SYIV 0:0 AA 
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Rainbow Six might not be the first name that comes to your mind when you think of eSports, but it is up-and-coming. Compared to the other big names, like League of Legends, it has nowhere near the following or the prestige; we can't deny that.
League of Legends, for example, broke the record for the most-watched esports event with its 2024 esports championship, with 6.86 million viewers tuning in to watch at the peak. And, on Instagram, League of Legends eSports (@lolesports) has a whopping two million followers compared to Rainbow Six Siege (@r6esports), which has 91k followers.
Still, everyone has to start somewhere, and Rainbow Six is only at the beginning of its journey. It's estimated there will be only 185,886 active Rainbow Six Siege players in 2025.
Read on to learn about Rainbow Six eSports and ways it can grow its eSports scene.
Rainbow Six Siege eSports
First, let's look at Rainbow Six Siege eSports to see how far it has come. The haters can say it's not as big and bold as other esports titles, but we'd argue it's one of the best.
Released in December 2015, it has rapidly grown into a popular eSports title, considering it started with nothing. It has tactical, thrilling, team-oriented gameplay that becomes addictive once you start. And it's released under the same Ubisoft that created the original Rainbow Six, and they know what they're doing when it comes to eSports.
Ubisoft decided to stick to a 5v5 gameplay, which naturally suits eSports so well. The issue with early adoption was that Ubisoft released the competitive mode when the game itself was grappling with bugs and technical performance issues that were leaving players less than satisfied.
But that was in 2015. In 2025, Rainbow Six Siege is thriving, especially after they introduced the Pro League in 2016. Ubisoft also started to strategically broadcast competitive modes and tournaments, which boosted viewership and player uptake. And in 2025, it seems support and uptake are still growing. The next tournament you can watch Rainbow Six Siege eSports at is the BLAST R6 Reload in Rio de Janeiro from the 10th of May 2025 to the 18th of May 2025.
How Rainbow Six Can Improve Its eSports Scene
Still, despite entering big competitions and making a name for itself, there's still work to do for Rainbow Six Siege to improve its eSports scene.
Here are the three ways that we think the competitive mode needs to change to focus on growth:
Focusing on Grassroots Talent
Grassroots talent is where it's at. There are so many young, talented players trying to come through the ranks. As it stands, Rainbow Six has four tiers:
- Tier 1: The highest competitive level
- Tier 2: A step below the top level and competing in the Challenger League.
- Tier 3: Good teams but not consistently playing in the Challenger Leagues.
- Tier 4: Newer teams with no history or competition experience.
The focus should be on the lower grassroots levels, tiers 2-4, and on finding the next generation of talent that will win competitions and that people actually want to watch. Ubisoft is making a step towards this in 2025 by introducing the Challenger Series, a new series that will run in the offseason and create a better pathway for new and emerging teams, like those from tiers 3 and 4, to rise through the ranks.
It’s the same way that it works with other areas of competitive gaming. For example, you could join Canadian casinos with $10 minimum deposit, play poker until you’re good enough, enter local casino competitions, then get invited to bigger, international competitions.
Growing the Community
The community is almost as essential as the players. The community and the viewing numbers are what will drive Rainbow Six to compete with the big games.
One way Ubisoft can do this is by introducing team skins so fans can show which team they're supporting. It's a small change, but it's what esports like League of Legends do. More fan-created content and immersive and interactive fan zones could also boost viewing numbers and fan participation.
Investing in Big Regions
Something that really helped boost the number of gamers interested in competitive modes and competition viewership was investing in big regions like China. The introduction of China to the Pro League made a massive difference to player numbers, and there are other areas that Ubisoft plans to target.
Some of the biggest esports gaming regions in the world include
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- United States
Ubisoft was already focusing on the UK and US, but it's the Asia-pacific regions like China, Thailand, and Japan where the big numbers are. As it stands, Rainbow Six Siege has its Pro League split into different regions: Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America.
Rainbow Six Siege is an incredible eSports game. It doesn't get the credit it deserves. But with the growth it's experiencing and some investment into the areas we've mentioned, it can finally grow into one of the big names in the future.