Recently, users drew attention to entries in the SteamDB database related to Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. They discovered not only information about potential pre-order bonuses, but also alarming signals.
The code mentions the notorious Denuvo DRM protection several times; for example, there is an entry reading "ACE COMBAT 8 Shipping build for Denuvo".
On the Ace Combat 8 forum, there are already calls not to use Denuvo, and some players, such as Silverkite, are already rushing to say that they will skip the game and wait until Denuvo is removed from it.
However, the presence of Denuvo is not yet guaranteed 100%. On the page for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve in the Valve store, there is still no notice about the presence of such DRM.
The game's release is expected in 2026.