Bandai Namco has opened the PC preload for ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE on Steam, giving pre-purchase buyers time to install the sequel before it leaves the hangar. The first numbered Ace Combat game in seven years is due on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC this week. The Steam client is now pulling the large Unreal Engine 5 build onto SSDs, which is the last practical step before takeoff.
When Preload and Early Access Begin
Steam lists the Standard Edition for October 1 at 3:00 p.m. PDT, which is October 2 in Europe and Japan. Deluxe Edition owners get Advance Access starting September 28 at 3:00 p.m. PDT. That window is already live in some regions today and opens later this afternoon on the U.S. West Coast. Anyone who pre-purchased can start the download now so the install is ready when the play lock lifts.
The download is not a small patch. Official PC storage sits at 150 GB on an SSD, and Steam depots point to a compressed payload well above 130 GB. Starting the transfer early is the surest way to avoid sitting through a day-one queue.
What PC Players Need Ready
The Steam page requires Windows 11, an SSD, DirectX 12 with Shader Model 6.6 or later, and a graphics card with hardware ray tracing. Minimum hardware is an Intel Core i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, 16 GB of RAM, and an RTX 2060 or RX 6600 XT for upscaled 1080p at 30 fps on Low. Recommended play at upscaled 1080p and 60 fps on Medium calls for an i7-12700K or Ryzen 5 5600X, 32 GB of RAM, and an RTX 3070 or RX 6800. Bandai Namco notes that frame rate can drop in heavy scenes. The PC build also uses Easy Anti-Cheat.
Editions, Bonuses, and Why Fans Are Waiting
Standard costs $69.99. Deluxe is $89.99 and adds a cosmetic set, a Premium Ace Pass Plus voucher, and the three-day head start. Digital pre-orders include a playable F-14A and a copy of ACE COMBAT ZERO: THE BELKAN WAR.
The campaign returns to Strangereal in 2029, after Sotoa invades the Federation of Central Usea and occupies the capital of Theve. Bandai Namco Aces built the skies with Unreal Engine 5 and its Cloudly weather system. Online modes support cross-play across PC and consoles.
For players who have waited since Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown in 2019, the preload is the last quiet stretch before launch. Clear the drive space, confirm Windows 11 and a ray tracing GPU, and let Steam finish the install before traffic hits.