Online
ACE COMBAT 8 Co-Op: Online Modes & Player Counts
Official Online rules. Special missions are random and time-limited; Campaign co-op has not been established here.
At a glance
ACE COMBAT ONLINE includes Co-Op Assault and Co-Op Warfare, each with two teams of four, plus four-player Scramble and Emergency Sortie for up to eight. Online supports cross-play and has progression and save data separate from Campaign. This does not confirm Campaign co-op. Scramble and Emergency Sortie are random, time-limited special missions.
Scroll the comparison table sideways to see every column.
Choose the right Online mode
“Co-Op” does not mean the same combat objective in every mode. ACE COMBAT ONLINE is a multiplayer experience with progression and save data separate from Campaign, and officially supports cross-play.
| Mode | Players | What you are fighting for |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Op Assault | Two teams of four | Each team fights NPC enemies; the teams compete for the higher score |
| Co-Op Warfare | Two teams of four | Player teams fight each other, with land, sea and air NPC units also involved |
| Scramble | Four | Fight powerful NPC forces in a special mission |
| Emergency Sortie | Up to eight | Join forces against the series’ superweapons in a special mission |
For a focus on NPC targets, start by understanding Assault. To face player opponents alongside NPC forces, read the Warfare rules. Assault still has score competition between two teams; it is not an isolated four-player mission without competition.
Special missions are not always available
Scramble and Emergency Sortie can appear randomly for a limited time after returning from the core Assault or Warfare modes. Their absence from the available selection does not by itself establish missing content.
Limited-time 4v4 Team Deathmatch and eight-player Free-for-All Deathmatch are PvP events, distinct from those special cooperative missions.
Base capacity and aircraft progression
The Air Base can hold up to 100 players. That is hub capacity, not the number of pilots in one battle.
Online aircraft must be acquired through the rewards of that mode. A Campaign aircraft purchase does not by itself establish that the corresponding aircraft is unlocked in your Online hangar.
Campaign and cross-play boundaries
This guide answers Online mode selection and rules. The reviewed material does not establish whether the story Campaign can or cannot be played cooperatively, a complete friend-invitation button sequence or cross-platform save support. Cross-play is an official feature statement, not a guarantee of current server stability on every platform.