FromSoftware has been playing a fascinating game of multiplayer musical chairs lately. While Elden Ring Nightreign is going all-in on cooperative survival gameplay, the studio’s mech-piloting franchise sits in an interesting position to fill the competitive void left behind.
The upcoming spinoff (launching May 30th) is doubling down on PvE with its three-player co-op focus, leaving a gaping hole where FromSoftware’s signature player-versus-player combat used to be. No invasions, no duels—just you and your buddies against the world.
Meanwhile, Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon has quietly been building a dedicated PvP community with its 1v1 and 3v3 modes. But with the mecha genre suddenly heating up and Titanfall 3 officially dead in the water, FromSoftware has a golden opportunity to position its mechanized franchise as the premier competitive experience for players who prefer their combat with a side of hydraulics and missile launchers.
Why Armored Core should embrace its PvP potential
The mecha genre is having a moment right now, and FromSoftware is sitting on a gold mine with Armored Core. While Elden Ring Nightreign is busy letting players team up against resurrected nightmares like Margit and the Nameless King, Armored Core could easily double down on what it already does well: letting players blow each other to smithereens in gloriously customized war machines.
Armored Core 6 already features solid PvP foundations with its 1v1 and 3v3 modes, but imagine if FromSoftware expanded this into a dedicated competitive experience. The series’ legendary customization system—where every weapon, part, and paint job matters—creates a natural playground for competitive expression that few other games can match.
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What makes this opportunity particularly juicy is the timing. With Titanfall 3 officially cancelled after just 10 months of development, there’s a vacuum in the mech-combat space that’s begging to be filled. The hunger is clearly there—just look at how quickly players flocked to Mecha Break despite its issues.
FromSoftware has the pedigree, the engine, and the fanbase to create something special here. They’ve already proven they understand the delicate balance of weight, firepower, and mobility that makes mech combat satisfying. Now they just need to go all-in on the competitive aspect while Elden Ring Nightreign handles the co-op side of things.
The mecha battlefield is getting crowded, but quality will win
Speaking of Mecha Break, Amazing Seasun Games’ free-to-play mech shooter recently made waves by attracting over 317,000 concurrent players during its open beta—briefly surpassing even Marvel Rivals on Steam. But numbers don’t tell the whole story.
Despite its impressive player count, Mecha Break is currently sitting at “Mostly Negative” reviews on Steam. Players are criticizing everything from its aggressive monetization to its kernel-level anti-cheat requirements. It’s a classic case of potential hamstrung by execution.
This is precisely why a FromSoftware-developed competitive mech game could dominate. While Mecha Break offers impressive mobility and a variety of game modes (including a 30-player extraction shooter mode called Mashmak), it lacks the pedigree and player-first approach that Hidetaka Miyazaki and co. bring to the table.
Imagine an Armored Core spinoff that combines the deep customization the series is known for with expanded PvP modes—perhaps even a battle royale or extraction mode of its own. The difference would be FromSoftware’s signature attention to detail, balance, and player satisfaction.
With Elden Ring Nightreign taking the cooperative route and Titanfall 3 nothing but ashes, the time is perfect for FromSoftware to position Armored Core as the premier competitive mech experience. The audience is clearly there—they’re just waiting for someone to do it right.
What do you think? Should FromSoftware expand Armored Core‘s PvP elements, or would you prefer they focus elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
