Online Lobby & Avatars
Ace Combat Online includes the series’ first online lobby: an air base that players explore with a customizable avatar before entering multiplayer games. Party tools, lobby capacity, social features, and avatar customization limits are not yet published.
Confirmed
- The lobby is set at an air base.
- Players explore with a custom avatar.
- The lobby is used before entering multiplayer games.
Not detailed yet
- Lobby player capacity
- Text, voice and emote features
- Party invites, clans and private spaces
What players do in the air-base lobby
The official online description says players step into the series’ first online lobby and explore an air base with a custom avatar before diving into multiplayer games. This makes the lobby a navigable pre-match space rather than only a menu label.
Bandai Namco has not shown a complete activity list, so stores, training areas, minigames, or social hubs should not be assumed.
Avatar customization
Custom avatars are confirmed, and the Deluxe cosmetic set includes a Tasha Costume Set marked for Online Mode only. Ace Pass information also establishes cosmetic rewards. The full avatar editor, body options, slots, rarity system, and whether every cosmetic is earnable have not been detailed.
Lobby versus matchmaking
The air base is the social space before a sortie; matchmaking determines the actual mode and opponents. It is not yet clear whether players join persistent public instances, friend-only rooms, or regional hubs, nor how parties move together from the base into co-op or PvP.
Online Lobby & Avatars FAQ
Does Ace Combat 8 have an online lobby?
Yes. Ace Combat Online introduces the series’ first explorable online lobby.
Can you customize an avatar?
Yes. A custom avatar is used in the air-base lobby, and online cosmetics are confirmed.
How many players fit in a lobby?
Lobby capacity has not yet been announced.