On the 8th of January 2022, ResetEra user Red Liquorice posted several screenshots from a FromSoftware consumer survey that they allegedly participated in. Yesterday, at 8:40am, via another user, Red Liquorice updated the post with more information!
The screenshots were descriptions of a new potential game and still-shots of in-game footage. Fans of the Armored Core series quickly surmised that the the game in question was likely a new entry to the classic mecha franchise, whose last entry was on the Xbox360/PS3 generation.
The images have been edited by the original poster to avoid detection via watermark.
Hoax or Hope?
Due to the nature of the leak, there is little evidence to support the authenticity of these images. However, the designs of machines are reminiscent of older designs but with newer assets that were not present in previous games.
Left: Blade attack from Armored Core 4, courtesy of IGN. Right: Blade attack from new title. Similar mech, new light effect.
Given the higher fidelity of the footage and the complete new assets, there is a low chance that these images are hoaxes of Armored Core 4. The resemblance of the mechanical design and scale is undeniable and certainly lends credence to the claim that these images come from the same franchise.
It is also important to note that Armored Core assets are not in the public game modification space, due to the age of the last entries with no PC ports. Therefore, the extent of which Red Liqourice would go to, to hypothetically falsify these images would go beyond its entertainment value.
The Proposed Content
Whilst the game has not been named, there are two things that identify this game as an Armored Core Game or at the very least, a spiritual successor.
According to the document, it is safe to assume Hidetaka Miyazaki will be in a lead creative position, seeing as how the setting and story of the game are his creations. Whilst Miyazaki is better known for his work on the Dark Souls franchise, he was also responsible for what fans have lauded as the definitive mecha action game, Armored Core: For Answer.
Fans believe that this connection is more than just a coincidence as naturally, the company would choose the director of the most beloved entry into the franchise to ensure the success of this new game.
Hidetaka Miyazaki
The second indicator is the assertion of a “high degree of freedom in customization”. This is a staple in the series and has been the core focus of the gameplay since the very first entry.
Mech games such as Titanfall 2 do allow some level of customisation but it is limited within the playstyle of a class. The document states you can “build” your mech to suit your playstyle, implicating a class system will not be used and instead the game will use a free-form system of part combinations that will allow you to fine-tune how your Arsenal operates. It’s a core tenet of the franchise and a massive indicator of a connection.
With that said, there is a notable difference between this proposed game and the previous games.
Lore-wise, the game now takes place on an entirely new planet, implying there is now inter-stellar travel which was not prevalent in the previous games, thereby implying this game takes place further in the future. Moreover, the statement of a “vast field” and “multi-layered world”, implies that for the first time in the series, the game will be open-world.
The game traditionally was a mission based game with a hub menu, with levels being crafted specifically for each objective with perhaps some repetition of design if appropriate.
What I hope for in this new entry is a sprawling world with exploration and characterisation being the key focus. The new frontier of space and a resource conflict gives the opportunity for the developers to put interesting vistas that reward the perceptive player.
Furthermore, this is an opportunity to put models of humans in the game for the very first time rather than disembodied voices, which would drastically increase immersion and player connection. In addition, a larger world could mean more space to have even bigger boss encounters than previous games.
Again, I stress that the validity of the leaks is questionable as FromSoftware has not made an official statement but strangely enough there has not been a demand to remove the images either.
Perhaps we are experiencing a marketing ploy similar to the supposed “leak” of the Deadpool test footage to test consumer interest. The logic seems to follow given that this was the original intent of the consumer survey, to gauge the profitability of the venture. It is after all a risky move to put out a mecha game since the interest in the genre is rather niche at the moment.
To say I’m interested is an understatement. For me, the leak was a faint glimmer at the end of dark tunnel.
What do you think of the leak? Do you think its fake? Are you a fan that has been waiting for this? Go wild with your thoughts in the comment box!
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