Armored Core VI Isn’t Open-World Because Devs Didn’t Want It To Be Like Elden Ring

Armored Core VI could have ended up as an open-world game in some capacity, but FromSoftware decided against it to focus on the series’ soul. In an interview with the dev team for the upcoming mecha action game earlier this year, Yamamura talked about how the team believed, after much deliberation, that it would be best to focus on the true charm of the series—creating your perfect Armored Core.

The developer explained,

In the process of developing the sequel, there was also an opinion to make it in a different game style. However, as a result of discussions, it was concluded that it should not be made into a title centered on movement and exploration, such as the Elden Ring or Soul series. In the Armored Core series, depending on the assembly, the movement performance of the character changes and affects the play. Because that is the charm of the series.”

Elden Ring served as a culmination of everything that FromSoftware had learned since the release of Demon’s Souls back in the late 2000s. By taking its experience in crafting intricate, interconnected worlds, a penchant for writing captivating narratives, and the fast-paced action of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the studio was able to combine all of that and dial the scale up to eleven for a proper open-world experience.

The result of this was a success on a hitherto unforeseen level and brought the Souls game to the more mainstream audience as it sold over 13 million copies in its first month. Armored Core VI on the other end is a series with history along with its own charm. While it’s true that things tend to change and evolve over time, it’s not necessarily bound to change in one specific way. Evolution can come in many forms.

According to the dev team, Armored Core VI is going all in with the assembly aspect for your ACs. It will be up to the player to go through the myriad parts available to determine the best plan of attack for the missions. This is further emphasized due to Yamamura’s statement, “I think you will be able to feel a different pleasure from exploring every nook and cranny of the carefully crafted map as you move.”

FromSoftware has already stated that Armored Core VI will not play like the Soulsborne games fans are familiar with. Going by trailers and the tiny bit of gameplay we’ve seen thus far, it’s evident that they’re going for the pinnacle of mecha warfare where everything ultimately comes down to the assembly of parts. In addition, the trailers till now have given no room to doubt this game’s map design and art direction.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and last-gen consoles.