Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is a 2015 tactical shooter game created by Ubisoft Montreal and released by Ubisoft. The game focuses on breaking environments and teamwork between players. Players take control of attackers or defenders in different modes, such as saving hostages, stopping bombs, or capturing objectives in rooms. The game does not have a story campaign but includes offline training modes that can be played alone.
Rainbow Six Siege is part of the Rainbow Six series and follows Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Patriots, a game with more story focus. Patriots was canceled due to technical issues, so Ubisoft restarted the series. The team studied the Rainbow Six series and decided that letting players act as real counter-terrorist experts would best fit the game. To make realistic siege situations, the team worked with real counter-terrorism units and studied real events, like the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege. The game uses AnvilNext 2.0 and Ubisoft's RealBlast technology to create environments that can be destroyed. It was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in December 2015, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in December 2020, and Google Stadia in June 2021.
Critics praised the game's intense multiplayer and focus on strategy but pointed out problems with its progression system and limited content. Sales were low at first, but the player base grew after Ubisoft used a "games as a service" model, adding free downloadable content. Over time, some critics called Siege one of the best multiplayer games due to improvements from updates. Ubisoft partnered with ESL to make Siege an esports game. In December 2020, the game had over 70 million registered players across all platforms. A spin-off game, Rainbow Six Extraction, featuring characters from Siege, was released in January 2022.
Gameplay
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is a first-person shooter game where players use different characters from the Rainbow team. Each character has different nationalities, weapons, and tools. The game has an unbalanced structure, meaning teams may not have equal abilities. The base Counter-Terrorism Units (CTUs) available are the American Hostage Rescue Team (called FBI SWAT in the game), the British SAS, the German GSG-9, the Russian Spetsnaz, and the French GIGN. Each unit has four characters, divided between attackers and defenders (other units were added later through downloadable content). Players can also choose a "Recruit" character who has more flexible equipment but a unique gadget. Before a round starts, players can select any character from any team, choosing where to start and what weapons to use. However, they cannot change their choices once the round begins. An in-game shop lets players buy characters or cosmetic items using "Renown," a currency earned by performing actions during matches. Ranked matches give the most Renown per game, and players can also earn Renown by completing in-game challenges. Using "boosters" increases the amount of Renown earned for a set time, starting with 24 hours. A premium currency called "R6 credits" can be bought with real money to get characters or cosmetic items faster.
When a match starts online, attackers choose a starting point to begin their attack, while defenders choose a point to defend. A 45-second preparation time follows, during which attackers use special drones to explore the map for enemies, traps, and objectives, while defenders set up defenses without revealing details, often by destroying the drones. If a player dies, they cannot return until the end of the round. Players killed by opponents can use "Support Mode" to view drone and security camera footage, helping their team track enemy movements. Matches last 3 minutes and 30 seconds for casual play and 3 minutes for ranked matches. Teamwork is important, and players must use their abilities to complete objectives and defeat the enemy. Communication between players is encouraged. The game also has a spectator mode, allowing players to watch matches from different angles.
The game focuses on breaking structures using a system that allows players to destroy buildings with explosives or shoot walls to create holes. This can give players tactical advantages and encourages creative strategies. A bullet-penetration system means bullets that pass through structures deal less damage to enemies. Defenders can build heavy fortifications or use shields for protection, which can be destroyed by explosives or special tools. Defenders can also place traps like barbed wire or explosives to stop attackers. Vertical space is important in the game's maps, as players can destroy floors and ceilings to ambush enemies. Powerful weapons like grenades and explosives are valuable but limited in use per round.
At launch, the game had 11 maps and 5 gameplay modes, including both player versus environment (PVE) and player versus player (PVP) options. Additional maps were added through downloadable content (DLC), bringing the total to 26 playable maps. Gameplay modes include:
- Hostage: A non-competitive mode where attackers must rescue a hostage, and defenders must stop them by killing all attackers or keeping the hostage safe until time runs out. If the hostage is injured and cannot be revived, the opposing team wins.
- Bomb: A competitive mode where attackers must find and defuse a bomb, while defenders stop them by killing all attackers or destroying the defuser. If all attackers are killed after planting the bomb, the defuser must still be destroyed for a defender win.
- Secure Area: A non-competitive mode where defenders protect a room with a biohazard container, and attackers must capture it. The match ends when all players from one team are killed or the container is secured.
- Tactical Realism: A competitive mode with a focus on realism, removing some visual aids and adding realistic ammo management. This mode is no longer available, but some features remain in other modes.
