Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. News

Censorship controversy surrounds international version of Rainbow Six Siege

By

Developer Ubisoft has caused controversy by announcing upcoming changes to its game Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. The game was released in 2015 to generally positive reviews, and has since been regularly updated with DLC and expansion packs. According to an Ubisoft blog post, the latest round of updates mean that the new version of the game will be “a single, global version” that has been streamlined in order to increase efficiency on the development side.

That in itself would not be a problem, but debate has arisen over the decision to change graphics and background elements which include references to gambling, sex, and violence. As well as changes to UI elements like the icons for melee, death, and friendly fire, Ubisoft has opted to remove background graphical elements such as slot machines, skull graffiti, blood spray, and a neon sign of a woman dancing. They say that these updates do not change the core of the game, and that the new version of Rainbow Six Siege will remain “true to its roots,” but that removing the adult graphical elements was necessary to make sure that the game is aligned with global regulations.

Recommended Videos

If the game had originally been released without these graphical elements, it is likely that no one would have minded. But by including the elements for several years and then removing them, Ubisoft has angered fans of the game who accuse them of censorship. In particular, the removal of slot machines seems hypocritical given that there is an in-game loot box system of Alpha Packs, which is similar to gambling in that players put down real money for a randomized reward.

Ubisoft has stated that the changes are due to “expansion into Asian territories”, but fans have speculated on Reddit that the modifications are due specifically to the company’s aim at the Chinese market. In Chinese culture, depictions of skulls and skeletons are taboo as they are associated with a direct representation of death, and although it is not actually forbidden to show a skull or skeleton in a game, it is usually avoided. There are rules forbidding the promotion of gambling in China, so it seems likely that the update is to make sure that the game doesn’t get banned in China, where there is a huge potential audience.

The full update has not been released yet so it remains to be seen just how significant the changes will be in the long run.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Georgina Torbet
Georgina Torbet
Space Writer
Georgina is the Digital Trends space writer, covering human space exploration, planetary science, and cosmology. She…
The best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction
Soldiers shooting aliens in Rainbow Six Extraction.

There's a lot to consider when heading into an incursion in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction. Which weapon should I use? Which operator should I choose? Which explosives and gadgets are going to work for the given objectives? Building the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction can be challenging with all these questions and more. Ultimately, you'll never be sticking to one. Let's dig into the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction to use for any given objective.

Ubisoft+ is coming to Xbox, while Rainbow Six goes to Game Pass
The best Operators in Rainbow Six Extraction
Is Rainbow Six Extraction cross-platform?

Read more
Does Rainbow Six Extraction support split-screen play?
A squad shoots an alien in Rainbow Six Extraction.

For a highly competitive first-person shooter focused so much on tactics, positioning, and quick reflexes, it made sense why Rainbow Six Siege would not support split-screen play. It would obviously not work if the two people playing were on different teams, but even on the same team, being able to essentially see from two angles at once would defeat the purpose of the carefully crafted sightlines, emphasis on communication, and all the gadgets made to help and hinder spotting enemies. However, Rainbow Six Extraction is another type of game entirely. It still has all the same mechanics but is fully co-op now with no PvP elements at all.

With a squad of up to three Operators, all of which are taken right out of Rainbow Six Siege with a few tweaks, you will go on different missions with varied objectives that pit you against swarms of deadly Archaeans. This entire experience is designed with this squad-based composition in mind, not a lone wolf-style experience, even though you do have that option if you so choose. Getting your friends together is the intended way to go -- and certainly the most fun -- but what if you want to play with a friend in the same place? Split-screen games are not as common as they used to be, even in co-op-focused titles like Rainbow Six Extraction, so does this game let you play with a friend couch co-op style?

Read more
Rainbow Six Extraction will turn you into a better squad mate
A squad attacks an alien in Rainbow Six Extraction.

My first Rainbow Six Extraction mission didn’t quite go as planned.

During a demo event, I was paired up with two strangers who would become my close squadmates for nearly four hours. Having completed a solo tutorial with little trouble, I went into our inaugural mission thinking I’d carry my team to victory as a party of one. One swarm of slimy aliens later, I was out of action, cocooned in a sickly yellow shell. My poor teammates had to abort the mission, toss my immobilized body on their shoulders, and extract me to safety. I was quite literally dead weight.

Read more