Ace Combat Zero is now a standalone Steam app
ACE COMBAT ZERO is now a separate Steam app for players who claimed it as an ACE COMBAT 8 pre-order bonus, with save transfers supported.
ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR is now available as a standalone Steam application for players who previously claimed it as an ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE pre-order bonus. The change means the flight game can be installed and launched without installing the main game, according to Famitsu’s report.1
The standalone version is being added to the Steam libraries of users who already own the pre-order bonus. This is a change to how the bonus is delivered, not a new way to obtain the game: anyone who did not claim the bonus cannot use the standalone app to acquire it now.1
The move also addresses saved data. Existing saves are carried across automatically on the same PC, while Steam Cloud can share the data between PCs. That should make the separate app less of a curiosity and more of a practical replacement for the earlier arrangement, where players had to launch the bonus through ACE COMBAT 8.1
The standalone Steam listing identifies ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR as the 2006 flight-shooting game set during the Belkan War. The port supports 2160p output and 60 frames per second, according to the listing and the details reported by Famitsu.12
What this means for players
If the bonus is already attached to your account, search your Steam library for ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR and check whether the separate application has appeared. The store listing is the relevant official reference for the app, while Famitsu’s report explains the rollout and save-transfer details.12
Our opinion
This is a small but worthwhile fix rather than a fresh release. Pre-order bonuses that are trapped behind another installation create needless friction, particularly for older games that players may want to revisit on their own. Giving ACE COMBAT ZERO its own application makes the ownership relationship clearer and removes an unnecessary dependency, while the unchanged bonus eligibility keeps the arrangement fair to the people who claimed it. The important caveat is that this is not a surprise giveaway: players still need the original pre-order entitlement.