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Bandai Namco Entertainment’s ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE launched on October 2, 2026. It’s the series’ 30th anniversary title, and the Standard Edition is priced at 9,790 yen (about US$64, converted at 153 yen to the dollar) including tax. It’s available on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a CERO C rating in Japan.
There’s one more thing you should know about on launch day, though: how the Steam preorder bonus, the Steam port of ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR, actually boots.
On consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S), you can launch it on its own. On Steam, you have to have the main Ace Combat 8 game installed. If you were buying purely for the bonus, that detail changes things.
Bandai Namco put out a fresh notice about this on October 3, which is a polite way of saying there was a gap between expectation and reality on day one. Here’s the breakdown.
How much is ACE COMBAT 8? Price and platforms
The Standard Edition costs 9,790 yen (about US$64) including tax. The release date was October 2, 2026.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE |
| Release date | October 2, 2026 |
| Price | 9,790 yen (about US$64), tax included, Standard Edition |
| Platforms | PC (Steam) / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S |
| CERO rating | C (ages 15 and up) |
| Publisher | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Milestone | Series 30th anniversary title |
Landing under the 10,000-yen line is close to holding the line by current full-price standards. Japanese releases have been creeping up from the 9,800-yen range into the 11,000-yen range (roughly US$64 to US$72) lately, so 9,790 yen reads as fair.
What’s the catch with the Steam version’s Ace Combat Zero bonus? You need the main game installed
The Steam preorder bonus, the Steam port of ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR, cannot be launched on its own. It’s delivered as a DLC executable that runs separately from the main Ace Combat 8 game, which means the main game has to be installed.
Consoles are a different story. On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the port launches standalone. Same bonus, split behavior depending on your platform.
Where that gap actually hurts is storage and intent, both at once. If all you want to play is Zero, you still have to clear space for the full main game too. Plenty of people run their PC SSD permanently stuffed to the brim, and this is exactly the kind of thing you’d want to know in advance.
Bandai Namco says it expects to look into changing this so the port can launch on its own. For now that’s “looking into it,” not a confirmed spec change. Hopeful, sure, but don’t bank on it as settled.
For what it’s worth, there are no plans to sell the port separately. If Zero is the goal, buying the main game is the only route.
Where does it sit as the series’ 30th anniversary title?
ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is the series’ 30th anniversary release. And the preorder bonus attached to it is a port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. The intent behind that combination is not subtle.
Zero is a 2006 PS2 game and one of the most highly regarded entries in the whole series. Making it playable on current platforms and bundling it with the new release is a sound anniversary move. It’s an on-ramp for newcomers and an excuse for longtime fans to go back.
If I’m flagging a concern, it’s that the bonus looks a notch less valuable on Steam. That one restriction—no standalone launch—takes the air out of the “I got a classic” feeling. Smart idea, dulled by an implementation detail, and that’s a shame. If the standalone launch option they’re reportedly considering actually ships, the whole complaint goes away.
Personally, my read on a flight game swings hard on how stiff the stick controls feel, so that’s what I want to check on real hardware. But bringing Zero along for the 30th? I’m straightforwardly on board with that call.
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ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE launch details in one place
One more time, for the record. ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE released on October 2, 2026. The Standard Edition is 9,790 yen (about US$64) including tax, rated CERO C, and available on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. It’s the series’ 30th anniversary title.
The preorder bonus, the Steam port of ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR, launches standalone on consoles but requires the main game to be installed on Steam. Bandai Namco says it expects to look into allowing a standalone launch, but nothing is confirmed at this point. There are no plans to sell the port separately (as of October 2026).
A 30th anniversary title at 9,790 yen (about US$64), with a port of Zero thrown in as a bonus. As a package, that’s strong. The problem is that the Steam version’s launch requirements weren’t communicated clearly enough before release day, and the fresh notice Bandai Namco issued on October 3 is the proof. If you were planning to buy the Steam version purely for Zero, factor the main game’s install size into your math.
Playing the whole thing? Then there’s no issue here at all. Sniping for Zero alone? Waiting for a spec-change notice is a perfectly good play.
Nokko Oda
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