Ace Combat 8 dev calls Tasha the 'most expensive character' after the longest design process in the game

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve brand director Kazutoki Kono revealed in a group media interview in China that pink-haired pilot Tasha Severskaya ended up being the most time-consuming — and jokingly, the most expensive — character in the entire game to design.

Kono explained that Tasha's development started relatively early but was originally handled by a different artist. The team kept revisiting and tweaking her design long after her story and direction were locked in, making her the character that took the longest to finalize. "That's why inside the development team, we jokingly call her 'the most expensive character,'" Kono said. He also credited her breakout popularity to her fashion sense — specifically how her pink hair and military-style outfits happen to align with trends currently popular among fans. Kono admitted he was personally surprised by how much attention Tasha had attracted on social media before the game even launched, and revealed he's personally on Team Kate Evans, backing Lieutenant Commander and Queen Flight leader Kate Evans instead.

Ace Combat 8 is the latest entry in Bandai Namco's long-running aerial combat series, and it's shaping up to be one of the more ambitious installments. IGN's hands-on preview this summer described it as a "very grounded game," and the developers have outlined multiplayer plans that include 100-player lobbies, multiple mission types, and a co-op warfare mode — a significant step up in scale for the franchise.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches October 2, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. With Tasha already a fan favorite before release, Kono and the team will be watching closely to see how players respond to the full cast once the game is actually in their hands.