Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is the better fit if you have a PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC and want the new campaign plus cross-platform co-op and PvPvE. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the practical choice if you want to spend less, play on Nintendo Switch or older hardware, or access its separate PlayStation VR missions. Ace Combat 8 launched worldwide on October 2, 2026, so this is a choice between two released games—not a preorder versus a game you can play now.
The key distinction is not simply which number is newer: Ace Combat 8 has a more elaborate online mode, while Ace Combat 7 covers more generations of hardware and has a lower publisher-store reference price. Neither game’s documented features alone establish which has better flight handling or missions, so choose around your platform, budget and preferred way to play.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Free plan / price | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve | New campaign and cross-platform online play | Online hub supports up to 100 players; matches are smaller | $69.99 Standard Edition on PS5 and Xbox Series X in the US publisher store | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam PC | Nov 2026 |
| Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown | Lower reference price, Switch, older consoles or separate PS VR content | Switch online listing supports 2–8 players; VR content is separate | $19.99 Standard Edition on PS4 and Xbox One in the US publisher store | PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam PC; playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S via older-console editions | Nov 2026 |
Prices are dated US publisher-store reference prices, not guaranteed current retailer prices or prices for every platform. Check the relevant store before buying.
Should I buy Ace Combat 8 or 7?
Buy Ace Combat 8 if your system supports it and its newer online features are part of the appeal. Buy Ace Combat 7 if platform access, price or its PlayStation VR side content matters more. Both are single-player aerial-combat games set in the fictional Strangereal universe, but Ace Combat 8 adds a separately progressed online mode with cross-play, co-op, PvPvE and events.
Use this quick decision:
- Choose Ace Combat 8 for a new story, supported current-generation hardware, cross-platform online play, cooperative missions or PvPvE events.
- Choose Ace Combat 7 for Nintendo Switch, PS4 or Xbox One; a lower US publisher-store Standard Edition reference price; or the game’s separate PlayStation VR missions and experiences.
- If you play on PC, compare your computer with Ace Combat 8’s published requirements before buying. Its recommended specification calls for Windows 11, 32 GB of RAM, an SSD, a hardware-ray-tracing-capable GPU and 125 GB of free space.
- If you only want a campaign, either is a story-led arcade-flight-combat option. The available publisher descriptions do not establish that you must finish Ace Combat 7 before starting Ace Combat 8.
This is a feature-and-price recommendation, not a claim that one game has better aircraft handling, missions or online service. The sources cited here document platforms, modes, requirements and store listings, not a direct comparative gameplay evaluation.
What is different about the campaigns?
Both games center on single-player aerial combat in Strangereal, but their stories focus on different conflicts. Ace Combat 8 follows the pilot known as Wings of Theve, flying alongside Joker Flight after the Federation of Central Usea is occupied. Its presentation also adds first-person cinematic sequences.
Ace Combat 7 tells a story about the conflict between Erusea and Osea. The publisher’s description positions it as a campaign-led aerial-combat game, making it a reasonable option if the older game’s platform availability or price suits you better. The available descriptions do not support a claim that one campaign is longer, more difficult or better written than the other.
There is no documented requirement to play Ace Combat 7 first. The two games share a fictional setting, but the cited descriptions do not say that Ace Combat 8 requires a save file, prior knowledge or completion of the earlier campaign. If you are new to the series, pick based on platform and modes rather than assuming the release order is a mandatory play order.
Bandai Namco reported that Ace Combat 8 reached one million units worldwide by October 9, 2026, at the fastest pace in franchise history. Separately, Bandai Namco Entertainment America reported that Ace Combat 7 had passed seven million units worldwide in January 2026. Those milestones refer to different games and reporting windows, so they are not a like-for-like measure of quality or sales pace. Ace Combat 8 milestone announcement · Ace Combat 7 milestone announcement.
Which game has co-op, cross-play or online multiplayer?
