A leak revealed that Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon will have multiple endings, and that could be a big deal when it comes to the gameplay.
Armored Core 6’s story is set to have many of the themes that FromSoftware games are known for. That’s a kind way of saying that it’s pretty saddening. The player is a cog in a machine built to brutalize the people of Rubicon and rob them of their natural resources in order to fuel a different war machine elsewhere.
The similarities don’t end there, however. Judging from a leaked trophy list for the game, Armored Core 6 is set to have three different endings. The names of the endings hint at what’s to come and may suggest that the player has some agency when it comes to the game’s story. Warning: spoilers ahead.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon endings list
Armored Core 6 has three different endings in the base version of the game. The endings suggest that the player will have the ability to decide the fate of Rubicon, a planet with an ongoing revolution against a colonizing force. There are three named endings in the game:
- The Fires of Raven
- Liberator of Rubicon
- Alea Iacta Est
Armored Core sometimes gives the player the choice of picking a side in a conflict, or opting out and killing everyone. The list of endings for Armored Core 6 suggests that the latest installment of the series will follow that framework.
The “Liberator of Rubicon” ending has straightforward implications, suggesting that the player will have the opportunity to turn on their original allies and help the rebels. The Fires of Raven ending isn’t as clear, but will likely see the player subjugating the local populace of Rubicon.
Alea Iacta Est references Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon river in order to start the civil war that ended with him taking over Rome. It’s possible that this ending could see players completely destroy the planet, or potentially gain the upper hand and take it over themselves.
Armored Core 6 has multiple endings
Armored Core 6 has multiple endings, which is a departure from the series norm. Most Armored Core titles have only had one ending, with the potential for different iterations after multiple playthroughs or changing the difficulty level.
Multiple endings aren’t unheard of, however. Armored Core 4: For Answer and Armored Core: Last Raven both have a branching story with multiple possible endings. It’s unclear whether Armored Core 6 will do the same.
Though the possibility for a branching story is there, it’s also possible the ending could be something akin to more recent FromSoftware games. Demon’s Souls and its remake by Bluepoint Games had two endings, but the only difference between them was a choice made by the player after defeating the final boss. Bloodborne has three potential final bosses, with each one having its own ending.
Alternatively, Elden Ring had three trophies related to its endings but actually had six different endings. One of these endings had four different versions based on whether players completed certain questlines. Fans will ultimately be able to find out once Armored Core 6 releases.