Hidetaka Miyazaki Knows What Makes Armored Core 6 Miles Better Than Elden Ring in 1 Area

FromSoftware’s two-decade running mecha-action franchise, Armored Core, saw a triumphant return with the release of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon last year, so much so that it drove a resurgence in demand for the series to return in the future.

Part of the reason why it was so successful is that it didn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel in terms of what makes Armored Core great. AC6 wholly embraced the core tenets of the series, with one of them being very crucial to the experience, according to FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki.

Mech Assembly Was Of Extreme Importance, Says Miyazaki

Speaking with IGN, Miyazaki emphasized a return to the core gameplay elements that have defined Armored Core throughout its history. Specifically, the importance of mech assembly and customization as foundational aspects of the franchise:

We wanted to take the assembly aspect, assembling and customizing your own mech — your AC — and then being able to exact a high level of control over the assembled mech.

Players once again felt the freedom of precisely tuning their Armored Core (AC) units in Armored Core 6, tailoring them according to their preferred combat styles and individual approaches to battles.

FromSoftware didn’t just implement old ideas, though. Miyazaki spoke about the value of the studio’s recent development experience with Soulsborne titles, and how it was applied to modernize the Armored Core formula. However, he made it clear that Armored Core 6 was developed free of any Soulsborne influence.

Armored Core 6 Offers A Lot Of Freedom For Customization

Miyazaki also emphasized the ability to freely assemble and customize the mech, with individual part choices having a big impact on gameplay and aesthetics:

So the real impetus for this project, I think, or at least one of the real appeals for me comes from that aspect of assembly, and being able to really freely assemble and customize the mech, I think is what we really highly focus on in Armored Core.

The high level of detail allows players to not only optimize their AC for performance, but also express themselves via a dash of visual flair. The freedom of mech assembly is seen by Miyazaki as a vital cog in the Armored Core experience.

He described it as a liberating aspect that allows players to truly personalize their AC, stating “And having mechs or mecha as a theme, it’s really about that high level of freedom that adjusting each individual part gives, and how that affects the gameplay and the properties of your mech actually in combat.“

The choices made during assembly not only affect the mech’s performance in combat, but also contribute to the world-building within the game. A heavily armored AC with a focus on close-quarters combat paints a different picture than a swift, agile mech designed for hit-and-run tactics.

Thanks to its focus on in-depth mech assembly and a return to the core principles of the series, Armored Core 6 was a resounding success for FromSoftware, with Miyazaki recently confirming future continuations of the franchise. Armored Core is about to see some very prosperous days.