- Training Grounds: A solo or cooperative mode where players fight waves of AI enemies in different scenarios like Bomb or Hostage.
- Situations: A single-player or co-op tutorial mode with 10 missions to teach game mechanics.
- Outbreak: A limited-time event where a 3-player team fights AI-controlled infected enemies in a co-op PVE setting. Two difficulty levels exist, with the harder one allowing friendly fire.
- Arcade: Short, random events that change game rules, such as the Golden Gun event.
- Seasonal Events: Large-scale, limited-time modes unique to regular gameplay, such as Bomb or Secure Area.
Setting
Three years after the Rainbow Program ended, terrorist activities began again, with the White Mask group being the most active. The goals of these terrorists are not known, but they are causing problems around the world. To stop this threat, the program was restarted by a new leader named Aurelia Arnot, who is played by Angela Bassett. Arnot uses the code name "Six" and gathers special forces members from many countries to fight the White Masks. These recruits train through many exercises to prepare for missions like saving hostages and handling bombs. Later, the White Masks attack Bartlett University with chemicals, and the recruits are sent to stop the attack. The mission is successful, but some people are hurt. Arnot says reactivating Team Rainbow was the best choice to protect the nation from terrorists. Over the next few years, Team Rainbow grows by adding more members from different countries.
In 2019, Arnot leaves her job to become the Secretary of State and recommends her advisor, Doctor Harishva "Harry" Pandey, to take her place as "Six." Harry works to improve teamwork among Team Rainbow members by creating The Program, a worldwide training plan to help them understand each other better and expand their missions. He also organizes yearly tournaments where Team Rainbow members train. These events are shown on TV globally. Later, Harry invites members of a private military group called Nighthaven to join Team Rainbow to observe their skills and stop them from working with others. However, Nighthaven and Team Rainbow often have conflicts because their fighting styles are different. Nighthaven uses more aggressive and risky tactics, sometimes putting their own members in danger. This leads to a public disagreement between Rainbow member Eliza "Ash" Cohen and Nighthaven’s leader, Jaimini "Kali" Shah, after Ash is hurt during a tournament in 2021.
By 2022, Kali has convinced several Team Rainbow members to join Nighthaven, which upsets Harry. With more crimes happening worldwide, Harry reorganizes the remaining Rainbow members into smaller teams and focuses on new missions. He also investigates Nighthaven’s activities. After a high-profile tech company CEO, Masayuki Yahata, is killed, Team Rainbow finds evidence linking Nighthaven to the crime. A Rainbow team called Ghosteyes, led by Taina "Caveira" Pereira, attacks Nighthaven multiple times and captures Kali. Kali denies being involved in Yahata’s death and claims Nighthaven’s weapons were stolen. Caveira reveals that Rainbow knows Nighthaven is not guilty, and the attacks were meant to prevent Nighthaven from causing more problems.
Later, Harry is confronted by "Deimos," a former Rainbow member who planned Yahata’s death and the conflict between Rainbow and Nighthaven. Deimos claims Rainbow has failed under Harry’s leadership and shows a video of an attack that leaves Ash in a coma before killing Harry. After following Deimos for a year, Rainbow members locate his next target and capture him. After Ash wakes up from her coma, Rainbow learns Deimos is actually Gerald Morris, a former Rainbow member who betrayed his squad in 2012 and was declared dead. Despite this, Deimos’ group, the Keres Legion, remains active. Rainbow recruits a retired operative, Kure "Skopós" Galanos, who once worked with Deimos. Skopós teams up with Rainbow member Grace "Dokkaebi" Nam to attack a Keres Legion hideout and gather information.
During a training exercise at Hereford Base in England, Rainbow members must defend the base from Keres Legion soldiers who have disguised themselves as new recruits to rescue Deimos and destroy the base. The base is eventually destroyed by the Keres Legion, killing staff and recruits, including a Global Security Alliance Council observer named Caron. Dokkaebi is also kidnapped during the attack without Rainbow’s knowledge. It is later revealed that the attack was Phase One of Deimos’ plan, with his second-in-command, "Phobos," starting Phase Two. Realizing the Keres Legion is a major threat, Nighthaven decides to help Rainbow despite earlier conflicts.
After learning Dokkaebi was kidnapped, Ana "Solis" Valentina Díaz and Hāpai "Rauora" Iwini investigate the Keres Legion’s connection to a company called "POLARIS." Inside the company, they are attacked by Phobos, who destroys the building with explosives. Solis and Rauora escape and find a tracker they believe will lead to Dokkaebi. Rainbow members Morowa "Clash" Evans and Monika "IQ" Weiss later rescue Dokkaebi from a Keres Legion hideout. Dokkaebi shares information about Phobos.
