamescom 2018

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Reception

Pre-release

Prior to release, Ace Combat 7 received praise from gaming media (particularly for its virtual reality mode) as well as fans. DualShockers awarded Ace Combat 7 with "Best AR/VR Game" at Gamescom 2017[93] and Tokyo Game Show 2018,[94] as well as "Readers' Choice Game of the Show" at Gamescom 2018.[95] The Japanese Computer Entertainment Software Association also awarded Ace Combat 7 the Japan Game Awards 2018 "Future Division" award alongside 10 other games, as voted on by attendees of Tokyo Game Show.[96][97] A French Naval Aviation consultant, Pierre-Henri "Ate" Chuet, was impressed with the game's portrayal of detailed briefings and the accuracy of the Rafale M, his former aircraft.[98]

Critical reception

Aggregator Score
GameRankings 80.81% (PS4)[99]
80.00% (XONE)[100]
83.50% (PC)[101]
Metacritic 80/100 (PS4)[102]
80/100 (XONE)[103]
79/100 (PC)[104]

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown received generally positive reception from critic reviews. GameRankings holds an average aggregate score of 81% and Metacritic holds an average aggregate score of 80.

OpenCritic holds an aggregate score of 81 for all three platforms. The site summarizes Ace Combat 7 as having refined gameplay and smooth controls but hampered by a complicated narrative, though it explains that it's "just another reason why this is a return to form."[105] Jason Rodriguez for PC Invasion rated the PC version 4.5/5, praising the core gameplay and presentation while finding the story "tacked on, with unnecessary twists and uninspiring characters." Rodriguez also found the missions to be linear and repetitive,[106] a view that Ollie Barder for Forbes disagreed with, finding "a lot of variety" across the game's 20 missions. Barder rated the PS4 version 9/10 and "found the Japanese audio coupled with English subtitles a more compelling way to appreciate the story".[107]

Mike Epstein for IGN rated the PS4 and Xbox One versions 7/10, criticizing the game for lacking tutorials (in fact, tutorials are presented during the first two missions), not updating the controls, and not explaining mission objectives.[108] Kazutoki Kono expressed disappointment at IGN for not using the "expert" control scheme,[109] commenters ridiculed Epstein's review for poorly representing the game,[108] and Chuet instead found the objectives well-explained in the briefings and dialogue.[98] Blaine Smith for GamersHeroes[110] and Ben Wilson for Gameplanet Australia both rated the PS4 version 6/10, viewing the classic gameplay as more of a detriment than other reviewers did.[111]

Sales

Region Copies Sold
Japan 250,000+ (physical)[112]
80,000+ (digital)[113]
Asia 500,000+[114]
TOTAL 830,000+

Ace Combat 7 sold over 200,000 physical console copies in Japan in the first week of release, surpassing Ace Combat: Assault Horizon which sold 170,000 physical console copies in its first week of release.[115] About 1% (~2,000) of these physical copies were on the Xbox One. This placed the Xbox One version of Ace Combat 7 on Japan's best-selling charts, a very rare event for Xbox One games due to Xbox's unpopularity in Japan.[115] In the following weeks, Ace Combat 7 dropped down in Japan's console sales charts as other high-profile games released (primarily Resident Evil 2 and Kingdom Hearts III).[116] By February 20, a little over one month after release, Ace Combat 7 sold approximately 250,000 physical PS4 copies in Japan.[112] Digital sales in Japan were not made available until February 27, when it was reported that the PS4 version of Ace Combat 7 sold over 80,000 digital copies in Japan.[113]

On February 25, Bandai Namco Entertainment Southeast Asia announced that Ace Combat 7 sold a combined 500,000 units solely in its publishing region of Southeast Asia. Details on PS4/Xbox/PC and digital/physical were not provided.[114]

