Capcom's recent announcement of a virtual reality port for Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies, slated for release in 2027 on Meta VR platforms, has been met with a mixture of curiosity and disappointment from the franchise's dedicated fanbase. While the prospect of experiencing the courtroom drama in VR holds some appeal, the announcement has amplified calls for a new, mainline Ace Attorney game, a prospect that remains distant.
The last new entry in the Ace Attorney series was The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve, released in 2017. Although its prequel and sequel were later released internationally in 2021, nearly a decade has passed without new cases for fans to investigate. Despite numerous ports and spin-offs on various platforms, the absence of a new installment in the core series has become a significant point of contention.
Social media reactions to the VR announcement highlighted this frustration. "Quickest excited to disappointed I’ve experienced in my life," one X user lamented. Another added, "Immediately jumped out of my seat and then actually read the whole tweet," capturing the swift shift from anticipation to letdown.
Despite the current lack of a sequel announcement, fans are holding out hope for potential news later this year. The Game Awards, scheduled for December 10th, could serve as a platform for a surprise reveal. This hope is further fueled by recent sales milestones shared by Capcom. On September 20th, the company revealed that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy had surpassed five million copies sold. Collectively, the Ace Attorney franchise has sold over 15 million units worldwide, according to Capcom's investor relations data.
Coinciding with these sales figures, Capcom also shared a new illustration on X to commemorate the series' upcoming 25th anniversary on October 12th. The anniversary date is fast approaching, leaving fans to wonder if this milestone will be accompanied by any new game announcements, or if the VR port will be the sole offering for the foreseeable future.