View source for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six

{{Short description|Action video game franchise based on Tom Clancy's novel Rainbow Six}}
{{About|the franchise|the first video game in the franchise|Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (video game){{!}}''Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six'' (video game)|the novel with the same name |Rainbow Six (novel){{!}}''Rainbow Six'' (novel)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox VG series
|title                  = Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
|image                  = 
|caption                =
|developer              = [[Red Storm Entertainment]]<br/>[[Ubisoft Montreal]]<br/>[[Ubisoft Shanghai]]<br/>[[Ubisoft Quebec]]
|publisher              = [[Ubisoft]]
|platforms     = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Nintendo 64]], [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Classic Mac OS]], [[Game Boy Color]], [[Dreamcast]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[GameCube]], [[macOS]], [[Mobile phone]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[PlayStation Portable]], [[Xbox 360]], [[iOS]], [[Xperia Play]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[Xbox One]], [[PlayStation 5]], [[Xbox Series X/S]]
|first release version  = ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (video game)|Rainbow Six]]''
|first release date     = August 21, 1998
|latest release version = ''Rainbow Six: SMOL''
|latest release date    = February 20, 2024
|genre                  = [[Tactical shooter]]<br/>[[First-person shooter]]
|spinoffs               = 
}}

'''''Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six''''' (often shortened to '''''Rainbow Six''''' or '''''R6''''') is a [[tactical shooter]] [[video game]] series by [[Red Storm Entertainment]] and [[Ubisoft]], marketed under the ''[[Tom Clancy's]]'' banner of military-themed video games. Based on the novel ''[[Rainbow Six (novel)|Rainbow Six]]'' by American author [[Tom Clancy]], it revolves around a fictional [[International organization|international]] [[Counterterrorism|counterterrorist]] organization called "Rainbow". ''Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six'' started in 1998 and as of 2024 consists of 13 entries with 6 [[expansion pack]] from early installments.

''Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six'' is one of the most popular and most influential tactical shooter series, and early installments in the series helped propel the tactical shooter genre into the mainstream. Since the mid-2010s, a significant [[esports]] scene has formed around newer ''Rainbow Six'' games. As of 2016, over 32 million units have been sold.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press Releases |url=http://static9.cdn.ubisoft.com:80/ubigroupstatic/en-US/global/img/company/Ubisoft_Facts_Figures_September_2016_EN_268335.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020121905/http://static9.cdn.ubisoft.com:80/ubigroupstatic/en-US/global/img/company/Ubisoft_Facts_Figures_September_2016_EN_268335.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-10-20 |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=Ubisoft.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Setting ==
''Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six'' follows a secret international counterterrorist organization called "'''Rainbow'''" (or "'''Team Rainbow'''"; capitalization varies between "Rainbow" and "RAINBOW"). The series is set in the canon ''[[Tom Clancy's]]'' universe, which is mostly shared with ''[[Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell]]'' and ''[[Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon]]''.

Formed in 1999 by the world's [[military]], [[law enforcement]], and [[Intelligence agency|intelligence agencies]] to combat the post-[[Cold War]] global rise in terrorism, Rainbow is a [[rapid reaction force]] consisting of "operators" from nations and organizations worldwide, ranging from [[special operations]] personnel and [[police tactical unit]] members to [[Intelligence officer|intelligence officers]] and field experts, trained and equipped to be the most capable counterterrorist professionals in the world, able to resolve any terrorist attack, hostage-taking, bombing, or raid that local authorities cannot handle in an effective, reliable, or timely manner. Rainbow is headquartered at [[Stirling Lines]] in [[Hereford]], [[England]], but has global [[jurisdiction]] and can base themselves at any intelligence agency's headquarters (such as [[the Pentagon]]) should their continued presence in a region be necessary.

Due to the sensitive nature of their operations, such as being deployed in multinational incidents or against threats possessing [[Weapon of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction]], and to simply prevent terrorists from knowing of their existence, Rainbow operates in [[Classified information|absolute secrecy]] with complete [[plausible deniability]], with only the most top-ranking government, military, and intelligence officials knowing they even exist. [[Cover-up|Cover-ups]] are often conducted after Rainbow's deployments to disguise operators as local police or military units, omit details that could alarm the public, or prevent the reporting of certain deployments.