In the United Kingdom, the physical console versions of Ace Combat 7 set a new record for an Ace Combat debut in the UK and earned second-place in that week's sales. 76% of these sales were on the PlayStation 4.[117] The game received similar performance in Australia and New Zealand.[118] As in Japan, Ace Combat 7's position in physical sales charts dropped as other high-profile games released.[119][120][121] On January 28, Europe's Game Sales Data charts were updated to prioritize value over units sold. Ace Combat 7 reached the first-place spot in the newly-updated charts across all of Europe.[122]

The digital PC version of Ace Combat 7 made enough revenue in the first few days of release to reach 5th place in Steam's top selling games (based on recent revenue).[123] The Deluxe Edition was just below, at 6th place.[124] As of March 1, 2019, SteamSpy estimates that at least 200,000 worldwide Steam users own the PC version of the game.[125]

HOTAS support

Upon the Steam release of Ace Combat 7, a large number of users posted negative reviews due to the game's apparent lack of HOTAS support. This "review bombing" led to the game initially showing "Mostly Negative" reception on the Steam store[126] (now showing "Mostly Positive"). Thrustmaster[127] and Project Aces asked T.Flight Hotas users to update their drivers.[128] Thrustmaster later announced that Ace Combat 7 only supports their T.Flight Hotas 4 and T.Flight Hotas One sticks;[129] Bandai Namco clarified that HORI's HOTAS sticks for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are also compatible, but no others.[130] Charlie Hall for Polygon criticized the "review bombing", stating HOTAS support is unnecessary for Ace Combat 7's arcade-style gameplay.[131]

Galleries

Box Art

  • PS4 (Japan)

    PS4 (Japan)

  • PS4 (North America)

    PS4 (North America)

  • PS4 (Europe)

    PS4 (Europe)

  • Xbox One (Japan)

    Xbox One (Japan)

  • Xbox One (North America)

    Xbox One (North America)

  • Xbox One (Europe)

    Xbox One (Europe)

  • Steam (North America)

    Steam (North America)

  • F-22A Steelbook

    F-22A Steelbook

Trailers

  • January 14, 2019

  • January 10, 2019

  • November 16, 2018

  • October 29, 2018

  • September 11, 2018

  • August 21, 2018

  • June 15, 2018

  • September 20, 2017

  • August 22, 2017

  • June 9, 2017

  • January 26, 2017

  • December 5, 2015

Screenshots

Also see Category:Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown for all Ace Combat 7 screenshots uploaded to Acepedia!

Trivia

  • Ace Combat 7 is the first...
    • ...Ace Combat game since Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation to feature a number in the title;
    • ...console Ace Combat game since Ace Combat 6 to take place in the Strangereal universe;[132]
    • ...Ace Combat game to release on 8th-generation home consoles;
    • ...Ace Combat game to use a third-party engine, namely Unreal Engine 4;[133]
    • ...Strangereal-based Ace Combat game on PC;
    • ...Ace Combat game since Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War to have screenplay written by Sunao Katabuchi;[134]
    • ...Ace Combat game to be localized in Traditional Chinese;[83]
    • ...Ace Combat game to be localised in Brazilian Portuguese;
    • ...Ace Combat game to be localised in Korean since Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception;[85] and the first
    • ...Ace Combat game to be playable in virtual reality.
  • The game's final release date in Europe and North America, January 18, 2019, may be a reference to Mobius Squadron's official designation, 118th Tactical Fighter Wing.
  • Before the game's first trailer aired, Asad Qizilbash (head of Software Marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment America) described "staying up all night to unlock this easter egg, it was a FALKEN fighter", referencing Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  • Katsuhiro Harada (producer for Tekken) said in 2014 that Ace Combat would never get VR support because of how the horizon shakes in aerial flight games, which could make players feel sick.[135]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (エースコンバット7 スカイズ・アンノウン Ēsu Konbatto Sebun: Sukaizu An'nōn)
  2. ↑ The Deluxe Edition is also available physically through specific retailers. See § Deluxe Edition for more details.
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Retail copies only receive their respective bonuses in this section if they were pre-ordered or were otherwise purchased as a launch edition. Digital copies receive their respective bonuses if they were purchased before the following dates:

