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Is Rainbow Six Siege Free to Play on PlayStation? Here‘s the Complete Lowdown

If you‘re a fan of tense, tactical first-person shooters, chances are you‘ve had your eye on Tom Clancy‘s Rainbow Six Siege. This innovative shooter has won over 90 million players with its unique gameplay focused on destruction, teamwork, and outsmarting the enemy.

But before jumping in, you may be wondering: is Rainbow Six Siege free to play on PlayStation?

The short answer is: unfortunately, no. Unlike popular free-to-play shooters like Fortnite or Apex Legends, Rainbow Six Siege requires purchase on all platforms, including PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. There is no full free version available.

However, that doesn‘t mean there aren‘t great options to get your hands on all the tactical action for free or at a serious discount with the right approach. Keep reading to get the full lowdown on playing Rainbow Six Siege on a budget.

Free Trial Options – Test Before You Buy

While Rainbow Six Siege isn‘t fully free, Ubisoft does offer limited-time free access so you can try before you buy:

  • Free Play Weekends: Periodically, Rainbow Six Siege is free to play for everyone on all platforms for a weekend. This usually coincides with new content updates or events. Progress carries over if you purchase the full game.

  • Game Trials: PlayStation sometimes offers 2 hour game trials to sample titles for free before buying. Check Rainbow Six Siege‘s PlayStation Store page to see if this option is available.

  • Buddy Pass: Players who own Rainbow Six Extraction can invite friends to play Siege for free for 14 days via Buddy Pass referrals. Great way to try before buying.

Taking advantage of these free trial periods is the best risk-free way to experience Rainbow Six Siege before committing money. You can get a great feel for the gameplay while having your progress saved if you decide to buy.

PlayStation Plus – Required for Online Play

To play Rainbow Six Siege online with others, you‘ll need an active PlayStation Plus membership, even if you purchase the game.

PlayStation Plus enables online multiplayer gaming across most PS4 and PS5 titles. So it‘s a mandatory subscription for those looking to play Rainbow Six Siege online.

The good news is you can often find discounted PS Plus membership deals. So be sure to shop around for the best rate from retailers like Amazon, Walmart, CDKeys, etc.

But PlayStation Plus does not grant free access to Rainbow Six Siege – you‘ll still need to purchase the game separately even with an active membership.

Editions Available – Standard, Deluxe, Operator, Ultimate

There are a few different editions of Rainbow Six Siege to choose from on PlayStation, ranging in price from $20 to $100:

  • Standard Edition – $19.99 on PS4/PS5. Includes the base game only.

  • Deluxe Edition – $39.99 on PS4/PS5. Base game plus early operator access, exclusive customization, and other bonuses.

  • Operator Edition – $79.99 on PS4/PS5. Deluxe edition content plus instant access to all Year 1-6 operators.

  • Ultimate Edition – $99.99 on PS4/PS5. All Operator Edition content plus extra currency, alpha packs, and VIP perks.

The entry-level Standard Edition provides the most affordable way to get full access to the core Rainbow Six Siege experience for under $20. But the higher editions offer more bonus content and instant operator unlocks for fans willing to spend more upfront.

Is Rainbow Six Siege Free with PlayStation Plus?

PlayStation Plus monthly free games are separate from the Premium/Extra game catalogs. Unfortunately, Rainbow Six Siege is not one of the monthly PlayStation Plus free games.

So a PS Plus membership does not grant free access to Rainbow Six Siege. You still need to purchase the game separately even with an active PS Plus subscription.

However, Rainbow Six Siege has been a monthly PS Plus game in the past, so it‘s possible it could be offered again in the future. But this is never guaranteed.

Your best bet is to add it to your PS Plus wishlist and keep an eye out for it rotating into the monthly free games lineup. But it‘s not currently available this way.

Can You Get Rainbow Six Siege Via PlayStation Now?

PlayStation Now is Sony‘s game streaming subscription service, similar to Xbox Game Pass. It offers a Netflix-style catalog of PS4/PS5 games to download or stream on-demand.

