Bandai Namco reminds us that those who have pre-ordered the digital Deluxe Edition of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve can take off as early as today; in fact, early access to the new chapter of the famous aerial combat saga has started, in view of the world debut scheduled for October 2nd. This is the first main episode of the series to see the light of day after seven years of waiting.

On the narrative front, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve takes us back to the fictional universe that is the backdrop to the franchise, telling the story of the collapse of the Central Usea Federation (FCU), which ended up under the occupation of the Republic of Sotoa. We will play the role of the aces known as "Wings of Theve", called upon to stand up to vastly superior enemy forces to liberate their homeland. It will be our decisions on the battlefield that will determine the fate of the FCU.

To bring this ultra-realistic flight experience to life, the developers have combined the power of Unreal Engine 5 with Bandai Namco Aces Inc.'s proprietary technology. The result promises a vast fleet of real-life military fighters, surfaces and scenarios reconstructed with extreme attention to detail, as well as first-person cinematic sequences designed to immerse us even more in the action.

Great space has also been reserved for the online component, the richest ever seen in the history of the series and with full cross-play support. We will be able to create and customize our mercenary pilot, meet colleagues from all corners of the world inside the Air Base hub and try our hand at a wide selection of modes, both cooperative and competitive.

We now leave you to the launch trailer subtitled in Italian, enjoy!