After years of largely solo dogfighting campaigns, the Ace Combat series has taken its biggest structural leap yet. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launched October 2 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam — and its headline feature isn't a new fictional nation or a superweapon. It's multiplayer.
The Series Goes Online in a Big Way
Producer Manabu Shimomoto describes Ace Combat Online as the largest multiplayer component in the franchise's 30-year history. The studio has positioned it as a genuine competitive and co-op experience — not an afterthought bolted onto a campaign. The single-player side follows series tradition: a fictional geopolitical conflict, high-performance jets, and a soundtrack that blends orchestral bombast with electronica. Wings of Theve is the 18th mainline entry in one of Bandai Namco's longest-running action franchises.
Pre-Order Bonuses and the Belkan War
Pre-orders come with a copy of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War — the 2006 PS2 entry widely considered the series' narrative high point — plus the F-14A Tomcat as a playable aircraft. It's a smart way to introduce new players to the franchise's lore before dropping them into Theve's story.
Hour Zero — A Live-Action Prequel Series
Accompanying the launch is Hour Zero, a live-action miniseries functioning as a prequel to the game's events. Its existence marks the franchise's first real push into non-interactive media in over two decades, signaling Bandai Namco's intent to expand Ace Combat beyond the cockpit.
A Fresh Starting Point
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown shipped in 2019 and received DLC through 2021. Wings of Theve stands on its own setting rather than continuing that story directly, giving new players a low-friction entry point without seven years of lore to absorb. For long-running fans, the online mode is either the series' smartest evolution or a risk to its identity as a tightly crafted single-player experience. Whether Ace Combat Online retains the arcade handling and narrative intensity that define the franchise will be what reviews settle over the coming weeks.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.