Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve entered early access for Deluxe Edition owners, but Bandai Namco's packaging of a pre-order bonus has sparked controversy on PC. According to PC Gamer, players who pre-order the $70 standard edition receive Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006), making its PC debut, but the publisher bundled it as an integrated part of the new game rather than a standalone application.
Complaints about the bonus now account for hundreds of negative Steam reviews, threatening to drag the game's average rating down to "Mixed" status. As reported by PC Gamer, players expected the 2006 classic to function as a separate program, a description that appeared in the pre-purchase information.
On consoles, the situation differs. Push Square highlighted that Ace Combat Zero is available as an exclusive pre-order bonus on PS5, though it did not specify whether it functions as a standalone app on those platforms. The game launches officially on October 2, 2026.
The platform discrepancy raises questions about Bandai Namco's communication strategy, as PC players felt misled by a change that was not clearly disclosed beforehand.
