A beginner’s guide to Siege X: Everything you need to know

A new chapter for Rainbow Six Siege has launched with dozens of changes and additions that will completely transform how fans play. With Siege X, Rainbow Six Siege is going free-to-play, plus a new mode called Dual Front was just released to offer a casual experience for new and seasoned players alike.

There’s a lot to wrap your head around as a beginner in Siege X, so we’ve put together this guide to help new players better understand the core mechanics of Ubisoft’s first-person shooter.

Though it’s not quite a sequel, Siege X is a massive update for Ubisoft’s tactical shooter, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. Siege is an online PvP shooter that focuses on round-based gameplay. Two teams, attackers and defenders, go head-to-head to achieve objectives or eliminate everyone on the enemy team.

The Siege X upgrade launched alongside the latest season, Operation Daybreak, on June 10, 2025. This update introduced an overhaul for Clash, along with the Dual Front mode. Read on to find out which operators and modes are best for beginners.

Operators in Siege X are split up into two categories known as attackers and defenders. Each operator has an exclusive gadget, and mixing characters allows for unique strategies.

If you’re new to Siege, then we recommend you focus on a few operators with simple gadgets while learning the basic mechanics of each game mode. Combat in Siege is slower-paced than other first-person shooters on the market, so there’s a lot to absorb as a new player.

There are lots of defenders that offer easy-to-use gadgets, but two that are especially simple are Rook and Kapkan. While playing as Rook, you can place down armour that every player on your team can grab for a defence boost, allowing you to assist your teammates without any gameplay knowledge required.

If you’re looking for an operator who’s a little more hands-on, then Kapkan is a good choice for beginners. Kapkan can place traps in windows or door frames that explode upon a player walking through the entrance. For players seeking the best defending operator for beginners, Kapkan can’t be beat, though Rook’s ability is a bit more simplistic.

If you find yourself on the attacking team as a new player, you should try a character that can assist your entire team and yourself. Finka’s gadget will temporarily boost your team’s aim and offer a buff to player health, so even if you don’t get an elimination, you’ll still help your teammates immensely.

If you’re seeking a more direct combat style, then perhaps Twitch is for you. Twitch carries a special drone that can use a ranged attack to damage defenders or destroy enemy gadgets. Drones are a core part of Siege, as you need them to infiltrate the enemy team and plan your strategy. Twitch is a great pick for a beginner because she gives new fans a chance to drone roam with a stronger device.

We’ve listed every core playlist below in the order beginners should try them, so that you can better understand how each mode functions.

The Training tab in the Playlists menu offers tutorials, field training, and even a shooting range. The Landmark Drill and Target Drill modes will help you learn the basics of map navigation before jumping into more competitive modes, while Deathmatch places you into casual experiences like Team Deathmatch and Free For All.

Overall, Siege X’s Training tab is a great place to start your tactical journey, especially if you want to practice against AI enemies.

Dual Front is Siege’s newest game mode, and it’s also one of the best experiences for a new player. Ubisoft designed Dual Front to be friendly for beginners by enabling respawns and allowing attackers and defenders on the same team.

Each team consists of six combatants, and players can pick from a variety of operators throughout a season, so the meta will change often. The goal of Dual Front is for your team to overtake the enemy’s sectors on the map, which consists of both indoor and outdoor locations.

Throughout a match, an assignment may pop up. Completing assignments is a secondary objective, but it’s worthwhile because it offers your team an advantage upon success.

If you’re looking for a more competitive mode than Dual Front but don’t want to commit to the longer matches of Unranked, then Quick Match is a good choice. Players compete to eliminate the enemy team or complete an objective in order to win the round.

Winning four rounds will crown a team victorious in Quick Match. You’ll encounter three objective types, including a hostage rescue, defusing a bomb, and securing the area. Like Unranked and Ranked, Quick Match rotates between a wide variety of maps that each offer a unique layout.

Unranked is the core 5v5 experience for Siege players who don’t want to play Ranked. Attackers work to defuse bombs while defenders try to stop them, though eliminating the entire opposing team will also secure a victory.

The team that wins six rounds first will win the entire match, and both teams can vote to ban any operator they desire at the start of every round.

Note: Leaving in the middle of Unranked or Ranked matches will result in a matchmaking suspension for both modes and have negative effects on a player’s renown.

Ranked is similar to Unranked in that it’s a 5v5 mode where attackers fight to defuse a bomb and defenders try to stand their ground, but the stakes are higher since you can earn a variety of seasonal rewards. The operator ban system lets both teams ban a character each round.

We recommend that you understand how to play at least four attackers and defenders each before heading into Ranked, since you need to be prepared if your favourite characters receive a ban.

Note: Players need to reach level 50 and own the Elite Edition of Siege X to participate in Ranked mode.

With the introduction of Dual Front and an in-game esports hub, it’s a great time to dive into Siege as a casual or competitive gamer. Dual Front lets players test out the operator pool before jumping into harder modes, while the modernised maps provide a more realistic template for your combat encounters.

R6 Siege X is built to be easy to understand for new fans, and with its free-to-play status, Siege is likely to see a major uptick in player count throughout 2025.