Tuesday, 13 October 2026
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Ace Combat Zero Steam Port to Get Standalone App for Ace Combat 8 Pre-Order Bonus

A pre-order bonus that could only be reached through a 140GB download is unusual enough to generate a public concession, and Bandai Namco is retaining the bonus-only restriction even as it loosens how the port is delivered.

Key Facts

  • Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on October 13 that the Steam version of Ace Combat Zero will be distributed as a standalone application.
  • Ace Combat Zero was offered as a pre-order bonus for Ace Combat 8: WINGS OF THEVE and cannot be obtained by players who do not own that bonus.
  • Ace Combat 8 is roughly 140GB, and the Ace Combat Zero port could not previously be installed separately from it.
  • Save data between the launch-option version and the standalone version of Ace Combat Zero will be shared through Steam Cloud.
  • Ace Combat 8 launched on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam) and surpassed 1 million units in worldwide cumulative sales on October 9, the fastest in the series.

Reporting from 3 sources: Denfaminicogamer, Automaton, Game Spark.

Ace Combat Zero Steam Port to Get Standalone App for Ace Combat 8 Pre-Order Bonus

Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on October 13 that the Steam version of Ace Combat Zero, offered as a pre-order bonus for Ace Combat 8: WINGS OF THEVE, is expected to be distributed as a standalone application. The port was previously playable only by launching Ace Combat 8 and selecting it from the start options. Both formats will coexist once the standalone version ships, and save data will be shared between them through Steam Cloud. The company said final quality and operation checks are underway. Bandai Namco stressed that the change applies only to players who already have the pre-order bonus and does not make Ace Combat Zero newly obtainable for anyone else. The issue drew complaints because Ace Combat 8 is roughly 140GB and the bonus could not be installed on its own.

The port dates to the lead-up to Ace Combat 8's release, when Bandai Namco explained that fighter jet licensing arrangements and platform-side specifications prevented a separate Steam listing, and the official X account warned players to pre-order before early access began. On October 1 the company apologized for insufficient advance guidance about the distribution method. A follow-up on October 2 reported that talks with platform partners had produced a prospect of changing to standalone distribution.

Ace Combat 8 launched on October 1 or October 2 depending on region and surpassed 1 million units in worldwide cumulative sales on October 9, the fastest in the series. The official program ACE COMBAT 8 Information Bureau #5 repeated that the Ace Combat Zero port will not be sold separately, and the October 13 notice carries the same restriction. An update with bug fixes for Ace Combat 8 is planned.

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

Ace Combat 8 Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War Bandai Namco Entertainment

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Sources