The early access launch of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve kicked off on a down note due to some confusion regarding one of the game’s pre-order bonuses. Pre-orders of the flight action game include a copy of 2006’s Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, but early adopters discovered it was not a standalone product, contrary to what they were lead to believe when they pre-ordered the game.

Unsurprisingly, players – who paid the Deluxe edition price of £75 / $90 to access the game three days early – were unhappy.

The Ace Combat studio has now responded, offering a much-needed clarification as to why The Belkan War is not a standalone game on Steam – when it is on consoles – and outline next steps.

“Ace Combat Zero, is offered as a pre-order bonus. Due to licensing restrictions and platform-related considerations, it cannot currently be released on Steam as a standalone application,” the developer wrote on Steam.

“As a result, we have chosen to make Ace Combat Zero available through Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. We apologise for any confusion or frustration caused by our failure to clearly communicate this distribution method in advance.”

One of the many frustrating side effects of that decision is that Ace Combat 8 must be installed for Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War to be playable. It also locks The Belkan War out of its own separate Steam cloud saves and achievements, as it exists under a different game. So, will anything be done to address some of those pain points? The developer’s statement offers some hope.

“We have carefully reviewed player feedback regarding this issue and understand the concerns that have been raised. We are currently evaluating possible options, including discussions with our platform partners,” the statement continues.

“At this time, we cannot guarantee that any changes will be made. However, we are actively exploring potential solutions and will continue working with relevant partners to address player concerns where possible.”

The initial shock hit Ace Combat 8’s user review rating on Steam, though it has since recovered. At the time of writing, the rating has moved from Mixed to Mostly Positive. It is likely to get even better as the official, 2nd October launch day arrives, as many of those players will at least be aware of the current situation.