E3 06: Ace Combat swooping onto PSPs

Following reports in the Japanese press, American Bandai Namco reps confirmed today that the publisher is readying an Ace Combat title for the PlayStation Portable. "I can confirm that the Ace Team in Japan has officially announced Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception for the PSP," a rep told GameSpot News. It will mark the second time the series has ventured from its PlayStation and PlayStation 2 console roots, after 2005's Ace Combat Advance for the Game Boy Advance.

What exactly is Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception? That's a good question. Little is known about the game other than its title. However, it will likely feature the same group of fictional countries waging a modern air war with real-world fighter jets. Past plane rosters have included American interceptors such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the F/A-18 Hornet, as well as Soviet fighter-bombers such as the Su-27 and MiG-29.

The newest console entry in the series, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War for the PlayStation 2, is set to ship this Spring in North America. No US release plans for Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception have been announced.