Ace Combat 8 Steam reviewers are steaming mad about its pre-order bonus not being a standalone app
The fine print for freebie Ace Combat Zero changed before launch.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launched on Thursday, with pre-orders offering an early taste of the game. Those who pre-ordered the deluxe edition received Ace Combat Zero, a 2006 title not previously available on PC. However, the packaging of Ace Combat Zero on Steam has sparked controversy among reviewers.
Nearly 1,000 negative reviews have highlighted issues with performance, multiplayer connectivity, and flight physics, but one recurring complaint is the bait-and-switch nature of the pre-order bonus. While the game's description promised a standalone copy of Ace Combat Zero, the actual offering is a DLC executable. Reviewer Akion expressed disappointment, stating, "The integrity of this should matter to you."
This discrepancy has led to significant frustration. One commenter pointed out the absurdity of needing 140GB of data to play a 3GB game, with Ace Combat Zero consuming over 140GB of storage. The console version of Ace Combat Zero comes with its own achievements/trophies, a feature absent from the Steam version. This lack of parity has further aggravated players, especially as the Steam Deck could potentially run Zero well due to its age.
Bandai Namco's decision to bundle Ace Combat Zero with ACE COMBAT 8 may have been constrained by licensing terms, but the lack of separate achievements and cloud saves on Steam is a significant disappointment for fans. The store page initially claimed Zero would be a separate app, but this promise was not kept. Some argue that the licensing limitations on consoles allow for the game to be given away for free, but it seems implausible that Steam can't find a workaround.
The controversy surrounding Ace Combat Zero's presentation on Steam may eventually result in a smaller subset of Ace Combat 8's reviews reflecting this dissatisfaction. However, for players who pre-ordered the deluxe edition, the bonus appears to be more of a marketing misstep than a successful publicity stunt.
Written by urgent.news from PC Gamer's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
