ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE has a major problem, the longer you play, the more RAM the game starts to use. Eventually leading to huge performance losses that usually end up crashing the game. However, it's more than likely going to become unplayable before then. So is there anything you can do about this problem? And what exactly is a memory leak in the first place?
Takeaways:
- ACE COMBAT 8 can steadily consume system RAM during longer sessions, potentially causing stuttering and crashes.
- Is there a way to fix the memory leak in ACE COMBAT 8?
Table of Contents
What Is a Memory Leak?
A memory leak happens when a program uses system memory but fails to properly release it when that memory is no longer needed. Games constantly allocate and free memory as they load textures, aircraft, environments, effects, audio and other assets. Normally, once something is no longer needed, that memory becomes available again. This happens from time to time when games launch, with Apex Legends being a prime example of a really bad Memory leak.
Memory leaks usually go unnoticed at first because the game will run normally after launching, only for RAM usage to steadily increase the longer you play. The speed at which this happens changes a lot, so sometimes you might notice it after 5 minutes, while other times you might not notice for an hour or more.
The main thing is not to confuse a game using a lot of RAM with a memory leak. ACE COMBAT 8 officially lists 16 GB of system memory as its minimum requirement and 32 GB as recommended. Which sucks since RAM is currently at record prices and continuing to creep up...
How to Fix the ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE Memory Leak
You don't, at least not permanently. Restarting the game is the main workaround at the moment since it closes the process and releases the memory it was using. You can then start the game again and continue playing.
Lowering graphics settings might reduce the game's overall memory requirements, but it won't fix a memory leak. The same goes for upgrading from 16 GB to 32 GB or 64 GB of RAM. More memory can give the problem more room to grow before it affects performance, but it does not fix the actual problem. Closing other stuff that you have running in the background will buy you a little more time before the leak becomes noticeable, but again, it's just a workaround.
Waiting for a Patch
The only way to fix a memory leak is to wait for the developers to do it. Which, annoyingly, can take quite a bit of time to happen. The underlying code needs to be checked and changed so that memory is correctly released when it is no longer required. That is not something a graphics setting, Windows tweak or driver reinstall can accomplish.
For now, the best thing to do is to keep an eye on RAM usage while playing. If it continues climbing and performance starts deteriorating, restart ACE COMBAT 8. Until a patch addresses the underlying cause, there is no permanent player-side fix. Restarting the game may be annoying, but it is currently the simplest way to reset the problem and get back into the game.
Personally, I would just refund the game until the problem has been solved. Make sure you mention the memory leak as the refund reason, and it will get the developers moving a lot quicker. Nothing gives corpos motivation like losing money!
