Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon follows up Elden Ring in August

FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed when we can expect Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon to release at the end of a new trailer. After getting a first look at some of the game’s bombastic mecha fights, we learned that Armored Core VI will come out on August 25.

Before Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls became popular and increased FromSoftware’s notoriety exponentially, Armored Core was the series the Japanese developer was best known for. This series of intense mecha shooters haven’t seen a new entry since September 2013, though. That’s why it was a nice surprise to see Armored Core VI announced at The Game Awards last year. It not only revived a long-dormant series but provided a nice change of pace for FromSoftware after it had perfected the Souls formula with Elden Ring.

ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON — Gameplay Trailer

As for the gameplay trailer, it begins with a massive rocket making planetfall by the command of a “Handler Walter”. After that, we see some environmental shots of many of the levels players will be able to explore before hearing that augmented human C4-621, presumably the player, has awakened. The trailer is a non-stop action fest after that, as we see mecha boosting around levels fighting each other with powerful gunfire, rockets, and other weaponry from the ground and air. It certainly looks nothing like Elden Ring, but that makes us all the more excited.

A press release following the trailer also revealed more information about the game’s story. It takes place on a planet called Rubicon 3, where an energy source called Coral was discovered but ultimately caused a planet-wide catastrophe. Armored Core VI takes place almost fifty years after that and follows a mercenary in the middle of corporations and resistance groups fighting over what remains of Coral.

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

Editors' Recommendations

Tomas Franzese
Gaming Staff Writer
Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Even if you love Dark Souls, you’re not ready for FromSoftware’s next game
A combat encounter in Armored Core 6

I’m going to bet that a good chunk of people reading this have never played an Armored Core game. I’d be willing to bet most haven’t even heard of Armored Core, and if they have, it’s simply that “one series FromSoftware made before Dark Souls.” And if you have played Armored Core, you don’t need me to tell you what’s in store for Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon.

I’m talking to everyone else -- the ones who dabbled in Dark Souls, love Bloodborne, and tore through Elden Ring. I can tell you with confidence that you’re not ready for Armored Core VI. No, this isn’t Dark Souls with mechs, and for as much as FromSoftware has iterated on the core design with its now decade hiatus from the series, this is still very much an Armored Core game.

Read more
Armored Core VI gameplay showcases intense mech fights, deep customization
A combat encounter in Armored Core 6

A new gameplay video for FromSoftware's Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is out now, and it highlights the intense combat and detailed mech customization that Digital Trends first got a look at during Summer Game Fest Play Days earlier in the month.
ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON — Gameplay Footage
The gameplay video begins with a mech leaping off a ledge and boosting through the air to get across a large mechanical facility. It then showcases some combat against minor enemies as the player makes their way deeper into the base so we can see some of the tense combat situations players will find themselves in as they boost around, shoot, and sometimes even melee attacks. 
After a look at a Detective Mode-like ability that allows players to scout ahead and some more combat, the trailer cuts away to highlight Armored Core VI's deep customization systems. We see the person playing change arm and back "units," which essentially serve as new weapons. We then see the different kinds of body parts and generators that a mech can be equipped with to make it look and play differently.
And yes, the video confirms that you can customize the color of your mech.

After highlighting customization, it's back to more fighting, which ultimately culminates in a boss fight against a boss that looks a bit like a furnace. It has the remarkable visual design, attack variety, and aggressiveness one would come to expect from a boss in a FromSoftware game, but unfortunately, the player dies and the trailer ends before the boss can be defeated. Still, if you were on the fence about Armored Core VI before, this gameplay footage shows you exactly what to expect.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon launches on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on August 25.

Read more
Armored Core VI lives up to post-Elden Ring FromSoftware expectations
A boss fight in Armored Core 6.

I don’t envy the position FromSoftware is in with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. It’s the first title since the release of Elden Ring, a monumental, critically acclaimed title considered one of the studio’s best. It’s also reviving a series that hasn’t been seen in a decade for modern platforms and game audiences. On top of those things, because this isn’t a Souls game, a microscope will be on the title as FromSoftware fans scrutinize if it’s as good as other games, while Souls haters will wonder if this is finally a good FromSoftware jumping on point for them.

ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON — Gameplay Trailer

Read more