Ace Combat 8's Live-Service Online Modes Detailed

Bandai Namco has detailed Ace Combat Online, a live-service-style companion for the upcoming Ace Combat 8. The separate online mode will feature cooperative and competitive battles, limited-time events, and a social hangar space for player avatars.

According to a video from the official Ace Combat social accounts, the development team is creating this digital lobby in direct response to fan feedback. Manabu Shimomoto, producer for Ace Combat 8, told Eurogamer that the success of Ace Combat 7, which sold seven-and-a-half-million copies, created a global but fragmented community. "We received a lot of feedback that these fans wanted to meet up with others," Shimomoto said. The goal is to provide a persistent space for that interaction and ensure Ace Combat 8 is played for a long time.

Cooperative and Competitive Modes

The online suite will launch with several distinct multiplayer modes. Co-Op Assault is a pure PvE mode where two teams of four compete for high scores by clearing computer-controlled enemies and objectives. A more complex offering is Co-Op Warfare, a PvPvE mode where the same two teams of four battle each other while also managing allied ground, air, and sea units. In this mode, eliminating enemies builds a threat level, which increases the points earned and makes the player a more valuable target for the opposing team.

For more direct competition, the service will include limited-time 4v4 team battles and eight-player free-for-all missions. These competitive modes may feature various player restrictions to help balance the matches.

The Social Hangar and Live Events

A central feature is the airforce base, a social hub where player avatars can meet and interact. This space is designed as a lobby for teammates between missions. It will include arcade machines for playing retro Bandai Namco titles like Pac-Man and a jukebox for listening to classic Ace Combat soundtracks.

The live-service structure will be supported by rotating Emergency Missions. These are limited-time events that task players with one of two special mission types. Scramble missions pit a team of four against an NPC-controlled rival squad. Emergency Sorties are raid-style PvE engagements where eight pilots face set-piece battles drawn from Ace Combat's history.

Progression and the Ace Pass

Playing Ace Combat Online earns experience levels. Leveling up unlocks new aircraft, special weapons, and aircraft parts for use in subsequent missions. Players can also customize their planes with various abilities and cosmetics, which are unlocked through using specific aircraft.

A seasonal battle pass system called the Ace Pass will run alongside the core progression. It will have both free and paid tiers, offering items usable in multiplayer matches. Each season will last two months. Any aircraft featured in a season's pass will be available for purchase after that season concludes, ensuring players do not miss out permanently. The entire Ace Combat Online experience will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.