Summary
The Game Awards is always an intriguing time in the year as it allows players to reflect on the experiences they shared. This often unearths forgotten experiences from the start of the year, and in 2023 that is particularly true since so many ofThe Game Awards nominees for 2023were from games backloaded in the year. Summer was especially saturated with releases, meaning that players would be bouncing between them sporadically based on what their preferences were.
That then extended into the fall withMarvel’s Spider-Man 2andSuper Mario Bros. Wonder—two competing Game of the Year nominees—releasing on the same day.
Now, while fans patiently wait for more news aboutElden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, it may have been glossed over that FromSoftware’s latest game,Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, only received a single nomination this year in The Game Awards’ Best Action Game category. It’s arguable whether that’s deserved or not, but it’s interesting to see how this shattersFromSoftware’s recent track record at The Game Awards.
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Armored Core 6 Only Gets One Nomination at The Game Awards 2023
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicononly getting one nomination is probably disappointing for FromSoftware fans, but it isn’t altogether surprising based on the initial reception to it and how fans of the developer have rallied almost exclusively around its Soulslikes instead. Indeed, anotherArmored Coregame was likely the last game that FromSoftware fans anticipated when it was announced andElden Ringhad released shortly before that announcement, meaning that fans were unsure of where to place their excitement.
It was a huge surprise for fans togo fromElden RingtoArmored Coredespite being warned excessively that it would be nothing like the Soulslikes they had grown accustomed to. Even thoughArmored Coreis FromSoftware’s most established and lengthy franchise it still can’t hope to compete with Soulslike popularity nowadays.
That’s not to say thatArmored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconwas disliked or ignored by the fanbase, but its niche mecha-action genre ultimately made sense for a nomination in the Best Action Game category most of all. This becomes alarming, though, when fans consider that FromSoftware’s last two games,Elden RingandSekiro: Shadows Die Twice, both won Game of the Year for their respective years.
FromSoftware’s GOTY Track Record is Broken in an Incredible Year for Games
Sekriowon Game of the Year in 2019 andElden Ringwon Game of the Year in 2022, pedestaling Soulslikes as a pillar of gaming in the last several years.SekiroandElden Ringwere tremendously different in how they’re designed;Sekirois an action-adventure game that’s more character- and story-driven, offering far fewer customization or build options thanElden Ring, which is a gargantuan open-world game with all the trappings of theDark Soulsfranchise and even more.
It will be interesting to see ifArmored Core 6’s one nomination this year has an impact at all on what FromSoftware decides to give priority in development, or if it will continue to work on games it wants to make with no discernible pattern from game to game. Meanwhile, how few nominations FromSoftware received this year may be a telling tale of where fans’ interests are when it comes to the Soulslike progenitor, though there’s still a high likelihood of FromSoftware’s presence being made at The Game Awards ifanElden RingDLC revealis made.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
WHERE TO PLAY
Combining FromSoftware’s longstanding expertise in mech games with their signature action gameplay, ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON brings a brand-new action experience to the series.Dynamic, Omni-directional Battles Players will pilot their mech in fast-paced, omni-directional battles, taking advantage of massive stages and their mech’s mobility on land and in the air to ensure victory.Customized Parts for Individual Battle Styles Customize Armored Core parts to suit a large variety of playstyles. Selecting different parts not only changes the mech’s attacks, but also directly affects its movement and battle style, so each mission can be approached with a unique mech strategy.Thrilling Boss Battles Deploy a wide variety of offensive and defensive tactics at close and long range to take down powerful enemy bosses.
