Current-game fact: Bandai Namco's Multiplayer Reveal names Co-Op Assault, Co-Op Warfare (with Threat Level, Ace title at 3-Star, and the bounty mechanic), Scramble, Emergency Sortie, 4v4 Team Deathmatch, 8-player Free-for-All, and military training mode; it also describes the 100-player Air Base lobby (matchmaking, sortie queues, 4-player military training, chat, virtual arcade with classic Bandai Namco titles, Jukebox streaming prior ACE COMBAT soundtracks, Supply Shop, ACE COMBAT STORE for aircraft / cosmetics / boosts / items, gated lobbies unlocked by progression).
Quick Answer
The Bandai Namco Multiplayer Reveal confirms ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE online play is built around ACE COMBAT ONLINE and the 100-player Air Base lobby. Confirmed modes are Co-Op Assault (4v4 PvE score-based), Co-Op Warfare (4v4 PvPvE with Threat Level and the Ace title at 3-Star), Scramble (4-player limited-time vs NPC ace squadron), Emergency Sortie (8-player limited-time boss PvE vs iconic series colossal weapons), 4v4 Team Deathmatch, 8-player Free-for-All, and a 4-player military training mode. Cross-Platform Multiplayer is confirmed by the official games/ace-combat-8 page, and ACE COMBAT ONLINE uses a separate save with a mercenary avatar system distinct from Campaign Mode.
Air Base lobby: 100-player hub
The Air Base is the social hub for ACE COMBAT ONLINE. Up to 100 players share each lobby, with matchmaking, sortie queues, 4-player military training, chat, a virtual arcade of classic Bandai Namco titles, a Jukebox streaming prior ACE COMBAT soundtracks, a Supply Shop, and the ACE COMBAT STORE where aircraft, cosmetics, boosts, and items are bought. Additional Air Base lobbies are gated by progression and unlock as the player advances.
Online mode roster at a glance
| Mode | Format | Party size | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-Op Assault | PvE score-based | 4v4 | Standard rotation |
| Co-Op Warfare | PvPvE with Threat Level + Ace title at 3-Star | 4v4 | Standard rotation |
| Scramble | Players vs NPC ace squadron | 4 players | Limited-time event |
| Emergency Sortie | Boss PvE vs iconic series colossal weapons | 8 players | Limited-time event |
| 4v4 Team Deathmatch | PvP team battles | 4v4 | Limited-time event |
| 8-player Free-for-All | PvP free-for-all | 8 players | Limited-time event |
| Military training mode | In-Air-Base practice sortie | Up to 4 players | Available on demand in the Air Base |
What each confirmed mode actually does
Co-Op Assault
Two teams of four compete for the highest score across varied PvE objectives. Wingmen are real players, not the campaign's AI squad, so coordination between squadmates is the win condition.
Co-Op Warfare
Two teams of four fight each other while NPC land, sea, and air units are also on the map. Threat Level rises with kills and tops out at Ace status at 3-Star; high-Threat pilots earn more per kill but are worth more when shot down (the bounty mechanic).
Scramble
A 4-player limited-time sortie against a powerful NPC rival air squadron. Scramble is dogfight-focused and rotates in as an event mode rather than a permanent queue.
Emergency Sortie
An 8-player limited-time boss PvE sortie against iconic series colossal weapons. Bandai Namco names the Chandelier from ACE COMBAT 6 and the Arsenal Bird from ACE COMBAT 7 as returning targets.
4v4 Team Deathmatch / 8-player Free-for-All
Limited-time PvP events with rotating rules; Bandai Namco notes some events run with unit cost limits or role restrictions, so the exact ruleset changes each event window.
Military training mode
Up to 4 players can launch practice sorties from inside the Air Base. Use it to warm up loadouts, rehearse Threat Level rotations, or test new aircraft before queuing ranked or limited-time events.
How to launch into ACE COMBAT ONLINE
Pick an edition
Standard, Deluxe, Joker Flight Pack, or Premium Joker Flight Pack — all editions include ACE COMBAT ONLINE access. Deluxe tiers add the Customizable Cosmetic Set and a PREMIUM ACE PASS PLUS Voucher that speeds up ACE PASS progression inside ACE COMBAT ONLINE.
Done when: ACE COMBAT ONLINE appears on the main menu after the chosen edition installs.
