Ace Combat 8: Everything We Know So Far

The Ace Combat series has been a fan-favorite in the world of combat flight simulators. With its immersive gameplay, cinematic gameplay, storylines, and thrilling arcade-type aerial combat, the series has established a loyal following. But after 2019, since the last game Ace Combat 7 dropped, BANDAI NAMCO has remained silent but now we’ve started to get leaks about Ace Combat 8 being in development.

In this article, we’ll analyze the latest development news, potential release date, and what to expect from story together. Shall we start?

Ace Combat 8 Release Date: What Do We Know?

As of now, Ace Combat 8‘s release date remains unconfirmed. However, if we speculated the studio, due to a Job listing in 2021 by BANDAI NAMCO, which hinted at the next entry in the series. While Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown was released in 2019, giving a four-year gap, many believe that 2025 or  2026 can be the year where we get an announcement related to Ace Combat 8.

Historically, Bandai Namco has been known to keep development updates under Burger Wraps, no just joking, so as we get closer to release, we will know about it more like events such as E3, Tokyo Game Show, PlayStation Showcase and others.

Development Leaks: What We’ve Learned So Far

While official details are hard to find, but there have been a few leaks and rumors circulating regarding the development of Ace Combat 8. One of the most credible leak suggest s that BANDAI NAMCO has partnered with ILCA, the studio behind Ace Combat 7 and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, for the game’s production. Which means the game series will continue to focus on the realistic, highly-detailed visuals that made Ace Combat 7 and Assault Horizon stand out.

Another Rumor is that Ace Combat 8 will make use of Unreal Engine 5, which means the game is gonna have significant improvements in not only graphics, but physics, and environmental effects, which are gonna change the experience.

Story Predictions: Will We See a Continuation of Ace Combat 7?

The Ace Combat franchise is known for its emotionally driven storylines that often collide with real-world conflicts, mixed with a fictional geopolitical landscape. In Ace Combat 7, players were introduced to the war between the Osean Federation and the Kingdom of Erusea. The game ended on a note that left plenty of questions, pointing to a sequel in the franchise.

Many fans believe that Ace Combat 8 will either continue the storyline involving Osea and Erusea or explore new conflicts in Strangereal Universe. There’s also speculation that the game could introduce new factions or could delve into the aftermath of the Lighthouse War.

Some story leaks hint of a rogue AI faction, which could take the conflict to a new direction after the Space Elevator Conflict, adding AI element of futuristic warfare. Additionally, if they focus on character development, like John Marston from Red Dead Redemption 1, btw the game is coming to PC, they can establish more attachment to the pilots from opposing factions, making the game more personal and grounded in emotional story telling.

New Gameplay Features We Might Expect

With each new Ace Combat game, players expect innovation, in fact with upcoming every game we expect innovation like Bully 2, Middle-earth 3, The Last of Us 3. However Ace Combat 8 is also one of them. Here are some new features that could make an appearance:

•  Dynamic Weather and Environments: Just like Ace Combat 7 which introduced some weather effects, such as lightning storms that affected radar systems. It’s likely that Ace Combat 8 will expand this even more. Players may experience extreme weather like Sandstorms, Tsunami, Hurricanes, Earth-Quakes, adding extra layer of strategy to missions.

•  Improved AI: If rumors of rogue AI faction are true, we could see more intelligent, unpredictable enemies, leading to a fresh challenge for experienced player, requiring new tactics and strategies.

•  Multiplayer Enhancements: The multiplayer mode in Ace Combat 7 was popular, but it had room for improvement, but Ace Combat 8 could bring more diverse modes, larger-scale battles, and better team-based strategies to the online experience, even though it feels like an arcade-game, its fun, right?

• More Countries: There are gonna be more countries in the next game rather than just only Osea and Erusea, leading to a more engaged story with country-conflicts, aiming at each other. Which could lead to a Big-bang of Ace Combat Games.

•  Enhanced VR Experience: You know that Ace Combat 7 also offered VR missions, but they were low in quantity. So now many fans are hoping that Ace Combat 8 will build on this feature with more in-depth VR integration, possibly allowing the entire campaign to be played in Virtual Reality devices like Oculus Quest 2, PSVR 2 and more.

•  Customizable Aircraft: Another anticipated feature is deeper aircraft customization. Although, Ace Combat 7 had a decent selection of aircraft and skins, but Ace Combat 8 is planned to push this customization even further, allowing us to modify not just the appearance but also performance, and even customizable plane structure, making each plane feel unique.

Platform Availability: Where Will Ace Combat 8 Launch?

As we’ve talked, the game has chances that it is being developed on Unreal-Engine 5, which means we need more advanced hardware to run and enjoy the game, leading to next-gen consoles like PS5, Xbox X|S or Similar to PC, with a minimum of RTX 2060 or RX 6600.

There are also chances that there will be a cross-play mode for multiplayer, allowing players from different devices and consoles to play together or fight the opponents.

Fans Expectations: What the Community Wants to See

What we’ve found by researching is that the Ace Combat community wants some more features and aspects. Key fan desires include:

• Longer Campaign Mode: Many players and fans felt that the campaign in Ace Combat 7 was too short, having near 13 hours of story-gameplay, despite its powerful narrative. Fans are hoping for a more extended and detailed storyline in Ace Combat 8, having 25-30 hours of Campaign.

• More Aircraft: Player love the variety of jets in the series, but are expecting Ace Combat 8 to feature a wider variety of planes, including some experimental or prototype aircrafts like JF-17s and more Modern Jets.

• Improved Storytelling: While the story of Ace Combat 7 was good, but some fans felt it was disjointed at times, the reason why the game got 7/10 overall, but fans are hoping that Ace Combat 8 will present more coordinated narrative with deeper character development.

Conclusion: Anticipation for Ace Combat 8 Continues to Fly Up

Though, we’re still waiting for official news on the Ace Combat 8 Release date, the various leaks and rumors provide a plenty of reasons for excitement. With potential next-gen visuals, expanded gameplay features, and an engaging story, the game is wearing a mask of to e one of the most anticipated release for combat flight enthusiasts. Whether it continues the saga of Ace Combat 7 or explores new territories in the Strangereal Universe, one thing is for certain:

The Skies Will Never Be The Same.

Hope you learned something new by coming here, check out more on our page, Thanks for coming, have a good day! Here are some FAQs:

FAQs

1. When is Ace Combat 8 coming out?
No official release date yet, but it could be around 2024 or 2025.

2. Will Ace Combat 8 follow the story from Ace Combat 7?
It might, but it could also explore new conflicts in the Strangereal Universe.

3. What platforms will Ace Combat 8 be on?
It’s expected for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

4. Will there be VR missions in Ace Combat 8?
Likely, with potential for more VR integration than before.

5. What are the expected improvements?
Rumored enhancements include dynamic weather, better AI, and upgraded multiplayer features.

6. Who is developing Ace Combat 8?
Bandai Namco is expected to partner with ILCA for development.