After almost a decade of waiting, FromSoftware’s Armored Core franchise has returned. The announcement of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon has been anticipated for nearly a year, with leaks dating back to at least January 2022. AC6 is expected to release in 2023, so despite having nothing more than a CG trailer under its belt, Armored Core fans are celebrating the fast-approaching revival of their beloved franchise. Even as the Souls fanbase waits for the expected Elden Ring expansion, there's still a new entry in a beloved FromSoftware franchise on the horizon.
Much like Elden Ring, Armored Core 6 is 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, AC6 should be a great time for all those willing to engage with its in-depth customization. Older Armored Core games are exclusive to past hardware, but AC6 should represent their legacy mechanics well. Armored Core fans can already guess a lot of features Fires of Rubicon will have, but fine details are unconfirmed. Much information can be mined from Armored Core 6's subtitle, however.
Using A Subtitle Was An Unusual Move For Armored Core 6
Something fans were quick to notice was that Armored Core 6’s full title doesn't line up with the standard Armored Core naming scheme. Every generational leap in the franchise used to open with a numbered Armored Core by 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 4 got creative with this by titling its sequel Armored Core: For Answer, and since Armored Core 5’s title used the Roman numeral V, it was followed by Armored Core: Verdict Day. This only served to make the generational splits more obvious, but tradition was tradition.
Not only has Armored Core 6 boosted back onto the scene, but it has also shed the old naming scheme. Despite being the first game in the sixth Armored Core generation, Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon has immediately adopted a subtitle. This may have been deliberate on FromSoftware's part, as the company can no longer reproduce the output that once made Armored Core an annual franchise. Deviating from the wildly successful Soulslike genre it pioneered is a risk for FromSoftware already, so it's better to focus on making Armored Core 6 the best standalone title it can be.
Fire Has Become A Recurring Symbol in FromSoftware Titles
As for the contents of AC6’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 a Dark Souls trailer. The first establishing shot of the teaser looks almost identical to the prehistoric Kiln of the First Flame from Dark Souls’ opening cutscene. The commands to "Feed the fire" and "Let the last cinders burn" align with recurring themes in the Dark Souls franchise. Even with the developers stating that Armored Core 6 will 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" in Fires of Rubicon are unsubstantiated in Armored 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 Ravens fought 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 like AC6 will return to this cycle once again.
No Armored Core Has Taken Place Outside of Earth’s Solar System Before
What the “Fires of Rubicon” are within Armored Core 6 can be explained easily. Instead of being set on Earth or AC2’s Mars, AC6 is set on the distant planet Rubicon 3. Here, a new substance, which the 2022 Armored Core leak 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 Core is 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 in Armored Core 4 and was lost technology by Armored 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 6 and its alien setting have opened the door to a strange new world with plenty for players to discover.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon will be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
