Ace Combat Series Brand Director Kazutoki Kono has been involved with the iconic dogfighting franchise for over 30 years now. Working on a single game series for so many years requires not just dedication, but a level of obsession with the material. Ace Combat 7's difficult development is well documented, while Kono has mentioned the long hours he's putting into the upcoming Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve on social media. Clearly, Kono's fire still burns as fiercely as it did three decades ago.