Ace Combat fans hoping to pick up the modern port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War as a standalone release are sadly out of luck. During the final Ace Combat 8 Information Bureau livestream on September 28, the developers at Project Aces explained why the port is restricted to pre‑orders of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. According to the team, Ace Combat Zero cannot be sold separately due to licensing agreements with real‑world jet manufacturers that have expired. This limitation sheds light on how older Ace Combat titles can be distributed today, and why we haven't seen any collections.
The developers stated that Ace Combat games rely on licenses granted by aircraft manufacturers, which dictate how and when each title can be sold. These agreements cover everything from the use of specific fighter jets to the commercial lifespan of the game. Because the licenses tied to Ace Combat Zero have run out, Project Aces can only offer the port within the narrow conditions allowed by the original contracts. This is why the game is included as a pre‑order bonus for Ace Combat 8, but cannot appear on digital storefronts or as a physical standalone release.
This situation mirrors what happened with Ace Combat 7 and its pre‑order bonus, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. That port was initially offered as part of the deluxe edition before being removed from that package as licensing restrictions tightened. The pattern has become familiar to long‑time fans who have watched Bandai Namco navigate the complexities of aircraft licensing across multiple generations of Ace Combat releases.
Despite the frustration from players who want easier access to older titles, the developers stressed during the livestream that they are not withholding the game out of spite. They said they are “not doing this to be mean” and encouraged fans who want to play The Belkan War to secure a pre‑order before October 2. The digital edition of Ace Combat 8 includes the port and the F‑14A as pre-order bonuses, while only first‑run physical copies will contain the codes.
There are also platform differences worth noting. The PC versions of these legacy ports do not include achievement support, while the PlayStation versions do. This has been a recurring point of discussion among fans who want parity across platforms, especially as more Ace Combat titles receive modern ports. In addition, PC users lament the fact that you must download all 120GB of the entire base game in order to play the port.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://www.thegamer.com/ace-combat-zero-port-locked-behind-preorders/