Previously, Rainbow Six Siege was included in the PlayStation Now lineup. However, as of November 2022, it has been removed and is no longer available via a PS Now subscription.

Unless Ubisoft opts to add it back to the PS Now library down the road, a PS Now membership does not provide access to Rainbow Six Siege. You‘ll have to look at other options for playing for free or cheap.

Does PS Plus Premium or Extra Include Rainbow Six Siege?

In June 2022, PlayStation Plus was divided into three tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. The Extra and Premium levels provide huge catalogs of PS4/PS5 games to download and play.

However, Rainbow Six Siege is not part of the PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium catalogs at this time. So subscribing to these more expensive tiers does not grant free access to Rainbow Six Siege.

The Extra/Premium libraries focus more on first-party Sony titles, indies, and selected third-party games over 5 years old. As a newer major third-party release, Rainbow Six Siege has not been included in this lineup as of now.

Game Sharing – Access Via Friend‘s Digital Copy

On PS4 and PS5, you can "game share" your purchased digital games with one other console. This allows two people to share libraries and play each other‘s games.

If you know someone who owns Rainbow Six Siege digitally on their PlayStation, you may be able to access the full game at no cost through game sharing. You‘d need to set each other‘s accounts as primary on your respective consoles.

The catch is that game sharing is intended for household members only. And PlayStation Plus memberships don‘t carry over via game sharing. You‘d still need PS Plus on your own account for online play.

Wait for a Sale on the PlayStation Store

While not free, Rainbow Six Siege frequently goes on sale on the PlayStation Store for nice discounts. Major PSN sales often include Rainbow Six Siege deals up to 60-70% off.

Monitoring the store for sales events or setting up price drop alerts on sites like PSPrices is a great way to score Rainbow Six Siege at a discounted price point.

The entry-level Standard Edition in particular is often discounted down to $15-$20 during PSN sales. So with patience, you can potentially pick up the core game for 50% off retail price.

Free-to-Play Version Could Happen in The Future

While Rainbow Six Siege currently isn‘t a free-to-play title on console, there‘s always the possibility it could embrace a free-to-play model down the road.

Many major paid games like Call of Duty Warzone have transitioned to free-to-play to maximize reach and player count. So it‘s within the realm of possibility Rainbow Six Siege could test out F2P.

An upcoming Rainbow Six Mobile game will be free-to-play when it launches in 2024. Potentially, the main Siege game could also go F2P at that time to align the branding. But nothing has been announced yet.

For now, keep tabs on news from Ubisoft for any indication Rainbow Six Siege could transition to a free-to-play framework. But don‘t expect this overnight.

Earning Operators for Free via Renown

One last tip: while all operators require purchase upfront, you can unlock additional operators for free down the road using Renown currency earned from matches.

Renown is the in-game currency awarded for completing matches, challenges, etc. Standard edition owners can spend Renown to unlock new operators beyond their starting 20.

So while the higher editions let you have all 100+ operators on day one, Standard buyers can unlock the rest for free over time just via playing. A great way to expand your roster on the cheap!

The Bottom Line on Getting Rainbow Six Siege for Free

At the end of the day, while Rainbow Six Siege isn‘t fully free-to-play on PlayStation, you have options to enjoy all the intense tactical action without overspending:

  • Take advantage of limited-time free trial events
  • Buy during PSN sales for deep discounts
  • Game share with a friend who owns it
  • Unlock operators for free via Renown
  • Cross-play with friends who own it on other platforms

Given Rainbow Six Siege‘s critical praise and consistent content updates even 7+ years after launch, the premium price tag is justified for most fans. But savvy players can certainly acquire the complete experience on a budget.

So while buying at full price lets you dive in day one with complete access, those looking to spend less can still get their fill of this legendary competitive shooter. With the right approach, nothing is stopping you from outsmarting the enemy team soon. Get tactical on PlayStation without breaking the bank!

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Michael

Michael Reddy is a tech enthusiast, entertainment buff, and avid traveler who loves exploring Linux and sharing unique insights with readers.