Fact sheet
| Title | Red Ace Squadron: Definitive Edition |
|---|---|
| Original release | December 2001, by Small Rockets (Guildford, England) |
| Revival | 2026 community restoration, made with the blessing of one of the original developers |
| Platform | Windows (direct download from redacesquadron.com) |
| Genre | WWI arcade flight combat |
| Players | Single-player campaigns; online multiplayer for up to 8 via Epic Online Services (no Epic account required) |
| Content | 10 campaign missions (Allied + Central Powers) with Master Mode variants, 3 training missions, a hidden Secret Mission, 3 worlds, 11 aircraft |
| Status | Final testing; release imminent |
| Contact | contact@redacesquadron.com |
The story in one paragraph
A 2001 WWI dogfighter, sold by direct download years before that was normal, is back from the dead. Red Ace Squadron: Definitive Edition restores Small Rockets' arcade classic for Windows 11 with reverse-engineered widescreen, a fully repainted interface, AI-remastered terrain, and its GameSpy-era multiplayer resurrected over Epic Online Services, all without modifying a byte of the original game's core. It is made with the blessing of one of the original developers.
Angles worth writing about
- The engineering: bringing 2001 netcode back online through Epic Online Services with zero patches to the original client
- The restoration craft: 64 interface screens repainted by hand; the 2001-versus-2026 comparisons are dramatic
- The preservation story: a digital-distribution pioneer nearly lost, revived with its developer's blessing
Usage
Everything in the kit may be used freely for coverage of the game. Please link to redacesquadron.com as the official source, and don't imply the project is an official Small Rockets, EA, or Epic Games product.