Rainbow Six Siege X is live! What it does for Ubisoft’s FPS and the space for competitive shooter gameplay
Ubisoft has officially launched Rainbow Six Siege X, the latest and greatest version of its extremely successful tactical shooter game. With the launch of Siege X, players are again re-investing both interest and excitement into the Rainbow Six franchise that has seen a plateau of activity for some time. This relaunch is somewhat of a sequel but also a complete revamp in terms of overall gameplay which has already seen an uptick in concurrent players from both gamers and the esports scene.
This article analyzes the launch of Rainbow Six Siege X, its context, the factors that pushed Ubisoft to release it, and how it may affect the company and FPS as a genre. We will examine its historical perspective, provide insights into the company’s various choices, and observe the potential domino effect to determine the significance of this release.
The original Rainbow Six Siege game was released in December 2015, and entered into a market that was geared toward very slow-paced games like Call of Duty and Overwatch but created its own space around slow-paced tactical gameplay, strategy, destructible environments, and operator-specific gadgets that created a niche fandom in the shooting genre, and a niche product for all that participated in it.
What is Rainbow Six Siege X?
While it is not a complete sequel in a traditional sense, Rainbow Six Siege X is described as a “soft reset.” It includes:
An engine and graphics overhaul using the Snowdrop engine, the engine used in recent Ubisoft games such as The Division.
A complete overhaul of the UI/UX to enhance Operator selection and setup for matches.
Rebalancing of legacy operators and weapons.
Cross play and cross progression across all platforms.
A new seasonal content roadmap implemented in conjunction with community involvement.
While the relaunch seems successful, it poses some fundamental questions.
- Longevity: Will the uptick in activity last beyond the honeymoon phase? We have seen other games like Battlefield 2042 have early boosts only to fall off drastically due to bugs and uninteresting gameplay loops.
- Either way, it could alienate legacy players: rebalancing legacy operators and fundamentally altering gameplay elements will potentially alienate some legacy players from the outset who will likely feel helpless that all their work to master the game or operators will no longer matter.
- Monetization model: Siege X operates with a hybrid monetization structure, including premium battle passes, cosmetic bundles, and earnable operator access. There is valid concern that they will pave the road toward a pay-to-win model if aspects like weapon skins or unlocks will alter gameplay viability.
The idea of “reviving” or “refreshing” legacy shooters is not a new concept. The reboot of Activision’s Modern Warfare in 2019 took the same steps—upgrading the engine, modern visuals, and a new take on gameplay—as Siege X. It became an immense success for Activision and resulted in the highest engagement levels for Call of Duty in several years.
On the other hand, Overwatch 2 tried to do the same but struggled tremendously with this shift, primarily due to an obnoxious monetization plan and lack of progression on gameplay. The takeaway: upgrading the tech must be paired with wrought value and proper systems for players otherwise they won’t stick around.
The Rainbow Six Siege X release is a pivotal moment neither for Ubisoft nor for any FPS game. As of this writing the reception appears overwhelmingly positive, yet sustaining this interest requires maintaining regular updates, balanced monetization, and the continued support of the community.
Assessing Ubisoft’s decision from both a historical and comparative perspective makes it abundantly clear that Siege X is more than just a stats upgrade, it is a gamble. The aim of the gamble is to reconnect to its prior glory in a relevant space, both in the gaming world, the FPS genre, and the, now burgeoning, tactical FPS space. Whether Siege X will mark the start of a new trend for frozen live-service titles to rejuvenate and come up for air is still up for debate, but Siege X’s potential as a flash in the pan remains open as well. What we know for sure is the Rainbow Six brand has successfully upped exposure right alongside a new, major update For now!
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