Ace Combat 8 Early Access Begins, Steam Belkan War DLC Sparks Backlash
Deluxe Edition owners can now play Ace Combat 8 early, but on Steam the bundled Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is locked as DLC requiring the base game.
Early access to Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is now live for Deluxe Edition owners. But the launch has stirred controversy over how the bundled Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is handled on Steam.
On Valve's platform, The Belkan War is delivered as DLC that requires Ace Combat 8 to be installed. On PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, the same game remains a standalone app. The Steam listing's description was changed from calling The Belkan War a standalone application to stating it is a DLC executable requiring the base game.
On Steam, Ace Combat 8 currently holds a Mixed user review rating based on over 1,350 reviews. Eurogamer has contacted Bandai Namco for comment.
Older context
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War originally released in 2006 and never appeared on platforms other than PlayStation 2. Earlier this month, a Reddit user who pre-ordered Ace Combat 8 on Steam could not find The Belkan War in their Steam library and posted a screenshot showing the older store wording.
Quick answers
How do I access Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War on Steam?
On Steam, The Belkan War is delivered as DLC that requires Ace Combat 8 to be installed.
Is The Belkan War standalone on consoles?
Yes, on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S it remains a standalone app.
What is Ace Combat 8's Steam review rating?
It has a Mixed user review rating based on over 1,350 reviews.