How to play ARMORED CORE™ VI FIRES OF RUBICON™ on Mac

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Game Overview

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a mecha-based vehicular combat game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game is the first entry in the long-running Armored Core series in a decade, with a rebooted story and setting. It was released on August 25, 2023, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The game is set on the planet Rubicon 3, where a highly valuable substance called Coral was discovered in the past, leading to an interstellar catastrophe. Almost half a century later, the substance resurfaces on the contaminated and devastated planet, and corporations and resistance groups return to fight over the dangerous resource. Players infiltrate the planet as independent mercenaries and find themselves in the middle of a multi-faction struggle. While the game is available on multiple platforms, there is no Mac version. However, we will show you how to play the game on a Mac using some workarounds or third-party solutions.

System Requirements

Play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Mac with Parallels

One easy way to play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Mac is by using a program called Parallels Desktop. This program is capable of creating and running virtual machines that run Windows and support hardware acceleration. In simpler terms, Parallels Desktop allows you to install Windows 10 on Mac with just a couple of clicks and switch between MacOS and Windows instantly. So you will be able to run Windows, install Steam (or Epic Games Store, or any other launcher for that matter), and enjoy the Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon game on Mac just like on a regular PC. Generally speaking, you will need an iMac Pro or a Mac Pro to run demanding games. However, if the game you’re trying to run is old, or simply doesn’t demand much from computer hardware, then you will likely be able to run it on any Mac computer, including MacBook Air. When it comes to games in-between, it is recommended to consider your Mac’s hardware specifications instead of thinking in terms of its model.

Please note that not all games are supported by Parallels. Several conditions must be met for the game to be playable. Your Mac must exceed minimum system requirements for the game. Playing a game on Windows running through Parallels places additional strain on your Mac, so meeting them is not enough. Games that require DirectX 12 are currently not supported by Parallels. If your Mac has an Apple Silicon chip (such as M1, M2, M3), you may experience issues playing modern games. AppsOnMac recommends using Parallels’ free trial feature to determine whether you can run the game or not if you’re uncertain.

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 1)

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 2)

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 3)

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 4)

Play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Mac with cloud gaming services

If you have an old Mac or it cannot satisfy the Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon game system requirements, there is an easy solution. Cloud gaming services will be happy to provide you with sufficient computing power – though not for free, of course. All you need is a browser or a small client program and a good internet connection starting from 15 MBit/s. There are several great platforms that provide these services; the best ones are Boosteroid, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and NVidia GeForce NOW. Currently, only NVidia GeForce NOW, Shadow and airgpu cloud gaming services allow their users to play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon.

Play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Mac with CrossOver

CrossOver is a Microsoft Windows compatibility layer available for Linux, macOS, and ChromeOS, developed by CodeWeavers. It enables many Windows-based applications to run on these operating systems without requiring a Windows license. CrossOver is based on Wine, an open-source Windows compatibility layer, and includes user-friendly configuration tools, automated installation scripts, and technical support. It allows users to run various Windows software, including productivity applications, utility programs, and games, on their non-Windows devices. To play Windows games on your Mac using CrossOver, follow these steps:

1. Download and install CrossOver: Visit the CodeWeavers website and download the CrossOver installer. Install the application from the downloaded file.
2. Launch CrossOver: Open the CrossOver application on your Mac.
3. Install Steam within CrossOver: Open the CrossOver application, search for Steam, and install it. CrossOver will automatically download any required Windows components.
4. Launch Steam: Once Steam is installed within CrossOver, open it by double-clicking its icon. A Windows version of Steam will open, allowing you to buy, download, and install any game you want, just as if you were running Steam on a Windows machine.
5. Install the game: Find the Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon in your Steam library, click Install, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
6. Run the game: To start the game in CrossOver, go to its respective bottle, click the game’s icon, and then click Run Command.

Please note that not all Windows games are compatible with CrossOver, even when using Steam. You can check the compatibility of a specific game on the CodeWeavers Compatibility Center.

Recommended: Install CXPatcher for CrossOver 22

CXPatcher is a patcher that improves compatibility and extends the functionality of CrossOver by upgrading it with the latest DXVK and MoltenVK for better compatibility with Windows games and applications. It also provides performance enhancements and FPS boosts for certain games. As of version 0.3, CXPatcher has integrated GPTK (Game Porting Toolkit) beta 4, so you don’t need to download GPTK separately anymore. Download it here.

Play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Mac with BootCamp

Note: Mac computers with new Apple Silicon (M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M2 Max, M2 Pro, M2 Ultra) currently do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Mac

This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all the system requirements above, you can play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Mac by installing Windows. You need to set up a dual boot of Windows and Mac via BootCamp. This is an application that allows users to choose the system to work in on startup, however, you won’t be able to switch between systems like in Parallels. You will need to reboot your machine every time you want to switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa. Remember that Mac is just a computer, in the end. And while newer Macs have their own special Apple Silicon chips that cannot run Windows, older Macs are very much similar to computers that run Windows, they have Intel processors, compatible RAM, disks, and other components. So you can install Windows on an older Mac by allocating no less than 64 GB of disk space (to be able to run Windows and a couple of games) and following these steps:

For MacOS versions prior to OS X El Capitan 10.11 you will need to create a bootable Windows USB.

1. Download this Windows ISO file.
2. Open Boot Camp Assistant (Go to Applications > Utilities).
3. Define the Windows partition size and choose the Windows ISO file you’ve downloaded.
4. Format the Windows partition and go through all Windows installation steps.
5. When Windows boots for the first time follow on-screen instructions to install Boot Camp and Windows support software (drivers)