adminRainbow Six Siege has reached 100 million players, a milestone built over a decade of updates, competitive play and changes designed to welcome newcomers. The tactical shooter launched in 2015 at a time when live-service games were still taking shape, and its multiplayer-only approach made its long-term prospects uncertain. Ubisoft’s François-Xavier Deniele explains how ongoing development, esports and new ways to access the game have helped it endure.
Image credit: Ubisoft
How Rainbow Six Siege grew into a long-running live-service game
Before release, Rainbow Six was known largely for single-player and player-versus-environment experiences. Siege instead focused on multiplayer, a choice that stood out when many major shooters still included a single-player campaign. The planned November 2015 launch was postponed following the Paris attacks, and the game arrived a month later to positive reviews but initially modest sales. Early server problems added to the uncertainty.
Ubisoft continued supporting the game with new content, technical fixes and a growing esports scene. The effort has paid off: the company announced 70 million players in 2020, and the total had reached 100 million by February 2026.
Deniele, Ubisoft’s vice president of marketing and esports for Rainbow Six Siege, says that positive feedback from pre-release tests helped the team believe in the game’s potential. The alpha and beta sessions gave players repeated opportunities to try it, and Ubisoft maintained its support after launch.
Image credit: Ubisoft
What keeps players engaged over time?
Siege was among the early major releases to rely on a continuing service model. Instead of treating launch as the end of development, the team had to manage servers, balance gameplay and deliver fresh content while the game remained active. Deniele describes this as a demanding shift: developers need to update a live product without disrupting the experience for players.
Content has arrived on a regular schedule, with the team working toward updates roughly every three months. Development also involves considering player feedback and keeping the game stable enough for fair competition around the world. The work does not become effortless with experience, since the team must respond to changing player expectations and new competitors.
Content creator David Ralph points to the game’s variety as a key part of its appeal. Operators have distinct weapons and gadgets, giving players different roles to learn and strategies to explore. For newcomers, taking time to understand a few operators before expanding to more complex playstyles can make the learning curve easier to manage.
Image credit: Ubisoft
Balancing new players with long-time fans
A decade-old multiplayer game must attract new users while giving established players reasons to stay. Deniele says both goals matter. Ubisoft tracks whether players remain interested after joining, including at a point it calls Day 28, when the company looks at whether new players have continued with the game.
Regular updates and esports help show players what they can work toward, but Siege’s depth can also be intimidating. As more content and operators are added, understanding the choices and interactions requires greater knowledge. Ubisoft has therefore made onboarding a priority.
Launched in June 2025, Rainbow Six Siege X is the modernised version of the original game. New players begin with a limited selection of characters and unlock additional operators as they play. This gradual introduction is intended to make the range of abilities easier to learn rather than presenting every option at once.
Free Access and the challenge of onboarding
Ubisoft also introduced Free Access, a limited free-to-play option. Letting players try part of the game lowers the cost of entry and can help it reach new regions and younger audiences. However, free access means some people may sample the game briefly and leave, so the introductory experience needs to give them a clear sense of what makes Siege distinctive.
The free version does not include every feature. Players who want ranked play or access to higher levels need to pay. Ubisoft says this limited approach also helps address a common free-to-play concern: users who enter only to disrupt matches can get in easily when there is no purchase requirement. New players can make the most of the trial by learning the basics and a small set of operators before deciding whether to progress further.
Image credit: Ubisoft
Esports, Tencent and the next phase
Esports gives experienced players a competitive stage and helps promote the game, but sustaining the wider scene also matters. Through the Rainbow Six Sharing Programme, Ubisoft shares revenue with clubs to help support the ecosystem. A stable competitive environment benefits teams and players as well as the game itself.
Ubisoft’s Vantage Studios, backed by Tencent, brings Rainbow Six together with major company franchises including Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. Deniele says the arrangement keeps the team within Ubisoft while giving it a more focused leadership structure and closer access to expertise. He also sees Tencent’s knowledge as a potential resource for growing the franchise.
Ubisoft is preparing a mobile version of Rainbow Six Siege, scheduled for release on February 27. The mobile edition could introduce the tactical shooter to new players and regions, including China. The company has also continued brand collaborations, such as the announced Solid Snake Operator.
Despite new platforms and technology, Deniele says the game’s identity remains central to its plans: five-versus-five close-quarters combat, tactical decisions and destructible environments. He also notes that AI could have a role in areas such as training, while emphasising that its use needs careful consideration.
Conclusion: Rainbow Six Siege’s future
Rainbow Six Siege reached 100 million players by combining a distinctive tactical format with years of live updates, competitive support and efforts to make the game more approachable. Its continued growth will depend on keeping the experience fair and engaging for long-time players while helping newcomers learn its systems. For players starting now, the limited operator selection and gradual progression offer a practical way to get familiar with the game before exploring its full depth.
