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Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve Brings Project Aces Back To Strangereal
Ace Combat has always been more than a fighter jet series. For longtime fans, Project Aces’ franchise has remained memorable because of the way it blends high-speed aerial combat with fictional military drama, emotional radio chatter, impossible superweapons, and the strange grandeur of Strangereal.
That identity is taking centre stage again in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. During Sony’s latest State of Play, Bandai Namco and Project Aces released a new trailer that gave fans a deeper look at the game’s story, squad structure, battlefield threats, and release timing.
Joker Squadron Leads The Fight For Theve
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve places players in the role of a pilot tied to the legend of the Wings of Theve, a name connected to the capital of the Federation of Central Usea. The country has fallen under a sudden invasion by the neighbouring Republic of Sotoa, leaving its military scattered and its people looking for a symbol to rally behind.
That symbol becomes the player. From aboard the aircraft carrier Endurance, players will take to the skies alongside Joker Squadron, building relationships with companion pilots between missions while fighting to reclaim Theve.
The new trailer highlights squad members including Ellington “Professor” Baxter, Tasha Seversky, William “Noise” Coster, and Kate “Little Bee” Evans. The focus on squad bonds suggests Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is leaning further into character-driven military storytelling, giving the campaign more room to explore trust, responsibility, and the pressure of command.
The Land Battleship Raises The Scale Of War
The trailer also introduces one of the game’s largest battlefield threats, a massive 450 metre armoured vehicle known as the Land Battleship. It is exactly the kind of oversized military weapon Ace Combat fans expect, sitting somewhere between terrifying war machine and wonderfully excessive Strangereal spectacle.
The Land Battleship appears set to become one of the campaign’s major encounters, giving players a ground-based threat that can reshape the battlefield from below while they fight through the skies above.
That sense of scale is important. Ace Combat works best when its missions feel larger than simple dogfights. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve looks set to continue that tradition with cinematic destruction, layered objectives, and missions that place individual pilots against the momentum of a much larger war.
More Than 30 Aircraft And New Combat Roles Add Tactical Depth
Ace Combat 8: Wings of the Aegean will feature more than 30 playable aircraft, mixing real-world military jets with fictional designs created for the series’ universe.
Aircraft will fall into four main combat roles: fighters, attack aircraft, multirole aircraft, and electronic warfare aircraft. Each category is expected to offer different strengths, encouraging players to think more carefully about squad composition and mission objectives.
That structure could give Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve a stronger tactical layer without losing the arcade flight action that defines the franchise. The key will be making those roles meaningful while still letting players feel powerful, fast, and expressive in the air.
Ace Combat Zero Returns As A Pre-Order Bonus
For longtime fans, the most nostalgic part of the announcement may be the pre-order bonus. Players who pre-order Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will receive Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, the beloved PlayStation 2 entry now brought to modern platforms.
Ace Combat Zero remains one of the most respected games in the series, remembered for its darker tone, rival pilots, and unforgettable soundtrack. Its inclusion is a smart way to connect the new entry to the franchise’s most celebrated past.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will launch on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Deluxe Edition players will also receive three days of early access from September 29.
