From Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies onwards, the series has been primarily set in an Earth-like setting named "Strangereal". This name is derived from a 2000 trailer for the game, which included the phrase "the strange, real world." In a 2001 interview, the developers explained that "the strange, real world" was the design concept they were using to develop the game's setting, leading to fans adopting the name "Strangereal" for the setting. The name eventually stuck and was first used in an official capacity in the mobile game Ace Combat: Northern Wings, but has remained the only game in the series to use the name in-game.