    PS4/Xbox One: February 18, 2019
    Steam: March 4, 2019
  2. ↑ The eight emblems offered in the Deluxe Edition and European Strangereal Edition are Aquila, Aquila (Low-Vis), Wardog, Wardog (Low-Vis), Gryphus, Gryphus (Low-Vis), Garuda, and Garuda (Low-Vis).
  3. ↑ The emblems available as stickers in the Collector's Edition are Galm, Aquila, Garuda, Razgriz, Mobius, and Sol.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bandai Namco US [@BandaiNamcoUS] (21 August 2018). "ACE COMBAT 7 Skies Unknown lands on PS4, PSVR, & Xbox One on January 18th, 2019 and arrives on Steam February 1st 2019.". Twitter.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 BANDAI NAMCO Europe [@BandaiNamcoEU] (21 August 2018). "ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN launches January 18th 2019 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and on February 1st on PC via Steam!". Twitter.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 ACE COMBAT [@PROJECT_ACES] (21 August 2018). "「ACE COMBAT™ 7: SKIES UNKNOWN」 PlayStation®4版/Xbox One版 2019年1月17日発売、STEAM®版　2019年2月1日発売となります。" ["Ace Combat 7 SKIES UNKNOWN PS4 / Xbox One version will be released on January 17, 2019; Steam version will be released on February 1, 2019."]. Twitter.
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFxtY4giPk0
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.gamespark.jp/article/2018/10/03/84255.html
  6. ↑ Kazutoki Kono. "Letter to ACE COMBAT Fans". BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America. Published on 16 May 2017. Retrieved on 16 May 2017.
  7. ↑ Project Aces [@PROJECT_ACES] (16 May 2017). "ACE COMBAT 7で最高品質の体験をお届けするため発売時期を2018年に変更させていただきました" ["In order to deliver the highest quality experience with ACE COMBAT 7, we have changed the release date to 2018"]. Twitter.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "「エースコンバット7」，ストーリーの導入部や最新スクリーンショットなどが公開。UGSFシリーズとの関連も明らかに" ["Ace Combat 7 story introduction and latest screenshots have been released. A clear connection to UGSF"]. 4gamer.net. Published on 21 June 2018. Retrieved on 21 June 2018.
  9. ↑ https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2018/12/11/flying-high
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Two-pronged Strategy, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "AC7-M03" defined multiple times with different content
  11. ↑ Charge Assault, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  12. ↑ Charge the Enemy, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  13. ↑ Rescue, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  14. ↑ First Contact, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  15. ↑ Pipeline Destruction, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  16. ↑ Faceless Soldier, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  17. ↑ Transfer Orders, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Fleet Destruction, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  19. ↑ Stonehenge Defensive, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  20. ↑ Bunker Buster, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  21. ↑ Cape Rainy Assault, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  22. ↑ Battle for Farbanti, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  23. ↑ Last Hope, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  24. ↑ Homeward, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  25. ↑ Lost Kingdom, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  26. ↑ Lighthouse, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  27. ↑ Dark Blue, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 「エースコンバット 7」VRデモのプレイレポート。トレイラーではさまざまな革新が見られたが，操作感はPS2風？. 4gamer.net. Published on December 4, 2016. Retrieved on December 4, 2016.
  29. ↑ File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - New Years Showcase Trailer.
