Bandai Namco Entertainment is expanding the universe of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve ahead of the game's release with Ace Combat Hour Zero, a four-part live action prequel series. The production will explore the events surrounding the beginning of the conflict featured in the upcoming title, offering players an early look at the people caught in the Republic of Sotoa's invasion of the Federation of Central Usea. IGN will premiere the episodes on its website and YouTube channel on September 15, 17, 23 and 29, 2026, with individual installments running between six and eleven minutes.

The series brings together three characters whose lives are transformed by the first days of the invasion. Josh Holloway, known for Lost, plays a pilot struggling to find somewhere to land, while Superman Returns actor Brandon Routh portrays a doctor confronted with the consequences of saving an enemy soldier. Tamlyn Tomita, seen in Cobra Kai, completes the main cast as a news anchor whose attempts to report the truth lead to her being silenced. A promotional video has also been released featuring a message from Ace Combat Brand Director Kazutoki Kono.

 

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is scheduled to launch on October 2, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. The Deluxe Edition will arrive slightly earlier on September 29. Players who pre-order the game will also receive Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War as a bonus. Multiplayer will include Co-Op Assault, where two teams of four compete to achieve the highest mission score, and Co-Op Warfare, which combines battles against rival players and NPC-controlled forces.

The new installment follows Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in January 2019 before reaching PC the following month. The title later became playable on Xbox Series X|S, while a digital Deluxe Edition arrived exclusively on Nintendo Switch in July 2024. With Ace Combat Hour Zero, Bandai Namco is now preparing the next chapter of the long-running aerial combat franchise through a narrative project designed to introduce its new war before players enter the cockpit themselves.