Ubisoft announces Pacific Fighters

Ubisoft and Oleg Maddox, the creator of the award-winning IL-2 Sturmovik series of combat flight simulators, have today announced the development of Pacific Fighters. Scheduled for release this fall, the World War II-themed title will allow players to relive the Pacific air war from the cockpits of more than 40 authentic aircraft. The game's 16 new maps will see players battling in the skies above a number of locations, including Guadalcanal, Pearl Harbor, and Singapore.

Players will have the option to fly alongside the forces of the US, Japan, Great Britain, or Australia. Planes confirmed for inclusion in the game to date include the F6F Hellcat, the Japanese Zero, and the Supermarine Seafire. For the first time in the 1C: Maddox-developed series, players will be able to take off and land on aircraft carriers during combat.

"Pacific Fighters will deliver even more of the high-quality graphics, historical detail, and realism that IL-2 fans have come to expect, this time in a dynamic, new Pacific war setting," said Alain Corre, EMEA managing director at Ubisoft. "We are thrilled to offer flight sim enthusiasts the opportunity to fight in memorable aerial battles over famous locations, such as Midway and Iwo Jima, while still enjoying extensive multiplayer options."

"We're extremely proud and excited to bring Pacific Fighters to the combat flight sim audience, because we know they're going to be very pleased with improvements to the award-winning IL-2 game engine and [will] enjoy the new Pacific war setting," added Ilya Shevchenko, the game's producer. "Players will appreciate the variety of famous fighters. However, in this title, more than in any previous Maddox sim, we're emphasizing flyable bombers, such as the SBD Dauntless, Aichi Val, Mitsubishi G4M Betty, and at least four versions of the North American B-25 Mitchell."

Missions in the game will comprise torpedo attacks, dive-bombing, and high-altitude bombing, with targets including a variety of amphibious landing craft, realistic coastal fortifications, a wide selection of ground vehicles, and, of course, other aircraft. Online gameplay options in Pacific Fighters will include both free-for-all dogfights and cooperative campaign missions.

Pacific Fighters is currently scheduled for release this fall. For more information, you might like to check out the game's official Web site.