  30. ↑ Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Goes Back To Its Roots. GameSpot. Published on January 26, 2017. Retrieved on January 28, 2017.
  31. ↑ 9lives sprak met Ace Combat 7-producer Kazutoki Kono. 9lives. Published January 12, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - TGS 2017 Trailer.
  33. ↑ Kazutoki Kono [@kazutoki] (5 December 2015). "VR専用製品ではないです" ["It is not a VR exclusive product"]. Twitter.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Ace Combat 7 coming to Xbox One and PC, 'New Years Showcase' trailer. Gematsu. Published on January 26, 2017. Retrieved on January 26, 2017.
  35. ↑ PS4 Exclusive Ace Combat 7 Will Support PS4 Pro; Producer Talks Developing for PS4 and PlayStation VR. DualShockers. Published on December 4, 2016. Retrieved on December 4, 2016.
  36. ↑ PlayStation Experience: Ace Combat 7 VR Hands-On: Highway To the Danger Zone. WWG. Published on December 3, 2016. Retrieved on December 4, 2016.
  37. ↑ File:AC7 PS VR Demo Controls.jpg.
  38. ↑ スカイズ・アンノウン」のマルチプレイは2種類のルールで他プレイヤーと対決。SASMやTLSも使用可能.
  39. ↑ https://ace7.acecombat.jp/products/
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 https://www.4gamer.net/games/369/G036985/20180915001/
  41. ↑ https://www.game.co.uk/en/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown-deluxe-edition-only-at-game-2562354
  42. ↑ https://www.game.co.uk/en/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown-deluxe-edition-only-at-game-2562357
  43. ↑ https://www.dualshockers.com/ace-combat-7-aces-at-war-bundle/
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 https://twitter.com/kazutoki/status/1048578004346056709
  45. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/acecombat/comments/a71yzx/bandai_namco_us_reports_that_the_aces_at_war/
  46. ↑ File:ACE COMBAT 7 SKIES UNKNOWN Preview Livestream
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 http://www.bandainamcoent.co.kr/bbs/news.php?mode=view&bdIx=1424
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 https://www.bandainamcoent.com.tw/news-detail.php?news_no=169
  49. ↑ http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2018/10/ace_combat_7_collectors_edition_includes_a_ludicrously_large_figurine
  50. ↑ https://kakuchopurei.com/2018/11/12/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown-collectors-edition-contents-revealed-for-southeast-asia/
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 https://twitter.com/AceCombatWiki/status/1077063612810911749
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 The Importance of Ace Combat 7's Cloud-Based Conflict. YouTube. Uploaded by IGN on January 30, 2017.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 53.2 53.3 『エースコンバット7』河野一聡Pにインタビュー。『7』は質感や温度の表現まで踏み込む！【E3 2017】. Dengeki Online. Published on June 16, 2017. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  54. ↑ 『エースコンバット インフィニティ』いよいよ開発は佳境！　河野一聡氏、小林啓樹氏にインタビュー. Famitsu. Published on March 4, 2014. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  55. ↑ Next Generation Ace Combat Being Considered; It’ll Depend on How Well Infinity Does. Dualshockers. Published on March 8, 2014. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  56. ↑ 『エースコンバット インフィニティ』1周年スペシャルインタビュー完全版. Famitsu. Published on May 28, 2015. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  57. ↑ This is probably long overdue, but here's my translation of Famitsu's interview of Kono, Wada, and Koyanagi. Reddit. Posted by lockspeed-99 on July 2, 2015. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 Ace Combat 7 on PS4: First Look + Tech Analysis + Frame-Rate Test. YouTube. Uploaded by DigitalFoundry on June 26, 2017.
  59. ↑ Tekken 7 - PS4/XB1/PC - Unreal Engine 4 & Tekken Part 1 (Q&A Dev Interviews). YouTube. Uploaded by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe on May 31, 2017.
  60. ↑ @SpeedTreeInc on Twitter. Published on March 23, 2018. Retrieved on March 24, 2018.
