'Rainbow Six Siege' Microtransactions, Server Issues May Hinder Latest Tom Clancy Game

"Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege" is the franchise's anticipated return after seven years on the sidelines watching other tactical first-person shooters become mega-franchises. While fans may love the gameplay, there are enough problems to be concerned about the "Rainbow Six Siege" launch. Public servers are usually the main issue with the release of a new multiplayer game, but microtransactions may be the biggest stumbling block for "Siege."

Ubisoft laid out the different ways "Rainbow Six Siege" players could earn Renown through the course of the game. Renown can be earned during matches, via kills, assists, completing daily challenges, watching tutorials or playing in ranked matches. Players could also lose Renown by killing their teammates. Players could buy R6 Credit using real currency. A pack of 600 R6 Credits costs $4.99 and lets players buy content that does not afect gameplay. Players can also purchase Renown Boosters.

Unlocking Operators -- different classes featuring unique skills and weapons -- requires at least 500 Renown. After unlocking the first Operator, for 500 Renown or $4.99, each new Operator costs an additional 500. The second unlocked Operator costs 1,000 Renown, the third Operator costs 1,500 Renown and the fourth Operator costs 2,000 Renown. There are 20 Operators that can be unlocked in "Rainbow Six Siege."

In 2016, Ubisoft will release additional Operators, maps and game modes. These Operators cost 25,000 Renown, or 25 hours of gameplay based on the company's estimates of earning 1,000 Renown per hour.

Many sites are holding off on a comprehensive "Rainbow Six Siege" review until the public servers are available. GameSpot and IGN both praise the game's strategic gameplay emphasizing smart teamwork. In order for "Siege" to be successful, progression and matchmaking are crucial to the overall experience. The bast gameplay mode, competitive five-on-five, needs to be unlocked by playing the single-player tutorial missions and the multiplayer Terrorist Hunt. "My time with Siege so far leaves me feeling like this 'Rainbow Six' revival is a skeleton with not a lot of meat on its bones," IGN's Ryan McCaffrey wrote as part of his first impressions of "Siege."

Based on the "Rainbow Six Siege" beta, many gamers on the "Rainbow Six" subReddit are satisfied with the gameplay. There are some matchmaking issues, but earning Renown seems to be relatively easy, according to a few players. A better understanding of the game's strengths and weaknesses will occur once more players get their hands on "Siege" beginning Tuesday.