Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve — Everything We Know

As early as 1995, Ace Combat was already setting the bar for arcade-style dogfights. Aboard your fighter jets and military aircraft, you’d take to the skies and shoot enemy planes out of the sky. Eight games down the line, along with spin-offs and other media, and we have a franchise that leads the charge of one of the best aerial combat games out there. With a new entry on the horizon, it’s time to compile everything we know about Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve thus far.

What is Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve?

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is an upcoming flight shooting game. You’ll fly your chosen aircraft through the skies, facing challenges from holding your plane steady against turbulence to fighting enemy jets. There’s also a ranking system that tracks your performance. Overall, it’s a pretty intense game, fully focused on aerial combat. The battlefield is the sky, and you have no limits on weapons or missiles you can stockpile before launch.

It’s a structured playthrough as well, with an actual campaign you’ll complete. This brings with it storyed missions, action-filled missions, opportunities for teamwork with your squad, and lots of hard choices to make mid-air.

Story

Players will assume the role of fighter pilot Rex as leader of the Joker Squadron in the Federation of Central Usea (FCU). They’ll kickstart their journey sailing at sea in a rescue boat until they board an outdated aircraft carrier called Endurance. From then on, they discover that the homeland navy has been ruined. The decks are in chaos, full of refugees, and is aging, with its station far away from enemy frontlines. 

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve campaign takes place in July 2029. The Republic of Sotoa is now in control of FCU. The enemy has infiltrated most spaces, and the FCU’s military is scattered. All that remains are outdated aircraft like the Endurance. To raise people’s hope, you inherit the moniker “Wings of Theve.” It’s a legendary nickname given to a lost pilot, said to be the ace of aces, the symbol of hope, and relating to Theve, the FCU capital. 

You know that the legend is a lie; false hope that could break at any time. Yet, you’re determined to live up to the “Wings of Theve,” to someday fly to the skies, three new comrades by your side. And slowly but surely, regain control of your homeland.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will take place in the cockpit of your aircraft. From the trailer, the flight simulation looks stunning. Cloudy skies warp around you as you cut a way through to your goal. Combat will be intense as you fight against enemy jets and blow up major buildings. Your mission objectives will be to take down threats to your homeland, with each new objective tougher than the last. 

It’s a challenge to earn the privilege to fly majestic aircraft through aerial warfare in realistic skies. Like previous games before it, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve promises fast-paced, arcade-style action, providing powerful weapons to claim control of the battlefield.

Back at base, the campaign will unravel smoothly via first-person cutscenes and thrilling cinematics. You’ll feel what it’s like to be a fighter pilot, taking orders, weighing heavy decisions, and forging bonds with your squad in battle. While you’re not shooting down enemy jets, you’ll bond with your team, face surprising challenges, and live up to the legend of the “Wings of Theve.”

Some things remain the same, like Katabuchi working on the story. Others are new ideas, like adding three new characters, cross-platform multiplayer, and a new multi-layered cloud engine with Unreal Engine 5 visuals. The new bonding gameplay could go either way. But just as the last game, 2019’s Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, nailed flight controls, arcade action, mission variety, and engaging multiplayer, so is the new game likely to deliver thrilling dogfights.

Development

Bandai Namco Aces is developing Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. Specifically, PROJECT ACES studio, as they have previous games. And the larger Bandai Namco Entertainment will produce the game once finished. So far, so good, with early marketing videos and screenshots showing promise of stunning skies, an immersive campaign, realistic scenes from shimmering waters to engulfing fire around a sinking jet, among more impressive details. Ace Combat Brand Director, Kazutoki Kono, takes the time to walk us through the trailer. He expresses how they’ve poured passion and determination into the project.

Trailer

Here’s where the fun is, where you can watch and break apart every scene from the announcement trailer revealed at The Game Awards 2025 show. It’s a pretty detailed first look at Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, showcasing not only the cinematics, but also the campaign and combat segments. You have immense sky detail that looks real, and I can only imagine how it’ll feel cruising through the clouds.

Aircraft have intricate detail, even in motion. They look pretty authentic to real aircraft, and their demolition animations are just as impressive. No double adrenaline junkies will have lots to quench their cravings, with the enemy jets getting shot out of the sky, and falling rapidly engulfed in flames. Add to that the striking music score that will hopefully accompany major plot points and intense combat scenes.

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve plans to launch in 2026, which will actually coincide with the series’ 30th anniversary. It’s unclear when exactly the release date will be. But we can confirm that it will launch on current-gen PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC platforms via Steam. The Steam and PlayStation pages are already out. So, feel free to add the game to your wishlist. That way, you can get notifications about preorders, any editions that may be available, and any future announcements. Or Bandai Namco’s socials on X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn are also a pretty reliable source for up-to-date news about the upcoming game.