In a year that has been filled with week after week of incredible marquis titles and long-awaited sequels to beloved franchises, it's almost hard to believe that fans have just three more days before getting their hands on Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. The latest entry in the long-running mech combat franchise looks to take both the established precedent of previous Armored Core titles while adding in some of the lessons learned by developer FromSoftware in its work on the Souls series and Elden Ring in the intervening years since the last entry. Ahead of release, FromSoftware has revealed the minimum and recommended PC specs for Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, and it's excellent news for Steam Deck owners.

Last year, the Steam Deck launched to considerable praise, boasting a built-in library of thousands of playable games via the Steam storefront. Launching the exact same day was 2022's Game of the Year and last FromSoftware title Elden Ring. That Elden Ring quickly became one of the system's killer apps was an unexpected surprise, wowing players with how capable the handheld was at running one of the year's most anticipated titles. With Armored Core 6 and Elden Ring having similar PC specs, it looks like fans may see history repeat itself.

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Elden Ring and Armored Core 6 Share the Same DNA

Both the Steam Deck and other comparable handheld PCs like the Asus ROG Ally are incredible machines that far surpass what was previously possible with a handheld, but they are still somewhat limited in terms of which games they can comfortably handle, which made Elden Ring's smooth performance on the handheld that much more impressive. A quick glance at the minimum and recommended specs for Armored Core 6 shows that they are nearly identical to those of Elden Ring.

Despite not being a Soulslike game, Armored Core 6 is still built using the same engine as Sekiro and Elden Ring. Considering that these games share the same framework, it should come as little surprise that Armored Core 6 is Deck Verified just like the other two FromSoftware titles built in the same engine. The minimum requirements for each game are very reasonable, helping to prevent players without top of the line machines from being unable to enjoy the game. The added bonus, of course, being that Steam Deck owners can also play one of 2023's most-anticipated titles on the go.

Armored Core 6 Continues a Trend of Steam Deck-Compatible AAA Experiences

While some of 2023's biggest releases have been either unstable or outright unplayable on the Steam Deck, it's a relief to see that Armored Core 6 is continuing a trend of high-profile games that make it a priority to at least be playable on the handheld, even if it comes at the cost of needing to tinker with the settings for a more optimized experience. Even Baldur's Gate 3, which is one of the more graphically intensive games of the year, is technically playable on the handheld, which can't be said for some other AAA releases.

Between Elden Ring's coinciding launch, compatibility with the handheld, and the continued optimization of its games for the Steam Deck, it's clear FromSoftware has an interest in reaching the Deck's install base. Armored Core 6 is shaping up to be a very different game than many fans likely expect given the developer's rise to popularity from its Soulsborne titles, but it's at least standing side-by-side with its fellow titles from the developer in this one aspect. Whether planning to purchase the game on PC or console, that Armored Core 6 is playable in any portable fashion is a little bit of technological wizardry.

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon will be available on August 25, 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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