Published Jun 4, 2026, 9:31 AM EDT
Exclusive: ‘Ace Combat 8’ Video Game Turns New Cloud Tech Into Combat Tool
Military.com went hands-on with Bandai Namco’s next aerial combat sequel, which uses clouds, rain and cockpit feedback as more than visual spectacle.
Fighter jets fly through the sky in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, which uses new cloud and water effects as part of its aerial combat design. (Bandai Namco Entertainment)
The clouds in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, the upcoming 2026 game from Bandai Namco Entertainment, are not just there to look good. That was one of the clearest takeaways from Military.com’s exclusive hands-on preview of Bandai Namco Entertainment’s next aerial combat game, held May 27 at Orbital Studios in Los Angeles. The upcoming sequel, due in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam, is still very much an Ace Combat game: fast fighter jets, fictional wars, dramatic radio chatter and skies that seem built for impossible maneuvers. But this time, the sky appears to have more of a job. Kazutoki Kono, brand director for the Ace Combat series, said during an interview at the event that the development team did not want clouds to serve merely as pretty scenery.
