After almost a decade of waiting, FromSoftware’sArmored Corefranchise has returned. The announcement ofArmored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconhas been anticipated for nearly a year, with leaks dating back to at least January 2022.AC6is expected to release in 2023, so despite having nothing more than a CG trailer under its belt,Armored Corefans are celebrating the fast-approaching revival of their beloved franchise. Even as theSoulsfanbase waits for the expectedElden Ringexpansion, there’s still a new entry in a belovedFromSoftwarefranchise on the horizon.
Much likeElden Ring,Armored Core 6is expected to be a good time to jump on the franchise. Serving as the latest timeline reboot and benefiting from FromSoftware’s increased budgets and experience,AC6should be a great time for all those willing to engage with its in-depth customization.OlderArmored Coregames are exclusiveto past hardware, butAC6should represent their legacy mechanics well.Armored Corefans can already guess a lot of featuresFires of Rubiconwill have, but fine details are unconfirmed. Much information can be mined fromArmored Core 6’s subtitle, however.
RELATED:Why Elden Ring’s Patches Could Be Important for Armored Core 6
Using A Subtitle Was An Unusual Move For Armored Core 6
Something fans were quick to notice was thatArmored Core 6’s full title doesn’t line up with the standardArmored Corenaming scheme. Every generational leap in the franchise used toopen with a numberedArmored Coreby FromSoftware. This initial title was then followed by one or two related installments, several of which had that generation’s number as a part of their title or logo.Armored Core 4got creative with this by titling its sequelArmored Core: For Answer, and sinceArmored Core 5’s title used the Roman numeral V, it was followed byArmored Core: Verdict Day. This only served to make the generational splits more obvious, but tradition was tradition.
Not only hasArmored Core 6boosted back onto the scene, but it has also shed the old naming scheme. Despite being the first game in the sixthArmored Coregeneration,Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconhas immediately adopted a subtitle. This may have been deliberate on FromSoftware’s part, as the company can no longer reproduce the output that once madeArmored Corean annual franchise. Deviating from the wildlysuccessful Soulslike genreit pioneered is a risk for FromSoftware already, so it’s better to focus on makingArmored Core 6the best standalone title it can be.
Fire Has Become A Recurring Symbol in FromSoftware Titles
As for the contents ofAC6’s subtitle, one could be forgiven for thinking it was meant to refer to another franchise. Imagery seen in the teaser trailer also seemed almost curated to trick viewers into expecting aDark Soulstrailer. The first establishing shot of the teaser looks almost identical to the prehistoric Kiln of the First Flame fromDark Souls’ opening cutscene. The commands to “Feed the fire” and “Let the last cinders burn” align withrecurring themes in theDark Soulsfranchise. Even with the developers stating thatArmored Core 6will not be a Soulslike, fans still wonder just how far FromSoftware’s self-referential nature will go this time.
That’s not to say that the “Fires” inFires of Rubiconare unsubstantiated inArmored Core, of course. Fire’s destructive force has been felt throughout the series, with most titles taking place after at least one apocalyptic event that drove humanity underground or into the sky. Through superior firepower,Armored Core mechas piloted by Ravensfought to reclaim Earth’s surface, though often without regard for setting up another downfall. Fire’s dual meaning as a symbol of light and rebirth as well as dying sparks and destruction have been strong in FromSoftwares recent titles, and it looks likeAC6will return to this cycle once again.
RELATED:FromSoftware Pulled a Bait and Switch with the Armored Core 6 Reveal
No Armored Core Has Taken Place Outside of Earth’s Solar System Before
What the “Fires of Rubicon” are withinArmored Core 6can be explained easily. Instead of being set on Earth orAC2’s Mars,AC6is set on the distant planet Rubicon 3. Here, a new substance, which the2022Armored Coreleak claimed was called Melange, sparked a revolution in mankind’s communication and technological abilities. Unfortunately, this powerful element caused a cataclysmic event that the teaser depicted as waves of fiery energy spreading throughout an entire region of space. Fifty years later, humanity discovers that the substance is still intact on the sealed off Rubicon 3, and so the fighting to secure it begins.
Armored Coreis no stranger to starting over with a new setting, but this emphasis on Rubicon takes it to a whole new level. The franchise has never strayed too far from Earth, and the implications of it doing so are immense. The level of technology that a space-faring humanity has access to, even in a distant corner of the galaxy, should be even higher than that of past titles. It’s no wonder that Primal Armor, which debuted inArmored Core 4and was lost technology byArmored Core 5, is back in play, and there’s no telling what else will appear. From titanic Arms Forts to rarely seen bioweapons,Armored Core 6and its alien settinghave opened the door to a strange new world with plenty for players to discover.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconwill be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
