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From planting the defuser to getting spawn killed by a roving Cav, Rainbow Six Siege is an opera of dramatic highs and tragic lows. Now that opera is getting a new aria in the form of Siege X. Ubisoft’s new initiative to improve and expand the game has several faces, all of them frankly beautiful. Dual Front, the new mixed-operator mode, introduces 6v6 teams with previously impossible compositions. Standard 5v5 receives an overhaul as well, with improved visuals and brand-new destructible objects. Rainbow Six Siege X prioritizes newcomer accommodations and esports integration as well. After getting hands-on time with the updates, the new age of Siege can’t come soon enough for me.
Siege X Brings Dual Front 6v6 To Rainbow Six
Whether you’re a Siege pro or you just learned that Bank and Kafe aren’t the same, Siege X promises to revolutionize the game. There are a slew of big changes, but Dual Front may be the biggest. The new mode lets you mix Attacker and Defenders on your 6v6 team, pointing to a new strategic horizon. Blitz-bullying an enemy into the Kapkan traps your friend just placed? Sure thing. Ace breaching a wall so Thorn can toss a trap in? Why not? How about letting all the shield operators buddy up like a Roman tortoise? Now you can!
Rather than play havoc on Standard maps, Dual Front operators conduct their operations on a unique level designed for the mode. There are multiple sites to attack and defend, as well as a large neutral zone featuring dynamic missions. Ever wanted to roam the map as Pulse while your Ash and Smoke extract a hostage via helicopter evac? The time is now. Siege matches have always burnt a short fuse, demanding creativity, quick thinking, and fast reflexes to survive. Dual Front leans into all of that in a big way. The R6 DNA is undeniable here, but the mode still feels like a unique addition.
Maps, Metas, and More
Balancing maps to be fair and enjoyable for both competitive and casual play is a big ask. Based on my hands-on time with Siege X, I think Dual Front might pull it off. Sure, it’s easy to imagine a dozen cheesy strategies possible with the new operator combinations. In practice, however, there’s a counter to everything. Was I sometimes caught off-guard and fragged in hilarious ways? Absolutely. New angles and new team comps will always mean a new meta, but even if you’re not a hardcore Siege fan pouring over every patch note, Siege X offers compelling reasons to be hyped. It stands among the best in its genre for a reason.
A big one is the new destructible objects. Gas lines can now be shot, closing off rotations with their perilous spew of fire before detonating in a fiery AoE. Running short of smoke grenades? Now you can shoot fire extinguishers, giving both Attackers and Defenders a powerful utility. Matches are further complicated by the addition of metal detectors. Disable them before passing through, or your Sam Fisher ensemble will trigger the alarm. I have no idea how these changes will affect the meta, but their addition adds a new layer of fun and creative interactions that I’m eager to die to.
A Siege for the Modern Day
That’s not even the end of what Siege X offers. New advanced repelling mechanics make wall traversal much more fluid, particularly when darting around the corner of a building. This change pairs well with the game’s visual overhaul, making it easier than ever to experience the enhanced maps. The modernized look not only updates environments to make them more immersive but also makes differentiating zones easier for new players. It’s a push toward accessibility and expanding the player base as much as possible, and that’s a welcome direction to see Ubisoft go.
Between the new mode, map overhauls, destructible objects, and improved traversal, Siege X could be Rainbow Six at its best. Inventiveness is a huge part of its appeal. Of course, with a live-service game that is this intricate, some friction and failures are inevitable. Even so, Siege X offers a welcome combo of accessibility and depth. It’s also just fun, and for that alone, it has every reason to succeed. As a bumbling Iana main with a spiraling K/D, I can’t wait for this breach to blow.
