It’s wild to think that Ubisoft launched Rainbow Six Siege ten years ago, and completely changed what the franchise was known for. With how the industry and gamers have reacted to live service games over the years, Rainbow Six Siege, one of the earliest ones, is still widely popular and trucks along all these years later. Now, to celebrate the tenth year of the game, Ubisoft is changing things up with a new version of the game called Siege X which is introducing a load of new things to the game including a new 6v6 mode that we got to go hands on with earlier this month.
This new 6v6 mode is aptly named Dual Front and changes things up to where both teams are attacking and defending points on the map. This mode will be played on the largest map ever introduced in the game. From playing it, Dual Front is a lot of fun. Not only are you strategizing about how to attack and capture enemy points, but you also have to decide who will defend your own points as your entire team can’t focus on one objective. The map itself is divided into three lanes: one for attacking, one for defending, and one bigger neutral area. The attacking and defending sides are similarly set up so there’s no inherent advantage to one side. You can cut through the neutral zone at any time to either lane or to complete bonus objectives that appear throughout a match. Dual Front matches also don’t take overly long to complete either as each round we played took about twenty minutes or so. This also gives you plenty of time to get back into the game if one team gains a lead early.
Dual Front also allows you to pick from a decently sized pool of the game’s Operators, so you get to choose which playstyle of attacking or defending fits you best. Plus, each time you die and respawn, you are able to pick a different Operator when getting back in the game. Thus, this allows for more strategy of going back to help your team defend or attack each time you jump back in. It was also stated the the pool of Operators will change on a monthly basis, so the game mode doesn’t look to get stale as time goes on.
Dual Front isn’t the only new thing Ubisoft is introducing with Siege X. The game is being updated in a variety of other ways as well including new visuals, gameplay mechanics, and more. The developers wanted to evolve the game without distracting from what made the game special in the first place. Gamplay has been updated to introduce destructible hazards throughout the maps. These include fire extinguishers that when shot shoot smoke that can be used as cover and then explode which can concuss nearby players or gas pipes that can be shot and lit aflame blocking off entrances to rooms and causing damage to players.
Then, there’s the visual upgrade Siege X is bringing. Upon launch, five maps are getting a visual overhaul including Border, Clubhouse, Chalet, Bank, and Kafe. Then, three additional maps will get overhaul with every update. Audio is also being enhanced with Siege X. Sounds will reverberate better depending on the room you’re in as well as sound will pass through walls making it easier to hear where an enemy is coming from.
The biggest thing coming with Siege X is a new on boarding process. The developers want the game to be easier for new players so the game is fun while they learn and improve. They are doing this by introducing making some of the game free to access and updating playlists to include some with bots. The higher end modes like Ranked and the Cups will be gated to those who purchase the full game as well as most Operators. However, free to access players will be able to have access to the tutorial modes, Quick Match, and Dual Front as well as being able to play with 26 of the game’s Operators.
Overall, the introductions to the game look to keep Rainbow Six Siege going strong as it enters its second decade of life. The Dual Front 6v6 mode is engagingly fun and is sure to be a hit for both veterans and new players alike. Siege X will launch as part of Season 2 of Year 10 of the game.