A Tactical Evolution
Martial Potron, the game director behind the upcoming Rainbow Six Tactics, has shed light on the creative process behind shifting the renowned shooter franchise into the realm of turn-based strategy. While the series is historically defined by its first-person perspective, the team believes this new direction is a perfect thematic match.
In a recent discussion with TechRadar Gaming, Potron emphasized that the transition to a turn-based format—reminiscent of the XCOM series—was an organic choice for the developers.
The Core DNA Remains
According to Potron, the fundamental identity of Rainbow Six is deeply rooted in tactical decision-making, regardless of the camera angle:
«When you look at Rainbow Six, its DNA is tactical. It's just that it's first-person. The camera is placed in the eyes of the players. It's a real-time game. But if you look at all the DNA, finding the best line of sight, finding the best cover, finding the best targets, taking care of your operators, destruction... In fact, it's very tactical in a sense.»
The development team sought to strip away the real-time elements to highlight the strategic layer that has always existed beneath the surface of the shooter mechanics.
Leveraging Studio Expertise
The decision to pursue this spin-off was bolstered by the studio's diverse background. Potron noted that Ubisoft Paris possesses a unique blend of experience that made this project feasible:
- Proven history with the tactical shooter genre.
- Deep expertise in turn-based mechanics, specifically through their work on the Mario + Rabbids series.
Potron admitted that while the team was internally convinced of the concept's strength, the primary hurdle was «to convince Ubisoft and the Rainbow Six team» that this departure from tradition would honor the franchise's legacy.
Rainbow Six Tactics is currently scheduled for release in 2027, arriving on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.