Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is available now. Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe announced the worldwide launch on Friday, October 2, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, in a publisher post dated that day. Bandai Namco calls it the first mainline Ace Combat in seven years. This is the full public release, separate from the Deluxe Edition digital Early Access window already on RCG as Ace Combat 8 Deluxe Early Access Is Live Now.
Development is credited to Bandai Namco Aces. The launch note says the game uses Unreal Engine 5 and proprietary technology for cloudscapes, detailed environments, and dynamic weather that changes how a sortie plays. Players pilot real-world-inspired fighters and follow the campaign through cinematic first-person storytelling.
The story stays inside the series’ fictional world. The player is the pilot known as the Wings of Theve, flying with Joker Flight to reclaim a homeland after the Federation of Central Usea falls under occupation. The same post names wingmen Baxter, Tasha, and Coster. Its opening scene puts the pilot adrift in a rescue boat until the aging carrier Endurance, decks already crowded with refugees and pulled back from the front, takes them aboard.
Bandai Namco describes online play as the largest multiplayer offering in franchise history, with cross-platform play between pilots. Players create a mercenary pilot and enter the Air Base hub, a social space for up to 100 people at once. Listed activities are Co-Op Assault, Co-Op Warfare, time-limited emergency missions, and competitive PvP, plus a separate online rewards track that includes training, arcade runs, and other unlocks.
An optional Premium Ace Pass for Ace Combat Online can be bought on its own or arrives through the Deluxe Edition’s Premium Ace Pass Plus voucher. The publisher says the pass includes seasonal aircraft skins, avatar costumes, and the playable ADFX-02 MORGAN – PIXY. Premium Ace Pass Plus holders also receive an instant boost of 30 levels through seasonal content. The base launch does not require the pass.
