Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon launches August 25

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is set to release on August 25. According to Insider Gaming, FromSoftware’s mech-crunch title is indeed sticking to its 2023 release window, following a potential reveal in June. The news comes after Armored Core 6 received an age rating of 12+ in South Korea, due to its manifestations of violence – “the expression of attacks and explosions using various weapons” (translated via Google). Of course, other regions will impose different ratings based on their own views on what is considered appropriate, but updates like this add credence to the Summer 2023 release window. (Global North).

FromSoftware revealed a cinematic trailer for Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon at The Game Awards 2022, before confirming in an IGN interview that the game won’t rely on the studio’s traditional Souls-like structure. Rumors from earlier this year suggested it was eyeing a September to October release window, though Insider Gaming’s sources point to an earlier date. Armored Core is one of FromSoftware’s earliest franchises, with the next entry pitting mecha robots against each other in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world, to claim control of a mysterious energy source. Players will assemble and fly their mechs with “3D maneuverability” to engage in fast-paced missions involving ranged and melee combat.

Looking at footage from previous games, you’ll quickly notice the erratic camera controls and awkward movement. So hopefully FromSoftware’s years of experience with titles like Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne, and the award-winning Elden Ring will help revitalize it for modern platforms. President Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed in September 2016 that Armored Core 6 was in development, giving him a good six years to cook. Masaru Yamamura, game designer on 2019’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, is directing, while Miyazaki is taking a back seat on the project – or rather focusing on the Elden Ring DLC. As for what mechanics of sekiro are transferred to AC6, Yamamura hinted at a posture breaking mechanic by dealing high doses of damage. However, it is not geared towards counter-attacking or parrying.

“Rather than calling him a counter-mechanic, what we want to emphasize is that reason to keep attacking and to keep going on offense,” he said in an interview. “You want to create opportunities in combat and turn the battle to the advantage of the player. So what we think is that it’s going to create a really good back and forth in battles in Armored Core VI, and create that nice mix of offensive and defensive play… but we want the player to constantly feel able to put pressure on the enemy and that’s why we incorporated some of these systems.

Earlier this year, FromSoftware also announced its major expansion for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, which is currently in development for all platforms. At the time, the studio released a teaser image featuring dimly lit landscapes and a mysterious figure, who is believed to be Miquella, brother of the empyrean goddess Malenia, cursed to remain a child forever. The game also received its long-promised ray-tracing support last month, though there are no upscaling options for Nvidia and AMD graphics cards.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon will be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X.

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