Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six (R6) Siege is one of the most hardcore online tactical shooter video games there is, so it’s no wonder many are getting a thrill out of the news that it’s having a mobile version. Aptly named Rainbow Six Mobile, its Closed Alpha was rolled out to a very few players in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada on May 3 – 25. The content was just a bite-size of what the actual game will be as the Alpha test only focused on its core gameplay mechanics. But as early as now, we can say that Ubisoft was able to deliver the R6 Siege experience to the smaller screen as they have promised.
R6 Mobile will follow the footsteps of Call of Duty and Apex Legends which were both ported to mobile. If you missed the chance to join Rainbow Six Mobile’s Alpha test, here’s everything to know so far.
Also read: Best First Person Shooting Games
Rainbow Six Gameplay Preview
Rainbow Six has been modest regarding the modes people can play during its Alpha test, which include the Bomb and Secure Area. However, that did not stop them from putting the players’ tactical abilities to the test. Unlike in other multiplayer first-person shooting games, like Call of Duty Mobile, players of R6 Mobile will only be able to pick their operator and loadout once the map has been revealed. This gives them the opportunity to strategize their team composition according to their playstyle and what the situation requires.
Both the Bomb and Secure Area game modes are 5v5 PvP, putting a total of 10 players in the arena. Both also feature the attackers versus defenders format that is also present on Rainbow Six Seige.
Bomb
The Bomb is best-of-three gameplay where the attacking team must disarm a bomb on the map within 3 minutes using a defuser. When its carrier is downed, a teammate must pick up the defuser to carry on with the task. The opposing team, on the other hand, must prevent the other team from disarming the bomb.
What’s tricky, and also exciting, about this mode is the lack of respawn. When you die, you have to wait for the next round to rejoin the action. The teams will switch roles after each round, which will only end when the attackers defuse the bomb, all members of a team die, or the time runs out. The team who gets the most rounds will win.
Secure Area
Secure Area, on the other hand, is Rainbow Six Mobile’s version of capture the flag mechanics except there’s is only one area to control. In this gameplay mode, the attacking team should locate and capture an objective room for a few seconds while the other team must prevent it from happening. The timer will stop when both teams are in the area.
The match has a four-minute time limit, but it will go into overtime for as long as the objective is being contested. It will only end when the attacking team secures the area or either of the team has been eliminated.
Available Operators in Rainbow Six Mobile
Out of 64 from R6 Seige, there were 18 available operators during the playtest of Rainbow Six Mobile. This is not the final roster, though, as Ubisoft may bring more player characters — if not all of them — on the official launch. Similar to the original game, these operators are also classified into two classes — Attackers and Defenders.
| Attackers | Defenders |
| Ash | Bandit |
| Glaz | Caveira |
| Hibana | Jager |
| Sledge | Kapkan |
| Thatcher | Mute |
| Thermite | Rook |
| Twitch | Smoke |
| Ying | Valkyrie |
| ATK Recruit | Def Recruit |
It’s time to reveal all the impressive statistics we’ve gathered from your many #R6M games.
You’ve all been ruthless! 61,000 total headshots! 🤯
Ash and Kapkan dominated the Closed Alpha by being the two most chosen Operators! pic.twitter.com/pcRFvNS7BO— Rainbow Six Mobile (@Rainbow6Mobile) May 27, 2022
In a Tweet after the Alpha test, Rainbow Six Mobile revealed that Ash and Kapkan are two of the most used operators during the period. This is no surprise for Ash as she has always been a valuable attacker for her speed, her ability to destroy defenders’ utility, and her small hitbox. Kapkan is a revelation, though. While he is okay in the lower tiers, it’s surprising that many players picked him over Smoke or even Bandit who are among the fan favorites in the original game.
R6 Mobile Overall Experience
Even in its unfinished state, Rainbow Six Mobile was able to emulate the experience one would get when playing the original title. Notwithstanding the low resolution and 30 FPS cap – as this is expected to improve on its final launching – R6 Mobile looks and feels like its older counterpart. It has familiar operators with their specialist gadgets; even the map and play modes are something that existing R6 players know all too well.
Rainbow Six Mobile has some changes too, one of which being the shorter matches. The original game would normally last at least 15 minutes because of its five maximum rounds per mode. This was cut down to three during the mobile version’s testing phase. Even the time limit for each round also decreased.
When Is the Release Date of Rainbow Six Mobile?
There’s no word from Ubisoft about the release date or release window of Rainbow Six Mobile. Closed Alpha is the first phase of game testing and a closed Beta should follow next. However, not a whiff of information has been revealed even for R6 mobile’s Beta test dates.
Balancing the gameplay after the test phase may take a while, so our conservative guess is that Rainbow Six Mobile may arrive in 2023. It will be available as a free-to-play game on Android and iOS.
For now, you can pre-register to Rainbow Six Mobile to get updates about its future early access.