Ace Combat 8 has the more extensively documented online package: Ace Combat Online has its own progression and save data, cross-play, co-op and PvPvE. Ace Combat 7 also has online multiplayer, but the cited information does not verify cross-play or current player populations for it.
Ace Combat 8’s Air Base is a shared hub that supports up to 100 players. That number describes the hub capacity, not the number of players fighting in one match. The publisher describes Co-Op Assault and Co-Op Warfare as involving two four-player teams. Limited-time PvP events include 4v4 and an eight-player free-for-all. Details and availability of live events can change, so check the current official listing if a specific event is the reason you are buying.
Ace Combat 7’s Nintendo Switch listing specifies online play for two to eight players. That is a platform-specific listing; it should not be taken as evidence of cross-play with other platforms or as a promise about how many players are currently online. Neither the cited information nor a listed maximum establishes matchmaking speed, server population or the experience of finding a match.
If online play is your deciding factor, Ace Combat 8 has the clearest documented case: cross-play and cooperative modes are explicit features. If you choose Ace Combat 7 for multiplayer, confirm the exact platform’s current store information and do not assume that features listed for Ace Combat 8 carry over. See the publisher’s Ace Combat 8 multiplayer overview.
Can I play Ace Combat 7 on Switch or older consoles?
Yes. Ace Combat 7 is available for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC. The PS4 and Xbox One editions are also playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, respectively, according to the publisher; that is backward compatibility, not a native PS5 or Xbox Series X|S release.
Ace Combat 8 is available for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam PC. If you own a Switch, PS4 or Xbox One and do not also have a supported current-generation console or PC, Ace Combat 7 is the choice between these two. The US Nintendo listing for Ace Combat 7 Deluxe is digital and says it is supported on Switch 2; that listing is not confirmation of a US physical Switch copy.
Platform should be the first filter, because it can settle the comparison before price or online features matter. Check the store page for the exact edition and platform you intend to use: names such as “playable on PS5” can describe a PS4 edition running through compatibility rather than a separate native release.
Does Ace Combat 7 support VR?
Ace Combat 7 includes a separate set of PlayStation VR content: standalone combat missions, a hangar tour and an aerial-display experience. Sony specifies the original PlayStation VR headset and PlayStation Camera for that content. It is not the full Ace Combat 7 campaign in VR, and the cited support information does not say that it works with PS VR2.
That distinction matters if you are buying for a headset. Do not treat the presence of VR missions as a VR version of the main campaign, and do not assume compatibility with a different headset generation. The reviewed publisher material does not establish VR support for Ace Combat 8, so do not buy it expecting a VR mode. Sony’s Ace Combat 7 page describes the separate VR content and required equipment.
How much do Ace Combat 8 and Ace Combat 7 cost?
At the time of the cited US publisher-store check, Ace Combat 8 Standard Edition was listed at $69.99 for PS5 and Xbox Series X, while Ace Combat 7 Standard Edition was listed at $19.99 for PS4 and Xbox One. These are dated reference prices for specific editions and platforms—not a promise of today’s price, a universal price across PC and consoles, or a guarantee of what a retailer charges. Regional pricing, sales, stock and editions can differ.
The price gap makes Ace Combat 7 the lower-cost starting point in that snapshot. But compare the edition contents you actually want, rather than treating the Standard Edition prices as interchangeable bundles. The publisher’s Ace Combat 8 Standard Edition listing is the source for its listed US price; check the store for your platform before purchase.
What does the Ace Combat 8 Deluxe Edition add?
Ace Combat 8 Deluxe adds cosmetics and a voucher for one season of Premium Ace Pass Plus. The publisher says the Deluxe edition remains purchasable after launch, but it no longer includes digital-preorder early-access bonuses. A three-day early-access perk was tied to the prelaunch offer; it is historical and should not be treated as a benefit available to buyers now.
