During the 2022 The Game Award Show, Bandai Namco shocked the gaming world by announcing Armored Core VI – Fires of Rubicon. I mean, it’s been ten years since we had a new Armored Core game, and this was a reminder of this. Sure, we knew Fromsoftware was working on the title, but there’s a difference between knowing something, and seeing it for yourself.
Believe me, when I say that I am hyped for this game.
Since then, I thought to myself, “I should go back and play the older games.” Now, this wasn’t the first time I thought of this, as I’m a sucker for a good mecha game. After playing most of the available games, I wanted to go back to Armored Core. Except, there’s a problem with that.
I no longer own the older titles, nor a PlayStation 1 or 2, as I had lent it to a friend and never saw it or him again. I do still own an Xbox 360 and a PlayStation 3, but I’m pretty sure the X360 is busted, as my son loved inserting coins into it when he was younger. I suppose I’ll have to open it up to see. That leaves the PS3 being my only viable choice.
The downside to that the prices for Armored Core 4, Armored Core: For Answer, Armored Core V, and Armored Core: Verdict Day, were already high, as well as the games were hard to come by. I’m not much of a retro gamer, so when I find a game that goes 2x – 3x the original price, it does bother me. To the point where I’d pass on them.
I thought maybe I could get around that via Xbox One / Series X backward compatibility. However, that was a no-go, and I grew more frustrated when none of the Armored Core games made the cut. Which frustrated me even more, as that meant I’d have to result to eBay, and it’s higher than I’d like prices.
Now, with the Armored Core VI announcement, chances are those older games will end up being priced even higher as people realize that they’re sitting on a gold mine, and retro gamers (which I suppose I am now) would likely pay just about any price for those games.
Even now, I’m looking at two copies of Armored Core V on eBay, which are viable options. The rest Japanese PS3 copies, and my PS3 isn’t modified. Of which, those NA copies are outrageously overpriced. Armored Core: Verdict Day, sadly, is in the same situation.
Eventually, I’ll figure it out and get a hold of what I’m looking for. I know a few retro game stores that may have a copy, and don’t realize what exactly they have in their hands. Or maybe I’ll just wait for Armored Core VI to eventually be released, that way, I’ll get to experience Armored Core VI as I did when I laid my eyes on the original games.
Armored Core VI – Fires of Rubicon will be released on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, in 2023.
