Getting to grips with Rainbow Six Siege’s gameplay can be a steep learning curve for new players and Ubisoft is well aware of this. Heading into its seventh year of content for Siege, Ubisoft has announced that new onboarding measures are coming to its tactical shooter – although, the new Team Deathmatch mode isn’t one of them.
Speaking to The Loadout, several members of Siege’s development team explain why Team Deathmatch hasn’t been created with newcomers in mind – despite the fact that it’s a “less serious mode that can be played with friends”, according to associate game director Christopher Budgen.
“While we believe that TDM offers a great way to learn the weapons of Siege, we do not consider it to be an onboarding mode at its core”, says Budgen. “Our engaged userbase will find this mode to be a fantastic way to start their play sessions… they will be challenged much more in TDM than in a mode like Training Grounds.”
Detailing why this is the case, Budgen highlighted two core features of the mode. Firstly, unique operator gadgets are going to be restricted in Team Deathmatch. Budgen feels that this will leave a lot of newcomers struggling to learn complete operator kits – and there won’t be a chance for them to figure out the right counters that are “necessary in [Siege’s] other playlists.”
In addition to this, Siege’s Team Deathmatch mode is also going to feature its own skill-based matchmaking system. This should “keep competitors on their toes and properly prepare [them] better for the enemy that will shoot back with skill”, Budgen says. “This new mode creates a fun, safe space for players to warm up their technical skills” before jumping into more cooperative modes and Siege’s ranked playlist.
Your time testing has paid off! 🔥 Y7S1 brings the long-awaited new and permanent Team Deathmatch mode to Siege! It’s time to run and gun! pic.twitter.com/wrJ88RFZXD
— Rainbow Six Siege (@Rainbow6Game) February 19, 2022
Team Deathmatch may be a nice place for experienced players to warm up, but if it isn’t somewhere novices can master the mechanics of Siege, how is Ubisoft going to accommodate the new players it hopes to attract with its packed Year 7 roadmap?
The developer is looking to “revamp the newcomer’s experience”, says Siege game director Aurélie Debant, and the introduction of additional tutorials is just the starting point. Ubisoft is also planning to add a comprehensive Shooting Range and a detailed Operator Guide, that can be accessed in-game. However, it looks like the Siege team is still keeping an eye on additional modes.
“We know the current Siege game modes are demanding and stressful for casual players”, Debant acknowledges. “We want to investigate new game modes that are more approachable and offer an enjoyable experience with less pressure.”
With a permanent Arcade playlist planned for Y7S4, players can expect to see a wider variety of modes in the future – giving players a break from the grind of Rainbow Six Siege ranked. Team Deathmatch isn’t going to be a new training wheels future, but newcomers can rest assured knowing that more help is on the way later in Year 7.