I get this question a lot lately from my PS4 gamer friends who are looking to upgrade to the PS5. The quick answer is – No, Rainbow Six Siege is not free on PlayStation 5. While the upgrade from PS4 to PS5 is free for existing owners, you do need to purchase the base game first.
Let me explain the different ways to get R6 on PS5 and whether it‘s worth upgrading to from PS4 as a tactical shooter fan. I‘ve been playing Rainbow Six Siege since the beta days on PC and have hundreds of hours across all platforms – so I‘m happy to share my perspective!
Rainbow Six Siege – An Addictive Competitive Shooter
Before we get into the PS5 stuff, let me give you a quick overview if you‘re not familiar with Rainbow Six Siege (or just R6 as the community calls it). It first released back in 2015 as the latest entry in Ubisoft‘s long-running Rainbow Six tactical shooter franchise.
R6 stands out from other popular FPS games like Call of Duty or Battlefield because of its lethal one-shot headshots, destructible environments, and heavy emphasis on teamwork. Matches are 5v5 showdowns where teams either defend or attack an objective like defusing a bomb across very short 2-3 minute rounds.
It‘s incredibly tense and addictive once you get into it – think hardcore games like Escape from Tarkov or Squad. One mistake and you‘re dead in an instant. There‘s no respawning in a round either. You really need to check corners, plan movements, and coordinate with your squad to win.
But mastering all the operators, gadgets, guns, maps and gameplay systems is deeply rewarding. I have friends who‘ve put in over 1000 hours into R6!
PS4 vs PS5 Versions – Is the Upgrade Worth It?
Now back to your original question – should you upgrade to the PS5 version of Rainbow Six Siege if you already own in on PS4?
Well here‘s a quick rundown of the differences between platforms:
| PlayStation 4 | PlayStation 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080p | 4K |
| Framerate | 60 FPS locked | 60 FPS or 120 FPS |
| Loading Times | ~45 seconds | ~15 seconds |
| Install Size | 56GB | 55.6GB |
As you can see, the jump to PS5 provides:
- 2-4X higher resolution – super sharp and detailed visuals
- Double the framerate for ultra-smooth aiming and response
- 3X faster loading so you get into matches quicker
This means you get a massive upgrade in graphics and performance at no extra cost. The PS5 version brings Rainbow Six Siege up to par with high-end PCs. It‘s a huge advantage in competitive play.
So in summary – yes, I would absolutely recommend existing PS4 owners upgrade to the PS5 version of R6 for free. It‘s a big improvement across the board.
How to Upgrade Rainbow Six Siege from PS4 to PS5
The process to upgrade is quick and painless:
For disc copies:
- Insert your PS4 Rainbow Six Siege disc into the PS5 console
- From your PS5 dashboard or game library, find Rainbow Six Siege and select the PS5 version
- Click ‘Download‘ to get the free upgrade
For digital copies:
- Find Rainbow Six Siege in your PS5 game library
- Select the PS5 version and click ‘Download‘
That‘s it! All your existing operator unlocks and progression will carry over from PS4 to PS5. The only catch is your save data (settings, keybinds etc.) doesn‘t transfer over.
But thankfully your account data is stored on Ubisoft‘s servers online, so you don‘t lose any of your hard-earned progress. Once you login, you‘ll have access to all the operators and cosmetics you‘ve unlocked over the years.
Is Rainbow Six Siege Really Free on PlayStation 5?
This is where things get slightly confusing and people get misled into thinking R6 is free on PS5.
While the upgrade from PS4 to PS5 is 100% free…you still need to own Rainbow Six Siege first via:
- Owning a PS4 disc and upgrading using the disc
- Purchasing the PS5 digital version from the PlayStation Store
- Downloading it via an active PS Plus/PS Now membership
So for brand new players who‘ve never owned R6, the game is not free on PS5. You have to buy it like any other title.
Here‘s a quick breakdown of Rainbow Six Siege‘s pricing on PSN currently:
- Standard Edition – $19.99
- Deluxe Edition – $39.99
- Ultimate Edition – $99.99
This is the same pricing as the PS4 versions. So existing owners get a free next-gen upgrade, while new players pay the same standard retail pricing.
Of course, you can also get R6 for "free" by downloading it through PlayStation‘s subscription services:
- PlayStation Plus – Monthly PS+ games are free for members
- PlayStation Now – Huge library of downloadable/streaming games
But there‘s still the ongoing membership fee you‘re paying for access to those free games. It‘s not purely free.
So in summary:
✅ Upgrade is free for PS4 owners
❌ Base game is not free for new PS5 owners
Hope this clears up whether or not Rainbow Six Siege is free on PS5!
Popularity and Player Count – Is R6 Dying?
With any multiplayer game that‘s been out for years, there‘s always the concern that the player base is dwindling and matches will be hard to find. So is R6 dying on PS5/PS4?
Based on all the data and my own experience, Rainbow Six Siege is still going strong with a very healthy playerbase!
Here are some quick stats:
- Over 70 million players total
- Usually over 100,000 concurrent daily players
- 1 million daily players during peak times
- One of the top games on PS4 and PS5 by active player count
Now the game has definitely passed its peak compared to a few years ago. But the core community remains super active and dedicated.
Having cross-play between PS4 and PS5 helps keep the PlayStation playerbase unified rather than fragmented across generations. Events, updates, and new content drops also spike engagement.
So while many online shooters see their player count drop off a cliff after a year or two, Rainbow Six Siege has maintained impressive numbers considering its age.
Finding matches is lightning quick across both casual and ranked modes. The tactical teamwork-heavy gameplay has kept R6 feeling fresh even after 7 years.
Quick Fire Rainbow Six Siege PS5 FAQs
Let‘s wrap up with a lightning round of common PS5 related questions I get about Rainbow Six Siege:
Q: Does R6 on PS5 have crossplay with PS4?
A: Yup, full crossplay between PS4 and PS5 so you can squad up regardless of console.
Q: Are PS4 servers and PS5 servers separate?
A: Nope, PlayStation has unified servers so matchmaking is combined.
Q: Is Rainbow Six Siege PS4 disc backwards compatible on PS5?
A: Yes it is! Pop in your PS4 disc to upgrade to the PS5 version.
Q: Does my PS4 Rainbow Six Siege progress transfer to PS5?
A: Yes, all your unlocks and progression carry over after linking your Ubisoft account.
Q: Does Rainbow Six Siege have 120FPS on PS5?
A: You can choose between 60FPS or 120FPS modes on PS5.
Q: Will Rainbow Six Siege be on PS6?
A: Almost certainly yes! Ubisoft will likely release a new optimized PS6 version down the road.
And there you have it friends! Let me know if you have any other PS5 Rainbow Six Siege questions. Happy fragging!
