Box Art

Ace Combat 7: THE iDOLM@STER is the 17th title in the Ace Combat series. The game was leaked by a YouTube trailer that was accidentally published on Bandai Namco's channel; it has since been reuploaded elsewhere. It is the first Ace Combat game to take place on Strangereal since Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. Its gameplay mechanics and even level design appear to be reused from Ace Combat: Assault Horizon and Ace Combat Infinity.[1]

The trailer confirms that Nordennavic's secret Grendel Squadron from Ace Combat: Northern Wings will be returning for this game, and the player will be flying as Grendel 1 once more. The game takes place in 2025, when various historical aces - Mobius 1, Blaze, Talisman, Gryphus One, and more - have become affected by some kind of experimental virus. They become hostile to all around them, and employ aircraft based on THE iDOLM@STER exclusively while they perform attacks across the world. As Grendel 1, the player must quell the sudden insurgency by all of the previous Ace Combat aces, and find out if there is an ulterior motive behind the recent events. The trailer hints at a possible resurgence of the Belkan Gray Men, and shows that Talisman is using the F-15E -CHIHAYA-.[1]

The trailer lists a Q4 2015 release date, as well as a multi-platform release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.[1]

Trivia

It is currently unclear as to why the trailer lists a PEGI 16 rating and the box art an ESRB M rating, since nothing suggestive or too violent appeared in the trailer.