Bandai Namco Entertainment's new flight shooting title, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, has surpassed 1 million copies sold worldwide within a week of release. This marks the fastest pace in the history of the Ace Combat series.
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced through an official release on October 9 that worldwide sales for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve have surpassed 1 million units. The game was officially launched on October 2 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam), with early access starting on September 29 for Deluxe Edition purchasers.
According to the company, reaching 1 million units is the fastest milestone in the 30-year history of the Ace Combat franchise. Bandai Namco explained that the record was achieved through strong purchases from both existing series fans and newcomers to the franchise.
Ace Combat 8 is the first mainline entry in seven years following Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, which was released in 2019. Development was handled by Bandai Namco Studios alongside Bandai Namco Aces, which was established in 2022.
Set in the series' signature fictional universe, Strangereal, the game depicts a war between the Federation of Central Usea (FCU) and the Republic of Sotoa in 2029. Players take on the role of an ace inheriting the legendary name "Wings of Theve" in an FCU pushed to the brink by Sotoa's invasion, taking to the skies alongside their squadmates.
On the technical side, the game utilizes the in-house cloud rendering engine "Cloudly" to render skies spanning up to 10,000 km² and multi-layered cloud formations. Online modes support lobbies of up to 100 players along with cooperative content, which Bandai Namco describes as the largest multiplayer experience in series history.
Its predecessor, Ace Combat 7, had also surpassed 7 million cumulative sales worldwide as of January this year. With the sales of Ace Combat 8 added, global cumulative shipments for the Ace Combat series have now crossed 22 million units.
First debuting in 1995, Ace Combat is Bandai Namco's flagship flight shooting franchise, combining real-world fighter jets with arcade-style aerial combat, a distinct world setting, and rich storytelling.