The leader of Rainbow is designated "Rainbow Six" (or just "Six"), a reference to the American rank code for [[Captain (United States O-6)|captain]] (O-6).<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Tucker |first=Jake |date=2015-12-04 |title=The agony and ecstasy behind the first Rainbow Six |language=en-gb |work=Eurogamer.net |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/the-agony-and-ecstasy-behind-the-first-rainbow-six |access-date=2022-06-17}}</ref> The first Six was former [[United States Navy SEALs|U.S. Navy SEAL]] and [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] operations officer [[John Clark (Ryanverse character)|John Clark]], who led the organization from its founding until his retirement.{{Efn|As depicted in ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Critical Hour]]''.|group=lower-alpha}} Since then, numerous individuals have taken the role of Six, the most recent being Harry Pandey.{{Efn|As depicted in ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege]]'' and its later updates.|group=lower-alpha|name=b}}

Though the ''Rainbow Six'' universe is generally grounded in reality and maintains its basic premise, newer installments and plot events partially depart from the series' established setting or Rainbow's traditional policies, with Rainbow hosting a publicly visible tactical competition,{{Efn|As depicted in ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege]]'' and its later updates.|group=lower-alpha|name=b}} recruiting non-government or independent operators such as [[private military company]] "Nighthaven",{{Efn|As depicted in ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege]]'' and its later updates.|group=lower-alpha|name=b}} and being deployed to defeat [[Alien invasion|invading]] [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrials]].{{Efn|As depicted in ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction]]'', which is considered non-canon.|group=lower-alpha}}

==Video games==
The first game was developed by Red Storm Entertainment, while the novel was being written.<ref name="gamasutra01">{{cite web |last=Upton |first=Brian |date=January 21, 2000 |title=Postmortem: Redstorm's Rainbow Six |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/postmortem-redstorm-s-i-rainbow-six-i- |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010804114957/http://gamasutra.com/features/20000121/upton_01.htm |archive-date=4 August 2001 |access-date=August 6, 2007 |url-status=live |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> Red Storm was acquired in 2000 by [[Ubisoft]], which has continued to manage the series ever since.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Life at Red Storm |url=https://www.redstorm.com/the-studio |access-date=2022-10-30 |website=Red Storm Entertainment |language=en-US}}</ref>

