There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who play flight simulators for realism, and those who play Ace Combat 8 to launch forty missiles at once while orchestral music convinces them they are saving the planet.
Good news for the second group. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is officially happening.
Details are still flying in formation somewhere above classified altitude, but expectations are already clear. There will be jets that turn tighter than physics allows, enemies who politely wait until you finish your dramatic radio dialogue, and a storyline that starts with routine patrol duty before escalating into saving civilization in about twelve minutes.
Also guaranteed: someone will say something emotional over comms while you thread a fighter jet through a canyon at irresponsible speed.
If the previous entries taught us anything, it is this. The sky will be dramatic. The missiles will be plentiful. And somehow, despite carrying enough ordnance to level a small country, you will still run out at the worst possible moment. ✈️🔥
You can add Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve to your wishlist for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and on the Bandai Namco Store.
Meanwhile, here’s the announcement trailer:
And oh, here’s a little history on the franchise, which started way back in 1995:
- 1995 — Air Combat (PlayStation)
- 1997 — Ace Combat 2 (PlayStation)
- 1999 — Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere (PlayStation)
- 2001 — Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (PlayStation 2)
- 2004 — Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (PlayStation 2)
- 2006 — Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PlayStation 2)
- 2007 — Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Xbox 360)
- 2010 — Ace Combat: Joint Assault (PSP)
- 2011 — Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (PS3, Xbox 360, later PC)
- 2014 — Ace Combat Infinity (PlayStation 3, free-to-play; servers shut down 2018)
- 2019 — Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Images: Bandai Namco.