Enter the Air Base
Launch ACE COMBAT 8 and select ACE COMBAT ONLINE. You spawn into a 100-player Air Base lobby where matchmaking, sortie queues, military training, chat, the virtual arcade, Jukebox, Supply Shop, and ACE COMBAT STORE are all reachable from the hub.
Done when: The Air Base hub loads and the mercenary avatar appears in the player list.
Queue a mode or run training
From the Air Base, queue Co-Op Assault or Co-Op Warfare for the standard rotation. Limited-time modes (Scramble, Emergency Sortie, 4v4 Team Deathmatch, 8-player Free-for-All) appear in the event queue when their window is open. Use military training for warm-up sorties.
Done when: A match or training session begins from the Air Base sortie queue.
Spend ACE PASS rewards in the Supply Shop
Online play counts toward ACE PASS progression for both the free and premium tracks. Premium ACE PASS aircraft are offered for separate purchase through the ACE COMBAT STORE after each season ends (seasons run roughly two months).
Done when: Unlocked aircraft, cosmetics, boosts, and items show up in the player hangar and the Air Base store inventory.
Pick the right ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE online mode, understand the 100-player Air Base lobby, and confirm cross-platform play before launching into ACE COMBAT ONLINE.
Separate save: ACE COMBAT ONLINE uses its own save data and a mercenary avatar system distinct from Campaign Mode per the Multiplayer Reveal. Cross-platform confirmation: the games/ace-combat-8 page repeats Cross-Platform Multiplayer, so online play is intended to span more than one storefront; specific cross-play restrictions between storefronts are not announced. Legacy boundary: ACE COMBAT 7: Skies Unknown, ACE COMBAT 6: Fires of Liberation, ACE COMBAT ZERO, and other prior franchise titles do not transfer their multiplayer rulesets, ACE PASS tracks, or Air Base unlocks into ACE COMBAT 8. Steam-tag fallback: Online PvP, Online Co-op, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, and Single-player remain Steam feature tags and are kept as the secondary source for any mode the Multiplayer Reveal does not yet detail. Unannounced: ranked / skill-based matchmaking tiers, cross-play restrictions between any two storefronts, exact Air Base lobby unlock thresholds, and the full ACE PASS season schedule beyond the two-month rotation window.
FAQ
Does the game have online multiplayer?
Yes. The Bandai Namco Multiplayer Reveal names ACE COMBAT ONLINE with Co-Op Assault (4v4 PvE), Co-Op Warfare (4v4 PvPvE with Threat Level and Ace title at 3-Star), Scramble (4 players), Emergency Sortie (8 players), 4v4 Team Deathmatch, 8-player Free-for-All, and a 4-player military training mode. The 100-player Air Base lobby is the social hub for matchmaking, sortie queues, training, chat, and the in-game store.
Is cross-platform play supported?
Yes. The Bandai Namco games/ace-combat-8 page confirms Cross-Platform Multiplayer for ACE COMBAT 8, so an Air Base session can span more than one storefront. Specific cross-play restrictions between any two storefronts are not announced.
How many players do sessions allow?
The Bandai Namco Multiplayer Reveal publishes the party sizes: Co-Op Assault and Co-Op Warfare run 4v4, Scramble runs 4 players vs an NPC ace squadron, Emergency Sortie runs 8 players vs colossal weapons, the 4v4 Team Deathmatch is 4v4, and 8-player Free-for-All fits 8. Military training accommodates up to 4 players, and the Air Base lobby itself hosts up to 100 players at once.
Can I play co-op with cross-play?
Yes. Co-Op Assault and Co-Op Warfare are confirmed 4v4 online co-op modes that run inside ACE COMBAT ONLINE. Cross-Platform Multiplayer is confirmed by the official games/ace-combat-8 page, so co-op parties can include pilots from more than one storefront. Specific cross-play restrictions between storefronts are not announced.
Does ACE COMBAT ONLINE share saves with the campaign?
No. The Bandai Namco Multiplayer Reveal confirms ACE COMBAT ONLINE uses its own save data with a mercenary avatar system, separate from Campaign Mode. Multiplayer progression, ACE PASS rewards, and Air Base unlocks do not roll into the single-player campaign save.
Does the game have a ranked mode?
A dedicated ranked mode or skill-based matchmaking tier is not announced. Co-Op Warfare's Threat Level system tops out at Ace status at 3-Star, but that is an in-match kill/reward counter, not a ranked ladder. Reopen the Bandai Namco Multiplayer Reveal post for any post-launch ranked update.