Armored Core 6 tops Steam chart, overtakes BG3, “thanks to Elden Ring”

pcgamesn.com:

Never underestimate the insatiable appetite gamers have for giant robot battles. That appetite has propelled Armored Core 6 to the top spot on Steam’s global sales charts more than a decade after the last numbered entry in the series was released, knocking Baldur’s Gate 3 off the top spot.

In a summer filled with huge releases, few could have predicted that Armored Core 6 would be able to find such a large audience. The phenomenal success of last year’s Elden Ring certainly didn’t hurt. Speaking to GameIndustry.biz, Bandai Namco Europe CEO Arnaud Muller explained that Elden Ring has given FromSoftware a “guarantee of quality” among fans.

Bandai Namco, which publishes the series, explained that its “ambitions are not on par with Elden Ring, but… are way bigger than previous Armored Core games.” However, the success of Armored Core 6 shouldn’t be attributed solely to FromSoftware’s previous titles. As we mentioned in our Armored Core 6 review, the latest installment is among the best in the Armored Core series and remains remarkably true to the series’ roots.

Still, debuting at the top of the Steam charts is a huge achievement for a series that hasn’t had a new entry since 2013’s Armored Core: Verdict Day. While FromSoftware has become best known for the Dark Souls and Elden Ring, Armored Core was a huge part of what established the developer as a producer of quality games. Whether it can hold the top spot against Starfield, which is already ranking at number four ahead of its September 6 release, is perhaps unlikely, but the hype around Armored Core 6 is nevertheless impressive.

By all accounts, Armored Core 6 requires practice, patience, and a careful eye on your equipment if you want to reach the end of its story.