Rainbow Six Mobile: Reinventing the FPS multiplayer?

Rainbow Six Mobile brings Ubisoft’s tactical shooter experience to Android and iOS, launching first in India. With strong strategy elements, smooth performance, and improved gameplay since beta, it impresses overall—though weaker side modes and high season pass pricing hold it back.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is one of the most popular online FPS games. Now in its 11th year and still enjoying a vibrant, active community, there is a lot that Ubisoft got right with the title. With Rainbow Six Mobile – a game that has been in the fine-tuning stage since 2023 – Ubisoft hopes to translate that popularity and its unique operator-based strategic combat to the mobile platform.

By launching the game first in India, Ubisoft has clearly indicated that it has high expectations for its adoption among Indian players. If my early impressions are anything to go by, this is a highly polished experience where players are bound to notice the distinct gameplay and the novel implementation of the “Bomb” modes.

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In my 30 hours with the game, I have found a lot to like in terms of gameplay and implementation. I can also clearly see the significant improvements made since the beta in June 2023. For example, the use of drones to identify enemy locations and detect traps laid by the opposing team has improved considerably since the beta. Similarly, the addition of a full-fledged post-death mode – where eliminated players can cycle through in-game cameras and provide real-time information to teammates – makes this a highly strategic and teamplay-focused experience.

I particularly enjoyed playing as Rook in defensive modes and as Dokkaebi on offense. Strategy is the best way to approach Rainbow 6 Mobile and a lot of it depends on identifying your own skills and unlocking the operators that best suit your style.

Rainbow Six Mobile has launched in a fully optimised state; I was able to play it on both my iPad and Android phone without any glitches. When I paired my iPad with my Xbox controller, the game recognised it immediately, and I could use both Bluetooth headphones and the controller simultaneously without any lag or issues.

In terms of battery life, the game is not overly demanding either. A 90-minute session drained only about 8–10 per cent on my iPad, and my OnePlus 13 performed even better.

Rainbow Six Mobile has a lot going for it when it comes to standing out among other F2P multiplayer FPS titles.

However, not everything is perfect; the other game modes feel lackluster, and the 3v3 MVP mode lacks personality. The season pass is also among the most expensive in the genre and the majority of young Indian players with limited pocket money are likely to feel a pinch.

Sneak Peek:

• Title: Rainbow Six Mobile

• Developer& Publisher: Ubisoft Nova

• Game Type: F2P Multiplayer FPS

• Platforms: Android and iOS – India launch earlier than global launch

• Price: Free-to-Play with freemium ads and in-app purchases

Verdict (all scores out of 10):

Innovative Gameplay: 9

Game Handling & Quality: 8

Value for Time: 8.5

Potential Progression without in-game purchases and ad viewing: 8

Overall: 8.37

What Stands Out

• The pre-combat and post-death phases of Rainbow 6 Mobile make it one of the most strategic online FPS titles. From deploying drones to manning surveillance cameras, there is plenty to engage with beyond pure gunplay

• The variety of maps in the flagship Bomb modes is a welcome touch. The differences in scale and layout mean you are constantly devising new strategies for each one.

Fails to impress

• The other game modes are a tad disappointing. Most Wanted 3v3, for example, offers an experience that feels noticeably lower in quality than CoD Mobile’s Team Deathmatch.

• The pricing for the season pass is on the higher side for Indian players. At Rs 579 for the Premium Pass and Rs 1,179 for the Premium Elite, it stands as one of the more expensive offerings in the online FPS space.