The massive brain behind the Civilization series now turns his impressive cranium toward smaller screens, with an upcoming iOS-exclusive World War I-themed strategy game called Ace Patrol. The game is coming together under Meier’s direction at XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Civilization studio Firaxis, with 2K Games on board to publish.
Ace Patrol tasks players with directing WWI-era planes in turn-based dogfights on battlefields overlaid with a hexagonal grid. Unlike other recent Firaxis titles, this one was actually conceived and programmed by Meier himself. It’s the famed Civ creator’s first step away from the classic series in some time.
It’s also a free-to-play title, with the initial download including one set of missions – the British campaign – plus multiplayer. There’s support for both asynchronous online play between multiple devices and single-device “hot seat” pass-and-play. An additional three campaigns, plus an assortment of upgrades and cosmetic add-ons, will be available as in-app purchases.
Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol launches May 9 exclusively on iOS.
