Ubisoft has announced Rainbow Six Siege X, the next iteration of the multiplayer shooter, set to launch at the start of Year 10 Season 2 on June 10. To avoid confusion with the anticipated Rainbow Six Siege 2, this update introduces numerous modifications to Rainbow Six Siege, both large and small. Key features include the first new permanent game mode since release, the 6v6 Dual Front, which aims to deliver a fresh tactical experience for long-time players, along with a friendly mode aimed at helping newcomers ease into the game.
Before the major reveal, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours playing Dual Front, in addition to the traditional 5v5 mode on updated versions of existing maps, which have significantly improved lighting and textures, along with several other refinements to the core mechanics. While the name and setup might resemble other live-service games receiving major updates as sequels, like Overwatch 2, Siege X is more focused on bringing a decade-old shooter up to modern standards, all while preserving the excitement along the way.
Dual Front injects faster-paced action into Siege
Dual Front is a brand-new permanent 6v6 mode debuting with Rainbow Six Siege X when the update goes live. This mode features one large map, with two lanes on each side and a control zone in the center. Each lane consists of two sectors, which act as small maps, leading into the enemy team’s stronghold. Teams will be challenged to take control of the enemy sectors, one at a time, while simultaneously defending their own. How you choose to organize your team of six is up to you, and when players are eliminated, they will respawn after approximately a 30-second wait. Upon respawning, you even have the option to switch operators, with a mix of offensive and defensive operators available. Matches are expected to last around 20-25 minutes, with a maximum of 30 minutes, consistent with my experience during gameplay. A match can end significantly sooner if one team advances through the sectors with minimal resistance.
Although the mode may sound daunting on paper, in practice it’s a streamlined version of Siege. Each sector contains a small structure, like a gas station or firehouse, which functions as the objective. These sectors are also structurally mirrored, ensuring that each team has the exact same objectives, though each side of the map has slight variations in layout. Each team only has one active sector at a time, which helps focus the action into a more confined area. These sectors feature several possible bomb sites, with one randomly selected at the beginning of the match. During my time playing Dual Front, I found this mode offered many new strategies not present in the traditional 5v5 format.
In our initial match, the team divided into groups of three, one focused on offense and the other on defense. The opposing team employed a similar strategy, but after we captured the first enemy sector, they shifted to having more team members on defense, which allowed us to send some defenders to assist with the attack. You can quickly traverse from one side of the map to the other by moving through the central control zone, although you risk encountering enemy players. You also have the option to navigate through your own sectors for a safer, albeit longer, route, but nothing prevents you from dashing from one objective to another as needed.
The tactical element comes into play when you consider how many players on the opposing team are focused on each objective. At the start of the second match, we sent five players on the attack and left one on defense. This strategy proved effective for the initial sectors, as their defense wasn’t prepared for that many attackers, and the shooters didn’t know how many defenders were guarding our objective, causing them to play too cautiously against just one defender.
A notable new twist is that the operator restrictions are not divided by offense and defense. Dual Front will feature a pool of operators—35 when Siege X launches—that will rotate twice per season. Creative Director Alexander Karpazis informed me that the number is not set in stone, with plans to significantly shift the operator pool and incorporate varied synergies, ensuring the mode feels different with each passing season.
I chose Frost, a defensive operator capable of placing traps that can incapacitate enemies who trigger them. After pushing forward on offense and securing control of their sector, we had to defend it for a brief period while the capture meter increased. With a defensive operator and access to wall reinforcements, I was able to secure the objective for our team, quickly transitioning from offense to defense.
Regarding future plans for Dual Front, Karpazis mentioned that while the current intention is to alter the map slightly with each season using different operator pools, depending on community feedback about Dual Front, there could be additional maps and potentially a ranked mode in the future.
Dual Front also provided me a glimpse of some new features coming with Siege X that will also appear in the traditional 5v5 mode. Rappelling has been enhanced, allowing players to move along the sides of buildings and navigate around corners. New “Destructible Elements” have been added to the environment, creating unique opportunities. For example, fire extinguishers are now present, which create a smoke cover when shot and can concuss nearby players. Additionally, gas pipes can erupt in flames when shot before exploding, temporarily blocking paths or damaging nearby objects. These elements can be found throughout the Dual Front map and the updated 5v5 maps.
