Armored Core 6 is right around the corner, but FromSoftware is remaining tightlipped about what we can expect from the robot game. The Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring maker is adding an Armored Core 6 multiplayer to the game, and it’s going to be quite different to the Souls-like genre when the Armored Core 6 release date finally arrives.
Armored Core 6 has seen FromSoftware be quite secretive with reveals, only recently releasing a story trailer to help us theorize about the world and characters, and the multiplayer portion of the mecha game is no exception. It even turns out that Armored Core 6 has a feature very similar to one from Warhammer 40k, and it’s suitably grim.
So if you’ve been asking yourself “Does Armored Core 6 have multiplayer?” then, FromSoftware has already confirmed that it does, but we’ve been told basically nothing, until now. Considering that Elden Ring “changed” FromSoftware, I really don’t quite know what to expect with AC6, especially the multiplayer portion.
It looks like physical boxes for Armored Core 6 have been spotted in Japan and shared online, giving us our first bit of information about the game’s online modes.
Armored Core 6 multiplayer will support up to six online players, which likely means we’ll be seeing three v three online matches and potentially free for all games with all our customized mechas. I’m waiting for the Fashion Core community to take off though, with everyone parading their outlandish robots around the battlefield, if I’m honest.
According to a rough machine translation of the box art, highlighted by Reddit user EntertainmentMission, the Japanese reads: “Up to six players are supported to compete in multiplayer, up to nine players are supported including spectators.”
For me, the part about three spectators is what I find the most interesting. FromSoftware is known for pushing the boat out with its unique take on online and multiplayer mechanics, with summons, bloodstains, and player messages on the floor, so I’d be interested to see if the team dresses up the simple spectator idea with something inventive.
In Dark Souls and Elden Ring, players would basically have their own multiplayer fights and even sometimes bring along extra players to watch, so it’s cool to see FromSoftware recognize these players and provide a way for them to easily watch some mecha bouts – the Elden Ring colosseum mode doesn’t allow spectators for example, but it really should.
2012’s Armored Core 5 also had multiplayer, but it included what FromSoftware called Operators. These players would have a look at the map and be able to provide tactical support to their teammates that were actually piloting the armored core’s themselves. It’s unclear if the spectator role will actually have an influence on gameplay like in AC5, or if the Operator feature will even make a return, but it’s worth thinking about.
With the release right around the corner, you’ll also want to get completely updated with all the biggest upcoming PC games, alongside the very best free games, if you don’t want to buy another game while you wait.
