Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, the much-awaited new entry in the long-running series, is coming pretty soon. The new trailer dropped by Bandai Namco Entertainment shows us a first look at the gameplay we can expect to see. As well as a look at how the game looks in motion, and some limited dialogue, we finally have a release date. FromSoftware’s mecha epic is headed to PS4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC on August 25th, 2023.
It’s been almost 10 years since Armored Core: Verdict Day launched for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Going from that to Fires of Rubicon, it’s no surprise that the visuals in the trailer are a massive leap forwards. Environments were never the series’ strong suit, but the areas seen here look fantastic, bringing Armored Core in line with the quality seen in FromSoftware’s more recent games, such as Elden Ring. Gameplay definitely seems fast-paced, striking a balance with the weightiness of the PS2 games and the agility of Armored Core 4.
With the sheer amount of pedigree FromSoftware have gained since the last Armored Core game, it’s highly likely that Armored Core VI will see a lot of newcomers. Fortunately, despite the name, Armored Core VI is a reboot that requires no prior experience with the franchise. Of course, if you want a taste of what to expect, we have a nice handy guide on the subject. One big gameplay change that Fires of Rubicon makes here is the Assault Boost. As reported by PlayStation Blog, this new gameplay feature allows you to instantly switch between ranged and melee. Prior games had melee dedicated to a single button, so it sounds as if the melee combat in Fires of Rubicon is much more in-depth than ever before.
FromSoftware have a pretty busy schedule ahead of them. Not only is there Armored Core VI, set for August this year, but also Elden Ring‘s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, due at an unspecified point. What’s next for the studio after that is uncertain, though here’s hoping it relates to Bloodborne in some fashion, eh? In the meantime, fans can eagerly await this hot new entry, and we’ll wait and see if it’ll be FromSoftware’s third GOTY winner.
