When Ubisoft said they’d be bringing Rainbow Six Siege into its next era, I didn’t expect them to go quite this hard. But as someone who has played Siege off and on since launch (and admittedly uninstalled it more than once), this “Siege X” relaunch genuinely caught my eye-for reasons that go way beyond just shinier graphics. With thousands of returning players, a new mode, and a very real sense that Siege just got its groove back, here’s why this is more than just a patch drop for one of PC gaming’s most enduring shooters.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Ubisoft |
| Release Date | June 10, 2024 |
| Genres | Multiplayer FPS, Tactical Shooter |
| Platforms | PC (Steam) |
Let’s start with the most visible change: Rainbow Six Siege X isn’t just a lazy logo swap or another numbered season. Ubisoft’s overhaul brings a striking facelift to staple maps—the kind that makes old dogs like me squint and actually notice new sightlines and environmental details. If you’d stopped playing because you were sick of memorizing “classic” layouts, here’s your excuse to jump back in. There’s real artistry in these reworked environments, and even if thin lighting tweaks alone won’t win over lapsed fans, the improved destructibility might.
Destruction has always been the ace up Siege’s sleeve, but for years, it boiled down to “blow up the walls, don’t stand by windows.” Siege X goes further—letting you shoot out environmental hazards for strategic plays. It’s not the full Red Faction: Guerrilla break-everything fantasy, but for Siege’s tightly balanced meta, it’s a big deal. Suddenly, a pipe or extinguisher might give away enemy positions or open up clutch new breach points. It feels like a deliberate move to keep Siege from becoming an ossified esport, and I can’t help but respect it.
But what really turns my head is the new 6v6 “Dual Front” mode. For years, competitive Siege has lived in a 5v5 world, and adding another operator per side means new tactics and new headaches (in a good way). This could either revitalize pro play or descend into chaos—but that’s what live games thrive on. Early sentiment is already positive, and the fact that player counts hit a 14-month high within hours says Ubisoft has tapped into something the Siege community actually wants.
Instead of strong-arming veterans to grind old achievements again, Ubisoft wisely opted to let veteran Siege players carry over all progress and cosmetics. Even better—if you’ve stuck with the game for years, you’ll unlock tenure rewards, giving long-time mains some well-deserved bragging rights. Compare that approach to, say, Overwatch 2’s legacy migration mess, and you can see why Siege’s community is responding with actual enthusiasm rather than a collective side-eye.
If you’re a new or lapsed player, Siege X is potentially the perfect re-entry point. A decade-on, the gunplay still holds up, and now the matchmaking surge means you’ll find games fast instead of languishing in empty lobbies. The free Steam release removes almost all the risk: dip in, test the new mode, and see for yourself what the fuss is about while player queues are popping off.
Look, we’ve seen plenty of live service relaunches land with a splat (anyone remember Battlefield 2042’s “rebuild”?). But Siege X already shows signs of genuinely listening to player feedback: meaningful visual upgrades, meta-changing destruction, a new mode that shakes up stale ranked play, and respect for existing investment. The sudden surge on Steam isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a sign that Siege X might actually have legs, instead of being marketing hot air.
My take? For the first time in years, Siege doesn’t feel like it’s coasting along on reputation. X is a gamble, but one that—so far—shows Ubisoft actually cares about the community’s faith instead of just milking microtransactions. If they keep this up with future updates (and maybe address long-standing issues like toxicity and queue dodging), Siege could once again be the gold standard for tactical shooters. Let’s see if that promise holds up a month from now, not just the morning after launch.
Ubisoft isn’t just slapping a new coat of paint on ten-year-old content. Rainbow Six Siege X feels like a genuine attempt to win players back with modern visuals, smarter destruction, and new ways to play—without erasing veterans’ progress. The early player surge isn’t just nostalgia; it’s proof that giving a damn about your audience still matters. Whether this momentum lasts will depend on how Ubisoft stewards future support, but for now, Siege X is the strongest comeback story the game has seen in years.