For years after the release ofPokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphirein 2014, many long-time fans of the franchise were clamoring to see the monster-catching franchise revisit the first DS titles,Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Those fans got their wish earlier this year when Nintendo finally unveiledthe long-awaited Gen 4 remakes,Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Perhaps most surprising to fans, however, was the announcement that development would not be handled in-house by Nintendo, instead being handed off to ILCA.
ILCA is a third-party “support” developer that has its hands in many of gaming’s biggest franchises. The company has assisted with major titles, such asYakuza 0,Dragon Quest XI, andNier: Automata. As development of the newest Pokemon titles continue with moreclassic features announced to return, ILCA was recently announced to be involved with another franchise, one the company is familiar with.
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During yesterday’sAce Combat25th Anniversary Retrospective broadcast,Ace Combatproducer Kazutoki Kono officially announced that a newAce Combattitle is in development. ThePokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearldeveloper was revealed to be assisting with the creation of the newest entry into the aerial combat franchise. Few details were given about the freshly announced title, but Kono was eager to see ILCA become more involved with the long-running franchise.
The new title is not the first time ILCA has played a role in theAce Combatfranchise. ILCA assisted Bandai-Namco during the development of the franchise’s previous title,Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown, released in 2019. The long-running combat flight franchise celebrated its 25th anniversary last year with a slew of classicplanes added toAce Combat 7, and Kono was optimistic about the partnership. During the interview, he made reference to the new title starting “a new era” forAce Combatmarked by the partnership between the two companies.
ILCA has acted as a support studio for larger game developers for over a decade since its formation in 2010. The company has experience across multiple different genres and big-name franchises likeMetal Gear Solidand aforementioned franchises likePokemonandAce Combat. ILCA also has history with their current partner in Nintendo as well, previously working on development of the cloud-basedPokemon storage titlePokemon Home. With the company’s wide range of expertise and history with theAce Combatfranchise, fans of the aerial combat series should look forward to the upcoming title.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlare scheduled to release on November 19 for the Nintendo Switch.
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