Ace Combat Zero May Finally Fly Solo on Steam

Remember when Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War was supposed to be a free bonus for pre-ordering Ace Combat 8 on Steam, but then it turned out you had to download the entire 150 GB game just to play it? Yeah, that stung. But there's a glimmer of hope: Project Aces might make it standalone after all.

The developer recently said it's in "continued discussions" with platform partners and other relevant parties about offering Ace Combat Zero as a separate title on Steam. In a statement, the team explained: "We are currently reviewing the specific implementation details and distribution timing. We will provide a further update once additional details have been finalized, including whether this approach can ultimately be realized."

So, it's not a done deal yet. Project Aces isn't fully confident it'll happen, but they're clearly trying. "We remain committed to delivering the title in a manner that meets player expectations, and we will continue working closely with all relevant partners to achieve this goal," they added.

For those out of the loop: before launch, the modern port of Ace Combat Zero was marketed as a separate title that players would get as a free bonus for buying Ace Combat 8 before October 2nd. But when advanced access went live, the wording changed, revealing that wasn't the case. Fans were understandably frustrated, especially since Ace Combat 8 is about 150 GB, while Ace Combat Zero takes up a fraction of that space. On consoles, Zero is standalone and doesn't have this issue. Project Aces blamed "licensing restrictions and platform-related considerations" for the PC approach.

Despite the bundle headache, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is still a solid game. We gave it a nine out of ten in our review, and it's become the series' biggest launch on Steam for Bandai Namco. So even if you're not thrilled about the download size, the game itself is worth checking out.

Now, the big question: will Project Aces actually pull this off? They're reviewing the details, but there's no timeline yet. If it happens, PC players could finally enjoy Ace Combat Zero without the hefty baggage. If not, well, at least they're trying.

What do you think? Are you hoping Ace Combat Zero becomes standalone on Steam, or are you fine with the current setup? Let us know in the comments!