Ubisoft hasn't had the strongest track record when it comes to its handling of the Tom Clancy IP 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's Rainbow Six Siege being the last largely successful entry in the long-running Rainbow Six series -- given Rainbow 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: Vegas took 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: Vegas had plenty to offer for fans of first-person shooters. With a 15-year gap since Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 and no new Rainbow Six titles on the horizon, Ubisoft has a golden opportunity to revive the series.
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 the Rainbow Six franchise. Eight years after the game's launch, there are about 50,000 active monthly Rainbow Six: Siege players, 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 the Rainbow Six Siege operatives could carry their own game, and it's not difficult to imagine that Siege would have generated a genuine sequel by now if it had borrowed some of the extra modes found in the Rainbow Six: Vegas games.
Perhaps the best thing Ubisoft could do with the Rainbow Six franchise would be a combination of Siege and Vegas. A potential Rainbow Six: Vegas 3 could take the successful multiplayer foundation built by Siege and 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 potential Vegas 3 as a live-service game and regularly support it for years after its launch like it has done with Siege.
Rainbow Six Vegas Offers a Wellspring of Content
Shortly after the launch of Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 in 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 indeed Rainbow Six: Vegas 3, the first two Vegas titles have a massive library of content to offer as potential future upgrades to a live-service title. Ubisoft has regularly supported Siege with content updates and crossovers with popular games, and the creation of a new title in the Vegas series opens up pathways for both single-player and multiplayer expansions based on the first two games.
Both Vegas and Vegas 2 could also benefit from a remaster or even a remake using the engine that would be utilized for the development of a potential Vegas 3, helping to bring a highlight of the Rainbow Six franchise to a new audience. Between Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and Rainbow Six, Ubisoft is sitting on a potential gold mine of new titles with an already dedicated fanbase. Rainbow Six: Vegas 3 could be the title to restore the reputation of the Tom Clancy name in gaming.
Rainbow Six Siege is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
