Steam and Xbox preload for Ace Combat 8 is not yet confirmed. PS5 preload is press reported for September 29 at about 108.672 GB.
Ace Combat 8 Preload Times and Download Size by Platform
Quick answer: as of September 27, 2026 the Steam and Xbox preload start times for Ace Combat 8 are not yet confirmed, and Sony and Bandai Namco have not published an official PS5 preload time either. The only preload detail in circulation is press-reported third-party tracker data claiming the PS5 standard edition opens for preload on September 29, 2026, with the Deluxe edition already downloadable and an install size of about 108.672 GB. The one official storage number is Steam's requirement of 150 GB of free space on an SSD.
This page separates those two tiers on purpose. Official numbers get quoted as official, tracker numbers get labeled press reported, and everything else stays not yet confirmed until a store page or a publisher post says otherwise.
Preload Status by Platform
| Platform | Preload start | Install size | Source tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam / PC | Not yet confirmed | Not yet confirmed; store requires 150 GB free SSD space | Official: no preload published |
| Xbox Series X|S | Not yet confirmed | Not yet confirmed | Official: no preload published |
| PS5 (Standard Edition) | September 29, 2026 reported | About 108.672 GB reported | Press reported via PlayStation Game Size |
| PS5 (Deluxe Edition) | Already open as of September 27, 2026 reported | About 108.672 GB reported | Press reported via PlayStation Game Size |
The PS5 rows come from the third-party PlayStation Game Size tracker relayed by press on September 27, 2026, not from a Sony or Bandai Namco announcement. Trackers of this kind have been accurate before, and they have also moved dates when publishers changed plans, so plan around them without treating them as a guarantee.
No official PS5 preload time exists yet, and Steam and Xbox have published nothing at all. If a preload claim appears without a store page behind it, treat it the same way this page does: reported, unverified, and worth re-checking on the official listing before you count on it.
The Confirmed Number: 150 GB on an SSD
Steam's system requirements block is the official reference, and it is identical for the minimum and recommended tiers. Both require a 64-bit processor and Windows 11, an SSD, a graphics card with hardware ray tracing, DirectX 12 with Shader Model 6.6 or higher, and 150 GB of available space. The performance targets attached to those tiers are 1920x1080 with upscaling at 30 fps on Low for the minimum spec, and 1920x1080 with upscaling at 60 fps on Medium for the recommended spec.
That 150 GB figure is a storage requirement rather than a download measurement. It tells you how much room the installer wants before you start, which is the number to budget against when you clear space on your drive. The full breakdown of every requirement, including the hardware ray tracing and Shader Model 6.6 details, is on the PC requirements page.
Official source: ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE system requirements on Steam
Why 108.672 GB and 150 GB Are Both Worth Keeping
The press-reported PS5 install size of about 108.672 GB and Steam's 150 GB storage requirement are measuring different things, and no official source has reconciled them into one headline number. The tracker figure is an install footprint read from a platform database; the Steam figure is the free space the publisher asks you to keep available. A game that installs near 109 GB still needs headroom for the installer, for patches, and for the difference between a compressed download and an unpacked install.
Until Bandai Namco or Sony publishes an official size for each platform, treat 150 GB as the number you prepare against and 108.672 GB as a press-reported indication of what the PS5 build actually occupies. Official install sizes for PS5, Xbox and PC are all listed as not yet confirmed in the fact base behind this page.
What to Do Before the Window Opens
A short routine covers every scenario the current status allows:
- Clear 150 GB on an SSD now rather than on launch day, since the requirement applies to PC regardless of which preload time appears.
- Re-check the store page on September 29, 2026, the date press reports name for the PS5 standard edition preload, and again on September 30 if nothing has changed.
- Watch the Steam and Xbox listings for a preload banner; neither platform has published a start time, so those pages are the only place the answer will show up. Bandai Namco's All You Need To Know roundup is the publisher-side companion to watch.
- Decide your edition first. Digital Deluxe and the two Bandai Namco store packs open early access on September 28, 2026 at 15:00 PDT, which is earlier than any reported preload date, so an early access buyer could be waiting on a download that has not unlocked yet.
- Keep the early access times table next to whatever preload date lands, because the two clocks are not the same clock.
The release date page carries the launch stamp itself: October 2, 2026 worldwide, unlocking at 22:00 UTC on October 1. The pre-order bonus attaches to the same purchase regardless of when the preload opens.
Early Access Buyers Have the Tightest Download Window
One group is more exposed to the missing preload times than anyone else: the digital Deluxe buyers whose three-day window opens on September 28, 2026 at 15:00 PDT. For them the download has to be finished before the earliest start time in the game's launch calendar, and as of September 27, 2026 no platform has published a preload moment that guarantees that. Whether Valve, Microsoft or Sony open preloads ahead of the early access stamp is not yet confirmed.
The practical response is the same one this page has repeated for every platform: keep 150 GB free now, watch the store page rather than social posts, and treat a preload claim without a listing behind it as reported. Deluxe buyers should also read the early access times table before assuming their window opens at a local midnight, because it follows 22:00 UTC arithmetic like every other stamp in this launch.
Recheck List for Launch Week
Store listings change silently, so these are the fields worth re-reading between now and October 2, 2026:
- A published Steam preload start time, currently not yet confirmed.
- A published Xbox preload start time, currently not yet confirmed.
- An official PS5 preload time and an official PS5 install size, both currently not yet confirmed.
- A final download size on the Steam client, which appears once the preload build is staged.
- Steam Deck compatibility, still listed as Unknown rather than Verified or Playable.
None of these change the launch time or the early access window. They only determine how much of your launch day goes to downloading.
FAQ
When can I preload Ace Combat 8 on Steam?
Not yet confirmed. Neither the Steam store page nor Bandai Namco's announcements publish a PC preload start time as of September 27, 2026. Re-check the store page for a preload banner and treat any other claim as unconfirmed.
When does PS5 preload start?
No official time exists yet. Press reports from September 27, 2026, citing the third-party PlayStation Game Size tracker, say the standard edition preload opens on September 29, 2026 and that the Deluxe edition was already preloadable at that point.
How big is the Ace Combat 8 download?
The only official figure is Steam's requirement of 150 GB of free SSD space. Press-reported tracker data puts the PS5 install at about 108.672 GB, and official install sizes for all three platforms are not yet confirmed.
Is an SSD required?
On PC, yes. Steam lists an SSD as required for both the minimum and recommended specifications, alongside DirectX 12 with Shader Model 6.6 or higher and a hardware ray tracing GPU.
Does pre-ordering unlock preload earlier?
Pre-ordering does not publish a preload time. What it does is attach the bonus content to your purchase before October 2, 2026, while digital Deluxe buyers additionally get early access starting September 28, 2026 at 15:00 PDT.
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ACE COMBAT 8 sits at 87 on Metacritic for PS5, 86 on PC and 90 on Xbox Series X, with an 88 on OpenCritic as of September 27, 2026.
Ace Combat 8 PC requirements: Windows 11, 16 GB RAM, RTX 2060 or RX 6600 XT, hardware ray tracing and a 150 GB SSD for 1080p at 30 fps on Low.
The Ace Combat 8 PS5, Xbox Series and Steam versions launch October 2, 2026. PS5 adds Pro Enhanced support; Xbox lists 4K, HDR10 and ray tracing.
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Ace Combat 8 unlocks worldwide on October 2, 2026 at 22:00 UTC. See the release date converted to PT, ET, BST, CEST and JST.
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