Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
FromSoftware mech action game (Aug 25, 2023 PS4/PS5/Xbox/PC) — first mainline Armored Core in ~10 years. Player is Raven C4-621 executing paramilitary contracts on Rubicon 3. Deep mech customisation + fast arena-boss combat. 3M+ units first month; Peak 200k concurrent Steam.
What is Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon?
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a mech-action game developed by FromSoftware + published by Bandai Namco, released August 25, 2023 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Steam). First mainline Armored Core entry since 2013's Verdict Day — a return to FromSoftware's roots after the Souls/Elden Ring dynasty. Player is Raven C4-621, an unregistered augmented human piloting AC (Armored Core) mechs, hired by handler Walter to execute paramilitary contracts on Rubicon 3 — a planet devastated by the mysterious 'Fires of Ibis' + rich in resource 'Coral'. Corporate factions (Balam, Arquebus, RaD, PCA, Rubicon Liberation Front) vie for control. Three routes / three endings based on faction choices. Combat: fast, high-mobility 3D mech battles with dual-wield weapons (blades, rifles, grenade launchers, kinetic + energy weapons) + booster/quick-boost/assault-boost movement. Deep mech customisation — legs, core, head, arms, boosters, generators, weapons, coatings. Missions structured as contracts + arena PvP-mock battles + boss encounters. Multiplayer 1v1/3v3 PvP. 3M+ units first month; Peak 200,000+ concurrent Steam players. Praised for combat + customisation depth; some criticism for mission-based (vs. open) structure.
Quick facts
Category
Video Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–6
Duration
~60 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇯🇵 Japan
Estimated origin
Released Aug 25, 2023 for PS4/PS5/Xbox/PC — first mainline AC since 2013
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Complete Rubicon 3 contract missions; choose faction alignment; achieve all 3 endings across NG+/NG++.
Match structure
Single-player 3-route campaign with contract-based missions + arena battles + boss encounters + online PvP.
Rules
Basic rules
AP (Armor Points) + posture
AP is your HP; boss/enemy Stagger meter fills from hits, then Stagger doubles damage until it recovers.
Boost + QB + AB movement
Boost forward, Quick Boost dodge (dashes), Assault Boost long-range charge.
Dual-wield weapons
2 arm weapons + 2 shoulder weapons; melee blade + kinetic + energy + missile variety.
Advanced rules
Mech customisation deep-dive
Legs (biped/reverse-jointed/tank/tetrapod) determine mobility; core determines EN; head has scan/aiming stats.
Three ending routes across NG+/NG++
Faction choices in Chapters 3-5 lock ending route; must play NG+ + NG++ to unlock all three.
Coral (fuel source) narrative arc
Coral discovery drives all faction motivations + is central to story choices.
Scoring
Mission rank (S/A/B/C/D) + COAM (currency) earned + Battle Log parts unlocked.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Mission S-rank | Max COAM + Battle Log parts + special decal |
Win condition · Complete all missions in a route + final boss = one ending. All 3 endings = 100% story.
Equipment
PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC
Multi-platform launch.
Standard controller (recommended)
Mouse+keyboard supported on PC.
Positions & roles
Raven C4-621 (player mech pilot)
×1Sole playable — pilots customisable Armored Core mech.
Officiating
Automated PvP matchmaking.
- Ranked-arena matchmaking; Speedrun.com moderators
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
AP depletion (death)
Retry from mission checkpoint; no permadeath.
Failed extraction / mission timeout
Some missions have timers — failure means restart.
Strategies
Stagger-then-burst
Load Stun + kinetic combo to Stagger boss quickly, then dump missile/energy DPS during Stagger window.
Reverse-jointed legs + high-agility build
For dodge-heavy players; enables long-jump + safe repositioning.
Tank-tread + shoulder-cannon build
For DPS-focused players; sacrifices mobility for enormous damage output.
Terminology
- AC
- Armored Core — the customisable mech
- AP
- Armor Points (mech HP)
- EN
- Energy — powers boost + energy weapons
- Stagger
- Posture-broken state where damage is doubled
- QB
- Quick Boost (dash)
- Coral
- Rubicon 3's resource — central story driver
Major competitions
In-game Ranked Arena PvP (Rated 3v3 + 1v1)
ongoing · global · since 2023
Speedrun.com AC6 leaderboards
ongoing · global (community) · since 2023
Where it is played
Governing bodies
FromSoftware
Founded 1986 · Tokyo, Japan
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Founded 2006 · Tokyo, Japan
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Masaru Yamamura (director)
- Hidetaka Miyazaki (producer)
- Kota Hoshino (composer)
Records
3M+ units first month
Bandai Namco / FromSoftware — 3 million+ units shipped in first month (2023)
Peak 200k+ concurrent Steam
FromSoftware — Peaked 200,000+ concurrent Steam players — highest for non-Souls FromSoft title (2023)
First mainline AC in ~10 years
FromSoftware — First mainline Armored Core since Verdict Day (2013) (2023)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Chapter 1 + tutorial missions
Learn AP/EN + QB + basic loadout.
intermediate
- 1
First route ending + PvP intro
Build custom mech; try Ranked Arena 1v1.
advanced
- 1
NG+ / NG++ all endings + high-rank PvP
Unlock all 3 endings; climb Ranked Arena tiers.
Frequently asked
Is AC6 a Souls game?+
No. Shares FromSoftware DNA (boss-focused, tight combat) but is fully mech-action, mission-based, with unlimited retries + no bonfire/estus system. Very different pacing.
Do I need to play previous Armored Core games?+
No — AC6 is a fresh entry with new setting (Rubicon 3), new characters, and no story connections to previous AC games.