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Parents' Guide to

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Violent team-based shooter has realistic, intense gunfights.

Game PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One 2015
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege Game: Screenshot #1
  • Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege Game: Screenshot #2
  • Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 157 parent reviews

JohnM
JohnM Parent of 15-year-old
March 22, 2022
age 13+

Attention parents! Common Sense over reacts once again!

This game is fine. Not 18+ AT ALL. You know how movies automatically bump up the rating to R if there is 2 or more uses of f--k? Same here. Some operators (characters) might drop an f-bomb, very rarely, but that's as innappropriate as this game gets. This game promotes strategy, teamwork, and puzzle-solving skills. Yes there are guns, and yes, there is blood, but it is VERY VERY mild and looks super fake. This game breaks the mold, using firearms as tools rather than weapons. It has a high focus on tactics and espionnage, rather than military. If your child plays games like Warface or Call of Duty, then there is no issue with R6S. Don't be put off by the artwork on the box, it's truly a masterpiece of a game. I was worried at first, because my child (15M), wanted to play this, and the big scary M label was something for me to notice right of way. BUT! I did what any sensible parent would do, and look at honest gameplay on Youtube. Nothing alarming about this game whatsoever! If you, like me, are a parent who doesn't want their kid exposed to gun violence like COD or Battlefield, then don't worry about this game. Guns are a minor detail in it. Sidenote for any parents with LGBT kids, this game is great for them too, as many positive and strong depictions of LGBT people are present here. Flores, an operator, is gay, and there is also a trans (mtf) operator (I forgot her name).
Apexoiso
Apexoiso Adult
January 14, 2021
age 12+

Great game

Its an amazing game with hardly any sensitive content within it and is a strategic 5v5 shooter which is played with operators from all other the world.
See all 157 parent reviews

What’s It About?

TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX: SIEGE puts players in the shoes of skilled counterterrorism agents who engage in operations that involve diffusing bombs, rescuing hostages, protecting valuable targets, and eliminating terrorists. Teamwork, communication, and strategy are vital to success in all multiplayer mission types. A short series of single-player "situation" missions introduce the game's unique breaching tactics and destructible environments. These activities also serve to train players on some of the operatives' special equipment, including EMP grenades, bomb scanners, and long-range rifles. Then players can jump online in teams of five, going up against computer-controlled opponents on terrorist hunts or facing off against a team of five other players. Operatives -- divided into attackers and defenders and picked on a first-come basis in the pregame lobby -- are unlocked with "renown," a resource earned through play that's also used to purchase weapon modifications.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (157 ):
Kids say (352 ):

This action-packed experience is a small and focused game designed for a niche audience of online shooter fans interested in team-based play and authentic counterterrorism tactics. Maps are small but meticulously designed to afford players an opportunity to make the most of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege's breach-and-defense tactics. Materials act the same way they do in the real world, which means drywall and wooden floors can be blown apart with breaching charges to create new access to rooms and lethal lines of sight within them. Defenders, on the other hand, can barricade doors and reinforce walls to enhance their integrity. Regardless, players -- especially when defending -- will rarely feel completely safe in any room, knowing that attacks could come from almost anywhere if the opposing team makes a concerted effort. It makes for some wonderfully intense play.

While the game didn't launch with much content, new maps, modes, and operators have been made available in the years since, though some of this content requires additional purchases. As with most online games, players may experience occasional technical problems during play, including lag and lost connections, but nothing out of the ordinary. Rainbow Six: Siege earns an easy recommendation for older fans of military shooters who are more interested in strategy and teamwork than twitchy reflex action.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in the media. There aren't really any nonviolent ways to eliminate hostile threats in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege. Would nonviolent options add to or detract from the realism of dealing with terrorist threats and hostage situations?

  • Talk about diversity within the armed forces. Do you believe equal opportunities exist for people of different skin tones, gender identities, and sexual orientations within the military?

Game Details

  • Platforms: PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One
  • Pricing structure: Paid
  • Available online?: Available online
  • Publisher: UbiSoft
  • Release date: December 1, 2015
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter
  • ESRB rating: M for Blood, Drug Reference, Strong Language, Violence
  • Last updated: November 1, 2019

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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