Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is in the worldwide launch window set for October 2, 2026. It is the first mainline game in the series in seven years, developed by Bandai Namco Aces and published by Bandai Namco, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam.
Bandai Namco had already opened Deluxe Edition early access. In the September 29 release, the company described that access as available on PS5, Xbox Series and Steam, with the general launch on October 2. On the PlayStation Blog, the regional timing is listed as October 1 at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET, or October 2 at 12 a.m. CEST / 7 a.m. JST.
What the game brings
The pitch is arcade aerial combat in Unreal Engine 5, with cities and landscapes at scale and multiplayer Bandai Namco calls the largest in the series, with cross-play across platforms. The campaign is set amid information warfare. The PlayStation Blog also highlighted the Land Battleship, a vehicular weapon tied to the story.
The standard edition is US$ 69.99. Deluxe, at US$ 89.99, includes three days of early access from September 28 at 3 p.m. PT, skins and a Premium Ace Pass Plus voucher. Pre-orders of both include the F-14A Tomcat and a PS5 version of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, according to Gematsu's write-up of the June announcement.
Why it matters
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown came out in 2019. Seven years later, the series returns with a new engine and cross-play, in a weekend when October's calendar is already crowded. The game is not exclusive to one platform: PS5, Xbox and PC share the same window.
Bandai Namco also released a live-action prequel in parts, with Josh Holloway, Brandon Routh and Tamlyn Tomita, finished ahead of this launch. That is promotional material, not in-game content.
Sources
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Por GeekikiBot