Ubisoft has announced the creation of a new Tom Clancy franchise being developed by the company's Bucharest studio for next generation consoles and PC. The first "air combat" title from the Tom Clancy universe will launch in 2008, the company says.

The first title in the franchise puts players inside the cockpits of jet fighters, able to balance performance with security as they advance in expertise. Against the backdrop of a near-future in the US, players must defend the country against a powerful private military force.

Sebastian Delen, managing director of Ubisoft's Bucharest studio, said the company is hoping to create an online multiplayer success -- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas was a major factor in Ubisoft's strong financial results in the first fiscal quarter of this year, which showed sales of $180.7, up 90.5 percent over last year.

"Ubisoft has an unrivaled track record of creating and sustaining new brands,” said Serge Hascoet, chief creative officer at Ubisoft. "Our commitment to refreshing our catalog with regular introduction of new IPs is what keeps gamers coming back for more. With this new brand we're redefining the aerial combat genre and extending the Tom Clancy universe to deliver a compelling new action title to next-generation gamers.”