A live-action prequel to the upcoming Ace Combat entry has been announced alongside the game's release plans. Three weeks ahead of the launch of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, Bandai Namco revealed a short-form mini-series titled Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Hour Zero. The mini-series stars Josh Holloway (Sawyer from "Lost"), Brandon Routh (Superman from "Superman Returns"), and Tamlyn Tomita (Kumiko from "Cobra Kai").
The mini-series serves as a prequel, following three strangers who survive the opening phase of the Sotoa Republic's invasion of the Central Usean Federation. Holloway is described as "a pilot with nowhere to land," Routh as "a medic who saved his enemy," and Tomita as "a news anchor forced to keep the truth silent." According to Bandai Namco staff, the stories of these characters "lay the foundation for the plot that players will experience in the deep and engaging campaign of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve."
Four episodes have been produced, each running between 6 and 11 minutes. They will be released for free on IGN's YouTube channel on September 15, 17, 23, and 29. The exclusive trailer for the project was also published on IGN's channel.
The game itself is due to arrive on October 2 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series. The release will include Russian text localization.