Despite Rainbow’s efforts, the Global Security Alliance Council threatens to shut down the Rainbow Program due to repeated failures and losses. Rainbow is given one final chance to find and stop Phobos. A strike team successfully kills Phobos, ending the threat. Two years after the program was shut down, several intelligence agencies are attacked by an unknown group, leading former Rainbow Deputy Director "Bishop" to be contacted.
Development
The game's earlier version was called Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Patriots. It was a tactical shooter game announced in 2011. The game focused on storytelling, with many scenes and events planned for the story campaign. However, the game faced serious development problems shortly after its announcement. The old game engine and frequent changes in leadership slowed progress, and the game's quality was not good enough. The game was planned for seventh-generation consoles, which could not handle some of the game's features. When newer consoles were released, the team wanted to create a more advanced game. Because of this, Ubisoft canceled Patriots and formed a new team of 25 people to restart the series.
To make the new game feel fresh, only some multiplayer elements from the old game were kept. The small team changed the game's direction. They studied the core idea of the Rainbow Six series, which is about being part of a counter-terrorism team that travels worldwide to stop terrorist attacks. These missions usually involve intense battles between attackers and defenders. However, the team wanted to fit these ideas into a multiplayer format that would keep the game enjoyable for a long time. These ideas became the foundation for the new game. The team decided to focus all their efforts on multiplayer, and they removed the single-player campaign to improve the game's replayability.
Development of the new game began in January 2013. Ubisoft Montreal, the team that worked on Patriots, led the project. Other Ubisoft offices in Barcelona, Toronto, Kyiv, Shanghai, and Chengdu helped with development. The game was originally named Rainbow Six Unbreakable, a title that reflected the game's destruction mechanic and the team's determination to create a successful game after previous challenges. Alexandre Remy, the brand director, said the team was confident in their new vision but worried that some fans might be disappointed by the changes.
The 150-person team included many experienced first-person shooter developers and longtime Rainbow Six players. Even though they had experience with similar games, they studied real counter-terrorism operations, such as the 1980 London Iranian Embassy siege, the 1977 Lufthansa Flight 181 hijacking, and the 2002 Moscow theatre hostage crisis, to ensure the game's portrayal of these events was accurate. The team also consulted real counter-terrorism units, like the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN), for advice on how they would handle hostage rescue situations. Xavier Marquis, the creative director, said that including a hostage rescue mission helped create an immersive story. Players take control of an operator trying to save hostages, giving them a clear goal and making them focus on teamwork and careful planning. To make the game more realistic, the team added a "living hostage" mechanic, where the hostage character reacts to the environment, such as coughing when there is dust or hiding from gunfire.
The destruction mechanic was a key part of the game. The development team used a technology called RealBlast Destruction, which allows the environment to break apart in realistic ways. The team believed this fit the game's style and gameplay, so they used it. They spent a lot of time ensuring the destruction was accurate, using a system that made different materials react differently to attacks. For textures, the team used physically based rendering, even though it caused problems early in development. They used tools like a material bank and substance painter to create textures for damaged or destroyed objects. The team also added subtle visual clues to help players identify destructible structures without distracting them. The destruction mechanic changed how the team designed levels, as they had to make sure levels remained logical and realistic even when parts of the environment were destroyed.
Ubisoft said the game's three most important features were teamwork, tactics, and tension. The team first planned to let players respawn after being killed, but after testing, they found that this system gave an advantage to skilled players and focused more on individual skill than teamwork. Removing the respawn system made the game more challenging, forcing players to rely on their teammates to survive and complete objectives. Chris Lee, the game's designer, said the team worried the system might only appeal to experienced players, but testing showed it encouraged teamwork and gave weaker players a chance to succeed by planning and being strategic.
The gameplay system allowed players a lot of freedom. The team created the "Golden 3C Rules" for Character, Control, and Camera. Players always control their own actions, and the team avoided animations that might interrupt gameplay. For example, players can cancel actions like placing explosives or breach charges to react quickly. The camera only moves when the player moves, as the team feared camera changes might cause in-game deaths. A free-lean system was added to let players control their line of sight better. Ubisoft said this control system made the game feel more natural and smooth, allowing players to focus on planning and coordination instead of worrying about camera or environment interference.
