Why Rainbow Six Siege Remains One of the Most Played Shooters

Why Rainbow Six Siege Remains One of the Most Played Shooters
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Introduction to Rainbow Six Siege

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in December 2015. Rainbow Six Siege puts heavy emphasis on environmental destruction and cooperation between players. It has received ongoing support since its release, with new operators, maps, and limited-time events added periodically.

Gameplay

Rainbow Six Siege is an asymmetric multiplayer game, pitting an attacking team against a defending team. Each team has access to different operators with unique gadgets and abilities. The attacking team must locate and defuse a bomb or secure a hostage controlled by the defenders within a time limit, while the defenders must prevent the attackers from achieving their objective. Players pick operators from over 50 options, each with a different playstyle.

Matches take place in a variety of environments called maps, each with a destructible terrain. Players can break structures like walls and floors using breach charges or sledges. Destruction is a core gameplay element that forces players to think tactically and changes the map's layout during a match. Defenders can fortify the environment using reinforcements.

Operators

Operators are the playable characters in Rainbow Six Siege, each with their own unique gadgets and abilities. There are four operator classes:

  • Attackers - Tasked with assaulting and securing the objective.
  • Defenders - Fortify their position and prevent the attackers from achieving their goal.
  • Recon - Gather intel on enemy positions.
  • Support - Provide utility and enhance team capabilities.

Some examples of popular operators:

  • Sledge - An attacker with a sledgehammer that can break soft walls and floors.
  • Jager - A defender who can deploy gadgets to intercept enemy projectiles.
  • IQ - A recon attacker who can detect enemy electronics.
  • Doc - A support defender who can heal teammates.

There are over 50 unique operators to choose from, each with their own loadout options. Players must coordinate operator selection to build effective team compositions.

Game Modes

Rainbow Six Siege features a variety of multiplayer game modes:

  • Bomb - Attackers must locate and defuse one of two bomb sites, while defenders must prevent them from doing so.
  • Secure Area - Attackers must capture a defended room, while defenders must prevent that from happening.
  • Hostage - Attackers must rescue a hostage from the defenders and safely escort them to an extraction point.
  • Tactical Realism - A hardcore variant of other modes with no user interface, reduced ammunition, and friendly fire enabled.

There are also limited-time event modes that provide unique challenges and objectives for players. Overall, the game offers tactical depth across objective-based PvP multiplayer modes.

Ranked Play

For competitive players, Rainbow Six Siege features a ranked playlist. Players complete 10 placement matches each season to earn a rank, from Copper to Diamond. Ranks are based on skill level rather than playtime. Ranked matches are in a best-of-9 format, where teams switch between attack and defense between rounds. Players are matched with others of similar skill.

Ranked play features skill-based matchmaking, abandoned match penalties, and other competitive systems. Players can track their rank on leaderboards and work their way up from Copper to Diamond each season.

Rainbow Six Siege's Ongoing Support

Rainbow Six Siege sets itself apart from other shooters with ongoing long-term support from Ubisoft. Since its 2015 launch, Siege has received:

  • 19 seasons of new content and features
  • Over 50 operators added through DLC
  • 26 maps added for free
  • Limited-time events and arcade playlists
  • Performance improvements and reworks

This constant stream of new content has kept the game feeling fresh for dedicated players. Each season introduces new operators that shift the meta and provide more strategy options. New maps expand the environments available for matches. Overall, Rainbow Six Siege's long-term support has allowed it to outlive most multiplayer shooters.

Anti-Cheat Efforts

Like any competitive multiplayer game, Rainbow Six Siege has had to deal with cheaters and hackers. However, Ubisoft has made anti-cheat efforts a priority:

  • Implementing BattlEye and Easy Anti-Cheat systems
  • Regular ban waves targeting cheating accounts
  • Legal action taken against cheat sellers
  • Improved systems for manually reviewing suspicious accounts

While no anti-cheat is perfect, Ubisoft has worked to improve the playing experience for legitimate players. Cheating remains an ongoing issue, but is not as severe as some other popular shooters.

Esports Scene

Rainbow Six Siege has developed a thriving esports scene since its launch. The Rainbow Six Pro League features the world's top professional teams competing for prize money. There are also Majors, international LAN tournaments with large prizes. Some highlights:

  • Top players can make salaries from organizations
  • Over $3 million awarded in official tournaments
  • Viewership records set for Siege esports events
  • Organizations like G2 Esports, Team Liquid, Fnatic, and more field teams

Rainbow Six Siege's tactical competitive gameplay translates well to the esports environment. The Pro League provides regular competition between top-tier teams.

Why Rainbow Six Siege is Still Going Strong

Most multiplayer shooters fail to maintain a large active playerbase beyond the first year. But Rainbow Six Siege has bucked this trend, remaining one of the most played shooters over 7 years after launch. There are several reasons for its longevity:

  • The asymmetric gameplay offers strategic depth, especially with the growing operator roster.
  • Environment destruction forces tactical adaptability not found in other shooters.
  • Regular updates keep the meta fresh and add new content.
  • Strong anti-cheat support for a fair playing field.
  • Ranked mode provides competitive gameplay for dedicated players.
  • An esports scene where the top professionals compete for millions.

Rainbow Six Siege found a dedicated audience that continues to play years later. Few other games manage to maintain such engagement past their launch window. For tactical shooter fans, Siege offers an unparalleled experience with ongoing support.

FAQs

What are the different game modes in Rainbow Six Siege?

The main multiplayer game modes are Bomb, Secure Area, and Hostage. There is also a Tactical Realism variant. Limited-time event modes are added periodically to spice things up.

How many operators are there in Rainbow Six Siege?

As of 2024, there are over 50 unique operators to choose from across attacking and defending roles. New operators are regularly added through DLC seasons.

Is Rainbow Six Siege pay to win?

No, Rainbow Six Siege is not pay to win. All gameplay affecting content like operators can be unlocked just by playing. Microtransactions are only for cosmetic items.

What anti-cheat does Rainbow Six Siege use?

Rainbow Six Siege uses BattlEye and Easy Anti-Cheat to detect cheaters and hackers. Ubisoft also manually reviews accounts and issues ban waves against cheating players.

Can you play Rainbow Six Siege single player?

There are limited single player options like Terrorist Hunt, but Rainbow Six Siege is primarily focused around online multiplayer. There is no true campaign mode for solo players.

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