If all falls nicely into place, it looks like FromSoftware will follow up on a phenomenal 2022 with a phenomenal 2023. Elden Ring is an exceptional action-RPG that rewrote the book on how open-world games can be designed while also inviting more fans into the world of its Soulsborne formula, and its release last year has already been incredibly impactful. Elden Ring has not even had its one-year anniversary yet and has already sold over 17.5 million units, but this year will potentially see the next big release from FromSoftware. It's surprisingly almost ready to release its next game, Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, as early as this year.
Only a few other details have trickled in about the game since its announcement at The Game Awards 2022, such as how Armored Core 6 will offer difficult combat. More news could be expected at any time if its launch is truly scheduled for this year, but there are other surprises FromSoftware could have in store in the meantime. Depending on Armored Core 6’s release and if anything else is announced, FromSoftware will potentially have another remarkable year.
Armored Core 6 is FromSoftware’s Next Big Game
FromSoftware will likely have a huge year regardless thanks to Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. Many fans would surely have expected FromSoftware to revel in the popularity of its Soulsborne formula, but it is great to see the studio return to a prolific franchise for another reboot. This time, it will be exciting to see what kind of improvements and changes are made to it, including what Armored Core 6’s mech customization could look like. Armored Core 6 will probably be many players’ first foray into the franchise, so in the wake of the surprisingly accessible Elden Ring, FromSoftware might have considered a sense of approachability in its design.
FromSoftware has more than earned its name as one of the industry’s leading developers, and therefore Armored Core 6’s quality will almost assuredly be reliable. This alone could net FromSoftware a successful year, but if anything else related to Elden Ring or another previously established IP is revealed it will cement 2023 as FromSoftware’s year to beat.
FromSoftware Has Elden Ring, Bloodborne in Its Back Pocket
If FromSoftware wanted to, it could unveil Elden Ring DLC sometime this year. It has been presumed that Elden Ring DLC is in the works, and with Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon already nearly finished, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the developer to release Elden Ring DLC this year. This is merely speculation, but would make a phenomenal year for FromSoftware.
One reason to do so would be to prepare for a mildly jarring shift to Armored Core 6. FromSoftware has made it abundantly clear that the Armored Core franchise does not indulge in any of the features that fans are accustomed to with the Soulsborne formula, but there will undoubtedly be fans who compare Armored Core 6 to recent FromSoftware games and be surprised that they are not similar.
FromSoftware could counteract this with Elden Ring DLC, which fans are already anticipating, and if both are beloved anyway it will reap a wonderful year for the studio. Bloodborne is another IP that FromSoftware has fans in a vise over—though the chances of it having a PC port or full-blown remake are slim—and any announcement regarding it could nearly eclipse all other excitement generated this year.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon releases in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
