# Ace Combat 8 sets up Hour Zero

> Bandai Namco is giving Ace Combat 8 a live-action runway before launch.
- Title: Ace Combat 8 sets up Hour Zero · Variety | Shortify
- Summary: Bandai Namco is giving Ace Combat 8 a live-action runway before launch. Hour Zero is a four-part live-action prequel meant to explain the story players will…
- Keywords: gaming, ace combat, bandai namco, live action, entertainment, culture, Ace, Combat, sets, Hour, Zero, Variety
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/gaming/news/ace-combat-8-live-action-prequel-hour-zero-episodes-josh-holloway-1236863389
- Author: Jennifer Maas
- Published: 2026-09-15T21:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gaming, ace combat, bandai namco, live action, entertainment, culture
## Ace Combat returns
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve arrives next month, bringing Bandai Namco's fighter-pilot series back with a new story to set up.

> Ace Combat 8 : Wings of Theve
## A prequel lands first
Before the game launches, fans get Hour Zero, a live-action prequel built to fill in the story that leads into the sequel.

> a few weeks of backstory
## Four episodes to watch
Hour Zero is structured as a four-installment short film, with the first episode launching Tuesday.

> four-installment short film
## A studio first
The project marks a new move for Bandai Namco Entertainment, using live-action video to tee up a game release.

> a first-of-its-kind project
## The plot gets clearer
The prequel will reveal the setup for the eighth Ace Combat game, giving players context before they climb into the cockpit.

> reveal the plot
## Key takeaway

Hour Zero is a four-part live-action prequel meant to explain the story players will enter in Ace Combat 8.