Bandai Namco faces backlash over Ace Combat 8 Steam bonus

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve has received high critical acclaim, earning an 87 Metacritic score and being described by reviewers as a top-tier flight action experience. The game is scheduled for release on October 2.

However, controversy has emerged regarding the digital pre-order bonus, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. While originally marketed as a standalone application, Bandai Namco has updated the Steam store description to list the classic title as a DLC for Ace Combat 8.

This change means Steam users must install the main game—a massive 135 GB download—to access the smaller classic title. This shift has caused significant backlash from the community, as it prevents players from running the classic game independently on lower-end hardware like the Steam Deck.