Rainbow Six Mobile infiltrates iOS and Android devices this year

The Rainbow Six franchise is as popular as it’s ever been, primarily fueled by the staying power of its latest entry, Siege. Now, Ubisoft is looking to expand the franchise to one of the biggest markets in gaming - mobile. Rainbow Six Mobile is a new experience made from scratch for iOS and Android devices, and it's set to arrive this year.

Rainbow Six Mobile was built from the ground up as a fresh Rainbow Six experience designed to be played on mobile devices. The developers described it to me as a “from scratch overhaul of the core mechanics.” In addition to the controls, this is clear in the character and level designs.

To better optimize the game for mobile, matches in Rainbow Six Mobile are shorter than in Siege. Players are also free to customize their controls to suit how they like to play games on their mobile devices. Lastly, the developers state that there is a comprehensive onboarding tutorial for those that may be unfamiliar with Rainbow Six or mobile shooters.

Players compete in 5v5 PvP matches where one side will attempt to lockdown an area, with the other being tasked with using gadgets and abilities to infiltrate said area and eliminate the competition or complete their objective. Attackers can repel down buildings and use observation drones, while defenders have barricades and spy cameras at their disposal. Both teams will alternate between attack and defense each round.

Rainbow Six Mobile players will be able to select from a roster of unlockable Operators to play as. Each character has their own unique ability and weapons that will help them on either the offensive or defensive side of battle. R6 fans will recognize a lot of the Operators, as there are several returning characters from previous games in the series.

Content from previous Rainbow Six games doesn’t just stop at Operators, either. Rainbow Six Mobile features some beloved R6 stages in addition to some new ones. Both Border and Bank will be playable in all their glory in Rainbow Six Mobile. In true Rainbow Six fashion, environment destructibility will be a key component of gameplay. Rainbow Six Mobile will have “several” modes available at launch, with the developers having confirmed Secure the Area and Bomb.

Rainbow Six Mobile will be released later this year for iOS and Android devices. Players can register now to participate in the upcoming playtests on the Rainbow Six Mobile website.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_