Fans have been clamouring for a proper single-player Rainbow Six game for years, since 2008’s Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, and now their wish has been granted – but not in the way most might expect, as Ubisoft has announced Rainbow Six Tactics, which transforms the tactical shooter franchise into a single-player, turn-based title.
Announced via a gameplay trailer shown during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, the shift to the turn-based tactics formula should be one that fans of the XCOM franchise will instantly recognise, as Rainbow Six Tactics largely plays out similarly to Firaxis Games’ 2012 title, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and its sequel, but with its own spin.
Set in the Rainbow Six Siege universe, the game’s narrative will take place between the fall of Rainbow seen in R6 Siege Year 10 and Year 11, introducing new characters, lore, and locations. Fans familiar with the franchise’s earlier shooters might also recognise Paul Bishop, aka “Six”, the protagonist of the two Rainbow Six: Vegas games, who will be returning as the commander overseeing the action in Rainbow Six Tactics.
Players will embark on missions with a team of four Operators, including fan-favourite characters from R6 Siege like Montagne, Doc, or Ash. These Operators are also armed with abilities inspired by the multiplayer game, with the trailer showcasing clips of a riot shield being deployed or Nøkk turning invisible.
The game doesn’t just take inspiration from XCOM, but features a hint of Doorkickers too, as each match will begin with a breaching sequence. Players will start with the recon and droning phase, deploying the iconic RC drone in order to identify enemy positions within the building. Once done, the game enters the breach planning phase, where players can choose where to position their operators around the building’s entry point, their route of assault, and their targets before executing a synchronised assault.
Rainbow Six Tactics‘ campaign will unfold via missions taking place around the world, with every map in the game being hand-crafted without procedural generation, apart from the positions of enemies, bombs, or hostages.
Rainbow Six Tactics is scheduled for release in 2027 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
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