The early access release of the highly anticipated game Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve faced some turbulence due to confusion surrounding one of its pre-order incentives. While those who pre-ordered the game were promised a copy of 2006’s Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, they discovered that the game wasn’t delivered as a standalone title, a detail not anticipated by many early buyers.
Players who shelled out £75/$90 for the Deluxe edition to enjoy early access were notably disgruntled by this oversight. This dissatisfaction prompted the developers to issue a clarification, particularly concerning why the game is standalone on consoles but not on Steam.
Developer Clarification
The developers addressed player concerns on Steam, explaining the limitations: “Ace Combat Zero is offered as a pre-order bonus. Due to licensing restrictions and platform-related considerations, it cannot currently be released on Steam as a standalone application,” they stated. Instead, it is bundled within Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, a decision that sparked irritation among fans who felt misled.
Because of this packaging choice, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War requires the installation of Ace Combat 8 to be playable. This setup also complicates players’ experiences by not allowing The Belkan War to have its own Steam cloud saves and achievements due to its integration within another game.
Potential Resolutions
The development team is taking the feedback seriously and has shared that they are “currently evaluating possible options” to address these concerns. This includes engaging in discussions with platform partners to explore feasible solutions, though they made it clear that immediate changes cannot be guaranteed.
Despite the initial backlash, Steam’s user reviews for Ace Combat 8 have begun to improve. The rating transitioned from Mixed to Mostly Positive as the community adjusted to the clarification and as more players prepare for the full launch on 2nd October.
Reporting based on coverage first published by eurogamer.net.