Bandai Namco Entertainment announced the next installment in its beloved flight-shooter franchise “Ace Combat” Thursday to much fanfare during the 2025 Game Awards.
Titled “Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve,” the game takes place after the events of “Ace Combat 7” and before “Ace Combat 3.” The title will debut in 2026 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S and for PC via Steam.
Before the show, Bandai Namco Entertainment CEO Nao Udagawa gave Variety a sneak peek at the new game, “Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve,” and some updates on A24’s upcoming “Elden Ring” movie (Disney vet Peter Rice has joined the project) and her overall strategy since taking the helm at the Bandai video game studio.
“The graphics are something that we really, really leaned into heavy for ‘Ace Combat 8’ and visual expression of the sky itself,” Udagawa said. “I think of how the clouds are shown and rendered — I would get different development updates and the developer would show me what the progress is, and every time, wow the sky and the clouds, it’s so amazing, and how it ties into the weather change as well. So I think that’s something the fans are going to really And it is a franchise IP, so certainly the gameplay, I think the fans can know what to expect, so keeping everything that worked really well, but we’re really adding value in the story and the narrative and the sort of cinematic presentation of how it’s delivered. It’s gonna feel like this epic movie that you’ll want to see on a big screen.”
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Per Bandai Namco’s description for “Ace Combat 8,” “You’re a fighter pilot, adrift at sea in a rescue boat until the outdated aircraft carrier, Endurance, pulls you aboard. Your homeland’s navy is shattered. The aging vessel, its decks crowded with refugees, has already retreated far from the front lines. It’s July 2029. The Federation of Central Usea (FCU) has fallen under a lightning invasion by the Republic of Sotoa. Most of the nation is occupied, the military is scattered, and the Endurance is just one fragment of what remains. On this ship, you’re given a single name: “Wings of Theve.” A legendary ace, a symbol of hope, a name tied to Theve, the FCU capital. But that legend was a lie, mere propaganda—a story to keep morale alive. Now, you must carry that name and take to the skies again. With three new comrades at your side, fight to reclaim your lost homeland.”
For development on the new game, Bandai Namco Entertainment launched new studio Bandai Namco Aces, so that the “Ace Combat” franchise team could operate as their own business with one targeted IP focus.
“One thing that I’m looking at right now is really the speed and cycles of development that we have,” Udagawa (who has retained her Chief Pac-Man Officer title since being promoted to the company’s overall CEO in 2021) said about her strategy for Bandai Namco’s game studios. “I think it’s great that we’re developing internally and having these discussions to improve the quality of the experience, but at the end of the day, until something reaches the market, the fans aren’t going to be able to get their hands on it. So translating all of these discussions and healthy development into output quicker is something that I’m looking at while maintaining the quality.”
Back in the spring, Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed it is working on a film adaptation of its “Elden Ring” game franchise with A24 and director Alex Garland. Little has been said about the project since, but Udagawa can now share the Hollywood vet Peter Rice has joined the project.
“Development right now is steady in terms of the project at the moment and catch, yeah, so we have A24 helming up the project with Alex Garland and Peter Rice — a lot of very well-known names and heavy hitters in the film industry,” Udagawa said. “So we’re very excited right now about how it’s going to shape up. But I think that’s kind of where the development and pre-production is.”
As for what aspect of the “Elden Ring” franchise the movie will focus on, Udagawa can only reveal that the focus for her is on pleasing fans.
“Our first priority is really the ‘Elden Ring’ fans, so the fans who have supported the franchise for so long, making it sure that they feel like it’s a great movie and a great experience,” Udagawa said. “And for those who have perhaps not been exposed to the game yet and have seen the film, for them, maybe [thinking,] I’ll try the game to see the world and the perspective from multiple angles and experience it that way.”
Watch the teaser for “Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve” in the video below.
