Ace Combat 8 Prequel Casts Josh Holloway, Brandon Routh and Tamlyn Tomita

Bandai Namco Entertainment announced Thursday that its newest modern air combat game, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, will receive a live-action prequel. Titled Ace Combat Hour Zero, the series will debut first through IGN.

IGN will stream its four episodes on its website and YouTube channel on September 15, 17, 23 and 29. Each runs 6–11 minutes.

IGN and the game franchise's official YouTube channel also released a video ending with a message from Brand Director Kazutoki Kono.

According to IGN's synopsis, the prequel follows three strangers surviving the first days of the Republic of Sotoa's invasion of the Federation of Central Usea. Its cast includes:

• Josh Holloway (Lost) as a pilot with nowhere to land.
• Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) as a doctor who saved an enemy.
• Tamlyn Tomita (Cobra Kai) as a news anchor silenced for reporting the truth.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches October 2 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through Steam. The Deluxe Edition arrives September 29. Players who pre-order will also receive Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.

The main online multiplayer modes include Co-Op Assault and Co-Op Warfare. In Assault, two four-player teams compete for high mission scores. Warfare pits two teams of four against each other and NPCs.

Bandai Namco Entertainment released Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown on these platforms:

• PlayStation 4, with PlayStation VR support, and Xbox One in January 2019.
• PC through Steam in February 2019.
• Switch in July 2024, as the digitally released, Switch-exclusive Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Deluxe Edition.

Originally scheduled for 2017, Ace Combat 7 was pushed to 2018, then delayed again to 2019. It is also playable on Xbox Series X|S.

Namco released the original Ace Combat game in 1992.