When is the Armored Core 6 release date? Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon brings developer FromSoftware to a setting it hasn't visited in quite a while. Despite a long absence, fans of the series and newcomers are excited to jump into it, and for good reason.
In recent times, it's FromSoftware's challenging RPG games like Bloodborne and Elden Ring that have dazzled fans, and it's now time to see if it can replicate that magic with a mech-based action game. Armored Core 6 is coming a lot sooner than you may think, making it one of the most exciting upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox games right now. You can find out everything we know below and also catch up on the story details and watch any gameplay that has been released.
Armored Core 6 release date
The Armored Core 6 release date is Friday, August 25, 2023, at midnight local time, 9 AM PT (24th) on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. On PC, the game will release at 3 PM PT, 6 PM ET, 11 PM PT, and 11:59 CEST on August 24, 2023.
This time was confirmed in a tweet from the Armored Core 6 Twitter account.
The game was one of the biggest announcements from The Game Awards 2022, so it's great to see that Armored Core 6 will be available sooner rather than later. And with the game being on last-gen consoles too, it means that almost everyone can dive into the intense mech action.
Armored Core 6 gameplay
The first gameplay trailer for Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon (which you can watch above) is a mech-filled masterpiece with a number of different combat moves on offer for your mech These include Assault Boost, which offers a switch between long-range and close-up combat, and Stagger which allows you to overload mechs and make them vulnerable.
The game is littered with challenging bosses that are the big spectacle for this entry in the series, in classical FromSoftware fashion – apparently you'll have to take the long way back should you die to them à la
Dark Souls, too. They will test your skills and you will have to upgrade your own mech to be able to take them out and use custom loadouts specifically designed to exploit their weaknesses with the Armored Core 6 Assembly system. The classic arena mode is also back as a "combat aptitude evaluation program".
Since that gameplay trailer though, various influencers and media outlets were able to see and share some more Armored Core 6 gameplay. Probably the most thorough breakdown is from YouTuber 'VaatiVidya', who specializes in FromSoft games. You can watch is video below, which also contains an uninterrupted 4-minute segment of gameplay at the end.
VaatiVidya describes the gameplay generally as having more soulslike influences than past Armored Core games, but lots of the mechanics and charm of the old mech games are still present. However, FromSoftware's trademark big boss battles are back with some stunning Armored Core 6 bosses.
While not officially shown in the video, VaatiVidya also describes (and attempts to replicate) what Armored Core 6 will look like while you play with the full UI and HUD – the footage Bandai Namco provided had all of those elements removed.
An extended 12-minute long Armored Core 6 gameplay showcase took place in late July 2023, which you can check out below. This more recent footage shows the UI and HUD in their full glory.
Additionally, we get another look at not only some of the Armored Core 6 abilities in action, but the aforementioned Assembly system and pre-mission briefings.
Then, in August 2023 we got to see the first PvP gameplay, as well as a look at some more story mode gameplay. You can check that out below:
Armored Core 6 story
In Armored Core 6, you play a mercenary piloting a huge customisable mech, taking part in missions on the planet Rubicon. A powerful energy source called Coral has been discovered and the volatile element has caused the planet to turn to ash after a disaster.
Megacorporations are coming after it though and the war for the material continues to rage on. VaatiVidya says that people have become addicted to Coral and consume it like a drug, which might explain why these companies are so desperate to extract it.
From hollowed-out industrial ruins to large open expanses, the game offers a variety of environments as you play. The Armored Core 6 will also feature multiple endings, as confirmed by FromSoftware.
You can see some of Rubicon and the effect the Coral has had on it in the reveal trailer below.
And that covers what we know ahead of the Armored Core 6 Fires Of Rubicon release date. Be sure to stick around as we hear more about the game in 2023. But if you want a taste of what FromSoftware can do, our Elden Ring review should get you hooked on the studio's remarkable games. FromSoft has made some of the best games of all time, and we're excited to see if Armored Core 6 can be the latest contender to go on that list. You can also find some great games like Armored Core to play while you wait for 6. It's not far off now.