If you‘ve had your eye on Rainbow Six Siege for a while but haven‘t taken the plunge, I have great news for you! Ubisoft is making the full game free to play from March 9-16, 2023. This free week gives you a solid 7 days to experience everything Siege has to offer.
As a gaming enthusiast and Rainbow Six expert, I couldn‘t be more excited about this upcoming free period. It‘s the perfect chance for new recruits to get hands-on with one of the most thrilling competitive shooters out there. In this guide, I‘ll give you a full overview of what to expect during the free week event.
What‘s included in the free version?
The free version gives you unlimited access to all of Rainbow Six Siege‘s content and modes, including:
- All 22 maps and growing map pool
- All 65 operators from Tom Clancy‘s Rainbow Six universe
- Multiplayer modes: Quick Match, Unranked, Newcomer, Ranked
- Solo/co-op modes: Situations PVE, Training Grounds
- Limited-time events and Arcade mode
- Full progression system – level up and earn rewards
You‘ll have as much gameplay available as players who purchased the game! Ubisoft holds free weekends like this 4-5 times per year to give potential new fans a risk-free trial.
Your stats, progress, unlocked items, and any purchased in-game currency will carry over if you decide to buy the full game later. So you aren‘t starting from scratch if you choose to continue after the free period.
Here are some quick stats on how much content is available during the free week:
Content | Amount |
---|---|
Maps | 22 |
Operators | 65 |
Weapons | 210+ |
Weapon Attachments | 550+ |
With so much to experiment with, 7 days is just enough time to get a taste of the possibilities!
What platforms can access the free version?
The free event is available on all of Rainbow Six Siege‘s supported platforms:
- PlayStation 4
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox One
- Xbox Series X|S
- PC
No platform is left out from joining the fun.
Crossplay is enabled between PlayStation/Xbox and PC/Luna players. So you can squad up with friends who are gaming on compatible platforms. Keep in mind that crossplay is not possible between PC and console.
How much does Rainbow Six Siege cost normally?
If you end up loving the game after the free period and want to keep your progression, here is what to expect for pricing:
- Standard Edition – $39.99
- Deluxe Edition – $59.99
- Ultimate Edition – $99.99
The Deluxe Edition includes bonus premium currency and cosmetics. The Ultimate Edition contains even more premium currency and all Year 1 operators unlocked instantly.
I recommend watching for frequent sales and deals that discount these prices, sometimes up to 75% off! The Standard Edition can be snagged for $10-15 when on sale.
If you anticipate playing for the long haul, the best value is the Year Pass at $29.99. This pass grants you instant access to all operators released that year, saving you from grinding to unlock them individually.
As a beginner, the Standard Edition is a perfect starting point. You can always upgrade later or purchase specific in-game cosmetics and currency.
What are the system requirements for PC?
Rainbow Six Siege requires a moderately powerful PC to run well. The minimum and recommended system requirements are:
Component | Minimum | Recommended |
---|---|---|
CPU | Intel Core i3 560 @ 3.3 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 945 @ 3.0 GHz | Intel Core i7-4790K @ 3.6 GHz or AMD Ryzen R5 1600 @ 3.2 GHz |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5870 (DirectX-11 compliant with 1GB of VRAM) | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480 (DirectX-11 compliant with 4GB of VRAM) |
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
Storage | 61 GB free space | 61 GB free space |
OS | Windows 7, 8.1, 10 (64-bit) | Windows 10 (64-bit) |
As you can see, a decent mid-range or better modern gaming PC should be able to run Siege admirably. The file size is quite large at 61GB, so console players should take note and clear sufficient storage.
How difficult is Rainbow Six Siege for newcomers?
As an experienced player myself, I‘m often asked "How hard is Rainbow Six Siege to learn?" by newcomers.
It‘s true that Siege has a high skill ceiling – the top levels of competitive ranked play demand sharp skills and extensive knowledge. However, getting started as a new player is no more difficult than other modern competitive shooters.
The fundamentals like aiming, movement, and map awareness translate over from any FPS background. I always recommend new players stick to casual Quick Match at first. This allows you to learn the basics against others of similar skill.
Here are some tips I give new players to quickly grasp the core gameplay:
- Play both Attacker and Defender – This teaches you both sides of the asymmetric gameplay
- Try every Operator – Learn their unique gadgets and playstyles
- Communicate – Callouts win matches in Siege, so use your mic
- Watch Killcams – Analyze how you got eliminated
- Know the Maps – Map knowledge is critical as you can destroy environments
Learning destruction, vertical play, operator abilities, and other advanced tactics will come naturally over time. Have fun experimenting during the free week!
What is the time commitment for matches?
One of Rainbow Six Siege‘s appeals is that matches don‘t require a massive time commitment compared to games like League of Legends or DOTA 2. Here are the average match length estimates:
- Quick Match (Casual): 15-25 minutes
- Unranked: 20-30 minutes
- Ranked: 25-35 minutes
Matches in the main multiplayer modes go by quickly, usually less than half an hour. This allows you to play a few matches per session without it dominating your entire evening.
That said, once you are hooked on Siege it‘s easy to lose track of time playing "just one more match!"
Will Rainbow Six Siege ever stop receiving updates?
One concern potential newcomers often have is whether Rainbow Six Siege is still actively supported.
The answer is a resounding yes! Ubisoft has committed to keeping Siege alive and evolving for at least 10 years.
The game originally released in 2015 and is now entering its 8th year of ongoing support. Major content drops and improvements come every 3 months along with regular new limited-time events and cosmetics.
As of 2024, Siege shows no signs of slowing down. The playerbase recently hit a new all-time high of players according to Ubisoft.
So rest assured that if you buy Rainbow Six Siege today, you can expect abundant ongoing support into the future.
Ready to breach? Give the free version a shot!
There you have it – a fully detailed overview of everything you need to know about the upcoming Rainbow Six Siege free access event.
I highly recommend jumping in during the free week from March 9-16 to experience Siege‘s intense 5v5 competitive and tactical gameplay for yourself.
Now you know exactly what‘s included, what it costs normally, how the crossplay works, what hardware you need, and what the learning curve is like.
So squad up with friends or go solo and breach into the free trial! You have nothing to lose and a fantastic new tactical shooter to gain. See you in the matches! Let me know if you have any other Siege questions.