After years of waiting, the Armored Core franchise has finally returned. From Software has been winning left and right for almost a decade now. Their previous releases, Elden Ring and Sekiro, both won the coveted Game of the Year award. Now, they will be returning to one of their oldest franchises. Armored Core is a franchise based around customizing your own mecha and using them to fight. The franchise is finally being brought to modern hardware with Armored Core 6: The Fires of Rubicon. Here is everything you need to know about the game’s release date, platforms, story, and gameplay.
Release Date and Platforms
Armored Core 6: The Fires of Rubicon has a release date set for August 24th, 2023. It will be released on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One, and Steam. It will be priced at 60 dollars upon release.
The Story
The official website details the story as follows:
“A mysterious new substance was discovered on the remote planet, Rubicon 3. As an energy source, this substance was expected to dramatically advance humanity’s technological and communication capabilities. Instead, it caused a catastrophe that submerged the planet and surrounding stars in flames and storms, forming a Burning Star System.
Almost half a century later, the same substance has resurfaced on Rubicon 3, a planet now contaminated and sealed-off as a result of the catastrophe.
Extra-terrestrial corporations and resistance groups fight for control of the substance. The player infiltrates Rubicon as an independent mercenary and finds themself in a struggle over the substance with the corporations and other factions.”
The player takes the form of a mercenary, looking to cash in on the many prizes of Rubicon. It stays true to the futuristic nature of the franchise, as well as the cyberpunk themes of corporate control and corruption. It’ll be exciting to see how From Software continues its reputation of deep worlds with insane levels of worldbuilding.
Armored Core 6 Gameplay
From Software has talked at length about how their new release will not be anything like prior souls-borne games. It will not have any open-world features, nor will it have similar movement and combat mechanics to games like Elden Ring or Dark Souls. The game will function instead like prior Armored Core games.
What that means is fast-paced combat contingent on quick reactions that move “omnidirectionally”. Fights take place on the ground as well as in the sky. The official website also talks about a series staple: mecha customization. “Explore a breadth of playstyles and combat styles by customizing your mech’s buildout between missions.” The website also goes on to say how you can “Pick and equip your preferred parts via a robust customization system that can dramatically alter your play strategy, maneuverability, and battle style.”
It’s possible that Armored Core will end up being jarring for fans of souls-borne games. But the game’s fast and frenetic gameplay makes it seem like a deeply appealing contrast to other FromSoft games. The company has also confirmed in interviews that PvP would be added in a later update.
Final Weapon’s Coverage of Armored Core 6
Stay tuned to Final Weapon for more of our coverage of Armored Core 6 before its release date.
