Bandai Namco Aces Inc. · Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
Soar through the skies and rise above every challenge to earn your place among the elite. Engage in intense aerial combat to dominate the battlefield with powerful weapons. Experience a breathtaking campaign filled with high-stakes missions, hard choices, and deep squad connections.
At a glance
- Price
- $69.99
- Released
- Oct 1, 2026
- Developer
- Bandai Namco Aces Inc.
- Publisher
- Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
- Steam rating
- Mostly Positive · 76% (6,672)
- Recent rating (30d)
- 76% (6,672)
- DLC
- 2
Data: Steam · Updated Oct 2, 2026
What is ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE?
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is an arcade-style aerial combat game developed by Bandai Namco Aces and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the latest mainline entry in the long-running Ace Combat series, set in the fictional Strangereal universe during 2029, as the Republic of Sotoa launches a sudden invasion of the Federation of Central Usea. The player takes on a rescued pilot brought aboard the aircraft carrier Endurance, inherits the callsign of a fabled ace killed early in the fighting, and leads a squadron, Joker Flight, through carrier-based operations at sea. The core gameplay loop has players flying dogfight and strike missions, shooting down enemy aircraft and completing objectives to earn credits that fund an upgrade system for maneuverability, weapons, and new planes. More than thirty flyable real-world aircraft are available at launch, including variants of the F/A-18, F-15J, Su-57, and A-10C. New systems let pilots carry two special weapons at once and target individual components on larger enemies, while destroyed aircraft leave wreckage that can damage others nearby. Between missions, real-time cinematic sequences let players look around and interact with squadmates, continuing the series' blend of arcade flight action with a dramatized war story. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5 and renders aircraft and environments at real-world scale. Beyond its single-player campaign, the game offers an online mode supporting four-player cooperative missions, 4v4 competitive dogfights, and special missions for up to eight players, with cross-platform play across its PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S release platforms. It suits both longtime series fans and newcomers to arcade flight combat, with adjustable difficulty and controls set mission by mission.
Media
System requirements
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
| Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|
| OS: Windows 11 | OS: Windows 11 |
| Processor: Intel Core i7-10700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X | Processor: Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X |
| Memory: 16 GB RAM | Memory: 32 GB RAM |
| Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060[6 GB] / AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT[8 GB] | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070[8 GB] / AMD Radeon RX 6800 [16 GB] |
| DirectX: Version 12 | DirectX: Version 12 |
| Storage: 150 GB available space | Storage: 150 GB available space |
| Additional Notes: This game requires an SSD, a hardware ray tracing-enabled graphics card, and DirectX 12 with Shader Model 6.6 or higher. Estimated performance: 1920×1080(Upscale)/30fps with graphics settings at "Low". Framerate might drop in graphics-intensive scenes. | Additional Notes: This game requires an SSD, a hardware ray tracing-enabled graphics card, and DirectX 12 with Shader Model 6.6 or higher. Estimated performance: 1920x1080(Upscale)/60fps with graphics settings at "MEDIUM". Framerate might drop in graphics-intensive scenes. |
Our coverage
Our review: 7.9/10 — Ace Combat 8 Soars, But Day-One Bugs Clip Its Wings
Quick poll
FAQ
Is ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE free? ▾
Paid game, see current price on Steam.
Can my PC run ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE? ▾
Minimum: Processor: Intel Core i7-10700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Memory: 16 GB RAM, Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060[6 GB] / AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT[8 GB], Storage: 150 GB available space. Recommended: Processor: Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, Memory: 32 GB RAM, Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070[8 GB] / AMD Radeon RX 6800 [16 GB], Storage: 150 GB available space.
Which platforms? ▾
Windows only
Which languages? ▾
Interface: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish - Spain, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese - Brazil, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish - Latin America, Traditional Chinese. Full audio: English, Japanese.
Controller support? ▾
Yes, full support.
Single- or multiplayer? ▾
Single-player, Multi-player, PvP, Online PvP, Co-op, Online Co-op, Cross-Platform Multiplayer.
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Data: Steam. Updated Oct 2, 2026. All trademarks are property of their respective owners.