Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon was always expected to sell well if only because of the hype and interest that would trickle down from Elden Ring following its massive success last year. But, it appears that, despite the said expectations, the latest installment in the mecha franchise is somehow shooting well above the expectations.
As of the time of writing, Armored Core 6 is the #1 best-selling game on Steam – beating Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield, who are second and fourth respectively.
It’s safe to say that a return trip to one of its most iconic properties has been a worthwhile venture for the folks over at FromSoftware.
The data comes from SteamDB and Steam, which lists Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon as the best-selling game on the digital games distribution platform.
Armored Core 6 is getting rave reviews on multiple platforms at the moment. On Steam, the very non-Soulsborne-like title holds a “Very Positive” rating from nearly 7,000 reviews, which should only grow as word of mouth about how good the game is spreads.
The current and still-ongoing success of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon all but guarantees that we won’t have to wait for too long to get at least a post-launch DLC or expansion or the next entry, whichever FromSoftware feels like working on. Although based on its recent history, we’re betting on FromSoftware going the premium content route.
Moreover, the once-cult-classic-hit’s mainstream success is emblematic of FromSoftware’s overall rise to fame. At the time of Armored Core’s prominence, FromSoftware wasn’t known for birthing a new genre – Demon’s Souls (the original one) flew under the radar and Dark Souls had only begun establishing its roots. Back then, Armored Core was FromSoftware’s bread and butter and it generally sold well only in Japan. Now, the tables have turned and Armored Core is seen as FromSoftware’s former lovechild. But, at the rate that things are going, Armored Core 6 has a fair shot at outperforming a Soulsborne entry or two (our money’s on Dark Souls 2).
Still, we’re genuinely surprised that Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is gaining this much traction. This positive development bodes well for the mech genre, as it would definitely encourage other developers to try and cash in on what’s suddenly trending.
Obviously, these sales figures only speak to the peak sales period of Armored Core 6 and only at a specific storefront at that – we’re still not sure how well the game is selling on the PC and Xbox. But, what’s clear is Armored Core 6 is going to be the biggest game in its franchise. More importantly, it showcases that Armored Core remains a popular franchise that has now graduated from its cult classic status. It’s a similar case to how Monster Hunter went from a top-selling but mostly niche series to something that casual audiences have begun to show interest in after the release of Monster Hunter World.
Hopefully, the other studios with “forgotten” properties are looking at the success of Armored Core 6 and decide to go ahead and take a deep look into their treasure chest.
