Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is now out on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, and its first online season has a familiar aircraft waiting on the paid reward track. The ADFX-02 Morgan–PIXY returns from Ace Combat Zero, but the free Ace Pass does not include it. Bandai Namco’s October 1 breakdown explains what each track offers and what the more expensive Plus option actually skips.
If you already have the Deluxe Edition, you have a voucher to use. Before redeeming it, decide whether you want Season 1’s Morgan or would rather save the voucher for another season. It covers one season, not every future pass.
What makes the returning Morgan different
The experimental multirole aircraft belonged to Larry Foulk, better known as Pixy, in Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. For Ace Combat 8, its modified airframe can carry two special-weapon types at once, selected from three options. High-output lasers are among them.
Bandai Namco’s short gameplay clip shows the aircraft banking through a dogfight and firing its red laser. That is the returning jet you get by redeeming Season 1’s Premium Ace Pass or Premium Ace Pass Plus; the unlock also includes a collection of Morgan skins.
There is a separate restriction if you want to fly it outside multiplayer. Morgan becomes usable in the campaign after you finish all campaign missions. Buying the pass does not put it into your first story mission.
Free, Premium and Plus are three different choices
The Free track offers 12 aircraft skins, nine emblems and four avatar costumes. Premium adds 13 skins, nine emblems, 11 costumes, an emote and Morgan. Both tracks also contain blueprints, boost tickets and banners, although not every Free level pays out a reward.
Premium Ace Pass Plus includes the Premium rewards and immediately unlocks the first 30 of the season’s 100 levels, with both tracks’ rewards for those levels. The skip is seasonal progress. It is not a campaign shortcut or a promise to complete the remaining 70 levels for you.
The Deluxe voucher can be saved for a later season, and the two paid tiers can also be purchased separately. The publisher says the available rewards can be seen before purchase and that the game does not have paid loot boxes or randomized paid rewards.
The campaign and online mode do not share progress
Ace Combat Online has its own progression and save data. You start as a mercenary pilot at an airbase, rather than continuing the campaign pilot’s unlocks. Its lobby accommodates up to 100 players, with a supply shop, military training, an arcade and a jukebox among the facilities.
Completing online missions advances the Ace Pass. The main Co-Op Assault mode has two teams of four competing to score against computer-controlled enemies. Co-Op Warfare also puts two four-player squads into battle, with allied land, sea and air units joining the fight.
In Warfare, staying alive and destroying targets raises your Threat Level. More stars mean more points for your own kills, but also make you worth more to an opponent who shoots you down. At three stars, you become an Ace. That risk-and-reward system gives teams something to manage beyond chasing the next pass level.
What happens when the season ends
Seasons last two months. Bandai Namco tells players who specifically want Morgan through Season 1 to redeem their pass before the end of November. Completing all 100 levels on both Free and Premium before the season ends earns 500 Ace Coins in total—not 500 for each track.
The official online guide also says playable aircraft included in Premium passes will be sold separately after their seasons end. It does not give a separate Morgan price or sale date. If Morgan is your reason to pay now, the confirmed offer is the Season 1 pass; if it is not, you can keep playing the free track and save that Deluxe voucher.
