Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve’s Online Modes Include Co-op, PvP and 8-Player Limited-Time Sorties

Bandai Namco's sequel features a fully realised online component for players to team up with or against others across various missions.

Posted By | On 01st, Sep. 2026

ace combat 7 skies unknown

Project Aces has dropped tons of new details about Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, particularly its online modes known as Ace Combat Online. They include Co-op Assault and Co-op Warfare. Two teams of four players compete to earn the highest score by taking out NPC foes. Mission clear rank decides the victor and level of rewards.

You can select different difficulties, and each mission offers unique enemies that specific aircraft may excel against. Co-op Warfare is PvP, again with two teams of four, but throws in allied NPC units in the air, land and sea. Highest score wins once more, but the biggest difference is that slaying out will raise your Threat Level. As long as you remain uncontested, each subsequent kill earns more points.

You can reach the rank of Ace at three stars, but be careful – if opponents take you down, they’ll earn much more points. What happens when two Aces collide? Apparently it can “change the entire outcome” of a match. The aircraft types include Fighters, who excel at taking down Aces; Attackers, best suited to become Aces; Multirole, for general use; and Electronic Warfare, to provide support and mess with opponents.

However, there are also limited-time Scramble and Emergency Sortie missions. The former involves taking on rival NPC squads with four other players, while the latter matches eight players in a mission to take out Colossal Weapons. PvP events for 4v4 and eight-player Free-For-All deathmatches can also pop up. While some missions may have restrictions, they’ll contribute to ranking up and unlocking more aircraft.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches on October 2nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.


Keep On Reading!

MXGP 26 Gets New Pre-Order Trailer Ahead of October 1st Launch

MXGP 26 Gets New Pre-Order Trailer Ahead of October 1st Launch

The new trailer showcases how intense races in MXGP 26 can get with the addition of terrain deformation thanks...

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Could Make Linear Exploration Exciting Again

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Could Make Linear Exploration Exciting Again

Combat is the lifeblood behind Onimusha's revival, but the open-ended exploration in some areas ties it all to...

Star Wars Zero Company Studio Furloughed Many Employees Weeks Before Release

Star Wars Zero Company Studio Furloughed Many Employees Weeks Before Release

A representative from the studio confirmed that staff had been furloughed and said that they would be brought ...

GTA 6 Vs. GTA 5 Graphical Comparison – 10 Biggest Changes You Should Know

GTA 6 Vs. GTA 5 Graphical Comparison – 10 Biggest Changes You Should Know

Rockstar’s been cooking, and the gameplay premiere showed us just how much its upcoming flagship stands to c...

Ori 3 is Not in Development at Saber Interactive, Says Chief Creative Officer

Ori 3 is Not in Development at Saber Interactive, Says Chief Creative Officer

When asked about it, Tim Willits noted that the studio already has several major projects in the works, includ...

Star Wars Zero Company Review – Built on Hope

Star Wars Zero Company Review – Built on Hope

Bit Reactor's goes beyond a simple XCOM and Star Wars combination to deliver an engaging tactical turn-based s...