===List of games===
Games in '''''bold''''' indicate main installments.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Overview of released games
|-
! Title
! [[Personal computer|PC]] versions
! [[Video game console|Console]]<br />versions
! [[Handheld game console|Handheld console]] and [[Mobile phone|mobile]]
! class="unsortable" | Comments
|-
| '''''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (video game)|Rainbow Six]]'''''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (1998); [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]] (1999)
| {{sort|1999|[[Nintendo 64|N64]], [[PlayStation (console)|PS1]] (1999)}}; [[Dreamcast|DC]] (2000)
| {{sort|2000|[[Game Boy Color|GBC]] (2000)}}
| 
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (video game)#Eagle Watch|Rainbow Six: Eagle Watch]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (1999)
| {{sort|1999|[[Nintendo 64|N64]] (1999)}}; [[Dreamcast|DC]] (2000)
| {{N/A}}
| Expansion pack
|-
| '''''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear|Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear]]'''''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (1999); [[macOS]] (2001)
| {{sort|2000|[[Dreamcast|DC]] (2000)}}; [[PlayStation (console)|PS1]] (2001)
| {{sort|2002|[[Game Boy Advance|GBA]] (2002)}}
| 
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear#Urban Operations|Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear – Urban Operations]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2000)
| {{sort|2000|[[Dreamcast|DC]] (2000)}}
| {{N/A}}
| Expansion pack
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear#Covert Ops Essentials|Rainbow Six: Covert Ops Essentials]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2000)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| Expansion pack (stand-alone)
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear#Black Thorn|Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear – Black Thorn]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2001)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| Expansion pack (stand-alone)
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Take-Down – Missions in Korea|Rainbow Six: Take-Down – Missions in Korea]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2001)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| Not released outside of South Korea (stand-alone) 
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lone Wolf|Rainbow Six: Lone Wolf]]''
| {{N/A}}
| {{sort|2002|[[PlayStation (console)|PS1]] (2002)}}
| {{N/A}}
| 
|-
| '''''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield|Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield]]'''''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[macOS]] (2003)
| {{sort|2003|[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] (2003)}}; [[PlayStation 2|PS2]], [[GameCube]] (2004)
| {{sort|2004|[[Mobile phone]] (2004)}}
| 
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Athena Sword|Rainbow Six 3: Athena Sword]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[macOS]] (2004)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| Expansion pack
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow|Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow]]''
| {{N/A}}
| {{sort|2004|[[Xbox]] (2004)}}
| {{N/A}}
| 
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Iron Wrath|Rainbow Six 3: Iron Wrath]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2005)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| Expansion pack ([[Downloadable content|DLC]])
|-
| ''Rainbow Six: Broken Wings''
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| [[Mobile phone]] (2003)
| 
|-
| ''Rainbow Six: Urban Crisis''
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| [[Mobile phone]] (2003)
| 
|-
| '''''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown|Rainbow Six: Lockdown]]'''''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2006)
| {{sort|2005|[[PlayStation 2|PS2]], [[Xbox]], [[GameCube]] (2005)}}
| [[Mobile phone]] (2005)
|
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Critical Hour|Rainbow Six: Critical Hour]]''
| {{N/A}}
| {{sort|2006|[[Xbox]] (2006)}}
| {{N/A}}
| 
|-
| '''''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas|Rainbow Six: Vegas]]'''''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2006)
| {{sort|2006|[[Xbox 360]] (2006)}}; [[PlayStation 3|PS3]] (2007)
| [[Mobile phone]] (2006); [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]] (2007)
| 
|-
| '''''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2|Rainbow Six: Vegas 2]]'''''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2008)
| {{sort|2008|[[PlayStation 3|PS3]], [[Xbox 360]] (2008)}}
| {{N/A}}
| 
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard|Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard]]''
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| {{sort|2011|[[iOS]], [[Xperia Play]] (2011); [[Android (operating system)|Android]] (2012)}}
| Based on the [[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (video game)|original game]]
|-
| '''''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege|Rainbow Six Siege]]'''''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege {{!}} Ubisoft (US) |url=https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/rainbow-six/siege |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.ubisoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2015)
| {{sort|2015|[[PlayStation 4|PS4]], [[Xbox One]] (2015)}}; [[PlayStation 5|PS5]], [[Xbox Series X/S]] (2020)
| {{N/A}}
| Online-only reboot
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction|Rainbow Six Extraction]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction {{!}} Ubisoft (US) |url=https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/rainbow-six/extraction |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.ubisoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] (2022)
| {{sort|2022|[[PlayStation 4|PS4]], [[PlayStation 5|PS5]], [[Xbox One]], [[Xbox Series X/S]]}}
| {{N/A}}
| Spin off of, based on the limited time mode “Outbreak” from [[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege|Rainbow Six Siege]]
|-
| ''Rainbow Six: SMOL''
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
| [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]] (2024)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/games/ubisoft-launches-rainbow-six-smol-a-roguelite-exclusive-to-netflix/|title=Ubisoft launches Rainbow Six Smol, a roguelite exclusive to Netflix|last=Kaser|first=Rachel|work=[[VentureBeat]]|date=2024-02-20|accessdate=2024-09-14}}</ref>
| Requires a [[Netflix]] account. No longer available.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-23 |title=Netflix To Remove Over 20 Mobile Games Including Monument Valley Trilogy and Hades |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-games/netflix-to-remove-over-20-mobile-games-including-monument-valley-trilogy-and-hades/ |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=What's on Netflix |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile |Rainbow Six Mobile]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile {{!}} Ubisoft (US) |url=https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/rainbow-six/mobile |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.ubisoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
| {{sort|TBA|[[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]] (2025)}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holt |first=Kris |date=2024-07-18 |title=Ubisoft delays its Rainbow Six and Division mobile games until at least April 2025 |url=https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-delays-its-rainbow-six-and-division-mobile-games-until-at-least-april-2025-174035060.html |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.rainbow6.com Ubisoft Website]

{{Tom Clancy games}}
{{Ubisoft}}
{{Tom Clancy}}
{{Tom Clancy franchises}}

[[Category:Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six| ]]
[[Category:Ubisoft franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Tom Clancy games]]
[[Category:G. P. Putnam's Sons books]]