When a game likeRainbow Six Siege Xenters its testing period, players typically focus on things like balancing tweaks, Operator reworks, or map adjustments. Of course, this is to be expected with a game that has such a dedicated fan base, as any major moves likeSiege Xmoving forward would need to be examined closely. However,Rainbow Six Siege X’s most talked-about feedback wasn’t about weapon stats or gadget synergy. Instead, it revolved around an unexpected aspect that caught the developers somewhat off guard.
Game Rant recently attended theRainbow Six Siege Xshowcasein Atlanta, Georgia, where we sat down with game director Joshua Mills to talk aboutSiege’s past, present, and future. During the interview, Mills disclosed one of the most interesting anecdotes about some feedback Ubisoft received duringSiege X’s testing period, and it likely isn’t what anyone would expect.
Rainbow Six Siege X Received the Biggest Feedback for Weapon Inspect During Testing
One of the most surprising takeaways fromRainbow Six Siege X’s testing phase was how players reacted to the new features. Ubisoft introduced a range of ambitious mechanics, all designed to enhance the game’s coretactical gameplay. Yet, in spite of everything elseSiege Xintroduced, the loudest and most enthusiastic response came from something that has nothing to do with the game’s mechanics or visuals — weapon inspection. It was a surprising moment that perfectly encapsulates how even the smallest additions to a game can have a massive impact on the excitement of its players. When asked about feedback received duringSiege X’s testing, Mills responded,
“The funniest part, whenever we showcased all this, we show all this crazy stuff and all the things, and then there’s weapon inspect, and that’s what always got the craziest cheers. I’m geeking out about momentum-based movements and advanced rappel and stuff, and they’re like, “Weapon inspect is the best thing!” And I get it.”
Of course, weapon inspect is something theRainbow Six Siegecommunity has been requesting for several years now, as they don’t just want to show off their weapon skins to other players – they also want to see them for themselves in-game. When using weapon inspect inRainbow Six Siege X, the player’s Operatorbrings their weapon up close to the screen and moves it around so that players can view it from every angle. This means that while players are waiting for the round to begin, or just waiting in a dark corner for that unaware Operator to traipse through the door, they can fully appreciate the weapon skins they work so hard to acquire.
At the showcase in Atlanta, anytime one of the content creators playing the game used the weapon inspect function, the crowd roared louder than they ever did at anything else. Needless to say, it’s clearly something thatRainbow Six Siegefans have long desired, and they finally get it with thelaunch ofSiege Xon June 10. Weapon inspect wasn’t the only thing that left testers' jaws on the floor, however, as Ubisoft had some other secrets up its sleeve for players to discover, including a momentum-based movement change. Mills continued,
“We had a bunch of people come over to Montreal, and when they were there, there was one feature we didn’t talk about. And we didn’t talk about it because we wanted to see if they would notice it. And I remember the first batch that they got into a bunch of the creators got on the roof of Clubhouse, and they started running down the air conditioners because someone felt the momentum-based movement change. And when they went, they saw it, and they climbed back up and then ran back down. And then all of them are just standing on the roof, running down the air conditioners because that system just changes the moment, and you feel it immediately.”
Whilemomentum-based movementand other mechanical upgrades are sure to make for a better tactical experience inRainbow Six Siege X, it’s the long-awaited addition of weapon inspect that has clearly stolen the show. More than anything, it’s perhaps a sign of just how much modern gamers have come to crave and value personalization and immersion in a video game, even when it’s in a competitive shooter.
