To start things off, the trailer confirms an endgame mode titled Maelstrom Protocol. It will be added to Rainbow Six Extraction on launch day and is described as a weekly challenge mode with tiered ranks and the ability to unlock exclusive rewards (as well as bragging rights). Each week will see players select from a hand-picked number of Operators, rather than the full list, and navigate nine customized subzones. All objectives must be completed in order to proceed, and each zone becomes progressively harder, with refill stations becoming scarcer and the time limit getting shorter.
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The trailer warns that this mode is built for players that have fully upgraded their Operators, so it’s not really something that can be jumped into immediately. The selection of Archaean enemies (the parasitic alien race that can be described as a cross between Starcraft’s Zerg and The Last of Us’ cordyceps), in particular, will apparently be more dangerous and deadly than even the main game’s enemy encounters on their highest difficulty.
Aside from Maelstrom Protocol, there will be limited-time events called Crisis Events. Each one has their own themed mode and will also include either a new enemy type to fight or a new playable Operator. While Rainbow Six Extraction won’t introduce any wholly new characters, fans can expect to see many familiar faces from Rainbow Six Siege, with one of the post-launch characters already confirmed to be Zofia. In addition, these events will bring new tech, cosmetics, and even lore for those who participate.
Lastly, there are Assignments. Just like Maelstrom Protocol, these will be available from day one and are new weekly gameplay modes that change how the game is played. Veteran Mode, for example, removes the HUD, limits ammo, and turns friendly fire on, meaning players will need to act even more cautiously to avoid accidentally taking each other out.
The promise of free content is always appealing, and this also comes not long after Ubisoft revealed Rainbow Six Extraction’s price. It was originally going to be sold at full price, but Ubisoft decided to lower it to $39.99 for the standard edition and $49.99 for the deluxe edition.
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