Ubisoft hasn’t had the strongest track record when it comes to its handling of theTom ClancyIP and its associated games. Once one of the more respected series of titles in the gaming landscape, diminishing returns on recent releases have tarnished the once sterling reputation of the games based on the bestselling author’s universe of espionage, military combat, and political intrigue. With 2015’sRainbow Six Siegebeing the last largely successful entry in the long-runningRainbow Sixseries – givenRainbow Six Extraction’s mixed reception – it’s high time for a new game. Luckily, Ubisoft need look no further than perhaps the best spin-off concept in the entire Tom Clancy library of games:Rainbow Six: Vegas.
Originally released in 2006 for the Xbox 360 and PC,Rainbow Six: Vegastook the Rainbow team into the streets of Las Vegas to deescalate a terrorist threat. The game was a landmark title for the series in that it brought more of an emphasis on action to the historically tactical shooter. With an excellent single-player campaign, competitive online play, and a phenomenal couch co-op mode in Terrorist Hunt,Rainbow Six: Vegashad plenty to offer for fans of first-person shooters. With a15-year gap sinceRainbow Six: Vegas 2and no newRainbow Sixtitles on the horizon, Ubisoft has a golden opportunity to revive the series.
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Rainbow Six Siege Could’ve Used Vegas' Single-Player and Co-op Modes
The average active player counts on Steam would indicate that there’s still a strong interest in theRainbow Sixfranchise. Eight years after the game’s launch, there are about 50,000 active monthlyRainbow Six: Siegeplayers, which is an impressive feat for not only a game of its age but one that only includes competitive multiplayer and lacks a single-player campaign. Many of theRainbow Six Siegeoperativescould carry their own game, and it’s not difficult to imagine thatSiegewould have generated a genuine sequel by now if it had borrowed some of the extra modes found in theRainbow Six: Vegasgames.
Perhaps the best thing Ubisoft could do with theRainbow Sixfranchise would be a combination ofSiegeandVegas. A potentialRainbow Six: Vegas 3could take thesuccessful multiplayer foundation built bySiegeand then improve upon it through a dedicated single-player campaign and the return of co-op modes, either via online play or couch co-op split-screen. Ubisoft could also design the potentialVegas 3as a live-service game and regularly support it for years after its launch like it has done withSiege.
Rainbow Six Vegas Offers a Wellspring of Content
Shortly after the launch ofRainbow Six: Vegas 2in 2008, Ubisoft made all the original game’s Terrorist Hunt mode maps available as a free upgrade. If the next game in the series is indeedRainbow Six: Vegas 3, the first twoVegastitles have a massive library of content to offer as potential future upgrades to a live-service title.Ubisoft has regularly supportedSiegewith content updates and crossovers with popular games, and the creation of a new title in theVegasseries opens up pathways for both single-player and multiplayer expansions based on the first two games.
BothVegasandVegas 2could also benefit from a remaster or even a remake using the engine that would be utilized for the development of a potentialVegas 3, helping to bring a highlight of theRainbow Sixfranchise to a new audience. BetweenGhost Recon,Splinter Cell, andRainbow Six, Ubisoft is sitting on a potential gold mine of new titles with an already dedicated fanbase.Rainbow Six: Vegas 3could be the title to restore the reputation ofthe Tom Clancy namein gaming.
Rainbow Six Siegeis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
