Best Changes Introduced In Rainbow Six Siege X

Summary

• Siege X introduces revamped lighting for a darker, grittier feel.
• The new audio system improves spatial awareness and tracking.
• Advanced rappel system and 6v6 Dual Front game mode added.

Rainbow Six Siege X introduces a major overhaul to the game’s lighting, audio, and mechanics, raising the stakes of what it truly means to play a team-based tactical shooter. As Rainbow Six Siege grew in scope over the last ten years, both in terms of gameplay meta and operator roster, the need to streamline the tactical experience became even more evident.

With Rainbow Six Siege X, Ubisoft addresses several complaints that players have had for a long time now, including operator bans, visual and audio improvements, and free access. Here are eight of the best changes introduced in Rainbow Six Siege X that offer a breath of fresh air to both veterans and newcomers alike.

8

Map Lighting Overhaul

Revamped Lighting Engine That Adds A Layer Of Grittiness To The Game’s Atmosphere

• Reminds Of Old Siege: The new lighting engine makes the game look darker and grittier while retaining clarity. In a way, the new lighting system will remind veterans of the familiar old feeling of playing Rainbow Six Siege during its initial years of release.

Graphical technology has improved drammatically in the last ten years, and Rainbow Six Siege had to catch up to industry standards, bringing the game in line with other competitive shooters. As part of the visual enhancement, Siege X will launch with four maps that benefit from improved lighting, changing the look and feel of these maps and making them grittier and darker.

Players can expect to see better reflections and shinier surfaces on these maps. With the launch of Siege X, the following maps will receive visual enhancements: Kafe Dostoyevsky, Chalet, Bank, and Clubhouse.

7

Revamped Audio

Improved Audio Tech Ensures Better Sound Propagation & Tracking

• Sharper Spatial Awareness: The revamped audio system ensures players can clearly distinguish enemies above, below, inside, or outside the map.

One of the longrunning player complaints in Rainbow Six Siege is the inconsistent sound propagation at times. Players will have difficulty determining whether the sound they hear is coming from above or below, leading to inaccurate judgment and round losses.

The new audio system aims to improve audio propagation and reverberation for better tracking of enemy locations. Sounds played in large halls, small rooms, inside the map, or outside will have distinct audio cues, offering players much-needed spatial awareness before committing to any action.

6

Advanced Rappel

Rappeling Windows Will Never Be The Same

• Dynamic Rappel Movement: Advanced rappel lets players run and loop around walls, giving them greater mobility and confidence when engaging enemies while rappelling.

Rappelling windows in Rainbow Six Siege has always been a gamble. Those rappelling have limited mobility and are easy to predict by veteran players. Rappelling players are also easily flanked by defender runouts. However, Siege X’s advanced rappel system allows players increased mobility and maneuverability while rappelling.

With the new rappel system, players can run along walls and loop around corners to quickly access chokepoints and reposition to hold flanks. The ability to quickly loop around buildings and access a new window to cut off escaping defenders would allow attackers better map control without even having to enter a building.

5

Dual Front Game Mode

6V6 Casual Game Mode

• Attackers & Defenders Unite: A permanent 6v6 mode where, for the first time, attacking and defending operators unite in low-stakes, casual matches.

Siege X introduces a brand new, permanent 6v6 Dual Front game mode that allows both attackers and defenders to team up for an interesting gameplay experience. The Dual Front mode is a modified version of the Domination game mode, often seen in Call of Duty. Dual Front games are set on a larger map called District, exclusive to this mode.

Unlike the traditional casual and ranked modes, operators are allowed to respawn in the Dual Front mode. A team is declared victorious if they manage to sabotage two map objectives. While Rainbow Six Siege had a few limited-time events where attackers and defenders collaborated in unique gameplay modes, they were often limited to using specific weapons or gadgets. However, in Dual Front, operators from both sides are free to use their full kit of equipment (weapons and gadgets) to create unique synergies.

4

Per Round Operator Bans

Teams Now Ban One Operator Each Side Per Round

• Fresh Bans Every Round: Per-round operator bans let teams strategically ban operators instead of locking them out of the match entirely.

One of the biggest drawbacks of the pick and ban system in Rainbow Six Siege was that some operators always ended up being banned from ranked games. Powerful operators like Jackal, Thatcher, and Mira were often banned from most matches, which led to rising discontent among players, especially those who enjoyed playing them.

The new per-round operator ban aims to alleviate the shortcomings of the old pick and ban system. In Siege X, each team gets to ban one attacker and one defender per round. The bans are cleared each time teams switch sides, and players can ban operators all over again.

3

Improved Destruction

Maps Are More Interactive With Destructible Items

• Destructible Map Elements: Maps laced with fire extinguishers and gas pipes that can be destroyed to cut off lines of sight or deny map control.

In Siege X, players can now find their favorite maps laced with destructible items, which Ubisoft refers to as destructible ingredients. These items include fire extinguishers and flammable gas pipes. Shooting fire extinguishers results in the nearby area being flooded by smoke, cutting off lines of sight. Any operator trapped in the explosion radius will also suffer a disorienting effect. Flammable pipes, when shot at, emit red flames that damage anyone trying to run past them. The flames slowly turn blue, and eventually, the pipe explodes, covering the nearby area with flames and denying access until the flames are out.

The new destructible ingredient element is a welcome addition to Siege X, offering a breath of fresh air to some of the popular maps that the community holds dear. In addition, metal detectors can now be disabled with EMP grenades and explosives, adding another layer of strategy to the game.

2

Communication Wheel

Effective Communication Without Reliance On Microphone

• Quick Communication Wheel: The new communication wheel lets players issue essential commands and ping locations without relying on voice chat, making team coordination smoother and more efficient.

Siege is best played when all five teammates have access to voice communication, enabling better coordination when executing a strategy. However, not everyone is comfortable using voice chat and often rely on text chat to get their message across. The communication wheel is a new addition coming in Siege X that aims to improve team communication and cohesion regardless of whether players have access to a microphone or not.

The communication wheel includes a bunch of common action terminologies, such as breach, clear, and thanks. Players can use the communication wheel to ping certain locations on the map and relay the information to everyone on the team.

1

Free Access To Siege

Siege Goes Free-To-Play, With Some Restriction

• Jump In For Free: Siege X becomes free, offering access to casual, arcade, and unranked game modes, with Ranked and Siege Cup reserved for level 50 players and those who opt for a premium upgrade.

Starting Year 10 Season 2, players can enjoy Siege X for free across all available platforms. However, they are limited to casual, arcade, Dual Front, and unranked game modes while using free access. Those who wish to test their mettle on the competitive side of Siege, like Ranked and Siege Cup, will need to first hit level 50 and then upgrade their accounts for a yet-to-be-announced premium price.

Players who are already at or above level 50 will not be required to upgrade their accounts. They can continue competing in Ranked and Siege Cup as usual. Veterans will also receive exclusive rewards (cosmetics) for having played Rainbow Six Siege in the last ten years.