"Ace Combat 8: Skies of Hope" launched on October 2, and the day after its release, its peak concurrent player count on Steam exceeded 52,000, setting a series record.
According to SteamDB data listed by TechPowerUp, "Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown" had a peak concurrent player count of 13,758 in 2019, while "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon" reached 3,795. The new title's peak is significantly higher than both of these previous entries. This figure reflects initial activity among Steam players; Bandai Namco has not yet announced game sales figures.
"Ace Combat 8: Skies of Hope" also topped the Steam global best-sellers chart. Its Steam positive review rate is approximately 78%, placing it in the "Very Positive" category. Players have praised the aerial combat engagements, mission variety, campaign content, and soundtrack; criticism has focused mainly on performance, with some players noting frame rates below expectations, and opinions on the multiplayer mode remain divided.
Additionally, the pre-order bonus "Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War" is provided as DLC due to licensing restrictions and requires "Ace Combat 8: Skies of Hope" to be installed for use. This arrangement has also caused some confusion among players.