Bandai Namco Entertainment America has begun streaming a 16-minute opening cinematic trailer for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, giving players their first extended look at the story ahead of the game’s launch. The newest entry in Bandai Namco’s modern air combat franchise arrives October 2, with its Deluxe Edition unlocking early on September 29.

A Long Runway for the Franchise

Namco released the original Ace Combat back in 1992, and the series has spent three decades building out its arcade-flavored dogfighting reputation. The most recent mainline entry, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, launched in January 2019 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One before arriving on PC via Steam the following month, and it’s since been made playable on Xbox Series X|S as well. If you’re new to modern combat flight sims and want a sense of how the genre’s harder-edged cousins handle things, DCS World’s steeper learning curve is worth a look for contrast before jumping into something built for accessibility like Ace Combat.

Gameplay from Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. Pre-Order Bonuses and Multiplayer Modes

Anyone who pre-orders Wings of Theve gets Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War thrown in as a bonus. On the multiplayer side, Co-Op Assault pits two teams of four against each other in a race for high scores across shared missions, while Co-Op Warfare has two four-player teams fighting both each other and AI-controlled enemies simultaneously.

Bandai Namco has also been building anticipation with Ace Combat Hour Zero, a live-action prequel series streamed by IGN. Josh Holloway plays a pilot with nowhere to land, Brandon Routh plays a doctor who saved his enemy, and Tamlyn Tomita plays a news anchor silenced for telling the truth, as the three strangers navigate the opening days of the Republic of Sotoa’s invasion of the Federation of Central Usea. IGN streamed the first three episodes on September 15, 17, and 23, with a fourth landing September 29; each runs 6 to 11 minutes. It’s the kind of pre-launch marketing push that recalls how other flight combat games have leaned on real-world tie-ins lately, including War Thunder’s recent map and faction expansions.

Josh Holloway at San Diego Comic-Con Release Details

Everything converges on October 2, when Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve goes live across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Release Item Date / Detail Deluxe Edition launch September 29 Standard launch (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) October 2 Pre-order bonus Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

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