Some gameplay features were removed from the final game. For example, artificial intelligence-controlled squadmates from earlier versions were removed from single-player missions because the team wanted players to work with real players instead of computer-controlled characters. The team once planned to add a map editor for players to create their own maps, but this idea was never completed. Hit markers, which showed where an opponent was hit, were removed because the team worried players might abuse the system by firing randomly to find enemies. Players cannot jump in the game, as real-life counter-terrorism operators do not jump during missions.
Release
Ubisoft announced the game during a press conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2014. In August 2015, Ubisoft delayed the game’s release from October 10 to December 1, 2015, to allow more time for the team to improve the game’s cooperative multiplayer features. In April 2015, Ubisoft held a closed alpha test from April 7 to April 13, where players tested an early version of the game to help the team evaluate servers, gameplay, and provide feedback. A closed beta test began on September 24, 2015, for further testing. Ubisoft originally planned to release an open beta on November 25, 2015, but delayed it to November 26 due to issues with matchmaking. Players who purchased the game for Xbox One received free access to Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas and its sequel. To launch the game in Asian markets, Ubisoft planned to remove graphic imagery through a patch, but later canceled the plan after receiving negative feedback from fans.
The game had multiple versions for players to buy. A season pass was announced on November 12, 2015, allowing players to access operators from downloadable content (DLC) early and receive weapon skins. The Collector’s Edition included the game, season pass, a hat, compass, bottle opener, backpack, and a 120-page guide. A Starter Edition was released on PC in June 2016, offering all content from the Standard Edition, two starting operators, and enough in-game currency to buy two more operators. The Starter Edition was cheaper and initially available for a limited time but became permanently available on Uplay in February 2017.
Ubisoft used a “games as a service” approach, meaning they planned to support the game long-term and add post-release content. The management team initially doubted this idea but eventually approved it. The game received many updates at launch, including bug fixes, improvements to matchmaking, and gameplay mechanics. In 2018, Ubisoft introduced the R6Fix program, allowing players to report bugs and receive in-game rewards. The company also added an auto-kick system to remove players who killed teammates and used BattlEye in August 2016 to punish cheaters. In mid-2018, Ubisoft began banning players who used racist or homophobic language. All downloadable maps were made free for all players, and downloadable operators could be unlocked using in-game currency. Purchasing the season pass allowed instant access to these operators. Cosmetic items could be bought with real money, but gameplay content was not behind a paywall. The team avoided adding more game modes because they did not fit the game’s close-quarter combat style. Downloadable content was divided into seasons, with some seasons adding new weapons and modifying operators’ abilities. The Montreal studio and Blue Byte in Germany developed this content. Ubisoft planned to support the game and add new characters for 10 years, so no sequel was planned.
In January 2018, Ubisoft introduced “Outbreak Packs,” which are loot boxes unlocked with in-game currency. The base game was replaced by a bundle called The Advanced Edition, which included the game and some Outbreak Packs. This change caused backlash because existing players had to pay for new content while new players did not. Ubisoft compensated players with a free premium skin and planned to make operators available faster. In July 2018, Ubisoft released “Sunsplash Packs” with summer-themed cosmetics. In October 2018, “Crimsonveil Packs” added Halloween-themed items for four operators.
Ubisoft envisioned the game as an esports title. In late 2013, Ubisoft met with David Hiltscher, vice president of ESL, to discuss competitive play. ESL provided feedback on balancing and helped ensure the game was suitable for tournaments. The team added new operators to provide variety for esports viewers, inspired by games like Dota 2. ESL and Ubisoft officially launched Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Pro League, a global tournament for Windows and Xbox One players. The first season was held at the Intel Extreme Masters tournament in March 2016, with PENTA Sports winning the championship in May 2016. In 2017, the Pro League returned but without Xbox One tournaments. Ubisoft also held Six Invitational tournaments in 2017 and 2018, with the 2018 event attracting 321,000 viewers on Twitch. Critics compared the game favorably to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, hoping it could become a top esports title. Rainbow Six Siege Year 3 Season 4 was announced in November 2018 and set in Morocco.
The Six Invitational 2020 in February 2020 had the largest prize pool in Rainbow Six history, with $3 million split among 16 teams. The winners, Spacestation Gaming, received $1 million. This event also marked the end of the Pro League and introduced a new points-based system for competitive play, similar to Dota 2 and League of Legends.
Over 10 years, the game has had 40 seasons of downloadable content. Most seasons included bug fixes, new maps, reworked maps, and one or two new operators. The first season, Operation Black Ice, began in February 2016. The game is currently in its 40th season, Operation Tenfold Pursuit, which is the fourth season of Year 10. There are currently 27 maps across four game modes and 76 operators to choose from.
Reception
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to Metacritic, a website that collects and summarizes game reviews.
