Rainbow Six Siege X is a new direction for the decade-old shooter

Rainbow Six Siege has been running for 10 years, and to commemorate the occasion, Ubisoft announced a makeover. During a showcase on March 13, the team officially unveiled the full breakdown of what Rainbow Six Siege X entails, introduced as the "new era" for the game.

In development for three years, the upcoming update is meant to offer a brand new mode, as well as modernize the existing foundations in place. From visual and audio overhauls to a revamped rappel system, there's much to unpack.

Whether you're a new player or a veteran, Rainbow Six Siege X is meant to be an ambitious step for the shooter as it prepares to enter its 11th year of service. We'll be breaking down each upcoming feature as well as the smaller, quality-of-life updates that will nonetheless impact the tactics-based multiplayer flow in every match.

Dual Front is a brand new 6v6 mode

The first permanent game mode since the launch of Siege is fast approaching. Rainbow Six Siege X introduces Dual Front, and the premise is already promising. Two teams of six players each are tasked with capturing sectors of the enemy base, while also defending their own.

Here's how it works. Dual Front matches take place on a map with two symmetrical fronts, each featuring three sectors. The objective is to progressively capture each sector. There's a prototype in the third and final sector that, when destroyed by the attacking team, will end the match. Getting to the main enemy HQ won't be easy, as you'll have to coordinate with your squadmates to defend your base simultaneously.

That's not all. Alongside both fronts, there's a neutral sector. After some time during a match, a special objective will pop up in said sector, which will grant rewards that can turn the tide instantly. A key aspect is that this assignment will change during every season of Rainbow Six Siege X. For launch season, the task involves an objective akin to an extraction shooter, in which teams will have to defend and escort a hostage to a helicopter. The thrill of the neutral sector is that the rest of the match doesn't stop. If a team isn't careful, they'll be leaving their own base exposed in the process.

There's an emphasis on new players being able to get the hang of Rainbow Six Siege via Dual Front. There's only one map to get familiar with, called District, which combines both indoor and outdoor areas. Furthermore, there'll be a reduced pool of operators to pick from—35 at launch. The poll will change twice during each season, and you can pick from them freely. Matches are expected to last 20 to 25 minutes, and will automatically end at the 30-minute mark if neither team is victorious by then.

The core Siege is also being revamped

As ambitious as Dual Front sounds, that's not the only significant update arriving with Rainbow Six Siege X. During the showcase, the development team announced an array of both big and small tweaks across visuals, audio, and quality-of-life additions to gameplay.

For starters, since Siege X is happening on the game's 10th anniversary, the team announced rewards for veteran players. For each year you've been playing, you'll have one reward. If you've been active since year 1, you'll get an exclusive weapon skin. There'll also be a digital veteran badge with the exact starting year engraved on it, so you can boast to others about your years of expertise.

How about new players? Starting June 10 with the launch of Siege X, new accounts will be able to download the game for free. Labeled as "Free Access," these accounts will have access to the Dual Front, Onboarding, Quick Match, Events, and Unranked playlists. They'll be able to gain XP and take part in trainings as well. These accounts will have up to 26 operators included. As always, getting to Ranked and Siege Cup playlists will require Clearance Level 50, to ensure that competitive play remains reserved for those who put in the effort to learn the ins and outs of Siege.

Let's dive into some of the additions and tweaks. With the update, the team is introducing Modernized Maps, which are classic maps with revamped visuals, readability, and gameplay flow. At launch, you'll be able to see a modern look of Clubhouse, Chalet, Bank, Kafe, and Border. Each new season will add three maps each. The new look is thanks to a rebuilt lightning engine, which impacts every corner and surface. Also, if you're a PC player, you can expect 4K texture packs for some increased fidelity.

As for gameplay, there's a lot to cover. The big one is the so-called Destructible Ingredients. During matches in Dual Front and Modernized Maps, you'll come across destructible environment objects, which add a new layer of strategy to contend with and experiment. Shooting fire extinguishers will create clouds to obfuscate visibility, while gas pipes are great for deadly explosions if timed correctly. You can also spot metal detectors, which are now fully functional, and add yet another moment of decision-making. Do you leave them active to detect other players, disable them temporarily, or destroy them outright?

Rappelling is also being enhanced. Now you can turn corners of buildings without letting go of the rope and also sprint, which is great for the new outdoor areas of District, for example. A more dynamic feel to the game impacts other areas as well, such as animations. Previously, vaulting over a bed while sprinting will stop you in place for a few seconds. Now, you'll be able to continue sprinting without penalty.

There are plenty of smaller tweaks in this vein. The new lightning system allows for first-person shadows, which means that your position can be exposed to other players if your shadow is cast on the floor by a nearby light. Being stealthy won't be enough anymore. Regarding animations, yes, you'll finally be able to inspect your weapons now with a button press.

The audio overhaul is also significant. Now, it'll be easier to detect directional sound, knowing exactly if an enemy is coming from the left or the right. This also applies to enemies on either higher or lower floors. This is helpful considering the new open environments of Dual Front. For further cooperation with your team, Siege is also introducing a Communication Wheel to pinpoint things of interest in the environment, in a similar fashion to Apex Legends.

Siege X is a big step for the multiplayer shooter. Of course, many of these additions need to be experienced to get the feel of them. For this, the team is kicking off a closed beta on March 13, starting at 12 PM PT/ 3 pm ET and running until March 19 at the same time. To gain a closed beta key, you'll have to watch participating livestreams via Twitch. Make sure to link your Twitch and Ubisoft accounts, and head over to the official page for further details.

Rainbow Six Siege X is launching on June 10 in the Epic Games Store.