Ace Combat Zero Is Now Standalone on Steam for Ace Combat 8 Pre-Order Owners

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War can now run as a standalone Steam game, nearly a month after its launch. Access is limited to players who pre-ordered Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve through Steam. Project Aces confirmed the change; players who didn’t pre-order the sequel through Steam won’t receive the separate game.

The update changes how the older title is delivered, not who can claim it. Eligible owners should find Ace Combat Zero in their Steam Library, where it can be installed and launched independently. That distinction matters: a game bundled with another product can be available in a technical sense while still feeling like an add-on if it depends on the newer game to run.

At launch, Ace Combat Zero required Ace Combat 8 to be installed. The new standalone version removes that dependency, addressing a key complaint from players who wanted to play the older game without keeping the sequel on their system. It’s a practical fix, though one that arrives after buyers have already encountered the limitation.

What changes for eligible players

Existing save data carries over, and Achievements earned before the change unlock in the standalone version. That continuity avoids one of the common headaches when a bundled or add-on version becomes a separate library entry: players don’t have to start over simply because the game’s launch path has changed. Their progress and completed milestones are meant to follow them.

For players, the change is mostly about independence and convenience. Ace Combat Zero can be installed without Ace Combat 8, which may matter to anyone managing limited storage or simply preferring to keep only one game installed at a time. This is more significant than it looks: a separate library entry gives the older game a clearer identity, even though eligibility remains tied to a specific pre-order.

Adjusting the launch option

Ace Combat Zero may still appear as a launch choice when opening Ace Combat 8. That prompt reflects the way Steam can present a bundled game or add-on alongside its main title; it doesn’t mean the standalone version still depends on the sequel. Players who want to open Ace Combat Zero directly can set it as the default launch option.

There’s another route. Project Aces says players can uncheck the DLC in Steam’s Properties menu to prevent the prompt from appearing. Here’s the thing: the setting is a small detail, but it can shape the day-to-day experience. If you’re switching between the two games, a launch menu may be useful; if you only want Ace Combat 8 to start, disabling the extra option should make that behavior more predictable.

A strong start for Ace Combat 8

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is also available on Xbox Series X/S and PS5. It earned extensive critical acclaim; see our review. The game sold more than one million copies in roughly a week, making it the series’ fastest-selling entry, according to GamingBolt’s report.

That reported sales pace gives the pre-order-only distribution a sizable potential audience, but it doesn’t make the standalone version generally available. The distinction is easy to miss: Ace Combat 8 has a broad release across platforms, while this particular copy of Ace Combat Zero is tied to a qualifying Steam purchase. Players who bought the sequel elsewhere, or didn’t pre-order it through Steam, aren’t included under the terms described here.

What the change signals

Separating an older game from its host title is a useful correction to a launch setup that made access less straightforward than the word “standalone” suggests. It also shows why packaging and installation details matter in a digital library: ownership, installation, saves, Achievements, and launch behavior are related, but they’re not the same thing. Players notice when those pieces don’t line up.

And yet, the update doesn’t resolve the access restriction. The separate version remains a benefit for a defined group of Steam customers, not a general release of Ace Combat Zero. For eligible players, the fix removes a needless dependency and preserves progress. For everyone else, the reported change doesn’t alter availability. (And this is the part most people overlook.) The installation has changed; the eligibility hasn’t.

A fragment, then: A cleaner library entry, with the same narrow gate.