Oct 13
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.
Oct 5
Early access for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve opened on September 29 at 7:00 AM, and the official X account warned that the bonus port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War cannot be obtained after launch. Staff on the Ace Combat 8 Information Bureau #5 livestream said fighter jet licensing agreements block a separate sale, though distribution as a bonus falls within the contract.
Oct 3
Bandai Namco Entertainment's ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE launches digitally on October 2 at 7:00 for PC via Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, following early access for Deluxe Edition buyers. The standard edition costs 9,790 yen and the Deluxe Edition 11,990 yen. Purchases made by 6:59 on October 2 include a port of ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR at 2160p and 60fps, and the pre-order bonus adds the playable aircraft F-14A. The port will not be sold separately because of fighter jet licensing arrangements, and the official X account has warned buyers about the cutoff. First production run package copies carry serial codes for the bonus. The campaign follows Lieutenant Colonel Jean Kope, a fallen hero called Wings of Sheave, as the Sotoa Republic invades the Usean continent. Online mode includes PvE and PvPvE. Metacritic sits at 88 for the PS5 version as of early October.
Oct 3
Bandai Namco Entertainment says there is now a prospect of changing how the pre-order bonus for the Steam version of ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is delivered. The bonus, a port of ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR, launches as a standalone game on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of Ace Combat 8. On Steam it is provided as a DLC executable that requires the main game to be installed, so it cannot be launched on its own. The company said licensing restrictions and platform-side specifications prevent standalone distribution on Steam at present. In an update on the night of October 2, the day Ace Combat 8 released, Bandai Namco said it has continued talks with platform partners and related companies and is now considering a standalone app format, with the specific implementation and timing still under review. The port has no plans for standalone sale and is offered only through the Ace Combat 8 pre-order and physical early purchase bonus.
Oct 3
Bandai Namco Entertainment will release Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, with a Deluxe Edition arriving September 29. The publisher streamed a 16-minute opening cinematic on Thursday. The campaign is set in 2029 in the Strangereal world, ten years after the previous numbered entry, and follows the Central Usean Federation after an invasion by the Republic of Sotoa. The player flies for the Joker Squadron aboard the old carrier Endurance, carrying the name of the legendary ace Wings of Sheave. Three wingmen join the fight. Online play, branded Ace Combat Online, casts players as mercenaries of an organization called I3 and splits missions into co-op, co-op with versus elements, and pure versus formats. Pre-orders include a port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
Jun 30
Bandai Namco released a memorial video for the Ace Combat Zero port on June 30, the series' 31st anniversary. The PS2 classic is revived at 2160p/60fps and included as an early purchase and preorder bonus for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, which launches October 2, 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Brand director Kazutoshi Kono also issued a message marking the anniversary.
Jun 2
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced during Sony's State of Play livestream on June 3 that Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will launch on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The game is the latest entry in the Ace Combat series, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Players take the role of a fighter pilot rescued at sea by the aging aircraft carrier Endurance, belonging to the Federation of Central Usea. The player is entrusted with the legendary ace known as the Wings of Seave, a symbol of hope, and must reclaim lost territory alongside three new companions. The game is developed by Bandai Namco Aces Inc., a studio formed in July 2022 by Bandai Namco Entertainment and ILCA, and is built on Unreal Engine 5. A port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War will be included as a pre-order bonus for the digital version and as an early purchase bonus for the physical version. Early access for the Deluxe Edition begins on September 29.