After 30 years they finally let Ace Combat’s director fly in a real jet, and I’m taking credit
Kazutoki Kono, the Ace Combat brand director who has led the series since Ace Combat 2 in 1997, recently achieved a 30-year-old dream. In an interview with PC Gamer, Kono revealed that despite working on a franchise centered around aerial combat, he had never experienced flying in a real fighter jet, despite decades of appeals.
The story takes a delightfully meta turn with an update: Kono himself confirmed via tweet that the PC Gamer interview actually triggered the opportunity for him to finally fly. He has now experienced the real thrills of fighter jet operations, including high-altitude maneuvers at 30,000 feet. The article is written with tongue-in-cheek humor, with the journalist playfully claiming credit for realizing Kono’s lifelong ambition.
The moment highlights the passion game developers often have for their source material and captures a charming instance where persistence and a simple interview question finally made a long-held wish come true.