Q-Games Says It Handled Cloud Rendering Research For Ace Combat 8
Cloudly is the rare technical credit that ties the Ace Combat series' signature skies to a studio whose own history is built on flight games, which gives the announcement a lineage the marketing copy does not need to spell out.
Key Facts
- Q-Games announced it handled research and development for Cloudly, the rendering technology behind the sky and clouds in ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE.
- Cloudly renders a sky that spans 10,000 square kilometers, according to Q-Games.
- ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE launched on October 2 and is on sale for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
- A PS5 copy of ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is listed at 8,667 yen.
- Q-Games CEO and founder Dylan Cuthbert worked on the Super Famicom title Star Fox at Nintendo and later on Star Fox Command and Star Fox 64 3D.
Reporting from 2 sources: GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
Q-Games announced it was in charge of research and development for Cloudly, the rendering technology that supports the sky and clouds in ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE. The Kyoto studio said Cloudly renders a sky spanning 10,000 square kilometers. It produces light streaming through gaps in clouds, shadows cast on clouds by aircraft, multi-layered cloud structures, and contrails. Sunlight bouncing off the canopy is part of the same system. Those elements also work as in-game signs, which Q-Games says feed into dogfight gameplay by giving pilots clues about the situation around them. The game launched on October 2. It is on sale for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a PS5 copy listed at 8,667 yen. Q-Games is known for the PixelJunk series and Dreams of Another. CEO and founder Dylan Cuthbert worked on the Game Boy title X and the Super Famicom title Star Fox at Nintendo, and later on Star Fox Command and Star Fox 64 3D.
Akito Takahashi, Q-Games' COO and studio manager, also worked on Star Fox Command and Star Fox 64 3D, giving the studio a second staff link to Nintendo's flight games. The studio's Baiyon, who worked on Dreams of Another, writes a life-advice series called "Won't You Talk with Us for a Bit?" for Game Spark.
Q-Games placed third in the Steam Japanese review standings roundup that same week, next to a report that concurrent players reached roughly 37,000 at launch. The main game holds a Metascore of 88, and an official statement addressed flight stick compatibility on PC, aiming for an environment close to Ace Combat 7. A live-action short prequel film and a making-of also released. Early access builds crashed frequently in some PC environments, and a follow-up said pre-order bonus Ace Combat Zero is treated as DLC rather than a standalone application, with a standalone console launch under consideration. THRUSTMASTER sells a T.Flight Hotas Neo Ace Combat 8 Wings of Theve Edition stick and throttle bundle for PS5, PS4, and PC at 28,001 yen.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.