Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege has been a runaway multiplayer hit for Ubisoft, but the recent announcement that it was dropping the $40 Standard Edition of the game and replacing it with a Buy Now caused some consternation among the community. Ubisoft has now backed off from that plan, and a new post from the Rainbow Six team on the Reddit forum confirms that the standard edition will still be available after the start of the upcoming Outbreak event.
“For our newcomers and those of you concerned about introducing your friends to the game, we will be keeping the Standard Edition in the store at the current price,” the post reads. In addition, anyone who logs in and plays a game between now and March 6 will receive a free Sidewinder Elite skin for Ash, which will be automatically added to their inventory when Year 3 launches.
Ubisoft indicated that there’s also an unspecified plan in the works to upgrade Starter Edition PC players who are frustrated with their inability to acquire operators. Those details will be announced in conjunction with the next Invitational tournament.
The Advanced Edition of the game comes with everything included in the standard edition, including all modes and maps, but also offers 600 Rainbow Six credits and 10 “Outbreak Collection Packs” for the new zombie-focused content.
The Outbreak event, which doesn’t appear to have a concrete starting date yet, will run for four weeks and features a three-player cooperative mode that focuses on a “mysterious threat” that involves a quarantine. Though Tom Clancy’s The Division prided itself on not including zombies, it appears that Rainbow Six Siege has no such concerns.
Exclusive hazmat cosmetic items will be available during the event, which can be found in the Outbreak Packs included with the Advanced Edition. Additional items can be purchased for 300 Rainbow Six credits. All players who log in during the event will receive an additional four items — if you bought the Advanced Edition, you’ll receive 14 in total. As with the new Battle Crates in Ghost Recon Wildlands, the Rainbow Six Siege Outbreak Packs will not contain any duplicate items. There will be 50 in total to acquire, including outfits, weapon skins, and headgear.
On PC, you still have the option of purchasing the “starter edition” of Rainbow Six Siege for just $15, and it includes access to all maps and modes, as well as 600 credits, but the time to unlock new operators is increased compared to the other versions of the game. A $90 “Gold Edition” is also available, containing the Advanced Edition and a year 3 pass, which offers early access to operators, exclusive uniforms, renown boost, and discounts in the store. If you want to jump in with both feet, the $130 “Complete Edition” includes all content in the Gold Edition and unlocks your Year 1 and Year 2 operators in advance.
Rainbow Six Siege is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Updated with Ubisoft’s new post about retaining the Standard Edition.