Critics praised the game's multiplayer mode. Chris Carter from Destructoid said the game's open-ended design made matches unpredictable and kept the experience fresh even after long play sessions. Scott Butterworth from GameSpot appreciated how the game allowed players to use creativity when completing missions. James Davenport from PC Gamer described the game as a "psychological race" where players must outthink opponents. Ryan McCaffery from IGN praised the game's tactical options, which made matches "tense and riveting." Both Carter and Matt Bertz from Game Informer said the variety of operators (characters players can choose) added depth and allowed players to experiment with different team combinations. However, McCaffery noted that the game had few different modes, and many players ignored the objectives in these modes, focusing instead on eliminating opponents.
Terrorist Hunt, one mode in the game, received mixed opinions. Carter said it was relaxing, while Butterworth found it exciting. Bertz criticized it for lacking variety, weak artificial intelligence, and being less intense than player-versus-player modes. Martin Robinson from Eurogamer added that the mode ran at 30 frames per second, which limited its appeal.
The game's focus on tactics was praised. Bertz said the game encouraged communication between players, but noted that teamwork could be difficult without a microphone and headphones. Arthur Gies from Polygon agreed, saying the game relied heavily on teamwork, which could make it frustrating if players did not communicate. Butterworth praised the "No Respawn" system, which made matches feel intense because players could not return after being eliminated. Jonathon Leack from Game Revolution liked the scouting phase of matches, which encouraged communication and coordination. However, Gies said the placement of game objectives did not change much, making the scouting phase less meaningful. Bertz and Butterworth both said the game's competitive nature increased its replay value. Ben Griffin from GamesRadar praised the destruction mechanic, which added tactical depth to the game.
The gameplay received mixed reviews. Bertz and Griffin criticized the game's hit detection system, which made the experience unfair. Bertz called the gunplay "serviceable," while Leack said there was a delay in shooting that slowed the game's pace and made it harder to learn. Leack appreciated the map design, which offered many possibilities, and praised the attention to detail and sound design, which made matches feel like "great action films." Bertz said the lack of customization options limited long-term progression for players. Butterworth criticized the slow progression system, which forced players to use a generic "recruit" character early in the game. He also said weapon customization options had little impact on gameplay. McCaffery called customization the "least interesting" part of the game, saying many features were locked at the start. Griffin, Gies, and Steven Burns from VideoGamer.com were upset about microtransactions, which allowed players to buy cosmetic items. Davenport said these features were limited to cosmetic items and could be earned through gameplay. Bertz said the lack of clan support made it harder for players to find matches, while Griffin said map rotations felt random and wished players could vote on which maps to play.
Single-player mode was generally seen as disappointing. Carter said the "Situations" mode was one of his favorite non-campaign additions because it gave players incentive to return. Butterworth called it "surprisingly robust" and said it had good tutorial missions. However, Bertz said it lacked replay value, and Griffin noted its short length. McCaffery said it was a good tutorial but did not allow players to practice teamwork or tactics. Davenport criticized the story in "Situations" as unimportant. Many critics said the game lacked a single-player campaign or cooperative mode, but Butterworth believed the strong multiplayer mode made up for this. Gies said network issues sometimes affected the single-player experience.
Most critics had a positive view of the game overall. Bertz said the multiplayer design was strong but not fully used because of limited modes. Leack said the game's focus on tactics made it unique. Butterworth called it a one-of-a-kind game despite minor issues. Griffin said the game felt fresh because few games focused on tactics. Davenport praised the game's focus on gameplay design, calling it one of the best tactical multiplayer shooters. Gies said the game had potential but was overshadowed by technical issues, a frustrating progression system, and limited content. Robinson praised the multiplayer mode and said the game could be the best of the year, though he questioned Ubisoft for releasing it with little content at full price. By December 2020, the game had more than 70 million registered players.
In May 2015, Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, said the game would outsell Far Cry 4's seven million sales due to post-launch support. At launch, the game reached number six on the UK Software Charts, selling 76,000 retail copies across all platforms. Critics said the launch performance was weak, but the player base doubled over time. After the release of the third DLC, "Skull Rain," in summer 2016, the player base increased by 40%, and the game had over 10 million registered players. Two years after launch, it remained in the UK's top 40 best-selling retail games. The success of Siege, along with Tom Clancy's The Division (2016) and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017), increased the Tom Clancy franchise's total players to 44 million in 2017. In August 2017, Ubisoft announced the game had passed 20 million players, with 2.3 million daily players. Two years after launch, Ubisoft said the game had passed 25 million players.