  61. ↑ Ace Combat 7 interview with Kazutoki Kono (Franchise Director) - Gamespot @ E3 2017. YouTube. Uploaded by Zaptroxix on June 15, 2017.
  62. ↑ @PROJECT_ACES on Twitter. Published on June 30, 2015. Retrieved on April 8, 2018.
  63. ↑ @kazutoki on Twitter. Published on August 30, 2017. Retrieved on April 8, 2018.
  64. ↑ イベント情報/コメント. Gwiki. Retrieved from the Web Archive's version dated November 24, 2015.
  65. ↑ 『エースコンバット7』開発陣インタビュー完全版！　「3つの軸を追求します」. Famitsu. Published December 17, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  66. ↑ PS4『エースコンバット7』は軌道エレベーターがシンボルとなる架空世界が舞台！PVは全て実機映像で、雲に突っ込むことも可能. はちま起稿. Published on December 8, 2015. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  67. ↑ [1]. Facebook. Posted on March 4, 2016. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  68. ↑ [2]. Facebook. Posted on March 6, 2016. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  69. ↑ [3]. Twitter. Posted by @kazutoki on March 29, 2016.
  70. ↑ [4]. Twitter. Posted by @kazutoki on June 14, 2016.
  71. ↑ [5]. Twitter. Posted by @kazutoki on September 17, 2016.
  72. ↑ Incoming full translation of AC7 2016 Famitsu interview. Reddit. Posted by BlackKite2128 on December 9, 2016. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  73. ↑ [6]. Twitter. Posted by @keikikobayashi on November 9, 2016.
  74. ↑ Bandai Namco trademarks Skies Unknown, The Precious 12, Fortune Gears, more in Europe. Gematsu. Published on November 22, 2016. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  75. ↑ PlayStation Experience 2016: Panel Lineup, 100+ Playable Games. PlayStation Blog. Published on November 23, 2016. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  76. ↑ [7]. Twitter. Posted by @kazutoki on November 23, 2016.
  77. ↑ [8]. Twitter. Posted by @PROJECT_ACES on November 28, 2016.
  78. ↑ File:Ace Combat 7 - PS4 - War is taking off (English) (PSX 2016).
  79. ↑ Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is apparently the official title!. Reddit. Comment posted by Sal Romano (head of Gematsu) on December 7, 2016. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  80. ↑ [9]. Twitter. Posted by @kito_mas on December 5, 2016.
  81. ↑ Kazutoki Kono on Ace Combat 7 Xbox One – ‘Not Closing Doors On Multiplatform Release’. GamingBolt. Published on December 13, 2016. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  82. ↑ Ace Combat 7 rated for Xbox One in Taiwan. Gematsu. Published on January 3, 2017. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  83. ↑ 83.0 83.1 【TpGS17】《空戰奇兵7》將推出繁體中文版 製作人河野一聰訪談. Mobile01. Published on January 21, 2017. Retrieved on January 21, 2017.
  84. ↑ Acepedia [@AceCombatWiki] (9 December 2018). "This (signed!) #AceCombat7 box art confirms that the game has NO local multiplayer.". Twitter.
  85. ↑ 85.0 85.1 반다이남코 2017 '한글화 대폭발' 위력, 작년의 두 배. 조인스. Published on May 20, 2017. Retrieved on July 13, 2018.
  86. ↑ 『エースコンバット7 スカイズ・アンノウン』最新バージョンを体験！　そして河野Pにあれこれ聞いてみた【E3 2017】. Famitsu. Published on June 14, 2017. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  87. ↑ Ace Combat 7 Hands-On and Interview – Campaign To Last Between Four and Five Hours. Wccftech. Published on July 3, 2017. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.
  88. ↑ File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - Gamescom 2017 Trailer (Subtitles).
  89. ↑ File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - Gamescom 2017 Demo Gameplay.
  90. ↑ File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - Gamescom Commentary Gameplay.
  91. ↑ Ace Combat 7 Producer Comments on Switch Port Possibility; Explains Why it Became Multiplatform. DualShockers. Published on August 22, 2017. Retrieved on August 25, 2017.
  92. ↑ File:Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown - Paris Games Week VR Trailer (Official).
  93. ↑ [10]. Twitter via @DualShockers. Posted on August 24, 2017.
  94. ↑ [11].
  95. ↑ [12].
  96. ↑ [13].
  97. ↑ [14].
