Video game giant Capcom was recently the victim of a ransomware attack that saw a ton of its data exposed online. Unfortunately, this includes personal information for both current and former employees, though at least Capcom’s customers were spared. As part of theCapcom hack, the perpetrators have also leaked documents that reveal upcoming Capcom projects, including some that may be of particular interest toAce Attorneyfans.
NumerousAce Attorneyvideo games are mentioned in the Capcom leak, and they point to 2021 being a big year for fans of the quirky franchise. These leaks mean big things forAce Attorneyfans in general, but they should be especially big to fans of the franchise that live outside of Japan.
RELATED:Among Us and Ace Attorney Mash Up Sums Up Imposter Debates
Before explaining whyAce Attorneyfans who live outside of Japan may be particularly interested in the leaked collection, it’s worth pointing out that fans should take this information with a grain of salt. While this leak is far more legitimate than many other leaks appear online, there’s always the chance that Capcom’s plans have changed or that the information is outdated in some other sense.
Great Ace Attorney
According to the leak, Capcom plans on announcing a localization of itsGreat Ace Attorneygames, with the reveal happening this coming April and a planned June 2021 release date for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. ThetwoGreat Ace Attorneygames, originally released for the Nintendo 3DS, will be bundled together for $40 and come with significant quality of life improvements, visual enhancements, all of the post-launch DLC, and support for features like PlayStation trophies. SinceGreat Ace Attorneyhas never been released outside of Japan, this is huge for longtime fans of the franchise.
For those unfamiliar withGreat Ace Attorney, it follows the story of Ryunosuke Naruhodo (who will probably get a different name in the English release), an ancestor ofPhoenix Wright. The gameplay makes some significant shifts when compared to the otherAce Attorneygames, as players have to contend with an entire jury instead of a single judge. It also features an appearance by world famous detective Sherlock Holmes, who introduces the new Joint Reasoning mechanic where players have to point out the issues with his theories about what happened in any particular case.
Since theGreat Ace Attorneygames have never been released outside of Japan, tons ofAce Attorneyenthusiasts simply haven’t had the chance to play the games. Assuming this part of the leak is accurate, though, it appears as though that will change sooner rather than later.
Ace Attorney Collection
AnotherAce Attorneyproject mentioned in the Capcom leak is anAce Attorney Collectionfor both the PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Apparently, Japan fans can look forward to a bundle that brings together both of theGreat Ace Attorneygames as well as the originalPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy. Why this bundle isn’t being considered outside of Japan is strange, but it’s worth pointing out that fans can already buy theAce Attorney Trilogyseparately on both PS4 and Switch if they so desire.
RELATED:Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth DS Review
Ace Attorney Investigations 2
Originally released in 2010,Ace Attorney Investigations 2would be the onlyAce Attorneygame to never be localized if the leak is accurate and theGreat Ace Attorneygames are indeed getting an English release. However, with Capcom bothering to localize theGreat Ace Attorneygames, perhaps it could finally be convinced to bring this game to western audiences as well. After all, the leak seems to suggest that Capcom is going to be more aggressive about pushing theAce Attorneygames into the spotlight in 2021, and so maybe this renewed attention will lead to the publisher finally giving those outside of Japan the chance to play this game and complete the story.
Ace Attorney 7
Something else mentioned in the Capcom leak wasAce Attorney 7. Details on what exactlyAce Attorney 7will entail are scarce, but the game will supposedly be out for release Q3 of 2021. It seems likely thatAce Attorney 7will continue the story of Phoenix Wright in the main series of games, but anything beyond that would just be guessing. If the game is indeed coming in 2021 like the leak claims, then more information should come sooner rather than later.
More Ace Attorney Ports
Capcom’s plans to bring moreAce Attorneygames to modern audiences suggests that the company has a renewed interest in the franchise, and that could be huge for fans as it may give them the chance to finally playAce Attorney Investigations 2in a language other than Japanese. But not only that, it could see Capcom port more of theAce Attorneygames to modern platforms so that they are not trapped on handheld systems forever.
While the originalPhoenix Wrighttrilogy is already available on modern systems, games likeApollo Justice: Ace Attorney,Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies, andPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice, as well as theProfessor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorneygame and other spin-offs, all could use ports.
If the otherAce Attorneygames that Capcom supposedly plans on releasing in 2021 sell well, one has to imagine that these other games making the jump is in the cards.
