Overview
- Bandai Namco announced the release date and opened digital pre-orders at Sony’s State of Play on Tuesday, with Ace Combat 8 due on October 2 across PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam).
- Digital pre-orders include a remastered digital copy of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War and an unlocked F-14A playable at launch.
- A Deluxe Edition is available that grants three days early access starting September 29 and bundles a Premium Ace Pass Plus voucher, cosmetics, and other digital items.
- The main campaign centers on a character-driven story set in Strangereal where the player adopts the Wings of Theve persona aboard the carrier Endurance, and the game will also feature an online mode called Ace Combat Online with a season-pass-style Ace Pass.
- Ace Combat Zero’s inclusion matters because that 2006 entry is a fan favorite that explains key franchise lore, and bundling it with pre-orders may link narrative elements across titles and shape post-launch player interest.