  98. ↑ 98.0 98.1 https://www.techspot.com/news/78645-real-life-fighter-pilot-shares-thoughts-ace-combat.html
  99. ↑ https://www.gamerankings.com/ps4/184015-ace-combat-7-skies-unknown/index.html
  100. ↑ https://www.gamerankings.com/xboxone/204770-ace-combat-7-skies-unknown/index.html
  101. ↑ https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/204932-ace-combat-7-skies-unknown/index.html
  102. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown
  103. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown
  104. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown
  105. ↑ https://opencritic.com/game/7116/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown
  106. ↑ https://www.pcinvasion.com/review/ace-combat-7-pc-steam-review/
  107. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/games/2019/01/26/ace-combat-7-review-its-time-to-return-to-the-intense-world-of-strangereal-flight-combat/
  108. ↑ 108.0 108.1 https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/01/18/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown-review
  109. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2019/01/24/kazutoki-kono-expresses-his-disappointment-at-reviewers-unable-to-play-ace-combat-7-properly/
  110. ↑ http://www.gamersheroes.com/honest-game-reviews/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown-review/
  111. ↑ https://www.gameplanet.com.au/playstation-4/reviews/g5c46235fab39b/Ace-Combat-7-Skies-Unknown-Review/
  112. ↑ 112.0 112.1 https://www.siliconera.com/2019/02/20/this-week-in-sales-a-jump-convention-with-some-full-bodied-action/
  113. ↑ 113.0 113.1 https://www.siliconera.com/2019/02/27/super-smash-bros-ultimate-and-kingdom-hearts-iii-tops-januarys-digital-sales-in-japan/
  114. ↑ 114.0 114.1 https://twitter.com/BandaiNamcoSEA/status/1099927006412763137
  115. ↑ 115.0 115.1 https://twinfinite.net/2019/01/ace-combat-7-japan/
  116. ↑ https://gamingbolt.com/kingdom-hearts-3-and-resident-evil-2-are-still-on-top-in-latest-media-create-sales-charts
  117. ↑ https://www.mcvuk.com/business/uk-charts-ace-combat-7-is-series-biggest-take-off
  118. ↑ https://mediaweek.com.au/top-10-game-charts-janaury-28-2019/
  119. ↑ https://www.vg247.com/2019/01/28/resident-evil-2-is-at-no-1-in-uk-games-charts/
  120. ↑ https://www.vg247.com/2019/02/03/kingdom-hearts-3-has-had-the-most-successful-uk-launch-of-the-series/
  121. ↑ https://mediaweek.com.au/top-10-game-charts-2019/
  122. ↑ https://www.mcvuk.com/business/european-sales-data-adds-value-rankings-providing-far-greater-insight-into-full-game-sales
  123. ↑ https://www.malaymail.com/news/tech-gadgets/2019/02/05/weekly-pc-download-charts-undersea-subnautica-below-zero-topples-resident-e/1719923
  124. ↑ https://www.pcgamesinsider.biz/news/68456/subnautica-resurfaces-with-a-cool-spot-at-the-top-of-this-weeks-steam-top-ten/
  125. ↑ http://steamspy.com/app/502500
  126. ↑ https://www.pcinvasion.com/ace-combat-7-hotas-support/
  127. ↑ https://twitter.com/TMThrustmaster/status/1091324057247801344
  128. ↑ https://twitter.com/PROJECT_ACES/status/1091259871779942402
  129. ↑ https://twitter.com/TMThrustmaster/status/1091411828566081541
  130. ↑ https://steamcommunity.com/games/502500/announcements/detail/1729848148045999311
  131. ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/1/18206994/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown-impressions
  132. ↑ PROJECT_ACES. Twitter. Published December 5, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  133. ↑ Unreal Engine. Twitter. Published December 5, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  134. ↑ 河野一聡 @kazutoki. Twitter. Published December 10, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  135. ↑ 「サマーレッスン」体験実録。「Project Morpheus」で話題沸騰の技術デモはいかにして生まれたのか。鉄拳チーム原田氏に根掘り葉掘り聞いてきた. 4gamer. Published November 15, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
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