Armored Core 6 is the fifth biggest Steam launch of 2023 and FromSoft’s second-biggest launch ever

Armored Core 6: Fire of Rubicon is off to a mechtastic start, racking up over 156,000 concurrent players in its debut weekend, making it the fifth biggest launch of 2023 and FromSoftware’s best launch weekend ever, second only to the mighty Elden Ring.

According to SteamDB (via GameRant), Armored Core 6 was Steam’s ninth-most-played game of the last 24 hours, meaning it attracted more players this weekend than blockbuster titles like FIFA 23, Rainbow Six Siege, and Team Fortress 2. 

Of all the games released in 2023 thus far, only Resident Evil 4, Sons of the Forest, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Hogwarts Legacy sport higher concurrent launch peaks and, of course, that number doesn’t account for the thousands of players getting stuck in on console, too.

As for how it compares with other FromSoft titles? According to Okami Games and SteamDB, Armored Core 6 goes straight into silver place with 150K simultaneous players, with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Dark Souls 3 racking up 125K and 129K respectively.

Wondering if it lives up to the hype? We gave the mechtastic Armored Core 6 three out of five stars, praising its responsive and satisfying combat, deep mech customization, and exciting and varied missions. However, the our Armored Core 6 review says the mech game falls short with unsatisfying set piece boss encounters and the “jarring inclusion of soulsborne mechanics”.

“Armored Core 6: Fire of Rubicon offers slick and well-polished mech battling fundamentals, diluted by the inclusion of ill-fitting soulsborne mechanics that don’t compliment the mech pilot fantasy,” we wrote in the review. 

“Though there’s much to enjoy for fans of the series, newcomers will be met with a lopsided experience that doesn’t quite capture the full potential of the Armored Core series.”

Have a look for your next favorite game by reading over our lists of the very best PS5 games and best Xbox Series X games.