Rainbow Six just landed a huge partnership with Xbox Game Pass for the 2025 competitive season, recording a big win for the tactical shooter's esports scene. The deal, put together by tournament organizer BLAST and Ubisoft, brings better fan experiences, exclusive in-game rewards, and major events scheduled across the year.
The collaboration launched with Rio de Janeiro's RE:L0:AD tournament running May 10-18, marking the debut competition for Rainbow Six Siege X – an event that united all 20 R6 Share program organizations.
UK players leaving a huge impression are Ben 'CTZN' McMillan, Jack 'Doki' Robertson, Nathan 'Nafe' Sharp, and Josh 'Yuzus' Pritchard. Beginning this month, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members will receive special in-game perks for Rainbow Six Siege X.
François-Xavier Deniele, VP of Esports & Competitive Gaming at Ubisoft, said this partnership helps them reach more players globally and brings much more value to their community.
The timing works perfectly for Rainbow Six esports. The scene is growing faster than ever after the Six Invitational 2025 in February hit a peak viewership of nearly 400k, according to Esports Charts.
Xbox Game Pass brings important tournament upgrades as well. Fans at BLAST R6 events can enjoy dedicated gaming areas, community activities, and exclusive meet-and-greets with popular content creators.
The esports scene saw big changes heading into this year. Team Falcons has impressed everyone by picking up the former Team BDS championship roster, including French stars Stéphane 'Shaiiko' Lebleu and Loïc 'BriD' Chongthep.
Chinese organization Weibo Gaming also joined Rainbow Six esports with a roster featuring former Bleed Esports and Elevate players, adding more international talent to the mix. These moves show how Rainbow Six esports keeps attracting commercial interest.
Aussie esports wagering fans have really welcomed the tactical shooter, with experts such as Gavin Beech reviewing top betting platforms that cover Rainbow Six tournaments alongside regular sports. These sites have competitive odds on major events, plus welcome bonuses and esports-specific promos that make watching competitive gaming even better.
The Xbox Game Pass partnership goes way deeper than just sponsorship. Chris Lee, VP at Xbox, pointed out their commitment to giving Game Pass members better value wherever they play.
Tournament viewership numbers prove Rainbow Six's commercial appeal. The 2024 Six Invitational hit an incredible 521,374 peak viewers – the highest one in the tournament's history.
Looking ahead, the partnership runs beyond 2025 with confirmed events at the Six Invitational 2026. Such an approach gives teams, players, and content creators stability while making sure fans get experiences across several competitive seasons.
More details about future events and exclusive content will come as the 2025 BLAST R6 esports season moves forward.
The partnership also lines up with Rainbow Six Siege X launching free-to-play on June 10th, complete with huge visual upgrades, better audio, and a new "Dual Front" mode.
With record viewership, more organizational investment, and better fan experiences, the 2025 season will boost the tactical shooter's profile among both casual viewers and hardcore competitive gaming fans.