Yes! From March 9-16, 2023, Tom Clancy‘s Rainbow Six Siege is completely free to play on PC. Ubisoft is running a special promotion that gives you full access to the entire game, including all maps, modes, and base operators. This free period is a great chance to experience everything Siege offers, whether you‘re a newcomer or returning player.
An Overview of Rainbow Six Siege
For those unfamiliar, Rainbow Six Siege is a 5v5 tactical multiplayer shooter pitting attackers against defenders. Teams take turns either protecting or assaulting an objective, using tactical positioning, operator abilities, gadgets, and destruction to gain the upper hand.
First released in 2015, Siege emphasizes teamwork, planning, and outmaneuvering your opponents. Over the years, Ubisoft has expanded the game with new maps, operators, and limited time modes. Siege now boasts over 75 operators drawn from counter-terrorism units around the world, each with their own abilities and gear to match a variety of playstyles.
Matches tend to be methodical and tension-filled, with players using sound, drones, and operator powers like wall hacks or decoys to outsmart their enemies. No two matches ever play out quite the same way thanks to the destructible environments and myriad of operator combinations.
The Standout Modes of Rainbow Six Siege
The free version includes access to all of Siege‘s multiplayer game modes:
- Quick Match – Queue up for casual public matches across all available maps.
- Unranked – Face off competitively without skill rankings on the line.
- Newcomer – Matches restricted to accounts under level 50 to help new players learn.
- Ranked – Compete for rank and skill ratings each season against similarly skilled opponents. Rounds are also longer with more objectives.
- Arcade – Rotating limited-time modes with unique rules and win conditions.
- Custom – Tailor matches to your preferences with custom game settings.
For players looking to get familiar with Siege before jumping into PVP, the Situations PVE mode pits you against enemy AI across 14 missions. And Terrorist Hunt offers co-op PVE missions to complete with friends.
With this variety of online and solo modes, both new and experienced players can find plenty of ways to enjoy Siege for free right now.
Siege‘s Skyrocketing Popularity and Lasting Appeal
Rainbow Six Siege has blossomed into one of the most popular multiplayer shooters around, with over 80 million registered players as of 2022. Siege initially struggled with mixed reviews at launch, but Ubisoft‘s long-term commitment to improving and expanding the game paid off. Let‘s look at some key stats that demonstrate Siege‘s immense popularity:
- Over 65,000 peak concurrent players on Steam in February 2023
- Top 10 game on Steam by current player count
- Record high of over 201,000 concurrent players in 2021
- Generated $600+ million in net bookings for Ubisoft in 2021-2022
A few factors contribute to Siege‘s staying power even 7+ years after launch:
- The steady release of new seasons bringing map reworks, operators, cosmetics, and limited modes.
- An enthusiastic esports scene with tournaments and leagues like the Six Invitational.
- A high skill ceiling with room for players to constantly improve at the tactical gameplay.
- Strong core gameplay loops and mechanics that remain fresh after thousands of hours.
Ubisoft‘s continued support paired with the community‘s passion for Siege points to a healthy future for the game for years to come.
Guidance for Getting Started with Rainbow Six Siege
If you‘re tempted to try out Rainbow Six Siege for the first time during the free period, here are some tips to help you get up to speed quickly:
- Play the Situations – The PVE scenarios teach you the basics from moving and shooting to using operators and gadgets.
- Find 1 or 2 operators to learn – Get comfortable with a couple attacker and defender operators before expanding your pool. Great beginner picks include Sledge, Ash, Rook, and Kapkan.
- Play a support role – When starting out, focus on supporting your team with intel gathering, callouts, and backing up fraggers.
- Utilize drone scouting – Attacker drones are perfect for surveying the objective room safely and marking enemies for your team.
- Adjust aim settings – Make sure you have the right sensitivity, aim assist, and scope settings dialed in. Start lower and increase with experience.
- Learn sound cues – With no respawns, sound is key for situational awareness. Listen for footsteps, destruction, gadgets deploying, etc.
- Stay positive – Like any competitive game, Siege has a learning curve. Focus on improving bit by bit each session.
With some patience and persistence, you‘ll be breaching and clearing with the best of them. Good luck out there!
Experiencing Siege on GeForce NOW
Don‘t have a gaming rig capable of running Siege smoothly? No problem! You can play the free version on GeForce NOW even on underpowered hardware like laptops and mobile devices.
GeForce NOW is Nvidia‘s cloud gaming service that runs games on their servers and streams the video to your local device. This allows you to play graphically demanding games without needing an expensive gaming PC.
With the free membership, you can play 1 hour sessions in 1080p at 60fps. Priority and premium memberships offer longer uninterrupted sessions, ray tracing support, and priority server access for $49.99-$99.99 a month.
GeForce NOW is supported on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, some smart TVs, and Nvidia‘s own Shield TV. All you need is a strong internet connection of at least 15Mbps. This makes it easy to continue that Siege match anywhere, whether on your phone at the doctor‘s office or laptop on the train.
Cloud gaming opens up Siege and other shooter favorites to a broader audience. See for yourself by signing up for GeForce NOW and playing the free version of Rainbow Six Siege today.
The Thriving Rainbow Six Siege Esports Scene
Beyond the core game itself, Rainbow Six Siege boasts a hugely popular competitive esports circuit. Pro leagues like the Rainbow Six Pro League feature the best Siege teams facing off for glory and prize money.
The game‘s steady growth as an esport is reflected in the prize pools and viewership numbers:
- The 2022 Six Invitational had a $2 million prize pool, up from just $167k in 2017.
- The most recent Six Invitational peaked at over 600,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch.
- Top teams like G2 Esports, Team Liquid, and Spacestation Gaming have dedicated Siege rosters.
The pros demonstrate high-level skill, coordination, and mastery of operators. Watching Rainbow Six esports is an excellent way to pick up new strategies and improve your own gameplay.
Between the intense matches and skilled casting, spectating Siege esports is thrilling even if you‘re unfamiliar with the intricacies. Give yourself a competitive edge by catching some pro league matches during your free trial.
Why Content Creators and Streamers Love Siege
In addition to the professional scene, Rainbow Six Siege has cultivated a robust community of content creators, streamers, and influencers. For personalities like Matimi0, Bikini Bodhi, and Anarchy, Siege provides endless opportunities for fun moments and wild plays to entertain their audiences.
Here‘s a peek at what some popular creators have said about their passion for Siege:
"Siege is just such a good combination of skill, strategy, and surprise that makes for entertaining gameplay both playing and watching." – Get_Flanked
"Even after playing for years, every match still feels fresh and different thanks to the destruction, operators, and team compositions." – Annemunition
"I love the constant post-launch support from Ubisoft bringing new and fun content which has given Siege such longevity." – Coconut Brah
"That feeling when you pull off an ace 1v5 clutch or stuck coordinated attack is so thrilling and rewarding." – Varsity Gaming
The personalities above along with other big community figures like Macie Jay, Braction, and KaosX prove there‘s an engaged audience hungry for Rainbow Six Siege content. The gameplay provides endless highlights for fans to enjoy.
Give Siege a Shot While You Still Can for Free!
This free play period is the perfect chance to dive into Rainbow Six Siege and experience the tactical gameplay for yourself. Grab the game now on Steam, Ubisoft Connect, or the Epic Games Store and be ready for intense firefights by March 16.
Veteran players can also take advantage of the free week to complete challenges and enjoy matches with friends old and new.
So don‘t hesitate! Dive into the planning phase, fortify your defenses, and breach the enemy lines while Rainbow Six Siege costs you nothing. You may just discover your new favorite competitive shooter.