Updated 5v5 maps and ranking improvements
Rainbow Six Siege X will also feature five revamped maps: Clubhouse, Chalet, Bank, Kafe, and Border. The updated formula contains significant visual enhancements, although the structural layouts remain unchanged. The overall structure, including bomb sites, is the same, but the aesthetic feels considerably different due to various improvements.
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The three most crucial enhancements involve textures, lighting, and audio. Regarding textures, the vast majority of surfaces have had their resolutions increased by twofold, enhancing details within the environments. There will likely be an optional 4K texture update for PC users, allowing those with high-end systems to experience even sharper visuals. This is combined with a new lighting system designed to provide more realistic shadows and illumination. As a result, this significantly transforms the overall appearance of the maps. Not only are elements like the brick walls of Clubhouse much sharper in detail, but the new lighting system allows the red bricks to appear more vibrant.
All these improvements create a noticeable and significant refresh on the maps. While much of this might not directly affect gameplay, certain aspects do have an impact. For example, the new lighting system produces more intricate and realistic shadows for players. It also means that players can see their own shadows, which is vital since standing too close to a doorway could cast a shadow into the adjacent room, potentially revealing your position.
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The enhancements to audio also contribute significantly. The key advancements in this area are directionality, reverb, and sound dampening. Now, when gunshots or footsteps are perceived, it’s much clearer from which direction—both horizontally and vertically—they are originating. In Dual Front, I found myself in a position to make much clearer callouts to my teammates after I detected nearby enemies, owing to the enhanced sound quality. The reverb now adjusts according to the size of the room, and gunfire heard through walls is more muted, making it simpler to discern not only the direction of a sound but also whether it came from another room. In a strategic, tactical shooter like Siege, audio quality is extremely crucial, and these enhancements were immediately noticeable during matches.
Siege X is debuting with five updated maps; however, Ubisoft confirmed that, each season, three additional maps will receive upgrades. Beginning in Year 11, brand-new maps featuring these elements will start to be introduced regularly as well.
New player onboarding and classic rewards
Part of the vision for Siege X is to create another opportunity for brand-new players to enter the multiplayer shooter sphere. Dual Front, a mode with respawns, plays a significant role in this initiative; however, Ubisoft is also likely to transition Siege to a “free-to-access” model. This model will enable players to join for free, providing a guided experience from level 1 to 20.
While the onboarding process will undoubtedly enhance the experience for new players, Karpazis acknowledged that the entry barrier can’t be entirely eliminated, given that Siege features over 75 operators, each with unique abilities to master. There will still be a steep learning curve for newcomers; however, the hope is that this more structured introduction will alleviate some of that challenge.
This onboarding experience will unlock new modes, tutorials, and operators as players level up, with a total of 26 operators available during this progression. Free players can experience all that Siege has to offer, with two exceptions: Ranked mode and the Siege Cup, which are competitive tournaments representing the most intense gameplay Siege has. Unranked, TDM, Dual Front, and various other modes will be accessible to free players, without any time limits or restrictions. Karpazis indicated that he anticipates many players will enjoy the game entirely for free, though it should be emphasized that free players will still have the option to make microtransactions for new operators and cosmetics.
Karpazis conveyed that this new model makes it simpler than ever for newcomers to try out Siege, with Dual Front serving as a primary mode to attract them, all without diminishing the Ranked experience of Siege. He stated that the cost to access Ranked mode and the Siege Cup remains unchanged from its current price—$20 USD, though often available at a discount. He also noted that this approach could help reduce Smurfing—creating new accounts to play in lower-ranked lobbies—a challenge that many free-to-play shooters have struggled to tackle.
Ranked mode will also receive a minor adjustment to how operator bans function. Instead of teams making multiple bans at the start of a match, each team will simultaneously ban one operator before each round, shortening the time it takes.