ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2 is now live in ACE COMBAT ONLINE, with limited-time CHALLENGES running from November 6 to December 1, 2026. Players have a chance to earn 100,000 ZOLL, while Emergency Sortie missions get a temporary appearance-rate boost.
The blueprint change is the one worth remembering after the event. You can now earn up to ten General Purpose Upgrade Blueprints from mission rewards each day, rather than five. The ZOLL challenges and Emergency Sortie boost have their own deadlines.
When does ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2 end?
ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2 started at approximately 3:30 PM JST on Friday, November 6, and the limited-time challenges finish at noon JST on Tuesday, December 1. The dates are official, but the publisher describes the launch time as approximate. If you’re checking the event close to the cutoff, look at the live CHALLENGE screen.
Here’s when those deadlines fall worldwide. In the US, the final evening is November 30, not December 1.
| Region | Starts | Challenges End |
|---|---|---|
| Japan (JST) | Nov 6, 3:30 PM | Dec 1, noon |
| UK (GMT) | Nov 6, 6:30 AM | Dec 1, 3:00 AM |
| Europe (CET) | Nov 6, 7:30 AM | Dec 1, 4:00 AM |
| US Eastern (EST) | Nov 6, 1:30 AM | Nov 30, 10:00 PM |
| US Pacific (PST) | Nov 5, 10:30 PM | Nov 30, 7:00 PM |
| Sydney (AEDT) | Nov 6, 5:30 PM | Dec 1, 2:00 PM |
How to get the 100,000 ZOLL reward in ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2
The headline 100,000 ZOLL is a challenge reward opportunity. It isn’t a redemption code, and Bandai Namco hasn’t announced a blanket 100,000 ZOLL login gift. To participate, enter ACE COMBAT ONLINE, open the CHALLENGE screen and look through the limited-time objectives added for the celebration.
The announcement doesn’t give a task list or break down the ZOLL rewards. You’ll find those details in the game’s CHALLENGE screen. Check the objectives there before deciding which missions to play.
Check each challenge’s reward before you start. ZOLL is used within ACE COMBAT ONLINE and is separate from paid ACE COINS. Our currency and shops guide explains where each currency fits.
Emergency Sortie boost during ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2
The increased appearance rate for EMERGENCY SORTIE lasts from November 6 until November 16 at 3:00 PM JST. That’s 6:00 AM GMT, 7:00 AM CET, 1:00 AM EST or 10:00 PM PST on November 15. The boosted odds end well before the ZOLL challenges do.
Emergency Sortie can appear after regular cooperative missions and pits a group of pilots against a massive enemy. The event makes it appear more often, but it isn’t guaranteed after every match, and Bandai Namco hasn’t supplied an exact appearance percentage.
If you’re hoping to get an Emergency Sortie while the boost is on, stick with the core co-op modes and watch for the special mission invitation. For the underlying rules, see our Emergency Sortie walkthrough. ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2 improves your chances of seeing the mode; it doesn’t change the fact that you still need to take part in eligible online missions.
A permanent blueprint cap increase for ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2
From November 6, the cap on General Purpose Upgrade Blueprints earned as mission rewards went from five to ten per day. Better still, Bandai Namco confirms the higher limit stays in place after December 1. Our ACE COMBAT 8 General Purpose Upgrade Blueprints guide covers the change in more detail.
That is a cap, not a promise of ten blueprints from every mission. The announcement also doesn’t extend the change to every possible reward source, and it has nothing to do with the separate paid Premium Ace Pass. Our online progression guide covers how the reward systems connect.
Maintenance dates and missing challenges
Bandai Namco scheduled maintenance on November 6 and November 16, from 3:00 to 3:30 PM JST (6:00 to 6:30 AM GMT). The November 6 window has already passed. The November 16 window is scheduled to coincide with the end of the Emergency Sortie boost, but the ZOLL challenges continue afterwards.
If the ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2 tasks aren’t visible, make sure you’re in ACE COMBAT ONLINE rather than Campaign Mode, and check the in-game CHALLENGE screen rather than your ACE PASS rewards. Verify that your game is updated and that there isn’t ongoing server maintenance. If online matches themselves are failing, our matchmaking guide deals with that separately.
What should you do first in ACE COMBAT 8 Release Celebration Part 2?
I’d start with the CHALLENGE screen and pick off any objectives that fit the missions you’re already playing. If you’re after Emergency Sorties, make the most of the boost before November 16. The ZOLL challenges stay until December 1, and the bigger blueprint limit isn’t going away.
Official source: Bandai Namco’s Release Celebration Part 2 announcement.
