Does Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve have Denuvo on PC?

The PC version of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will ship with Denuvo Anti-Tamper. The detail appears on the game’s Steam storefront, which lists the third‑party DRM ahead of release on October 2, 2026.

Bandai Namco has not made a separate blog post about PC DRM, but the disclosure is visible in the small print on the game’s Steam listing. That’s historically where the publisher has flagged Denuvo for its PC titles, and it’s the clearest indicator of what to expect at launch.

What this means for PC players

Denuvo’s presence doesn’t change the feature set, but it does matter to players sensitive to always‑on checks or who prefer to avoid additional PC protections. As usual, performance impact varies by game and implementation, and Bandai Namco hasn’t commented on any measurable overhead for Ace Combat 8 specifically. For reference, Ace Combat 7 launched with Denuvo before its later removal, though that doesn’t guarantee the same timeline here.

If you’re deciding between platforms, note that PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions aren’t affected by PC‑specific DRM. On PC, the Deluxe Edition still includes the early access window and extras, and the separate PC version of Ace Combat Zero listed as a preorder bonus remains a standalone application per the store description, unrelated to the DRM used by the new game.

For readers tracking protection tech across major releases, you can find broader background on how publishers use Denuvo in our dedicated hub.