Ace Combat 8 to Include Four Free Classic Namco Games

Project Aces will add four classic Namco arcade games to Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, which players can play for free directly from the lobby.

The developers confirmed that players will receive Pac-Man, Galaga, Rally-X, and Dragon Spirit during the first season. The games will launch directly from ACE COMBAT ONLINE, and the lineup is planned to rotate with the release of new seasons.

The Air Base Lobby will serve as more than just a waiting room. Here, players can search for matches and missions, train in groups of up to four people, chat with other pilots, and listen to music from past titles in the series through the built-in Jukebox.

Brand director Kazutoki Kono explained the inclusion of Dragon Spirit. According to him, the developers got so caught up playing it during development that they decided to add it to Ace Combat. Kono admitted that the team never managed to progress past the third level.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will release on October 2, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Pre-orders will also include an updated version of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.