The publisher’s FAQ says, “ACE COMBAT 8 does not include paid loot boxes or other randomized paid rewards.” That statement does not mean there are no paid extras: the same FAQ describes optional paid Premium Ace Pass tiers and upgrades. Decide whether the Deluxe cosmetics and pass voucher are worth the edition’s current price to you, and verify what the store currently includes. See the official Ace Combat 8 page and FAQ.
What comes with Ace Combat 7 Deluxe on Switch?
The Nintendo Switch Deluxe listing includes three original aircraft sets and three special missions; additional DLC is separate. The listing is digital in the US. If you are comparing a different platform or a second-hand copy, check the precise contents and whether any desired add-on is included rather than assuming the Switch Deluxe bundle matches every other edition.
Is the Ace Combat 8 Joker Flight Pack a better buy?
It is an optional collector’s package, not the baseline recommendation for most buyers. Bandai Namco’s US listing describes a PS5 physical-disc Deluxe game, soundtrack vinyl and hardcover artbook, and showed “Join the Waitlist.” That listing does not establish general stock or a better gameplay value; check availability and contents if the physical extras appeal to you. Publisher Joker Flight Pack listing.
Will Ace Combat 8 run on my PC?
Before choosing Ace Combat 8 on PC, compare your system with the publisher’s recommended specification: Windows 11, 32 GB RAM, an SSD, a hardware-ray-tracing-capable GPU and 125 GB of free space. Bandai Namco associates that recommendation with upscaled 1080p/60 fps at Medium settings.
Those are published requirements and a stated target context, not a guarantee of identical performance on every PC or a result from an independent benchmark. This information does not establish how the game will run below the recommended specification, nor does it supply a universal performance figure for every graphics card. Check the current system-requirements page and leave enough storage for the installation before buying. The publisher’s Ace Combat 8 page has the specification.
Ace Combat 7 is also available on Steam PC, but no matching Ace Combat 7 system requirements are provided in the cited comparison material here. Check its current PC store listing separately if your computer is near the minimum requirements. Do not use Ace Combat 8’s requirements to infer the needs of the older game.
Which one should a newcomer start with?
Start with the game that fits your hardware and budget; the available information does not establish that you must play Ace Combat 7 before Ace Combat 8. If both are available to you, decide whether Ace Combat 8’s online modes and new campaign justify its higher listed US Standard Edition reference price, or whether Ace Combat 7’s platform reach and lower snapshot price are more useful.
For someone who expects to play primarily alone, both games offer a single-player campaign, and the documented facts here do not prove one campaign is superior. If you want cooperative or cross-platform online play, Ace Combat 8 has explicit support for those features. If you want Switch access or the separate original PlayStation VR experiences, Ace Combat 7 is the relevant option.
How we picked
This comparison is based on the publishers’ and platform holders’ documented release platforms, campaign descriptions, online modes, VR requirements, system specifications, edition contents and dated store prices. The recommendations follow those documented differences and the reader’s likely constraints—hardware, budget and desired modes—not hands-on testing or a claim that one game plays better. Prices, stock and live online-event details can change, so verify them on the platform store before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ace Combat 8 a sequel that spoils Ace Combat 7?
The available publisher descriptions identify different conflicts, and do not state that Ace Combat 8 requires prior knowledge of Ace Combat 7. They do not provide a detailed spoiler guide, so readers especially concerned about story reveals can review the official plot descriptions before choosing an order.
Does Ace Combat 8 have cross-save between PC and consoles?
The documented feature is cross-play, while its online mode has separate progression and save data. The cited information does not establish cross-save between platforms, so do not assume progress transfers when switching systems.
Can I play Ace Combat 8 offline?
The publisher’s materials cited here describe its campaign and online modes but do not clearly specify offline access requirements. Check the platform’s current product and support pages if an internet connection requirement is decisive for your purchase.
Are Ace Combat 7 and Ace Combat 8 multiplayer servers equally active?
No comparable player-population figures or queue-time data are established in the cited sources. Mode availability and a maximum lobby size do not tell you how many people are playing at a given time.